The Hometown Organizing project is about being out as LGBT people and allies in the South, day in and day out. It’s about being engaged and visible around LGBT equality in our local communities through advocacy, service, and dialogue, from the kitchen table to the public square. It’s about helping to prepare the social fabric of the South for the day when federal laws change.
Through the Hometown Organizing project, CSE is honored to work with team members across the South. We provide support, tools, and a community of folks standing with you every day. We also encourage folks to connect with other LGBT and civil rights organizations in your area to support their ongoing work. Get in touch to get involved! Check out some of the projects CSE teams have been working on.
Light the Way to Justice Vigils: March 25 to 27, 2013
Candlelight vigil in Asheville, N.C. on March 26.
On March 26 and 27, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the “DOMA” and “Prop 8″ cases. CSE is proud to be part of United for Marriage, a national coalition that is organizing vigils in all 50 states and more than 150 town across the country during that time, as well as actions in Washington, D.C. CSE was also honored to support local organizers in the following communities and to be a co-sponsor for their vigils:
- Wilson, N.C. | March 24Winston-Salem, N.C. | March 25
- Greenville, S.C. | March 25
- Columbia, S.C. | March 26
- Gulfport, MS | March 26
Stay tuned for updates about what’s planned for “Decision Day,” when the Supreme Court announces its decisions.
Community Service Projects
The CSE team volunteers at the YWCA of Asheville’s Educational Garden
An April weekend of service project was part of CSE’s effort to increase visibility and community involvement among LGBT people in our local communities across the South. A group met in Greenville, S.C. on Saturday, April 20th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Generous Garden Project. On Sunday, April 21st folks worked in Asheville, N.C. at the YWCA and at the AIDS Services Coalition in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. If you have an idea for a community service project in your town, contact us at info@southernequality.org.
Letters to the Editor: What the Supreme Court Cases Mean to You
CSE is encouraging individuals across the South to write letters, not to Supreme Court Justices (although you can do that too), but instead to your hometown paper about why you think the Supreme Court should strike down “DOMA” and “Prop 8″ and how your life would be impacted by equality under the law. Through this effort, letters to the editor or op eds have been published in 14 papers across the South so far. If you choose to take this action, CSE can support you from start to finish in this action. Please contact Lindsey Simerly at lindsey@southernequality.org to join this letter writing campaign or to notify her if you’ve sent a letter so that we can keep track.
Letter to the Editor in Taylors, S.C.
