DGLA's Damien Duckett was on WFAA Channel 8 News to talk about the ban on gay men donating blood.  The US Food and Drug Administration is considering dropping or modifying the ban later this year.  The ban which dates from the early years of the AIDS epidemic bans men from donating blood if they admit to ever having sex with men.  All blood donations have been screened for HIV since 1985.

Read the story and see the video on WFFA's web site.

The DGLA Community Council is a standing committee of both the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance non-profit advocacy organization and the DGLA Don Baker Education Fund non-profit education organization.

It consists of a chair and 18 members -- one member for each Dallas City Council District and one member for each Dallas County Commissioner District.

Within each member's district, each DGLA Community Council member is empowered with a budget and organizational infrastructure to:

·   Build community

·   Identify supporters of LGBT equality

·   Organize social events

·   Sponsor town hall meetings

·   Attend neighborhood association group meetings

·   Identify and execute community service projects

·   Sponsor educational workshops

·   Provide visibility at district events

·   Serve as a liaison between the district's LGBT/ally residents and the district's elected officials

·   Participate in a rotating presence at Dallas City Council & Dallas County Commissioner meetings

·   Register voters

·   Work with precinct chairs

·   Organize training of election judges, election clerks, & poll watchers

The DGLA Political Action Committee endorsed 10 candidates for Dallas City Council races and two for Dallas County Schools.  Seven of the ten endorsed city council candidates won outright and District 1 candidate Delia Jasso received the most votes, but will be in a runoff election.