ALLGO, a statewide queer people of color organization

Submitted by Guest on December 4, 2008 - 8:00pm.

701 Tillery Street Box 4

Austin

78702

Website:

allgo.org

Ownership:

501c3 organization

State-wide or Regional Grassroots Organizing Group

Organizational Membership:

Individuals

Organizational Membership:

Organizations

Organization Type:

Advocacy Organization

Organization Phone:

(512) 472-2001

Organization Fax:

(512) 472-6301

Detailed Description

Mission,Constituency, Structure:

Vision ALLGO envisions a just and equitable society that celebrates and nurtures vibrant people of color queer cultures. Mission ALLGO works towards its vision through cultural arts, health and advocacy programming by: supporting artists and artistic expression within our diverse communities; promoting health within a wellness model; mobilizing and building coalitions among groups marginalized by race/ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation/sexual identity to enact change. Purpose ALLGO is working to create and sustain a statewide network of queer people of color activists, groups, organizations and allies, which through nourishment of relationships, grassroots organizing and artistic expression can radically transform systems and policies toward a collective liberation. Constituency/Structure and Decision-Making process Founded in 1985 by a group of Latina/o activists, artists and scholars, ALLGO holds a rich history of diverse radical organizing. While originally founded as a Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organization, ALLGO?s cultural semblance has richly evolved over the course of these 20 years, with much of its diversification taking place within the first 5 years of its existence. Although often referred to as a Latina/o organization due to its founding, ALLGO?s rich history of diverse people of color and ally constituency is fully represented and engaged in the organization?s Vision, Mission, and Values, which in turn are reflected in all programming aspects of our work. As a community based organization situated in East Austin, Texas, ALLGO?s organizing has been lauded nationally due to its innovative approach of incorporating a holistic model comprised of health, the arts and community organizing. In 2005, after assessing the past 20 years as a community based queer people of color organization, celebrating the successes and appreciating the challenges, ALLGO was placed in the position of critically evaluating its position as the longest-standing queer people of color organization in the country. During this process of strategic planning, ALLGO was faced with the challenge of stepping further into fully embodying its vision toward a just and equitable society that celebrates and nurtures vibrant people of color queer cultures. During this process, significant gaps were identified in the social justice organizing taking place in Texas in terms of queer people of color activists, groups and organizations working often in isolation or with little contact with similar organizers. In addition, the connection between people of color and the greater LGBT movement was rather evident, with the voices of our community silenced in the larger dialogue. As these needs were identified, ALLGO took the monumental decision to honor its vision; return to its initial intent to move entirely as a social justice organization; and offer its history to take-on the challenge of becoming a statewide queer people of color organization in the state of Texas. This decision, which makes ALLGO the first and only statewide queer people of color organization in the country, comes after long hours of planning, assessing and dialoguing with key individuals and organizations both in Texas and nationally. Part of the process of fully embodying our vision has included the decision to begin transitioning out of governmental funding, which began by the closing of ALLGO?s Case Management program. Rather than continuing to invest the significant majority of energy into satisfying bureaucratic government contract expectations, ALLGO has opted to invest its time in creating change. In an effort to make this transition as successful and inclusive as possible, ALLGO will work throughout 2006 to cautiously assess each step with community feedback and guidance. In keeping with this move, ALLGO eliminated it's previous staffing hierarchy made up of an Executive Director who supervised program Directors who supervised program staff. ALLGO is now staffed by a collective of three community leaders each compensated equally and responsible for a strand of the organizing. The membership still elects the Board of Directors and is seen as the guiding force of the organization through expressing it's wishes to the Board which supervised the collective which carries out the organization's vision, mission and purpose.

