Gay Movement Charts Its Future: 17th Annual Creating Change Conference Day Two
First and largest post-election lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) gathering draws more than 2,500 participants


St. Louis, Missouri - November 13, 2004 - "Surrender? Never!" was the morning message from Matt Foreman in the keynote address yesterday at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 17th annual Creating Change conference in St. Louis, MO.

"As we fight on, the first, overriding and most important goal of everything we do must be building our grassroots infrastructure over the long term," said Foreman. "Focusing on one election or one campaign after the next is short sighted, and it is never been the way rights have been won. The anti-amendment campaigns waged by many states over the last few months showed us the way to win long term gains even if we lose at the ballot box. So let me say it again, no campaign can be initiated or pursued unless it is specifically designed so that on other end, our community institutions will be stronger, not weaker and our statewide organizations energized, not demoralized."

Foreman stressed, "The number one priority of our movement must be to support, nurture, embrace and build our state and local grassroots infrastructure."

Foreman continued, "We need to be able to say that marriage equality a goal, but not the only goal of the LGBT community or our movement for liberation. We believe in and will fight for racial and economic justice. We believe in and will fight for a woman's right to choose and an end to a society that demands gender conformity. We believe in and will fight for new ways for people - gay and straight - to gain legal recognition and protections for their families.