I caught this tonight on Twitter via the Philadelphia Gay News:

Nearly all of the board members of LGBT legal organization Equality Advocates Pennsylvania have resigned within the past two weeks.

Ten of the 13 members stepped down in a move that Lynn Zeitlin, executive director of the group, said was part of a wider restructuring effort.

The former board members include president Virginia Gutierez, vice president Trudi Sippola, treasurer Margaret Klaw, secretary Stephen Scardina and members Jodi Bromberg, Charles Ellis, Linda Aline Hawkins, Doug Metcalfe, Cody Poerio and Steven Sokoll.

None of the members PGN reached was willing to comment on the reason for their resignations, although Sippola said she felt it was ?a good time for there to be some fresh energy on the board to take Equality Advocates into the next phase of its development.?

Metcalfe, the former board spokesperson who served on the body for seven years, said that ?there are certainly some things that have happened in the organization that brought me to the decision that I needed to resign.?

This is disturbing as our attention turns statewide for the battle to pass HB 300 (and not get derailed by marriage windmills).  EA is supposed to be the go to group.  I'll admit that I was a little taken aback when I met Lynn Zeitlin.  I asked her if she was coming to Pittsburgh for the NetRoots Nation Conference in August and she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.  Even when I explained, she just told me she had to head back to Philly and walked away.  I was stunned. 

Now I'm really concerned.  I have had my differences with EA after information I shared on a confidential conference call was leaked to a donor who excorciated me for a perceived criticism.  That was the end of my supporting role as a blogger for either group (still waiting on apology - hi guys).  The lack of organizing presence in Western Pennsylvania has been damaging, but it did allow for some new grassroots shoots to emerge from the chaff. 

So ... be honest with me ... can you name any statewide advocacy groups?  The ACLU doesn't count.  No?  Then go read my tweets about the most recent Steel City Stonewall Board meeting and get involved.  Organizations break down when people stop paying attention.  When they stop caring.

From Pittsburgh United

?Our kids are dying, while millionaires get subsidies to build projects that profit millionaires? said Angel Gober, a Northside mother and activist.  ?We want development on the Northsore to provide good-paying jobs with benefits for our families so our young people have hope.  That?s why all this killing is happening, our young people have no hope.?

The group will ?bring the Northside to the Northshore? and build a memorial by the Del Monte building.  ?There are memorials to victims of violence in many Northside neighborhoods. Since commuters and Northshore visitors do not pass through our neighborhoods, we are bringing the despair and pain of the Northside mothers and families to the developers doorsteps.  They need to understand that by ignoring community needs they are directly contributing to the problems plaguing their Northside neighbors? said Gober.

The Delmonte building is managed by Continental Real Estate who pay their building service workers poverty wages with no health benefits.  Northside United wants to ensure that doesn?t happen in new development, especially after the Stadium Authority gave them land at 1/10^th the market price and the planning commission approved the master plan over the unanimous objections of the community.

Tonight is the night to get involved.

Steel City Stonewall Monthly Meeting

Thursday, July 16, 2009

7 - 9 PM

Crazy Mocha Lawrenceville

This is your opportunity to be at the table with decision makers who discuss politics impacting our community.  If you can take the time to analyze Bruno's impact on gay culture, you should make time to talk about the County Council race in District 1.  Seriously.

See you there.