Local LGBT advocacy group Equality Pennsylvania has formed a unique partnership with the nation’s largest LGBT organization to fuel both statewide and national education and action on issues. EQPA announced last week that it is joining forces with the Human Rights Campaign with the hiring of a staffer who will work on behalf of both organizations to promote GBT equality.
Allyson Diane Hamm, who is based in Allentown, will serve as EQPA and HRC’s statewide organizer for Pennsylvania, conducting outreach to all four corners of the state to generate support for national and state-level pro-LGBT legislation. Paul Guequierre, HRC communications director, said the EQPA relationship marks the organization’s only current formal partnership with a state LGBT group, although a similar endeavor was employed with One Iowa several years ago. Ted Martin, EQPA executive director, said HRC reached out to his organization shortly after he took the helm of the group earlier this year to discuss options for collaboration. HRC president Joe Solmonese said EQPA’s recent organizational development made the agency a viable partner for the national agency. “We are extremely excited to join Equality Pennsylvania in their great work for fairness,” Solmonese said. “EQPA clearly knows its mission and has recently undergone significant changes aimed at making it a truly effective state LGBT civil-rights organization. We recognize the importance of those changes and we look forward to working with them to make equality a reality in Pennsylvania.” Hamm, an out member of the LGBT community, is currently the vice-chair of the Allentown Human Relations Commission and vice president of the Unitarian Universalist Church’s LGBT group Interweave. She previously served as president of Pride of the Greater Lehigh Valley and as the regional coordinator for the Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Alliance. Hamm’s salary will be paid jointly by EQPA and HRC. She will work out of EQPA’s Lehigh Valley office when it opens, but will travel frequently throughout the state. Hamm will focus on garnering public support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act — as well as for state measures like House Bill 300, legislation currently before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that seeks to ban LGBT discrimination — and encourage residents to contact their lawmakers about these issues. She will also spearhead a specific outreach initiative for communities of faith. With the election now just weeks away, Hamm also will urge residents to get out to the polls and support pro-LGBT candidates. “I think it’s important to have an outreach person who works throughout Pennsylvania for that increased level of involvement and interest with the issues like nondiscrimination,” Martin said. “We need to make sure our elected officials know not just that discrimination is wrong, but that there are people in this state that need them to take up their responsibility to pass laws that remedy the situation.” Hamm said her years of LGBT advocacy have prepared her for the myriad new responsibilities she’s taking on with the position. “I’ve been doing queer advocacy for over 10 years. It’s a personal passion,” she said. “I’ve done grassroots campaign work, work for candidates and work for equal rights, and GLBT rights have always been one of my biggest concerns. I’m very excited to be able to do this now in a staff position where I can dedicate more time and be even more effective with more backing and capability.” Hamm is currently seeking volunteers and interns to assist in the outreach effort, and she and EQPA will be hitting the streets at OutFest next weekend to enlist supporters. “I want to get out and meet as many people as possible,” she said. “We’re going to need help doing phone banks and other things, and I’m really looking to meet a lot of people in Philadelphia who want to get involved.” To volunteer for EQPA, contact Hamm at [email protected] or (215) 731-1447. Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].