Educate & Advocate

Education and Advocacy are two of the three primary missions of PFLAG. Since the fall of 1997, members of PFLAG Orlando/Central Florida have been working to enlighten an ill-informed public and to work toward ending discrimination and securing civil rights.

There are two main objectives of the Education and Advocacy committee:

1. To seek opportunities to educate the public and professional educators about issues of homophobia and heterosexism, especially as they relate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, and their families and friends.
2. To seek opportunities to educate and interact with government agencies about issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people, and their families and friends.

Curriculum has been developed to address these needs. Called, "What Color is Your Closet?" this program addresses the needs and issues confronting gay and lesbian youth and presents ways teachers can create a climate of acceptance and understanding in their classrooms.

PFLAG Orlando is happy to sponsor this event: Hilarious, poignant 'coming out' show to debut at JCC Maitland, FL On Saturday night, May 10 at 8 p.m., the Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando in Maitland will present MotherSON, a semi-autobiographical solo play which deals with a young Jewish man and his mother and their evolving relationship after he comes out to her. Click here for more details.

-- Discussion of our 2008 Gulf Regional Conference
-- Debrief on the National Convention in D.C.
-- Rollout of the new Straight For Equality program
-- Federal legislative update (ENDA, hate crimes, DADT, etc)

The annual parade is a particularly friendly and positive experience.  A perfect opportunity to spend the day with your LGBT friend and family member.  

We are looking for volunteers to take 2 hour shifts at the parade.  Please contact us at pflagorlando@yahoo.com

WHERE: Lake Mirror Center, 121 S. Lake St., Lakeland
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
COST: Free

"Thank you so much for the generous donation you made to our production of The Laramie Project. We are encouraged and excited by our community's interest and support for this important show. Because of the many donations that we have received, we have decided to make the show FREE! Our hope, of course, is more folks can see it this way. "

See a review at The Ledger

Speak Out Orlando - July 12, 2007

PFLAG provided guest speakers to address this unique group and share some perspectives and experiences on how to come out to parents, how some parents react to the news, the parental coming out process, differences in family member reactions, what not to do and much more.

SPEAK OUT Orlando is an open forum for Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender persons to discuss an assortment of topics dealing with gay life.  Our group consists of men and women ranging in age from their early twenties to late forties. All are welcome to express their ideas, opinions and advice to topics in each meeting.
SPEAK OUT Orlando Come be Heard!

Annual Family Picnic at Bill Frederick Park June 2007

The annual picnic is a particularly friendly and positive experience.  A perfect opportunity to spend the day with your LGBT friend and family member.  Please stop by the PFLAG Table more details

2nd Annual Chase Expo June 27, 2007

PFLAG was invited to set up an information booth 6/27/07 10-4pm, International Parkway, Healthrow (close to AAA).  Who else will be there: HRC, the GPA, Hope and Help, MUM, GLBSU and lots more

Fairness For all Families June 2007

On Sat 6/9/07 PFLAG representatives spoke to the board of Florida Association of Social Workers (FASW) to encourage them to join the coalition to oppose the Florida marriage amendment.   The amendment as it is written will take away all domestic partnership benefits, gay or straight, for retirees, etc. for all govt. entities in Florida and many others.  Very critical for healthcare, etc
more details

Winter Haven Vigil for Ryan Keith Skipper April 14, 2007

PFLAG representatives attend the vigil to support the statewide hate crimes vigil which drew attention to the epidemic of anti-gay hate crimes in Florida. The vigil was in response to the death of Ryan Keith Skipper, a 25-year-old Polk County man stabbed to death March 15. His body was dumped alongside a road. According to witnesses, the killers drove around in Ryan’s blood-soaked car, bragging to friends about the murder. William Brown Jr., 20, and Joseph Bearden, 21, have been charged with first-degree murder and are being held in the Polk County Jail. Authorities have labeled Ryan's murder a hate crime.

PFLAG was invited by Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in Orlando to speak to their staff and educate them about GLBT youth.

PFLAG South Florida Safe Schools Initiative

Saturday, March 17 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Community training led by Judy Hoff, Senior Coordinator for Safe Schools on the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National staff. This training was for parents, educators, and community allies

Diva Invation! November 2006
 

The annual Diva Invasion at UCF is always a sellout!  PFLAG supported this event with an information table. Over 1500 people will show up for this year's event. Will you be one of them???

PFLAG and Community VoluntEar Event November 2006
(Walt Disney World Resort PRIDE Diversity Resource Group)

Come Out With Pride October 2006

Central Florida's Largest Pride Celebration!  PFLAG marched in the parade and staffed an information booth.
more details

GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) at Ocoee High School September 2006

The PFLAG Speakers Bureau provided three members of different backgrounds to speak with these young teens. Pat Padilla, President of PFLAG Orlando, spoke to the students and their parents about PFLAG and the services we provide in the community. One member, herself a lesbian, spoke to the students about her journey and struggle with coming out, as well as living and working in a sometimes unaccepting world. A third member talked to the students about what it was like for her when her college age son told her he was gay. The students were extremely respectful and eager to listen as well as ask questions of the group.

MuM is a group of gay/bisexual men working together to build a healthy community in which they can thrive. M.U.M has developed with, and is designed for the young gay and bisexual community.

The PFLAG Speakers Bureau provided several people of different backgrounds to speak with these young men.

Orange County Housing Ordinance July 2006

PFLAG Orlando Central Florida played a significant role in assuring gender identity /expression was included in Orange County Housing Ordinance

PFLAG members participated in press conference
more details

Universal Studio presents GLBT "Expo" June 2006

The Diversity Task Force invited PFLAG to staff a table and speak at the event.
more details

Gay Days Kick-Off Party May 2006

PFLAG staffed an information booth
more details

Building a Safe and Drug Free Community Day April 2006

PFLAG staffed an information booth. We are asking that each participating agency have at their booth a creative interactive activity such as face painting, live characters, drawings, or games.
more details

© Copyright 2008 PFLAG Orlando / Central Florida, Inc.