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by Guest Author
Note from Director of Programs Jason Conner: This Symposium would not have been possible without the tireless and valiant efforts made by Wes. Our thanks go to him for making this such an exceptional event!
After just under a year’s worth of organizing, conference calls, reservations, and possibly hundreds of emails, I was very excited to see Jason Conner and J. Mason pull onto the campus. After a quick meal at Manchester’s finest restaurant, El Mesquite, we returned to campus for a quick tour and made our way to the location for the Leadership and Non-violence training. Upon arriving, we were all excited to see that we already had a good crowd waiting. After a few minutes of preparation, the presenters and the audience were both ready to begin.
The atmosphere was fantastic! Jason introduced Soulforce and the meaning of their visit to campus, and J. Mason introduced the training. Everyone seemed very intrigued and receptive as the presentation carried on. The audience was made up of several Peace Studies students, student leaders from several different organizations on campus, and a few faculty and staff members. In total, the amount of visitors was around 30 people, and proved to be the perfect size group. People were comfortable questioning the topics that did not make sense or that were not agreed with, while others felt the one-on-one attention of the Soulforce crew. After the training, several students made their way to the front to thank Jason and Mason for the wonderful opportunity. We also heard from two students who drove all the way from Cincinnati, OH to hear the dynamic duo speak!
The next day at 3:30 in the afternoon, Soulforce was heard once again on campus. This time, they were here to provide a convocation requirement for many students known as VIAs (values, ideas, and the arts) at Manchester. The panel arrived early to prepare while Jason and Mason made last minute arrangements. Originally we had ordered 250 chairs for the program, but as time quickly faded, we realized the need for more seating. In total, another 50 chairs were added, and the VIA still had people filling up the aisles and standing along the wall without seats. We quickly estimated that roughly 400 students were in attendance making this the biggest turn-out in Soulforce history for their panel. Panelists Mason, Dorothy, Michael, Cheri, and Whitnee took their seats while Barb (professor of social work), the moderator, introduced the schedule of events. Questions dwelt with personal definitions of intersectional justice, how society and individuals can help with intersectional justice, and what groups are currently working to achieve intersectional goals. The audience was captivated by some of the emotional answers in which panelists told of their minorities and stories of social denial and acceptance. Following the convocation, several students stayed behind to discuss their insights with the panel and the Soulforce crew. One particular conversation lasted well over forty-five minutes!
Later that evening, Soulforce and students reconvened for a night of open mic and the performance from J. Mason (J. Mase III). The crowd was a good size, roughly 30 people, which helped keep the event on a personal level, and with a variety of talent. Joseph Myers, a sophomore Communication and English major was first to present at the open mic. His poem recalled an array of stereotypes that surround the Black community while refusing his participation or acceptance in a single one. Following suit, students read segments of autobiographical essays, told stories of their pasts, and continued with emotional poetry. As a nice intermission, Jason Conner taught the attendees his infamous “Window Dance!” Complementing the talent of Jason, J. Mase III took the stage with his impressive, comical, and emotional routine of poetry. All-in-all, the evening was very inspiring and uplifting.
Soulforce was an amazing experience for Manchester College, and I, on behalf of everyone here, would like to thank them for the outreach, talent, and charisma that they brought to us!
Wes Heath is the co-president of the Active Inclusive Movement or AIM at Manchester College. He was the student liason for the recent Soulforce Symposium.
You can ensure the success of future Symposiums by donating today.
by Jason Conner
Soulforce and AIM at Manchester College are proud to be partnering on special events happening on campus October 3rd – October 4th!
Here you will find a description of each event and their locations. All of these events are open to the public. Folks from the community and other schools are encouraged to attend! You can come to one of the events, or be a real daredevil and attend all three!
The events:
Soulforce Leadership and Nonviolent Strategies Training
Monday, October 3rd – 8PM – Union Lahman Room
This training is perfect for student leaders, faculty and anyone interested in developing leadership skills. Infusing Nonviolent strategies and principles as taught by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr into team and group management this leadership training will be unlike any other.
Performance by J Mase III preceded by an hour of open mic poetry/spoken word/story telling
Tuesday, October 4th – 7:30PM – Wine Recital Hall
Join us for a performance by renowned performer J Mase III! Attendees will also have a chance to show off their own talent for an hour of open mic. J Mase III takes the stage at 8:30PM. Find out more about J Mase at www.jmaseiii.com
A landmark Panel on Intersectional Justice
Tuesday, October 4th – 3:30PM – Union Hoff/Lahman
What exactly is intersectional justice? Manchester welcomes local and national participants to a panel on social justice and equality. Especially poignant to students and faculty in sociology, psychology, and social justice fields this panel will take an in-depth look at unique identities and how they intersect with one another. This is a VIA event.
RSVP on facebook for these events!
If you can’t join us in Indiana, please donate to make this and other Symposium programs possible!
by Guest Author
by William S. Meyer, MSW -Duke University
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Critical in Hamlet’s day, no less critical today. Such are the guidelines for anyone who wishes to live a life that is honest, a life that is whole, a life that feels real.
This, it seemed to me, was the message from those who presented and those who attended this past weekend , November 5th and 6th, at the 2010 meeting of Soulforce in Philadelphia.
