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PHOTOS / FOTOS

LEGAL NOTE:
Concept, image, logos, names, documents & contents, and all related versions thereof are the property of Unity Coalition of Florida, Inc., and cannot be used or reproduced without prior written authorization of the Unity Coalition Board of Directors.

Unity Coalition, Unity Coalition of Miami-Dade, Coalicion Unida, Coalicion Unida de Miami-Dade, Unity Coalition of Sara-Mana,
Coalicion Unida de Sara-Mana, Miami Masquerade Ball, Generacion Q, and Gen Q are tregistered to Unity Coalition of Florida.
All rights reserved, 2007

Write us - Escribanos:

786-356-1665 786-271-6982 www.unitycoalition.org
www.coalicionunida.org

2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / LOGROS DEL 2007

KNOW YOUR LATINO/HISPANIC HISTORY / CONOZCA SU HISTORIA LATINA/HISPANA

KNOW YOUR GAY HISTORY / CONOZCA SU HISTORIA GAY

KNOW YOUR LEGISLATORS / CONOZCA SUS LEGISLADORES

HELP UC WITH YOUR DONATION / AYUDENOS CON SU DONACION

AMBIENTE - LATINO/HISPANIC LGBTQ E-MAGAZINE / REVISTA LATINA LGBTQ CYBERNETICA

MIAMI MASQUERADE BALL / GALA DE MASCARAS

2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS / JUNTA DIRECTIVA

EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES / OPORTUNIDADES DE EMPLEO Y DE VOLUNTARIO

2004 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / LOGROS DEL 2004

2003 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / LOGROS DEL 2003

2002 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / LOGROS DEL 2002

2006-07 HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE for needy children & those living with HIV/AIDS
/ COLECTA DE JUGETES DEL 2006-07

UNITY COALITION/COALICION UNIDA
is fighting against Hatred & Discrimination in our community

Estamos luchando contra el odio y la discriminacion en nuestra comunidad
Si es Latino/Hispano, Gay, Lesbiana,o Inmigrante Illegal, contactenos...NO ESTAS SOLO

If you are Latino/Hispanic, Gay, Lesbian or Illegal Immigrant, contact us...
YOU'RE NOT ALONE

2005 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / LOGROS DEL 2005

Herb Sosa - President herb@unitycoalition.org

COMMUNITY RESOURCES / RECURSOS COMUNITARIOS LOCAL / NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL

PRESS RELEASES / COMUNICADOS DE PRENSA

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE / COMITE DE ACCION POLITICA

UNITY COALITION/COALICION UNIDA is Florida's leading Latino/Hispanic gay civil-rights nonprofit initiative, offering leadership on issues that concern Latino/Hispanic LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) and other minority groups

UNITY COALITION/COALICION UNIDA es una iniciativa sin fines de lucros y lider en la Florida en defender los derechos civiles de la comunidad latina/hispana LGBT
(lesbianas, gay, bisexual, transgenero), ofreciendo liderazgo en asuntos
concernientes a este y otros grupos minoritarios

No hay caminos hacia la libertad,
La Libertad es el camino. - M. Gandhi

2006 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / LOGROS DEL 2006

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMITTEE
APPROVES DOMESTIC PARTNER ORDINANCE!

Miami-Dade County Economic Development & Human Services Committee Approves DP Ordinance For Full Commission Vote

Miami, FL ., April 16, 2008 - In a 3 to 1 vote this morning the Miami-Dade County Economic Development and Human Services Committee approved to send the Domestic Partners and Family Health Coverage Ordinance out of committee for review and final vote before the entire Miami-Dade County Commission.

The committee voted as follows:

Audrey M. Edmonson (3) Chair: ABSENT
Katy Sorenson (8) Vice Chair: YES
Barbara J. Jordan (1): YES
Dennis C. Moss (9): YES
Javier D. Souto (10): NO

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 6, 2008 for the final reading and vote of this ordinance when it goes before the entire Miami-Dade County Commission.

Thank you to all of our supporters for your time and efforts on behalf of this ordinance. We will continue to keep you informed until this ordinance is passed into law.

DOMESTIC PARTNER REGISTRY / REGISTRO PARA PAREJAS DOMESTICAS

VOTER REGISTRATION / REGISTRO DE VOTANTE

Say No 2 taking away existing benefits and legal protections.

Say No 2 hurting Florida's seniors who are unmarried by choice.

Say No 2 eliminating shared health care and pension benefits.

Say No 2 someone else deciding who can visit you in the hospital.

Say No 2 more government intrusion into our private lives.

