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411 Hillsborough Street • Raleigh, NC 27603

LGBT Center of Raleigh Library Expands beyond Books

--The Triangle’s Only LGBT Community Library Debuts Multimedia Collection--

RALEIGH, NC, April 6, 2012: The LGBT Center of Raleigh is pleased to announce the launch of the Library’s multimedia membership program for DVDs and CDs, known as the “Disc Club.”

Beginning today, the Library will debut a collection of more than 150 DVDs and CDs celebrating LGBT life, culture, and entertainment. The film collection includes a variety of documentaries, domestic and foreign feature-length movies, popular TV series, and musical classics. “The selection of films is impressive, ranging from For the Bible Tells Me So to Cabaret to The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love,” says Erin Iannacchione, the Center’s Librarian and Board of Trustees member. “Every item was generously donated from members of the local community; the Center did not spend one penny on any DVD or CD.”

Disc Club Membership Terms: DVDs and CDs

Disc Club membership is open to Wake, Durham, and Orange county residents age 18 or older currently registered with a valid LGBT Center of Raleigh Library card. The one-time $5 membership fee is non-refundable. Membership agreement forms are available at the Center for processing by a Library volunteer during regular business hours. The borrowing period for DVDs and CDs is eight days, with a $1.00/day overdue fee. Items can be renewed for one additional loan period, assuming the DVD or CD is not on hold for another patron.

Debut of Special Non-Circulating Collection

Also beginning today, the LGBT Center of Raleigh Library is pleased to announce that several rare, beautiful, and vintage books are available for viewing in the Center. This Special Non-Circulating Collection is primarily comprised of art, photography, history, and biography materials. Among these unique books are The Homosexual Revolution: A Challenging Exposé of the Social and Political Directions of a Minority Group by R.E.L. Masters (1962) and The Transvestite and His Wife (1967), the first known book to be published on the topic of cross-dressers and marriage. The Library is honored to be the recipient of these generous donations from several members of the local community. The Special Collection is limited to viewing by patrons age 18 years or older.

Social Cataloging and Online Browsing

The LGBT Center of Raleigh Library also announces an enhanced online presence. The Library is now a member of LibraryThing, the world’s leading social networking site for book lovers. Members of the community are invited to contribute tags, ratings and reviews for books in the collection, as well to browse other LGBT community center libraries across the country for reading suggestions. Visit the Center’s website for more information.

Library Card Registration: Books

The Library continues to offer library card registration to people currently residing in Wake, Durham, and Orange counties for book borrowing privileges. A one-time membership fee of $5 per individual is valid for three years. For youth under the age of 18, the membership fee is waived. Proof of current residence in the NC Triangle area and an active email address or phone number are required. Application forms are available at the Center and via download from the Center’s website. Forms must be completed and submitted in person at the Center during regular business hours. Please visit the Center’s website for the complete Library policies.

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About the LGBT Center of Raleigh Library

Since the Library opened in October 2011, the collection has increased to over 1500 volumes focused on and celebrating LGBT life. The Library’s collection development priorities are aimed at supporting the resource and information needs of the Center’s vital outreach programs such as the Gay & Gray Initiative, Youth Coffeehouse, Affirming Faith Forum, and Transgender Initiative. The Library is also a welcoming place for family members and allies of LGBT people, offering access to indispensible books such as Always My Child, Loving Someone Gay, and Helping Your Transgender Teen.

For more information on the Library and the LGBT Center of Raleigh, please visit www.lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

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The LGBT Center of Raleigh is a 501(c)3 Community Center that strives to strengthen individual and community development through social and educational activities, facilitate the incubation of supportive services and groups, and identify needs and advocate for resources benefiting the diverse population of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their friends and supporters within and beyond central North Carolina.

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 15, 2012) — As voters consider the N.C. Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman, The LGBT Center of Raleigh, organizer of the second annual OutRaleigh festival themed “All Families Matter,” announces today the results of a recent study “All Children Matter.” The report shows how two million children have become collateral damage from decades of ideology, laws and policies designed to hurt lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

The 134-page report looks at current laws and their impact, as well as makes policy recommendations to improve the situation. Findings Include:

Poverty:

• Children being raised by same-sex couples are twice as likely to live in poverty as children being raised in married, heterosexual households.
• The average household income for same-sex couples raising children lags that of heterosexual couples raising children by more than $15,500, or 20 percent.
• Same-sex couples of color raising children are at even greater risk of living in poverty.

Tax Burden:

• Same-sex couples are unable to file federal tax returns jointly.
• Non-recognized LGBT parents cannot take many key exemptions including: the dependency exemption, child tax credit, earned income tax credit, child and dependent care credit, education credit or adoption credit.
• When employers electively offer extended health benefits for same-sex partners and non-related children, families who use these benefits are taxed on their value, costing the average employee with domestic partner benefits $1,069 more per year in taxes than a heterosexual employee.

