Astraea’s 40th Celebration: Seattle

Join Astraea in Seattle as we take our 40th-Anniversary celebration on the Road!

Join Astraea in Seattle as we take our 40th-Anniversary celebration on the Road!

On Tuesday, February 27th, 2018, from 6:00-9:00 PM, The Astraea Foundation for Justice will be celebrating 40 years of support for LGBTQI movements for justice worldwide with an intimate cocktail party in Seattle’s Washington Hall.

The evening will feature Astraea grantee partners from the Greater Seattle Area and Astraea Executive Director, J. Bob Alotta. Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will also be served.

Astraea has a very strong base of support and presence in Seattle including our board member, Bookda Gheisar and our host committee who have worked very hard to support our events for the last two years: Mijo Lee, Hye-Kyung Kang, Rosa Peralta, Katrin Wilde, Emma Moreno, Cynthia Renfro, Radha Friedman, Naomi Ishisaka, Tracy Flynn

RSVP

 

 

For additional event details or to make a gift in support of Astraea in Seattle, contact:
Sally Troncoso
Development Officer for Special Events
Stroncoso@astraeafoundation.org
212.810.4155

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Thanks to everyone who attended the event! We were grateful to have everyone in the room.

View event photos

Between the Ages: A Conversation With Aaryn Lang and Katherine Acey

Two women with more than six decades of activism between them discuss our current political climate, organizing across generations, how movements shift over time, and how imperative all of our efforts, both young and old, are to create a sustainable new world.

Please join us February 15, 2017 from 5:30-7:00pm for Between the Ages: A Conversation with Aaryn Lang and Katherine Acey, part of our series of “Why We Fund” events about who, where and why we fund. In this session, two women with more than six decades of activism between them discuss our current political climate, organizing across generations, how movements shift over time, and how imperative all of our efforts, both young and old, are to create a sustainable new world.

Location:
Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice offices
116 East 16th Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003

RSVP here!

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Thanks to everyone who attended the event! We were grateful to have everyone in the room.

View event photos

D.C. Cocktail Reception

Join us in Washington, D.C., for a cocktail birthday party to support LGBTQI movements for justice worldwide!

Join us in Washington, D.C., for a cocktail birthday party to support LGBTQI movements for justice worldwide!

The Astraea Foundation for Justice, is continuing to celebrate our 40th anniversary and this time we are gathering at the home of Karen Dixon and Nan Schaffer, on Thursday, January 25th, 2018, from 5:00-7:30 pm!

Come and share a dessert with us, and raise a glass as we celebrate 40 years; enjoy a performance from our grantee partner Be.Steadwell, and get a quick update from our new Director of Programs, Cara Page.

Light refreshments will be served. Location details will be provided upon registration. 

To attend, please RSVP here.

Host Committee

Urooj Arshad
Shauna Brown
Rebecca & Jacquelyn Crouch-Pelham
Karen Dixon & Nan Schaffer
Julie Gonen & Gaby Richeimer
Iimay Ho
Mia Jacobs
C. Nicole Mason
Samantha Master
Chase & Chris Maggiano
Tamara Wilds-Lawson

Sponsors:

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Thanks to everyone who attended the event! We were grateful to have everyone in the room.

View event photos

Astraea’s 2017 Holiday Party!

Join us on December 7th from 7:30pm-9:30pm for Astraea’s Holiday Party, as we continue celebrating our 40th Anniversary and prepare to wrap up 2017.

Join us on December 7th from 7:30pm-9:30pm for Astraea’s Holiday Party, as we continue celebrating our 40th Anniversary and prepare to wrap up 2017.

Bring your dancing shoes, as we will have on ours—DJ Sakir will be spinning music.

Please RSVP if you plan to attend!

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Thanks to everyone who attended the event! We were grateful to have everyone in the room.

View event photos

A Discussion with Mary Hooks of SONG

On August 30th, Astraea is hosting a community discussion with Mary Hooks, Co-Director of SONG.

On August 30th, Astraea is hosting a community discussion with Mary Hooks, Co-Director of SONG. Join us at The Foundation Center of Atlanta to hear about SONG’s recent #BlackMamaBailOut action that freed 64 Black mothers and caregivers across the South on Mother’s Day and garnered national attention and support to the tune of 3,000 donors raising over $200,000.

