Tag Archives: Straight ally

Communities

Straight Ally 101 Recap

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We Are Straight Allies would like to extend our gratitude to the 25 beautiful souls who attended our inaugural workshop at the Historic Springfield Learning Center (in partnership with Wells Fargo and the Jacksonville Urban League).  We had a diverse group of people from small business owners to corporate executives, faith leaders to city council candidates, allies and members of the LGBT community, gathered together to create meaningful dialogue around what it means to be a better ally.

Attendees discussed the issues the LGBT community faces, learned more about inclusive language, proper pronoun usage and correct terminology.  We shared stories about our own experiences with discrimination and how important it is that we practice everyday advocacy for those in marginalized communities.  There were great questions posed by the group as to how we can all work together to insure passage of a comprehensive Human Rights Ordinance in the city of Jacksonville, and how we can go out in the community and empower others to join us as allies as well.

A very special thank you to City Xtra Magazine for sponsoring this event! and thank you for your valuable feedback on what additional workshops you would each like to see for future workshops  as well!  We are planning the next community workshop for September – date, time, location, and more information on that coming soon!

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Co-Workers

Ally Profile: John Delaney

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After serving as Jacksonville’s mayor from 1995-2003, John A. Delaney became the University of North Florida’s fifth president in 2003. As mayor, Delaney spearheaded major initiatives including The Better Jacksonville Plan, a $2.2 billion improvement plan that gave the city new public facilities and other amenities. He also created the Preservation Project, a massive land conservation program giving Jacksonville the distinction of having the largest urban park system in the United States. Prior to that, he served as the chief assistant state attorney, the number two prosecutor for Northeast Florida and as the general counsel for the City of Jacksonville.

As UNF President, John A. Delaney oversees a campus of more than 16,000 students, 600 faculty and more than 1,000 staff. The 1,381 acre campus in Northeast Florida is considered a driver in the region, with an annual economic impact of nearly $1 billion. Under his direction, UNF reaffirmed its commitment to students, by offering individualized attention and offering transformational learning opportunities.

Delaney is considered UNF’s chief fundraiser, nearly doubling the university’s privately funded endowment. In April 2013, the Power of Transformation campaign exceeded its goal, raising more than $130 million. The campaign was publicly launched in 2009 with an ambitious goal of $110 million. His presidency continues a distinguished career as a public servant. Delaney has also served on numerous non-profit and corporate boards. He and his wife Gena have four children and twin grandsons.

John explains why the Human Rights Ordinance in the city of Jacksonville is important, not only to him, but to the city of Jacksonville: “If we want a strong workforce and a strong educational system, we need to recognize the rights and contributions of LGBT individuals in the workplace and throughout society.  It’s the smart thing to do as well as the ethically and morally right course to follow.”

Co-Workers, Communities

Ronald Breaker, CW2, US Army (Ret)

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Ronald E. Breaker is a native of Jacksonville’s Eastside.  He served 21 years in the United States Army.  His journey to becoming a straight ally began by re-evaluating his old thoughts and beliefs.  In his statement, he encourages why it’s time for Jacksonville to do the same.  Read more from his ally profile here: http://wp.me/p3PnKk-hj

Communities, Families

Ally Profile: Ronald Breaker

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Ronald Breaker, US Army CW2 (Ret.)
Ronald Breaker, US Army CW2 (Ret.)

Ronald E. Breaker is a native of Jacksonville’s Eastside.  He served 21 years in the United States Army, retiring as Chief Warrant Officer 2.  Mr. Breaker then served for 13 years as a Department of Defense Civilian, retiring in September 1996 as a GS 13.  He returned to Jacksonville with his high school sweetheart and bride of over 48 years, Barbara Lewis-Breaker.  They currently reside in Historic Springfield.  Presently, Mr. Breaker works as a freelance photographer. He studied photography with New York Institute of Photography in 1965 and University of North Florida in 2001. Ronald and his wife are the proud parents of four children and four grandchildren.

In his own words, Ronald shares his journey towards allyship:

My journey to this point as a straight ally has been one of reevaluating my thoughts and beliefs. When the LGBT community started framing their plight as a civil rights issue I disagreed and would often say, “they choose to be gay, and could stop if they wanted to. Being black is different, I don’t have a choice.”   When I think of people I have known as early as 3rd or 4th grade who were gay, I realized gay people could no more change their identity than I could change mine.

We live in a changing world, and when the military realized that, they knew their policies of discrimination against women and eventually LGBT members of the military had to change.  It is very hard for a lot of us to accept these facts, but I believe, when you know better you do better. To that end, If Jacksonville is to become a first class NFL city it cannot discriminate against any of its citizens. Injustice against one of us is injustice against all of us.

See a video clip of his statement here: 

 

Communities

Ally Profile: Reverend Dr. Bruce Havens

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We thought we would let the Reverend Dr. Bruce Havens, Pastor of the Arlington Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, tell you in his own words why he joined the ‘We Are Straight Allies’ campaign:

I am a native of Florida and grew up in the years where schools were just beginning to integrate.  To me it was normal, natural and “cool.”  As a student at Harvard University, I learned about Martin Luther King, jr. and the principles of seeking social justice for people – no matter who they were:  people of other races, nationalities, different abilities, WOMEN! and those who were from many different sexual orientations.  I learned about the pain people suffer when they are discriminated against.  Since then I have been ordained in the United Church of Christ which has an historic record of inclusiveness:  we were the first primarily European – American denomination to ordain an African – American pastor, the first to ordain a woman and the first to ordain an openly gay man.  I am proud of that history and proud to represent that here in Jacksonville.  I am also a husband and a father of 2 boys and a girl and I want them to be proud of their community and its commitment to social justice and equality of opportunity for all people.  Every Sunday at our church we say to people, “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey you are welcome here!”  I want that to be true for Jacksonville too.  We can disagree about how we practice our faith and still be for justice and against discrimination.  That is the legacy of all faiths.  If the business community can stand for justice and what is right, then the faith community should surely not lag behind.  That’s why I am a “Straight Ally,” for the Human Rights Ordinance.