Issue 2 - The Welcoming Project

The Welcoming Project
Helping increase the visibility of welcoming businesses since 2011.
VOL. 2(2)
JULY 2012
The Welcoming Project aims to increase the visibility of businesses welcoming
of LGBTQ individuals and their allies through providing welcoming signs
for businesses to display indicating “ALL ARE WELCOME.”
The Welcoming Project featured on KOKH Fox 25 “Hometown Hotspot”
The Oklahoma Daily article
leads to news spot
The Welcoming Project
received quite a bit of
publicity in late April
and early May!
First, The Welcoming
Project was the subject
of an article in The
University of Oklahoma’s student paper, The
Oklahoma Daily, on April 30. Journalism
student Ajinur Setiwaldi interviewed TWP
President Meredith Worthen, TWP Intern
Amanda Fehlbaum, and social work
graduate students Joe Wilson and Ann
Benson for the article, “Norman businesses
welcome diversity with ‘welcome’ signs.” The
story traced the evolution of The Welcoming
Project through its first year.
The article led to The Welcoming Project
Current Number of
Welcoming Businesses
and Organizations:
175
being on KOKH Fox 25’s special “Hometown
Hotspot.” Worthen was interviewed for the
piece, as was TWP Welcoming Place Native
Roots Market. The segment aired on May 3,
2012, and covered local Norman businesses
that proudly display The Welcoming Project’s
“All Are Welcome” logo in their window.
“We put it up because all are welcome.
Every single person – no matter what they
look like, no matter how they act, no matter
what they believe,” Joel Blackmon, Native
Roots Market employee said in the news
segment. Blackmon says they display the sign
because by welcoming all, it promotes good
business, and creates a better community for
all.
Individuals are encouraged to visit
www.thewelcomingproject.org to read The
Oklahoma Daily article as well as watch a
YouTube video of the “Hometown Hotspot”
piece.
Would you like to obtain
a FREE Welcoming Sign for
your establishment or business?
Contact us!
contact@thewelcomingproject.org
Inside:
Letter from the President
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Thanks to OKC Pride Advertisers
2
The Welcoming Project Scholarship
3
4
Donation Information
Report from PFLAG Conference
Newest Welcoming Places
Upcoming Events
News Briefs
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TheWelcomingProject
@thewelcomingpro
Letter from the President
This summer, The Welcoming Project was featured in The Oklahoma Daily
and the local news network, KOKH Fox 25, highlighted TWP in their “Hometown Hotspot.” TWP also parDcipated in the OKC Pride FesDval, the PFLAG Regional Conference, and we have boosted our Welcoming Places count to 175! We are excited to move forward with our upcoming events throughout the rest of 2012. October 2012 will be another busy Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
and Transgender History Month here in Norman, Oklahoma! Our second annual MobilizaDon Day is scheduled for October 6, The Laramie Project Event is scheduled for October 11, and our Halloween Pet Costume Contest is coming up October 27, so please mark your calendars. We are also pleased to announce our first annual undergraduate scholarship to be awarded to an undergraduate student who demonstrates outstanding LGBTQ acDvism. Details about the scholarship can be found on our website. As an approved 501c4 non-­‐profit organizaDon, any and all donaDons are welcomed. As always, we conDnue to appreciate your support.
Meredith G. F. Worthen, Ph.D.
President of The Welcoming Project, Inc.
proud. strong. united.
Special Thanks to OKC Pride
Banner Advertisers!
The Welcoming Project team would like to sincerely
thank the businesses and organizations that
purchased banners for the OKC Pride Parade.
Twenty percent of each banner purchase was
donated to The Welcoming Project. We also
appreciate OKC Pride for providing TWP with this
fundraising opportunity.
Richard Ogden
Attorney at Law
www.lawokc.com
Children’s Recovery Center
www.odmhsas.org
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e
Att rg rad
e
Und
The Welcoming Project
1st Annual Scholarship
The Welcoming Project will award a $500 scholarship to an undergraduate student
enrolled in a degree-granting institution in August 2013 who provides an outstanding
contribution to LGBTQ activism.
The first Welcoming Project Scholarship Award winner will be announced at our
anniversary event in April 2013 in Norman, Oklahoma.
The application and more details are on The Welcoming Project website:
www.thewelcomingproject.org
APPLICATION DUE MARCH 1, 2013
Use promo code ModifyTWP at checkout and
10% of your purchase is donated to The Welcoming Project
FREE
SHIPPING
Promo Code:
ModifyTWP
MERCHANDISE
AVAILABLE NOW!
You can donate for
these products by
contacting us
Donations to The Welcoming Project are
Officially Tax-Deductible!
Rainbow Pride Beaded Earrings,
$5 Donation per Pair
These earrings can be custom ordered
to your specifications. Choose the
length (1-5 beads per earring) for a
custom fit. We offer french hook style
(goldtone and silvertone) as well as
post style (goldtone and silvertone)
earrings.
modifywatches.com
We need your support!
Donate online at www.thewelcomingproject.org
Donation Boxes
We have donation boxes available
to help raise funds for The Welcoming
Project, Inc. If you run a business,
organization, or church and are willing
to place an official Welcoming Project
clear donation box near your cash
register, please contact us. We will get
your box to you ASAP.
