Spring 2010 Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum (center) attendsa an scent Arcus Foundation Religion & Values program grantee convening, February 2010.

Art Direction & Design: ©Emerson, Wajdowicz Studios / NYC / www.designEWS.com Printed on recycled paper. on recycled paper. Printed Studios / NYC www.designEWS.com Art Direction & Design: ©Emerson, Wajdowicz Stryker ©Ronda cover Back Sarda-Sorensen; ©Inga 3 Page Kratochvil; ©Antonin 4-7 pages and cover Front Photography: Leading the Future

In this issue: Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum’s life traces the arc of the LGBT rights movement. Today, as the rabbi of ’s Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, the largest LGBT synagogue in the world, she is one of the country’s preeminent religious voices for progressive values. Also in this issue, 20 people of color are participating in NOW AVAILABLE the 21st Century Fellows Program, a signature initiative of the Pipeline Project, which works to increase the number of people The Arcus Operating Foundation announces the of color working within and leading the nation’s LGBT rights, release of a new report, “LGBT Rights and Advocacy: service and advocacy sectors. Rashad Robinson, senior director Messaging to African American Communities,” of media programs, & Alliance Against Defamation, offering new insights into the complex intersections who is one of the 20 Fellows, writes about finding his voice as a of sexuality and race. Download the report from leader. The 21st Century Fellows Program is a collaboration of the Arcus Web site at www.arcusfoundation.org. the Pipeline Project, Arcus Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, Gill Foundation and Rockwood Leadership Institute. Liberation through Religion: A Conversation with Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum’s life traces the Cesar Chavez’s farm worker organizing nuclear arms or tenants’ rights, but the arc of the LGBT rights movement over the movement. We spent many Saturdays Jews would not say that their Judaism last four decades. In the late ‘70s, when picketing outside the local supermarket. fueled their activism. I was disappointed, she started college, she believed that I canvassed for Gene McCarthy during his because I knew that Judaism has as she was the only woman on the planet run for the U.S. Presidency despite the fact much to say about social justice as any Rwho was romantically interested in other that we lived in a very Republican town. religion. I didn’t want to be Orthodox any- women. Today, as the rabbi of New York My first major action was in fifth grade, more, but I wanted to use my knowledge City’s Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, when two of my closest friends and I led of the texts to build and energize a the largest LGBT synagogue in the world, a campaign to get the school system in progressive vision of Judaism that was she is one of the country’s foremost spokes- our town to allow girls to wear pants to not just a Judaism of lox and bagels and persons for LGBT Jews and a preeminent school. We organized the entire school. “Oy vey,” but a Judaism that could be religious voice for progressive values. We let the kindergarten kids color on the part of changing the world, eradicating Kleinbaum graduated from Barnard petition since they couldn’t sign their violence and creating justice. College, where she was an activist leader, names. The local newspaper wrote an What led you to being ordained and was ordained by the Reconstructionist article, the town got interested, and we won. as a Reconstructionist rabbi? Rabbinical College. Before becoming That was my first taste of political victory. I grew up in a Conservative synagogue, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah’s first How was Judaism part of your and attended an Orthodox high school rabbi in 1992, she was assistant director political development? where I became very Orthodox. However, at the National Yiddish Book Center in My family was not particularly religious, in my senior year, I became uncomfort- Amherst, Mass., and director of Congrega- but we were very deeply Jewish. In the able with the position of women, which tional Relations at the Religious Action Center early ‘70s, the public schools in my becomes clearer as you get deeper into of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC. town were falling apart. A new Ortho- the Jewish texts. I looked around the In 2009, the Arcus Foundation’s Religion dox Jewish school had just opened, so I Orthodox world and wondered where I & Values program gave Congregation went there and became Orthodox. I was fit in. I knew I didn’t want to get married, Beth Simchat Torah a grant of $350,000 always interested in pursuing questions but I couldn’t articulate why. Looking “to assume a national LGBT advocacy of meaning and purpose — why are we back, I think a piece of it was that I was role within the Conservative, Reform, and here and what makes our lives worth . I didn’t see any place for me Reconstructionist movements of Judaism living? The Judaism of my childhood as a lesbian in the Jewish world. and within the larger LGBT movement.” was very superficial, but at this Jewish In college, I became interested in non- For Kleinbaum, this work is a natural school, I discovered other aspects of religious Jewish “stuff,” such as Jewish extension of her core values and beliefs. being Jewish: the historical, text-based, history, Yiddish and Eastern European Jewish culture. I started to get in touch with the radical history of Judaism. After I want to be part of creating a world college, I worked at the National Yiddish Book Center. While I was there, I became where, thirty years from now, the unofficial “rabbi” of a community of ‘‘ religion will not be a part of oppressing hippie Jews who were living in the hills nearby. I loved being a bridge builder gay people around the world. between the history of our tradition and what it has to offer, and the people I met. I was outraged that they didn’t have access What are the origins of your commit- intellectual, and spiritual sides of to Judaism that could enrich their activism. ment to activism and social justice? Judaism. From the’’ Orthodox teachings, That’s when I decided to go back to I come from a committed family. My I learned that Judaism has great depth, rabbinical school, because I wanted to father was a pacifist and a conscientious that it is in fact more than just a cultural study Judaism as an adult, as a lesbian, objector in World War II, which was very tradition, that the religious and intellectual and as a progressive activist. I wanted unusual, especially since he was the traditions are profound. to be able to ask meaningful questions son of a Jewish immigrant. I learned a When I went to college, I began to from a place of integrity and see what lot from him about being willing to take notice that in all of the political work the tradition had to offer me. difficult positions, regardless of their I was doing, the non-Jews would say, The Conservative movement was popularity. I’m the youngest of four, and for example, that their Christianity or not ordaining women, and the Reform my oldest brother was very involved in Catholicism fueled their positions on 2 By Rebecca Steinitz Liberation through Religion: A Conversation with Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum movement gave you a psychological test to see if you were gay. If they thought you were, you couldn’t get in. Then in 1984, the Reconstructionist Judaism movement passed a nondiscriminatory admissions policy because they saw as a human rights issue, although they didn’t think through the cultural implica- tions. I entered the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1985, and started the “What Now?” committee to address those implications. For the next four years, I was involved in activism in the liberal Jewish world to transform Judaism from just letting gays and par- ticipate, to removing heterosexual bias, which meant rethinking Jewish family, family education, how synagogues are

