Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Basic Rights Oregon will build upon our work with LGBT and
allied youth. We will lead a policy agenda that increases the
safety and well being of LGBT and allied youth.
Jeana Frazzini
r
Executive Directo si c Rights Education
Fund
re g on & Ba
Basic Rights O
RACIAL JUSTICE AND ALLIANCE BUILDING
At Basic Rights Oregon, we are committed to anti-racist work in our organization and in the state as a whole.
As a primarily white LGBT organization in a primarily white region, we work both to develop an analysis of the
impact of racism in our organization and community and to act on that understanding.
Our commitment to racial justice shows in our strategic plan and work plans, in ongoing political education with
our base, in the action we take for racial justice and in explicit statements addressing how our work affects gay
and transgender people of color. Today, we have increasingly multi-racial leadership in our organization, a
track record of support for racial justice and a reputation as being a dependable ally. We do
this work because it is the right thing to do and because
it helps us build a bigger, stronger
movement.
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“I think it all starts with health reform. If we
can get the health care that we need, we would
all be more inclined to help with other issues.”
—Eugene listening session participant
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
APANO (Asian are twice as likely to be victims of serious violence in and out of
Pacific Ameri- school.
can Network
of Oregon) is “Having worked with many API families who do not speak English
a statewide, and are recent arrivals to the US, I have seen the damage and
volunteer-led, harm, emotionally and physically, caused by bullying. It’s because
social justice of our families’ and others’ personal stories that prompted APANO
organization to support this legislation,” said APANO Board Member Kathy
dedicated to Wai.
civic involve-
ment and On May 8, 2009, over 100 Asian Pacific Islanders lobbied legisla-
Pan-Asian leader- tors in support of HB2599 at APANO’s first Legislative Lobby Day.
ship development. The organization brings APANO leaders joined Basic Rights Oregon and many others from
together diverse Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities across the Safe Schools for ALL Youth Coalition at the Governor’s signing
ethnicity, language, gender, sexuality and age. APANO was one ceremony on June 12, 2009.
of the 39 organizations that made up the Safe Schools for ALL
Youth Coalition, led by Basic Rights Oregon. “By building coalitions with diverse organizations, APANO is able
to build solidarity with other communities and continue to be a
HB2599 was a priority for both organizations in the 2009 session. voice for those most affected,” said Kathy. “The values of social
Social isolation and bullying due to race, culture and ethnicity in justice, equality and dignity are not just API issues–they’re every-
public schools create hostile learning environments for Asian and one’s.”
Pacific Islander youth. Nationally, Asian Pacific Islander Students
YOUTH ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Basic Rights Oregon’s youth organizing and leadership development program works to lift up the voices, issues
and leadership of young LGBT and allied activists as leaders in the organization. We provide skills and analy-
sis training, statewide networking for young activists and leadership opportunities in the organization’s political,
lobbying and community education work. We are especially committed to working on issues that affect gay and
transgender youth of color, transgender youth, youth facing multiple forms of oppression and youth most deeply
affected by homophobia and transphobia.
The LGBT and allied leaders of our youth activist team, QPOWER
(Queer Portlanders Organizing and Working for Equal Rights), gain
experience in organizing for change by learning to create strategy,
build power and do the on-the-ground work necessary to win cam-
paigns for LGBT rights and more. This year, QPOWER
led the youth programming for our
Day of Action in Salem,
created eight videos shar-
ing their coming-out stories
and supported Basic Rights
Oregon’s efforts to pass tax
measures to fund critical ser-
vices for our community.
“[I]f anyone can get the bigotry out of our ballot box,
it’s Basic Rights Oregon… They’re a tough lobbying
group on other LGBT issues, too: The legislature passed
all three of the bills Basic Rights Oregon supported last
session.”
– Portland Mercury (11/19/09)
MARRIAGE MATTERS
In 2009, three more states–Vermont, Iowa and New Hampshire–embraced the freedom to marry. Meanwhile,
legislators in Maine opened up civil marriage to committed same-sex couples – only to have voters reverse course
in the election.
STATEWIDE EDUCATION
Oregon’s path to marriage starts and ends with the
ballot. That’s why Basic Rights Oregon is building a
multi-year campaign to win overwhelming public sup-
port for the freedom to marry.
MAKING A DIFFFERENCE
When Anja Wright signed up for a it clear that he didn’t support marriage equality. But as we
summer fellowship with the Bus Project, talked, he began to open up–especially when I helped him
she knew the program would be think about what freedom means in America. By the end of
exciting. She didn’t know that she’d the discussion he really started to move on the issue.”
be helping to lead a cutting-edge
experiment focused on marriage For Anja, the issue of marriage equality is personal. “This is-
equality. sue affects so many people I know. And as a person of color,
you knock on a door and they expect you to sell something,
“I just wanted to help people, not talk about LGBT equality. The queer movement has been
do something that made a difference,” characterized as this white male thing. That means providing
says Anja, one of 24 young leaders in the Politicorps a different face for the conversation is really important. It
fellowship program. Basic Rights Oregon and Politicorps doesn’t affect just one group–it affects all of us.”
partnered on an intensive program to build support for the
freedom to marry in five counties across the state. After an intensive summer of organizing for equality, Anja
is confident about the campaign. “I’m optimistic. I know it’s
“We knocked on 17,000 doors in just two months. It was in- going to take time for people to grow and to understand why
tense. One of my favorite experiences was talking to an older marriage matters to gay couples. But when we get out there
man in his 70s. At the beginning of the conversation he made and engage people in real dialogue, Oregonians begin to
embrace civil marriage for all committed couples.”
