Equality On Trial

Success: Prop8TrialTracker.com is here to stay for another year + more good news

February 29, 2012

Community/Meta P8TT fundraising

Success!

By Adam Bink

Just this morning, we hit our fundraising goal of 35 new monthly donors (and then some!) to sustain Prop8TrialTracker.com for another year and help cover writing expenses, technical expenses, site improvements and more.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it was to meet our goal so we can continue to remain the #1 site on the web for coverage of the trial and keep this community going, as well as bring you news, analysis and action alerts on other court cases and marriage equality.

THANK YOU to the 37 (and counting) people who stepped up in a big way to contribute as little as $10 a month to keep what we do here going for another year (as well as those who have given in the past). If you didn’t give, please consider doing so — the more people we have who step up, the less we have to make fundraising asks. And if you can’t be a monthly donor for whatever reason, please consider saying “thank you” in the comments to those who just stepped up to do so. Out of the thousands and thousands of people who visit here every day, it really is less than 1% who chip in to help the site function, and we owe a debt of gratitude to you all. We’ll pick the winner of tickets to see the “8” play shortly. Also, a big thanks to all the people who wrote a piece on why it’s so important to give (in no particular order): Greg in SLC, Jacob Combs, Mark & Robert Mead-Brewer, NCLR’s Shannon Minter & Chris Stoll, GLAD’s Carisa Cunningham, AnonyGrl, AFER’s Matt Baume, and Courage’s Rick Jacobs.

One other thing I’ll just say, which is that I really do think this morning’s news on the Field Poll showing 59% of Californians support same-sex marriage is, in part, due to what we all do here. Whether you think 59% is an outlier or not, it is without a doubt that the numbers have moved our way. It’s because we’re shining a light on the trial. It’s because of the number of people who Google “Prop 8 trial” to find out what the news is all about when a court decision is handed down, and end up here. It’s because we’re sharing stories like that of Ed and Derence, and putting their story on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. It’s because of the conversations you’re having with family, friends and colleagues about the trial and marriage equality in general. While the legal folks do their part on the inside, we’re doing our part on the outside to shine a light on the trial, the stories, and this movement. Oh, and by, the way, showing up (check out the rally photo in this morning’s LA Times piece on the new poll — it may look familiar!). The folks who step up to help fund this site help make all of that possible. And that’s why it’s so important to keep reading, chipping in, commenting, and sharing.

I have another piece of good news out of all of this: because we met our fundraising goal, we’re able to bring on a third writer to the Prop8TrialTracker.com writing team to help expand our coverage! We’re offering a blogging internship, compensation commensurate with experience. The full description is below. While the position is open to all, I can’t emphasize enough how wonderful it would be to have “one of our own” be that person, and if not that, then someone you know and can recommend. Jacob Combs came to us as someone who has been reading the site from the beginning. Whether you are seeking to “learn the ropes” or just want to start writing on the site during the week, please consider applying and/or passing the position on to people you think would be good. E-mail it to friends. Post on social media. Consider applying yourself! And of course, as always, guest posts as the interest strikes you are always welcome.

Thanks again, and please find the writing position in the extended entry.

Courage Campaign Institute is expanding its writing team on Prop8TrialTracker.com and seeks a blogging intern to help cover LGBT-related trials and marriage equality news.

Our writing team at Prop8TrialTracker.com, the #1 Google result for “Prop 8 Trial,” is an integral part of our work on LGBT equality issues inside the courtroom and out. Writing interns will be on the inside of Courage Campaign Institute’s projects to win equality for LGBT individuals and have an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of online organizing for equality. Writing interns will also have the opportunity to develop relationships with some of the finest legal minds in the LGBT equality movement and learn a great deal about the legal movement for LGBT equality from the inside.

Must be active and interested in LGBT equality and progressive politics. Preference is given to those interested in the pursuit of LGBT equality through the courts. Good candidates will be detail-oriented, able to write quickly, have the ability to think “out of the box” and driven to get things done on deadline. As Courage is a “virtual office,” working from home is a necessity as well as a benefit. Preference will be given to candidates located in or planning to move to California, but all are welcome to apply. The duration is approximately 4-5 months with the possibility of extension. Compensation is commensurate with experience.

Send resume, cover letter and where you heard of this opportunity to Adam Bink via adam AT couragecampaign DOT org. Use the subject line “Prop8TrialTracker.com Blogging Intern” in your application.

Courage Campaign (www.couragecampaign.org) is an online organizing network that empowers more than 750,000 grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. As a leading multi-issue advocacy organization, the Courage Campaign’s work to bring progressive change to California and full equality to America is supported by thousands of small donations from our diverse community. 

Through the Courage Campaign Institute, we mobilize activists to restore marriage equality to California and bring full equality to America, driven by Testimony: Take A Stand (http://testimony.couragecampaign.org), a hub for LGBT stories of discrimination, and our ongoing campaign to bring the Prop 8 trial to life through Courage Campaign Institute’s Prop8TrialTracker.com (http://www.prop8trialtracker.com), the #1 Google search result for the trial.

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