From the Top
by Tim Stout, FHA president

The Flint Hills Alliance had a fantastic kick-off this year with great turnouts at our two potlucks and the first meeting.

I’d like to thank everyone who attended these events. It is very pleasing to see crowds of people eager to interact with each other. We look forward to your continued involvement this year, and in the years to come.

Our speaker at the September 3 meeting, Topeka Mayor Joan Wagnon, provided wonderful insight to the political aspect of the struggle for equal rights.

Wagnon — an advocate for equal rights for all — told FHA members how she was thrust into national headlines as a protectorate of gay rights simply because she offered a gay man a job as Topeka’s director of planning.

“I suddenly received more attention with that than with anything else I’ve ever done politically,” she said. “It’s amazing how when you are mayor, people watch what you do, every move that you make, much more closely.”

In her talk, Wagnon stressed the importance of careful and strategic planning in gaining the acceptance of equal rights for les-bi-gays. Wagnon told of her conscious choice of a gay man to sit on the Topeka Human Rights Commission as well as her coincidental choice of a blind woman — who happened to be a lesbian. Upon the realization of having gay and lesbian representatives on the HRC, city council members voted to strip the mayor of her power to appoint commission members.

“The groundwork must be laid very carefully,” she said. “Acceptance is not going to come overnight.”

Also in attendance at the meeting was Sydney Carlin. Carlin  spoke at our October 1 meeting.

Carlin is running for State Representative for the 66th District against Jeff Peterson. She has served Manhattan as both city commissioner and mayor. Historically, Carlin has reached out to include diversity on her staff.

The line-up of speakers for this semester has been dynamic.  Look for more great speakers in our Spring 99 schedule, which will be announced in the December issue of the Observer.

  Back to FHO October 98 Home Page