As we look back at this past year’s accomplishments, we also think about the past achievements of the Driving Equality project.

Remember when we confronted the man in the parking lot who was gathering signatures for the anti-gay ballot initiative in Washington state? He was lying to voters to get more signatures. That video was reviewed by Washington legislators! (VIDEO)

Remember when we sat down with Shirley Phelps of the “God Hates Fags” Westboro Baptist Church. We spent four hours in her home while she told us that God hated us and wanted us to die. (VIDEO)

Remember when we interviewed Dan Nicoletta, Harvey Milk’s friend and camera shop employee. He told us the story of how he found out about Harvey’s assassination. (VIDEO)

Remember when we sat down for a conversation with Sam Brinton, the young man who was forced through ex-gay aversion therapy. He told us what it was like to be electrocuted for being gay. (VIDEO)

The Driving Equality project collected all of these stories and we will share them with you in the film, to be released in the spring of 2012.

]]> http://drivingequality.com/2011/12/14/remember-when/feed/ 0 Chris http://drivingequality.com/2011/11/04/our-progress/ http://drivingequality.com/2011/11/04/our-progress/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:16:51 +0000 Chris Mason http://drivingequality.com/?p=1870 ]]> The Driving Equality film is almost finished! After combing through days of footage, our editor has put together an amazing movie. Our composer is writing the finishing touches for the original soundtrack and our graphic designer is working on the titles for the film.

We expect to have a semi-finished product out by the end of the year. At that time we will have special screenings for test audiences to see what works and what doesn’t. Once we get feedback on the movie we will make some changes and officially release the film.

We will then have a world premier in the Boston area. You will all be invited! We then hope to screen the film at film festivals around the country during the summer of 2012. This project has been three years in the making and it almost complete! We can’t wait to share it with you.

Tuesday June 21st
Doors open at 7:30pm
Show begins at 8:30pm

$15 a ticket

Dick’s Beantown Comedy Vault
124 Boylston St., Boston

Featuring Comedian Jim Lauletta

and many others

There will be a 50/50 raffle!

Rachel is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in FilmProduction and German Language. Since graduating in 2007, she has worked on film sets in Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania. Currently, she is the Production Supervisor for the WGBH Forum Network, where she gets her hands dirty video and audio recording, editing and publishing lecture videos online. With her girlfriend, Jessica, she is planning a cross-country bike trip in coming years, the preparations for which they are documenting on their website, Against the Grind.

We need your help to finish the film! The time, talent, and technology needed to complete The Driving Equality Project isn’t free. We are making a push to raise $5000 in one month, by the end of February. Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated. Become a Sponsor today and have your name or company listed on the website and in the end credits of the film.

We have some incredible stories to share with you and some unique insight into the work that needs to be done to ensure full equality for all. Make a donation today to help share these stories and bring a greater understanding of the daily lives of LGBTQ people in America.

Days on the Road: 107 (May 10, 2009 – August 28, 2009)

Miles Driven: 22,342

States Reached: 48 (Will Alaska and Hawaii will be next?!)

Hours of Footage: 102

Interviews Conducted: 84 (Including LGBTQ activists, allies, opponents, politicians, police, and people on the street)

Conversations About Equality: 500+

New Friends Made: Countless!

Part One of The Driving Equality Project was a huge success. We reached, and then surpassed our goals on every account. The conversations we had and interviews we conducted in almost every part of the country have given me a much greater understanding of the daily lives of LGBTQ people in America and the work that needs to be done to ensure full equality for all.

Now on to Part Two: Sharing that information with you.

The footage from The Driving Equality Project is nothing unless it is used to create a picture of LGBTQ America and add to the dialogue about how we win our rights in different parts of the country. That is my goal. To get to that point I’ve been logging the footage and editing a 15 minute clip that can be shown to potential editors. I do not have the time, talent, or technology to complete this film in the way I envision it. That is why I am hiring an editor; someone to work closely with me to help make the final product of The Driving Equality Project a reality.

I will keep you updated on future progress and let you know how you can help. Right now, the best thing you can do is share the Driving Equality website. There are many posts, photos, and interviews on the site. The other thing you can do to help is make a donation. In the next few months we will be making a big fundraising push in order to hire a qualified editor. You can get us started with your contribution today. Thank you.

I made it home safe and sound today. It feels good to be back in Cambridge. I am thinking about what my next steps will be. It will take some time to process the trip and adjust to being home.

You can help out the Driving Equality project by donating to the New Computer Fund. I need to raise $1700 more to purchase the computer. This computer will be used to edit the final documentary.

I am on the home stretch today, driving from Buffalo, New York to central Massachusetts. I will spend the night at my parent’s house in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, before completing the journey and returning home to Cambridge, the city I started in 106 days ago. It is hard to believe that I’m almost home after over three months on the road.

My trip is almost over. I drove to Buffalo, New York last night, and then decided to cross the border in Canada. The Canadian border guard asked me what I was doing with the film equipment. I told him that I was making a documentary about gay rights in the United States. He asked, “for or against?”

I told him, “for.” He smiled approvingly, but sent me to have the van search in “secondary.” Readers of this blog will know that this is the sixth time the van has been searched. I have made it very clear that I strongly oppose illegal searches of my vehicle. I should also note that I am more than happy to comply with legal searches, such as this one at the national border. During the search of the van, I had to go in and speak with a woman from Customs. She asked what I was doing. I told her that I am driving around the US making a documentary about gay rights. She replied, “You know it’s legal here!”

Realizing that she was referring to same-sex marriage, I responded with my typical, “yah! That’s awesome!. She was excited and proud of her country. It was awesome.

I hung out in Niagara Falls today and performed my duties as a tourist to the best of my ability. This place is pretty incredible.

I was in Cleveland, Ohio today at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland. I had the pleasure to meet with Sue Doerfer, the Director of the Center. We talked about what it is like to be LGBT in Ohio, the need for a Center, and the city of Cleveland. Ohio does not have any legal protections for LGBT folks, but the city of Cleveland is trying to make up for that. The city just created a Domestic Partnership registry. Couples can register as partners, making their relationships official in the eyes of the city. However, because the state and federal governments do not recognize the Domestic Partnerships, no legal rights are gained.

I was quite impressed with the work going on at the Center. While I was there, a bunch of young people came in to use computers and relax in the safe environment. I wish every city, large and small, had an LGBT community center.