Press Release: Our Own Voices, Our Own Words

Video Testimonials by LGBT Leaders for the 2010 Census
Watch.  Listen.  Share. And Be Counted in 2010.

April 15, 2010 (Washington DC) – It’s not too late to fill out and return your 2010 Census form, as 19 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community leaders remind us in their own words.

Our Families Count joins again with the U.S. Census this week to officially release 18 new, unscripted testimonial videos that highlight the priorities and views of 19 LGBT community leaders from across the spectrum – each urging full LGBT participation in the 2010 Census.  All testimonials may be found at http://www.youtube.com/uscensusbureau, and are included among the U.S. Census’ “Trusted Voices.”

This first-ever and unique collection of expressive, brief testimonial videos was produced by the U.S. Census with support from Our Families Count (www.ourfamiliescount.org).  The videotaping was completed during this year’s Creating Change conference, hosted by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, held in Dallas, Texas during March 2010.  To date, nearly 200 of the nation’s leading LGBT community groups, academic leaders and businesses have endorsed the Our Families Count campaign (see http://ourfamiliescount.org/about/).

“On behalf of all of the many contributors who stepped forward to share their own testimonials – we are especially proud of the diverse voices and faces,” said Che Ruddell-Tabisola, national LGBT outreach coordinator for the U.S. Census.  “In these brief, compelling LGBT snapshots, you will hear plainly why we make a difference in this year’s Census and what that means to achieve a more complete portrait of the people in our lives.  While many of us already have turned in our forms – this is another reminder that it’s not too late, and that being counted really does matter.”

For more background generally on the 2010 Census, please also visit http://www.2010census.gov/.  Be sure to visit www.ourfamiliescount.org for details specifically for LGBT households – with questions and answers found there in both English and Spanish.

A complete list of all testimonials and their direct links are included below for all individuals, including their affiliations (for the 18 testimonial videos).  Journalists and bloggers are invited to embed the links and share the testimonials appropriately and publicly as you wish:

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Glenn Magpantay & Malcolm Goeken Magpantay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLsbRpRp2rs

BiNet USA, Faith Cheltenham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE96YFLVQCI

California Faith for Equality, Kerry Chaplin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUSLr3lW_6o

The Dallas Rainbow Council, Jesse Garcia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e51JZBRpKsU

Family Equality Council, Alan Bernstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqaelZgJjSU

HRC Religion and Faith Program, Harry Knox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJUlKT68ETo

Human Rights Campaign, Lorie and Jane Birch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZYtlVzhQh0

International Federation of Black Prides, Earl Fowlkes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up489w6j36Y

Intersections Consulting, Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYvlXhdD5Hk

National Center for Transgender Equality, Mara Keisling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ixZMFRK8CA

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, Ben de Guzman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF5lcQsDfp4

National Youth Advocacy Coalition, Greg Varnum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33f0ipnRCkE

Resource Center Dallas, Bret Camp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2kllAF76Kc

Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (SAGE), Karen Taylor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HaIwDcxRFY

Transgender Law Center, Masen Davis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUMbWm76uuk

UNID@S National Latin@ LGBT Human Rights Organization, Lisbeth Melendez Rivera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja6Ncn2e1tc

Washington State Human Rights Commission, Charlene Strong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvoiGf2iPW4

The Williams Institute Distinguished Scholar, UCLA School of Law, Dr. Gary Gates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mtHjEWRis8

For more background generally on the 2010 Census, please also visit http://www.2010census.gov/.  Be sure to visit www.ourfamiliescount.org for details specifically for LGBT households – with questions and answers found there in both English and Spanish.

To stay connected on popular social networks, you may also find Our Families Count on Facebook, and feel free to follow on Twitter (twitter.com/rfamiliescount), or check out MySpace (myspace.com/ourfamiliescount).  

Our Families Count (www.ourfamiliescount.org) is an entirely voluntary public education campaign launched in fall 2009. This campaign represents a collaborative effort by leaders and community organizers across the LGBT and ally spectrum in America. Our partnership website is maintained by Bilerico Media which also is the proud owner and donor of the domain.  The campaign has been endorsed by over 140 of the nation’s leading LGBT advocacy and resource organizations, business leaders and academic institutions.  While LGBT community leaders and groups will advocate on many public policy issues, this campaign takes no position on specific issues or questions.

For more information on this year’s Census, please visit:
http://www.census.gov/
www.ourfamiliescount.org
www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute

Our Families Count Campaign Media Contact:   
media@ourfamiliescount.org 
Bob Witeck  
202-887-0500 ext. 19

To Endorse the Campaign Visit:
www.ourfamiliescount.org/join

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