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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2010
Equality Maryland Welcomes New Field Professional to the Team
Experienced Community Organizer Ready to Build and Enhance Programs and Efforts on Behalf of Transgender Marylanders
CONTACT:
Morgan Meneses- Sheets, Executive Director
410 685-6567 (office)
202 812-9229 (cell)
morgan@equalitymaryland.org
Baltimore, MD – Equality Maryland announced today the appointment of Owen Smith as its new Field Organizer for Transgender Equality Issues. Owen was chosen following a national search. A resident of Baltimore, he comes to Equality Maryland with experience in both teaching and advocating on behalf of the transgender community.
Owen will work with the Equality Maryland staff to design and implement programming and policy efforts to meet the needs of Maryland’s transgender community including helping to coordinate grassroots efforts in Annapolis, training and development of a speaker’s bureau and ongoing coalition work within areas of homelessness, poverty and other important issues.
“Owen has been involved in transgender activism and gender justice work in Maryland for many years,” said Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality Maryland.
“We are confident that Owen will be a valuable asset in our work to ensure that all Marylanders are treated equally under the law.”
Smith has worked in grassroots organizing and training, developing curricula and teaching materials to facilitate discussions around sexuality and gender identity. He is one of the founders of Charm City Boys (CCB), Baltimore’s premier drag king and gender performance troupe. He continues to serve as a producer for CCB. He was also part of a successful endeavor to secure Baltimore as the host city for the International Drag King Extravaganza (IDKE), which will be held October 20-24, 2010.
Smith serves on the steering committee for IDKE, as well as in several other community organizing positions including media work for Team Trans and on the planning team for the Gender Justice Collective. He has also worked with Best Buddies International for six years. Best Buddies matches volunteers with people with intellectual disabilities.
"We are thrilled to have found someone with Owen’s work ethic and genuine commitment to cultivating partnerships and building strong grassroots programs,” added Meneses-Sheets.
Owen also comes to Equality Maryland with advocacy experience. He testified in both the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate on behalf of the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act. He was also part of the efforts to halt the implementation of a dangerous policy change in the Motor Vehicle Administration’s policy on changing the gender marker on state driver’s licenses.
When asked about his new position Smith said, "I am passionate about celebrating and sustaining gender justice and equality. I am also interested in examining the intersectionality of gender, race, and sexual orientation to make connections within all social justice communities."
Mr. Smith’s appointment is effective on March 19th. The organization is already beginning to plan an event to welcome him and provide the LGBT community with an opportunity to really engage with the advocate charged with advancing policies to enhance protections available to transgender Marylanders.
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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.
Equality Maryland can be found online at www.equalitymaryland.org.