WASHINGTON — The largest number of heads of Christian denominations and multi-faith religious leaders ever will speak at the Human Rights Campaign press conference for the Clergy Call for Justice and Equality 2011 in Washington, DC at noon on Tuesday, May 24. Speakers will inspire more than 300 religious leaders from 50 states and 25 faith traditions before they lobby members of Congress to support legislation to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from employment discrimination, and student bullying and harassment.
"Religious leaders from across the country and running the gamut of faith traditions will speak from their hearts about the importance of LGBT equality," said Dr. Sharon Groves, director of the HRC Foundation Religion and Faith Program. "The speakers will lay out why, as a matter of faith, equality is important before heading to the halls of the United States Capitol to lobby Members of Congress."
In addition to Lobby Day, there will be a number of public events open to the press associated with Clergy Call, including two panel discussions on Sunday May 23 entitled LGBT Homelessness and Youth: Religious Advocacy and Accountability (4:00-6:00 p.m.), and Building Bridges, Connecting Stories, and Exploring the Legacy of Bayard Rustin for our Time (7:00-9:00 p.m.), and a faith celebration on Monday May 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. With the exception of the press conference, all events will be held at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. For more information visit www.hrc.org/clergycall.
CLERGY CALL PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS:
What: Press conference on LGBT equality featuring religious leaders from across the country.
When: May 24, 2011 11:00 a.m.
Where: Upper Senate Park, near Russell Senate Office Building
Who: Speakers include:
Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, a strategic force in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights advocacy for electoral and legislative victories with more than 750,000 members
Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Rev. Black was previously Conference Minister of the New York Conference and Minister in the National Office for Church Life.
Bishop Minerva Carcaño, first Hispanic woman bishop in the United Methodist Churchthe second-largest U.S. Protestant denominationserves an Episcopal Area from southern Nevada to Arizona.
Bishop Yvette Flunder, founder of the City of Refuge UCC in 1991 and is the Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship, a multi-denominational fellowship of 110 primarily African American Christian leaders.
The Rev. Peter Morales, is the first Latino president of the Unitarian Universalist Association. With roots in anti-war activism and human rights, Morales leads a denomination committed to LGBT rights.
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, founded Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco, was Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), blogs with the San Francisco Chronicle, teaches Social Media and Ministry at McCormick Theological Seminary and is on the board of Public Religion Research Institute.
Rabbi David Saperstein, called the "most influential rabbi in the country" by Newsweek, represents the national Reform Jewish Movement before Congress and is the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Also an attorney, he teaches Church-State Law and Jewish Law at Georgetown University.
Rev. Winnie S. Varghese, serves St. Mark's Episcopal Church-in-the Bowery in New York City, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church and the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Service Corps.
Rev. Dr. Nancy Wilson, Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches after founder Rev. Elder Troy Perry and leads the MCC in being "The Human Rights Church" in international LGBT advocacy. She is a member of the 2011 President's advisory council on faith-based and neighborhood partnerships.
The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.