St. Louis Reports from the 2010 Creating Change Conference - Part III

PART THREE

   DALLAS, TEXAS - The 22-annual National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Equality (Creating Change) is getting underway at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in beautiful downtown Dallas, Tex., Feb. 3 - 7, 2010.

    Produced by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Creating Change Conference (as it is affectionately known) is the nation’s pre-eminent political, leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBT social justice movement. Since 1988, Creating Change has been the opportunity for thousands of committed people to develop and hone their skills, celebrate victories, build community, and to be inspired by visionaries of our LGBT movement and allied movements for justice and equality.

    In 2004 St. Louis was honored to play host to this historic gathering and the Gateway City will be well represented at this year's conference. Vital VOICE Magazine is pleased to publish the following blog and pictures from local conference goers from SAGE and Transhaven Missouri as they give us a birds eye view from Texas as their schedules permit:

BY MARGARET "FLOWING" JOHNSON

I attended several workshops and presentations relevant to aging issues. The NGLTF formed a Roundtable on Aging in 2005. It is funded by a grant from Arcus. SAGE has taken on the responsibility for the roundtable which includes membership from over sixty organizations working around the country. Many of them are grassroots – some specific to aging. Others have a larger agenda, but a commitment to aging. Some of them work specifically on LBGT issues, and some of them have a broader agenda. Folks who attend the roundtables are members of the boards or directors and have the authority to make decisions for the organization.

We are making progress in our ability to access federal and state programs. The national director of SAGE refers to the Older American Act as a subversive act, which, because of its wording, gives our community access to federal money to directly serve LGBT elders. During the Bush administration we had to work to get access to services without drawing attention to our community. One of the first things the Bush administration did was remove all references to our community from their websites. (They also did the same for abortion and reproductive rights.)

Now, the assistant secretary for the Administration on Aging is an out Lesbian. The NGLTF staff on aging and the national director of SAGE both met personally with her in DC. LGBT is going back on the government website. Federal policies are available on the SAGE website at www.sageuse.org.

Now is the time to be very pro-active and request funding for initiatives.

Here’s some points gleaned from the presentations:

    · The definition of primary care giver is being changed so same sex partners  are considered primary care givers and are eligible for the same support available to heterosexual couples.

    · For the first time in history a LGBT aging roundtable will hold a Senate Hearing for their Special Committee on Aging.

    · If someone needs long-term care or hospitalization they can’t pay for, Medicare can seize all their assets, including their house. States have the option to not exercise this option if it will leave a spouse destitute. This option now includes partners in same sex couples.

    · The Area Agency for Aging has offices in many communities. Meet with them and be direct about our needs. Do not wait for money to trickle down to our communities.

    · The Federal Administration on Aging grants money for initiatives on issues of aging. Federal money went directly to the Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Center for an "aging in place" initiative.

    · The Administration on Aging is funding an LGBT center with a quarter million dollar grant.

· AARP is preparing a statement on LGBT aging issues.

St. Louis Reports from the 2010 Creating Change Conference, Part I

St. Louis Reports from the 2010 Creating Change Conference, Part II