LGBTQ Pennsylvania Steering Committee Meeting 

by Michael Mahler 

On Saturday, January 30, 2016, groups from across the state met at Project Silk in Pittsburgh for the inaugural LGBTQ PA Steering Committee. The event was convened by Jason Goodman of PA Youth Congress and moderated by Shaashawn Dial-Snowden of LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania (Harrisburg) and Voycetress Media. 

Topics of discussion and brainstorming including working corroboratively and effectively, building trust, supporting youth and seniors, racial justice, socioeconomic justice, transgender community, and improving communication between both LGBTQ groups across the state and also within regions between groups and with the greater communities for regions. 

Groups represented included NW PA Pride Alliance, Greater Erie Alliance for Equality, Erie Gay News, TransFamily of Erie, Pennsylvania Equality Project, Project Silk (Pittsburgh), Roots Pride (Pittsburgh), Cafe con Leche (Pittsburgh), Alder Health Services (Harrisburg), TransCentral PA (Harrisburg), Central PA Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (Harrisburg), Judah Fellowship Church (Pittsburgh), LGBTea Dances (Phoenixville), THRIVE of Southwest PA, Divine Light LGBTQ Wellness Center (Philadelphia), Northeastern Pennsylvania Rainbow Alliance (Wilkes-Barre), and Keystone Catholics. 

The meeting also included a review of the history of the LGBTQ movement in Pennsylvania. 

To the best of the organizers' awareness, this was the first statewide meeting of LGBTQ groups in 40 years, and it was the consensus of attendees that the meeting was very productive and informative.

About the Author

Michael Mahler

Michael Kenton Mahler (He/Him) has been the editor of Erie Gay News since it was founded in December 1992. He is also a founding member of NWPA Pride Alliance. He serves on the Governor's Commission for LGBTQ Affairs and is active with Aging with Pride and the Erie County HIV Task Force. He became the first LGBTQ person to be fully out in May 1992 when appearing on local TV coverage. Michael currently works as a software developer for Erie Custom Computer Applications.