Bio:
The HGLBTPC is the South's Oldest Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Civil Rights Organization. Founded in 1975, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is dedicated to eliminating prejudice, violence, and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans
Houston GLBT Political Caucus president Kris Banks made the following statement regarding the California Supreme Court's decision to uphold Proposition 8:
"At the Caucus, we are doubly sad today. First of all, we are sad for our friends in California, where the state supreme court reaffirmed Proposition 8, which took away the right to marry from same-sex couples."
"But even the supposed 'good news,' that same-sex marriages performed before the proposition passed will remain valid, serves as nothing but a cruel mockery for Houstonians and Texans. Those marriages may remain valid in California, but the moment those same-sex couples pass the Texas state line, they have no rights. That's because a Texas constitutional amendment, passed in 2005, took those rights away."
"We are aware that federal action will likely be necessary before we have marriage equality here. We are aware that the announcement of Judge Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court may have more to do with us achieving equality than the announcement of the California decision."
"But we want to make sure our community and those who support us are aware that there is action they can take to advance equality right here in Houston. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people must stand behind the members of our community who are ready to lead. Openly gay and lesbian candidates like Annise Parker, who is running for mayor, and Maverick Welsh, who is in a runoff in just three weeks for Houston City Council."
"We ask that our community turn its anger into action and get involved in these local races."
After decades of fighting for equality in the face of discrimination, the LGBT community recognizes, perhaps more profoundly than anyone, the "fierce urgency of now." We long for transformational change. We deeply desire a united country, where we can share openly and honestly with our neighbors. That is why the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is proud to join the unprecedented, diverse, hope driven coalition that is emerging across this nation to elect Senator Barack Obama President of the United States.
Despite overwhelming schedules, both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama had the humility to answer all of our tough questions, fulfilling the same process that every candidate, from precinct chair to U.S. Senator, had to complete in order to secure our endorsement. After engaging in these historic conversations, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus board has voted to endorse Barack Obama:
• Focused on Victory: Through our presidential screening process, Barack Obama and his campaign demonstrated that he's a strong campaigner with a compelling message and superior organization. As with every primary election, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is intensely focused on victory. Our goal is to enact specific policies that include employment non-discrimination, judicial fairness for LGBT families, and marriage equality. We stand with Barack Obama because we feel he is best positioned to enable us to achieve these goals. We are confident in his ability to win the general election. The Caucus has endorsed over 40 progressive candidates in Harris County, and we believe that Barack Obama's nomination will help us win these crucial local races.
• Joining a Historic Coalition: The LGBT craves unity with our neighbors. Barack Obama has inspired young people all over this country, and we want to stand with next generation. Barack Obama has reached out to rural voters better than any progressive candidate in recent memory, and we are deeply gratified to finally join hands with our heart-land neighbors. Barack Obama has become the voice for immigrants, people of all races, workers, farmers, and the creative-class. From H.I.V. /AIDs to worker's rights, the LGBT community shares the needs and issues of minorities, people from every corner of this nation, and we trust Obama will deliver the change we all need.
• A President for Every American Family: The Caucus Screening committee had a very substantive conversation with Barack Obama. In his answers, Obama proved that he has a keen insight into LGBT issues, constitutional law, and civil rights. We know he is listening to us, and we trust that a President Obama will be a leader for all of America's families, including LGBT families.
The process of vetting and endorsing candidates is arduous and sometimes contentious, but when the GLBT community commits itself, works together, and, most importantly, when we speak out about our needs and our vision for the future of Houston, we win!
The Caucus was victorious in 16 of the 17 races in which we endorsed in the November general election and December runoff election, including the city council race for District D which encompasses the Montrose Area. Unofficial canvass reports from Harris County had Adams winning Montrose by about 800 total votes, receiving 88% of the vote in those precincts. The Caucus orchestrated an unprecedented get out the vote campaign that paid off big time. The GLBT Caucus also endorsed Jolanda Jones, At-Large 5 and James Rodriguez, District I for Houston City Council. With the election of this new generation of progressive, equality focused city leaders, the Caucus looks forward to helping Houston City Council move forward in granting equal rights to GLBT citizens.
