Washington, DC – December 3, 2007 - The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the largest LGBT political organization in the District, testified at a hearing held by the DC State Board of Education on November 28 to consider the proposed health education standards for DC Public Schools.  Below is the text of our testimony.   

Washington, DC - October 19, 2007 - The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the largest LGBT political organization in the District, passed a resolution at the October 15th meeting calling on the Washington Nationals to ensure that its Vendor Procurement Program nondiscrimination policy complies with the DC Human Rights Act.

In a letter sent to the Nationals’ President, Stan Kasten, the Stein Club informed the Nationals that its nondiscrimination policy did not include all protected classes covered by the DC Human Rights Act, especially LGBT protections such as sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The Stein Club urged the Nationals to revise its policy to ensure it complies with the DC Human Rights Act and promptly distribute the inclusive policy to the public.

Washington, DC - October 19, 2007 - The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the largest LGBT political organization in the District, passed a resolution at the October 15th meeting affirming its support for ENDA. The resolution also included the Stein Club urging Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to work with her colleagues, as the ENDA legislation moves through the legislative process, to strive for the best possible legislation.

Below is the text of the letter sent to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Washington, DC - April 3, 2007 - The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club (Stein Club), the largest LGBT political organization in the District, will hold its Endorsement Meeting for Wards 4 and 7 of the DC Council, and District 2 of the Board of Education (Special Elections) on Monday, April 9, 2007.

"All Democratic candidates in Wards 4 and 7, and all candidates for District 2 of the Board of Education have been invited to participate in the endorsement meeting," said Mario Acosta-Velez, Stein Club President.

The endorsement meeting will be a forum to learn about the candidates' positions on LGBT issues, and to mobilize the LGBT community to participate in the special election.

"We asked the candidates to submit a 250-word statement summarizing their positions on LGBT community and the District in general. We will make these statements available to our membership prior to the meeting," concluded Acosta-Velez.

Washington, DC - March 13, 2007 - At the March 12th meeting, the Stein Club elected Sheila Alexander-Reid as the female representative to the Democratic State Committee (DSC). The Stein Club currently has two seats on the DSC. Sheila joins Stein Club President Mario Acosta-Velez as the Stein Club representatives to the DSC.

"Sheila is one of the most active members of the Stein Club, serving during the last year in the membership committee. We look forward to Sheila's participation in the DSC and her contributions to enhance the Stein Club presence within the local Democratic Party," said Mario Acosta-Velez, Stein Club President.

Washington, DC – March 13, 2007 – The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the largest LGBT political organization in the District passed the following resolution at its March 12th meeting:

Gertrude Stein Democratic Club Resolution on Smoking in the National Democratic Club

Whereas the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club endorsed and lobbied for the indoor smokefree workplace law, The Department of Health Functions Clarification Amendment Act of 2006; and

Whereas the law has unanimous support from Democratic members of the D.C. Council and the Mayor; and

Whereas the Democratic Leadership of the House of Representatives has prohibited smoking in the House Speaker’s Lobby; and

Whereas secondhand smoke has been proven to cause lung cancer and heart disease, and has been linked to asthma and respiratory problems. Secondhand smoke has 4,000 chemicals, more than 50 of which are carcinogens; and

Whereas the Surgeon General’s June, 2006 report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, finds that even brief secondhand smoke exposure can cause immediate harm. The report says the only way to protect nonsmokers from the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke is to eliminate smoking indoors; and

Whereas the law is intended to safe guard workers from the hazards of secondhand smoke and workers shouldn't have to give up a good job because of secondhand smoke; and

Whereas the National Democratic Club has applied for an exemption to the Department of Health Functions Clarification Amendment Act of 2006 as a tobacco bar; Be it resolved that:

The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club will not sponsor, co-sponsor or send a representative to any indoor venue that permits smoking, including the National Democratic Club; and

Washington, DC – February 6, 2007 - The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club (Stein Club), the largest LGBT political organization in the District, today applauded the DC Democratic State Committee (DSC) for electing openly gay activists as Ex Officio Members, and for continuing its commitment to diversity and the rights of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender residents.

At its February 1st elections meeting, the DSC re-elected openly gay candidate Stephen P. Gorman and elected openly gay activist David Meadows to serve a two-year term as Ex Officio Members. Gorman is the former Chair of the Mayor’s Committee on Persons With Disabilities and a member of the Stein Club, and Meadows is a former President of the Stein Club, one of the largest LGBT Democratic clubs in the nation. Gorman and Meadows also have a history of involvement in local and national Democratic Party politics.

Also joining the DSC are Tom Smith, a long standing political activist and supporter of Food and Friends, as newly elected Chairman of the Ward 3 Democratic Committee, and Desi Deschaine as newly elected DC Young Democrats National Committeeman. Deschaine, a Stein Club member, has become an active voice for both LGBT issues and DC voting rights within the National Young Democrats of America.

The four join the following DSC members (and Stein Club members): Vice Chair Jeffrey Richardson, and Recording Secretary Ron Collins, both elected to these offices this past December, Ward 8 Democrats President, Phillip E. Pannell, Ward 2 Representative Karen Armogost and Ward 8 Representative Bradley Lewis. Stein Club President Mario Acosta-Velez and Darlene Nipper, serve as the Stein Club representatives to the DSC.