Unid@s Seeks to Fill Board Vacancy

PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Gael Gundin Guevara (917) 459-8779
Mónica Taher (213) 713-5549
Pedro Julio Serrano(787) 602-5954
email: unidoslgbt@gmail.com
website: www.unidoslgbt.org

Unid@s Seeks to Fill Board Vacancy

February 13, 2007 – Unid@s, the National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Human Rights Organization is currently seeking a representative from the Mid West to fill the only vacancy in its founding Board of Directors. The Mid West region is comprised of the following states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

"We are excited for this opportunity to move forward in building our national Latino/a LGBT organization. We want to complete our founding Board with an inclusive and talented array of members," said Gael Gundin Guevara, Trans chair of Unid@s.

Nominations are to be submitted by filling out attached nomination form before Monday, February 26, 2007 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 http://www.unidoslgbt.org/. The founding Board of Directors will consider these nominations and vote to elect the new Board member. The chosen representative will be announced on Wednesday, February 28.

Unid@s Board of Directors is comprised of 13 members, 7 from each geographical region and 6 members from states with larger concentration of Latinas/os. In an effort to ensure the genderparity of the board we made sure that there were an equal number of slots for "women", "men" and people of transgender experience as representatives of the board and one additional slot open to any of the above communities. The leadership of the board is currently comprised of three chairs; a queer-identified trans person, a female, and a male.

"We invite the Midwestern region to join us in this process and to send their nominations soon, we encourage people of trans and gender non-conforming experience to apply," finalized Pedro Julio Serrano, Male chair of Unid@s.

NOMINATION FORM

Unid@s, the National Latina/o LGBT Human Rights Organization

Criteria:

In order to be able to form part of the Board of Directors for the new national Latina/o LGBT organization in the next 2 years (March 2007 – February 2009), the current members of such committee expect that you will:
a) work in at least one of the subcommittees (Membership/Outreach, Fundraising/Logistics, Policies & Procedures, Organizational Development),
b) attend all meetings scheduled
c) participate in at least 75 % of conference calls/video conferencing for the whole committee and subcommittee work,
d) commit 100% time in the next 5 months to formalize this organization,
c) make monetary contribution(s) significant to you,
d) outreach to people in your area or country,
e) commit to responding to correspondence in at least 5 working days from receiving such,
f) hold a meeting in your city or town to receive and give feedback to your local members and report this back to the group

This Board of Directors will be comprised of a total of 11 committed (to the above guidelines) individuals from across the country and Puerto Rico from all walks of life, according the following guidelines:

Unid@s Board of Directors Geographic and Demographic Make-Up

Capacity
The Unid@s Board will have a minimum of five Board members at all time, and a maximum of 13.

Executive Committee
The Unid@s Board Executive Committee shall be comprised of the following five officers:

Chair, Transgender*
Chair, Woman*
Chair, Man*
Secretary
Treasurer

Geographic Representation
Regional Slots
The Unid@s Board will be divided in the following 7 regions:

West: Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California
North Central: Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska
South Central: Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New México, Texas, Oklahoma
Mid West: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio
South East: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida
North East: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C.
Puerto Rico


State Slots
The following 6 states will have an additional slot to address density of LGBT Latinas/os:
New York, Illinois, Texas, California, Massachusetts, and D.C.

Demographic Representation
Gender and Gender Idenity/Expression
The Unid@s Board will strive to be representative in gender and gender identity/expression, to reflect the following breakdown:

4 Transgender
4 Women
4 Men
1 from any of the above mentioned communities

Ethnicity
100% of the Unid@s Board will be comprised of Latinas/os.

Sexual Orientation
The Unid@s Board will be comprised of a minimum 75% LGBT Latinas/os.

25% is open to non-LGBT Latinas/os, but can be filled by LGBT Latinas/os.

Diversity of Skills
The Unid@s Board will strive to include a minimum of one individual with experience in one of the following areas:

Resource/Development
Web Development
Finance
Leadership/Marketing/Outreach
Organizational Development
Legal background
Advocacy/Legislation

Nominee Information

Name: __________________________________________________________________________

Email: __________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address: _________________________________________________________________

City/Town: _____________________ State/Country: _________________________

Zip Code: ________________ Phone(s): _______________________________________________

Age: ___________

Identify as: ______________________________________________________________________

Gender Identity: __________________________________________________________________

Sexual Orientation (i.e., Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Straight, or otherwise identified): _____________

Country of Origen (i.e., Puerto Rico, USA, El Salvador, etc): ______________________________

Ethnicity (i.e. Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban, Panamanian, etc.): ____________________________


Do you live in an area that is considered (bold or circle appropriate):

URBAN SUBURBAN RURAL

What can you offer this group (please describe your experiences, background, and membership(s)/participation in other local and national groups)? (use the space provided only).




What resources and/or assistance would you need in order to participate in this group?



Please describe your experience in one or several of the following areas – Resource/Development, Finance, Leadership/Marketing/Outreach, Organizational Development, Legal background and/or Advocacy/Legislation:




Please include a short bio (one paragraph maximum):




Please include a copy of your resumé (paste here if possible):




Other comments or information that you would like to share with us:




This form must be returned via email or snail mail postmarked by February 26, 2007 in order to be considered to participate in this group. A current member of the Membership Committee will contact you in a week thereafter.

If you need additional information, please email us a unidoslgbt@gmail.com.