May 14, 2003
Planning for June Pride
Charlene and Shenee helped the group review the status of the planning for the June Pride celebrations. The Not What You Think Ensemble will not be able to perform; their schedules can’t accommodate the Pride date and time. Sarita will be asked to perform instead. Jim requested that Walt Whitman’s name and picture be added to the notable gays and lesbians that will be displayed on the splash screen that will be playing in the auditorium prior to the celebration. The group suggested having more than one song playing as background to the splash screen; Bob will provide additional music to Shenee. Sylvia Jones will arrange parking for Congressman Frank; and Shenee will arrange for a greeter to meet him as he arrives. In discussing how much guidance GLOBE should provide Congressman Frank for his remarks, the group decided that conveying the theme, Respecting Diversity, in the invitation letter should be sufficient to give the Congressman a sense of how to direct his remarks. The logistics need to be covered: the auditorium is reserved; the flag and candles are on hand; arrangements are in place for approximately 100 guests; the guards need to be notified; need a framed copy of the poster to give Congressman Frank as a thank-you gift; need a 6” riser with podium and microphone; ask Tammy to take photos; Bob to place notice in the Blade. Tim Vigotsky, Director of the National Business Center, will deliver the opening remarks; and John Keys, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, will give the closing remarks. Mark Oliver, Chief of the Office of Educational Partnerships, will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Posters are needed to advertise the program and should be placed at many of the DOI locations in the Washington metropolitan area: two in Main Interior, two in South Interior, two at the USGS in Reston, one at the NBC in Reston, and one at MMS in Herndon. An all-employee e-mail should be sent out early in the month. Invitations should be handed out at the front door the morning of the program.
The agenda for the program should be as follows:
Maria Wiseman has a nice selection of videos that can be shown during the month.
A Pride luncheon was proposed for June 30th at the Corcoran. GLOBE members should mark their calendars for this event.
During the GLOBE meeting, the group acknowledged that no nominations had been received for the award. Melodee Stith, Chief OEO, had originally said that she had some ideas for possible nominees; Jerry said he would contact Melodee to see what ideas she had. Other than a retired manager from the National Park Service, the group was unable to come up with nominees among themselves. The suggestion was broached that maybe the award should not be given this year, if we are unable to come up with a solid nominee. The group decided to consider the issue further and reconvene the next week to make a final decision.
The same group of members reconvened a week later. No one had any additional ideas for nominees. The retired manager from NPS was dropped from consideration after it was learned that he had subsequently participated in a sensitive letter addressed to the President. With no further suggestions, the group adopted the decision to forego the award this year. The decision was not taken lightly. Concerns about perceptions and reactions were seriously discussed, but the group still felt that a nominee of the caliber of past awardees could not be identified and that the award should not be given just because it had been given for 3 years and was intended to be given annually. The purpose for the recognition should be the primary justification for giving the award.
The Solicitors Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are still not receiving e-mail. GLOBE needs to find a way to ensure that information and communications are delivered to SOL and BIA members.
Revised:
10/22/03
Robert_J_Veltkamp@nbc.gov