Georgia secretary of state to address AEN

by Jason Cecil

Political theatre takes center stage again on October 17, as AEN proudly hosts Cathy Cox as its speaker. Elected as Georgia's first female secretary of state, she joins a growing list of statewide elected officials who consider AEN a mandatory visit in order to gain the support of Georgia's growing LGBT business and professional community.

Cathy Cox has an extensive background in law, journalism and public service. Before her election, she served three years as assistant secretary of state. From 1993 - 1996, Ms. Cox represented Miller, Seminole, Early and Decatur counties in the Georgia House of Representatives. During her tenure as secretary of state, she has undertaken many reforms to modernize her office and its functions. She was instrumental in securing funding to build a new state archives facility. In 2001, the Council of State Governments named her agency's Web site the best in the nation.

Perhaps her most important task, however, has been to modernize and standardize Georgia's electoral system. Following the 2000 Presidential election fiasco in Florida, Cathy Cox convinced the state legislature to provide funds to convert all Georgia voters to electronic voting in time for the 2002 elections. The touch screen technology has had a couple of successful test runs in cities and two rural counties. As the election approaches, Ms. Cox has mounted an intensive education effort to introduce Georgians to the new machines before November's election. She is confident that voting will go smoothly in November after watching Florida make its mistakes in the recent primaries with similar technology.

Her speech promises to extol the virtues of the new voting system as well as the importance of involvement from all members of the community. Ms. Cox is running for re-election as secretary of state in November.

Doors open at the Sheraton Colony Square Hotel at 5:45 p.m.

Web sites:
CathyCox.com
Office of the Secretary of State

SoVo.com: Secretary of state to address gay group

Combs

November Meeting

The LGBT Market:
Myths and Realities

How big is the GLBT market? Do GLBT people really have more buying power? What successes can corporations like IBM, American Airlines, Subaru and Ford Motor Company point to from the GLBT market?

These are just some of the questions that will be answered in this multi-media presentation by Wesley Combs, president of Witeck-Combs Communications, a leading expert on marketing to the LGBT market. On Thursday, November 21, 2002, IBM will sponsor a presentation hosted by the Atlanta Executive Network called "The LGBT Market -- Myths and Realities". As the pioneer among information technology companies in workplace equality and dedicated marketing to LGBT businesses, the presentation will also provide details about IBM's unique strategy to be the leading provider of IT products and services in the LGBT market.

Come and learn about the latest market research about the elusive gay and lesbian consumer and how corporate marketing executives are using this information to develop effective strategies. Learn about what gay, lesbian, transexual people buy, read, support and care about. Find out what really influences the purchasing decisions of the GLBT person as a consumer or business person. See what companies are truly making an investment in the LGBT community and how is it paying off for them.

Web sites:
Witeck-Combs Communications
IBM

Kearney

Gay and elected: Rare words

by Jason Cecil

On Thursday, September 19, AEN featured a political double header with Victory Fund Political Director Bob Kearney and Georgia State Rep. Karla Drenner.

Mr. Kearney spoke briefly about the national political scene and the relative rise of gay and lesbian candidates. He noted, however, that the rise seems meteoric only because it rose from nothing. Openly gay or lesbian office holders still make up less than 1% of elected officials nationwide.

It's often difficult to decide who will get limited funding, since Victory Fund can only offer material support to viable candidates who have a real shot at winning. In answering a question about transgender candidates, Mr. Kearney replied that he was not aware of any transgender candidates, but that Victory Fund would be ready to support one if the opportunity arose.

Mr. Kearney kept his remarks short as he handed the stage over to Georgia State Rep. Karla Drenner. Two years ago, Rep. Drenner made history by becoming the first openly gay candidate to win election to the Georgia Legislature. She faced tremendous political heat from her honesty, mostly from her colleagues in the House.

She has recounted her experiences during her first term in a book entitled One: The True Story of Politics, Prayer and the Power of One. She related a few stories from the book with a sense of humor that has been refined through her ordeal as the only openly gay legislator in the Southeastern United States.

One important lesson she learned was to not allow herself to be defined by her sexuality. She spent much of her first legislative session dealing with the "lesbian issue", and it distracted her from the issues she cared passionately about and for which her fellow Georgians elected her.

Chief among her issues is the environment. Before her election, Rep. Drenner spent many years as an environmental consultant and still works in that capacity today when not working on legislative issues.

She feels a responsibility for creating a better world for her two children. She mentioned that after some of the more difficult days, her children provided her with the strength to soldier on. After all, her struggles were not about her, they were about creating a better world for her children to inherit as adults.

Rep. Drenner recounted the pressures from all sides that have attended her every move since she became a public figure. She mentioned the religious conservatives who remain convinced that she must have an LGBT agenda at odds with conservative values. She also mentioned the ire of gay leaders who sometimes felt she wasn't doing enough or that her stance on certain issues was incorrect.

The criticisms of the gay community often cut the deepest, leaving her feeling the most isolated and alone. One of her faults, she admitted, was remembering that one negative letter despite getting ten others that were positive.

She also answered a question on her support of Cynthia McKinney in the 4th Congressional District race in August, which ended in McKinney's defeat as challenger Denise Majette won with 58% of the vote. Her support for McKinney was based on political loyalty and a deep friendship with the congresswoman. It did not represent an endorsement of the combative congresswoman's controversial viewpoints.

