We are now planning a YMCA of the USA Affinity Group reception on July 9th (Friday night) at the 2010 General Assembly in Salt Lake City, UT. Send us a note if you are planning on attending the GAYs (General Assembly of YMCAs) and would be interested in helping out.

We are also reaching out to Equality UT to have a gathering aka “Friends of Dorothy” on Saturday night of the GAYs (General Assembly of YMCAs).  This event will be for those YMCA staff and volunteers that are both “invisible” and visible to our movement.  Our straight allies and advocates are welcome too!  

Listen to the first national call and presentation that was held on January 20, 2010.  More than 73 percent of the registered GLBT Affinity Group members were on the first national call for members.  Highlights of the call included the introduction of Chuck Collins, CEO of the YMCA of San Francisco as the GLBT AG Executive Champion, updates from our standing committees and strategies how the AG will continue to unfold the work so that the YMCA movement is an inclusive movement for all.

To listen to the presentation, click here. You may wish to move the time cursor of your media program forward at least four (4) minutes as we experienced some technical difficulties on the call (not too exciting to listen to!).

To download the documents from the call, click here 

To download the FAQ from the live CHAT, click here

Thanks go out to the 21-member Steering Committee and Committee Chairs for their hard work laying the foundation for all us to move our movement toward a more inclusive organization.  The Steering Committee met last April, an inaugural meeting of the first meeting of GLBT staff and volunteers in our YMCA movement.  The meeting established by-laws, membership standards and three standing committees; membership, communications and resource development.  

In the past several months, each of the committees have been working on committee commissions and charts of work (click here).  As you will see—there has been some incredible work done by our committee chairs and their committee members.  We have had a few conference calls with the committee chairs and the entire steering committee.

We have had several YMCAs call the YMCA of the USA seeking guidance in regards to transgendered staff and members.  I have been working with YUSA’s General Counsel to draft a white paper.  If you would like to help work on the document, please email richard.clegg@ymca.net.

At the recent AYP National Conference, YUSA’s Diversity and Inclusion Department hosted an affinity group reception.  This was a great effort to begin to make our and other AGs visible to the movement.  Unfortunately we had little participation.  We are now planning a reception on Friday night of the 2010 General Assembly in Salt Lake City, UT.  There is a committee forming to plan for the reception that will showcase all AGs.  We’re going big!  Also, I’m reaching out to Equality UT to have a gathering aka “Friends of Dorothy” for those YMCA staff and volunteers that are both “invisible” and visible to our movement.  There is a gathering place within a mile of the Convention Area.  So more details to come.

So, you’re probably wondering, “ok, I’m a member, now what or so what?” Three big ideas come to mind:

First, the membership and communications committee is working hard on spreading the word about our AG.  YUSA has created an info flyer (click here) that will be the “official” communication piece for YMCA AGs.  YUSA’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) will be strategizing how they plan to communicate AGs within the movement.  We have also created a GLBT supplement to Y-USA's flyer (click here). These strategies include mailing this information piece to all “HR” and “CEOs” in the movement. D&I also has moved the buried AGs on YMCA Exchange to the front page.  The future site for AGs will include individual pages for each AG and a “join now” option.  We will also provide a link to our website due to the confidentiality those wishing to remain anonymous.  What can you do? Find ways in your own Association to spread the word of our AG.  Take five minutes on an agenda at a network, neighborhood, AYP chapter meeting, etc. to talk about the YMCA AGs—and the GLBT AG.

Second, one of the strategies that the Asian AG has undertaken is to form chapters across the country. The African-American AGs are also beginning to form regional events that will eventually form chapters.  We are considering this as a strategy for our AG as well.  Being spread across the country and trying to identify ways to connect one another to each other.  What can you do?  Once we work out all the logistics, consider hosting a regional meeting.  Better yet, while you are waiting—gather GLBT staff and volunteers and talk about what this would look like for your region or geographical area.  Begin to connect.  Talk about issues and solutions.  We will be working out details in regards to communication, promotion, agenda, etc. and will hopefully have our strategy flushed out soon.

And finally, Be of support and a GLBT resource to the YMCA movement.  What you can do? Find opportunities to talk about how the movement can be more inclusive rather than exclusive.  Get “inclusion” on every meeting agenda. Be an advocate with a voice.

We plan to communicate to members of GLBT AG on a regular basis.

Please feel free to contact me or anyone on the steering committee.