Amendment One, DOMA, and Gay Law 101

Thursday August 1st

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
LGBT Community Center of Charlotte
2508 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC, 28205

Before Amendment One passed last year, there was a lot of talk about what it would mean. Now a year later, we have a much better idea of the reality of Amendment One. Here’s a hint: so far it hasn’t made any legal changes.

Find out more at this Legal Presentation by Attorney Connie Vetter at the LGBT Community Center
Thursday, August 1 at 6:30 p.m.

Connie will talk about the impact of Amendment One, how North Carolina law effects LGBT individuals and couples, and ways to protect yourself. In addition, DOMA’s recent repeal and its significance (at both national and state levels) will be discussed.

Please plan to join us (with questions and comments!) for what is sure to be a valuable and informative evening.

More about Connie Vetter:

Attorney Connie J. Vetter, a member of the North Carolina State Bar and Mecklenburg County Bar, opened her law office in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1994. Her practice focuses primarily on the needs of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender individuals as well as couples. In addition to practicing law, Connie is an experienced mediator and is available to help people resolve disputes without going to court.
Connie has served on the Boards of the Lesbian & Gay Community Center, NC GALA Institute for Equal Rights, North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Attorneys, Mecklenburg Gay & Lesbian Political Action Committee, Equality NC, Time Out Youth, and OutCharlotte. She was appointed to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee by Charlotte City Council in 2004.

Connie has received numerous honors including the LGBT Award of the Social Justice Conference, the Volunteer Mediator of the Year Award by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dispute Settlement Program, and the Don King Community Service Award recognizing her for her years of service to the LGBT community. In 2006, she was the Parade Marshall for the North Carolina Gay Pride.

Educating people about the law is most important to Connie and is evidenced in her frequent talks on LGBT legal issues to organizations, college lectures, and professional forums.

NC Pride 5K Inaugural Party -The Bar -Durham June 8 Sat

NC Pride 5K Inaugural Party at The Bar – 711 Rigsbee Ave., Durham June 8 – 9pm till

The NC Pride Parade and Festival has announced a 5K run to be held on Saturday morning
September 28th at Duke East Campus on the corner of Main Street and Campus Drive in Durham
NC that is the festival and parade site.

The NCPride 5K Run will draw serious runners, walkers and supporters of LGBT community
from throughout the state. Categories for the run will be Open Male, Open Female, and
Masters (over 50) for both Male and Female. The Race will start at 8:30 am and a VIP
convertible will carry the NCPride Run winners in the parade at 1pm.

This Saturday, The Bar at 711 Rigsbee Ave in Durham is hosting a celebration of the NC Pride
run on June 8th to raise awareness in the community regarding this latest opportunity
within the festival weekend. Registration is now open at SportOften.org.

History: After 10 years of holding a NC Pride 5K Phantom race, several volunteers
have formed a new NC Pride committee to add a “real” metered and marked 5K around
the Duke East Campus. Walkers will still be welcome.

The NC Pride Parade and Festival will be held on September 28th 2013 – www.ncpride.org

Campaign for Southern Equality and Light the Way to Justice Events for “DOMA “and “Prop 8” cases

Monday – Wednesday: Light the Way to Justice vigils calling for full LGBT equality are happening in more than 170 towns across all 50 states to mark the start of oral arguments. Find a vigil in your town at this link. CSE is hosting an Asheville, N.C. vigil with local partners tomorrow. We’re also very proud to stand with groups all across the country who are hosting vigils, including WE DO teams in Winston-Salem and Wilson, N.C.; Greenville and Columbia, S.C.; and Gulfport, Miss. A shout out to our friends at Gender Benders, SC Equality, Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and Equality NC for coming together to host 10 vigils across the Carolinas this week.

Thursday: CSE’s fabulous volunteer Legal Team is hosting a Community Law Workshop at 6:30 p.m. EST to discuss what happened during oral arguments. We’ll be live streaming on our YouTube channel so you can join the conversation with your questions from anywhere in the country. Tune into this link at 6:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 28, or join us in person at First Congregational Church, 20 Oak Street, Asheville (click here for more information).

At 6:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, tune into ABC World News with Diane Sawyer to see an interview with Cameron and her moms, talking about her letters to the Supreme Court justices about marriage equality and life as a LGBT family in the South. We’re so inspired by Cameron, who’s next stop is the White House Easter Egg Roll! Here’s more of her story.

At 2:00 p.m. EST Tuesday, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara Executive Director, Campaign for Southern Equalitybe taking part in a Washington Post Google Hangout about the real life impact of the “DOMA “and “Prop 8” cases. You can watch at this link.

Buncombe County, NC Passes Domestic Partner Benefits

From: Campaign for Southern Equality

LGBT employees of Buncombe County, North Carolina will now be offered domestic partner benefits! These benefits include health insurance, life insurance, use of leave time, and all entitlements under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Buncombe County becomes the 4th county in N.C. to offer domestic partner benefits to LGBT couples, joining Durham, Mecklenburg and Orange counties.

This measure passed because of the leadership of County Commissioners who are committed to equality for all and because of strong community support. CSE was honored to work with the Buncombe County Commissioners in this process.

Through our Hometown Organizing project, we’ll continue to support folks pushing the ball forward on the local level across the South – by passing inclusive local policies, telling the stories of LGBT life in the South, and inspiring conversations about equality from the kitchen table to the public square.

Local progress in the South is one more piece in the puzzle as we strive to achieve full equality under the law. Next week, our nation’s highest court will hear two landmark cases – the “DOMA” and “Prop 8” cases – that are important pieces of this same puzzle. We hope you’ll attend a “Light the Way to Justice vigil” in your hometown as these cases are heard. Vigils are happening all across the country (check out this map) or you can plan one in your town.