 DEPA Still Supports Steve Rowe for Governor —
Long-term DEPA supporter, Steve Rowe will be attending this December event! You may recall that DEPA endorsed Steve’s run for Governor back in June. While some people thought it was premature, Steve’s leadership & commitment to marriage equality over this summer & fall made it clear to us that we made the right choice! Unlike other gubernatorial candidates, Steve was very vocal in his support: signing editorials, posting on Facebook & sending emails to all of his supporters encouraging their NO vote on Question 1.
But this wasn’t all. He also manned the phones & knocked on doors, and in one case to his own political detriment. The day after passage of Question 1, when we were all feeling incredible sadness, Steve sent out this message.
While it didn’t take away the sorrow in our hearts, it did take away a little of the sting. Then, he appeared & marched in solidarity with us at the Portland rally. Steve has been there over & over again for the GLBT community, not just for this fight but for many others. For this & so many other reasons, we hope that you’ll continue to support him in his bid for Governor. This is exactly the kind of leadership we need! For more information, visit www.roweforgovernor.com.
Portland Phoenix— Sid Tripp, Co-Founder of The DownEast Pride Alliance, is asked by the Portland Phoenix the possible outcomes of the recent November vote to overturn Maine's gay marriage initiative. November 13-19, 2009 edition:
Maine Sunday Telegram/Portland Press Herald — DEPA is featured in the Business Section of the Sunday, August 30, 2009 edition:
It's the one-year anniversary of the DownEast Pride Alliance (DEPA)! Let's reflect on what we have accomplished during this time.
We have been overwhelmed by all of the support received from the finest gay & gay-friendly businesses in greater Portland! The most meaningful part being your positive feedback. Your appreciation has truly touched us, as some of you have indicated an increase in your businesses or have found or filled jobs. Even our nonprofit friends have told us know that the free promotions & networking have been extremely helpful.
Through our alliance, we have showcased the importance & power of gay & gay-friendly Business Networking in the media, as well as through numerous Internet sites. Thanks to everyone's hard work, our support continues to grow each month!
At this historic time, it gives us great pleasure to announce our endorsement of Steve Rowe, who is running for Governor of the State of Maine. As the former Attorney General, Steve has a long history of being a strong advocate for the LGBTQ community. He whole-heartedly supports marriage equality & will work to defeat any repeal efforts. He was critical for us in winning gay adoption and is also a huge supporter of our small business community. At our first event, Steve was with us supporting DEPA at the Portland Harbor Hotel. It is only fitting that he will be with us celebrating our anniversary. For more information, visit www.roweforgovernor.com.
 "We are at a critical time in the LGBT community with both the struggles with our economy & the fight for marriage equality. Here are some of the reasons why we started DEPA.
At least 80% of all wealth in the United States is acquired through owning a business. A large majority of small business owners that attend are working 10-12 hours a day and cannot even afford health insurance. It seems like every day another LGBT business is closing their doors or someone is being laid off. According to our latest Facebook report, approximately 60% of our attendees are under the age of 45 with 55% being female. There are no laws in place to protect businesses from discrimination because of being gay. It's perfectly acceptable for a large company never to use a gay vendor.
DEPA was started to encourage each other to do business within our own community. Many in the LGBT community do not have the same access to the traditional social outlets for business like the golf club, the regular chamber of commerce or the fishing buddies ... good ole boys network. Or they may be newer to this area and do not even have the long-standing relationships in the gay community. With the current economic conditions many may be closing their doors. This is a critical time to support not only marriage but also the LGBT business community. Many of these businesses have been generously donating to LGBT organizations for years."
DEPA Co-Sponsor
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