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Greetings!
Thank you for paying your dues (if you have already done so). We appreciate the support as we plan the new year.
If you have not yet paid, please again see our attached plan for the year and decide if you can provide your support!
Also GLIFAA would like to congratulate and thank Selim Ariturk who is now our interim Networking Chair. Through his efforts we have planned a great event at Chi Cha Lounge with Capitol Hill GLBT Groups - hope you can attend!
For those at USAID, our Policy Director, Ajit Joshi has an important announcement below about opportunities to assist with change at USAID!
-The GLIFAA Board
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Upcoming Events
GLIFAA
Presents: Joint GLIFAA-GLASS-LGCSA Networking Happy Hour
GLIFAA Members and Friends, we invite you to join Gays, Lesbians, and Allies on the Senate Staff (GLASS) and the Lesbian and Gay Congressional Staff Association (LGCSA) for drinks and appetizers at Chi Cha Lounge!
Chi Cha Lounge
1624 U Street NW
(2 Doors down from Results: The Gym)
Metro: U Street or Dupont Circle
Wednesday, February 20
6:30 - 8:30 pm
RSVP to GLIFAA@yahoo.com
GLIFAA plans to do future joint happy hours with other DC GLBT groups - please let us know if you have a group in mind!
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FedGlobe Happy Hour at Cobalt/30 Degrees
Join other LGBT Federal Employees for their monthly 1st Thursday at Cobalt!
Thursday, February 6
6:00 - 8:00 pm
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Committed Volunteers needed for GLBT Efforts at USAID
GLIFAA Policy Director Ajit Joshi to Lead Efforts
Many of you attended GLIFAA's session as part of
USAID's Diversity Council Speaker Series on January 3, organized by GLIFAA members Ajit Joshi and Ken Seifert.
The event, plus the results of the 2 007 diversity survey, which
identified that gay and lesbian employees need to be a focus for the Agency,
has stirred great interest in USAID senior management. Senior management wants GLIFAA to identify
items that can be addressed and accomplished by the end of this calendar
year. If you are overseas, you can
participate virtually in leading a task.
Ajit Joshi is chairing a working group that is identifying items that
could be completed this year. These
items will then be presented to the Executive Diversity Council to be added to
the list of action items for 2008. The
Agency will then monitor, on a quarterly basis, how targets for these tasks are
being met, and what needs to get done to complete the items by the end of
2008.
All members - gay and straight -
who are willing to volunteer their time and commit to completing some tasks to
make a difference at USAID are urged to contact him at ajoshi@usaid.gov. |
GLIFAA appreciates your dues!
Please Click Here to pay 2008 dues.
To review our 2007
expenses, we began using this nifty new newsletter at a small monthly
cost, donated money to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission, sent our Director of Public Affairs and Communications to the annual
Out and Equal Conference, and kept the organization running
administratively.
The Board has bigger plans in
2008. While we continue pushing for equality of benefits
with senior management and advocate for GLBT issues, we hope to significantly
increase our outreach and visibility in Washington. GLIFAA needs
to be noticed by senior management and the gay and lesbian activist
community.
We appreciate the strong
support many of you have made over the past few years, and hope you'll join
again this year. We believe we have corrected the situation
that caused some uncashed checks in 2006. Furthermore, our new Treasurer has
expressed that although we were able to get through 2007 without your
contributions, we cannot expect the same in 2008! The following is our planned 2008 expenditures.
Thanks!
GLIFAA 2008 Planned Budget:
- Donations and honoraria to
Quarterly GLIFAA Leadership Forum Speakers
$800
- Donation to www.talesmag.com to
keep the gay/lesbian question on real post reports
- PRIDE Events and Pre-Parade
Reception
$450
$300
- Out and Equal GLBT
Seminar
$600
$120
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Community Event!
Rally For Maryland Marriage Equality
On
the
evening
of
Monday,
February
11,
Equality Maryland
will
organize
an
important
rally
and
lobby
day
in
Annapolis.
Maryland
legislators will
have
two
important
pieces
of
legislation
before
them,
The Religious
Freedom
and
Marriage
Protection
Act
and
a
Transgender Anti-Discrimination
Bill.
The
first
bill
would
extend
FULL
MARRIAGE PROTECTIONS
to
same-sex
couples,
and
the
second
would
prohibit discrimination
based
on
gender
identity
and
expression
in
public accomodations,
public
services,
and
more.
The
events
will
be
from 4:30
to
8:00
p.m.
in
Annapolis.
To
sign
up,
visit Equality Maryland.
GLIFAA
member
Selim
Ariturk
is
organizing carpools
from
DC
-
contact
him
at
selimariturk@gmail.com
if
you can
participate.
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GLIFAA Board Elections around the Corner!
Don't you want to be involved??
Thinking about expanding your leadership experience? Want to get involved with a group on the front lines of advocating for GLBT rights for federal employees??
Think about getting involved with the GLIFAA Board!
Speak with President Aaron Jensen at State (jensenaw@state.gov), Policy Director Ajit Joshi at USAID (AJoshi@usaid.gov) or email GLIFAA@yahoo.com to express your interest.
All positions will be up for re-election, including:
President
Policy Director
Treasurer
Communications Director
Networking Chair
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FSO or MOH Blogging?!
Michelle Schohn is looking for FSOs and/or MOHs with blogs about their experiences abroad!
The MOH Network has been having a lively discussion on Yahoo-Groups and the Board encorages MOHs to participate! Email moderator Emil.Stalis@tufts.edu if you cannot access the homepage of the network (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MOH_Network/) Please provide identifying information (employee of which
organization, or MOH of which employee who is at which organization) so that
you can be verified prior to being part of the group.
For those of
wanting to "institutionalize" your experiences, here is one great
example: lifeafterjerusalem.blogspot.com.
Michelle Schohn is
looking to create links from her blog to any of the blogs of other FSOs
and/or MOHs, in particular who have stories about MOH issues. If you
have a blog and are willing to let Michelle put a link to your blog on her
blog, please email her.
And if you're still not convinced,
Michelle, a Public Diplomacy professional, says "I think blogs are a good
way to let people know what life is like in the FS, whether as an employee,
spouse/partner (same or opposite sex) or family member. And for those of us
with MOH or partner issues, it is an excellent way to get the word out on what
we deal with!" "The MOH Network" is a discussion group for all individuals who fall into the classification of Members of Household as defined in 3 FAM 4180 and their partners/sponsors. A MOH is anyone accompanying a Foreign Service Officer to post. This includes parents, partners, (opposite sex, same sex), and children over age 21. In other words-anyone who is not mentioned on an officer's orders. The MOH Network is a venue for MOHs to seek out resources and information. It is also a place for individuals to share strategies, vent frustration and most important - find support.
Employees are requested to please share this
information with their family members.
Sign up: MOH_Network-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Contact:
Member_of_Household@yahoo.com |
| Did you serve in Iraq or Afghanistan??
GLIFAA would like to compile a list of GLBT members who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Even if you feel that you do not want to provide your name, please let us know so you can be counted. This type of information will help show our leadership the committment that gay members have to our work - as well as show a real need to provide equal treatment. Please email glifaa@yahoo.com
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