Matthew Cardinale, activist and editor of the online Atlanta Progressive News, is slated to present his case to the Georgia Supreme Court on Oct. 4, alleging the Atlanta City Council has violated the Open Meetings Act.
According to a summary provided by the state Supreme Court, the case stems from a vote the Atlanta City Council took last year while on a retreat at the Georgia Aquarium on whether or not to limit public comments at committee meetings. Cardinale's lawsuit was filed in Fulton Superior Court on May 17, 2010.
There were champagne toasts and rounds of applause as the World Professional Association for Transgender Health released on Sunday its newest Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People at a symposium at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta.
WPATH revision committee chair Eli Coleman launched the 7th version of the standards of care to some 300 people who attended the symposium as part of a partnership with the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association and the Southern Comfort Conference, the largest transgender conference in the nation that takes place annually in Atlanta.
Are you ready to get your Pride on? Well, there's plenty of events in addition to the live entertainment during the Oct. 8-9 festival at Piedmont Park to choose from, including a revitalized Dyke March, shuttle service from the park to Congregation Bet Haverim's Yom Kippur services as well as a car and motorcycle show.
The Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board met for its regular monthly meeting Monday and discussed how to replace a board member who resigned last month.
A draft application was handed out to board members at Monday's meeting and included a consent form for a background check by the APD as required in the board's by-laws. Board members will review the application that was determined from information gathered in the board's by-laws and email suggestions to board chair Glen Paul Freedman by this weekend.
Once an application is approved, it will be submitted to the Atlanta Police LGBT liaisons, Senior Patrol Officer Patricia Powell and Officer Brian Sharp, for final approval for the background checks before it is made public for those seeking a spot on the voluntary board.
The Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board meets Monday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. at Atlanta City Hall, committee room 2.
Items included on the agenda:
Savannah Pride marks its 12th year on Saturday with its annual festival that attracts hundreds to the city's famous Forsyth Park for entertainment and community. A "March for Equality" organized by Act Out Savannah will also be held Sunday through the downtown streets of the historic city.
This year's Savannah Pride fest celebrates "Empowering Equality Through Pride" and includes live entertainment all day on the main stage of the park. Organizers say more than 40 local businesses, churches and elected officials will be on hand at the festival to show support of LGBT Savannah residents.
A major change also takes place this year — the fest is no longer free and a $5 admission for those 16 and older will be taken from a gated area of the park.
"Change for equality among all people does not happen overnight, nor does it change by taking the silent seat in the back,” said Heather Byars, executive director of Savannah Pride, in a prepared statement.
Atlanta's Jewish community is coming together the day after Yom Kippur to march for the first time in the Atlanta Pride parade — and will also be treated to a meet-and-greet with pop artist Ari Gold, who will be performing at the fest.
Atlanta Pride is set for Oct. 8-9 in the park with the parade that attracts tens of thousands of people each year on Oct. 9.
For the past 10 years, there has been a Jewish presence at Atlanta Pride, including Rabbi Josh Lesser of the gay and lesbian-founded Congregation Bet Haverim presiding with other clergy at the annual Commitment Ceremony, and the Rainbow Center, a social services program of Jewish Family & Career Services serving LGBT people, having a vendor booth.
This year through the Welcoming Synagogues Project, a national effort to make synagogues more LGBT-friendly to members and new members, large Jewish synagogues The Temple and Temple Sinai along with Bet Haverim are participating in the Pride parade.
The Atlanta Dream has clinched a spot in the playoffs and last night defeated the Connecticut Sun 85-74 in a game that had the fans off their feet and cheering. Including myself. These women play hard, y'all.
As part of each WNBA Dream game, SunTrust and the Dream recognize an "Inspiring Woman of the Game" and at the final game of the regular season last night, Melissa Carter received the honor.
And the gay nor the LGBT was left out.
Patrons of the Atlanta Eagle the night the gay bar was raided on Sept. 10, 2009, and who were not part of the original federal civil lawsuit, plan to file suit later this week against the city of Atlanta and individual police officers involved in the raid.
The suit will be filed by Sept. 9 — before the second anniversary of the raid and the statute of limitations expires for people seeking claims against the city. People who were in the bar the night it was raided and not part of the first lawsuit are being asked to come forward to be part of the second lawsuit before Friday, Sept. 9.
“It is time for the City of Atlanta to put the Eagle matter to rest, but time and again the actions of the city show that city leaders just ‘do not get it.’ The Eagle raid victims should all be fairly compensated and reforms must be fully implemented,” said attorney Gerry Weber in a statement.
Eddie Long, founder of the megachurch New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, issued a statement today on the church's website saying he will abide by the confidentiality agreement reached in a settlement with four men who sued him for sexual coercion. Two of the men recently spoke to Atlanta reporters, apparently defying the agreement.
The complete statement from Long posted on New Birth's website today:
The Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board sent a letter to Mayor Kasim Reed and Police Chief George Turner on Aug. 25 asking for answers to questions raised at its Monday meeting and as follow up to the private meetings the citizen board had with the mayor and chief last month.
The Monday meeting held at Outwrite became quite heated at times as those attending wondered why the board agreed to meet in closed door sessions with the mayor and police chief to discuss, among other things, the fallout of the Eagle raid in 2009. Questions were also raised about the police department following the mandates secured in the city's $1.025 million settlement with the Eagle plaintiffs.
A community town hall meeting is set for Sept. 28 at St. Mark United Methodist Church, but the gay-led Congregation Bet Haverim is asking the date be moved to October because Sept. 28 falls on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.
The letter reads from the Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board reads: