SpeakOUT (Boston)

Public Education Services, Inc. d/b/a SpeakOUT
Formation February 28, 1972 (1972-02-28)
Type 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
04-2679788
Headquarters Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Executive Director
 Ellyn Ruthstrom
Staff (2015)
1
Volunteers (2015)
100+
Mission A community of speakers working to create a world free of homo-bi-trans-phobia and other forms of prejudice by telling the truths of our lives.
Website www.speakoutboston.org
Formerly called
 Gay Speakers Bureau (GSB); Gay & Lesbian Speakers Bureau (GLSB); Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Speakers Bureau (GLBSB)

SpeakOUT describes itself as "the nation's first LGBTQIA speakers bureau"[1]

History

Founded in Boston as a co-ed speakers' bureau in 1972 by men from the Boston Homophile Union and women from the Daughters of Bilitis, SpeakOUT continues to this day as a Not-for-Profit volunteer speakers bureau, sending speakers to schools from grade school to grad school, churches & synagogues, business groups, service organizations & community groups. Approximately twice a year, they hold a weekend training for new speakers.

The organization is incorporated in Massachusetts as "Public Educations Services, Inc.", and their Doing-Business-As name has changed over the years. Originally founded as the "Gay Speakers' Bureau" (GSB), in the 1980s, it was changed to the Gay & Lesbian Speakers' Bureau" (GLSB). In the 1990s, it was changed again to the Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Speakers' Bureau" (GLBSB), and in the 2000s, it was shortened to "SpeakOUT'. In 2014, Ellyn Ruthstrom was hired as their Executive Director, and in the following year, Ruthstrom was selected to be one of the Pride Marshals for Boston Pride.

Press

References

  1. ↑ SpeakOUT Boston website, Retrieved on 6-April-2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.