While standing in front of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission at Cadillac Place in Detroit on Friday, Feb. 1, Attorney General Dana Nessel made it clear that discrimination against the LGBTQ community does occur on [...]
Last Sunday marked the end of The National LGBTQ Task Force's 2019 Creating Change Conference — an annual event attended by thousands, put on to demonstrates advancements in the LGBTQ movement and to facilitate discussions and awareness of marginalized communities.
Dedicating one's time and energy to being an activist, particularly to a cause like LGBTQ civil rights, is never something undertaken lightly. Perhaps even rarer is a person who is willing to dedicate their life to such a cause. In the case of wives and Between The Lines Co-Publishers Jan Stevenson and Susan Horowitz, their decades-long commitment to enhancing the lives of the LGBTQ community in Michigan and beyond via their work in publishing and through the National LGBTQ Task Force has not been lost on their peers. Recognized last week at the Taskforce-sponsored 2019 Creating Change Conference, the couple received the Susan J. Hyde Award dedicated to their longevity in the movement.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib addressed the National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change conference on Saturday, Jan. 26. Tlaib kicked off her remarks by stating, "Welcome to the most beautiful, blackest city in the country, the city of Detroit.
Jason A. Michael has a long history with Between The Lines. In fact, he started writing for the paper in 1999, less than 10 years into its history. But if 20 years seems like a long time, consider this: Michael wrote the bulk of his novel, "Easier Said," released this month on his own JAM Books imprint, even before he started writing for the paper. Now, Michael is gearing up for a book release party to be held on Saturday, Feb. 9 at The Charlevoix Gallery in Detroit. BTL caught up with him to get details on his newly released work and upcoming projects.
Last June, Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies appointed local activist Julia Josling to the volunteer position of LGBTQ liaison to the mayor’s office. Now, after seven months on the job, Josling chatted with BTL to reflect on her new position and her plans for the future.
He had, friends say, warm eyes and a nice smile and always a kind word for everyone. Community activist Nathan D. Strickland Jr., widely recognized as an up and coming leader in the LGBTQ community, succumbed to his lengthy battle with cancer Jan. 24. He passed just two weeks before what would have been his 28th birthday.
A federal district court judge has granted more time to reach a settlement in a case challenging state taxpayer funding for faith-based foster care and adoption agencies that refuse to work with same-sex couples.
A trans woman in Detroit got justice with help from the Fair Michigan Justice Project. Special Prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz prosecuted and secured a conviction against Antoine Simmons in the Wayne County Circuit Court. Judge Mark Slavens sentenced Simmons to 18-45 years in prison on Thursday, Jan. 24, for armed robbery and use of a firearm in connection with a felony.
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission will consider asking Attorney General Dana Nessel to review Attorney General Opinion 7305 during its meeting on Friday, Feb. 1, in Detroit.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's new executive directive barring LGBTQ discrimination may be challenged by the head of the State Bar's Religious Liberty section, according to the Michigan Advance . The publication obtained an email from Tracy Lee, a [...]
By hosting a QTPOC Speaker Series at Wayne State University, Cara Mitrano hopes to recognize and showcase the incredible leadership, activism, and service of the community's LGBTQ siblings of color in Detroit.
Reggie Bullock, a small forward and shooting guard for the Detroit Pistons, said he didn't know how many transgender lives were lost to violence until his sister, Mia Henderson, was murdered in July 2014 in [...]
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in City Pulse. A board member at Williamston Community Schools could face fines from the Michigan Bureau of Elections after she was anonymously exposed for a string of alleged [...]
Despite temperatures topping out in the teens, a crowd of more than 200 came out Saturday to support the Drag Queen Story Time program at the Huntington Woods Public Library. After right wing fringe groups [...]
A trans woman in Detroit got justice with help from the Fair Michigan Justice Project. Special Prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz prosecuted and secured a conviction against Antoine Simmons in the Wayne County Circuit Court. Judge [...]
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib addressed the National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change conference on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Renaissance Center in Detroit. Tlaib kicked off her remarks by stating, "Welcome to the most beautiful, blackest [...]
Update: The Michigan Civil Rights Commission meeting for Monday, Jan. 28 at the Macomb Community College has been postponed due to the location being closed on account of expected inclement weather. The meeting has been rescheduled [...]
Detroit Police Department LGBT Liaison Cpl. Dani Woods has agreed to participate in the National LGBT Task Force's Creating Change conference following a lengthy meeting on Thursday, Jan. 24 with Director Andy Garcia and other [...]
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's new executive directive barring LGBTQ discrimination may be challenged by the head of the State Bar's Religious Liberty section, according to the Michigan Advance. The publication obtained an email from Tracy Lee, a [...]
Detroit Police Department LGBT Liaison Cpl. Dani Woods announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Jan. 22, that she had been “disinvited” to participate in a panel discussion at this week’s Creating Change Conference, sponsored [...]
For Ruth Ellis Center Development Associate Dwayne Cole Jr., it was just a normal day at work when two supervisors asked to speak with him one-on-one. “They asked me these questions about volunteer work that [...]
Andy Garcia, the director of Creating Change, said he wants members of the community to leave the National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change conference "feeling like they understand what makes Detroit special." And part of what makes Detroit special is the ecosystem of organizations, some of which are listed below, that work and support the LGBTQ community in the Motor City.
