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ABOUT WESTERN EQUALITY
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Mission, History, Board of Directors, Job Opportunities
Mission
Western Equality of Grand Junction strives to create a fair community and secure equal rights for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.
History
Western Equality (WE) was originally formed as the Common Decency Coalition (CDC) following the November 1992 voter approval of Amendment 2 in Colorado. The mission at that time was to foster grassroots education and organization to repeal Amendment 2. In its early years CDC focused its activities on voter education, community mobilization, and influencing public policy through the publication of a newsletter, public forums, communication with elected officials, advertising, candlelight vigils, and educational presentations. It also engaged in fundraising activities including the solicitation of memberships and activity-based fundraisers.
When Amendment 2 was overturned in May of 1996, CDC continued its efforts to serve the needs of the local community by developing into an informational, educational, referral, and social organization. In 1997, CDC evolved into Western Equality, becoming an affiliate of Equality Colorado and utilizing their 501 (c)(3) status, technical assistance, and support (this affiliation ended in 2001 with the discontinuation of Equality Colorado). Beginning in October of 1998, immediately following the murder of Matthew Shepard, Western Equality hosted a VISTA-Volunteer working in Equality Colorado's Anti-Violence Project. Over the course of that year long project, many and important inroads were made in providing information and resources to human service, law enforcement, and public education providers, as well as to the community itself. When that position ended (October 1999) WE felt the loss of that networking and organizational function quite keenly until WE were able to secure the two AmeriCorps service members in September of 2004 through collaborating with the Western Colorado Congress, Mesa State College and a grant from the Gill Foundation.
Among our continued accomplishments is the hosting of a monthly radio program on the local community radio station, KAFM 88.1 FM. The show, entitled "Family, Friends, and Neighbors," has covered such diverse topics as gay history, coming out and its psychological ramifications, political movements, hate-crimes, same-gender marriage, faith issues, safe schools, elections, and LGBT contributions to the arts. WE underwrite "Family, Friends and Neighbors," which is sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado. In addition to its traditional Pride Picnic, WE has hosted twice-annual dance parties for the past four years. These events have been attended by an average of 300 community members and have provided great networking opportunities. WE works to bring hate crimes to the attention of local law enforcement and legislators, conducts workshops, and acts as the voice of the community in the local media.
Western Equality works with the local chapter of PFLAG, Mesa State's Gay-Straight Alliance, Western Colorado AIDS Project, Western Colorado Congress, KAFM Community Radio, the Uncompahgre Unitarian Universalist Society, the Grand Valley Interfaith Network, Mesa County Department of Human Services and Health Department, the Human Services Council, the Suicide Prevention Task Force and other community groups.
Board of Directors:
Western Equality is operated by a Board of Directors elected by the membership annually in February. Officers are elected by the Board and include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Committees carry out activities such as newsletter, safe-schools work, social activities, and legislative efforts.
The Board of Directors is currently comprised of eight members and includes a varied, diverse crosssection of LGBTA community members.
For more information about Western Equality, please e-mail:
info@westernequality.org
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