On March 28, 2012 the Family Law Section of the State Bar together with the Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia is sponsoring the first ever continuing legal education program in Georgia focused exclusively on issues for same-sex couples.
Lawyers from across Georgia, including our very own Ruth Claiborne, will gather to learn about and discuss legal issues for same sex couples. Speakers will discuss topics including: Same-sex Issue Spotting; First Steps to Take When Retained; Interaction between Federal and State Law for Same-sex Marriage; Title 19, when it is and is not available in Same-sex Matters (and Where Else to Look); and, Domestic Partnerships. Ruth Claiborne will be speaking on parentage and same sex couples.
On June 23, 2011 Claiborne & Surmay, PC sponsored Georgia Equality’s annual event, Evening for Equality, which was held at the Georgia Tech Conference Center and Hotel in Atlanta. Founded in 1995, Georgia Equality’s mission is to advance fairness, safety and opportunity for Georgia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied communities. The organization works on issues such as hate crimes, domestic partnerships, workplace protection, HIV/AIDS, school safety and adoption.
At the 2011 Evening for Equality event Bill Nigut, Johnny Fambro, Karla Drenner and Olivia Long were honored for their outstanding work. Bill Nigut is the Southeast Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League. Johnny Fambro has been a leader in the fight for equality and the fight against HIV/AIDS in Macon and throughout Central Georgia for nearly three decades and is the executive director for the Central City AIDS Network and The Rainbow Center. Rep. Karla Drenner is a five-term Georgia House representative for Georgia’s 86th District. Olivia Long has served as the Executive Director of AIDS Athens since 2007.
Pride at Six Flags (Unity Entertainment) and Atlanta LGBT Families (The Roy G Biv Project) presents:
A Free Picnic BBQ at Piedmont Park! Sunday March 27 from 2 PM to 6 PM
Look for the big rainbow umbrella at the new playground near the lake/pool area. Bring your own blanket and law chairs, games, kids, friends, dogs, shades, suntan or sunblock oil and the SPIRIT of UNITY.
Also feel free to bring your own snacks. The following will be provided:
The BBQ is free: however, Donations are encouraged and needed. Proceeds will go towards planning future LGBT events, as well as the Angel of Hope Foundation, an organization combating homelessness among women, children and teen victims of domestic violence. Can’t wait to see you there! Click here for further details on Facebook.
The MEGA Family Project is proud to announce the second Annual MEGA Family Conference after a very successful first conference! This conference is the only of its kind in the Southeast, and will be a great opportunity for LGBT parents, couples, prospective parents, families, their children, friends, educators and community members to come together to discuss LGBT family issues.
The 2nd Annual MEGA Family Conference will host multiple topics that attendees can choose from. Each conference hour attendees will have the option of choosing which of the many workshop topics they would like to attend depending on their interests.
Click here for more information and to register for the conference, which will be held in Atlanta at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA).
As you may know: October is LGBT History Month and Atlanta Pride! As you make plans to attend Atlanta Pride this year, you may want to stay an extra day and make a reservation to share your story.
StoryCorps Atlanta is working with Georgia Equality and other local LGBTQ organizations to encourage everyone to come tell their stories. Participants have 40 minutes to record a conversation with a loved one. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the Library of Congress.
StoryCorps OutLoud is a project to record and preserve the voices of LGBTQ individuals across the nation. Sharing our stories honors the history, struggles and character of our community, and preserving them in the Library of Congress will ensure all voices and experiences are celebrated and remembered for generations to come.
Tell Your Story – Three Ways to Make an Appointment:
The StoryCorps website has information on What to Expect when you come to StoryCorps and a Question Generator to help you create a list of questions.
The mission of StoryCorps is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives.