Mary will share what it meant to lead this action and the collaborative efforts involved, why the action matters—especially now—and some of SONG’s learnings along the way. This will be a casual conversation filled with insight, candor and opportunity for learning and to be in community.

To join us there, RSVP here!

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Astraea is the only philanthropic organization working exclusively to advance LGBTQI human rights around the globe. We support brilliant and brave grantee partners in the U.S. and internationally who challenge oppression and seed change. We work for racial, economic, social, and gender justice, because we all deserve to live our lives freely, without fear, and with dignity.

Save the Date for Astraea’s 40th Gala in NYC!

This is what forty years of lesbian feminist activism looks like!

This is what forty years of lesbian feminist activism looks like! On Monday, November 13, 2017, we will celebrate Astraea’s big 4-0 with an evening of art, cinema, music, food, and righteous community in New York City!

Location:
The Angel Orensanz Foundation for the Arts
172 Norfolk Street
New York, NY 10002
6:30pm-9:30pm
*After party to follow

Mark November 13th in your calendars today.

Click here to purchase a ticket!

PS – Host committee memberships and sponsorships for Astraea’s 40th are available. For more information, contact Astraea’s Development Officer for Special Events, Sally Troncoso, at stroncoso@astraeafoundation.org or by phone at 212-810-4183.

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Thanks to everyone who attended the event! We were grateful to have everyone in the room.

View event photos

What Will Be Different: A Conversation on LGBTQ Activism in a Changing America

Join us on April 30, 2017, for a powerful free forum on how LGBTQ activism will respond to an era of sweeping political change, moderated by Astraea Executive Director J. Bob Alotta.

Join us on April 30, 2017, for a powerful free forum on how LGBTQ activism will respond to an era of sweeping political change, moderated by Astraea Executive Director J. Bob Alotta.

Despite celebrated and hard-won advances in equality, the deeply diverse LGBTQ community has always been targeted by bias and hate. In recent months that antagonism has flared, along with other forms of intolerance.

Now, as people who openly disparage LGBTQ rights fill key posts within the U.S. Government, and an old, anti-Other sentiment gains new legitimacy, what are the challenges and goals of LGBTQ activism today? What is the historical context for this battle, and what guides those at its front lines? How do we organize across communities to build a future where our differences are prized and human justice is available to all, regardless of gender identity or gender preference?

Join us for a conversation with Apphia Kumar, Chair, SALGA-NYC; Bashar Makhay, Founder, Tarab NYC; Cara Page, Executive Director, Audre Lorde Project; and Mustafa Sullivan, Executive Director, Fierce. Moderated by J. Bob Alotta, Executive Director, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.
Pre-talk performance by Angel Nafis, Author, BlackGirl Mansion.
Held at The Park Avenue Christian Church, one of the most progressive communities of faith in New York City.
Presented by the Astraea Foundation, The Park Avenue Christian Church, and The Tate Group.
Curated by Brian Tate.

 

#FueltheFrontlines Spotlight: Black Lives Matter’s Patrisse Cullors

We are nearly a month away from this year’s Fueling the Frontlines Awards at Los Angeles’ Ace Museum! On May 25, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, Astraea will honor the frontline activists and cultural changemakers who are leading the new era of #resistance, including PatrisseCullors, Jennicet Gutiérrez, Jorge Ramos, and Paola Ramos.

When we say ALL Black Lives Matter, we mean Black trans folks! We mean black queer folks! …’We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.’

Patrisse Cullors, quoting June Jordan

Tickets are limited! Get yours today!

This week, we are honored to profile 2017 Fueling the Frontlines honoree and Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, artist, organizer, and freedom fighter Patrisse Cullorsbecame involved in grassroots activism as a teenager. During Patrisse‘s youth, her 19 year-old mentally ill brother was incarcerated and tortured by local law enforcement. “Growing up with this visceral experience of policing really shaped my organizing work,” Patrisse told Fusion last winter. “There were no organizers knocking on our door telling us to join a movement. There were no hashtags for social media. There was a lot of despair.”

Ten years later, Patrisse created the organization Dignity and Power Now, which pursued and won civilian oversight of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department––a victory that brought justice to her family while protecting countless others.

Watch Patrisse’s Fusion interview in its entirety:

In 2013, Patrisse, with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, co-founded Black Lives Matter as a response to the enraging aquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. What began as a hashtag soon became an urgent call to action against police brutality and criminalization in the United States. Black Lives Matter has since expanded into an intricate network of 30 local chapters and thousands of determined activists fighting anti-Black racism worldwide.

