Dustin Lance Black Announces Testimony Video Contest
May 23, 2011
By Adam Bink
If you can’t see the video, click here
This morning, Dustin Lance Black sent an e-mail to our members announcing the Testimony video contest. It’s a partnership we are doing in an effort to find the next great stories that shape public opinion about LGBT equality — submitted by you or your friends, family and colleagues. Many of them can be found here at P8TT. Testimony is the name for our new project we have been rolling out: a one-stop shop hub for stories of struggle to achieve LGBT equality.
You can sign up here. Dustin Lance Black and his camera crew will be reviewing submissions and pick three incredible stories to record for television. He will then hop on a plane to fly to wherever you live and record your submission for TV, so Americans can learn why its important for our community to be equal. It will be a tough choice, and I want to emphasize that it’s not a competition about whose story is “better”, but which one we can put on TV to move hearts and minds. If we have success with the project, we may be able to record more and fund them.
Think of what it could achieve — Zach Wahls’ story, or Dan Choi’s, or Ed and Derence’s, targeted to advertise in places like Minnesota, where we need to change minds on marriage in advance of the 2012 ballot initiative. Or New York State, where we have a few Senators whose constituents are on the fence about marriage equality. From marriage to adoption, bullying to being transgender, there is no shortage of stories, and no shortage of minds we need to change. That’s where this project comes in.
You can sign up and get more details here. Or, do you know someone — a kid who’s been bullied at school, a couple who faced medical problems at the hospital because of DOMA, a transgender women fired at the workplace? Let them know. Submissions are due by 11:59 PM PST on June 15th. Flip open those camcorders, handheld cams and computer cameras and take a minute to record your Testimony. Let’s change some minds.
http://www.couragecampaign.org/DustinLanceBlack
Dear Adam,
6 Comments
1.
nightshayde | May 23, 2011 at 6:04 am
In the spirit of doing things which will hopefully help the LGBT community… I have signed up to do the Swim for Equality put on by Equality California.
I'll be doing a 1.7 mile open water swim in Malibu on September 24th, but my donation page is up and running now. If you can spare a small bit of money (or a large bit – I'm not picky), please consider sponsoring me in my swim.
http://www.eqca.org/equality/swim/shayna
Any/all donations will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!
Shayna
2.
Jack Fitzgerald | May 23, 2011 at 7:10 am
I got the info about the Dustin Lance Black project–TAKE A STAND. I don't have a video for him but I certainly have TAKEN A STAND. I wrote a book entitled CONTESSA which is a great testimony to the hearts and minds of our GLBT community. realize what a great job Dustin did with MILK. CONTESSA could actually be his next film and one which would add to the spirit he provided our community with his outstanding job of writing MILK. CONTESSA is the story of a young man who is the son of an Arkansas Bootlegger Godfather in the 30s who is going to be lobotomized by his father because he is "no real man". The youth escape, goes to Cuba, has a sex change and enters show business there. The 1958 Cuban Revolution hits and changes everyone's lives–some for the better and some for the worse.
CONTESSA is not a downer but instead an upper that gives great courage to the GLBT community. I can get you a copy or you can find it at amazon.com. You can also find out more about who I am by going to http://www.jackfitzgerald.com.
I know in this day and age it's hard to believe that something worthwhile could come via an email like this but that is what Dustin must trust. Someone will have to take just a few minutes to check this out to see that this is no fluke. CONTESSA could make a great film not just for our community but the entire country.
It's time that we worked on the general population's attitudes–this is what your TAKE A STAND is all about. Think of TAKE A STAND as Part I; CONTESSA could be Part II. Thanks, Jack Fitzgerald. http://www.jackfitzgerald.com email: [email protected]
3.
Kate | May 23, 2011 at 7:50 am
Nightshayde: I searched for your name on the donation site and found one; I'm assuming that is you? I definitely want to donate in honor of all that you have done and especially in appreciation of your flower-making.
4.
nightshayde | May 23, 2011 at 7:53 am
@ Kate — thank you! I shouldn't think there would be more than one "Shayna," as it's an uncommon name. I could be wrong, though!
5.
nightshayde | May 23, 2011 at 8:06 am
@ Kate (again)
Yup – you found me. Thank you so much!
6. Prop 8 Trial Tracker &raq&hellip | May 25, 2011 at 6:02 am
[…] On Monday, Dustin Lance Black helped launch our contest to find the next great American LGBTQ stories. Just over 200 people so far have signed up for the contest (more details here). […]