Update: Thank You for Helping QEJ Through Its Crisis

Dear Friend,

Last week we reached out to our supporters because we needed your help. QEJ faced a major cash flow crisis due to political fighting in Albany which stalled $40,000 in funding we were awarded in late summer of 2009.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we raised $18,000, also meeting the matching gift of $11,000 created by friends of QEJ . Because of this support, we did not have to furlough staff and shut down operations. This funding will help us continue to our unique work organizing and advocating for the thousands of those in our community who are homeless, poor, working class, and largely people of color marginalized from the mainstream LGBT community.

We at QEJ are so deeply humbled and overwhelmed by this outpouring support. To our friends and communities, THANK YOU for standing with us and supporting QEJ’s work for justice. This support will help QEJ continue our essential operations in the weeks ahead. To show you our appreciation, QEJ staff made a short video to thank all of you for helping us in this critical time. Click here to see our message.

You should know that QEJs efforts to expedite the release of the grant also paid off, as we finally received the contract this week from Albany to receive our long-awaited funding. This will set us back on track in the next month when we should receive the money.

A compounding factor for with the cash flow crisis was the fact that QEJ was also told that we had move by the end of this month. Our landlords did not renew their lease with the building and we were in a position of looking for a new home for QEJ while dealing with the immediate crisis, facing the real possibility of being without a home in addition to furloughing our staff.  Thankfully this worst case scenario did not come to pass! We found a new space that will help us to further serve our constituencies better.  Details about our move will be coming next week.

Again, THANK YOU so much for your generosity, good-will and support. QEJ is lucky to have you as our ally in our fight for a more socially just world. We could not be more grateful to have you as our supporter.

With much appreciation,

Kenyon Farrow

Executive Director

P.S. - You know it took us more than one take to make this video. And just for you, we prepared another video of our outtakes. Click here to see our case of the giggles.

Update on QEJ’s financial crisis and next steps: What you can do NOW to sustain QEJ!

Dear Friend,

As you may already know, earlier this week, QEJ faced the real possibility of having to furlough our staff, suspend vital services for its constituents and temporarily close its doors today. This was due to a cash flow crisis created by the delay in the release of a promised $40,000 grant by New York State that has been stalled for months due to political fighting in Albany.

To meet this crisis head-on, we at QEJ mobilized quickly. We cut expenses, our Board gave what they could, QEJ reached out to close friends and a generous Foundation began the process of advancing a grant to us. But we needed to be liquid immediately.

As a last recourse, QEJ turned to our base for help as your on-line gifts go directly to QEJ. Thanks to individuals like you, since Monday, QEJ has been able to raise $9,000 so far. We at QEJ are so deeply humbled and overwhelmed by this outpouring support. To our friends and communities, THANK YOU for standing with us and supporting QEJ’s work for justice. This support will help QEJ continue its bare essential operations in the weeks ahead.

Now, our goal is to reach at least $11,000, as friends of QEJ have pooled their resources and promised to match up to $11,000 to meet the crisis if we can raise that ourselves. QEJ needs your help in a final push to raise that $2,000 difference.

With additional support from you , we will be able to secure this generous match, and with enough support, QEJ can be fully operational. Please consider making a gift today of $100 to help us reach our goal. Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated and will go a long way in supporting QEJ as the leading national voice on behalf of low-income and poor LGBTQ people.

QEJ is just just short of reaching our goal. Please help QEJ maximize our efforts to sustain QEJ and its work until the New York State grant is distributed. Thank you for your generosity and consideration.

And thank you, so much, for helping QEJ continue our critical work for the most marginal within the LGBTQ community and our unique voice for sexual & gender liberation and economic justice. One of QEJ’s greatest resources is our supporters, and we are so fortunate to have YOU as our partner in the fight for a more socially just world.

With the utmost gratitude,

Kenyon Farrow

Executive Director

P.S. You can further support QEJ by forwarding this e-mail on to your friends, loved ones and communities and asking them to donate to QEJ as well. Thank you again for your consideration.

Emergency: QEJ Urgently Needs Your Support TODAY!

Dear Friend–

On behalf of Queers for Economic Justice, I write to respectfully ask that you consider making an emergency gift of $100 to QEJ today to help us meet an unexpected financial crisis. Your gift will also count towards a matching gift of up to $11,000 created to meet this crisis. To those who have already given, thank you so much for your support.

