Transgender Caucus on Sunday, May 22, 2011

MCC's People of African Descent Conference (May 19-21, 2011) and HRC's Clergy Call(May 22-24, 2011) have coordinated their programming for 2011, as they both gather in Washington D.C.

More on MCC PAD 2011: http://padconference.mccchurch.org/

More on HRC Clergy Call 2011: http://www.hrc.org/clergycall2011/

There will be a TransFaith Caucus on Sunday, May 22, 2011 (Noon to 3pm). Local transgender people and transgender participants from both events are invited to gather for lunch and conversation between these to larger events. We will...

Meet, greet, network, and get to know one another
Discuss the needs of transgender clergy and brainstorm about future organizing for mutual support
Consider strategies to address barriers to transgender service and professional development

HRC is providing the gathering space and funding for a simple lunch. Please plan your travel to arrive in time to participate.

Where: HRC offices, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue NW # 1, Washington D.C.
When: Sunday, May 22, 2011, noon to 3pm
RSVP: Please contact chris@transfaithonline.org so we can be sure to have enough food on hand! And please advise of any dietary restrictions.
Transportation: We will work together to transport folks from HRC to Mt. Vernon Place UMC, where the evening activities for Clergy Call 2011 and MCC PAD will be happening. Please let us know if you can assist with these logistics.

Letters & signatures needed for Transgender Equal Rights Bill!

Good morning!

We still need testimony letters and Declaration signatures for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill’s public hearing on Wednesday June 8^{th --}please submit your letters and signatures by this coming Monday, May 23^rd. (We need to produce binders of testimony and other documents to give to each Committee member on hearing day.)

To sign ICTE’s Declaration Of Religious And Faith-Based Support for the bill:

Read the signed Declaration as a PDF (updated yesterday):

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B-u19Qf_xKGEODRmYmQ3MmItZjllYi00NjBiLWJjZWYtMzNlYmJjMDRkMWNj&hl=en&authkey=CKTEj7QG

If you don’t see your or your community / organization’s signatures, emailInterfaithCoalition@gmail.com – include the name(s) as you wish it/them to appear (if you have a title, please use it if you can), and the denomination(s).

To submit written testimony for the bill’s hearing (Wednesday, June 8^th):

Write a letter telling the Joint Committee on the Judiciary why you support the bill and urging them to do so (we need them to vote the bill onwards to be voted on by the full legislature). If you submitted testimony last legislative session, you will be contacted about updating it. Submit your written testimony to the Committee co-chairs and MTPC. All testimony will be presented to the Committee the day of the hearing. Full instructions for writing and submitting:

http://www.masstpc.org/legislation/testifyinwriting.shtml

More details and opportunities for action are in our previous update (Friday May 6^th):

http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/05/update-ma-transgender-equal-rights-bill.html

Thank you,

Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality (ICTE)

http://www.interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com

ICTE FB group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7923372429

Faith campaign FB event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188135257891766