Rising to the Challenge

by Dennis Stutsman, Chair, KFA Board of Directors

These are exciting times for KFA. While other states have faltered and failed in the aftermath of Marriage Amendment electoral fights, we have survived and continued to succeed.

KFA’s advocacy efforts prevented anti-GLBT adoption legislation from being introduced in the General Assembly, despite its introduction in several other states. As those states have learned, there is no popular support for beating up on GLBT people at the expense of providing loving homes for children in need. We have moved Safe Schools legislation through the Kentucky House of Representatives. We continue to increase our support for statewide civil rights protection.

We continue our ongoing efforts to support GLBT folks in local communities throughout Kentucky. We work to give voice in the media to issues of discrimination. We work to support individuals facing discrimination, and to help local communities move forward on issues of equality, domestic partner benefits, and family recognition.

We continue to work with allies throughout Kentucky to build progressive coalitions. We must always work individually and together so that we act as informed and engaged participants in the elections that are critical to the survival of our hopes for equality and freedom.

We are rebuilding our organization. We have welcomed new board members who bring added capacity to KFA through work with other progressive organizations, and who bring broadened support from their diverse communities throughout Kentucky.

We continue to have extremely talented staff. Christina Gilgor brings vision and experience in electoral politics to our leadership as Executive Director. Wes Wright’s congressional staff experience has ensured that our legislators understand the impact of their actions on the lives of GLBT constituents. Misty York persuasively communicates with the public and our members, while increasingly improving our web communications.

The challenge is great, however. We no longer have significant foundation funding since we have become a mature voice for education and advocacy. Instead, we must survive with the same dedicated commitment that our adversaries demonstrate with their financial support for organizations like Focus on the Family, The Family Foundation, and Fred Phelps’ God Hates Fags group.

I urge every supporter of fairness to undertake three commitments during the remainder of this year.

First, commit to multi-level financial support. Join as a monthly contributor in our Family program (our opponents at Southeast Christian Church, for example, give through the collection plate every week).  Host a house party for KFA. Consider a larger gift as part of your normal charitable giving, from your income tax refund, or from that occasional month with an extra paycheck.

Second, commit to talking with your own friends, family and coworkers, not just about GLBT issues but also about how they can join with you in supporting KFA’s work. Civil rights have never been just “gay” or “black” or “women’s” issues; they are universal issues for everyone to support.

Finally, commit to volunteering with KFA—to educate yourself and others about candidates’ positions on the issues; to help get all of our progressive friends to the polls this November; to write letters to local newspapers; to encourage your employer to adopt progressive policies.