Sometimes its the Thought That Counts - Zakiya

For my community improvement part of the challenge, my idea was to, with cooperation of the International Socialist Organization (I'm a member), silk screen T-shirts that say "Marriage is a Civil Right: Keep it Legal California" and give half the money we make from the shirts to an grassroots organization working on defeating any crazy propositions on the November ballot. In addition, during the T-shirt making event--this Sunday 6/15 at my house--we'd have a fundraiser for said organization. This would be part of an ongoing project to draw activists together between now and November (and hopefully beyond) and maybe even one day rebuild the  gay rights movement. Only one problem: I thought of it yesterday. 

So while 6 days is not quite enough time to build for a fundraiser, ISO members will be at my house this Sunday to make Marriage Equality T-shirts (designed by me!). I haven't yet identified the group that would receive the money though I've made a quite few phone calls. (The Center Advocacy Project is a possibility and someone from there will likely come speak at one of our public meetings in July.)

This doesn't necessarily fit the criteria that Ryan laid out since I've been a member of the ISO for awhile, but it was this challenge that gave me the idea for splitting the T-shirt money and having a fundraiser (which may actually still happen, only later) and taking on the unofficial role as point person on the issue for the ISO. I decided on that last part of few weeks ago, but in actuality I feel like I can't take too much credit since we work collectively and quite a few people in the organization felt this was an issue we should devote time and resources to. I actually think this approach--working towards a long term goal of building connections between gay rights activists and sympathizers--is more in the spirit of the challenge anyway. Just like a good work out routine, I won't see results overnight, but breaking down the legal barriers to equality is a goal worth striving for.

And since I'm taking a two-week break from compulsively calculating calorie, water, fruit, and alcohol intake, y'all feel free to stop by Sunday for some beers. 

I have to go make a stencil now. I'll blog about the other parts of the challenge tomorrow.