Now that all the votes have been counted and things have turned out so well, I think we should acknowledge how important this election was for our organization. We grew this fall. Our screening committee invested a lot of time investigating the HISD bond. We took a big risk, being the first the civic organization to endorse the proposal, but our activism made the difference. Just like in Wanda Adam's race, Montrose and the GLBT block vote provided, in large part, the margin of victory.
I think Caucus President Jennifer Rene Pool said it best: "We are not a special interest group; we are a general interest group. That is why we endorsed in the HISD, county, and state bond elections as well. Our focus is on cleaner air, better public schools, increasing public safety, and electing quality progressive candidates. We want a better Houston for our families, and that starts by electing the best candidates."
I know... She hasn't officially announced anything, but the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is so proud of City Controller Annise Parker, so excited that she may be the first openly homosexual mayor of a major American city, that we just have to celebrate. This year's annual July 4th fundraiser will be held at the home of Annise Parker.
Over the last several elections, the caucus has achieved some historic victories. Our organization is healthy and growing. We have ambitious goals and a clear vision for the future of Houston - Houston led by Annise Parker. Annise Parker has proven herself over many years of service to our city, and we at the Caucus have been dreaming about her Mayoral election for a long, long time. Rest assured, we're going to work harder than we've ever worked to get her elected, but...
(Please get your friends in Houston to vote. Melissa will either be the leading candidate or win outright without a runoff. Help try to make the latter option possible! - promoted by KT)
The May 12th special election to fill the Houston City Council seat vacated by Shelley Sekula-Gibbs has received very little press coverage, and everyone agrees that Election Day promises low voter turnout. Coming off all the exciting victories of 2006, this race seems to be flying under the radar, but electing Melissa Noriega should be important to progressive voters everywhere. It’s certainly important to Houston’s GLBT community, as we have the opportunity to replace an adversary on council with a friend, but, beyond that, it seems to me that electing Noriega would deliver one more knockout punch to the regressive, corrupt politics of Tom Delay.
As Election Day approaches, I get more and more excited about Melissa Noriega. Earlier this spring, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus enthusiastically endorsed Melissa, because she articulated a sincere commitment to GLBT equality and demonstrated incredibly strong viability. It was clear then that Melissa was certainly going to make a very strong run, and today, our early impressions of Noriega are being fulfilled in impressive ways. Just check out her F.E.C. filings. The Noriega campaign is doing a great job, out raising all other the other candidates by a large margin. If she wins, all Houstonians can count on her to be a principled, reasonable, and effective leader, but I think her victory has a broader, historic significance. The whole sordid tale of corruption, indictments, resignations, law suits, write-ins, and “Gibbs Gaffes” ends with the election of Melissa Noriega.
Let’s review the squalid saga that led up to this election:
This is the Melissa Noriega Campaign. It’s time to vote! Early voting in the May 12th special election to fill the unexpired term of Shelley Sekula-Gibbs for Houston City Council At-Large, Position 3 begins today, April 30th, and continues through Tuesday, May 8th. Election Day is Saturday, May 12th.
And, it’s time to thank the Houston GLBT Caucus for all of your work knocking on doors, making phone calls, putting out yard signs and getting out the word about Melissa. This City Council seat is important. The person who wins has the opportunity to be a part of ensuring our city has a vibrant future. Melissa Noriega is the candidate who will pull diverse groups together around common ground, to make our neighborhoods safer, our environment healthier and our government more effective.
This election is not a done deal. While Melissa has received many important endorsements, including the Caucus, the Houston Chronicle, police, fire, Labor, elected officials and other business and community members, it’s now up to the voters to go to the polls and make their voices heard.
