I recently received an e-mail about Equality Forum 2009, one of the LGBT community’s long-standing events. This year’s forum boasts more than 30 panels, 65 collaborative nonprofit partners and 40 LGBT leaders – all detailed on its newly designed Web site.
After perusing the site (and seriously considering attending), I stepped back and examined the intersection of communication channels and the message their sending to our community and the public at large. First, as trade shows and conferences across the country experience a decrease in glitz and guests attending or cancelation thanks to the economy, Equality Forum’s strong panel line-ups, special events and length speak to its importance and support by the LGBT business and civic community. While largely stereotypical, Equality Forum 2009’s potential of strong attendance and tourism spend in Philadelphia reconfirms the importance of the LGBT dollar in a down or up economy.
The Forum’s new look and feel online is also a refreshing. The newly designed Web page pulls together the many programs and initiatives of Equality Forum in a clean, user-friendly format. The news center includes a photo gallery and the organization’s many initiatives are clearly articulate along a selection bar across the top.
Besides supporting national LGBT month and documentary films, the Equality Forum also hosts numerous other initiatives based on strong communications to legislators and various audiences. The Fortune 500 project lobbies our country’s top boards and brands to instill inclusive business practices, providing online links that encourage patronage of those companies already doing the right thing.
Additional initiatives are more local, including the urging local officials to place historical markers at locations of important LGBT moments and identifying the LGBT vote efforts. Project 1138 is a community, grass-roots driven initiative that increases public awareness of more than 1,100 federal marital protections and benefits unavailable to LGBT couples. Couples are encouraged to share their story on www.project1138.com. Some of the stories are quite powerful and again are an example of the growing trend of online, grassroots advocacy by our community.
Are you planning on attending Equality Forum this year? Do you feel the Forum and its initiatives are correctly communicating your needs as a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person today? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
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