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EQUALITY FLORIDA DIRECTOR SELECTED FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD
“Acknowledging and Respecting Inclusion” Theme A Rebuttal to Anti-Gay Policy

(Tampa) The Tampa / Hillsborough County Human Rights Council has selected Equality Florida’s executive director, Nadine Smith, as the 2005 recipient of the Eddie Mitchell Memorial Award.

The award announcement comes almost five months after Hillsborough County Commissioners provoked national and international condemnation for passing a policy that bans county agencies from "acknowledging, promoting and participating" in anything that portrays the gay community in a positive light.

Then in October , the commission responded to a request to add “sexual orientation” to the county non-discrimination ordinance by creating a policy that made it more difficult for residents to bring the issue forward.

Immediately following the commission’s actions in June, the Human Rights Council agreed to base the theme of this year’s Annual Human Rights Awards Breakfast on "Acknowledging and Respecting Inclusion" diversity in the community.

"In a diverse community you can value differences or you can exploit them. The Hillsborough Commission chose to drive people apart and the Human Rights Council chose to remind us all that we are one community,” said Smith.

Smith, who has worked on numerous social justice efforts, co-founded Equality Florida and has headed the statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights organization for nearly 10 years.

She joins Tampa icon Jan Platt along with SAC Carl Whitehead, Mike Trepper, Delwyn Collins, Jose A Valentin and the F. E. Lykes Foundation as winners of this year’s various human rights awards.

The 32nd Annual Human Rights Awards Breakfast will be held December 9th at the Tampa DoubleTree Hotel, 4500 West Cypress St.. Rocco J Claps, director of the Illinois Dept. of Human Rights will be this year’s guest speaker.

For individuals interested in attending, tickets are $25 in advance. Tables are $250 (ten tickets) and will be recognized in the program if purchased by November 28, 2005. For more information, please contact Catherine S. Griffin at (813) 274-5859 or e-mail catherine.griffin@ tampagov.net

Immediately following the breakfast, attendees are invited to participate in a panel discussion and Q & A on the current state of human rights issues in Tampa and Hillsborough County.

The Tampa / Hillsborough County Human Rights Council is an organization that brings together citizens of various backgrounds who share a common desire to promote the human rights of all individuals. Their stated mission to “End hatred, violence and discrimination.”

Attempt to suppress gay pride displays instead ignites new energy
October 28, 2005
This is a column most Hillsborough County commissioners don't want to read.It's a topic they don't want to hear about, a subject they wish would just go away. But that ain't happening. Although much of the rancor about the commission's ban against gay pride displays has died down, it remains on the forefront for many, including the Association for Humanist Sociology. The 29-year-old group of scholars, teachers and social activists is holding its national convention in Tampa this weekend and lending its support to Equality Florida, a gay and lesbian advocacy group. (MORE)

Anti-Gay Pride policy sparks "Buycott"
http://www.tampabays10.com
Tampa, Florida - You've heard of boycotting a product or a business, but gay rights activists are organizing what they call a "buycott."

Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director: ”Its never been more important that we stand together as a community.”

Supporters launched the so-called buycott at a meeting Monday night in Tampa. The idea is to support businesses that promote diversity. The move comes in response to the Hillsborough County Commission's decision in June to ban the county from promoting gay pride events. (read more and SEE VIDEO)

Bracing for long-term impact: Gay pride flap tugs at purse strings
The 'buycott' kicks in Aug. 15, designed to ID diversity friendly enterprises
From the August 5, 2005 print edition
It may no longer be dominating local TV or front-page daily newspaper headlines, but the Hillsborough County Commission's resolution not to support gay pride isn't going away as a business issue. (more)

A sensible voice went unheard in library din
By SUE CARLTON
Published August 3, 2005

 These days, Joe Stines seems like a guy trying to dodge bullets in a war he never signed up for - an odd spot for somebody who's worked in the quiet confines of the library for 30 years. The Hillsborough public library system he runs, and the County Commission that governs it, have recently gotten national attention, and not in a good way. (more)

It Takes A Family
Making a point with portraits of families both gay and straight.
By Max Linsky
Published July 27, 2005
The Weekly Planet
Thirty-four hours after the Hillsborough County Commission voted 6-1 to uphold the gay pride ban, Carrie Mackin is setting up a camera at Covivant, her gallery at 4906 N. Florida Ave. Her lens points toward a wall of plush red fabric, material she found in a trash bag in Covivant's back room. She knew it would be perfect: If you're trying to break down the traditional notion of family values with the snap of a shutter, a flaming crimson backdrop is exactly what you need. (more)

The Fine Line Between Fodder And Citizenship
DANIEL RUTH
Published: Jul 25, 2005
http://tampatrib.com/News/columns/MGB2CM58KBE.html

First, an admission.

If it didn't violate all manner of journalistic canons, I would be a generous contributor to the political coffers of Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms and her fellow sanctimonious Shih Tzu lap dogs on the board. Woof.

After all, Ronda Storms is more, much more, than cosmetology's answer to a nuclear winter.

She is the mother of all fodder.

She is a columnist's annuity.