run and organized, and how we talk Rabbi Kleinbaum and Matt Foreman, former executive about sex and family. Ultimately, we had director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, protest with ACT UP against the military’s Don’t Ask, to address the theology, since Judaism Don’t Tell policy, 2007. is based on a heterosexual theology in which God is dominant and male, can be the source of a worldwide move- I’m very honored that Arcus has singled and Israel is subordinate and . ment to liberate gay people. We want us out. The monies we’ve received have We transformed the school, and then to transform not just Judaism, but the transformed our ability to amplify the we emanated out and transformed the major religious discourse in America and work we do. With funding from Arcus, Reconstructionist movement. throughout the world. we’re training rabbinical students to work with LGBT Jews, we are expanding our What role can a synagogue like Why has the Arcus Foundation training for ordained rabbis to care for Congregation Beth Simchat Torah singled out Congregation Beth the LGBT members in their communities, play in the movement for LGBT rights? Simchat Torah’s social justice work? we are transforming our lay leaders into The major factor responsible for the I think we’re successful at what we do. social justice activists and we’re conduct- oppression of gay people all over the world We want our synagogue to be a place of ing a census of senior centers to analyze is religion. We want to be at the forefront personal transformation where people are how they take care of LGBT older adults. of a progressive religious multi-faith changed and energized for their work We care about transforming the denomi- movement that rejects all religious fun- in the world, and as a community we nations, and being a voice. damentalism and is part of transforming are changing the world. I want to be the nature of religious discourse itself. part of creating a world where, 30 years What most excites you right now? Sexuality is at the center of this transfor- from now, religion will not be a part of I’m most excited about changing mation because it’s the thing of which oppressing gay people around the world, the debate about religion and LGBT religion is most afraid. Gay people have and that’s what Congregation Beth Simchat people, and changing the assumption that been considered sick, criminal, or sinful. Torah is doing. religion is anti-gay. Though some religious In the United States, sick and criminal We have let fundamentalist religious traditions and leaders are anti-gay, many have been eliminated, but sinful is the leaders monopolize the discussion of are not. It is our job to amplify their voices category of oppression for gay people in all values, while we talk about human rights. so that religion can be the voice of libera- religions. In other parts of the world, they They are two different things. Most human tion for gay people around the world. are still considered sick, criminal, and sinful. beings have an appetite for meaning and What worries you? If religion is at the source of the purpose in the world and want to live a The centralized power of the radical oppression, then I believe we can’t just life with values and principles. I believe religious right is a terrifying force in the ignore it. We need to make it the source we are a community of meaning and world. But I believe we shall overcome. of liberation. Joining with progressive values and purpose. There is no monopoly Christians, Muslims, and Hindus, we on values and purpose. Rebecca Steinitz is a writer, editor and nonprofit consultant in Arlington, Massachusetts. 3 W

