COLAGE News Blog

COLAGE Welcomes New Chapter in Northwest PA Oct 26 09

COLAGE Welcomes New Chapter in Northwest Pennsylvania

The NWPA Chapter of COLAGE is here! To get things kicked-off we're having our first event at Rolling Meadow Lanes in Erie, PA.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 12th at 2:00pm to meet and sign-in. Our lanes are reserved from 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. The cost is $7 per person and includes shoes/balls and all-you-can-bowl.

3304 Zuck Rd.
Erie, Pa. 16506
814-838-7681

If anyone is interested in joining our chapter and/or would like to volunteer at activities, please plan to meet us there. We would like to meet once a month and hope that as word gets out, we will have many participants ! Parents are welcome to volunteer and attend activities and meetings.
If you have any questions and/or to RSVP, please email Christine at nwpa@colage.org.

Adoption and Foster Care Anti-Discrimination Bill Introduced Today Oct 21 09

COLAGE applauds the introduction of a federal bill that would restrict federal funds for states that discriminate in adoption or foster programs on the basis of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Every Child Deserves a Family Act (HR 3827) would be an important step by the Federal government in making it clear that discrimination against our families is not acceptable and would also benefit children who would have the opportunity to be matched with qualified loving, homes despite the parents' martial status, sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill was introduced by Representative Pete Stark (D- CA).

At COLAGE we know that what children need are parents who are capable of and committed to parenting and loving them. This bill affirms that truth and will benefit thousands of children. Currently there are an estimated 500,000 children in the United States foster care system and over 129,000 are legally available for adoption. Unfortunately nearly 25,000 foster children a year are "aged out" of the system and never find a permanent family.

Chiah Connolly-Ingram, COLAGE Intern, shared, "As an adopted daughter of two lesbians I have gotten a loving family and I think that this bill is important because I want others to have the chance of being adopted too."

Adoption policies with regards to LGBTQ parents vary from state to state. Although Florida is currently the only state with an outright ban on adoption by LGBTQ individuals, seven states either restrict adoption by LGBTQ individuals or couples or have laws and policies that also bar unmarried couples- both LGBTQ and straight from being foster and/or adoptive parents. One-third of child welfare agencies currently reject LGBTQ applicants or have policies that give preferential treatment to married, heterosexual couples. Policies such as these send the message to people with LGBTQ parents that their families are not equally valued.

Take Action! Contact your legislator today and tell them to sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 3827. Help COLAGE ensure that children of LGBTQ families gain the rights, recognition and respect that every family deserves. Click HERE to look up your Representative.

For more information, or to get involved with the COLAGE Speak OUT program and to share your story to raise awareness about this bill, contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director.

COLAGE Condemns Actions of Louisiana Justice of the Peace who Denied an Inter-racial couple a marriage license Oct 17 09

COLAGE is appalled at the news from yesterday that an interracial couple was denied a marriage license by a Louisiana Justice of the Peace who claimed that the marriage might be harmful to children produced from the partnership. As people with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer parents, we know all too well that political and legal decisions are made it way too often in the name of our best interests.

Asha Leong, COLAGE Board of Directors member shared, "As a fellow Southerner and mixed-race COLAGEr I found Keith Bardwell's decision to deny a mixed-race couple a marriage license to be completely wrong. While he wouldn't approve of my multi-racial Chinese, Indian and Irish heritage I know first hand the strengths and joys that come from having family literally all over the world."

Keith Bardwell said of his decision, "There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage. I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it."

Beth Humphrey, 30, and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

COLAGE applauds the couple for having the courage to share their story and will continue to work for the day when children are allowed to speak for themselves as to their own best interests and when all families receive equal protections, recognition and rights. As Asha summed up, "COLAGE has helped me connect to a community of people who have families just like mine. The power of our collective organizing easily erases any challenges that arise from being the multiracial child of lesbian parents."

Read the full story here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113852383&ft=1&f=1001

COLAGEr on National Radio Show about Adoption Oct 16 09

National Radio show on Adoption Options for the LGBT Community Wed. Oct. 21 from 12-1 Eastern Time

Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption and Infertility is a national radio program about adoption and half about infertility. This show is now both the # 1 rated adoption podcast and infertility podcast on iTunes. Creating a Family was awarded the National Excellence in Adoption Award from the US Department of Health and Human Services for 2009 in the Support of Adoptive Families category.

Same sex couples often find it harder to adopt. We will talk about what options are open to the LGBT community, how to find a gay friendly agency, how to increase the odds of finding a child, and how the children and parents fare post adoption. Our guests will be Hilary Neiman, an adoption attorney who facilitates independent domestic adoptions for same sex couples; Sharon Roszia, an adoption specialist at the Kinship Center; and Dr. Abbie Goldberg, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Clark University and member of the COLAGE Research Review Committee, specializing in parenthood, relationship quality, and well-being in lesbian/gay parent families.

You can listen or download the show at the radio page of www.CreatingaFamily.org. Please send any questions that you’d like for us to ask our expert panel to dawn@creatingafamily.org.

Exciting updates about the Speak OUT Camp Oct 9 09

We still have a few spots left so apply today to join us for the first-ever COLAGE Speak OUT Camp!

Exciting updates:
* We will have ASL interpretation available during this event
* We will be joined by the NPR Story Corps program; Interested Speak OUT Campers will be able to do audio recorded interviews on queerspawn topics
* Optional low-ropes challenge course will be offered
* Our friends at GLAAD will be joining us to provide media training
* and much, much more!

Don't miss your chance to be there with us. Apply today! Click HERE for more information.

Serena's Writing about COLAGE Oct 8 09

Serena performed this reading during the COLAGE Show and Tell at Provincetown Family Week, 2009. She wrote her piece during the Camp COLAGE Creative Writing workshop.

COLAGE Welcomes a New COLAGE Chapter in Las Vegas Oct 7 09

COLAGE is thrilled to welcome COLAGE Las Vegas to our national chapter network. This new group for youth and adults with LGBTQ parents and their families in the greater Las Vegas area is being run by Krystle, a young adult with two moms and a gay grandfather. For more information check out their first event:

COLAGE Las Vegas Halloween Kickoff Party
October 31 2009
12-3 pm
Wayne Bunker Family Park
7351 Alexander Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89129
Join one of COLAGE's newest chapters for a BBQ and costume party for youth of all ages with LGBTQ parents and their families.
Please RSVP with Krystle Anderson by emailn at lasvegas@colage.org or call 803-528-8963.