COLAGE News Blog
COLAGE invites our members and allies to demand accuracy and unbiasedness from the United States Census.
The press this week reported on an offensive protocol by the Census Bureau for how it intends to handle married same-sex couples during the 2010 Census. The Bureau will NOT count legally married gay couples as married, and will instead EDIT the data submitted by married gay couples to change their status to "unmarried partners."
Please sign on to a petition created by People for the American way urging the Census Bureau to change their policy.
Those in support of the Census Bureau's actions may hide behind a federal law, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA"), and argue that the federal government doesn't recognize the marriages of same-sex couples. But a number of states and other countries do, and gay and lesbian couples who are legally married are, in fact, just that -- married.
At COLAGE we know there is already too many challenges in gathering accurate information about families headed by LGBTQ parents. By refusing to acknowledge the marital status of many of our families, the Census Bureau contributes to this problem and feeds misinformed views about the validity of our families.
Please sign on to the petition now telling the Census Bureau to do its job and collect and report ACCURATE data about all Americans, including married same-sex couples.
Title: Communications Manager
Organization: COLAGE
Status: Full time, exempt
Location: San Francisco, CA
Organization
COLAGE is a national movement of children, youth and adults who have one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer parents. We build community and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education and advocacy. COLAGE promotes safe schools and family equity through an integrated array of local, regional and national programs and campaigns. To learn more, visit www.colage.org.
Position Overview
The COLAGE Communications Manager is responsible for implementing COLAGE’s internal and external communications, marketing, media, and on-line strategies, systems, plans, and programs in line with the organization’s strategic goals and priorities. The range of tasks is varied and work takes place in a fast-paced, supportive and fun environment. This is a new position at COLAGE for an experienced, motivated, and talented candidate who will thrive in a youth-focused, constituent-driven, cross-issue, multi-tactic organization that relies heavily on communications and media to fulfill our mission.
Key Responsibilities
* Advise and provide communications support for (1) advocacy efforts and program implementation (Speak OUT program), (2) fundraising, resource acquisition and other development activities, and (3) internal organizational information-sharing and archiving;
* Manage/produce and disseminate COLAGE’s public and community relations materials and activities, including: action alerts, COLAGE Net News, advertisements, annual reports, brochures, op-eds, and Just For Us publication;
* Develop and manage regular website content update and redesign with COLAGE webmaster;
* Manage COLAGE’s presence in online networking forums;
* Develop and manage proactive and reactive media activities/activism with mainstream, LGBTQ, ethnic, and youth media, including briefings and releases;
* Maintain media relationships, contact lists (database) and files; Archive media appearances;
* Conduct targeted communications strategies to reach, reflect, and represent COLAGE’s diverse constituency and priority populations;
* Develop new educational communications programs which may include position papers, an on-line opinions forum or blog, materials in different languages, and/or multi-media resources;
* Manage COLAGE branding process as laid out by new COLAGE Strategic Plan;
* Fill and track publication orders/stock;
* Establish and administer internal and external electronic communications tools, systems, and delivery in coordination with fellow staff and consultants
* Evaluate and report organizational communications plans and achievements;
* Participate in departmental and organizational development, planning, and study;
* Provide general administrative, program and office support as part of staff team.
Skills & Qualifications
* Involvement in or significant knowledge and understanding of major sociopolitical issues affecting people with LGBTQ parents and/or LGBTQ families;
* Significant experience in social justice grassroots organizing, public interest advocacy, or non-profit political communications, with some experience in a campaign environment;
* Minimum 3 years direct experience developing and implementing organizational communications, marketing, and/or publications strategies;
* Knowledge and experience with media activism, diverse media outlets, working with journalists and acting as an organizational spokesperson; ideal candidate will have experience dealing with issues of homophobia (and/or other biases) in the media;
* Outstanding interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with diverse communities and to communicate with diverse audiences;
* Must have commitment to social, racial and economic justice; ideal candidates will have some experience diversifying organizations and building anti-racist and multicultural alliances;
* Excellent oral, writing, editing, research, listening, and organizational skills, including demonstrated ability to juggle numerous details and multiple tasks;
* Experience leading trainings; comfortable and adept working with youth as well as adults;
* Knowledge and experience in graphic design, desktop publishing, layout, printing, distribution – both online and offline;
* Knowledge and experience with online communications, networking and websites;
* Excellent computer literacy in word processing, data entry & manipulation (Filemaker Pro/Ebase/Sales Force), and mail merges;
* Dependable, self-motivated, solutions-oriented with ability to work independently and as part of a team; maintains successful project and budget management; meets deadlines;
* Willing and able to travel and work occasional weekends or evenings;
* Experience and skills with audiovisual and technology functions of community organizing;
* Bi-lingual (Espanol/Ingles) a major plus (please note in cover letter or resume);
* Internet savvy.
