Aloha Folks,

    Our founder and the person who conceptualized and initiated the Hawaii
same-sex marriage case (William E. Woods, MPH) will be visiting several parts
of North America in next few weeks.  GLEA Foundation and Hawaii Gay Marriage
Project announce his availability to make presentations or be interviewed by
local media.

     He has offered to meet with individuals and groups that wish to discuss
the issues related to the case, couples rights and Gay rights in general.  He
will be addressing a number of non-profit and community service groups as
well, since he was the founder and executive director (March 1973 - June
1990) of Hawaii's Gay and Lesbian Community Center.

    If you would like to arrange a time meet with him, for him to make a
presentation to your group, or set up a media related interview,  please
contact us at this address and we will coordinate as possible.

    Areas of the country that Mr. Woods will be in between September 26 and
November 11 are:  Not necessarily in this order

     San Francisco
     Los Angeles
     San Diego
     Las Vegas
     Salt Lake City
     Vancouver, Canada (possibly in Seattle area at same time)
     Central Illinois
     St. Louis
     Houston

BIO Sketch:

William E. Woods, MPH
“Father of Legalized Gay Marriage”

	William E. Woods, MPH has been referred to as “The father of Hawaii’s Gay
rights movement” and “the person most responsible for putting Gay marriage on
the local and national Gay rights agenda.”*  He began civil rights work in
Hawaii in 1972; founded and was the Executive Director for 17 years of what
is now known as the Gay and Lesbian Community Center; and was founder and
Executive Director of the GLEA Foundation since 1990.
	Woods has a bachelors in psychology and a masters in public health
administration and planning - both from the University of Hawaii.  He gained
his masters from the UH School of Public Health 1980.  His oral presentation
for that degree was: “Gay Rights as a  Public Health Issue.”
	Woods is past-president 1986-1988 (two terms) of the UH School of Public
Health Alumni Association. He was responsible for establishing the
association as the only non-profit tax-exempt alumni association at the
University of Hawaii and initiated its scholarship program.
	Woods was Hawaii’s first male member of the Hawaii Federation of Business
and Professional Women’s Club (HBPWC) and served two terms as the President
of  its Waikiki Chapter.
	Woods was designated as Outstanding Young Man in America by the US JAYCEES
in 1984 for his outstanding sup-port for social, health and civil rights
causes.

* References/quotes from national radio and television broadcasts and
publications. “Out” magazine article of December 1994 by Michelangelo
Signorile.


****

Organizational and Leadership History of Same-Sex Marriage

	The Gay and Lesbian Education and Advocacy Foundation (GLEA Foundation)
conceptualized and initiated the same-sex (Gay) marriage case in the Hawaii
Courts and is still active through the Hawaii Gay Marriage Project.
	The GLEA Foundation was established in 1990 to identify and confront
systemic discrimination against Gay people.  It is a non-profit tax-exempt
community service and advocacy organization with a Board of Directors.
  William E. Woods, MPH, its founder is its Executive Director and Project
Director of the Hawaii Gay Marriage Project and Hawaii Gay Marriage Bureau.
	Prior to the establishment of the GLEA Foundation, Woods had conceptualized
and began organizational efforts to create what is now known as the Hawaii
Gay marriage or same-sex marriage case.  Woods conducted extensive research
and developed the project over a ten-year period before soliciting the three
couples and securing the attorney to handle the case.  It was under the GLEA
Foundation auspices that the case was finally prepared and filed in Hawaii’s
court.  Woods remained the case’s project coordinator as it wound its way to
the Hawaii State Supreme Court.  GLEA Foundation then resigned from the
fundraising portion of the case, but has continued offering consultation and
advice to the legal counsel and has developed education and advocacy
strategies to further the community understanding on Gay marriage - - - in
Hawaii and in the other 49 states.

Please make requests to this address: