Dear Friends,

We were recently contacted by concerned members about this year’s donation partnership choice. DotOUT has grown over the past few years and we felt we needed to introduce ourselves to members who may not know all of our history.

In the days since we began writing this post regarding our support of St Mary’s Center for Women & Children, Mayor Thomas Menino has passed away.

There can be no better example of acceptance and inclusion on a national stage than Mayor Menino. He was a personal friend to many and actively supported the LGBT community before it was politically expedient in Boston to do so. Yet, he made his start in our neighborhoods.

Mayor Menino knew Boston’s neighborhoods were key to making our city great. And, he was right.

DotOUT is Dorchester and we will continue to unite as a community…working with our neighbors and friends in an ongoing effort to improve the quality of life in Dorchester by continuing to build bridges to Dorchester’s many communities.

Mayor Menino asked us to “…Be as good to each other as you have been to me.“

This has been our plan for a decade. Let’s continue working together and make Dorchester even better for all of its residents.

DOTastically yours,

DotOUT Steering Committee

Little background information: our mission statement.

DotOUT: In the Trenches with You

DotOUT acknowledges our neighborhoods are (still not) perfect.

For the past 10 years, DotOUT has been working for equality and acceptance in Dorchester. Like you, we live in Dorchester. Dorchester is OUR neighborhood and we take pride in our involvement in all local events from neighborhood meetings to youth baseball to Sunday mass.

We know the (Dot Ave) road to full inclusion and acceptance is bumpy because we, too, experience “bumps of” discrimination. But, we believe that is all they are—just bumps—and that the acceptance road is there and it is otherwise solid.

DotOUT’s Mission: Creating Bridges

When DotOUT donates to Dorchester charities, the monies and donations come from you, our members, or from our sponsors’ support (if we haven’t spent it all on float building). Our members’ contributions open opportunities for meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships between DotOUT and the charities. You allow us to fulfill our mission statement of “creating bridges”.

A list of our past donations can be found here.

For 2014 alone, we have donated $2,600 and sponsored an ad welcoming the new Victory Program family housing in Dorchester. Members will be attending Dorchester House’s Masquer-Aid annual fundraiser in November. Some steering committee members have personally captained tables at GLAD’s 2014 Spirit of Justice Awards under the DotOUT banner. There are a many more examples as you know because we see you at the same LGBT or neighborhood events!

DotOUT’s philanthropy has grown as membership has grown, but our mission—and our philanthropy—is grassroots activism on the neighborhood level. That has not changed in the past ten years.

DotOUT last donated to St Mary’s Center for Women & Children in 2009. At the time, we questioned their relationship with the Archdiocese of Boston and were satisfied with their response. Based on recent member feedback, we asked again. Their answer was the same: yes, St Mary’s has ties to the Church through their advisory board, but their mission is not dictated by traditional Catholic doctrine. Read their statement.

Like many community-based programs, St Mary’s has initiated staff training to build cultural competencies. DotOUT welcomes dialogue with groups and organizations that may not have been traditionally inclusive of the LGBT community, but are today creating their own bridges to new people.

In supporting underserved agencies and programs like St Mary’s, we can directly promote recognition of DotOUT’s philanthropy and pursue more collaborative opportunities for our members to learn about their neighbors and challenges they face. Most importantly, we directly aid not only a ‘population’, but our neighbors—Dorchester women and children in desperate need. Through our shared donations and compassion, we hope our neighbors will become our friends.

DotOUT Politics: All Politics are Local.

Together...we can positively influence local opinion on issues that are relevant to us and our community.
—DotOUT Mission Statement

Our community. As Dorchester residents, we straddle so many communities—Ashmont, Savin Hill, Jones Hill, Fields Corner. LGBTQ? Even more communities we divide and fold ourselves into.

…We unite as a community…working with our neighbors and friends in an ongoing effort to improve the quality of life in Dorchester by continuing to build bridges to Dorchester's many communities. —DotOUT Mission Statement

Our community. For DotOUT, our community is all of our neighborhoods and all of our neighbors (even the ones who shovel snow in your parking spot).

DotOUT will continue to…

  • Communicate thoughtfully with you, our members, as we make Dorchester the fantastic neighborhood we believe it can be for all.
  • Foster positive relationships with friends, neighbors and allies through our civic, political, social and charitable actions.
  • Build recognition for DotOUT amongst city and state LGBTQ organizations.
  • Use our expertise to build and promote LGBTQ competencies with local non-profits.
  • Partner with local businesses and organizations supporting our mission.
  • Grow and expand our definition of LGBTQ community to encompass all who define themselves as such.