States Worked in:

TX TEXAS

Current Organizing Agenda:

Current Organizing Agenda ALLGO will carry out its work through four major organizing strands: - Queer People of Color and Allied Network. ALLGO will work to create, support and sustain alliances among diverse activists, groups and organizations across Texas. - Action Teams. The teams will be a collective force ready to respond efficiently to issues affecting our communities locally, regionally and on the statewide level. - A Cultural Arts Program. Building on its existing award-winning cultural arts programming, ALLGO will work towards fostering spaces where artists and diverse communities engage in mutual growth, sharing and understanding through the arts. - Annual Summit. ALLGO will work with organizers across the state to coordinate annual summits aimed at bringing queer people of color activists and allies together to build relationships, strategize and support each other?s efforts. Goals and Tactics Network of Statewide Queer People of Color and Allied Activists, Groups and Organizations. - Nurture and sustain relationships and alliances amongst divers organizers across Texas. These efforts will support local and regional work. - Create an infrastructure for rapid mobilization of communities across the state in order to respond to pressing issues affecting our communities on the local, statewide, national and international levels. - Establish Support Teams comprised of activists seasoned in an array of areas, such as non-profit management, grassroots organizing, etc. These teams will support local organizing through sharing of ideas, experiences and strategizing. - Pay particular attention to university and college campus organizing as a key component in responding to issues. - Establish a statewide queer youth of color leadership development program aimed at fostering leadership among youth and working collectively as we respond to the issues affecting our communities. Multi-Issue Action Teams - This program will provide various spaces for a diverse set of queer people of color and allied activists to work on and respond to a number of issues affecting our communities, including economic and environmental justice, violence, reproductive rights, marriage discrimination, HIV/AIDS policies, among many others. - This program is intended to maximize potential impact while honoring ALLGO?s long-standing multi-issue vision, understanding that the issues affecting our lives are far more complex than the LGBT movement has been prepared and/or willing to admit. The Arts. - Building on our existing award-winning Cultural Arts programming, ALLGO will grow its Cultural Arts Program through alliances and collaborations across the State. These efforts will continue ALLGO?s commitment of fostering spaces where artists and communities mutually grow, share and thrive through access, understanding and engagement of the arts. - ALLGO?s Cultural Arts Program will continue to be comprised of Artist in Residence Programs, Community Cultural Events, Workshops and Artist/Community Dialogues. Statewide Queer People of Color and Allies Summit. - Statewide Queer People of Color and Allies Summit. ALLGO will work with organizers across the state to coordinate annual summits aimed at bringing queer people of color activists and allies from across the state together to build relationships, strategize and support each other?s efforts. - The goal is to hold the Summit is cities other than Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, to challenge the concentration of resources and energy in the state.

Issues:

Anti-Racism

Issues:

Civic Participation

Issues:

Civil and Human Rights

Issues:

Economic Justice

Issues:

Environmental Justice

Issues:

Health/Health Care

Issues:

Immigrant Rights

Issues:

Multi-Issue Community Organizing

Issues:

Progressive Media, Arts and Culture

Issues:

Racial Justice

Issues:

Violence Prevention

Issues:

Voting Rights

Issues:

Women's Empowerment

Issues:

Women?s Reproductive Health

Issues:

Youth Empowerment

Leadership:

Members Elect Board

Organizing Strategies:

one-on-one meetings

Organizing Strategies:

member meetings

Organizing Strategies:

community meetings

Organizing Strategies:

leadership development

Organizing Strategies:

training

Organizing Strategies:

direct action

Organizing Strategies:

direct mail

Organizing Strategies:

e-mail/list serves

Organizing Strategies:

e-activism

Organizing Strategies:

lobbying elected officials

Organizing Strategies:

political education

Organizing Strategies:

voter registration

Organizing Strategies:

get out the vote

Organizing Strategies:

public education

Who We Organize:

Low-income

Who We Organize:

Moderate-income

Who We Organize:

Low-wage workers

Who We Organize:

Incarcerated or formerly Incarcerated

Who We Organize:

Immigrants/Refugees

Who We Organize:

Women

Who We Organize:

LGBTIQ

Who We Organize:

Arab and Middle Eastern

Who We Organize:

Asian / Pacific Islander

Who We Organize:

African American

Who We Organize:

African

Who We Organize:

Latino or Caribbean

Who We Organize:

Native American/Indigenous

Who We Organize:

People of Color

ALLGO, a statewide queer people of color organization

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