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By Jesse Monteagudo
In my more than 25 years as a gay activist, I've met more than my share
of memorable characters. One of the most memorable is Nadine Smith
of Tampa, Florida. Floridians know her as the Executive Director and lobbyist for
Equality Florida (EQFL), "a state-wide organization that works to achieve
social, political and economic justice and that is dedicated to ending
oppression based on sexual orientation, race, class and gender."
A graduate of the University of South Florida (1987), Nadine intended to become a journalist but became an activist instead: "I think that the same thing that draws people to reporting actually can draw them to politics. . . . You have the desire to find out why things are wrong, and initially you want to report on them. Eventually you try to fix them," she once told a reporter. The first openly lesbian, African-American to run for City Council in Tampa (1991), she was also the youngest member of the Democratic National Committee and co-chair of the lesbian/gay caucus (1992). Activists outside of Florida know Smith as co-chair of the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation and as a vocal, though reluctant, critic of this year's feeble successor. She has since taken on another role, that of Co-Chair of the Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Statewide Advocacy Organizations. At a time when many look towards our national organizations to solve all our problems, Smith remains a firm believer in grassroots activism: "The way to change our communities is neighbor to neighbor, one person at a time," she once said. "Too many people are wondering how they can become the Martin Luther King, Jr. for our movement when we are in desperate need of a million Rosa Parks. . . . I was part of the first gay delegation to meet in the Oval Office with President Clinton. Sure, it was a historic moment but I still came home to a state where I can be fired, denied housing and barred from adopting because of my sexual orientation; where sodomy laws remain on the books and gay kids are still threatened, beat up and harassed in schools." Taking time from her busy schedule to answer some of my questions, Nadine repeated this basic theme: "I grew up in Panama City, Florida. I love this place and I want to make it a safe home for me and for those who come after," she tells me. The Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Statewide Advocacy Organizations is part of this grassroots activism that is so much a part of Nadine's agenda.
"I got involved after receiving a call from a state organizer I had worked with during the March on Washington in 1993. She told me about this emerging group that was getting together to strategize about how to organize effectively at the state level. I believe that strong statewide organizing has been the missing link in our movement so I was excited at the prospect", she says. "I believe that a movement must have strong local and state organizing structures to build lasting change. Since 1995 the country has witnessed a dramatic shift of power from the federal governments to the state legislature. As a consequence, attempts to pass federal remedies remain bottlenecked and the battle to end homophobia has shifted increasingly to the states." "Despite this reality, state organizing remains severely under-researched, under-resourced and under-staffed. Only a handful of state LGBT state groups have annual budgets of over $100,000. Many state groups currently depend on volunteers with other full-time jobs to serve as organization staff. “Federation-member groups often lack even the basic components of an organizational infrastructure such as a phone line, fax machine, and a computer. These problems are even more exacerbated in rural states where low population densities and distances between population centers create poor communication and a feeling of isolation between members. "The Federation has become the main vehicle for helping state groups to address these issues. One of the most valuable roles the Federation has played in strengthening statewide organizing has been the networking opportunities afforded to state activists. “Long-lasting relationships formed between LGBT state group leaders have facilitated the exchange of critical ideas and information on successful organizing, lobbying, and fundraising models existing in other states. These relationships have been critical in helping to end the all-too-pervasive feelings of isolation state LGBT political leaders often experience when trying to build coalitions and advance pro-LGBT education and advocacy work in their states." The Federation's most visible project to date is 1999's "Equality Begins At Home", a series of lobby days, marches and rallied held in all 50 state capitals, the District of Columbia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Looking back, Nadine notes that EBAH "helped focus peoples' attention on what is happening and what is possible at the state level. EBAH gave birth to several state organization's. Arkansas is one of those groups and their lead organizer (Anne Shelley) now serves along with me as co-chair of the Federation." I attended Florida's EBAH rally in Tallahassee, where I was impressed by all the college students, and other young LGBT people, who were in attendance. Was that EBAH's greatest achievement? "I think if you look at any significant movement for change in society, youth leadership is at its core. There is a tremendous amount of vision and energy on campuses that has really driven and infused our work in Florida. We've worked with local youth organizations, campus groups and youth leaders to convene trainings and workshops and to increase youth participation in national conferences. We hope to build on it with a strong internship program that provides substantial work for students to shape." On July 20 the Federation had its fourth annual meeting in New Orleans. At that time, the Federation's board approved "a five-year strategic plan designed to strengthen and diversify LGBT advocacy groups in every state". "We're excited about the prospects the strategic plan holds for moving statewide organizations forward," said Nadine Smith, in her capacity as Federation Co-Chair. "Since the Federation's inception in 1996, statewide LGBT organizations have grown and changed and, consequently, their needs have changed. This strategic plan will effectively address the challenges ahead