What’s New at Equality Works
Welcome to Equality Works!
13,515 signatures put Equal Rights Initiative
on Apr. 3, 2012 Ballot
It’s official! The One Anchorage campaign turned in more than twice the number of signatures required to qualify for the April 3, 2012 municipal ballot. Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles and former Republican State Senator Arliss Sturgulewski joined campaign spokesman Trevor Storrs as the signatures were turned in to the City Clerk on Dec 8th, 2011.
A big thank you to all of the volunteers, sponsors and registered voters who made this milestone possible! Anchorage now has the opportunity to bring the same legal protections to all!
For more information call 907.575.2150 or email jjones@oneanchorage.com
Thank you for your continued support,
One Anchorage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 1, 2011
Contact: Trevor Storrs, One Anchorage, Spokesperson
907-317-1756
Tim Thompson, Thompson & Co. PR
tim@thompsonpr.com or 907-561-4488
One Anchorage Files Initiative Application for Legal Protections
The One Anchorage campaign filed an application this morning with the Anchorage Municipal Clerk’s Office to place an initiative on the April 2012 ballot asking voters to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Alaskans in the same legal protections already provided to women and minorities in employment, housing, and public businesses.
Arliss Sturgulewski, a former state senator and Republican gubernatorial candidate is the Initiative Sponsor and Co-Chair of the One Anchorage Campaign. Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles is the Alternate Sponsor and campaign Co-Chair. Other Sponsors include Alaska Constitutional Convention delegate Vic Fischer, former First Alaskans Institute President & CEO Janie Leask, the Rev. Michael Burke of Anchorage’s St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, and leaders of Alaska’s LGBT community.
“In Alaska, we have a live and let live attitude,” said Sturgulewski “However, under current laws, a woman could be fired from her job solely because she is a lesbian. No one should live in fear that they can be fired for reasons having nothing to do with their job performance.”
Co-sponsor Rev. Burke added: “In Anchorage, we believe that all residents should be treated fairly and equally by our laws. This initiative ensures that gay and transgender Alaskans who work hard and play by the rules will have the exact same legal protections as other Anchorage residents.”
In 2009, the Anchorage Assembly passed a very similar ordinance by a 7-4 majority, but the Mayor vetoed it.
Alaska’s LGBT community has been working since then to address the absence of federal, Alaska, or local laws protecting them against discrimination. Leaders of the campaign include Alaskans Together, the statewide LGBT advocacy organization; and representatives of groups such as Identity, Inc., Anchorage’s LGBT organization/Community Center; the ACLU of Alaska; and PFLAG (Parent and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).
The Municipal Clerk’s Office has 10 days to review and approve the Application and issue Petition Booklets. Campaign supporters will have 90 days to collect necessary signatures of registered voters needed to place the initiative on the ballot.
Click here for the full initiative language.
Equality Works is Hiring!
Equality Works – a coalition of organizations working for LGBT Equality – is currently seeking a Phonebank Coordinator (full position description and application instructions) to handle all aspects of our regular phonebanks. Please send a cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample to Jeffrey Mittman at akclu@akclu.org.
New Survey to Assess Discrimination Against LGBT Alaskans
A new survey examines experiences of discrimination and bias in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Anchorage, Alaska. The Anchorage LGBT Discrimination Survey was the product of a coalition effort by organizations that serve the community, including Identity, Inc., Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association, Alaskans Together for Equality, Equality Works and the ACLU of Alaska. It was the first survey of its kind in over 20 years, and the first to collect information about transgender Alaskans.
Data collection for the survey wrapped up on March 31, 2011. Stay tuned to our website for the preliminary results!