Minutes from August 22, 2007

Ground Rules (to honor everyone’s contribution to this subcommittee):
 It is important that everyone contributes their voice.
 Please be aware of varying comfort levels (i.e. “being out) related to identifying as being LGBTQ.
 Respect all people at all times. This includes NO racism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, ageism, and other forms of discrimination.
 It is okay to ask questions about an issue that may be bothering you. If you feel uncomfortable speaking about the issue in the group, please contact R.E. or Sheryll.
 Assume good intentions as we learn from each other. Provide & accept feedback.
 New rules can be added to this list as participants feel necessary.


I. Introductions: name, pronoun preference
Present: Susan, E, Antonio, R.E.
Unable to participate in call:

II. Blog update: Sheryll www.lgbttalks.blogspot.com
Blog contains: reminders about meetings, introductions, meeting notes…

Sheryll feels like she’s not getting input or response to invitations.

Susan: seems like Sheryll’s the only one posting.


III. MySpace update: E
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=184618449 Link on Summit website. http://www.lgbttobacco.org/summit.php

E’s changed the background – added 3 pictures. Will be updating more. Has added some “badvertising.” Will make the text boxes opaque.

Please look it over and give E feedback.


IV. Timeline: R.E.

OUR MEETINGS UNTIL THE CONFERENCE.

7pm EST / 4pm PST / 1pm Hawaii
Phone number: 1-877-791-3294
Passcode: 77350

August 22
September 5
September 19
October 3
October 10
October 17

Materials that your program has that you want included in the conference packets… due to Minneapolis by September 14(?). About 150 of each item.


V. Ball Planning:

a. Contacts in Minneapolis:
 DISTRICT 202.
o Ryan – in contact with Antonio.
o Shiney Shapiro, Program Manager, District 202. www.dist202.org.

 Damon Humes, House of Manolo Blahnik (Philadelphia)

 Other houses – Antonio’s meeting with a contact

 Minneapolis area drag troupes? - R.E. will ask about this. Scout just went to a performance in the LGBTQ Latino/a community in Minneapolis.

 Holly – heads the new youth tobacco free mvmt with blue cross blue shield. Will probably be heading all youth activities at the NCToH

i. Update from Antonio: Difficult to find close & cheap space for Wednesday night. Intermedia Arts was recommended (see item c below). Difficulty receiving calls or emails back from Dist202 re: youth board meetings.

ii. Working with houses / troupes / youth in Minneapolis – What’s our strategy? Who wants to be the main contact/s?

There are 13 houses in Minneapolis.

Antonio: Start with Damon, have conversations with him. See if he could put us in contact with the House of Manolo Blahnik here. Expand from there.

R.E. Maybe by September it will be easier to connect with the youth from District 202.

b. Categories (see attached document):

c. Logistics
Date: WEDNESDAY PREFERRED

Location:
• District 202? - Antonio
• Hotel?
• University?
• Other?
• Intermedia arts. http://www.intermediaarts.org/pages/join/join_rentourspace.html


i. Move event to Tuesday at InterMedia Arts?

Update from Antonio: “InterMedia Arts [see link above] is available for Tuesday. [… I]t is a very well-known, queer positive space with a decent location. CHeck it out, I love it and this was my favorite choice. The question is, can we move the day of the youth event to Tuesday, to follow the Summit? Otherwise, its been tough finding space that isn't super expensive or far away. Oh, and it would only cost $350 for 5 hours and a tech person.” (from email earlier this week)

Able to have food & beverages there. Antonio will confirm that. We do have the money – budgeted $500 for space rental.

Would have to be Tuesday night. (Monday night is the Minnesota Queers the Air reception, which will be available for everyone from the Summit to attend.)

Susan: There will be a reception for youth being put on by Tobacco Free Kids & Legacy where they would usher people over ON WEDNESDAY. At the Convention Center, which will close early & you have to be part of the NCTOH conference to go to that space.

R.E. Seems like we’d just have to heavily promote beforehand to get youth to come, need stronger networking with other folks who are organizing youth events / youth coming to the national conference.

Antonio: They have an HD/Video projection system, which we’d have access to, and their lights. We’d have the theater & the lobby spaces. Theater seats 117 and has a low stage.

