Unid@s, New National Latina/o LGBT Organization Seeks Board Members

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Ruby Corado
(202) 270-0944

Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano
(512) 791-8752

unidoslgbt@gmail.com
http://www.unidoslgbt.org/

November 1, 2006 – Unid@s, the National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Human Rights Organization opened the nomination process to select its first Board of Directors. Looking to fill the void of a national organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Latinas/os, a group of Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) leaders met in Seattle on October 2004 to create a Steering Committee to develop the organizational base for this effort. After several months of preparation, the Steering Committee opens the process to recruit members for the initial Board of Directors of this new organization.

“After an inclusive, thorough and transparent process, we have laid the groundwork for the first Board of Directors that will have the task of building this organization. We are certain of the participation of LGBT Latinas/os in this process. This grassroots effort has set the stage for a national Latina/o LGBT organization that represents everyone and stands as a powerful and effective voice in the struggle for equal rights and liberation,” said Ruby Corado, co-chair of Unid@s Steering Committee.

The selection process will be transparent and democratic. People interested in being part of the Board of Directors of Unid@s can nominate themselves or others. Nominations are to be submitted by filling out attached nomination form before December 21, 2006 and sending it to unidoslgbt@gmail.com or via regular mail to ALLGO, ATTN: Unid@s, 701 Tillery St., Box 4, Austin, TX 78702 or visiting the website www.unidoslgbt.org.

The Membership & Outreach Sub-Committee of the Steering Committee of Unid@s will evaluate the nominees. After a deliberative process, Steering Committee members will hold interviews with the semi-finalists and choose the final candidates. The Steering Committee will present a list with credentials to the UnidosLGBT list for voting on January 10, 2006. Voting of the Board of Directors will take place via the UnidosLGBT list serve. Members of the Latina/o LGBT community interested in participating in this process can subscribe to the UnidosLGBT list by emailing unidoslgbt@gmail.com. Members of the UnidosLGBT list will have until January 24, 2007 to cast their vote confidentially via email at unidoslgbt@gmail.com.

The selected Board will be announced on February 1, 2007. The transition of leadership from the Steering Committee to the new Board of Directors of Unid@s will take place throughout January. The Board of Directors of Unid@s will take-on the leadership of the organization on March 1, 2007.

Unid@s Board of Directors will be comprised of 11 members, 7 from each geographical region and 4 members from states with larger concentration of Latinas/os. In an effort to ensure balanced participation of all members of our community, there will be 4 slots for women, 4 slots for men and 3 slots for transgender people. At the same time, there will be an innovative leadership composition of three chairs: one transgender, one woman, and one man.

“We are hopeful of the future of Unid@s. The commitment of our Latina/o LGBT community is inspiring. The Board selection process will be transparent, agile, democratic and inclusive. We want to guarantee the participation of everyone in our Latina/o LGBT community. We invite each individual interested in this process to send their nominations soon, so we all can be part of Unid@s”, finalized Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano, co-chair of Unid@s Steering Committee.