From: "David C. Ansardi" <david_ansardi@mindspring.com>
To: "BEST" <best@lakenet.org>
Subject: BEST: Alabama NARD Making the Press
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 23:08:09 -0600
Good News from the Heart of Dixie <G>... Alabama NARDians will be interviewed on the top local morning show in Birmingham (FOX-6) Friday morning before the rally. We are also being covered by the CBS-42 affiliate at the NARDian departure location (Cracker Barrel) so that they can interview the people leaving for the rally. There is also supposed to be a Sunday article about the Birmingham Salvation Army Home (4 former inmates were interviewed) which will also discuss adoptee rights and the NARD rally. We are hoping that the Montgomery bureaus of our local TV stations and newspapers will cover the event also, and we have a press statement to read on the steps of the Capitol. This is so groovy--we're actually doing something and getting attention for adoptee RIGHTS rather than just the reunion side.
David
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 16:55:05 -0600
Subject: BEST: NARD NEws from Alabama
From: "David C. Ansardi" <david_ansardi@mindspring.com>
To: <best@lakenet.org>
A quick Alabama report-- I still don't have all the details... We've had pretty extensive media coverage of NARD from both Montgomery and Birmingham television... The Alabama Director of Vital Stats came out to the rally and was interviewed by the press!!! Don't know yet what happened with the reading of the Press Statement on the Steps of the State Capitol. I am on my way out of town so won't know more until later, but looks like the event has grabbed some attention in our state!!!
David
Date: Sun, 05 Dec 1999 12:43:17 -0600
From: Sandra Wilson <msmarvin@scott.net>
To: Damsel Plum <nard@bastards.org>
Subject: Nard in B'ham, Alabama
Hi, My name is Sandra Wilson and I took over for David Ansardi because he had serious work constraints and did not have the time to put into orgainizing this effort. I, along with Jean Urich, an adult adoptee who now lives in California worked very hard to put this event together here in Alabama. She even flew in from California to join us!
We had a very low turnout...with only 5 to 7 people during the rally. We had no other supporters. While our media coverage was WONDERFUL, I'm now SICK of talking to reporters (heh heh) I felt embarrassed for the cause because it just felt like the world was looking at 5 to 7 wackos who were babbling about Adoptee Rights. This issue is so very personal and strong for me and I hated feeling like this.
I think that more planning EARLIER is a good idea and I think moving it OUT of December is an even better thought. It DOES make sense to host this event during November - Adoption Awareness Month. I personally think that we just need to do this next year in November and do it for 1 to 2 hours in front of vital statistics during the lunch hour on a week day. Even though that is not alot of time, most people from the B'ham area will still have to probably take at least half the day off from work as Montgomery is an hour and 10 min. drive from B'ham....so the day really equates to at least 4 hours for those in Birmingham who want to join us. I think it is important to be there on a weekday when people are working and will see us and when Vital Statistics is open for business. As to having the next day, a Saturday, to meet in a shopping mall, I'm not so sure how this will work. I'm afraid that people will not be willing to commit to both days and I'm afraid that everyone will end up commiting on the Saturday thing instead of the Friday thing.
I don't know how to motivate all of our supporters here in Alabama. We do have quite a number of supporters to have only 5 to 7 show up!
Please visit my web site to learn more about me. I'm a BIG supporter of these issues and am one of the orgainizers for every event that we participate in here in Alabama. There is also a link near the bottom of my page that will take you to some pictures that I took during this year's NARD rally.
Thanks -
Sandra
--
Member of AWARE - Alabamians Working for Adoption Reform and Education
AWARE Web Site: http://ala_birthlink.home.mindspring.com/openrec.html
Personal Web Site: http://www.scott.net/~msmarvin
From: "David C. Ansardi" <david_ansardi@mindspring.com>
To: "BEST" <best@lakenet.org>
Subject: BEST: Alabama NARD Pix
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 23:51:30 -0600
Greetings from the land of Grits,
Sandra Wilson, who did much of the organization of Alabama's participation in NARD and did all of the press/publicity has put up some photos of Alabama's NARD ralliers in Montgomery, including when being interviewed by the press. They are posted at:
http://www.scott.net/~msmarvin/NARD-99.html
Unfortunately, she did not capture any photos during the release of the attack German Shepherds on the ralliers by the Montgomery Police, nor was she able to maintain control of her camera when the Fire Dept. was called in to hose them all down. Hey this IS Alabama--we have traditions to maintain for our Civil Rights marches.
David
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