This morning, I'm happy to announce the three winners of our OpenLeft/Freedom to Marry Netroots Nation scholarships to fund marriage equality online organizers. One of OpenLeft's core missions from our beginning has been to expand progressive infrastructure, and part of that is funding streams for organizers, as well as building movements upon each other- in this case, the movement for marriage equality and the netroots. As someone who organized online in three separate marriage equality fights (Maine, NYS and NJ) and saw our side lose all three, I am personally excited to build our bench of smart marriage equality online organizers to jump into the fray in upcoming fights, including defeating anti-equality New York State Senators, and the upcoming repeal of Prop 8 and other bans across the country.
Each individual was required to submit two blog posts or a video as examples of their work on marriage equality, as well as answer the questions "How will you help advance the freedom to marry?" and "How would you benefit from going to Netroots Nation?"
A large field of contestants were narrowed to 10 by our panel of judges, and then just shy of 4,000 votes were cast across the online netroots to determine the winners. The winners will receive round-trip airfare to Las Vegas, hotel accomodations, and registration to the conference.
Announcement of the winners, their backgrounds, and their responses, in the extended entry.
Natasha is an organizer with Queer Rising, an LGBT-oriented activist group formed out of the defeat of marriage equality in the New York State Legislature last year. She lives in New York City. You can see examples of her work here.
How will you help advance the freedom to marry? I have a unique opportunity as a New York resident to work on campaigns for and create campaigns against NYS Senators who voted against marriage equality at the end of 2009. Our situation is different than most states because we have had the privilege to see where the senators stand and how they voted on the bill. This gives me the ability to strategically plan who our targets are and what actions should take place.
How would you benefit from going to Netroots Nation? With the situation we have in New York and the short amount of time we have to flip votes, I believe the knowledge of Freedom to Marry, those at Netroots Nation, and others that have had success in passing marriage equality, can help tremendously in pushing forward equality in New York and nationally. I would be honored to be in a room with folks with this experience, knowledge, and dedication.
Zack Ford
Zack is the proprietor of ZackFordBlogs.com, where he writes about LGBT and other social justice issues. He is from Newport, PA. You can read examples of his work here.
How will you help advance the freedom to marry? As a social justice educator, it is my goal to achieve equity in society by helping others understand the inequities that persist. Like other civil rights issues, the key to achieving marriage equality is educating the masses about the issues at stake. My unique ability to synthesize events that are taking place and present them in simple ways (like my comprehensive coverage of the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial) helps readers tune in to the importance of these issues and how they can be proactive about proliferating that understanding throughout their own lives.
How would you benefit from going to Netroots Nation?
The unemployment I've suffered since completing my Master's in May 2009 has had an upside: time to dedicate to my blog and my writing. Though I've grown a lot in my 16 months of blogging, I still feel like a beginner in a lot of ways. When the economy finally lets me kickstart my career in education, I'll have less time to write. At that time, it'll be essential that I have the skills to make the most of what I do write through my connections to the Netroots. Attending Netroots Nation will help me become a better blogger and podcaster in the way I deliver my message so that I can make the biggest possible social justice impact with my writing.
Zack Rosen
Zack is Editor-in-Chief of TheNewGay.net, a blog devoted to exploring non-mainstream gay ideas and culture. He lives in Washington, DC. You can read examples of his work here.
How will you help advance the freedom to marry? I believe strongly that marriage is a well-deserved linchpin issue in gay life for one reason. It is not because everyone wants to get married or because we are trying to squeeze ourselves into the narrow heterosexual mold. Instead, marriage is a right that is available to straight people and not to gay people. An inequality this glaring and hurtful needs to be addressed. As long as it is not, a clear message is sent to the world that queer people are somehow "less" than everyone else.
Keeping this in mind, I believe the best that I can do is simply talk about marriage in a non-confrontational and deeply personal way. Writing essays about marriage and its effects on my life are a way to remind everyone out there that marriage should be as important (or not) in their life as they want it to be, but it is still a right that we as a group should not be robbed of.
How would you benefit from going to Netroots Nation? As Editor-in-Chief of TheNewGay.net, an alternative queer resource, the success of my job depends on two factors: recruiting passionate and talented queer writers to be involved in the website, and doing an almost inhuman(e) level of networking to ensure that I and my cause are on the forefront of people's awareness. A large-scale event such as Netroots Nation would provide me an invaluable outlet for the realization of both aims.
Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to all who voted. Also, if you haven't registered yet, Chris, Paul, Mike and myself will all be there, and we'll have an OpenLeft caucus as usual, date still being worked out. Hope to see you there.
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