Getting Down To Business: Oregonians Against Discrimination Business Leaders Luncheon

Thursday, 22 April 2010 11:08 | Written by Byron

GOOD FOR BUSINESS: Basic Rights Oregon, of which my partner, Juan Martinez, is Development Director held its "Oregonians Against Discrimination Business Leaders Luncheon" on Wednesday at the Oregon Convention Center. The event provided an "opportunity for fair-minded community, business and government leaders to gather to engage in a dialogue about gay and transgender equality," as well as eat a tasty lunch. Evan Wolfson, founder and Executive Director of Freedom to Marry (above center with Terry Bean and BRO Executive Director Jeana Frazzini), was the event's keynote speaker sharing the national perspective on how Oregon's leadership can impact the movement for marriage equality. Political candidates such as Bill Bradbury, Jeff Cogen and Karol Collymore mixed it up with business leaders such as Bill Dickey and Terry Bean. With nearly 500 attendees even Wolfson was suprised by the turn-out. "I can't believe so many people took time away from their work for the equality," said Wolfson following the important (and brief—it lasted just under an hour) event.