Tag Archives: National

Iconic Image Of PFLAG National Founder Highlighted In Inauguration Day Celebration

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Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 21, 2013

PFLAG Nationalthe nation’s largest organization for families, friends and allies of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people has issued from its Executive Director, Jody Huckaby, the following statement regarding todays inauguration celebrations:

The inauguration of a new president is a demonstration of our democracy and a celebration of the best of America. This year, that celebration falls on Martin Luther King Day when we commemorate the leadership of a man who believed deeply in democracy and emphasized our individual responsibilities to truly form a more perfect union. Dr. King had a vision of America that included all of its diverse population, and throughout the inauguration day celebrations, that diversity will be on displayincluding a reading from of an openly gay Latino inaugural poet and the inclusion of a lesbian and gay bandto demonstrate the days theme, Faith in Americas Future.

PFLAG National is honored by the use of its iconic image of its founder and her child to demonstrate the unity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, (LGBT) and straight Americans against inequality in the inaugural parade today. That image, chosen for placement on the Civil Rights Movement float, is a photo of PFLAG founder, Jeanne Manford and her gay son, Morty–a leader in the struggle for LGBT equality in his own right– marching with other LGBT activists forty years ago.

PFLAG National feels privileged to be recognized in the presidential inauguration day parade to represent one of the historic struggles of civil rights movements in our country, said Jody Huckaby, Executive Director of PFLAG National. The image chosen represents the equality movement at its strongest: LGBT Americans walking alongside straight allies, united by love and their collective belief in a better tomorrow. Today we celebrate that legacy and begin the next chapter of inclusion and Americas promise for all of us.”

The image captures the moment that Jeanne Manford joined her heroic son in his personal battle for equal rights, carrying a sign that read, Parents of Gays: Unite in Support For Our Children, an act that led not only to the creation of PFLAG, the nations largest organization for parents, families, friends and allies of LGBT people, but also started a worldwide movement, now millions strong.

Morty Manford was at Stonewall on that fateful night in 1969 when a group of LGBT Americans said No more to the harassment and oppression that was common among law enforcement of those who dared to be out and live openly. After that historic uprising, Morty became a well-known activist and one of the early heroes of the movement for LGBT equality. As Mortys activism increased and he became the target of violence by those who opposed his work for equality, Jeanne joined him in 1972 by speaking up publicly about her pride in his activism and unconditional love for him. She made history as one of the first parents to do so, followed by her creation of the first group for parents to meet with their LGBT loved ones, later to become PFLAG.

Jeanne Manford passed away this month at the age of 92. Tributes to her have called her The Mother of the Straight Ally movement, a voice that changed the world, and the start of a key cultural advance in the fight for equal rights for LGBT people. In a speech he gave in 2009, President Barack Obama called Jeannes work the story of Americaof ordinary citizens organizing, agitating, educating for change, of hope stronger than hate, of love more powerful than any insult or injury.

The civil rights movement float included a quote from Dr. King that the Arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice noted Reverend Gil Caldwell, PFLAG National board member The civil rights movement float included a quote from Dr. King that the Arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice noted Reverend Gil Caldwell, PFLAG National board member and a foot solider in the civil rights movement who marched with Dr. King. Today we honor the legacy of Dr. King, the courage of the Manfords and thousands before us by committing to work together to bend that arc just a little faster with our conviction in equality and justice for all

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Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the original family and straight ally organization. Made up of parents, families, friends, and straight allies uniting with LGBT people, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality and acceptance through its mission of support, education and advocacy. Now in its 40th year, PFLAG has more than 350 chapters and 200,000 supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities and rural areas in all 50 states. To learn more, please visit http://www.pflag.org.







As National Work & Family Month Begins, National Family Voices Celebrates the Work of Special Parent Heroes

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(PRWEB) September 30, 2012

All of the news in the United States lately seems to be about what will happen during the fewer than 35 days which remain of the U.S. presidential race. Most of those days will get checked off the calendar during the month of October. Perhaps appropriately, since both presidential candidates seem quite dedicated to the importance of family in their personal lives with Mitt Romney the father of five boys and Barack Obama the father of two girls – October is National Work and Family Month.

This designation was created to communicate and celebrate the progress towards supporting healthier and more flexible work environments and to encourage employers to implement work-life effectiveness programs. It was identified by a resolution of the U.S. Senate in 2003 and in 2010 President Obama issued a presidential statement about National Work and Family Month which included these observations:

“Millions of Americans continue to struggle day-in and day-out to balance work and family life to juggle their job responsibilities with caring for a child, an elderly relative, or a loved one with a disability.”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/25/statement-president-national-work-and-family-month

Impeach Obama 2012! Join The National Campaign!

