In the News:

Dave Noble tapped to head LGBT voter mobilization for
      Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid
LGBT organizations urge couples to ‘Make Change, Not Lawsuits’
New LGBT Fellows Program at the Policy Institute
Pride in West Hollywood

Dave Noble tapped to head LGBT voter mobilization for Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid

Task Force Action Fund Public Policy & Government Affairs Director Dave Noble has been named director of the LGBT Vote at the Obama for America campaign. In his new position, Noble will be charged with heading up voter registration, education and mobilization efforts within the LGBT community on behalf of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign for president. Noble joined the Task Force as political director for the newly created Public Policy & Government Affairs department in early 2005, and was appointed department director in December 2006.

Noble’s last day with the Task Force is June 20. During his tenure, Noble led the creation of an unprecedented coalition of 350-plus national, state and local organizations that fought to keep gender identity protections in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. He also coordinated voter turnout operations for ballot campaigns, including efforts in Maine and Wisconsin, and managed the Task Force’s merger with the Institute for Welcoming Resources and supporting the growth of this network of pro-LGBT Christian congregations to more than 3,000 churches across the country.

“This is a momentous time for this country, and we are proud that a senior Task Force staffer has been chosen to fill such a critical role in this historic campaign season.”
— Task Force Action Fund Acting Executive Director Rea Carey

[ Read the press release ]

LGBT organizations urge couples to ‘Make Change, Not Lawsuits’

Four LGBT legal organizations and five other leading national LGBT groups — including the Task Force — issued a statement yesterday titled Make Change, Not Lawsuits, which explains that while couples who go to California to marry should ask friends, neighbors and institutions to honor their marriages, they generally shouldn’t sue. The statement says that ill-timed lawsuits are likely to set the fight for marriage back, and that there are other ways to fight which are more likely to win.

[ Read the full statement ]

New LGBT Fellows Program at the Policy Institute

The Task Force is now accepting applications for its 2008–2009 LGBT Fellows Program at the Policy Institute. The new program — made possible by a generous grant from the Arcus Foundation — is designed to put the best independent and academy-based thinkers to work on pressing LGBT movement issues. It offers full-time support for two researchers of color at different career stages. The junior scholar will be a newly minted Ph.D. or someone in the early career stages who remains untenured. For the senior scholar fellowship, the Policy Institute is seeking a more advanced independent researcher or someone who is in an advanced untenured or tenured university position. Act fast, because the application deadline is Aug. 5!

“At a time when our opponents spend millions of dollars each year developing their next generation of leaders, the Task Force is very aware that the progressive movement cannot stand idly by and simply hope that our own innovative leaders will emerge. The Arcus Foundation’s generous support is allowing us to actively invest in the next generation of LGBT-focused progressive thinkers who will help shape our movement and policy conversations for many years to come.”
— Task Force Policy Institute Director Jaime Grant

[ Read the press release ]
[ Get fellowship details and download the application ]

Pride in West Hollywood

On the heels of the historic marriage decision in California, hundreds of thousands gathered to celebrate at the Christopher Street West/LA Pride in West Hollywood. People came out to celebrate the momentous decision, but also to get energized for the battle ahead with the hope that Californians protect the freedom to marry in November. Task Force staff and volunteers encouraged people to take action by signing up for our e-mail newsletter and educating participants about LGBT equality. The next stop for the Task Force will be Capital Pride in Washington, D.C., on June 15. If you’re there, please visit the Task Force booth and say hello!

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