The donation boxes are
approximately 5” wide, 3.5” deep, and
8” tall and has a lock to keep donations
secure. Boxes also include a sign holder
and business card holder to display our
“All Are Welcome” message.
Your donations are
Tax-Deductible
TWP is a 501(c)(4) non-profit
Donation Certificates
We now offer donation certificates to all
donors. The certificate is hand signed by the
President and Vice President of The Welcoming
Project, Inc. If you would like to display your
support for The Welcoming Project, Inc. by
hanging a donation certificate in your business or
establishment, please contact us. We will mail a
certificate to you at no charge.
If you would like to donate to The Welcoming
Project, Inc. as a gift, we also offer donation
certificates to give as gifts to others. Certificates
are bronze, silver, and gold depending on the
donation amount.
The Welcoming Project Window Clings,
$5 Donation Each
These window clings are great for
accenting your home, business, or car
windows. The opaque static window
clings are 4”x3.5” and can be placed
inside or outside of a window.
The Welcoming Project Mini Buttons,
$3 each or 2 for $5 Donation
These 1”x1” buttons are a great way
to show your support for TWP.
Place them on your lapel, your bag anywhere!
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A
TWP
Tribute
“I am honored to be a part of The Welcoming Project. As a lesbian myself, I know it can be scary
to walk into businesses or email a potential provider without knowing if I will be accepted for who
I am. I will proudly display the graphic image on my website. Thank you again for including my
business in this wonderful program!” - Debra L. Stang, Freelance Writer
You can check out The Welcoming Project products on Cafe Press
Donation Opportunities
As a non-profit organization, The
Welcoming Project counts on donations from
supporters to meet our fundraising goals and
give back to the community. We greatly
appreciate any and all donations in any
amount.
When you make a donation to TWP, you
can help in the following ways:
• For as little as $3, you can display our
mini-button and share TWP and our message.
• For as little as $5, you can help TWP to
achieve visibility in Norman by helping us
pay for membership fees to be a part of
Norman Downtowners Association, Norman
Chamber of Commerce, Norman Next
Community Activism Group, PFLAG Norman,
and Gay & Lesbian Rainbow Pages.
• For just $20, you can provide 100
Welcoming Signs for businesses,
organizations and churches to post in their
windows.
• For just $60, you can help us keep our
website up-to-date and keep the community
informed about TWP by contributing toward
our monthly website maintenance fee.
• You can contribute to The Welcoming
Project Annual $500 Scholarship Awards to
provide outstanding undergraduate students
who are energetic LGBTQ activists with
financial awards to help them complete their
college education.
How to donate
Thank You!
By Mail
You may mail a check, made payable
to The Welcoming Project, Inc. to:
The Welcoming Project
c/o Meredith Worthen
780 Van Vleet Oval
Kaufman Hall Room 331
Norman, OK 73019
We appreciate the
contributions of our
newest generous
supporters
On PayPal
You may make a donation to TWP on
PayPal and are not required to have
a PayPal account to do so.
A link to the PayPal donation page
can be found on
www.thewelcomingproject.org
Cindy Cason
OU Women’s and Gender
Studies Program
OKC Pride
Susan Cogan
Featured Welcoming Place
As a realtor with Don Cies Real Estate, it is my goal to provide you with
superior service at all times.
I am dedicated to making the buying or selling process as easy as possible.
Please feel free to contact me if you are looking to buy or sell property in OKC,
Norman, Moore, and surrounding areas!
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TWP at the PFLAG
Regional Conference
A TWP Tribute
“My partner and I decided to sell
our home. Not knowing any real
estate agents in the area, we
looked to recommendations from
friends, who we noticed in
advertising, and by looking at
agent websites. Certainly we
wanted an agent who would be
very comfortable with us as a
same-sex couple. During this time
period, I had become aware of The
Welcoming Project. I did not
immediately connect Brian to the
TWP at PFLAG Conference
The Welcoming Project attended and
tabled at the PFLAG regional training
conference held in Norman, Oklahoma, on
June 30, 2012.
At the conference, Meredith Worthen
and Amanda Fehlbaum met with many from
across the southwest who support the goal of
TWP: to increase the visibility of businesses
that are welcoming of LGBTQ individuals and
their allies. These supporters agreed that the
signs were valuable, necessary, and a great
idea.
In addition to connecting and networking
with other LGBTQ allies, TWP attended
workshops on topics that ranged from
fundraising and the power of sharing your
story to the latest in legislation that affect
LGBTQ individuals. TWP appreciates the
invitation from PFLAG to attend the
conference.
project until I saw his name on a
for sale sign in our neighborhood.
After talking with my partner, we
agreed to add Brian to our list of
potential realtors...
“Without his association with
The Welcoming Project, we
probably would have missed out
on the opportunity to meet and
work with Brian. Brian is wonderful
at what he does and certainly
having an agent who welcomes all
people sets him apart from most
other, if not all, agents in
Norman.”
