I joined fellow National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association members Friday evening at Napoleon's Itch martini lounge on Bourbon Street for the Louisiana chapter's second annual post-holiday gathering.Needless to say, the crowd didn't come close to matching the 30 or so who gathered last year.
Our chapter, which was barely over a year old when Katrina hit, is struggling to continue. Many of our members remain displaced in other states. Some lost their jobs here and had to find new ones elsewhere. Others who are back home just are too busy to devote much of any time to extracurricular activities.
The national organization's leadership is doing everything it can to help keep the chapter alive. They've waived dues for our members for at least a year. They've created a fund to help members who need financial assistance returning to work. And they've temporarily suspended the minimum number of members required to keep the chapter alive.
I suppose most organizations such as ours are struggling with the same issues right now.
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