Patrisse has received many awards for her organizing and movement building, including being named a “Civil Rights Leader for the 21st Century” by The Los Angeles Times. Her memoir, When They Call You a Terrorist, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press.

Support Patrisse and others like her who are during brave and imperative work. Get your tickets to Fueling the Frontlines today.

Unable to attand the Awards? Still want to celebrate the intrepid spirits of grassroots activists? Donate a ticket so that a community member can attend this inspiring event. To learn more, please contact Loran Hamilton at lhwarner@astraeafoundation.org.

Join us in Los Angeles May 25th for Fueling the Frontlines!

The Astraea Foundation and our Host Committee invite you to a powerful night of art, music, cocktails, food, and friends. Join us Thursday, May 25 at Ace Museum in Los Angeles, California.

The Astraea Foundation and our Host Committee invite you to a powerful night of art, music, cocktails, food, and friends. Join us Thursday, May 25, from 6:30 to 9:40 pm PST at Ace Museum in Los Angeles, California as we honor the frontline activists and cultural changemakers who are leading the new era of #resistance. This year’s luminary honorees include:

  • #BlackLivesMatter co-founder, executive director of the LA-based organization Dignity and Power Now, and queer author Patrisse Cullors. Patrisse resists by demanding a world where Black bodies and dreams can thrive and where state-sanctioned violence against Black people is abolished;
  • Activist and founding member of Astraea grantee partner Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, Jennicet Gutiérrez. Jennicet resists by fearlessly challenging authority on the status of queer and trans immigrants and actively organizing to end the deportation, incarceration, and criminalization of our communities;
  • Univision anchor and critically-acclaimed journalist Jorge Ramos. Jorge resists through his intrepid, in-depth reporting and forthright commentary on human rights, immigration, white supremacy, and other issues that directly impact our LGBTQI communities;
  • New York City Council Spokesperson Paola Ramos. Paola resists by fighting for the sanctuary and equity of immigrants in NYC. Previously, Paola worked as Deputy Director of Hispanic Media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign to ensure that migrant voices were heard.

Together we will celebrate these leaders whose commitment, passion, and work inspire others and meaningfully advance LGBTQI justice in our communities and around the world. Read more about the honorees and buy tickets on our website. Don’t miss these inspiring movement leaders. Get your tickets now! Your purchase supports Astraea’s endeavors to provide critical resources to LGBTQI grassroots activists and organizations across the globe. Can’t make it to Fueling the Frontlines? Still want to play a critical part? Sponsor a ticket so that a community member can attend. Be the first to know about Fueling the Frontlines developments! Follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest on our current and forthcoming honorees and performers. Thank you for fueling our movements! Warmly, The 2017 Fueling the Frontlines Host Comittee (in formation as of April 12, 2017) Alice Y. Hom, co-chair Mónica Taher, co-chair Lynn Harris Ballen Casey Bloys Kelly Bush Ilene Chaiken Ryan Li Dahlstrom Maria De La Cruz and Shawn Hogedorn Melissa Etheridge dream hampton Jamison Herbert Seana Johnson Moez Kaba and Bjorn Lundberg Mahdis Keshavarz Isis King Eric Kranzler Robin Coste Lewis Alec Mapa Elliot Page Paulette Pantoja Katina Parker Leanne Pittsford Jenny Pizer Alan Poul Katrina Schaffer Maria Shtabskaya Mitchell Singer Naomi Sobel and Rabbi Becky Silverstein Corece A. Sparks Chip Sullivan Tristan Taormino Marquita Thomas Jacob Tobia Melanie Torbert Christine Vachon Linda Wallem Doreena Wong

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Thanks to everyone who attended the event! We were grateful to have everyone in the room.

View event photos

Join us for Molly’s Birthday Brunch in Massachusetts on April 9th!

Below is a note from Astraea’s friend Molly Girton, who is is turning 34 on Sunday, April 9th.

Hi friends!

We’re so fortunate to have shared this past year with so many beautiful people, including family, colleagues, friends, and one another. We’d love it if you’d celebrate with us! Two ways to do so:

Hope to see you on the 9th!

Much love,

Alison T. Brill and Molly Kiran Girton

A note from the web editor: Alison and Molly’s brunch was a wild success! View photos of the festivities here