Calendar of Events

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

It's Almost Halloween! Minutes 10/24/07!

Minutes 10/24/07

Lang Cafeteria, then changed to Lang Basement

5PM

Attendance: Allan, Anthony, Al, Lucas, Harper, Josie, Kaleb, Megan, and Peter

Website: www.opennewschool.blogspot.com

First of all, we’d like to thank everyone who came to the screening of “But, I’m A Cheerleader.” About 30 people came and lots of people were happy walking away with free vibrators from Babeland!

Items Discussed

1) Recent Incident in the First Year Workshop

a. The first year workshop is a class requirement for first time incoming freshmen and involves presentations done by the professional staff at the New School.

b. One staff member had slanderous, homophobic remarks made about him in written, anonymous evaluations from various freshmen in the classes.

c. Student Rights and Responsibilities has gotten involved and Bertha Peralta, the First Year Advisor are doing their best to track the source of these remarks down.

d. People are always asking us why there is a GLBTQQ incident on campus if we’re such a liberal university. This is a prime example of why we need to continue to execute amazing events and programs to educate the New School community, because as much as we’d like to think that people are ok with the GLBTQQ community, there are some people who aren’t.

2) Movie screening for next month

a. We’re going to go for Thursday, Nov 15th for our next movie screening.

b. At this meeting, the movie titles that were brought up include “Beautiful Boxer,” “Mysterious Skin,” and “Torchlight Trilogy.”

c. If anyone has any movie suggestions for next month email Lucas Brooks (brooL067@newschool.edu)

d. Remember, we’d want to have a serious theme this time around.

e. A movie will be decided at next week’s meeting….wait a second. It’s HALLOWEEN! Hmm, wait for next meeting’s time and date coming soon.

Items needing to be done

1) Still need to work on securing a space to hold meetings officially instead of just in the Lang Cafeteria

2) Need ideas to do a Trans focused event sometime soon.

3) Allan is in talks with the Housing office about working on gender-neutral housing. There is talk about a 600 person dorm in East Village so we might want to come up with a proposal to guarantee that this is a part of the University’s initiative to be progressive and to accommodate every matriculated student.

Events of interest

1) Next Friday, November 2nd, Lucas will be performing at Sarah Lawrence’s “Cross Dress Cabaret.” Email him if you would like to attend or would like more information about the event.

2) Thursday, November 8th @ 7PM – Free
Reading: Eve Ensler (writer of the Vagina Monologues) & Alix Olson "Word Warriors"

"Word Warriors: 35 Women Leaders in the Spoken Word Revolution" is a collection of oral poetry and lithely muscled voices. Its contributors are women who think and act decisively to create their distinctive 21st century realities. The combination of the slam movement and bold underground feminism has created a unique pool of women who verbally challenge society on all fronts. Come hear them! Contributors include: Alix Olson, Patty Smith, Eileen Myles, Sarah Jones, Lynn Breedlove, and Suheir Hammad.

a. We may be going as a group to see this so we’ll keep posting more information about meeting up as the event comes closer.

Events for next semester

1) “Vagina Monologues”

a. Lucas and Richenda (Moxie) are arranging with several others fundraising for the Vagina Monologues in February.

2) “I’m a Survivor” Month – March

a. Lucas mentioned that Charnell Covert (Women of Color) wants to host a domestic violence series of events in March. Will be a great opportunity to talk about this taboo topic in the GLBTQQ community.

3) “Bear”

a. Lucas also mentioned that LJ (The Lang Theater Collective) is going to be act out the play “Bear” which follows the tragic story of two young gay boys in Catholic School.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Overview of NCOD and prep for Movie Screening - Minutes

O.P.E.N. Minutes 10/17/07

4PM

  1. “But I’m A Cheerleader”
    1. Going on tomorrow Oct 18th from 6:30 – 7:30 PM in the Student Activities Space (Ground floor of the 55 W 13th St Building)
    2. Allan, Josie, and Megan will be in charge of picking up the cupcakes from Billy’s – order of 60 to be exact.
    3. Anthony and Harper will be in charge of getting snacks
    4. We have 10 silver bullet vibrators from Babeland (5 donated, 5 purchased)
    5. We’re all going to meet at 6PM in the Student Activities Space to begin setting up.
  2. De-brief of events from last week
    1. National Coming Out Day

i. The O.P.E.N. Chair – Courtyard

1. What went well

a. We ran out of cookies

b. The people who did stand up, were great

2. What didn’t go so well

a. Many side comments were made

b. Could’ve been presented better

3. What to take away from it

a. Better Presentation

b. Always having at least two members present at any event we host

ii. Coming Out Career Panel

1. What went well

a. The Panel was AMAZING

b. Made a lot of good contacts

c. We were interviewed by the New School Free Press!