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Read Full Article Here www.infowars.com Obama Impeachment 2012 Kurt Nimmo Film director, producer, actor and writer Sean Stone has thrown his weight behind a resolution introduced in the House last month by North Carolina Republican Walter Jones. Resolution 107 states that should the president use offensive military force without the authorization of Congress that such an act would be “an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor.” Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution reserves exclusively for Congress the power to declare war. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison argued that the power to declare war must reside in the legislative branch of government and the president will only act as the commander-in-chief and direct the war after it is declared by Congress. “The constitution supposes, what the history of all governments demonstrates, that the executive is the branch of power most interested in war, and most prone to it. It has accordingly with studied care vested the question of war in the legislature,” Madison wrote. In the video, Stone notes Obama’s unconstitutional war on Libya was waged “despite the fact that the United States was neither attacked, nor threatened for attack by the nation of Libya.” Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said during questioning by Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama that the Obama administration does not believe Congress has the exclusive right to declare war and that the Pentagon answers to the United Nations, not the people of the …
Video Rating: 4 / 5

National Press Club Screens Well of Dreams: The Journey of Anne Okelo

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West Chester, PA (PRWEB) August 31, 2012

Scorned and mistreated most of her life, Anne Okelo understands the depths of despair. But Anne also understands and has embraced the power of forgiveness. Today she is back in her homeland in Kenya serving those who mistreated her. And her example as a leader and change agent is impacting a whole generation of young women and girls that have never before known anything but a life of abuse and heartache.

The culmination of her journey thus far was Thursday evening August 29, 2012 when The National Press Club in Washington, DC premiered the film “Well of Dreams,” in the First Amendment room. How fitting that Ms. Okelo’s story be told in a place where world leaders and historic figures have walked before her as symbols of what can be accomplished through determination.

The film screening was followed by a moderated panel discussion with the team from Speaker Films. Anthony Shop from The National Press Club served as moderator.

Well of Dreams is Speaker Films’ maiden voyage into feature documentary productions. Founded in 2010, Speaker Films plans to produce social issue documentaries that can make a difference in people’s lives.

Speerheading the production team is Cindy Speaker, founder of Speaker Films and the film’s co-director and producer. Cindy has been involved in video production since 1986. She has a Master’s degree in TV/Film from Regent University.

Jay Kunkel is a senior producer. He is also Speaker Films’ creative director and is responsible for all graphic design elements both in the film and in the collateral and branding pieces of Well of Dreams.

Co-director, cinematographer, writer, and editor Chris Mercury is a graduate of Drexel University where he obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Film and Video. Chris has also been involved in the Philadelphia film community since 2006.

Dan Frantz is an up and coming filmmaker who has already won several film festival awards for his independent films. He was named a 2012 US Presidential Scholar in the Arts and was honored by President Barack Obama at a Medallion Ceremony.

Well of Dreams is a story of courage, determination, and ultimately, triumph. Imagine a male-dominated world where the mere act of fetching water for your village can have dangerous, even lethal consequences. This is the world in which Anne Okelo lived, in the small village of Angiro in Kenya. But Anne has big dreams and is determined to save the village girls by freeing them from the bondage of traditional societal restrictions. Well of Dreams is a story of hope, when the clarity of one’s vision and the unshakable faith of one’s heart come together.

Shot in high definition on location in Africa and the US, “Well of Dreams” is a feature length documentary film. The film score is from James Lavino, composer of two Oscar nominated documentaries in the last few years. Rebecca Sensenig wrote and performed an original song for the film entitled “Beautiful Water.”







Judy Eberhardt’s New Book Gives Teens Practical Ways to Shape Up Amid National Spotlight

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Long Beach, CA (PRWEB) June 8, 2010

Kids with bogus ideas about what being healthy means or how to manage weight issues, as well as concerned parents, teachers and health-care professionals finally have something to sink their teeth into with author Judy Eberhardts book Shape Up or bite me! SWALK Lessons from Six Teens in Health Class. Clinical Advisor: Amanda Stein, MS RD.

“With Michelle Obamas campaign Lets Move and Jamie Olivers Food Revolution, now more than ever I believe more parents will be looking for ways to talk to their kids about eating better,” said Eberhardt. Unlike most books on the subject, Shape Up or bite me! is a humorous illustrated novella, written from a teens-eye-view, that is packed with enough witty dialogue and important health facts to levitate even the most reluctant sofa spud. As a timely motivational tool, it encourages kids to make better food choices, exercise and develop a different attitude about their least important priority: their health.

The story introduces six culturally diverse, health-challenged teens randomly grouped together as a team at a Magnet High School. Their mission: get the student body to develop healthy habits, or, as they put it, force them to listen to this shocking waste of time. As team Tl, they decide to video tape a documentary picturing their own learning curve. What happens to Marvin, Connie, Darrell, Beth, Hiro and Lali during the filming is a whole lot more than they, or the class, ever expected.

This funny yet poignant teen story not only reflects some of the problems kids face today, it gently, but firmly, moves them toward a healthy life style by signaling what will happen if they dont make smart food choices or exercise enough.

Author Eberhardts novel Shape Up or bite me! was inspired by a teen relative who struggled with weight issues. But after working with Amanda Stein, the teen figured out that an attitude adjustment, eating right, and exercise can help. Having worked for animators Hanna-Barbera, and being involved with script development and production in the entertainment business in Los Angeles for years, Judy took this inspiration and created an entertaining story that she hopes will empower kids to make their own healthy choices.

