DATE: September 11, 2011
TO: English 1311 students
FROM: Trevor Cox
RE: GLAAD
Many people within the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community still feel as if they are discriminated against and feel as though they have no voice or way to communicate certain feelings or opinions they share with the world. The GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) group is an organization that is directly trying to advance the LBGT community and show the community that they are also people with equal rights’. GLAAD uses the media to show the exact feeling of people within this community by allowing people to share their stories. GLAAD holds the media responsible for the way that they illustrate the LGBT community. GLAAD “promotes understanding, increases acceptance and advances equality.”
GLAAD has developed a strategy for the future advancement of the LGBT community. The main goals of this five year plan, which ends in 2013, is to have an abundant growth in supporters, equality, and advocacy for the GLAAD organization and for the LGBT community. This plan has five structures that include awareness, support, senior volunteers, programs, and results. The goals within the awareness structure are for GLAAD to better communicate what exactly the organization is and what they do, and also to use the media to properly advance the LGBT movement. Goals of the support structure are to have very diverse groups of supporters within and outside of the LGBT and GLAAD communities. The idea of the senior volunteer structure is to create beneficial relationships between the GLAAD volunteers and staff but also with the supporters. GLAADs programs will include resources that take advantage of the ever-expanding promise of social networking. The results structure is intertwined with all the other structures of the plan that will illustrate results to supporters of GLAAD.
GLAAD has various career, volunteer, internship, and leadership opportunities.
The career opportunities are available based on availability; GLAAD encourages diversity, which they believe enhances the environment and further expresses the mission of the company. Internships and volunteer opportunities are very similar in the sense that within both one is able to network and meet people that are likeminded with respect to equal rights’ for the LGBT community. For interested parties they should keep in mind that internships are only available in the designated cities. One must meet certain requirements in order to become involved with the fellowship opportunities. These requirements are that one must be in school at least halftime as a graduate or undergraduate, or have completed a degree. There are requirements for the fellowship opportunities due to the monthly stipends given of 1,000 dollars.
The GLAAD organization focuses on the advancement and equal rights of the LGBT community. There are many different ways to become involved and one need not be a part of the LGBT community to be a supporter. If one has an interest in the GLAAD organization and what they do for the LGBT community, more information can be seen on the GLAAD website which is http://www.glaad.org/ or contact one of the offices by phone at (323) 933-2240 to reach the Los Angeles office or (212) 629-3322 for the New York City office.