This was my first such meeting, where I presented “On the Diagnosis and Treatment of Homosexuality: When Prejudice Masquerades as Science.” I have made this multi-media presentation many times to departments of psychiatry and mental health professionals, including the Department of Psychiatry, US Army in Honolulu.
In this presentation, l tell the story of the controversy within psychiatry – particularly from the 1950’s through the 1970’s – and why it was necessary for the scientific community to team up with gay activists to prevail upon those in power to delete the diagnosis of homosexuality from the DSM, the book of diagnoses used by almost all mental health professionals in the U.S.
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by Brian Murphy
Vincent Cervantes, a panelist at the 2010 Soulforce Symposium, recently composed two important articles in connection to the event. The first is an article for The Bilerico project, which begins,
Exodus International, Love In Action, the National Organization for Research and Therapy of Homosexuals (NARTH), “reparative therapy,” “conversion therapy” — too many of us are more than familiar with the programs and organizations that promise to ‘cure’ homosexuality, otherwise known the ‘ex-gay’ movement. Unfortunately, for some of us, that familiarity comes from having experienced these therapies and programs personally. ‘Ex-gay’ survivors (former ‘ex-gays’) are evidence to the fact that homosexuality cannot be treated nor cured. However, organizations like Exodus International and NARTH have yet to close their doors and admit that they are dangerously harming the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.
While the leaders of the ‘ex-gay’ movement may genuinely believe that they are reaching out with good intentions to individuals struggling to understand their same-sex attractions and/or gender variance, the reality is, these leaders are doing more harm than good; and that is the narrative that needs to be shared. The ‘ex-gay’ movement needs to take responsibility and ownership for the harm that caused in the lives of LGBTQs.
Read the full post on The Bilerico Project
The second is an essay he composed for the intersectional justice panel. Download Vincent’s paper “Critical Witnessing and Multilingualism: Building the Counter Movement.”
by Rev. Dr. Cindi Love
On Nov. 5, I will gather with hundreds of human-rights activists at Love Park to send a clear message to LGBTQ young people: Their lives are valued, and the message of hate drummed into their ears all too loudly is a lie.
As executive director of Soulforce, the organization sponsoring this “Life Rally,” I understand all too well the urgency of sending this message. Soulforce was founded in 1998 to advocate the use of nonviolent resistance against the forces of religious and political bigotry that oppress LGBTQ people throughout the country. Over the years, we have become a leading voice in the fight to end discrimination against LGBTQ people by groups like the National Organization for Marriage, Focus on the Family, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality and the Mormon and Catholic churches.
Millions of Americans’ thinking about homosexuality has been heavily influenced by these organizations, making it all the more imperative that those who believe in tolerance and inclusion counter their messages of intolerance. We have led acts of civil disobedience at major gatherings of these antigay groups to expose the truth about the torment experienced by youth rejected by their religious institutions and their families — a torment that often leads to depression and suicide.
The Life Rally is just one part of what Soulforce is bringing to Philadelphia. On Nov. 6, Soulforce will hold an all-day symposium, “The Truth About Faith, Science, Love and Reparative Therapy.” Speakers will debunk the myths that plague our national conversation about homosexuality — both the notion that homosexuality can be changed and the notion that there is a valid reason why any young person should seek to change it. We had expected mostly LGBT people and allies to attend the symposium, but the tragic loss of young lives over the last several weeks — Asher Brown, Billy Lucas, Tyler Clementi and more — shows how important this event really is to all of us. For too long, vast numbers of LGBTQ youth have been led to believe that their only options are to stay in the closet and lie about who they are, run away from home and live on the streets or die by taking their own lives. It is past time for all fair-minded people to show up and speak up.
It is time to send a loud and clear message that both fair-minded Americans and good science disagree with the abusive practices of all families, teachers and ministers who require LGBTQ young people to attend reparative therapy or be rejected or subjected to shame and exclusion. It is time to send a loud and clear message that politicians who choose to speak against LGBTQ people, from Carl Paladino to Ken Buck, will be held accountable for the effect of their hate-filled words on young people.
If we don’t gather and speak the truth, we leave unchallenged the message that these abusers send to our young people, who must hear and live with such bigotry every day. It is time to send a different message. It is time to stand up and tell our youth: Your sexuality is not a curse — it is a vital, wonderful part of how you were created.
by Rev. Dr. Cindi Love
Ray Boltz, singer and songwriter, and official spokesperson on tour for Soulforce in 2010-2011 now has his new album “True” posted on the Out Music Awards web site. You can hear the new album at the OMA site and the song in which he mentions Mel’s book “Stranger at the Gate” at http://outmusic.com/artistaudio2.html?audid=530. I hope you will help us promote his tour and sponsorship of Soulforce by going to the site and listening to this song and others and then tell your friends! You can order Ray’s music online now from iTunes as well.
Another way to help us is to listen to his music and leave a comment here about what you heard and felt about the issues of today that he addresses.
Ray and Azariah Southworth will be performing at the upcoming 2010 Soulforce Symposium Rally in Philadelphia and in Town Hall Meetings & Celebration Concerts at selected Equality Ride stops in 2011-2012.
