Thanks to the hard work of our Executive Council and Executive Committee members, some of whom just accepted their positions at the Auxiliary meeting preceding the full SEC meeting. We have a Chair and a Vice Chair in each of the 13 Congressional districts. We are now in equal standing with many other states, and the reply I heard from most SEC members yesterday was, “well, why shouldn’t we do this? It only makes sense!”

Also passed without dissent was a resolution in opposition to the anti-marriage, anti-family amendment scheduled for the May primary ballot.

From Action NC:

Every February, thousands of North Carolinians assemble on Jones Street for the Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) march and rally. This annual event allows all of us to lift our voices for freedom, democracy, shared prosperity and progress for all North Carolinians. We march as a broad coalition, united in our work for justice and equality, and in solidarity with HKonJ’s 14-point agenda.

As a proud HKonJ partner, Action NC is asking our members and supporters to join us and our coalition  for the 6th Annual Historic Thousands on Jones St. People’s Assembly Coalition Mobilization on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at Shaw University in Raleigh, starting at 9:30am.

Click here to RSVP for this important and exciting event!

If you believe in justice for people not corporations, if you believe in good jobs and workers rights, if you believe in equal protection under the law as the foundation on which our country stands, then come out for HKonJ!

Please join us and support public jobs, public service, and social justice. This rally will declare North Carolina to be in a state of emergency. Right wing extremists have seized control of the North Carolina legislature and have declared war on working families, the poor, minorities, seniors, and children. We need to hold them accountable and be remind them who they work for!

My 2¢ worth: FOLKS – Rev. Barber said it all at the ENC conference. The NAACP stands with us against the NC Constitutional Amendment… we should make every effort to turn out as some of the thousands [K] on J

Steps we have taken so far include engaging each and every of the other auxiliaries, preparing printed and electronic materials for the SEC meeting, opening a bank account, filing papers with the NC Board of Elections, creating this website, attending various party events and LGBT events, such as the Western Gayla and NC Pride (where we registered over 100 new voters). In addition to this, we have kept in close communication with David Parker and others to guarantee their support.

However there remains a need for our membership to contact each member of the SEC they know and not only encourage them to vote for us but encourage them to advocate for us on the convention floor.

I hope to see each of you there at the meeting, especially those of you who are SEC members.

The SEC meeting begins at 1pm, so we will be having an official meeting of the LGBT Democrats Executive Committee at 12:00pm. All members of the LGBT Democrats or persons interested in joining are encouraged to attend, even if you are not on the Executive Committee.

Beyond working on the SEC vote we have been strategizing along with the Young Democrats on ideas regarding our fight against the marriage amendment. We will be focusing on helping with voter turn out efforts. More on that to come.

~ Ryan Butler
President, LGBT Democrats of North Carolina

Congrats to all the LGBT candidates elected in last night’s Democratic sweep, including Lee Storrow in Chapel Hill, possibly the youngest out gay person ever elected in North Carolina, Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, LaWana Mayfield, Charlotte’s first out lesbian elected to City Council, Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle in Carrboro, and Mayor Elic Senter in Franklinton.

From the Charlotte Observer [posting an article on a newly elected member who defeated a GOP incumbent]:  …The City Council will have two other new members, both Democrats. LaWana Mayfield won the District 3 race over Ed Toney, and John Autry defeated Dennis Peterson in District 5.

Mayfield replaces Democrat Warren Turner, whom she defeated in the party primary. Mayfield will become the city’s first openly gay council member.

“I took nothing for granted,” Mayfield said. “We were still at knocking on doors, phone-banking. We made it to all 15 of our precincts today.”

LaWana won her primary in September over an incumbent, with 51% of the vote, attributing her success to volunteer efforts and door to door canvassing. She also serves on our own State Executive Committee for the LGBT Democrats of NC for the 12th District. congratulations, LaWana!

Marcus Brandon will receive the Legislative Leadership Award, Bob Page will be named Equality Champion; Rev Dr. William Barber, President of NC NAACP, will participate in the keynote panel discussion on equality. Breakout sessions include local organizing & it should be a great conference! Early bird registration discounts have been extended so head over today to http://equalitync.org/news/conference and get registered today!

Good luck to both candidates in November!

The inaugural LGBT DEMs State Convention, 6 Aug 2011

You will also find on this site a formal copy of our by-laws as amended and ratified at our convention. This document has been submitted to Chairman David Parker and Executive Director Jay Parmley and will eventually find its way to all members of the Executive Council. Pending approval by that body, our by-laws and record of our initial officers will be considered by the State Executive Committee at their next meeting and we will go up for a vote to become formally recognized by the state party.

A State Executive Committee was put into place with a chair and vice chair from each [current] Congressional District.

*Update: Travis Crayton was elected to the post of VP for College & University Outreach at our Convention; Travis is very involved in a campaign, and due to limited time, chose to step down as from this position. A quorum meeting was held at the Western Gala 22 October, and Zachary Reedy, who had also run for the position at Convention, was unanimously elected to fill the position.