South Coast Equality Alliance to hold inaugural event

During the battle over marriage equality a group of LGBT and ally activists on Massachusetts' South Coast region came together as the Marriage Equality Coalition of the South Coast. With the defeat of the amendment to ban same-sex marriage last summer, activists behind that coalition have decided to use the energy generated by the marriage movement to create a more permanent LGBT organization in the region. The South Coast Equality Alliance (SEA), which held its first organizing meeting last month, will hold a meet-and-greet event March 30 in New Bedford to encourage members of the region's LGBT community to come out, get involved, and help shape the direction of the new organization.

Liz DiCarlo, one of the founders of SEA, said that the founders already have a number of ideas for the new organization, and they hope to gauge the enthusiasm for them among people during the meet-and-greet. One of those projects would be an oral history project in which SEA would create a video collection of histories from LGBT residents of the South Coast, particularly LGBT elders.

Another project would be the creation of an alcohol-free social space for LGBT youth in the area. "There's a lot of interest in creating non-alcohol spaces for GLBT youth, so we're exploring having a safe space where kids could go on a Saturday evening. ... We don't have a [LGBT youth] center but we'd like to be able to create a gathering space for local people on a regular basis," said DiCarlo, a resident of Mattapoisett. She said the group will work to serve diverse elements of the South Coast's LGBT community, including youth, elders, transgender people and families.

Beyond the meet-and-greet the organization also plans to hold a monthly Sunday brunch beginning April 6 at the Green Bean in New Bedford.

DiCarlo said the group will also continue to be involved in activism, and she said at the first February organizing meeting MassEquality field director Amy Mello briefed the group on House Bill 1722, the transgender rights bill, and other items on MassEquality's agenda for the year.

"We do see it as a group that is going to be active on many fronts, cultural, social, political, as well as keeping the pulse of what our South Coast LGBTQ community really wants. But it's imperative that we be involved in these political issues," said DiCarlo.

The South Coast Equality Alliance will hold its meet-and-greet event March 30 from 6-8 p.m. at the Bristol Building, 752 Purchase St., New Bedford. The first Sunday brunch will be held April 6 at the Green Bean, 740 Purchase St, New Bedford, from 12-2 p.m. For more information call 508.536.5991.