Why QEJ is seeking your help

Over the past few months, the fighting in Albany has held nonprofit groups hostage by stalling disbursements of promised grants. This has left QEJ $40,000 in the hole, as we were expecting our grant by now. QEJ is a lean organization, and so this delay is nothing short of devastating. We have no alternative but to turn to our supporters in this most dire time.

Why QEJ needs your immediate support

Without your support today, we cannot make payroll this friday and continue our important work on behalf of the most marginal people in the LGBTQ community, including:

· Ongoing support groups in shelters for homeless LGBTQ people in New York City

· Advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ people on welfare

· Public education on the effects of the economy on poor LGBTQ people

Your gift will count now more than ever. Click here to make a difference.

What QEJ is doing to meet this crisis head-on

• We’re working with our allies in Albany to expedite the release of our grant. One of our Foundation partners is also advancing a grant to us. However, both efforts take time, and we need immediate support

• Our Board has given what they can and is reaching out to secure support

• We’ve cut down on all but the most essential expenses

• A group of QEJ’s friends promised to pool their money and make a gift of up to $11,000 if we can match it. Since Monday, thanks to supporters like you, we’ve raised $7,230. We are humbled by such generosity, but still need your help to reach our goal by this Friday.

Your gift matters now more than ever

Please consider making an emergency gift of $100 to QEJ by clicking here. We are grateful for anything you are able to give, and all gifts, regardless of size, will allow us to continue our critical work for poor and low-income queers. On behalf of the Staff, Board, and constituencies we serve, thank you so much for your good-will and solidarity during his critical time.

With deepest appreciation,

Kenyon Farrow

Executive Director

P.S. You can further support QEJ by forwarding this e-mail on to your friends, loved ones and communities and asking them to donate to QEJ as well. Thank you again for your consideration.

Emergency: QEJ Urgently Needs Your Support TODAY!

Dear Friend–

I’m writing to humbly ask that you consider making an emergency gift of $100 to QEJ today. QEJ was told for months that a $40,000 government grant we are counting on would come in by now, but politics in Albany stalled NY State’s legislative agenda last fall and delayed the disbursement of grants to nonprofit groups, including QEJ. This has caused an unexpected cash flow crisis for us this month. As a result, we are turning to our supporters as a last resort.

Without your support, QEJ will not be able to pay its staff this Friday and continue its critical work as the leading national voice addressing the needs of low-income and poor LGBTQ people. We need you to keep our doors open. We are a modest organization, and any gifts we receive goes towards making our work possible. Thanks to the support of individuals like you, QEJ’s Welfare Warriors will very soon be releasing a report about the lives of low-income LGBTQ New Yorkers, with an accompanying documentary.  We also recently celebrated a victory with several of our ally organizations whom together pushed to make getting public assistance much easier for transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers. QEJ’s effective and groundbreaking work will not continue if we don’t hear from you today.

We’ve already taken steps to address this crisis.  A Foundation that supports QEJ has graciously agreed to advance a grant to QEJ, but that takes time, and we need the support immediately, and it will only meet part of our needs. QEJ’s Board has given what they can and a few of QEJ’s close friends have pledged to make gifts totaling 11 thousand dollars if our supporters can match this amount. Please look into your heart and do what you can to help us reach this goal. Your gift will go directly to supporting QEJ’s work.

At this critical time, please consider making an emergency gift of $100 to QEJ by clicking here. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated and will allow us to continue our pioneering work. Thank you for your understanding, generosity and continued support of Queers for Economic Justice. We deeply appreciate you as our partner for justice.

With much gratitude,
Kenyon Farrow
Executive Director

3/4:(IN)VISIBLY AMERICAN:THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL IN QUEER IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS

Last Chance to Support QEJ in 2009!

Dear QEJ Supporter,

We know that April 15th seems like a long way off. But your 2009 deductions end tomorrow night! It’s not too late to make a tax deductible gift to QEJ — one that will fuel our social justice work in 2010. We’ve made major advances this year in our campaign work locally and in raising the visibility of economic justice issues for queers nationally. There is much more work to do to ensure that working class, poor and low-income LGBT people receive justice in our society, but we’re hoping to continue to organize, and to make our communities visible in the LGBT movement, and in broader progressive movements across the country.

