Read All About It! 'State of the Movement' in the Blogosphere

We had a wonderful turnout for our "State of the Movement" discussion, including numerous bloggers and reporters.

Click the links below to read the highlights:

• Metro Weekly News Article
• Bugg Blog, Written By Our Moderator, Sean Bugg
• Pam's House Blend, By Panelist Pam Spaulding
• The Scientist's View
• The Petrelis Files
• Jimbo.info

Special thanks to our sponsor Metro Weekly and our moderator, Sean Bugg.

Live in Baltimore? Help Us Plan Events This Spring

NLGJA-DC is commited to expanding its outreach to our chapter members in Maryland and Virginia. And this spring, we'll be launching our first Baltimore event. If you live or work in the area, or are familiar with local journalists, we could use your help planning our events. Please e-mail Matthew Berger at matt@nlgjadc.org.

And if you think we should have an event near you, drop us an e-mail and tell us about it.

Renew Now & Save: NLGJA Membership Rates Likely to Rise Soon

The bad news? After years of keeping its membership rates steady, national NLGJA membership rates are likely to rise in the near future. Operating costs and changes in the journalism market necessitate the increase.

The good news? You can still lock in this year's membership rates and save money! In fact, you can renew now for two years and save even more money. Basic two-year memberships are $100, a savings of $10 now, but probably much more by the time rates increase later this year.

Renew your membership online now!

Your membership helps support important programs, like our recent panel discussion at the National Press Club, and our community forum, "State of the Movement." And it helps us with great social events, like our now famous holiday party, Cocktails & Conversations.

So click here to renew your membership today.

AAJA at the Press Club: East Coast Mini Conference Open to NLGJA-ers

Come discuss the future of journalism with the Asian American Journalists Association and some of the most prominent leaders in the industry at this year's East Coast Mini Conference.
When: Saturday, March 31, 2007

Where: National Press Club; 529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor; Washington, DC
Registration Fee: $40 for AAJA and NLGJA members $50 for non-members and on-site registration; buffet lunch included

Featured Speakers:

• Len Downie, Executive Editor of The Washington Post
• Ken Paulson, Executive Editor of USAToday
• Jim Vandehei, Executive Editor of The Politico

Register Online Here

Want to Help Cub Reporters? Teaming Up With Urban Journalism Workshop

NLGJA-DC is commited to helping young journalists.

That's why we are teaming up with the Urban Journalism Workshop to help DC area high school students learn jounalism skills. Volunteers are needed for March 31 and April 14. Journalists with television skills are in big demand, but all are welcome.

NLGJA-DC members are urged to contact Darlene Superville at 202-776-9548 or dsuperville@ap.org. Or, you can talk to NLGJA-DC board member Mara Lee at marabarco@verizon.net.

Help Us Plan Events: Seeking New Board Members

We are actively searching for a new chapter secretary and several additions to our board of directors. If you are interested in helping our chapter grow, and supporting the work we do on behalf of LGBT journalists in Washington, Virginian and Maryland, then we could use your help.

The chapter secretary is responsible for taking minutes at meetings and coordinating communication among chapter board members. The secretary would also serve as a liaison between the national office and the board, and would help direct communication efforts toward chapter members.

All board members are asked to participate in monthly meetings and help plan a wide variety of events throughout the year.

If you are interested, please contact Matthew Berger at matt@nlgjadc.org, or call me at 202-255-7478.

How's Your Work Life? Seattle Member Seeks Research Subjects

Seattle chapter member Donna Capodacqua is enlisting volunteers to take a survey designed to measure the relationships that lesbian and gay male employees have with their straight coworkers, and the circumstances and conditions surrounding the disclosure of a lesbian or gay male sexual orientation at work.

She is particularly interested in responses from people working for organizations that have one or more of the following:

• A written policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
• A diversity training program that includes awareness of gay and lesbian issues.
• Diversity workshop or training session devoted exclusively to gay and lesbian issues.
• Public support of gay and lesbian issues or activities e.g., corporate representation at Gay Pride events).
• An unofficial organization/network of lesbian and gay employees.
• An officially recognized organization of lesbian and gay employees.
• Benefits for same-sex domestic partners.
• Benefits that include bereavement leave for the death of a same-sex domestic partner
  or, a corporate equity index (CEI) rating from the Human Rights Campaign(HRC).

The survey is anonymous, the responses are confidential, and it has been approved by Tour University International's Institutional Review Board. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the survey. If you work for an organization that is described above and are interested in participating, please click on the link below. Please pass this information along to others you think might be interested in participating.

Take the survey here.

For more information, go to www.donnacap.info.