What is the planned time? For the event?
Need to be out of the Hilton Space by 6pm.
8-11pm.

** We will book the Intermedia Arts Space for TUESDAY night. **


d. Budget update
i. Sponsorship from Legacy? – Gustavo

ii. Funding committee update.

Susan: We’ll know better by September 14 how much money we’ll have exactly. So far they’ve raised less than the projected amount.

Antonio: $1350: $500 space, $500 AV, $200 food, $150 miscellaneous supplies (including action room). With InterMedia Arts we get everything for $350, including space and AV.

What should we do about prize money & prizes?

Antonio is optimistic about the amount the amount that will be raised.

What are some good prize amounts?
Chico: grand prizes = money; some prizes are trophies; $50 or $200.
Antonio: trophies for smaller ones; $150 for 3 big categories was recommended.
Susan: What about $50, $100, $150?

R.E. Do you think that folks on the funding committee would be amenable to putting $500-$700 toward the prizes?

Antonio & Susan would back it up.

Susan: sometimes the bigger the prize money, the fiercer the competition. It’s a really great feeling to walk a ball and have everyone rooting for you.

Antonio: Combat that with the host & the tone we’re trying to set. The host really is the facilitator. Phrasing, messaging. Keeping it fun, not intimidating.

Susan: Scholarship deadline is now SEPTEMBER 16. Application on the summit website. Apply now. Will email the youth committee the form.


e. Flier update- E, Chico will help.

Antonio: Kim, Scout & Antonio talked about promo materials. They’ve talked about doing a postcard that would list all events related to the summit. Heavy on the local scene & sent to national folks & LGBT network folks.

R.E. maybe an email announcement about the ball specifically?

E – we need the specific information about the prizes and the categories.


f. Event Roles: Damon
i. emcee
ii. commentator/s
iii. judges – there should be at least one youth
iv. ??

Antonio: Website looks fantastic.

Chico: Comments on the balls. One of the founders of all of the chapters of the House of Manolo Blahnik all over the US. You have the initial house that started it & the chapter houses, and parents over the regions and parents over the chapters.He’s considered legendary b/c he’s been doing this for a long time. Has been doing a lot of HIV prevention work.

R.E. asked him to support & promote youth in some of the key roles, like emceeing & commenting, with him holding it all together. He said yes.

Antonio – we’d get a huge turn out.

Susan – we should ask him if it Tuesday or Wed would make a difference.

Antonio: Park House? A smaller space, like a mansion space. But they’re very picky and have rules that might not be friendly to youth & people of color.

Antonio will talk to Damon about the space / date.
Chico will talk to Damon about Judges.

Would it be promoted as hosted by the House of Manolo Blahnik. In Philadelphia, it wasn’t like a ball where the houses are all divided and competing.


VI. During the LGBTI Anti-Tobacco Summit

a. Action Room
1. workshops
2. zines -
3. buttons
4. fliers
5. blogging?
6. videos?
7. letter-writing?
8. badvertising

Youth-related workshops will also be held in this room during the 2 breakout session times.

i. Materials needed:
• Markers
• Posterboard
• arts & crafts stuff
• Big paper to cover parts of the walls.
• Canvas to draw & write on… to hang as a backdrop for the ball.
• Button maker, button making supplies
• Pre-made buttons – as advertising for ball?

We need to know:
 What supplies are available in Minneapolis, either through the summit or Dist 202?

ii. Consent forms – Youth & Adult versions – to go out to youth before summit – Kristin

iii. Youth co-supervisors of the Action Room: E and Sheryll

iv. Name for the room?? (R.E. kinda stole Cascade AIDS Project’s name for it.)


b. Workshops
• How to approach friends who smoke. (Peer to Peer Prevention & Cessation) (Hope & Colorado Youth)
• Tobacco industry marketing to LGBTQ community. (R.E. and E)

i. Updates on abstract submissions: R.E. & Hope
Both were submitted and accepted.

ii. NCTOH: Hope


VII. Next Meeting: Wednesday Sept 5: 7pm EST / 4pm PST / 1pm Hawaii
Phone number: 1-877-791-3294
Passcode: 77350