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We'd Also Like to Thank the Academy
Powerful Night At the Movies
 | | Rev. Richard Lawrence and Rabbi Laurie Coskey introducing Selma |
There were a few glitches with the sound, the screen wasn't theater quality and the chairs weren't really ideal for a 2+ hour movie. But we wouldn't have missed it for the world.
San Diego Democrats for Equality and the San Diego LGBT Community Center co-hosted a screening of the film Selma as part of the weekend events leading up to the national holiday celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When we announced our intention to organize a screening of the film in January to kick off the Club's 40th anniversary year, Rabbi Laurie Coskey sprang into action and found a studio exec who liked the idea of a screening around the MLK holiday. The Center also jumped into the project providing the venue, the organization - even the popcorn - to make the idea a reality.
Between us, we managed to pack the house with over 200 people, including a majority of the SDUSD School Board - Board President Marne Foster, Club member Kevin Beiser and Mike McQuary. At one point, the hard working volunteers from the Center had to fan out and pull chairs from other meeting rooms and offices to accommodate the crowd.
And the crowd was appreciative. We requested a voluntary contribution to benefit the Bayard Rustin Civil Rights Honors program of the Center. About $1,000 was raised. The crowd loudly showed their appreciation of Rabbi Laurie's description of how the night came about as well as Rev Lawrence's and Dwayne Crenshaw's (our MC for the evening) call to action to advance equality for all in our own lives. The evening ended with a round of applause for a movie that is usually reserved for a live performance. It was enough to give the most jaded of civil rights warriors the energy to keep going.
Dems for Equality would like to thank Rabbi Laurie Coskey for all she did to make the evening happen. We'd also like to thank the staff and volunteers of our co-host, the Center, for their hard work that made the event happen flawlessly, particularly Ben Cartwright, Delores Jacobs, Rebekah Hook and Connor Maddocks. We can't thank Dwayne Crenshaw and Rev. Richard Lawrence enough for their eloquence and motivating words. And we'd also like to thank the Academy, particularly the anonymous studio exec, who gave us such an inspirational film to watch together.
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Dems for Equality Nomination Meeting
 At the Club's January meeting - Thursday January 22nd - we will be accepting nominations for Vice President-Political Action and Treasurer as well as at-large Board member. Our Bylaws call for two year terms in alternate years. Because our President, Vice President for Resource Development and Secretary were elected last year for two year terms, those offices will not be up for election until next year. The officers elected this year will serve until early 2017.
If you are interested in serving in one of the positions, or, if you would like to nominate another Club member, please come to our meeting on Jan. 22nd. Elections will be held at the Club's February meeting and the new officers will take office at a ceremony in March.
In addition to opening nominations for Club officers, we will hear reports on the Club's activities since the November elections including the ADEM elections, screening of Selma and plans to celebrate the Club's 40th anniversary.
Thursday, January 22, 2015 Joyce Beers Uptown Community Center
3900 Vermont St
(across from Trader Joe's) in Hillcrest.
6:30 PM for Social Time, Program 7:00 PM
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Is it Time to Re-Up?
 The Club depends on membership dues to keep the lights on and promote our candidates and issues to the community. A large number of community members depend on our Voters Guide to help them make an intelligent choice when marking their ballots so your membership renewal is critical to ensure those Guides get into those hands. If your membership has lapsed or if you know you're membership is soon to expire, please re-up now. You might also consider upgrading your membership to a higher level.
You can find out more about the Club's membership levels and benefits online HERE. You can also renew with a credit card there. If you would prefer to use a check, send the check, made out to Democrats for Equality to:
San Diego Democrats for Equality
PO Box 33050
San Diego CA 92163
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Our Issues Are Everywhere
We got involved in a game of charges and counter-charges over our campaign to elect delegates to the State Democratic Convention. That is not surprising when you have two groups, each of whom think their own slates are best. One of the specific charges surprised me though. The charge that as an LGBT focused Democratic Club, we were a single issue group. To be absolutely fair, no one specifically called us that. They used an old trick I've used myself many times where you describe an attribute you feel your group has and let the reader infer that the other side, us in this case, does not have that high minded attribute.
It's not an unfair tactic and I don't blame the folks on the other side for using it. What surprised me is that some on our side bought into the argument. So let me set the record straight.
San Diego Democrats for Equality is chartered by the Democratic Party to be a representative of the LGBT community to the Party and to be a representative of the Party to the community. All Democratic Clubs are chartered in this way. Some are representative of communities who are fixed to a specific geographic location and some are representative of communities or interests that have common traits regardless of where they live. So, if we are a single issue organization because we represent an identifiable community, all Democratic Clubs are single issue organizations.
So let's talk about what our single issue is.
More...
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Jonathan Dunn-Rankin
We lost a member, benefactor and friend last Friday. Jonathan Dunn-Rankin was a part of San Diego Democrats for Equality for decades, opening his home for events and meetings, performing Master of Ceremony duties at the Freedom Awards as well as where ever his strong voice could be of use. He was also a friend to many in the Club and within our community.
On February 2nd, a memorial service - This Is Your Wonderful Life, Jonathan Dunn-Rankin - will be held at Cygnet Theatre. Jonathan Dunn-Rankin's life will be celebrated by family, friends and colleagues. But I'm sure that in Jonathan's mind everyone he met became family. Please come together to celebrate the life of this wonderful man.
There will be a reception followed by a celebration in the theater. RSVP and keep up with the plans for the celebration here.
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