QEJ has always taken difficult and principled stances on issues that are sometimes unpopular with some elements of the LGBT community. Members of our board and staff have sometimes come under harsh criticism from bloggers or movement leaders for being divisive, reverse racists, complainers who aren’t realistic or practical in our idea of social change. We organize on the issues that are important to our base–that’s our queer agenda.

That is why we coordinate support groups for queer and trans people in the shelter system. That is why we organize queer and trans people on welfare to advocate for better welfare policies that expand access for trans and gender nonconforming people. That is why we organized a national mobilization of LGBT organizations to push for the inclusion of the public option in federal health care reform. Your donations help us continue to work on the issues that prioritize the lives of queer people at the margins of our movement.

Make a 2009 tax-deductible gift before the December 31st deadline to stand up for economic justice for queer communities!

Though we’re being told that we’re pulling out of the recession in 2010, we know that poor and working class queer people will still be unemployed and discriminated against at the welfare office, working in jobs with low wages, no health care for themselves or their families, and unable to take sick days without fear of being fired. After the economy recovers, our work will not be complete.

Won’t you make an end-of year donation to support true economic justice?

All of us at QEJ thank you for the support you’ve shown us over the years, and we wish you and yours a Happy New Year!

In struggle,

Kenyon Farrow

Support a New Queer Agenda in 2010

Dear Friend,

You and I both know that the economic crisis is not getting better for many low-income and working class people–including queer and transgender folks–any time soon. Queers for Economic Justice is the leading LGBTQ organization working to address the economy’s impact on our communities. We need your continued support to ensure QEJ’s critical work. So far, we’ve raised about $3,000 from people who believe in QEJ’s vision of economic justice. If you’ve given to QEJ already, THANK YOU! If not, please help us reach our $10,000 fundraising goal by December 31.

At this critical time, we ask that you consider making a tax-deductible gift of $100 to make QEJ’s vision a reality. Gifts of any size are appreciated and go a long way to ensure QEJ’s cutting-edge work. Or become a QEJ monthly sustainer by giving $10, $25, or $50 a month to be charged to your debit or credit card. Small gifts overtime add up to make a big difference for economic justice! Thank you for considering QEJ.

With your support, here’s what you can expect from QEJ in 2010:

• A new focus on the economic crisis and its impact on LGBT communities with a spring institute on LGBTQ people and the economic crisis, monthly political education teleconferences and a series of fact sheets on queers and the economy–all to put forth our communities’ needs.

• The national release of QEJ’s groundbreaking report and educational documentary about low-income queer and trans people in NYC detailing research findings on the lesser known experiences of these communities. These tools will be used to educate allied communities and policy makers.

• A campaign to end violence against LGBTQ People in NYC homeless shelters. We’ll be drawing on our six years of experience organizing shelter residents to tackle the increasing violence homeless queer and trans people face by creating a resource guide and offering trainings to shelter staff.

As the new Executive Director of QEJ, I am thrilled to be working alongside my colleagues, Jay Toole and Reina Gossett to make next year an even bigger year for QEJ’s work. But we cannot do so without your generosity. Please join us in our efforts by making your gift today.

Remember, when you give to QEJ, you are making a commitment to justice for all queers, despite their income, race, ability, legal status, or gender identity.  On behalf of QEJ’s staff, board, and constituents, thank you for your consideration.

Towards a more just world in 2010,

Kenyon Farrow

Executive Director

Please Support QEJ’s Work by Making a Donation

Dear Friend,

Thanks to you and QEJ’s many other supporters, 2009 will go down in history as a signature year in LGBT politics. But not for the reasons you may think. While there were major policies that passed in states and at the federal level that largely benefit the mainstream LGBTQ community, Queers for Economic Justice organized and agitated for a new vision for LGBTQ communities and pushed a new progressive queer agenda:

· Mobilized and led a coalition of national queer organizations to insert a queer voice—our community’s concerns—into the national healthcare debate;

· Produced a groundbreaking report highlighting the lesser known experiences of low-income queer and trans New Yorkers and a companion educational documentary–both to be released in winter 2010.

· Implemented creative “Know Your Rights” trainings on violence and conflict in New York City shelters and facilitated several 10-week support groups for LGBTQ homeless shelter residents

We are also pleased to share with you our recent decision to hire Kenyon Farrow to lead the organization as our next Executive Director! Kenyon’s longstanding commitment to economic justice for poor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people is a keystone to our growing organization. Please join us in welcoming Kenyon in the coming year.