This is expected to be a very low turnout election. It’s important that everyone stay focused and work from now to election day to get out the vote, whether it’s by making phone calls to voters, emailing everyone you know to encourage them to vote for Melissa or talking to your friends and co-workers about the election. Early voting is important, as the number of polling locations for Election Day has been reduced. An interactive early voting map, with locations and schedules, can be found at www.melissanoriega.com.
If you haven’t had a chance to meet Melissa, you can do that this week at Wednesday’s Caucus meeting.
Wednesday May 2, 6:30 PM
Houston GLBT Caucus General Meeting and Wine Reception
Havens Center 1827 W Alabama St, Houston, TX
Thank you again, for your endorsement and - Let’s Get Out the Vote for Melissa!
For the past twenty-six years, Rice University sociology professor Stephen Klineberg has been recording the opinions of Houstonians on a wide variety of fascinating socio-economic issues in his report, The Houston Area Survey. Some new numbers from the most recent report are coming out, and it's amazing how dynamic and diverse our city is. Since the survey was founded, the views of our city population have changed in dramatic ways. Most significantly for our community, support for gay adoption is surging. In the last decade, public opinion has shifted in a positive direction by over ten percent. Even as views on other issues, such as the death penalty and immigration, fluctuate up and down from year to year, the trend towards majority support of gay families seems amazingly consistent.
Unfortunately, supporters are still in the minority, but these statistical movements are extremely consequential. At this moment in Texas, adoption is one of our most tenuous rights. Each new session of the state legislature brings renewed fear that adoption and foster parenting will be limited to heterosexual couples. Even today, as the 80th legislature holds it hearings and floor debates, it's a very scary possibility, but as public opinion shifts in our favor, close-minded, right-wing legislators have less leverage on these controversial issues. Of course, for GLBT foster parents and hopeful adopters, tolerance couldn't come too soon.
Yesterday I reported on Patricia M. Logue's appointment as a judge. Logue was one of the lead attorneys in the Lawrence v. Texas case. Her victory has been extremely important to our community. In many ways, the Lawrence verdict has changed the trajectory of our fight for equality. I think it's amazing that all that progress can be traced right back here to Texas. That's one reason why the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is so adamant that our own Houston " Pride parade be celebrated in June, the month the ruling was handed down.
It was such an important moment, but did you know that Texas's sodomy law is still on the books? Of course, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision has rendered it completely unenforceable, but the Republican leadership in our legislature has let the law stand, simply out of spite and hatred for our community. Thankfully, State Representative Garnet Coleman has filed a bill to finally repeal Texas's hollow, hateful sodomy law.
[(2) state that homosexual conduct is not an acceptable lifestyle and is a criminal offense under Section 21.06, Penal Code].
[(8) emphasis, provided in a factual manner and from a public health perspective, that homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under Section 21.06, Penal Code].
Congratulations, Patricia Logue! Your service to our community will never be forgotten. And thank you, Representative Coleman, for continually fighting for us in the Texas House.
Tonight, during our March general meeting, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus voted to endorse Melissa Noriega in her run for city council.
With two openly gay candidates, Noel Freeman and Ivan Mayers, running, the decision to endorse Noriega was not an easy one, but the caucus has not compromised its commitment to advancing equality for GLBT people in Houston. After some thorough discussion, there was clear consensus on two things:
First, we can all be very proud of Noel Freeman and Ivan Mayers. Their courage is inspiring, and the GLBT community applauds them for running as openly gay men.
Second, the caucus must be unrelenting in its pursuit of equal rights for GLBT. Of course we want more GLBT elected officials, but, even more than that, we want equal rights as soon as possible. The Caucus is certain that, out of all the candidates, Melissa Noriega will be our most effective advocate. She is a proven leader with broad support. She has demonstrated a deep, personal understanding of GLBT issues, and she is more than prepared to run a victorious campaign. Noriega's screening was exemplary. She far outshined every other contender, including Freeman and Mayers. We are proud to support her, as proud as we've ever been.
The Houston GLBT Political Caucus enthusiastically looks forward to Melissa Noriega's tenure on city council, and we will be working diligently on her behalf right through May 12th, election day.
