The Referendum Page

A Call to Be Progressive, a Call to Action
Progressive Voters in Action is working to elect progressive people to political office
by Alejandro Morua

We at OutSmart feel the campaign for a city nondiscrimination ordinance is of vital importance. Not simply one of many issues passing by clamoring for our attention, this undertaking deserves the focus of the entire LGBT and progressive community. In the months between now and this November, when the ordinance will likely be presented to citizens for a referendum vote, we will be devoting an ongoing page to this gay rights’ issue, inviting the leaders to write, and covering the many aspects of this crucial campaign.

Imagine a place where progressive people are achieving real power. A place where a Latina activist dyke professor works alongside a middle-aged white fourth-generation-Houstonian attorney and a young Indian social work student to elect a straight African-American woman to office who supports gay rights. Are we in San Francisco? New York City?

Not even close, y’all: Welcome to the world of Progressive Voters in Action in Houston, Texas. PVA is a grassroots, community-building organization working to identify progressive voters and mobilize them to vote–so progressive people can win. Period.

In the next two years, our community faces the very real threat of three antigay ballot measures. PVA, along with People for a Fair Houston, is leading the fight to stop each of these divisive measures in its tracks.

First, Houstonians for Family Values, led by the hard-right Dave Wilson, is proposing to amend the City Charter to prevent City Council from passing a domestic partners health benefits ordinance or providing workplace protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Second, social conservatives are threatening to repeal a nondiscrimination ordinance for LGBT city employees being advanced by Mayor Brown and Council Member Annise Parker. (In 1985, the radical right repealed a similar ordinance by a margin of 4 to 1.) Both of these items may appear on this November’s ballot.

Finally, these same conservatives are promising a referendum battle in November 2002, when the mayor and Parker bring the issue of domestic partner benefits back to the Council table.

In addition to the ballot measure campaigns, PVA is also working to re-elect Annise Parker to Houston City Council. Keeping Parker on Council is essential to protect and advance civil rights legislation important to all fair-minded Houstonians. PVA is also working to elect Ada Edwards to Houston City Council District D. Edwards is an outstanding African-American community activist. Working with Edwards is an opportunity for coalition building between the LGBT and African-American communities.

PVA is a goal-oriented organization slavishly committed to measurable results. One of our goals for 2001 is to increase our list to 50,000 progressive voters–a job that will take several thousand volunteers working three-hour shifts through November 6, Election Day.

PVA’s success directly affects the quality of life for our community. Working together, we empower our volunteers to achieve real political change. Since January, PVA has added over 4,000 voters to its list, and is building to adding 4,000 voters each month. But we cannot meet our goals and defeat the radical right at the ballot box without your help!

To help, contact PVA at 713/521-7161 or provoter@Lconn.com. We run phone banks Sunday through Thursday from 6—9 p.m., and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m.—noon. Or, come out on Saturdays from 9 a.m.—noon and walk blocks with us as we talk to voters at their doors. We’re waiting for your call!

Alejandro Morua is executive director of Progressive Voters in Action, which he co-founded in August 1999, along with Grant Martin, Annise Parker’s campaign manager. Morua has been an activist presence nationally, volunteering on the Florida SAVEDade campaign, where he organized 300 volunteers to talk with 5,000 voters, as well as traveling to Oregon last year to help coordinate the fight against a sweeping antigay ballot measure. Morua graduated from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, and worked for Halliburton and Chase Bank prior to running a nonprofit organization.