A Letter From The President

Inclusive Communities Group To Provide November Speaker

 Bob Dorr, PFLAG Omaha

 Posted on October 28, 2007

Omaha PFLAG’s speaker at our Nov. 8 support meeting will be Spencer Terry from The Conference for Inclusive Communities, formerly named NCCJ of the Midlands.

While the group’s name has changed, its diversity-embracing, justice-seeking mission has remained remarkably consistent through the years. Its leadership training programs for youths—including gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender youths—have received acclaim for their effectiveness.

In November, we’ll get back to our normal schedule of support time at 7 p.m. and program at 8 p.m. after our departure from that schedule for National Coming Out Day. Come at 6:30 p.m. for coffee and socializing. Our meeting place is Mead Hall at First United Methodist Church, 70th and Cass Streets. Mead Hall has its own entrance at the church’s west end.

LAUREN JANSEN has moved back to Sioux City, her former home, to manage a Caribou Coffee shop there following the closing of Caribou outlets in Omaha. We hate like heck to lose her. Lauren served as an Omaha PFLAG board member. She was a panelist at many of our Safe Schools appearances. She was a pioneer in bringing a transgender perspective to our panels. Panel Coordinator Suzy Adams wrote this about Lauren: “In the early days of the Safe Schools presentations and panels, Lauren recognized the importance of the program and drove from Sioux City to Omaha to be on panels. In the three years that I have been coordinating the panels, Lauren has been on more than 60. That number does not reflect the other times she has been on medical panels, done one-on-one interviews with local media and assisted in numerous other areas, all in support of the GLBT community. She has been and always will be a great example and educator.”

ANOTHER LOSS: Reading Grounds, a book store and much more, will close around the end of October—another victim of mega-bookstore competition. Reading Grounds, at 40th and Farnam Sts., stocked a wide range of books, including a good selection of GLBT books. It became a place for meetings, performances, book releases and other events. It was a uniquely wonderful place for GLBT people and for many others in the broader community. It will be missed. Our best wishes to proprietors Cindy Collins and Angie Keyes.

Bob Dorr, Omaha PFLAG president