So I won't deny that when the county commission decides - in less time than it takes to shuffle a deck of cards - to portray the community's political leadership as a bunch of intolerant, homophobic rednecks who make Foghorn Leghorn look like Adlai Stevenson, it's happy day in Scribblerville. (more)

County quashes gay issue
The Hillsborough County Commission, citing security, shakes up agenda to vote with little public comment.
BILL VARIAN and KEVIN GRAHAM
Published July 21, 2005

TAMPA - Hillsborough commissioners touched off a tempest last month when, without discussion, they distanced themselves from gay pride events. Wednesday, again without discussion, they quashed an effort to revisit the issue. And they did so out of agenda order, while scores who showed up to speak on the issue were temporarily distracted by a gay rights rally outside.(more)

Fight over Hillsborough gay pride ban intensifies
By:Dave Bohman
Tampa, Florida - Gay activists marched to the county building Tuesday. Their group of about 120 was made up of activist, and heterosexual supporters.This is their first chance to address the Hillsborough County Commission, and the author of the so-called gay pride ban, Rhonda Storms, since the ban went into effect last month (more)
Watch video

Hillsborough County commissioners wrong to censor exhibits
By Joe Crankshaw, July 14, 2005
In George Orwell's book, "1984," the Department of Truth kept redefining or eliminating words, rewriting books, and altering history, all with the aim of fostering Big Brother's philosophy du jour. (more)

Commissioners statewide weigh in on Hillsborough's recent ban on county involvement in gay events
By ANDREA FREYGANG
The response to the Hillsborough County Commission's recent decision to ban county agencies from engaging in any activity that portrayed gays in a positive light has been swift and dramatic. (more)

Intolerance can't survive if we don't condone it
By HOWARD TROXLER, Times Columnist
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/06/19/Columns/Intolerance_can_t_sur.shtml
Published June 19, 2005

The members of the Hillsborough County Commission who voted this past week to kick Gay Pride Week out of the public libraries do not consider themselves to be the bad guys. So screaming at them will not change their ways.  What will change their ways is for folks to be disappointed with them, and for their friends and neighbors to tell them so. That is how the world changes. (read)

Ill-Mannered Storms Cries "Liar! Liar!" Much Too Much
July 10, 2005
Tampa Tribune
Once again, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms has accused someone of lying. She made the claim during Ron Reagan's television show on MSNBC, poorly representing how people in Hillsborough County talk to one another. (read more)

Gay pride marches into business arena
County resolution stirs debate over bias, commerce, perception
Tampa Bay Business Journal - July 4, 2005
http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2005/07/04/story3.html

A community's openness to diversity is at the heart of the debate this week around the Tampa Bay area in the wake of the Hillsborough County Commission's volatile resolution that the county "abstain from acknowledging, promoting or participating in gay pride events." But in interviews at far reaches of the local business community regarding the possible impact of the action on business, tourism and economic development, the range of response is, ironically, diverse. <read article>

Real life, storybook ideals collide:
One woman's display on gay authors led to Hillsborough County banning support of gay events.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/02/Floridian/Real_life__storybook_.shtml
July 2, 2005
TAMPA - "You were in the New York Times," her mother said in an e-mail. She turned to Page 17, the A section. Sure enough, in the fourth paragraph, there was the young woman from Vero Beach, the daughter of a postal worker father and store clerk mother. Perhaps Meagan Albright would have shared her mother's joy if the story had been about something else. <read article>

Gay-pride controversy began over library poster
Under a controversial new policy, Hillsborough County will not support gay-pride activities, infuriating activists and dismaying the idealistic librarian at the heart of it all.
The Miami Herald Wed, Jun. 29, 2005
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12009385.htm

TAMPA - It was never the mild-mannered librarian's intention to spark such an almighty fuss.
Meagan Albright, 24, a graduate student in library sciences at the University of South Florida, says she simply wanted to bring her class project to the West Gate Regional Library, where she works part-time. Her boss liked the idea. Thus were the seeds of a tempest sown. <read article>

County Counsel Says Gay Policy Clearly Written
By MARK HOLAN  mholan@tampatrib.com
Published: Jun 29, 2005
TAMPA - Hillsborough County Attorney Renee Lee does not plan to issue guidelines on the county policy to ``abstain from acknowledging, promoting and participating'' in gay pride events. (more)

Council To Back Gay Pride Activities
Jun 28, 2005
mholan@tampatrib.com
TAMPA - The Tampa-Hillsborough County Human Rights Council is giving a new spin to Ronda Storms' words. Instead of ignoring gay pride, the council will acknowledge, promote and participate in activities it says promote inclusiveness, regardless of sexual orientation. <read article>

2,000 march against county's gay pride vote
Marchers take aim at Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms in Tampa.
By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published June 27, 2005 <watch video of news coverage>
<read article>

Pride And Trepidation
By JULIE PACE  jpace@tampatrib.com
Published: Jun 27, 2005
<read article>

Ban brings new energy, group says
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  St. Petersburg Times)

Library display's organizer wants the books to be found
<read article >
(06/21/2005 ©  St. Petersburg Times)

Boycotting County
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  Tampa Tribune)

Discriminate Equally
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  Tampa Tribune)

Gay Rights Supporters Rally, Assail County Policy As Hurtful
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  Tampa Tribune)

Judging Behavior
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  Tampa Tribune)

Renounce Behavior
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  Tampa Tribune)

Subversive Propaganda
<read article>
(06/21/2005 ©  Tampa Tribune)