2. What didn’t go so well

a. Poor attendance because of the rain (we think)

3. What to take away from it

a. Knowing that weather plays a huge role in attendance

iii. ENDA Phonebank

1. What went well

a. Great overall turnout

b. Managed to get about 195 people to contact their respective congressmen to fight for ENDA

2. What didn’t go so well

a. Poor attendance from the New School

b. ENDA more than likely to pass without the trans-inclusive aspect.

3. What to take away from it

a. More publicity

    1. Primary Party

1. What went well

a. 30 – 40 people registered to vote

2. What didn’t go so well

a. Event not advertised well, so poor turnout

b. Not enough student org representation

3. What to take away from it

a. Work on presenting our group better

b. Be a part of events that we know are going to be worth going to.

c. Working on a concise, quick Fact Sheet of all of the candidates if we were to do this again.

  1. Nature of events
    1. It was discussed that we need to be able to reach out to the LGBTQQ community more by having great events that allow people to be comfortable in their own skin.
    2. Many great points were made that aren’t only concerns of our group, but mostly of student organizations in general.
    3. For future events, we need to reach out to marginalized sub sectors of the LGBTQQ community such as the trans community and minorities.

Things to talk about next week

1) Movie Screening in November

2) World AIDS Day in December

3) Having a trans focused event by the end of the semester?

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

More NCOD and ENDA and Minutes - 10/10/07

Attendance: Allan, Megan, Lucas, Josie, Kaleb, Natalie, Peter, David, Natalia, Carlie, and Al.

First and foremost, it was Harper’s birthday today so Happy Birthday from all of us! ! !

Secondly, check out www.opennewschool.blogspot.com where we post all of our event information and weekly minutes so you can stay in the know!

Items Discussed

  1. Primary Party – Wednesday Oct 10th, 9PM -- 65 5th Ave Cafeteria
    1. OSDA hosted an information session for presidential candidates that discussed their stances on various issues.
    2. Anthony will talk about how it went at next week’s meeting.
  2. National Coming Out Day
    1. O.P.E.N. Mic – Thursday Oct 11th, 11:40 PM - Noon – Lang Courtyard

i. We won’t have a microphone to use in the Courtyard.

ii. We will still do our little “Coming Out” shout outs

1. Meet at 11:30 in the Courtyard to begin setting up.

2. Kaleb and Josie will be in charge of making a sign for a chair where we’d stand out and come out officially to the New School community as well as managing to bring in a door to symbolize coming out.

3. Allan will buy some rainbow cookies to give out to people who do stand up on the chair and “come out.”

4. Everyone will bring Rainbow paraphernalia (wristbands, boas, t-shirts, etc) to make this event more festive.

    1. “Out at Work Career Panel” – Thursday Oct 11th, 6PM – 7:30PM -- Wolff Conference Room, 65th 5th Ave 2nd Floor.

i. Plain and simple, come to the event! Tell your friends!

ii. Snacks will be served

iii. Lucas and Allan will be tabling outside prior to the beginning.

    1. ENDA Phonebank – Thursday Oct 11th, 6PM – 9PM – The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce, 80 Maiden Lane, St. 1504

i. Check out hopstop.com for directions or contact Harper (310) 639 0033

  1. Budget Proposal for “But, I’m A Cheerleader”
    1. Once we hear back from SAFC, we can determine whether we’ll have a budget to purchase cupcakes and/or vibrators to give away.

Pass on tomorrow’s event information to friends and other students! It’s crucial that we have strong student presence at these events. We appreciate all of your efforts in doing so.

Hope to see you all tomorrow! And if not, have a wonderful NCOD!


In solidarity,

Allan

Secretary

O.P.E.N.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

NCOD, ENDA, and the Minutes 10/03/07

OPEN Minutes 09/03/07

Attendance: Allan, Lucas, Harper, Kaleb, Josie, Liza, Anthony, Peter, Elizabeth, and Julia.

