[BES Friends] Struggle for GLBT Rights in Uganda, Wed. Jan. 11, 7:00 pm

[Emil Volcheck]

Dear friends,

Please join BES and First Unitarian Church of Baltimore to learn
about the struggle for GLBT rights in Uganda and the negative
influence of US evangelicals pressing for anti-homosexual laws in
Africa.

Title: "The Struggle for GLBT Rights in Uganda"
When: Wednesday, January 11, 7:00 pm
Where: First Unitarian Church of Baltimore
       (Corner of Charles and Franklin)
Meetup: http://meetu.ps/6tvlT

Rev. Kiyimba has led the opposition against the anti-homosexual laws
being advocated in Uganda by US evangelicals and adopted by the
Ugandan Parliament.

In early 2011, following the issue of a warrant for his arrest, Rev. Kiyimba
fled Uganda and has been living in sanctuary in the US and spreading the word
about the GLBT persecution in Uganda.

This lecture is free and open to the public.

Read the action alert on Uganda from the International Humanist and
Ethical Union (IHEU):

    http://www.iheu.org/taxonomy/term/123

Announcement from First Unitarian:

    http://firstunitarian.net/index.php/our-happenings/upcoming-events/calendar/view/20959/date/2012-01-11

Rev. Mark Kiyimba is the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church
of Kampala, Uganda, a congregation which focuses its social mission on
alleviating the profound generational pain caused by HIV/AIDS in
African societies. In 2004, Rev. Kiyimba founded the New Life School,
a residential K-8 school and orphanage for children whose parents had
died of HIV/AIDS. The school and orphanage has grown to serve over 500
children, and Rev. Kiyimba and the faculty and staff of 13 persons
represent the school's greatest resource.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Kampala has spoken out against
the anti-homosexual laws being advocated in Uganda by US evangelicals
and adopted by the Ugandan Parliament. In 2010, shortly after LGBT
activist David Kato was bludgeoned to death after being targeted for
assassination in the Ugandan press, Kiyimba organized a conference,
"Standing on the Side of Love: redefining Valentine’s Day." This
conference brought together gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual
activists who were resisting the anti-homosexual laws for support and
strategizing. In the ensuing months, Kiyimba remained vocal in his
opposition; and in early 2011, an arrest warrant of Kiyimba was
issued. He fled Uganda and has been living in sanctuary in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. He is currently touring the United States and planning his
return to Uganda.

Rev. Kiyimba will be on a "Standing on the Side of Love" tour of the
Baltimore-Capital Region from January 6 to 19, 2010, and will speak at
First Unitarian Church of Baltimore on Wednesday, January 11 at 7 p.m.
The intentions of this tour are:

  * to allow Baltimore residents to "stand on the side of love" and to
  stand in the spirit of love with LGBT people and their allies in
  Uganda

  * to raise consciousness about the criminalization of homosexuality
  in Uganda and many other countries around the globe

  * to lift up Dr. King's example of nonviolent protest, whether in
  word or in deed

  * to raise funds for the New Life School and other projects of the
  UU Church in Kampala

  * to consider what Unitarian Universalist congregations might do
  next to keep the momentum going, and invite others to join us

Rev. Kiyimba is available to address the media by telephone beginning
immediately, and will be available for in-person interviews beginning
on January 6th.

The Baltimore Coalition of Reason wishes to thank our member
organization First Unitarian Church of Baltimore for extending this
invitation to hear the Rev. Kiyimba.  This lecture is part of the
Zoerheide lecture series sponsored by First Unitarian.  For more
information about Baltimore CoR, visit http://BaltimoreCoR.org/ .


-- 
Emil Volcheck
volcheck at acm.org
http://EmilVolcheck.com/