Join MATT FOREMAN FOR LECTURE SERIES ABOUT SEXUAL OREINTATION AND THE LAW

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY TO HOST MATT FOREMAN FOR LECTURE SERIES ABOUT SEXUAL OREINTATION AND THE LAW

Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to speak on LGBT issues

 

The third Goodwin Speaker from the series entitled "30 Years After Anita Bryant's Crusade: The Continuing Role of Morality in the Development of Legal Rights for Sexual Minorities", Matt Foreman, will speak to the to the public in LL on Tuesday, November 6 from 6-7, with a reception to follow.  A reception with drinks and food and where you can meet Matt Foreman will follow the public presentation.  The speaking event and reception are open to the public and free, and they will both take place at the law center.

Matt Foreman is the Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and has been a prominent LGBT activist for the past decade.  We are very lucky to have Matt visiting us now because he has been at the forefront of the debate regarding the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).  If passed, ENDA would be a federal law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in employment.  Matt Foreman and Congressman Barney Frank have been having a very public debate on whether the act should also include gender identity (which would protect transgender individuals).  Matt Foreman has been a big proponent of including gender identity. You can read more about his position at http://www.bilerico.com/2007/10/all_of_us_every_one_of_us.php.  

Matt was also instrumental in the fight against Mayor Naugle this past summer.  He organized national groups to sign a letter denouncing the mayor's comments.  He also spoke at the Unity Rally we held in July.  Matt is likely to talk about a wide range of issues involving LGBT individuals and morality.

Our last two Goodwin speakers (David Mixner and Suzanne Goldberg) have been well-received by the public and the Nova community, and our third speaker should continue the interest.  If you were not able to attend the lectures, go to http://www.nsulaw.nova.edu/goodwin/  to view them online.  For directions to the law center at Nova, go to http://www.nova.edu/cwis/campusmaps/maincampus.html

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Matt Foreman's Bio:

Matt Foreman has been executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force since May 2003, and has worked for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights for 25 years. During his tenure, the Task Force's budget and staff have doubled, to over $9 million and over 50, respectively; more than $2 million has been awarded to state and local LGBT organizations; the organization's public profile has increased significantly; and two new departments, including one focused on federal affairs, have been launched.

Foreman came to the Task Force from the Empire State Pride Agenda, where he served as executive director from 1997. The Pride Agenda is the nation's largest statewide lesbian and gay political advocacy and civil rights organization. During his tenure, the Pride Agenda was the driving force behind a statewide law banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (2003); a law increasing penalties for hate-motivated violence, including crimes against LGBT people (2000); a law repealing the consensual sodomy statute (2000); four laws extending equal benefits to surviving domestic partners of those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (2002), and the state appropriating $11.8 million specifically for LGBT (non-HIV) health and human services (unique in nation) (1998-2002).

From 1990 to 1996, Foreman served as executive director of New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), building it into the nation's leading LGBT crime victim assistance agency. Foreman used aggressive case advocacy and street activism to focus attention on hate violence, organizing anti-violence marches and demonstrations in all boroughs of the city. His leadership has been credited with galvanizing the community's response to a surge in hate violence in the early 90's and forcing the police department to devote significantly greater resources to the crisis. AVP also led the Hate Crimes Bill Coalition, a diverse coalition of more than 100 organizations working to pass a meaningful hate crimes law in New York state.

Foreman is a founder of Heritage of Pride (organizers of New York City's lesbian and gay pride events), where he originated many hallmarks of the annual celebration, including the lavender line down 5th Avenue, the moment of silence in memory of those lost to AIDS, and the annual "Dance on the Pier" and fireworks display. He also served for many years on the board of Dignity/NY, an organization of LGBT Catholics.

He is a 1982 graduate of New York University School of Law, where he was president of the Student Bar Association and a lead organizer of the 1979 national conference "Law and the Fight for Gay Rights." He graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1976, where he was president of the student body and an anti-strip mining activist.

Foreman has been recognized for his work by many groups, including Out, HX and New York magazines, the Anti-Violence Project, the Log Cabin Republicans, Gay & Lesbian Independent Democrats, the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims, the Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Greater New York, Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and the Greenwich Village Chamber of Commerce. He was male Grand Marshal of New York City 's annual pride march in 2001. Foreman is a member of the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

Foreman lives with his partner of 16 years, Francisco De Leon, in Manhattan . His parents reside in Ten Sleep , Wyoming .