I was in a room in the courthouse today with good people from national and state organizations. We were talking about all of the organizations that have come together as a coalition to take on different responsibilities regarding the Angie Zapata Hate Crime Murder trial.
There was something that I'd noticed, and then another person in the room pointed out too. It dawned on me, and at least one other person in the room -- this is how broader community is supposed to work! Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations, as well as transgender specific organizations, ally organizations, anti-violence organizations, and progressive organizations are working together with all their related, but different but connected mission statements (and specific competencies) to create a unified coalition.
So, I asked for a list of local and national organizations that are working together, and folk in the room pooled their knowledge of which organizations have worked in this coalition -- so, from their collective memories I'll list these organizations alphabetically (if we missed any organization, I apologize in advance):
• Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP)
• Colorado State University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services
• Dignity Denver
• Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Community Center Of Colorado
• Gender Identity Center Of Colorado
• Gill Foundation
• Lambda Community Center
• National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP)
• ProgressNow Colorado
This isn't even indentifying the many individual community activists who have been working in this coalition.
As y'all know, my presence here is being coordinated and funded by ProgressNow Colorado.
And, as someone working within the scope of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender media this week, I would not have been able to do my job effectively here without GLAAD's Adam Bass, as well as the rest of the GLAAD's support. (The GLAAD Online Resource Kit alone has been of tremendous value to me, and wonderful to recommend to other new and legacy media outlet reporters.)
I've seen cooperation working here at the organizational roots. I've seen the Colorado Anti-Violence Program, GLAAD, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Community Center Of Colorado working together to put out a single, daily press release instead of each putting out separate releases. I've seen the Gender Identity Center of Colorado and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Community Center Of Colorado agree to have a single person filling the position of Transadvocate. I've seen ProgressNow Colorado and GLAAD work together to develop a new media strategy.
And this is just what I can see. It's obvious that I don't see all of the work that this coalition is doing, but it's very clear there is an effective coalition in place.
To me, this is a model how broader community can work together to coordinate their actions where their mission and vision statements either overlap or run parallel, or their serviced populations overlap.
I just can't help but believe this is just how broader community is supposed to work together -- It's been just amazing to watch this from the outside looking in.
 I guess I can consider taking my rose colored glasses off a bit now, as I see the concept -- the idealism -- of community actually embraced and realized here in Colorado; I haven't needed my rose colored glasses to see something wonderful.
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