PFLAG is participating in the Our Families Count (www.ourfamiliescount.org) campaign, a new voluntary public education initiative promoting LGBT visibility and participation in next year’s U.S. Census. The 2010 Census is a huge opportunity to collect data about LGBT people in the U.S. and increasing participation is critical.

Campaign leaders are looking for great photos of same-sex couples and their families to help increase visibility. Read the information below to get the full details. If you’re interested, contact information is at the end of the message. Please forward this to your chapters, family, and friends!

THE NEED: America’s same-sex couples and families to volunteer their photo image or likeness/story for LGBT Outreach and Education Campaign for U.S. Census 2010 and for Our Families Count (collaborative LGBT nonprofit campaign).

SPECIFICALLY: In public education posters, online, and especially in digital and visual media, we need to make same-sex couples and their families visible to others and to share a positive glimpse of their lives – especially to educate all LGBT community and allies about the importance of responding to their Census form.

WHAT KINDS OF COUPLES/FAMILIES:
• All are invited, especially diverse same-sex couples – all races, ethnicity/nationalities, genders, ages, physical ability, geography, backgrounds.
• Couples with and without children being raised in their homes.

WHAT WE NEED:
• An existing high-res digital photo image (strongly prefer color photos) of the couple/family in a home or community setting.
• Strongly prefer naturalist or non-studio settings that show the couple or family relaxed and at ease where they live.
• We are focused on truthful, accurate and authentic portrayals of our LGBT families and households.
• Willingness to share some comments/facts about their family – and potentially also to take part in future media interviews, if available and interested.
• Sign a basic waiver/release to freely and respectfully allow the use their first names, images and story with LGBT audiences nationally for this public education campaign.

WHEN DO WE NEED IT?

Right away.

DIRECT CONTACTS:
Bob Witeck, Washington DC (202-887-0500 ext. 19 and bwiteck@witeckcombs.com
OR
Che Tabisola-Ruddell, Washington DC (202-294-6915 cell) and che@agtaward.org