Lack of Health Insurance:

• LGBT adults have much lower rates of health insurance coverage than heterosexual adults.
• N.C. employers are not required to offer health benefits to the partners or non-recognized children of LGBT workers.
• LGBT families face unequal COBRA access for continuing health coverage when losing or changing jobs.

In a side-by-side comparison, the additional financial burden for a LGBT headed family of four, over the 18 years of raising children, can exceed $89,000. It can jump to more than $219,000 if the primary breadwinner dies during that period.

The report goes into detail on how to address each area of inequality. The overall solution is for governmental entities to legally recognizing LGBT headed families and provide the same rights and benefits as heterosexual families have. To download a copy of the report, visit www.children-matter.org.

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About LGBT Center of Raleigh:

The LGBT Center of Raleigh is a non-profit organization that offers a supporting and welcoming space for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as well as their friends, family and supporters. Their offices include a library, art gallery, coffee shop, meeting rooms and performance space. Open seven days a week, the center provides social, educational and health programs for all ages and affinity groups. These include youth programs, Gay and Gray, NAIL (No Accidents in Life), M Club, the Women’s Initiative, the Transgender Initiative, HIV /STD testing and the annual OutRaleigh festival. Visit www.lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

About the “All Children Matter” Study:

“All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families” was published in October 2011. The report was authored by the Family Equality Council, Center for American Progress and the Movement Advancement Project in partnership with COLAGE, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and the National Association of Social Workers. “All Children Matter” documents how laws fail to protect children living in U.S. LGBT families—and illustrates these policy failures with personal stories. It outlines solutions for helping ensure that both public policy and child welfare professionals work to serve all children. The full report, as well as condensed versions, are available at www.children-matter.org.

RALEIGH, NC, March 8, 2012 -- From equal-opportunity employment, to healthcare, to parental rights, OutRaleigh 2012 festival goers will have the opportunity to learn about the struggles different groups face and how they can help. Addressing these issues will be Workplace Options, the world’s largest integrated employee support services and work-life provider, Equality NC, Human Rights Campaign, and a variety of faith-based organizations.

“Including social-equality awareness as part of the festival is important to ensure the theme, All Families Matter, is more than hollow words,” says Mitch Null, OutRaleigh steering committee member.

Partnering in the promotion of OutRaleigh is the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolinas.* The annual AIDS Walk+Ride fundraising event will take place on the northern end of Fayetteville Street May 5 in tandem with the festival. AIDS Walk+Ride is a family-fun event that includes a one and three-mile walk in downtown Raleigh, as well as 30, 60 and 100-mile bike rides around the Triangle. Monies raised support individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

“Partnering with OutRaleigh to share Fayetteville Street is a win-win scenario,” says John Paul Womble, AASC executive director. “Walk+Ride supporters get to learn more about the LGBT community, and festival goers can become familiar with the ever-changing face of HIV and AIDS, as well as learn about its prevention and treatment.”

The second annual OutRaleigh festival is a free, family-friendly event that will take place Saturday, May 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. Activities include guest speakers, live entertainment, a KidsZone, and an expo area. Visit www.outraleigh.org.

*The mission of the Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina is to serve people living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, caregivers and communities at large, through compassionate and non-judgmental care, prevention, education and advocacy.

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About LGBT Center of Raleigh:
The LGBT Center of Raleigh is a non-profit organization that offers a supporting and welcoming space for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as well as their friends, family and supporters. Their offices include a library, art gallery, coffee shop, meeting rooms and performance space. Open seven days a week, the center provides social, educational and health programs for all ages and affinity groups. These include youth programs, Gay and Gray, NAIL (No Accidents in Life), M Club, the Women’s Initiative, the Transgender Initiative, HIV/STD testing and the annual OutRaleigh festival. Visit www.lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

 

When presenting the award at First Friday on March 2nd, Executive Director James Miller said: “Matt Mirarchi joined the LGBT Center of Raleigh in January 2011. He started as a front desk volunteer before becoming a part of the First Friday committee. As part of the committee, Matt provided the extraordinary baked goods for all of our First Friday receptions. Recently, Matt assumed the role of First Friday Program Chair and is the featured artist for March 2012.

“A dedicated, passionate advocate for the community, Matt has become an integral part of the Center’s success. He spoke eloquently in front of the Wake County Board of Commissioners against Amendment One and is active in many of the Center’s community initiatives.

“Any organization would be happy to have a volunteer with Matt’s unparalleled commitment and hard work. We are very fortunate that he has made our Center his home.”