Glide

11/15/2020

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=6iqWe1dUcQM

This video discusses the rise, impact, and closing of the GLIDE organization, by three of its founding members. In this laid back, conversational forum, the ...

09/07/2019

I spoke to my first college class about being gay in 1978, along with my sister, Terry Eselun and Diann Davisson at Orange Coast College. This was the time of Lyndon LaRouche and Prop 106. In 1991, amidst the outrage over Governor Pete Wilson vetoing AB101, I joined the speakers bureau of The Public Awareness Project. In 1994, eight of us (including myself, Thomas White, Judy Chiasson, Karen Ziehm, Clyde Derrick, Bob Goodman, Rebecca Weinreich, and Donna Arvidson) launched our own non-profit, GLIDE: G**s and Le****ns Initiating Dialogue for Equality. Over our 20+ years together, we reached over 250,000 in the LA area. We closed shop recently and plan to donate all of our materials to the USC/ONE Institute-- an historical archive of the LGBTQ community. We helped to change the culture in Los Angeles about LGBTQ equality and advanced the conversation wherever and whenever we spoke. We decided to create a recorded oral history of our 20+ years of work together, as a part of the legacy we will leave with the ONE Institute. Last December, through the tireless efforts of GLIDE speaker and former board member, Nick Duretta,three of GLIDE"s founding board members, Rebecca, Judy and myself sat down to create that oral history on video. It's a long sit, and I don't expect too many to have the time or interest. But the documentation-- the story is here, so that when generations to come, want to know what it was like and what we did about it... here's the story.

This video discusses the rise, impact, and closing of the GLIDE organization, by three of its founding members. In this laid back, conversational forum, the ...

11/14/2017

A stunning must-see!

10/17/2017

Dear Volunteers, Hosts, Loyal Friends and Supporters,

It is with a most bittersweet mix of sadness, pride and satisfaction that we make this announcement. The GLIDE Board of Directors has decided that, after more than 20 years of profound service to the community, the time has come to pass the baton to the next generation of activists and educators. We will be officially dissolving the organization as of December 31, 2017. We are looking into organizations to which we may donate our remaining resources to ensure that this meaningful work may continue and flourish in a different form. We are also looking to find a repository for some of our materials—a keeper of our community’s history, so that future generations might know about the powerful work we did over these 20-plus years, during this critical and tumultuous period of history.

We have shown what can be accomplished when a handful of committed, courageous, passionate, and talented volunteers are willing to stand up in front of strangers and share their stories. Born out of the outrage of then California Governor Pete Wilson’s veto of Assembly Bill 101, which would have guaranteed employment protections for g**s and le****ns, GLIDE was founded in 1991. Since that time GLIDE has reached over 200,000 people. In talking to students of all ages, teachers, police officers, and communities across Los Angeles, we have truly been a catalyst in changing the culture. We have been a significant resource in curbing anti-LGBT bullying not only within LAUSD, but within countless other districts whom we have reached through Tools for Tolerance at the Museum of Tolerance. And we have accomplished this on a shoestring, flying under the radar of the press and far better known and funded organizations. We changed the culture, not because we were primarily serving an LGBTQ audience, but because our target was the larger community. That is how we changed minds and hearts over several generations.

It is not only the larger community that has been changed—but we who have done this work have been changed by it— we have grown and been enriched and deepened. We thank you for your part in that particular alchemy.

We are certainly not going to say, “mission accomplished”— there is clearly still much work to be done. But we will say that our chapter of the journey is complete. This is the day we have been working toward.

To all who have done the work, created the space to do the work and hosted us over the years, supported the work, encouraged us along the way with your financial contributions, we have no words beyond a deep thank you. We made the world a better place.

With Love and Gratitude,

GLIDE Board of Directors

10/17/2017

Dear Volunteers, Hosts, Loyal Friends and Supporters of GLIDE,

It is with a most bittersweet mix of sadness, pride and satisfaction that we make this announcement. The GLIDE Board of Directors has decided that, after more than 20 years of profound service to the community, the time has come to pass the baton to the next generation of activists and educators. We will be officially dissolving the organization as of December 31, 2017. We are looking into organizations to which we may donate our remaining resources to ensure that this meaningful may continue and flourish in a different form. We are also looking to find a repository for some of our materials—a keeper of our community’s history, so that future generations might know about the powerful work we did over these 20-plus years, during this critical and tumultuous period of history.

We have shown what can be accomplished when a handful of committed, courageous, passionate, and talented volunteers are willing to stand up in front of strangers and share their stories. Born out of the outrage of then California Governor Pete Wilson’s veto of Assembly Bill 101, which would have guaranteed employment protections for g**s and le****ns, GLIDE was founded in 1991. Since that time GLIDE has reached over 200,000 people. In talking to students of all ages, teachers, police officers, and communities across Los Angeles, we have truly been a catalyst in changing the culture. We have been a significant resource in curbing anti-LGBT bullying not only within LAUSD, but within countless other districts whom we have reached through Tools for Tolerance at the Museum of Tolerance. And we have accomplished this on a shoestring, flying under the radar of the press and far better known and funded organizations. We changed the culture, not because we were primarily serving an LGBTQ audience, but because our target was the larger community. That is how we changed minds and hearts over several generations.

It is not only the larger community that has been changed—but we who have done this work have been changed by it— we have grown and been enriched and deepened. We thank you for your part in that particular alchemy.

We are certainly not going to say, “mission accomplished”— there is clearly still much work to be done. But we will say that our chapter of the journey is complete. This is the day we have been working toward.

To all who have done the work, created the space to do the work and hosted us over the years, supported the work, encouraged us along the way with your financial contributions, we have no words beyond a deep thank you. We made the world a better place.

With Love and Gratitude,

GLIDE Board of Directors

08/26/2017

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/25/opinion/sunday/worst-and-best-places-to-be-gay.html

If the Trump administration won’t protect gay people, we’re at the mercy of our ZIP codes.

09/16/2015

Very proud of one of GLIDE's most powerful speakers, Rosa Manriquez!

It was supposed to be a double celebration — regular Mass at St. Agatha Catholic Church in West Adams and Rosa Manriquez's 63rd birthday. Her oldest daughter was coming, and she couldn't have been happier.

02/12/2015

Greetings, LGBT folks (and our allies) over 50!

Ronni Sanlos is embarking on a new project to collect snippets, glimpses, of our history as LGBT people. Our young LGBT folks have no idea that we couldn’t hold hands in public, couldn’t safely go out together, couldn’t dance with one another in our own bars. She is compiling our very real everyday personal stories from our pasts. She want to know what happened to YOU. Snippet examples from her own history include:

• I harassed three gay men in college because I didn't want anyone to know I was just like them. 1965-69. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

• I got married to hide my sexual orientation. 1971. Los Angeles.

• I lost custody of my children when I came out as le***an. 1979. Florida

She's asking you to send a postcard to her with one event or issue you experienced. Write an item from your history. You need not reveal your name if you’re not comfortable doing so but please indicate the year the event took place and the location which may be as general as just the state.

Address the postcard to:

Dr. Ronni Sanlo
PO Box 4507
Ventura, CA 93007

Please share with others. Thanks so much…She looks forward to reading your experiences and adding your voice to the collection.

Sincerely,
Ronni

12/17/2014

Kids will change the world.

A 9-year-old girl has written a touching letter to her teacher, after he revealed he was gay during a lesson on homophobic bullying.