February Newsletter
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Dear friend,
I hope you are well! It’s been an exciting start to the year as the movement to normalize non-monogamy continues to pick up steam. Let’s dive in!
ICYMI: Gabrielle Smith joins OPEN’s Board of Directors!
Gabrielle is a Brooklyn-based writer, social media strategist and non-monogamy educator. Her work centers around mental health, race, class, intersectional feminism, love, sex, and polyamory. Gabrielle's passion for creating inclusive spaces for all people makes her an awesome addition to OPEN’s board, where she will help us to continue the work of building a powerful, authentic, and inclusive movement. Read some of Gabrielle's work on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Town Hall
Let's chat! Join us for our first Town Hall next Wednesday the 15th at 4pm PST. This is an opportunity for OPEN to share more about our plans for the year ahead, and to hear your input and ideas for growing the movement to normalize non-monogamy. Add this event to your calendar!
Community Event Report Back
Late last month, we gathered with over 70 community members in Oakland, California for a conversation about proposed legislation granting non-discrimination protections on the basis of “family and relationship structure.” We were joined by two sitting city council members (Oakland and Berkeley) as well as individuals from the asexual, aromantic, and single-parent-by-choice communities. This event was co-sponsored by OPEN, AVEN, and PolyActive, and served as a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together in coalition!
Other Program Updates
Non-discrimination Legislation: We're optimistic that we'll see first-in-the-nation non-discrimination legislation pass this spring or sooner. Legislation is moving forward in Somerville, MA as well as in multiple cities in the California Bay Area. In the next phase of this effort, we plan to partner with grassroots advocates to pass similar non-discrimination ordinances in hopefully dozens of cities across the US and beyond!
Open Workplaces Initiative: OPEN and a group of non-monogamous professionals are continuing to work together to develop tools and resources to advocate for non-discrimination hiring and employment policies at companies large and small. Join the Discord server by filling out this sign-up form!
Non-monogamy in the News
We started the year with a huge international win when the Supreme Court of Colombia granted legal rights to a polyamorous triad – share this story on Facebook or Twitter! Meanwhile, The Economist notes that "polyamory is getting slivers of legal recognition in America." Let's keep up our work to turn that sliver into a slice into the whole dang pie! Share this story on Facebook or Twitter. Finally, just for fun: OPEN proposed a series of alternatives to the word "partner," some more serious than others. Check it out on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and add your own ideas!
Wow, you read the whole email! You get a gold star: ⭐️
Thank you for being part of the movement for a more open and loving world!
The OPEN team
Help grow the non-monogamy movement with a contribution to OPEN. Your donation helps support programs like our Open Workplaces initiative and our grassroots campaigns for non-discrimination protections. Make a tax-deductible contribution or shop our Bookshop.org affiliate link!