Rep. Drenner stands behind her decision to support McKinney and says that now that they election is over, she is ready to move on and work hard with Denise Majette to work on the issues important to their common constituencies in DeKalb County.

Representative Drenner's folksy style entertained the crowd while providing and insider's look at what it has been like to be the first, and so far only, openly gay candidate.

Web sites:
Rep. Karla Drenner
Victory Fund

Help Wanted

AEN is looking for a part-time, temporary office administrator.

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Pennington is responsible for the overall operation of the largest municipal law enforcement agency in Georgia with 2,300 police officers and civilian employees, and an annual budget of more than $120 million.

Atlanta's new police chief impresses during outreach session

By Carl Lange

AEN was invited to attend a meeting between members of the Atlanta LGBT community and Richard Pennington, the new Atlanta police chief.

Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard introduced Pennington and talked about his background with the gay and lesbian community in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans.

Chief Pennington's experience was impressive. The Washington police chief appointed him director of LGBT community relations. It was there that he first learned about the needs of the LGBT community. Pennington led the recruitment and hiring of gay and lesbian officers and provided training to new recruits that included input from members of the gay and lesbian community on issues of importance.

He had the Washington police department advertise for new recruits in the local LGBT newspapers and kept very close ties with the local community. In 1985, as Washington's police chief, Pennington was one of the first in the country to ride at the front of a Pride parade.

As chief of police for New Orleans, Pennington said there was a terrific opportunity for improving outreach to the gay and lesbian community, and he built upon his experiences and success in Washington. While in Louisiana, he went in front of the state legislature to support a hate crimes bill.

Chief Pennington has been in Atlanta since July 9 and would appreciate feedback from the community as to what the Atlanta's LGBT community needs are. One way to provide feedback is through the Atlanta Police Department's Web site at http://www.atlantapd.org/feedback.htm.

IBM updates non-discrimination policy

By Joseph Bertolotti
Program Director, GLBT Sales and Talent
IBM Global Services

This week, IBM updated its Workforce Diversity Policies. "Sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" was added to the global policy and "gender identity or expression" was added to the U.S. statement. IBM has two policies because of the U.S. laws regarding affirmative action and veterans, which are not applicable to other geographies.

IBM released the following statement explaining the reasons why it was updating the policies:

With the change in senior leadership, it is appropriate that these policy letters be signed by our CEO, particularly in the U.S. where we are subject to equal opportunity audits by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Three of our Workforce Diversity Executive Task Forces are now global: Women, People with Disabilities (PwD), and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT). In addition to our Workforce Diversity Executive Task Forces, we now have 137 Diversity Network Groups: two are global(PwD and GLBT); and 11 are outside of the U.S. (seven are GLBT) It is appropriate that our global policy letters reflect the PwD and GLBT presence in our workforce, and affirm our respect for the individual.

The changes in these policy letters address the following:

IBM's global commitment to providing accessibility to our work locations, and reasonable accommodations in meeting job requirements for employees with a disability. The terms "gender identity and expression" have been added to our U.S. letter, and "sexual orientation, gender identity or expression," are now part of our global letter.

The new language will communicate IBM's workforce policy regarding people in terms of sexual orientation, what they look like, how they act and how they dress in terms of gender characteristics.

The policy may be viewed online at: http://www-3.ibm.com/employment/us/diverse/equal_opportunity.shtml

Web site:
IBM

Announcements

• Have you updated your member profile? Join the hundreds of others who've listed their contact information online. Click here to join or update your profile.
• Did you know you can renew your membership online with a credit card or check? Click here for details.
• AEN will hold a holiday party at Red Chair on Thursday, December 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. Members and friends invited.

In This Issue

• Georgia secretary of state to address AEN
• Gay and elected: Rare words
• Atlanta's new police chief impresses during outreach session
• IBM updates non-discrimination policy

Next Meeting

> Thursday, Oct. 17
Cathy Cox
GA Secretary of State
5:45 p.m
Sheraton Colony Square

Luncheons
Reservations »

> Tuesday, Oct. 15
Allen Jones
Houlihan's
11:55 a.m.

> Thursday, Oct. 17
Jamie Ensley, Sandy Hoke
Crescent Moon
7:45 a.m.

> Tuesday, Oct. 22
Ann McAllister
Top Spice
11:45 a.m.

> Thursday, Oct. 24
Bonnie Barton
New Member Luncheon
Gordon Biersch
11:30 a.m.

> Thursday, Oct. 29
Don George
Après Diem
11:30 a.m.

> Thursday, Oct. 31
Allen Jones
Houlihan's
11:55 a.m.

> Friday, Nov. 1
Joe Guthridge
Job Search Luncheon
Casa Grande
11:45 a.m.

> Thursday, Nov. 7
David Payne, Ronald Moore
Maggiano's, Perimeter
11:45 a.m.

> Wednesday, Nov. 13
Allen Jones
Houlihan's
11:55 a.m.

Founded in 1992, AEN's mission is to:

• Enhance business contacts and friendships through networking

• Eliminate discrimination and promote diversity in the workplace

• And foster leadership in business, government and the arts.

Board Members

Steve Koval, President
David Payne, Vice President
Joe Guthridge, Treasurer
Ann McAllister, Secretary
Margie Archer
Bonnie Barton
Jamie Ensley
Don George
Patrick Greco
Sandy Hoke
Carl Lange
Ronald Moore
Gregory Nance

Newsletter Editor
Jason Cecil

Webmaster
Drew Barton