- Mandy Whitten,
OU Traditions Square
Welcoming in the United States, Canada, and Europe!
Visit www.thewelcomingproject.org to find a Welcoming Place near you!
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Newest Welcoming Places
Sidekick Social Media
Management
Mobile Game Party LLC
Norman, OK
Norman, OK
ALL
ARE
WELCOME
HERE
Cason Communications
Pink Elephant Cafe
Norman, OK
Norman, OK
Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. Coffey Insurance
Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City, OK
Sergio’s Italian Bistro
Guestroom Records
Norman, OK
Oklahoma City, OK
Aaron Corbett,
Attorney at Law
Oklahoma City, OK
Richard Ogden,
Attorney at Mullinix, Ogden,
Hall, and Ludlum
Oklahoma City, OK
Do you know a business, organization, or church
that would like to become a Welcoming Place?
Do you need a new “All Are Welcome” sign?
Let us know: contact@thewelcomingproject.org
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Law Firm of James M. Branum
People Solutions 4 U
Norman, OK
Oklahoma City, OK
ALL
ARE
WELCOME
HERE
West Wind Unitarian
Universalist Congregation
Taylor Burns, LCSW
Tulsa, OK
Norman, OK
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Tribal PREP
United Methodist Campus Ministry
Perkins, OK
Tempe, AZ
North Jersey
Community Acupuncture
Valley Wesley
Be Who You Are
Beauty of Life LLC
Kansas City, MO
Morristown, NJ
Bluff Hollow Dog-Friendly
Bed & Breakfast
Shanti Gifts
Sechelt, British Columbia
Garden Bay, British Columbia
Kitsch
Sechelt, British Columbia
Newest Welcoming Places
OklahomaLGBTLaw.com
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Upcoming
Events
The Welcoming Project will be
participating at the following events
October
October
October
6
11
27
The Welcoming
Project
Mobilization
Day
The Laramie
Project
Screening and
Panel
Discussion
2nd Annual TWP
Pet Costume
Contest
Featured Welcoming Place
October is LGBT History Month
in Norman, OK
Norman, Oklahoma
Cason Communications is a Norman, Oklahoma-based consulting
and contracting firm that provides development, funding research
and grantwriting, marketing/PR, assessment and training services
to nonprofit, education, and grantmaking organizations since 1997.
Cindy Cason, owner of Cason Communications, has over 20 years
experience in the nonprofit, education, and for-profit business
sectors. Cason is nationally certified by Boardsource.
RS
E
E
T
N
U
L
O
V
D!
E
D
E
NE
The Welcoming Project Mobilization Day 2012
On October 6, 2012, The Welcoming Project team and volunteers will
mobilize, visiting local businesses, organizations and churches to find
welcoming places and increase their visibility.
Please go to www.thewelcomingproject.org for more information as the
date nears!
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The
Welcoming
Project
Team
News Briefs
We need your support!
TWP Business “Crawl”
Comments?
Concerns?
contact@
thewelcomingproject.org
Looking Ahead:
TWP Holiday Event
The Welcoming Project
supporter Michael
Hernández has created a
Change.org petition to the
FDA to allow gay men to
donate blood. Scan the
QR code to the left for
more information.
Questions?
Mandy Fehlbaum
TWP Intern
In November, the Peace Festival
celebrates the efforts of Oklahoma
groups working for
social justice, human
service, civil rights,
environmental
sustainability and
peace.
Allrequal Petition
Would you like to be a featured business
in our next newsletter? Let us know! Our
newsletters are distributed via PDF to all
welcoming places and TWP supporters. The
deadline to be included in our next newsletter
is at the end of October.
Brian Eddins
Vice President and Co-Creator of TWP
Fall Peace Festival
In Spring 2013, we will be visiting The
Welcoming Project businesses in and around
Norman, OK, to make a promotional video.
The video will promote The Welcoming Project
as well as support the businesses that display
the “All Are Welcome” sign. More details will
be posted to our website as they become
available.
Be a featured business
Meredith G. F. Worthen, Ph.D.
President and Co-Creator of TWP
Come celebrate the
holidays with TWP
and bring an
unwrapped toy to be
donated to Toys for
Tots OKC.
TWP Happy Hour
Fundraising idea? Event
TWP should attend? Tell us.
The Welcoming Project team does not
plan on sitting idly by this summer.
If you have a fundraising idea, tell us.
If you think TWP needs to have a table
at an event to spread our message, tell us.
If there is a festival where you think local
vendors and businesses would like to increase
their visibility as welcoming places, tell us.
We appreciate any and all tips our
supporters can share. We could not succeed
without your financial and emotional support
of our mission.
We would love to meet our supporters
and chat about our mutual interests
and ideas to make The Welcoming
Project more visible in our community
and others! Location and date to be
announced on our Facebook page
and website.
THE WELCOMING PROJECT INC.
C/O MEREDITH WORTHEN
780 VAN VLEET OVAL
KAUFMAN HALL 331
NORMAN, OK 73019
THEWELCOMINGPROJECT.ORG
The Welcoming Project is a registered
501(c)(4) non-profit organization. All
gifts are tax deductible to the full
extent allowed by law.
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