21st Century Fellows reception at Creating Change conference 2010, Dallas Mentoring Leadership:

Creating Change 4 Conference 2010 5 We’ve all had them — those professional the distinguished group. When I was long before I began to ask her for advice moments filled with tension and terror. finished, I looked to my left and made and insight. Yvette did not play favorites. Yet we pull through, and as time passes, eye contact with Dr. Yvette Burton, who She asked tough questions and often can look back and realize that some of was then a newer member of the board. challenged me to reexamine my ideas. those experiences were career defining. She nodded her head, smiled, and in I’m acutely aware of how Yvette’s WOne moment in particular stands out a very subtle and sophisticated way, mentorship and leadership, and that of for me. After a little over a year and half snapped her fingers. It was a huge sign other leaders have and will continue to with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against of approval from a successful and impact my career. This is why I applied Defamation (GLAAD), I was promoted accomplished African American woman for the 21st Century Fellows Program, from director of the field program to to a young, newly promoted African made possible through funding by the senior director of programs, overseeing American man. Essentially it was code Arcus Foundation, Evelyn and Walter all of the organization’s programmatic for “You made us proud. Nice job.” Haas Jr. Fund and Gill Foundation. work. As part of my new responsibilities, What a great moment that was. The 21st Century Fellows Program is a I had to present on my department’s work Not long into Yvette’s tenure on the signature initiative of the Pipeline Project, before GLAAD’s national board of directors, board, she was elected co-chair, making which works to increase the number the majority of whom I had never met. her the first African American board of people of color working within and I prepared diligently every night for a chair in GLAAD’s history. Whether it leading the nation’s LGBT rights, service week, soliciting advice from mentors and was her ability to clarify the issues at and advocacy sectors. The program is working hard to anticipate the board’s hand or manage the various opinions the vision of longtime movement leader questions. I was nervous and just and interests of the board, I watched in Clarence Patton, who is the founder, beginning to find my voice as a leader. awe as she communicated with grace, developer, and program director of the Despite my nerves, my preparation integrity and precision. She sent a Pipeline Project and former executive allowed me to deliver the presentation powerful message to me that I belonged director of the National Coalition of Anti- without notes, tell stories about GLAAD’s and that leadership in this organization Violence Programs and the New York City impact, and field difficult questions from and movement was possible. It wasn’t Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. Mentoring Leadership:

Bernadette Brown Juan Martinez Wanja Muguongo Director of Policy Development Director Program Manager Triangle Foundation/ Basic Rights Oregon/Basic Rights UHAI: East African Sexual Michigan Equality – Detroit, MI Education Fund – Portland, OR Health and Rights Initiative – Nairobi, Kenya