STARTING THE CONVERSATION
Sometimes it can feel challenging to start the
conversation about marriage with the people we
know. But when we actually talk to our neighbors
about the impact of shutting gay and lesbian Or-
egonians out of marriage, we change the tone of
the discussion, and open up hearts and minds.
Net assets:
Unrestricted:
Available for operations 405,554 340,879
Property and equipment, net 47,204 44,213
Total unrestricted 452,758 385,092
Temporarily restricted 202,500 23,800
Total net assets 655,258 408,892
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
2009 2008
Support:
Contributions $ 847,233 $ 685,587
Special events, net of expenses of $162,865
for 2009 and $204,669 for 2008 232,986 265,994
Donated goods and services 84,447 73,459
Other income 349 5,314
Total support 1,165,015 1,030,354
Expenses:
Program services:
Marriage equality 360,345 501,341
Alliance building 53,386 9,150
Transgender justice 28,512
Youth organizing and leadership development 62,745 72, 595
Electoral candidate work 1,328 140, 860
Advocacy and lobbying 192,466 261,392
Total programs 698,782 985,338
Management and general 88,028 88,244
Fundraising 131,839 134,493
Total expenses 918,649 1,208,075
Net assets:
Beginning of year 408,892 586, 613
INDIVIDUALS INDIVIDUALS
Al Machemehl & John Harrell Al Horn & Jim Carpenter
Bill Dickey & David Wagner/Witham & Corriedawn Greiling-Fritsch & Michael Fritsch
Dickey Dennis Johnson & Steven Smith
Jason Zidell/JEZ Foundation
Al and Jim met more than 40 years ago in Dallas, Texas, where “Jim and I decided to pick our top three organizations to be benefi-
they had an instant connection and shared a love of camping and ciaries of his final will, and Basic Rights Oregon was one of them,”
the outdoors. In 1976, they relocated to Portland, Oregon, looking explains Al. “The work that they have done and continue to do for
forward to a new and exciting life in a beautiful part of the country. equality was so important to both Jim and me.”
In 1992, amid the swirling headlines of the No on 9 campaign, they We are grateful for their leadership and generous support.
were faced with a decision: watch the negativity from the sidelines,
or stand up for what they believed in and speak out for LGBT equal-
ity.
SkinnerLopata Harris LLC Lisa Watson & Peter Shanky/Cupcake Jones
INDIVIDUALS TAOW Productions LLC Loren Smith
Brian Wilson The Original Marilyn Stewart-Frank
Debbie Burke & Richard Durant The Regence Group Mark Clift & Jeff Knapp
Erin & Melissa Sexton-Sayler Tonkon Torp LLP Mary & Lieselotte Zorn-McCarty
Jeanne Fitzpatrick & Yolanda Lozano Travel Portland Melissa Beal & Cindy Alexander
Martin Vavra/Galaxy Sailor Productions Umpqua Bank Michael & Diane McKeel
Rodney Voisine United Way Columbia-Willamette Moira Bowman & Diane Goodwin
US Bank National Association Neil Kimmelfield
FREEDOM CIRCLE ($1,000 - $2,499) Wells Fargo Norm Kalbfleisch & Neil Matteucci
Stephanie Fuhrman
BUSINESSES & FOUNDATIONS INDIVIDUALS Thomas Barreto & Brian Sinclair
937 Group LLC Anita Stelling & Annie Brown Tim Thunder
Ashforth Pacific Inc Anne Hoot & Laura Stepp Valorie Freeman
Azumano Travel Beatrice Dohrn & Jennifer Middleton Vanessa Usui & Kimberlee Stafford
Bank of the West Betsy Wessler William Apt & Grant Molsberry
Davis Wright Tremaine Bill Fish & Ed Reeves
El Hispanic News Brady Davis
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Brian Houle & Peter Rossing
Frito Lay Dan Yonker & Mike Druydd
Gerding Edlen Development LLC David Conrad
Holding Onto Oregon’s Priorities (HOOPS David Cook & Mary Overgaard
PAC) Dawn Barry-Griffin
Kaiser Permanente Diane Benjamin
Key Bank Eric & Rebecca Friedenwald-Fishman
Livingston Foundation, Inc Fred Elledge & Mark Poe
McDonald Jacobs, P.C. Jason Phillips
Metropolitan Group Jeana Frazzini & KD Parman
National Center for Lesbian Rights Jeff Miller & Will Carter
Nordstrom, Inc. Jesse Lough & Russ Riggs
Northwest Natural Gas Joel Kimble
Pacific Power/Pacificorp John Leonard
Pollin Hotels Jon Andrew Howe & Duane McKenery
Basic Rights Oregon is proud of our relationship with
Portland Association of Teachers Julia Felsman & Cynthia Ondrick supporters at every giving level. We regret that, due to
Portland Hilton Kathleen MacNaughton space limitations, we cannot acknowledge all donors in
Providence Health & Services Kregg Arntson & Ted Fettig this publication. If we have unintentionally omitted or
misspelled your name, please accept our sincere apolo-
Russell Street Bar-B-Que Laura Calvo
gies and let us know how we may acknowledge you
SEIU Local 503 Lisa Hunefeld & Ann Schatz accurately in future Basic Rights Oregon materials.
Photo Credits
Byron Beck , Jack Elliot,
Elliot, Sam Leinen, Jennifer Meyer/ Tribute Web De-
sign & Photography
Photography,, Rosemary Ragusa /monAmour photography and
Anonymous supporters around the state.
state.
Special thank you to Witham and Dickey
for donating the printing of this report.