Couple featured in campaign message
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Equality North Carolina recently released a video message targeted at voter participation that included Triad natives Lennie Gerber and Pearl Berlin.
The couple have been together for a half-century and spoke about what was at stake and on the ballot during this election period. They were also one of the couples who were part of a same-sex marriage law suit.
One video focused on Hillary Clinton. Gerber talked about the historic nature of voting for the Democratic candidate. She said, “It’s well past time for America to have a woman president and so every single vote counts. I am voting for Hillary Clinton. No question about it.”
The other video centered on voter participation and the importance in repealing the anti-LGBTQ HB2 and laws like it. Gerber said, “HB2 is totally unconstitutional. It has cost us millions and millions of dollars. Every single vote counts and you can’t say ‘Well my vote doesn’t count.’ It does.”
“Lennie and Pearl’s story is an inspiration to anyone who believes in the American promise of liberty and justice for all,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Because of Lennie and Pearl, and thousands of other pro-equality voters, North Carolina has the historic opportunity to elect Hillary Clinton, the first woman president, and to send Roy Cooper to Raleigh to repeal HB2.”
“Lennie & Pearl: Hillary” and “Lennie & Pearl: Voting” are part of HRC’s digital campaign that is targeting more than 400,000 potential pro-equality voters across North Carolina, in coordination with its larger get-out-the-vote effort aimed at mobilizing the 10 million LGBTQ voters nationwide. The power of the LGBTQ vote in North Carolina is clear: the state has more than 255,800 LGBTQ people of voting age; the margin of victory in the 2012 presidential race in North Carolina was 92,004.
info: hrc.org. equalitync.org.
Church gathering slated
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The 2016 Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Carolinas fall network gathering, “Transition and Change: Preparing for the Next Chapter of Ministry, will be held on Nov. 4-5 at St. Jude Metropolitan Community Church, 19 N. 26th St.
Special guests are: The Rev. Pressley Sutherland, associate director of the MCC Office of Church Life and Health; and The Rev. Brad Rice, MCC network facilitator.
Kicking off the gathering is a meet-and-greet social at St. Jude at 7:30 p.m., followed by a night out in the port town.
The next day participants will meet from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for a full day of informational workshops, dialogue, lunch, fellowship, worship and communion.
Those who stay over until Sunday can attend worship services at St. Jude at either 9 a.m. or 11 a.m.
Registration fee is $25 and includes lunch on Saturday.
info: stjudemcc.org. stjudes@bellsouth.net. rev.brendan.boone@gmail.com.
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Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@qnotescarolinas.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBTQ issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBTQ rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.
