Subject: POM Weekly Update 1/26/96
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 15:55:06 -0500

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

Project Open Mind
Weekly Update
January 26, 1996

FOR EXTERNAL USE

General

The Houston PFLAG chapter is moving forward with planning for the Hate Crimes
Community Meeting scheduled for Saturday, February 3rd.  Congresswoman Sheila
Jackson Lee is scheduled to speak and a presentation on Project Open Mind
will be given.  Cong. Jackson Lee has also personally invited US Attorney
General Reno to attend either the community meeting or the press conference
scheduled for Monday, February 5th.  If the Attorney General is not able to
attend, a representative from her office is scheduled.  A broad spectrum of
groups have been invited, including representatives from the Houston school
district and political groups as well as professional and civic groups.  A
large turnout is expected.   Houston PFLAG has positioned itself to educate a
diverse audience on the connection between hate speech and the climate of
intolerance that leads to hate crimes.

In Tulsa,  the second of what will become an ongoing film series began this
week.  This creative program helps the chapter to expand its community
outreach and educate Tulsans on gay and lesbian issues as well as Project
Open Mind.  The signature ad project has been tremendously successful with
more than 400 names signed on for a February 18th ad in the Tulsa World
newspaper.  The chapter has also done extensive outreach to the religious
community in Tulsa where much of our target audience of middle America is
being reached.  Presentations have been made at Tulsa Jr. College, and the
University of Tulsa.  A concert with the Oklahoma City Gay Men's Chorus is
being planned.  The chapter is also working with the police department in the
wake of increasing acts of anti-gay vandalism and threats.

Atlanta PFLAG has confirmed that Atlanta Pride has chosen Project Open Mind
as the theme for this year's Pride.  Nancy Rodriquez will speak at the Pride
Day rally and PFLAG will lead off the parade.  Atlanta's Pride March is one
of the largest in the country and this honor is greatly appreciated by all of
PFLAG.  Outreach activities have included presentations at Georgia Tech and
to the Civitans Club of Cobb County.  A Court TV appearance by Nancy
Rodriquez is scheduled.  Also in the planning stages are two events - a
dinner scheduled for April and a concert scheduled for June.

Mitzi Henderson presented Project Open Mind to an association of Public
Affairs Officers in the Bay Area.  The national office has been invited to
give a presentation next month to Old Dominion University and Thomas Nelson
Community College in Virginia located in Jerry Falwell's backyard.  

Support

o Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund

MEDIA COVERAGE

11/28 - CBS News - "Up to the Minute" - news story - interview with Sandra
Gillis
11/28 - CBS Morning News - news story - interviews with Sandra Gillis and
Jerry
 Falwell
11/28 - NCNC-TV(CBS) - Denver - news story - interview with Sandra Gillis
11/28 - KFMB-TV(CBS) - San Diego - news story - interview with Jerry Falwell
12/1 - WJBK-TV(Fox) - Detroit - news story - interview with Mitzi Henderson
1/4 - Albion Monitor - California-based Web publication - news story
1/15 - OutSmart - Houston - monthly g/l magazine - article
1/19 - Houston Voice - weekly g/l newspaper - story on PFLAG's role in
forming
 hate crimes coalition
1/19 - This Week in Texas - weekly g/l magazine - story on Texas hate crimes
and
 PFLAG's leadership role in forming coalition
1/22 - Outlook Video - San Francisco-based cable program - news story,
interview
 with Mitzi Henderson (for US carriage times check web page
  http://www.OutlookVideo.org/
1/23 - The Advocate - national g/l magazine - Bruce Bawer column 
1/25 - Rainbow Connection - Long Island gay cable program - news story,
interviews
 with Dick Ashworth, president NY PFLAG, Iris Blumenthal, president Long
 Island PFLAG and Sid Gelb Long Island board member
1/25 - Cambridge Cable - Massachusetts cable - the Jim Shields Show - panel
 discussion with PFLAG leader Charles Connors

 Action Items

o Donations are needed to continue the expansion of Project Open Mind:

 PFLAG
 Project Open Mind
 PO Box 96519
 Washington, DC  20090-6519
 Please designate "Project Open Mind" on your check

This concludes the weekly update.  Jeffrey Garrett, Project Open Mind
Campaign Manager,([email-masked])