THANK YOU for helping QEJ advance issues that impact low-income and working class LGBTQ people in New York City and across the country.

As a QEJ supporter, we know you understand the importance of this work and share with us QEJ’s vision: all deserve to the right to be able to have our basic needs taken care of, to fully express our love and desire, free from poverty or violence. We deserve a right not to equality, but to just society for all people.

We both know that even after the right to marriage is won, or hate crimes statues pass, poor and working class queers will continue to face economic hardships. We have to continue to fight to remind the world that queer people are poor, we are people of color, we are immigrants, we have disabilities, and maybe we don’t want to be just like you! QEJ cannot do this without your continued support.

At this critical time, we ask that you consider making a gift of $100 to make QEJ’s vision a reality. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated and will go a long way to further QEJ’s further work on behalf of sexual and gender liberation and economic justice.

As you can imagine, we have much more work to do. In 2010, with your support, QEJ will continue its commitment to economic justice by:

· Embarking on a NYC-wide campaign to stop violence against queer and trans people in NYC’s shelter system.

· Developing a resource guide for homeless shelter staff on best practices for serving LGBT clients, and providing trainings to shelter staff.

· Releasing and distributing the Welfare Warriors Survey and Documentary nationwide.

• Launching a new partnership with the Center for Popular Economics for the 2010 “Act Queer” teleconference series to be a popular education tool on the economy for queer organizers, and a spring weeklong institute on the economy and queer communities.

· Presenting a new Class Institute at the 2010 Creating Change Conference, to educate national queer leaders and activists on the intersections of race, class, gender and disability.

· Working with our queer ally organizations to impact the 2010 US Social Forum in Detroit, MI, and to host a national gathering with local queer organizers in Detroit.

Please consider making a special year-end gift of $100 to QEJ to make this work possible! Donations can be made online on our website at www.q4ej.org/donate.

On behalf of our members, our constituents, our staff and board, we want to thank you for your generous support. When you give to QEJ, you are making a commitment to justice for all queers, despite their income, race, ability, legal status, or gender identity. Thank you!

That is QEJ’s work. Thank you for joining us in this the struggle.

Towards a brighter New Year,

Emily Davison	Amber Hollibaugh
Board Chair	Founding Board Member

P.S. Consider becoming a QEJ monthly sustainer, by donating $10, $25, $50 or whatever you can per month to QEJ, to be drawn from your debit or credit card. Small gifts over a period of time can add up to make a huge difference for sexual and gender liberation and economic justice! www.q4ej.org/donate.

Dec 17: Act Queer! Teleconference: The Year in Queer Politics

Queers for Economic Justice would like for you to join us on a national conference call to discuss 2009’s queer politial agenda as part of our ongoing monthly series on racial & economic justice issues that impact poor/low-income, people of color, disabled, LGBTQ communities. From the passage of Prop 8 in California to the passage of the Matthew Shepard Act, the national LGBT political agenda has gained significant momentum. Will the explosion in LGBT policy on the national radar represent a movement towards queer liberation? What’s are there more progressive policy wins possible on the horizon for progressive queers? JOIN THE CALL TO FIND OUT! Please RSVP to this call. Supporting materials will be sent out in advance to those who RSVP. Thursday, December 17, 2009 2pm-3:30pm EST/11am-12:30pm PST Conference Call # (712) 432-0600 Password: 751219# Presenters include: Nicky Grist, Alternatives to Marriage Project (Relationship recognition policy) Robert Espinoza, Funders for LGBTQ Issues (Racial Equity in LGBT Philanthropy) Karina Claudio, Gays and Lesbians of Bushwick Empowered (Trans Unemployment & Employment Non Discrimination Act) Gabriel Arkles, Sylvia Rivera Law Project (Hate Crimes & Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Act) Click here to RSVP! This call is the 7th of a new monthly series called in our national coalition-building work called Act Queer! The purpose of the Act Queer! teleconference series is to connect grassroots LGBTQ, racial,and economic justice organizations with national queer and/or allied coalitions and organizations to share information and  strategies on racial and economic justice issues.

Nov 20: Queen with Benefits! Kenyon’s 35th B-day and QEJ Fundraiser!

Queen with Benefits! Kenyon’s 35th B-day and QEJ Fundraiser!

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