1. “Out at Work” Career Panel

a. Thursday Oct 11th 2007 from 6 – 7:30 PM in the Wolff Conference Room, second floor of the 65 5th Ave building.

b. We will be having a table at this event so we’ll have sign up sheets for people to have their emails for the mailing list.

c. The Panel will be comprised of representatives from the LGBTQ center, G.L.A.A.D, and other “out” professionals.

2. “But I’m A Cheerleader”

a. Thursday Oct 18th 2007 from 6:30 – 8:30PM in the Student Activity Space, the ground floor of the 55 West 13th building.

b. Screening of the movie “But I’m A Cheerleader” as well as little ice breakers, food, and possibly free vibrators from Babeland (still up in the air).

3. “Tranny Fags”

a. We are shooting to do this event during late October/ Mid November.

b. We will be co-sponsoring this event with Moxie, the feminist organization on campus.

4. ENDA (Employee Non-Discrimination Act)

a. In light of recent events of the ENDA bill potentially being passed without being gender identity inclusive is a slap to the face to the LGBTQQ community.

b. Harper works for the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce and assisting a phonebank on National Coming Out Day, Oct 11th 2007 from 6 – 9PM.

c. If you would like more information, contact Harper Keenan (hbkeenan@gmail.com)

d. We realize that this is in conflict with the Out at Work Career Panel so whichever event you feel is more important to you, just attend/help out at either event. There’s also the option of going to the phone bank after the Career Panel discussion.

5. World AIDS Day

a. Allan is coordinating an art gallery event with Ashley Grosso.

b. Anthony and Paul will continue to talk about focusing on a “Sex Positive” Workshop for that week.

6. CUNY Queer Conference

a. Speaking of World AIDS Day, the CUNY school system is hosting a Queer Conference on Saturday Dec, 1st 2007. We are invited to the day long workshop if we so choose to attend.

b. Harper also mentioned that the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce is hosting a day long organizing skills day long workshop as well. Again, whichever event you feel is more pertinent to your particular interests should be your preference for attending either event.

7. Primary Party

a. The OSDA is coordinating an information session of the candidates for the 2008 election and wants us to have a booth set up to discuss the GLBTQQ stances of all of the candidates in the running for presidency.

b. The event is happening next Wednesday, October 10th 2007 in the 65 5th Avenue Cafeteria from 7-9 pm.

c. Allan and Anthony will help to represent OPEN for this event, and anyone else who’s interested. Let us know!

8. Movie Committee

a. After extensive discussions for having a monthly movie night for the year, we decided it’d make sense to have a committee. So far, it is comprised of Lucas, Josie, and Kaleb although if anyone else would like to pitch ideas or help coordinating the events, you’re more than welcome to help.

b. Some movie ideas included showing “The Bubble,” “Mysterious Skin.” “Time to Leave,” “Baby Cub,” “Queens (Reinas),” and many more.

Other things

  1. Open Mic in the courtyard – National Coming Out Day
    1. Allan has been in contact with Guinevere Molina, the head go to person from the OSDA about trying to allow us to have a mic and speaker in the Lang Courtyard during NCOD.
    2. If it is the case, Ivan Raykoff, the professor who’s teaching a Queer Studies class, wants to have the student’s work presented during the potential event (thanks Josie!)
    3. Once we get the thumbs up from Guinevere we can begin to coordinate setting up for the day.

Announcements

  1. First Friday Dance @ Columbia University!
    1. Columbia’s Queer Alliance is throwing a LGBTQQ party this Friday from 10PM – 3AM.
    2. More information at this site: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/quam/
  2. Crossdress Cabaret @ Sarah Lawrence featuring our group’s own VENDETTA
    1. Happening on Friday, November 2nd.
    2. Sarah Lawrence’s own Amateur Drag Show. More information TBA or email Lucas Brooks.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

The Out At Work Panel Discussion!

The Office of Career Development, OSDA, Student Housing, Intercultural Support and O.P.E.N. proudly announce:

Coming Out Day Career Panel
Employers speak about lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender advocacy and issues in the workplace!!

Thursday, Oct. 11th
6pm-7:30pm
65 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor
Wolff Conference Room

Panelist include representatives from:
The LGBT Community Center
Out Professionals (the Nation's largest LGBT networking organization)
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (G.L.A.A.D.)
and more....

Refreshments will be served! For more information, please contact The Office of Career Development at 212-229-1324.