Call to Action - November 14

We will no longer hide who we are for the sake of political expediency.

We will not take a back seat to poll-tested messaging.

We will rescue the definition of "family," which has been hijacked by the the forces of bigotry and homophobia.

We will use the passage of prop 102 to motivate us to be visible forces for change in our communities.

Wingspan is sponsoring a call to action and community celebration on the evening of Friday, November 14th. Please save the date.

Early next week, we will send out more details about the location and time of this important event.

Now is the time for our community and allies to come together in mutual support, honoring the anger and disappointment we feel about the passage of Prop 102, and to heal.

Even more importantly, we need to channel our feelings, strengths and energy into a positive force for social change.

Key to this effort is Wingspan's FAMILIES YOU KNOW campaign, a video, photography and storytelling project that empowers you to change hearts and minds through sharing your family stories.

We will officially launch FAMILIES YOU KNOW at Friday's event.

Why? Because the narrow definition of "family" espoused by Prop 102 supporters hurts everyone.

We know that families come in many forms, but what defines them is an unbreakable bond of trust, respect, and concern for each other's well being.

The FAMILIES YOU KNOW campaign will feature your families, in which one or more members is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or a straight ally, families where children, siblings, parents, grandparents, and friends are loved, respected, cared for, and nurtured.

Wingspan is excited to sponsor this dynamic, community-driven campaign.

You and your family are not just talking about "values," you're living them - balancing work and soccer practice, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, sharing joys and sorrows.

With your help, we will raise awareness, confront prejudice, and begin a conversation in the community where all families are respected, valued, and not exploited for short-term political gain.

You can learn more about FAMILIES YOU KNOW and watch the first video here.

Please send this SAVE THE DATE announcement out to your distribution lists and post to your MySpace and Facebook pages. We need your help to spread the word!