DOMESTIC
National News Notes
by David Stout. Q-Notes staff
State Rep. takes historic step out
DANBURY, Conn. — State Rep. Jason
Bartlett (pictured) came
out Jan. 19 during an
interview with The
Danbury News-Times.
The announcement
made Bartlett the first
and only openly LGBT
African-American state
legislator in the nation.
The first-term Democrat said he has been open
about his sexuality with his family, but decided
the time was right to make it public.
Rumors about Bartlett’s sexual orientation
had circulated during past political cam
paigns, including posts on some websites. “For
me the decision came down to why not nowj’
he told the paper. “To me this is about having
a conversation with my larger family — the
people of Greater Danbury who voted for me.”
Joseph DaSilva, chairman of the Danbury
Democratic Town Committee, said in The News-
Times, “There were some aspersions being cast
and he put those to rest. It shouldn’t be an issue
for any person or any voter, and I would be
greatly disappointed if it were. Jason is an excel
lent lawmaker who does a great job in Hartford
and is responsive to his constituents. That’s
what people should really be focusing on.”
Late gay philanthropist still giving
SEATTLE, Wash. — Former Microsoft
executive and long-time philanthropist
Richard (Ric) Weiland passed away June
24,2006, at the age of 53. His estate
announced Feb. 25 that a $46 million fund
had been established to support the work of
10 national LGBT and HIV/AIDS organiza
tions. Each group will receive a specific annual
amount from the fund for the next eight years.
Among the recipient groups are Lambda
Legal (who will receive more than $11 million
in total); the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation ($7.9 million); Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network ($800,000); the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; and
amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.
“Ric’s death was a terrible loss,” said
Lambda Legal Executive Director Kevin
Cathcart.“But it is no surprise that his gen
erosity will live on. At Lambda Legal, we are
honored by the great respect he had for our
work, reflected in this tremendous bequest. He
set a new standard for vision and philanthro
py for our movement...”
Black gay poli-sci award launched
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National
Conference of Black Political Scientists and the
Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute have joint
ly established the Bayard Rustin Award. The
award honors outstanding contributions to the
field of political science on the topic of LGBT
African-Americans in electoral politics.
NCOBPS will administer a cash prize to the
award’s recipient, to be presented at the
group’s annual conference in 2009.
Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of GLLl,
said he hoped the award would foster research
that could lead to more openly gay African-
Americans seeking leadership roles in their
communities. “More than 400 openly gay offi
cials are serving their communities across
America, but just a handful are African-
American. We hope to change that.”
Dr. Desiree Selma Pedescleaux, president of
NCOBPS, addpd that the work of political sci
entists is vital to equalizing governmental rep
resentation. “We hope this award leads to
scholarship that helps the African-American
LGBT community realize its leadership poten
tial in electoral politics.”
Lesbian-themed docu wins Oscar
HOLLYWOOD — Director-producer
Cynthia Wade and producer Vanessa Roth
shared the Oscar for Documentary Short at the
80th Annual
Academy Awards,
presented Feb. 23
at the Kodak
Theater in Los
Angeles. Their 38-
minute film,
“Freeheld,” chroni
cles the 2006 struggle of New Jersey Detective Lt.
Laurel Hester to transfer her pension to her
domestic partner, Stacie Andree (both pictured),
as she nears the end of her battle with cancer.
■ Hester challenged the Ocean County
Freeholders, the locally elected officials, to
provide Andree with the security that surviv
ing married spouses receive automatically. The
film captures the very public and urgent dis
pute with the Freeholders, as well as the cou-
pie’s intensely private struggle as they come to
terms with Hester’s terminal illness.
In addition to the Academy Award,
“Freeheld” has received a number of notable
awards since its release, including the Special
Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
and the Audience Awards at Outfest, Newfest and
the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Campaign marks Shepard killing
DENVER, Colo. — In observance of the 10
years since Matthew Shepard’s death, the
Matthew Shepard Foundation plans to launch
an aggressive anti-hate campaign aimed at
engaging the general public in the mission to
“Replace Hate with Understanding,
Compassion and Acceptance.” Judy Shepard
will unveil the new campaign during the 7th
Annual Bear to Make a Difference Gala, which
will be held on March 29.
This year’s Gala will include a large silent
auction, and a live auction of teddy bears
signed by celebrities including Dolly Parton,
Better Midler, Ellen DeGeneres, Liza Minnelli,
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Former NBA
player John Amaechi will receive the
Foundation’s “Making a Difference Award.”
“In the past 10 years since my son’s death,
I have spoken to over one million people who
are searching for a way to help us in our mis
sion to erase hate,” said Judy Shepard, execu
tive director of the Matthew Shepard
Foundation. “We developed this campaign
with that goal in mind and are eager to pro
vide individuals with the tools and resources
needed to amplify their voices and begin to
turn the tide on hate in America.” >
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MARCH 8.2008 • Q-NOTES 7