Causa’s LGBT work featured in short film and mentioned in NYT article

June 12, 2012

Salem, Ore. -- We have two great announcements to make about Causa's work with the Latino Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Bisexual (LGBT) Community.

First of all, we are happy to announce that a video created by Lara Media featuring Causa’s LGBT work won the Short Film Competition at the 2012 St. Louis Jewish Film Festival.

The short film, La Causa es Justa (Just Cause) can be view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pn8wJxZBfM&feature=player_embedded

Jeremy Cropf , Megan Garbayo and the team at Lara Media are working on a longer version of the film, which we will send out once it’s complete.

Another great announcement is that the work Basic Rights Oregon has been doing with Causa Oregon around LGBT Equality made it on the front page of the Sunday New York Times.

Here is the segment from the article, "Black Leaders and Gay Advocates March in Step":

"After Oregon voters in 2004 approved an amendment banning same-sex marriage, with the major group supporting the amendment using an African-American talk show host as its spokeswoman, a gay rights organization called Basic Rights Oregon decided to review its own lack of diversity and its failure to form close relationships with minority communities, according to its executive director, Jeana Frazzini.

It deepened a relationship with a Latino immigrant rights group, Causa. Since then, Basic Rights Oregon has fought local anti-immigrant ballot measures and pushed at the state level for illegal immigrants to be able to get driver’s licenses and, for those who came to this country as children, to pay in-state tuition at public universities. Causa and Basic Rights Oregon have also joined forces to run an ad on Spanish-language radio to promote legalizing same-sex marriage.

In the ad, a woman describes how she and her husband struggled to accept their gay son, then says that she does not want him to face discrimination when he finds someone to marry.

“As a Latina, I believe in loving my neighbor, in treating others as we would like to be treated, and in never turning our backs on family,” the woman says. “Marriage has brought so much happiness to my life, and I wouldn’t want any member of anyone’s family — gay or straight — to be denied that chance at happiness.”

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/nyregion/black-leaders-and-gay-advocates-find-ways-to-march-in-step.html?_r=2

We would like to thank Lara Media, Causa LGBT Latin@s and Friends Group in Salem and Portland and would like to recognize and extend a big thank-you to all our allies in our LGBT organizing efforts including Basic Rights Oregon, Gill Foundation, and Western States Center.

Causa staff encuentro with Basic Rights Oregon

Causa LGBT Latin@s & Friends Group at May Day 2012

To continue supporting Causa’s work, please join us at Zocalo Night 2012 happening on Friday, June 22nd in Salem.  Tickets can be purchased by linking here or by visiting http://www.zocalonight.com/

Posted in: Basic Rights Oregon,Gill Foundation,Lara Media,LGBT,LGBT Equality,New York Times,Western States Center