Category Archives: Newsletter

Bi-weekly Newsletter

New Classifieds Section!

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Photo of the ad section on a newspaperI’ve always thought we should have a place where we could advertise among us. For example if anyone needs a roommate and they’re new to the area, if someone is selling something or looking for local services. So here’s where the Classifieds come in! An LGBT friendly bulletin board for our group where we can share resources and even recommend our favorite businesses. I know some of us have additional occupations aside from our day jobs at USPTO, so feel free to list your real estate contact, craft making website, etc.

Of course, keep in mind these listings are as public as can be and content should remain tasteful within reason. Usually listing your e-mail address on a public site will return a lot of spam, so I recommend linking to your website, Facebook page or Google + and providing a contact form there. The newer Classifieds will be added to the Newsletter on a bi-weekly basis. These listings are free of charge, so let me know if there are any issues while posting. Enjoy!

warm regards,
Yaira Resto
Lambda PTO Advisor

Featured Group: oSTEM

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“Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) is a national society dedicated to educating and fostering leadership for LGBTQA communities in the STEM fields. The national society has been built by students, for students.  We started as a single chapter in 2005, and today we encompass more than 50 chapters across the country.  Anyone who wishes to connect or start an oSTEM chapter should email us at info@ostem.org.  We have a chapter manual with helpful tips and knowledgeable mentors who are ready and eager to assist.”

–ostem.org

Featured Group: Fed Q

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Is a national employee resource group for LGBT+ and allies in the government. FedQ is currently running their second National Leadership and Diversity Training Program in Baltimore this week and they’re regarded as a great resource for government employees and management alike. This organization also maintains partnerships with other national affinity groups such as Blacks in Government (BIG), Federal Employees with Disabilities (FEDs) and Federally Employed Women (FEW). For more info, go to FedQ.org.

Lambda PTO Pride 2014

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This year’s celebration of LGBT Pride and diversity back in June featured our guest speaker, Michele Zavos of Zavos Juncker Law Group PLLC, with a talk on marriage – not marriage in a political sense, but rather a legal sense. Many members of the LGBT community did not grow up thinking that marriage was a possibility.
Now that we CAN get married, SHOULD we?
What are we getting ourselves intowhen we say, “I do?”
Greatly informative presentation, here’s the video!

Featured Group: Federal Globe

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Checkout our Resources page where we continue adding informative links about both local and national groups we can all benefit from. This month, we’d like to highlight Federal Globe. This group has its headquarters in the DC area and hosts Federal Employee Happy Hours open to all, on the first Thursday of every month at Cobalt.

“Federal GLOBE’s chartered purpose is to eliminate prejudice and discrimination in the federal government based on sexual orientation by (1) developing and providing educational programs, materials and assistance mechanisms which address the distinctive concerns and problems of lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals in the federal government and (2) educating the general public, policy makers, and federal employees about issues of concern to lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals.”

 –fedglobe.org

Have you joined our Facebook Group?

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Do you use Facebook to network and keep in touch? Lambda has a Facebook Group! It’s a great way to interact with other members and share events, links, news, etc. Our group has been labeled “secret” under the Facebook privacy settings, that way it doesn’t show on your profile and our members are not listed to people who are not part of the group itself. Keep in mind when you join any Facebook group, the other members can’t see anything on your profile, except information you have labeled as public. So, what are you waiting for? Go to Facebook.com/groups/lambdapto/

From the White House: President Obama Acts to Protect LGBT Workers

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White House Banner

“Many of you have worked for a long time to see this day coming.”

That’s what President Obama told the audience in the East Room of the White House on July 21st 2014, before he signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The President explained how, because of the audience’s “passionate advocacy and the irrefutable rightness of [their] cause, our government — government of the people, by the people, and for the people — will become just a little bit fairer.”

Yesterday’s Executive Order amends Executive Order 11246, issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected categories in the existing Executive Order covering federal contractors.

“It doesn’t make much sense,” President Obama said, “but today in America, millions of our fellow citizens wake up and go to work with the awareness that they could lose their job, not because of anything they do or fail to do, but because of who they are — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. And that’s wrong.”

Find out more about the President’s Executive Order to protect LGBT workers.

SHPE and BIG Sponsoring a School Supply Drive

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SHPE-USPTO AND BIG SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

Join your colleagues and help ensure that every child in Alexandria starts the first day of school with a backpack and school supplies. Donate school supplies to the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) sponsored by the  Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE-USPTO)  and PTO Chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG).   Donations can be given to members of the SHPE-USPTO and/or PTO-BIG Executive Board or placed in boxes located in your building lobby from Tuesday, July 29 through Friday, August 22.

Please note that monetary gifts cannot be accepted.

If you have any questions, please contact us at SHPE@USPTO.gov or BIG@USPTO.gov.

Supplies needed: backpacks, spiral notebooks, wide rule filler paper, 3 ring binders, 2 pocket folders, subject dividers, pencil boxes, scissors, glue, rulers, pencils, sharpeners, pouches, erasers, markers, coloring pencils, crayons, hilighters, tissues

Lifecare LGBT Integration Seminar Recording

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The LGBT Integration Seminar held by LifeCare on June 19th 2014 is now available for viewing and download at this link:

https://lifecare.webex.com/lifecare/lsr.php?RCID=7df3bf7c4a4843a983ca5780d8fb183b

The goal of this seminar is to present information and frame the topic of sexual orientation in the workplace. Join Steven R. Earley, CFP, ChFC, MFT as he offers how to create a good environment for everyone so that all employees feel safe and supported no matter what their personal circumstances may be. Please feel free to use and forward to anyone who might be interested.