I often refer to the Pipeline The 21st Century Fellows program This is an excellent Project as the Lifeline Project provides the opportunity to share leadership program because that’s exactly what ideas, concerns and experiences ‘‘it feels like to me. Clarence, ‘‘with each other with an open and ‘‘and I am honored to the funders, the fellows and honest approach. It is a situation be a part of it. the facilitators comprise that is rare, so to have this chance an invaluable support and to build genuine and trusting relation- ’’ leadership network for ships with the other fellows is which I am eternally grateful. simply incredible and so valuable to each of our personal growth and ’’ professional development. 5 ’’ The Arcus Foundation, like its partners in funding the 21st Century Fellows Program, understands how challenging it has been historically to retain people of color who seek to commit themselves to service in the LGBT movement – and how rarely we create opportunities to provide current and future leaders with resources to develop their talents and abilities. In my five years in the LGBT equality movement, I have personally witnessed the consequences of this problem play out time and time again, as talented and committed peers have burned out from lack of support or left the movement because they did not see leadership paths for people who look like them. The 21st Century Fellows Program is working to change that. This year’s It wasn’t long into our first meeting to one another and to other people of inaugural class of fellows, of which together during the Rockwood Leadership color in the movement, and truly grap- I am privileged to be a member, comes Institute’s Art of Collaborative Leadership pling with what it will take to support from broad cross-sections of age, retreat, a nationally renowned workshop one another’s work and to hold one geography, and experience representing for social change, that the 20 newly another accountable. much of the diversity of work taking announced fellows were trading ideas for The value of the 21st Century Fellows place across the movement. collaboration, discussing our responsibilities Program goes beyond the amazing

: The 21st Century Fellows Program Mentoring Leadership By Rashad Robinson

Andrés Hoyos Catherine Sakimura Jonathan Lang Associate Director Staff Attorney and Family Director Center CARE Wellness Protection Project Coordinator New York State LGBT Health The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & National Center for Lesbian Rights and Human Services Network Community Center – New York, NY – San Francisco, CA Empire State Pride Agenda – New York, NY

This has been one of the most The 21st Century The 21st Century Fellows enriching experiences in my life, Fellows Program has Program has provided the personally and professionally. space for a frank, candid given me an amazing ‘‘It has helped me to improve my ‘‘ ‘‘dialogue about the joys and leadership skills and expand my support network to challenges of working within professional network, but most help me take my work the LGBT movement and importantly, it has helped me to being a person of color, while become an agent of change for and leadership to the also providing the fellows social justice within the LGBT next level. the skills needed to be leaders movement while reconnecting of tomorrow. with my passion. ’’ ’’ 6 ’’ resources offered and the access we have experiences are replicated outside of the The 21st Century Fellows Program is to experts, leaders and mentors. It’s also program; when each of us makes good supported in part by the Arcus Foundation’s the fact that 20 of us now know that we on our responsibility to the interns, junior Racial Justice, and are not alone as we contend with the staff, and rising leaders within our organi- Program, which works daily pressures of leadership while rep- zations; and when we have leveraged our to increase the power and influence resenting our professional and personal experiences with solid decision-making, of LGBT people of color organizations identities inside the movement and out. accomplishment and career advancement. and leaders, and strengthen the The mentorship, support and coaching For me — and I suspect many of the LGBT movement’s commitment to we receive from leaders like Clarence other fellows — this experience is about racial justice. For more information, Patton, Michael Bell, co-founder, president remembering that our visible leadership contact Roz Lee, senior program officer, and CEO of InPartnership Consulting Inc., in the movement for equality is in itself Racial Justice, Sexual Orientation & and the Rockwood Leadership Institute a powerful message. Whether we’re Gender Identity program at doesn’t stay inside the room. And it isn’t standing and delivering, holding one [email protected]. meant to. We are focused on building another accountable, or offering subtle these skills so that we can export them finger snaps of approval, we tell our into our organizations, our work, the brothers and sisters of color that they too communities we serve, and the coming can find their voices as future leaders. generations of our movement’s leaders. Rashad Robinson is senior director of media In truth, the impact of the 21st programs at GLAAD, where he leads all Century Fellows Program — and the of the organization’s programmatic and significant investment that the Arcus advocacy work. He has been with GLAAD for Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. five years and works out of the organization’s New York City office. Fund and Gill Foundation have made in this vital work — is realized when the training, the relationships and the learning

