Monday, March 15 @ 5pm at the Boulder Public Library
March 10, 2010
Dear Concerned Community Members:
You have responded and the country is noticing.
As first reported by 9News in Denver last week and now covered by news outlets internationally, Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder has refused to re-enroll a preschooler because the preschooler has two moms.
The story has been featured on CNN, World News with Diane Sawyer , The Huffington Post, and many others.
Since the news broke, Boulder Pride, Boulder County's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied Community Center, has received many calls and emails from concerned community members. This situation has served as a wake up call to the entire Boulder County community.
Many of the emails and calls have been from current and former Catholics who are straight allies to the LGBT community. They have let us know that they disagree with the Archdioceses and school's decision. Additionally, we have heard from many straight allied parents, who have also been angered and saddened by the school's decision.
Through our words and actions, the Boulder County community has demonstrated that singling out a child simply for who that child's parents are will not go unchallenged.
Please join us on Monday, March 15 from 5 to 6:30pm at the Boulder Public Library (1001 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder) in the Boulder Creek Room for a Community Forum. The Forum will provide a respectful, peaceful space for concerned community members to connect, mobilize and organize further Action Steps.
In addition to a panel discussion, there will be time for audience questions and discussion. The event will be organized by staff and board members of Boulder Pride.
Confirmed Panelists include:
Cecilia Wilson: A devoted Catholic who remains committed to her Church, religion and beliefs, who at times disagrees with the leadership of the church, including on this issue.
Jean Hodges: President, Boulder Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Jim Vacca: A straight ally and former Catholic Seminarian who taught at Sacred Heart in the 70's, and now teaches at Boulder High. Jim is planning a community response to the Sacred Heart decision for March 28th.
Kimberly Rose: Facilitator of the Reconciling Faith group through Boulder Pride. Kimberly spent many years in the evangelical church until she had to chose between ordination in the church and being true to herself by coming out.
Mindy Barton: Legal Director, GLBT Community of Colorado
A Student Representative from the Iliff School of Theology who organized a protest in front of the offices of the Archdiocese of Denver on Tuesday March 9th.
and others...
We look forward to seeing you at Monday night's forum...and please bring a friend. Also, we want to thank the community for the important dialogue and work that is happening in the wake of this situation. It is powerful to see our diverse Boulder County community mobilized for Action. We again wanted to share some Action Steps that you can take. Based on your suggestions, we have added some new Action Steps as well as reiterated the steps we suggestioned last week.
Consider posting this information to your Facebook or MySpace page. Consider blogging about it. Please join Boulder Pride's Facebook page.
We encourage you to continue to write Letters to the Editor of the Daily Camera (openforum@dailycamera.com). To read examples of letters printed about the situation. Also, please respond to the Camera's Virtual Editorial Board about Sacred Heart...
We encourage you to continue to contact Sacred Heart School and Denver Archdiocese directly with your thoughts (see below for contact information). If you are comfortable doing so, we encourage you to request an in-person meeting to discuss the matter.
Show up in response to this situation in peaceful, open ways. For example, you may consider attending 10am Mass (Sunday, March 14) at Sacred Heart Church (1317 Mapleton Ave in Boulder). If you do go, we encourage you to attend peacefully to listen, learn and to serve as a reminder to the church that "We are here and these policies and decisions have real impact." If you attend, be sure to introduce yourself as a visitor to others.
We encourage you to volunteer with Boulder Pride's program, "SpeakingOUT." SpeakingOUT provides panels of 'out' LGBTQ and Allied people who share their experiences and stories with audiences that include middle and high school classes, college classes and businesses. As a result of the Sacred Heart decision, Boulder Pride/SpeakingOUT will begin actively reaching out and offering our SpeakingOUT panels to spiritual/religious organizations in Boulder County. The next free SpeakingOUT training is on March 16 from 5:30 to 8pm. Sandwiches will be provided. For more information (including location) and to RSVP, please email cathy@boulderpride.org. We welcome straight allies as SpeakingOUT members - you have a coming out story, as well, on why you advocate for LGBTQ rights.
Please continuing forwarding this email to five other people. The more people we reach, the more powerfully mobilized we are as a community. Please encourage your contacts to join Boulder Pride's email list. We have added 50 new subscribers this week!
Finally, please consider donating to Boulder Pride. As a grassroots non-profit, Boulder Pride relies on community donations to do this vital work. During the next month, every dollar up to $2,000 we raise will generously be matched by the Gill Foundation. Please click here to make a donation.
We look forward to seeing you (and a friend) on Monday!
Yours in Community,
Dave Ensign, Board President (dave@boulderpride.org)
Aicila Lewis, Executive Director (alewis@boulderpride.org)
Cathy Busha, Program Director (cathy@boulderpride.org)
Boulder Pride
Contact Information:
Sacred Heart of Jesus School
1318 Mapleton Ave
Boulder, CO 80304
(303) 443-0684
Archdiocese of Denver
1300 South Steele Street
Denver, CO 80210
303-722-4687
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