As the National LGBTQ Task Force's annual Creating Change conference moves into Detroit this week, more than 3,500 participants will have the opportunity to explore the Motor City.
There were two obvious takeaways from last week’s installment of Affirmations’ ongoing monthly community chats. First, Affirmations Board President Mike Flores, who conducted the chat, wants the community to know that the center is continuing [...]
The debate over Drag Queen Story Time at the Huntington Woods Library continues to rage on as both a demonstration and a counter-demonstration have been planned for this Saturday’s session. The response was immediate when [...]
Last week the Oakland County Parks & Recreation Commission held its first meeting of the year and introduced its newest members, Oakland County Commissioner Nancy Quarles (D-Southfield) and Ebony Bagley. Quarles and Bagley are the first African-American women ever to serve on the OCPR Commission.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan introduced the 21st Century President Act last week, which would change outdated legal definitions in the U.S. code to clarify that Presidents do not have to be men [...]
The Alcona County Board of Commissioners is asking Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to rescind her recent executive directive signed on Monday, Jan. 7 to strengthen protections for the LGBTQ community. According to The Alpena News, the board unanimously [...]
From the outside, LGBT Detroit might look like many similar nonprofit organizations, but if one digs a little deeper they'll find that it's been making history both in the city's LGBTQ and African-American communities since [...]
Back in the D For the third time in its 31-year history, the National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual Creating Change Conference will take place in the Motor City. And although its new director, Andy Garcia, [...]
Renowned for its ability to bring LGBTQ activists of all kinds together, the national Creating Change Conference is also known for recognizing those who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to make change in their own way. This year, the conference will be held from Jan. 23 through 27 at the Detroit Marriott in the Renaissance Center and will honor five chosen individuals and one organization for their work and dedication toward the LGBTQ movement. Each of whom will speak about their work as they receive their individual awards.
Every year, the Creating Change LGBTQ conference selects a different city in which to hold its conference. As it moves from city to city, officials select a group of local co-chairs native to the area [...]
As the federal government shutdown moves into its third week, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights is reminding members of the community that they don’t have to wait to file a complaint about discrimination. Michiganders [...]
Having existed for more than 20 years as a safe space for all members of the LGBTQ community, LGBT Detroit's mission has been to increase awareness about LGBTQ culture through "education, cohesion and advocacy."
It had only been a few weeks, but Jennifer Johnson's daughter had started to look forward to Fridays; that's when she'd visit Affirmations and take part in the youth programs available there. Fridays were also the day that Johnson had come to trust that she'd have a reliable, safe space in which her openly LGBTQ daughter could be herself.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive directive Monday at Affirmations, Michigan's largest LGBTQ community center, that broke new ground regarding civil rights protections for the LGBTQ community. Directive No. 2019-9 outlined that it would help instill policies to "promote public confidence in the fairness and integrity of state government" by ensuring all Michigan residents receive fair treatment in "employment, state contracting, and when accessing services from state government."
As the federal government shutdown moves into its third week, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights is reminding members of the community that they don’t have to wait to file a complaint about discrimination. Michiganders [...]
LANSING – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has requested a legal opinion from Attorney General Dana Nessel regarding the constitutionality of the recent Enbridge Line 5 pipeline legislation and the new Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority created by outgoing Gov. Rick Snyder.
Racist hate literature was found on cars in Ferndale New Year’s Eve. The fliers, created by a white supremacist group based out of Texas, were met with disdain and disapproval by local community leaders.
DETROIT — Equality Michigan, the only statewide advocacy organization representing Michigan’s LGBTQ community, praised action taken by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Monday, to prohibit discrimination in State employment, public services and state contracting based on a [...]
LANSING – Last week Sen. Jeremy Moss (D–Southfield) was selected to serve as the Assistant Minority Leader for the Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus. “I am honored to work with my Senate colleagues and our governor, alongside [...]
People from all over the country will visit Detroit Jan. 23-27 for the 2019 Creating Change conference. In an effort to make the conference financially accessible for everyone, the National LGBTQ Task Force is offering [...]
LANSING — Michigan’s improved MI Bridges portal is a self-service website where residents apply for public assistance benefits, manage their cases and explore community resources. Because of its streamlined offerings, it has been named a [...]
Creating Change will be held at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center from Jan. 23 through 27 in 2019. More information its included events, speakers and programs can be found online at creatingchange.org. Creating [...]
On January 19, 2019, thousands of women and their allies will come together in Washington D.C. to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. In a show of solidarity with the [...]
Survivors of sexual assault and their supporters will have an opportunity to express their stories through creative means such as spoken word and storytelling beginning Sunday, Jan. 13. Through an 8-week group called Poetic Justice [...]
Offered as a way to introduce peace and healing to LGBTQ people in the Lansing area, the Salus center offers Queer and Trans Yoga every Thursday, with their next scheduled class on Jan. 10 from [...]
One of the founding board members of Out On The Lakeshore LGBTQ community center has resigned to spend more time with family and friends. Karen Prins, who was one of the initial board members for [...]
As 2018 comes to an end, Michigan’s LGBTQ community can look back on a year filled with both hard hits to our rights along with major political wins toward greater equality. On a national scale, [...]