Twenty of us now know that we are not alone as we contend with the daily pressures of leadership while representing our professional and personal identities inside the movement and out. —Rashad Robinson senior director of media programs, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation – New York, NY The 21st Century Fellows Program 21st Century Fellows Complete Listing Each of the 20 Fellows is a manager at an LGBT organization that is a current grantee of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, the Arcus Foundation or the Gill Foundation. The Fellows include 18 managers from U.S. LGBT organizations and two from Africa. n Eva N. Boyce n Kelly Lewis – San Francisco, CA Lesbian & Gay Studies in Chief Financial Officer Community Organizer, n Sung Won Park Religion & Ministry at The Gay & Lesbian Advocates & OutFront Minnesota Project Manager, Intersections Pacific School of Religion Defenders – Boston, MA – Minneapolis, MN International – New York, NY – Berkeley, CA n Bernadette Brown n Rebecca Libed n Rashad Robinson n Beverly Tillery Director of Policy, Triangle Deputy Director of Development, Senior Director of Media Director of Community Foundation/Michigan Equality International Gay and Lesbian Programs, Gay & Lesbian Education and Advocacy, – Detroit, MI Human Rights Commission Alliance Against Defamation Lambda Legal Defense & n Mushin Hendricks – New York, NY – New York, NY Education Fund – New York, NY Imam, The Inner Circle n L. Indra Lusero n Francisco Roqué n Hector Vargas – Cape Town, South Africa Assistant Director, Director of Community Health, Director, Education & Public n Andrés Hoyos The Palm Center – Denver, CO ’s Health Crisis Affairs Department, Lambda Associate Director of Center n Juan Martinez – New York, NY Legal Defense & Education CARE Wellness, The Lesbian, Development Director, Basic n Catherine Sakimura Fund – New York, NY Gay, Bisexual & Oregon/Basic Rights Staff Attorney and Family n George B. Walker, Jr. Community Center Education Fund – Portland, OR Protection Project Coordinator, Vice President, Leadership – New York, NY n Wanja Muguongo National Center for Lesbian Initiatives, Gay & Lesbian n Jonathan Lang Program Manager, UHAI: East Rights – San Francisco, CA Leadership Institute Director of the New York State African Sexual Health and n Reverend Roland – Washington, DC LGBT Health and Human Rights Initiative – Nairobi, Kenya Stringfellow n Javarré Cordero Wilson Services Network, Empire State n Tawal Panyacosit Jr. Coordinator of the Bay Area 3MV Program Coordinator, Pride Agenda – New York, NY Director, API Equality, Chinese Coalition of Welcoming Black Coalition on AIDS for Affirmative Action Congregations, The Center for – San Francisco, CA

7 Arcus Foundation E Board of Directors Jon L. Stryker President and Founder Cathy J. Cohen Daniel Schwartz Darren Walker Executive Director Urvashi Vaid

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Arcus Foundation New York Office 119 West 24th Street, 9th Floor Sabinyo Volcano, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, home to the endangered mountain gorilla New York, New York 10011 Phone 212.488.3000 Fax 212.488.3010 Fall : Collaborative Leadership ascent [email protected] The Fall 2010 issue of Ascent will profile the collaborative leadership of the members of the International Primate Protection League and the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Arcus Foundation two groups whose members are working together to find solutions to aid the plight of Cambridge, UK Office endangered great apes threatened by habitat destruction, disease, and the bushmeat Wellington House, East Road and pet trades. Visit the Arcus Foundation’s Web site at www.arcusfoundation.org Cambridge CB1 1BH, United Kingdom to read more about its Great Apes Program. Phone +44.1223.451.050 To subscribe or unsubscribe to Arcus Foundation publications, please send an [email protected] email to: [email protected]

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