| Dear Chapter Leader, First off, to our many members, volunteers, and staff who have been impacted by the storms, we hope you are all safe and well. If we can be of any kind of support, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are always here for you. Now, as we kick off the new fiscal year today we are also welcoming four new Regional Directors: - Mark Bayer (he/him) is the new RD for the South Atlantic Region (NC, SC, KY, TN). Mark is a leader in the PFLAG Pawleys Island chapter and can be reached at southatlanticrd@pflag.org.
- Patty Reeves (she/her) is the new RD for the Southern Region (AR, LA ,OK, TX). Patty is a former leader of PFLAG Midland/Odessa and has recently relocated to San Antonio. She can be reached at southernrd@pflag.org.
- Drew Harbaugh (he/him) is the new RD for the Mid Pacific Region (Northern CA, NV). Drew is a leader in the PFLAG Fresno chapter and can be reached at midpacificrd@pflag.org.
- Ryan Steinmetz (he/him) is the new RD for the Mountain West Region (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY). Ryan is a leader in the PFLAG Las Cruces chapter and can be reached at mountainwestrd@pflag.org.
I’m also thrilled to congratulate Chad Reumann (he/him) as he begins his first term as Regional Directors Council Chair (rdcchair@pflag.org), and Vice-Chair of the PFLAG National Board of Directors. I thank him for his previous service as an RD, and also want to thank Kathy Halbrooks, Emily Zelaya, Blanca Leos, and former RDC Chair Liz DeJesus for their dedication and work to support our chapters. Thank you for all that you do, Jamie Curtis (she/her)
Vice President, Chapter & Communities Engagement |
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| | DEI Survey: Please share with your chapter members |
| As you may remember, PFLAG National is gathering insights to help us determine where we are with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and to develop a plan to ensure that PFLAG is a place where everybody belongs. In order to receive as much feedback on our PFLAG National DEI Survey as possible, please circulate—VIA EMAIL ONLY—the ask below to people who are actively involved with your chapter. The survey will be open only through October 11th, so please make this ask as soon as possible. As a reminder, please do NOT post this on social media. For ease of use, simply copy and paste the language below into your mail program to send it. If you have any questions regarding use of this language, please reach out to Liz Owen (she/her), VP, Strategic Communications & External Relations. Our goal is to hear from as many active PFLAG members as possible by the newly extended closure date of October 11th. For more information, read the survey FAQ. TEMPLATE EMAIL To: Your Active Chapter Members
From: [Chapter President or Leader Name here]
Subj: Oct 11 Deadline: We want YOUR feedback on DEI at PFLAG Dear PFLAG [chapter name] Members, We need your help and feedback regarding your experiences with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at PFLAG. Will you please complete this brief, 10-15 minute survey to share your experiences? We want to hear from as many members as possible, and this survey will remain open until Friday, October 11th. Your voice and perspective will help us determine where we are with DEI, and will inform the development of a plan to ensure that PFLAG is a place where everybody belongs. Please be assured that all data collected will be anonymous. PFLAG National directly supports the work of our chapter. They are proactively working to center DEI more explicitly and intentionally across all facets of our services, programs, and operations—including across all PFLAG chapters—in service of advancing our mission of creating a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. Your feedback is critical to this work. Thank you in advance for your participation and support! If you would like more information, please read the survey FAQ. With gratitude, [Chapter Leader Name] |
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| Annual Chapter Responsibilities: It’s That Time of Year! |
| We hope you saw the email earlier today from Angel Kearns, our Chapter Services Senior Coordinator, where she kicked off the new fiscal year and Chapter Responsibilities season! Angel laid out all of those responsibilities—along with helpful links—to ensure your chapter remains in good standing. With all of the exciting work your chapter has been doing this year, it’s a good time to prioritize these responsibilities. If you need help completing these tasks--or have any other questions--please don’t hesitate to reach out to Angel at akearns@pflag.org. Angel will also be hosting 2-hour virtual drop-in office hours from October 2024 to February 2025. While you're welcome to drop in at any time during these sessions to ask questions or seek 1:1 help, this year we’ll be structuring the meetings to better address some high-need areas that our team has identified based on feedback from chapter leaders. You'll find the complete schedule of office hours, as well as this year's annual responsibilities on our website. We can't wait to connect with some of you during these sessions! |
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| | Register to join us at the PFLAG National Annual meeting, which will take place virtually this coming Sunday, October 6th at 5pm ET/2pm PT. This will be an invigorating and informative annual meeting, as we take a look at the incredibly important year ahead. You will also hear from our incoming board chair, Edith Guffey (she/her). It promises to be an exciting gathering, and to attend, you must be registered; you will receive a link to the meeting in your confirmation email. We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. |
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| | New year, new discounts! Kick off the new fiscal year with exclusive deals on PFLAG swag and publications! Use code "chapterleader" to score 15% off the merch store and 50% off the publications store. And don’t worry, last year’s favorite code “2024member” is still good until the end of the calendar year—so keep saving while you can! |
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| | Thanks to everyone who helped make last week’s Love Votes Week of Action a success! With a little over a month to go before Election Day, it is critical that we keep up the momentum. That’s why we are asking that this week, you help spread the word about the importance of this election by submitting letters to the editor to your local papers! Letters to the editor are a fantastic way to raise public awareness and educate your community. By sharing your thoughts, you can inspire others to cast their ballots and make a difference. On the Love Votes webpage, you’ll find sample letters to the editor that you and your chapter can use locally to help spread the word about the importance of voting and how your love votes this November. Have questions or need guidance? Reach out to Laura McGinnis – Senior Manager, Press and Public Relations at lmcginnis@pflag.org. |
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| PFLAG Academy Online: October 2024 |
| Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT: PFLAG Votes 2024: Be A PFLAG Voter and Mobilize Others to do the Same As PFLAG voters, let’s encourage our friends, family, and community members to head to the polls so that our LGBTQ+ loved ones have the freedom to be themselves, to thrive, and to learn. In this PFLAG Academy Online session we’ll discuss how to make a plan to vote, review strategies to motivate others to cast their ballots, and take part in direct action to ensure our friends and family do their civic duty in 2024. Register today! On-Demand Sessions |
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| | | Access through the PFLAG Member Portal to find resources, toolkits, branding materials, and more for Chapter Leaders! |
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| All of PFLAG's branding assets, including the chapter logo generator, the branding guide, and more! |
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| Use the PFLAG Member Portal to update your chapter contact info, membership lists, leadership rosters and meetings. |
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| |  | PFLAG National
(202) 467-8180 | love@pflag.org |
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