I was very disappointed when I learned that the Task Force endorsed an anti-lesbian petition against the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. The Task Force should stand with lesbians, not engage in tactics to batter lesbians who understand how we are oppressed because we are female. I will not give them any more money.
The Task Force seems to be the only highly-rated organization focused strictly on fighting anti-LGBT initiatives. This is critical work. I don't have enough knowledge of the organization to give a rating, so I'm just reiterating Charity Navigator's rating.
Review from CharityNavigator
The Task Force completley transformed my ideas of activism and gave me the best opportunity I've had so far to truly create change in my community. I wouldn't trade my experience with Task Force folks for the world. I learned so much!!
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is America's premier activist organization working for LGBT rights across the country. The work NGLTF does, in conjunction with other national, state, and local organizations, provides our best offense against discrimination. Through real campaigns about issues that matter, the victories won by NGLTF help change our country and world into a better place for queer individuals, couples, and families.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is an amazing organization. I met them in 2005 when they were ran a training for a campaign I was volunteering with. In that first weekend I worked with them I learned so much; about myself, what I aspired to, and how to be a significant part of a campaign. I was inspired as I have never been inspired before. Since they I have worked on a professional level with the Task Force on many campaigns across they county. They continue to support me, teach me, inspire me, and make me strive for the quality of organizing they always exemplify. The NGLTF has had a huge impact on my personal and professional life more than any other organization I have ever come in contact with.
Never have I seen so many extraordinarily competent, hard-working, motivated, and effective people come out of an activist organization. Thank you for all of the hard work you do to bring equality for the LGBT community. I worked with Trystan Reese in California for the No on Prop 8 campaign. I never fashioned myself as an activist, but he made me feel so at home right from the start. He knew how to motivate and train grassroots leaders, giving us the tools we needed to really make a difference. Truly a phenomenal experience to work with him and his staff.
My experience with The Task Force has been nothing short of amazing. Very obviously, everyone I met from The Task Force is amazingly dedicated, talented, and hard-working. They know how to support groups and individuals, to help plant the seeds of grass-roots organizing that not only gets volunteers involved, but brings them to the forefront of the movement itself. Through working with The Task Force, I have not simply spent time working for something I support, but learned how to effectively focus my energy and passion to creating change. Rather than simply joining a movement, The Task Force has empowered me to help lead it. Because of this, I have become a better leader, a more focused worker, and gained confidence in all areas of my life, not just while working for marriage equality.
40% of homeless youth in the United States identify as LGBTQ, this is an issue our community cannot ignore. As a formerly homeless queer youth and now as the editor of the forthcoming ‘Kicked Out’ anthology (Homofactus Press, October 2009) I’ve had the pleasure to work closely with The Task Force to raise awareness about the epidemic of LGBTQ youth homelessness. ‘ Kicked Out’ brings together the voices of current and former homeless LGBTQ youth ranging in age from youth currently on the streets to people who have been out for decades. The foreword for ‘Kicked Out’ has been written by Judy Shepard (mother of Matthew Shepard) and the anthology includes the perspective of leading local, regional, and national organizations including The Task Force. For decades the needs of homeless youth have systematically been ignored, however the Task Force has shown that they are not afraid of tackling difficult issues, and that they are willing and ready to put the needs of homeless LGBTQ youth at the forefront. The Task Force has given us the most comprehensive data about the prevalence of queer youth homelessness and led the charge to raise awareness about this epidemic. I feel honored to include an excerpt of their ground breaking 2007 report ‘Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender youth: An Epidemic of Homelessness’ within the anthology, and to have had the continued pleasure of working with them to end the epidemic. In solidarity, Sassafras -- Sassafras Lowrey SassafrasLowrey@gmail.com www.PoMoFreakshow.com www.KickedOutAnthology.com Author of: Kicked Out GSA to Marriage: Stories of a Life Lived Queerly
Volunteering for the Decline to Sign campaign and then being a super volunteer for the No on 8 campaign was very eye-opening to me. It helped me better understand the community I live in and the dynamics of running a local vote drive.
I've seen the Task Force take a wonderful role in Miami, Florida with Amendment 2, in Portland, Maine at the Power Summit and working for marriage equality, and now in Cleveland, Ohio with Ask Cleveland. I personally love that they sent a staffer to help me take on my new role as a Field Director with Ask Cleveland, and I'd be totally overwhelmed without their help (Thanks, Trystan!). They work to empower others, rather than to take all the power and all the credit for the progress of the equality movement. They get that the way to move forward fast is to teach as many people as possible how to do amazing work, and they do it amazingly. I can't say enough, so I'll stop with: THE TASK FORCE ROCKS!
I have volunteered for the Task Force in a variety of different ways for over three years. As a concerned individual who likes to use their time wisely, selecting which organization to volunteer for has always been an issue for me, primarily because the goals and focus of the organization must correlate with my own. What I find highly valuable about The Task Force is that it is one of the only national LGBT organizations with a full view of the issues at hand-- it has folks working on everything from transgender specific concerns to hate crimes legislation to, of course, the battle for marriage equality and beyond. When I volunteer with The Task Force I feel like my time is also being held into consideration by great people doing absolutely crucial work. The work I have done specifically is volunteering at phone banks. I work a hectic schedule and phone banks are usually held at night around 6p. It gives me time to get off work and to an office. Not only are we supplied with dinner, but Task Force staff train everyone every time on how to phone bank. Definitely makes me feel very comfortable. Even when the phone conversations are awkward--calling voters in specific areas that are not so LGBT friendly, for example--Task Force staff coach you and make you feel confident to actually have a constructive conversation. Keeps me coming back every time! All in all, the organization is a perfect fit for an individual looking to be involved in all of the issues in a time useful manner. I would definitely recommend getting involved with NGLTF to anyone!