January 2010 - by Dave VanderPol, Executive Editor
Copyright 2010, The Letter News. All rights reserved.

Chris Hartman is just completing his first year of serving as the director of Louisville's Fairness Campaign. We recently interviewed him to ask about highlights of his first year on the job and to give us an idea of what to expect during the 2010 Kentucky legislative session.

Hartman previously served as the press secretary for the 2008 campaign of Congressman John Yarmuth (Democrat: Kentucky – 3rd District). He also worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, and as Philadelphia director of the Democratic National Committee's open-air fundraising effort for the 2004 Presidential Election.

A Louisville native, Hartman graduated from St. Xavier High School and Bellarmine University, and holds a Master's Degree in Drama from Washington University in St. Louis. He has toured the nation performing Shakespeare, and founded and produced two long-form improvisation troupes.

DVP: What are the major highlights of your first year on the job as director of Louisville’s Fairness Campaign?

C.H.: Talking about highlights in this job is a little difficult, because so much that happens of note comes from struggle and strife. The 10th anniversary of Louisville's passage of the Fairness Ordinance has been a pretty huge highlight, though. In October we hosted "Fairness X-travaganza," which brought together Fairness leaders past and present to celebrate the historic decade of civil rights we have achieved in Louisville, and to honor those individuals and allies who made Fairness a reality in our city.

The other major highlights are more like bittersweet victories. Many will remember anti-adoption Senate Bill 68, Shelbyville Senator Gary Tapp's attack on children and families that would have prohibited all unmarried couples from adopting or fostering children in the commonwealth. Though the bill passed unanimously out of a secret meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the legislation was halted by leadership before coming to a full vote on the conservative Senate floor, where it surely would have passed--truly an unprecedented victory for Fairness, owed to the thousands of citizens who spoke up in opposition to this bill.

Aside from the tumultuous legislation session (2010's will likely be worse!), raising awareness of the ongoing problem of racism prevalent in our own community and far beyond it has been a highlighted focus of my first year. This is thanks largely to Woody's Tavern owner David Norton, whose persistent bent towards committing racist acts against patrons in his bar forced our community into a important public dialogue on issues of race and prejudice.

Also, attending the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. with our 50 Fairness supporters was a definite joyous highlight!

DVP: Realistically, what will it take – and how long will it take – to make fairness the law for all Kentuckians? Is it really possible given that are many anti-gay Democrats in the legislature, and those folks are barely more progressive then their Republican counterparts?

C.H.: It is going to take a long-term, focused public education, awareness, and citizen lobbying effort undertaken by EVERYONE to win statewide Fairness. Only if every person in Kentucky who cares about Fairness issues recruits their friends, family, co-workers, etc. to begin talking about equality issues with each other and ultimately their legislators will public opinion in this state change. We continually hear from conservative legislators that, "There aren't any gay people in my district," because not enough people who care about Fairness issues come and talk to them.

Remember, hearing from straight allies who care about Fairness sometimes make the greatest impact on legislators. From an organizational perspective, we are on the right track to unify the effort for Fairness across the state with the formation of our new Statewide Fairness Coalition, currently the Fairness Campaign, ACLU-KY, Lexington Fairness, Kentucky Fairness Alliance and the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. As we build a broader, stronger base around the state, and each citizen does their part to be heard, we may be on track to pass a statewide Fairness law in just a few short years.

DVP: What are three things that the Fairness Campaign does for our community that most of our readers may not know about?

C.H.: First, we field a number of anti-gay discrimination complaints each month, often meet with the victims, and help guide them on the best path to seek recourse in their respective situations.

We work consistently in coalition with organizations that fight classism, racism and sexism as well as homophobia. Fairness staff and leaders will often be found helping other groups on initiatives that seek to dismantle all forms of prejudice in America.

We party – a lot! From the annual Wiltshire Pantry catered dinner with the ACLU, to the inaugural "Fairness Over Louisville," Fleur de Lez's "Sweet Heat Summer Fling," Carla Wallace's annual Lawn Party and the historic "Fairness X-travaganza" celebration this year alone, our community has proven it knows how to celebrate and cut a rug.

DVP:  Other than working for the passage of a statewide Fairness Law, what else is on your agenda For 2010?

C.H.: The New Year may bring unforeseen challenges in the form of new anti-adoption legislation and/or other anti-Fairness bills, so much of my agenda will be on a "wait and see" hold. Since this is an election year, though, as a board member of CFAIR (Committee for Fairness and Individual Rights), I imagine I will have my hands full interviewing state and local political candidates for our endorsement--a process you can join by emailing CFAIRteam@gmail.com.

DVP:  Please give our readers a "Wish List" of items that you would donated to Fairness as we begin the new year…

C.H.: Well, first on our wish list is more citizen lobbyists and volunteers! Beyond that, a new heavy duty laser printer and a reasonably new Mac or PC would be top of the list. We could also use some new artwork in the office and perhaps some frames for some photos without a home.
Kyle, my hard working and ever-capable administrative assistant tells me that our office also needs a cross-cut paper shredder.

More About Louisville’s Fairness Campaign
Founded in 1991, the Fairness Campaign is a broad-based community effort dedicated to equal rights. Its primary goal is comprehensive civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, which it works to accomplish through public education and advocacy, political activity, community building and reciprocal alliances with others in the social justice community.

In 1999, through the work of the Fairness Campaign and its allies, Louisville became one of the first cities in the South to pass a Fairness Ordinance protecting individuals from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Today, the Fairness Campaign works within a geographically diverse Statewide Fairness Coalition to pass a similar law that will protect all Kentuckians from discrimination.