With today's ruling, California becomes the first state to provide full legal equality to the LGBT population.

Unity Coalition urges ALL FLORIDIANS to VOTE NO ON 2 in November

May 15, 2008... Earlier today the California Supreme Court ruled that same sex couples have the right to marry in that state. This is a historic day for all Americans, especially LGBT the community.

Since California is the largest state in the nation with 12% of the nation's population, this victory today means many Americans now have equal legal rights. Unfortunately, LGBT Californians are not yet recognized as equal under the law by the federal government because the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prohibits the federal government from recognizing same sex marriages approved in states. Also the federal government forbids all gays and lesbians, including Californians, from serving openly in the US military.

This victory today is at risk because there is a ballot initiative this November in California to amend the state constitution by defining marriage as between one man and one woman. If passed, this constitutional amendment would essentially overturn today's Supreme Court decision. It is a top priority for all of us, not just Californians, to protect the equality that the California Supreme Court provided today.

Massachusetts, which had made history as the first and - until today - the only state in which same-sex couples are treated equally under the law, received national support to protect their marriage equality. Now the priority shifts to protecting marriage equality in California.

New Jersey may pass legislation for marriage equality within a year. If signed by Governor Corzine, as expected, then New Jersey would join California as the only other state to provide full legal equality to its LGBTQ population, in marriage, employment, housing, finance, hate crimes, adoption, transgender rights and rights for LGBTQ youth.

Massachusetts could join California as a full equality state if transgender rights were provided.

In the months and years ahead there continues to be a lot of work to be done. A top priority is to preserve marriage equality in California by defeating the discriminatory ballot initiative this November.

Unity Coalition/Coalici�n Unida opposes the efforts by some to force discrimination and hatred into the Florida Constitution by adopting the so-called �Marriage Preservation Amendment.� A ballot initiative to amend the Florida Constitution to limit the definition of marriage and prevent the recognition of civil unions or other marriage equivalents, all in the name of marriage sanctity, will be voted on by Floridians this November. What this proposed amendment will do is to hurt all couples, not just same-sex couples, but any other domestic arrangement, even those between male-female couples. Unmarried persons living in partnership, whether gay or straight, could find themselves barred from hospital visitation, employee benefits, child custody, financial duties to children, public assistance, the ability to transfer property, tax exemptions, and other ways of protecting each other from financial harm, organ donations and burial.

Americans believe that gay and lesbian couples should have access to some forms of legal protection in their relationships.

Opposing this amendment will not force any religious organization to recognize gay and lesbian unions. These matters of church doctrine have always been protected, and will continue to be protected without this unnecessary addition to our Constitution.

The Florida Constitution is the source of our rights as Floridians, not the source for limiting or denying rights or discriminating against our citizens.
The proposed so-called Marriage Preservation Amendment to the Florida Constitution is unnecessary, hurtful and is a violation of all Floridians civil rights.

Unity Coalition urges all Floridians around the state to refuse to join this mean-spirited attempt to discriminate against a group of people & their families and urge voters to Vote No on Amendment 2, which will be on the November ballot. Amendment 2 is also known as the "same sex marriage ban"
amendment, but it's consequences and effects will harm ALL unmarried couples in Florida, whether they're gay or not.. We are all equal and deserve the same rights and opportunities in our State.

Visit www.sayno2.com for more info.

UNITY COALITION APPLAUDS THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT FOR THEIR RULING THAT SAME SEX COUPLES HAVE THE RIGHT TO MARRY
Every couple in a loving and committed relationship deserves this support and dignity.
According to a report from UCLA�s Williams Project, there are over 90,000 same-sex couples living in California with Latinos comprising 25% of these. Latino same-sex couples are also more likely than any other ethnic group to be raising children, it is estimated that there are over 30,000 Latino children being raised in same-sex led households.

UNITY COALITION/COALICION UNIDA CELEBRA LA DECISION DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE CALIFORNIA POR LA IGUALDAD EN EL MATRIMONIO CIVIL
Toda pareja tendr� la oportunidad de recibir el apoyo y la dignidad que merecen.

Seg�n el censo del 2000, en California se estima que hay mas de 90 mil parejas del mismo sexo con el 25 por ciento de estas siendo Latinas. Las parejas Latinas del mismos sexo son mas propensas que cualquier otro grupo �tnico a estar criando ni�os en sus hogares. Actualmente se estima que mas de 30 mil ni�os latinos tienen como padres a parejas del mismo sexo.

CLICK HERE to see where your state ranks on LGBT Rights.

LGBT RIGHTS BY STATE / DERECHOS POR ESTADO