for the next decade of state LGBT advocacy work." What will the Federation do to implement that strategic plan? "A big part of the plan [Nadine tells me] involves strengthening regional interaction. For example, Georgia Equality Projects director will be visiting Florida looking at our programs and infrastructure this month and we will be heading to Atlanta to do the same. There are no doubt things they are doing better, faster and smarter than we are and vice versa. By being able to rely on each other and glean useful strategies and systems we don't waste time reinventing the wheel. “Even more than that, I'm excited at the prospect of working together on projects from anti-violence and workplace discrimination efforts to safe school and domestic partnership organizing. There is a lack of strong polling and research data in the South to assist in the work we do. By forming strong regional networks we can not only share resources, but pool them and access tools that would be out of reach by ourselves." Among the assets that Nadine Smith takes to the Federation are years of experience with Equality Florida. She is rightly proud of EQFL, and agrees that the group is "a model in many ways as we continue to improve as a statewide organization." At the same time, "we've also learned a great deal from the work our peers have done well. One of the things I really respect about the groups in the Federation is everyone's willingness to share the failures as well. Those can be more valuable than the success stories." As a Florida resident since 1964, I view my home state as a mixed-bag as far as the LGBT movement is concerned. While we have some progressive areas - the Southeast Coast, Gainesville, Tampa--the rest of the state and the state government itself are horrible. Living near the center of the state, Nadine does not see things the same way: "I wouldn't paint with such a broad brush", she tells me. "I think the areas we consider more progressive are the areas where people have stood up over time and changed the mind-set. Local activists in Tallahassee got the school board to adopt a anti-discrimination policy and the city council to pass a fair housing law that includes sexual orientation and the transgender community. “Smaller communities are beginning to address issues most of us would have thought impossible just a few years ago. Instead of fleeing to the big cities, many, many people are staying in their small hometown and others are planting roots in more rural parts of the state and are fighting the good fight. Equality Florida exists to support the work of local activists, to help strengthen those local efforts and to provide a way for all of us to work together collectively at the state level." On July 22, EQFL held a well-attended, Leadership Roundtable on Miami Beach. Activists from Tallahassee to Key West "discussed and strategized about the elections and legislative agenda for next session. Groups shared their organizational priorities. Many of the groups that attend the Statewide Roundtable find others doing similar organizing that they can copy or improve upon. The roundtable serves all of the resource and information sharing purposes as the Federation but on a state level." In an interview with The Nation, Nadine Smith told journalist Doug Ireland that "every gay group has to measure its success by how it strengthens local groups - if someone belongs to Equality Florida and not to their local group, then we've failed in our mission." Events like the Leadership Roundtable, she tells me, help "build a relationship of mutual support and respect" between EQFL and local LGBT organizations. "The Roundtable provides a means of setting our organizational priorities so they are not out of touch with the community. I believe people understand the necessity of a strong statewide organization that enhances local and state work. We've been pleased with the support we've gotten from every corner of the state. “I believe Florida is blessed with some incredibly bright and courageous activists at the local level. We see Equality Florida as the tool to bring all of that talent together to improve the entire state, to be proactive in achieving fairness and equality and to safeguard the gains we have made locally." For years Nadine Smith served as EQFL's lobbyist in Tallahassee, dealing with a not-always friendly State Legislature. In 1999, EQFL hired a lobbying firm to push for a Domestic Partnership Bill that Rep. Tracy Stafford (D-Wilton Manors) introduced in the Legislature. Though the Bill failed, Nadine remains upbeat: "I've seen a significant shift in the level of awareness of our issues in those three years that is heartening despite the bleak political landscape in Tallahassee. “We have to be visible and vocal and organized to have an impact. Each year we are stronger in all of those categories. Working with local activists, legislative analysts and our political allies, we are still crafting the strategy for next session. I plan on being back in Tallahassee and we are fundraising with the goal of hiring a lobbying firm again this year." Like other groups, EQFL will play a part in the upcoming elections: "Equality Florida has for the past several years been registering and identifying voters. Our task now is to get the more than 100,000 supportive voters we and our allies have identified to the polls in November. From the Presidential elections to the state legislature and county commission seats races will be won and lost by razor thin margins. The LGBT community has the voting power to decide critical races in Florida. We will be mailing and phone banking and working closely with our local network partners to mobilize for November." Though Nadine Smith's work with the Federation and EQFL might deter a lesser individual, she remains quite happy with her job(s): "I love the work I'm doing and the people I get to work with. I'd like to see Equality Florida and all of the local groups we work with get stronger and even more effective. I believe we can be proud of how well we've worked together across a large and very diverse state. We are increasingly a powerful model for organizing for other states. I believe that the Federation can play that role nationally and I'd like to do what I can to help that happen." For more information about Equality Florida write 1222 S. Dale Mabry, #652, Tampa, FL 33629; phone 813-870-3735; Fax: 813-870-1499; or e-mail eqfl@eqfl.org |
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