Work Schedule, Compensation, and Benefits
Salary: $40,000+ (commensurate with experience). Hours: Full-time; occasional travel, eves and weekends required. Supervisor: Program Director. Supervises: Volunteers, Intern(s) as assigned. Benefits: Health insurance for medical, dental, vision, acupuncture/chiropractic care; generous vacation, sick, and holiday time; professional/leadership development and training; outstanding opportunity to play a significant role in a leading youth, LGBT, family organization working for social justice.
To Apply
PLEASE SEND YOUR APPLICATION BY POSTAL MAIL... NOT EMAIL
Include a letter, your resume, and 2-3 references (contact info only) to:
Communications Manager Hiring Committee
COLAGE
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 830
San Francisco, CA 94103
Interviews will begin mid-late August 2008. This position will remain open until filled.
COLAGE is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.
People of color and people with LGBTQ parents are strongly encouraged to apply.
Children of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents denounce Presidential Candidate McCain's Statements about Adoption
Republican presidential candidate John McCain announced his disapproval of adoption by gays and lesbians this weekend in an interview with The New York Times. McCain, who with his wife, Cindy, has an adopted child, has aligned himself with President Bush, who vehemently opposes adoption rights for gays.
The idealized family that McCain supports represents less than 25% of all American families. There are millions of families in the United States headed by single parents; foster parents; grandparents; they are blended or 'step' families; families headed by LGBTQ people; chosen families; families that live together and apart - there are at least as many family formations as there are families. With his anti-gay sentiments, McCain has disparaged all of these families.
On behalf of the many thousands of children adopted by gay and lesbian parents in the United States, Beth Teper, Executive Director of COLAGE, asserts, "What matters most in a child's life is the quality and consistency of parenting not the number, gender or sexual orientation of their parents."
A joint study by the Urban Institute and the University of California, Los Angeles's Williams Institute shows that an estimated 14,000 adopted children in the United States are living with gay or lesbian parents. About 130,000 children live in the foster care system in any given year awaiting a permanent home, according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
David Jenkins Cain, a member of the COLAGE Speak OUT program and a Lieutenant Corporal Officer of the United States Marine Corps shared, "I am a product of gay adoption, a two parent family. My moms taught me the importance of working hard to achieve your goals regardless of adversity and any obstacles. Most Americans would consider this to be good family values."
Michelle Duso, a parent member of COLAGE's national Board of Directors, who adopted three children with her partner Julie, responded with disappointment saying, "As an adoptive parent himself, Senator McCain ought to be ashamed of himself for being willing to close doors to permanent, loving homes by dismissing and opposing adoption by LGBT (and straight) individuals and couples while over 100,000 children and youth linger in foster care. Beyond the $130 million that the existing bans on LGBTQ adoption could cost the nation, the human costs are even more astounding."
COLAGE stands with our members and allies to challenge the homophobic assumptions at the root of McCain's anti-adoption stance. We invite him to learn more about children, youth and adults with LGBTQ parents and our families and demand that he apologize for his ignorant and disgraceful comments and shift his stance on children and LGBTQ people during the current election season.
COLAGE is disappointed to share an article that appeared in today’s Denver Daily News. The article presents non-scientific based and bigotry fueled information claiming that large percentages of youth with one or more LGBTQ parents becomes LGBTQ themselves. Dr. Hansens study, covered by the article, does not appear in a peer-reviewed journal nor is it published, which are two basic means for acceptance from the scientific community.
Read the full article here.
While, we at COLAGE know, that youth with LGBTQ parents grow up to express themselves across the full spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identity as well as embrace the right of each person with LGBTQ parents to self-identify, we are displeased that this article presumes to be reporting facts while in truth its relying on information from biased doctors and practitioners associated with Focus on the Family.
Please share your disappointment with the Denver Daily News. Send them a Letter to the Editor telling them your opinions about LGBTQ families. Reprimand them for publishing a study that is unproven, unfounded and unpublished as fact. Urge them to think beyond the assumption that gay parents make their kids gay and the underlying homophobic fears that contribute to this myth.
Please send copies of your letters to COLAGE at Meredith@colage.org. Some tips from GLAAD about writing letters to the editor can be found here. More tips for letter writing can be found in the COLAGE Speak OUT guide. Please contact us for a copy.
Use your voice to raise awareness about the true experiences of children, youth and adults with LGBTQ parents while demanding accountability from journalists and the media in how they represent and report these issues. Thanks!