National Civil Rights Museum Presents the Prestigious Civil and Human Rights Leadership Honors at the 20th Anniversary Freedom Awards

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Memphis, TN (PRWEB) August 10, 2011

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the National Civil Rights Museum, the 2011 prestigious Freedom Awards will be given to select individuals for their tireless contributions for civil and human rights, education, the arts, sports community, justice and for their dedication to creating opportunity for the disenfranchised.

The Freedom Awards is the most widely acclaimed global civil rights event. It is a fabric of the mission of the National Civil Rights Museum, the home of the historic Lorraine Motel, site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The award ceremony is Saturday November 12, 2011 at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts in Memphis, TN.

Former Freedom Award recipients include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, President William Clinton, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Earvin Magic Johnson, Colin Powell, Dorothy Height, Jackie Robinson (posthumously), Ruby Dee/Ossie Davis (posthumously), Sidney Poitier, Eva Longoria, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Mikhail Gorbachav, and Myrlie Evers-Williams.

Award sponsors are FEDEX, Hyde Family Foundation, NIKE, International Paper, ExxonMobil and the First Tennessee Foundation.

The following Freedom Awards categories will be recognized:

Education:

Marva Collins, Pioneer Award creating the Westside Preparatory School, Chicago, in 1975 with $ 5,000 of her teachers pension fund. Her school took in students who were labeled as borderline learning disabled and problem children. At the end of first school year each student scored at least 5 grades higher. Her curriculum and method is based on classical literature, abstract concepts and lofty thoughts.

Sports Community:

Bill Russell, Pioneer Award for his participation in the Civil Rights Movement, recipient of the NBAs first Civil Rights Award and was the first African American to coach a major sport at the professional level in the US. Member of the NBA Hall of Fame who fought racism off and on the courts, Russell holds the record for the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league.

Playing in the wake of pioneers like Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Sweetwater Clifton, Russell was the first African American player to achieve superstar status in the NBA.

For his accomplishments in the Civil Rights Movement on and off the court, Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2011.

Alonzo Mourning, Legacy Award for his charities which aid the development of children and families living in at risk situations. He is founder of the Overtown Youth Center in Miami, Florida for the enrichment of children. Former NBA standout, he launched Zos Fund for Life to raise funds for glomerulosclerosis, which he was diagnosed with during his NBA career. He founded Athletes for Hope, a charitable organization, which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community.

Humanitarian:

Dr. Bill Frist, Pioneer Award for his work with African hospitals and schools with the group Samaritans Purse. As a former US Senator from Tennessee, he made annual visits to Africa for medical assistance and counsel and was instrumental in getting the U.S. to define the actions in Darfur as genocide. Chair of Hope Through Healing Hands, a nonprofit that works for child survival/maternal health, clean water, extreme poverty, and global disease such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. He serves on the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America and the Let’s Move Campaign, Kaiser Family Foundation, Millennium Challenge Corporation and Africare and is the recipient of the 2010 Refugees International Humanitarian Award.

The Arts:

Cicely Tyson, Pioneer Award for her stand against universal stereotypes in film and for her activism in using the world stage to raise the consciousness of our common humanity. She is considered a driving force in creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture and is a World Ambassador for UNICEF. The Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts, a magnet school in East Orange, New Jersey, was renamed in her honor. She plays an active part in supporting the school, which serves one of New Jersey’s most underprivileged African-American communities.

Activism:

Danny Glover, Pioneer Award for his support of various humanitarian and civil rights causes including the United Farm Workers. In the 1960s as a student at San Francisco State University, Glover was a member of the Black Students Union which, along with the American Federation of Teachers, collaborated in a five-month student-led strike to establish a Department of Black Studies. The strike was the longest student walkout in U.S. history. It helped create the first Department of Black Studies and the first School of Ethnic Studies in the U.S.

Susan L. Taylor, Legacy Award former editor-in-chief and editorial director for Essence Magazine for 27 years, was the first and only African American woman to be recognized by the Magazine Publishers of America with the Henry Johnson Fisher Award and the first to be inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame. She founded the National Cares Mentoring Movement, in 2006, to recruit one million able adults to help secure children who are in peril and losing ground. Susan is a cofounder of Future PAC, the first national political action committee to provide a network of support and sources of funding for progressive African American women seeking federal and state-level political offices.

Legal Justice:

NAACP, Pioneer Award. The NAACP is the countrys first and foremost civil and human rights organization. Since being founded in founded in 1909, the NAACP has continued to live it to its mission: to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society. One of the NAACP’s greatest legal victories was in 1954, when Thurgood Marshall and a team of NAACP attorneys won Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. In this landmark decision, the Supreme Court held that segregation in public education violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Southern Poverty Law Center, Legacy Award Internationally known for its tolerance education programs, legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups, militias and extremist organizations. The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education and other forms of advocacy, they employ a three-pronged strategy to battle racial and social injustice: