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Just Ice for Justice



Once upon a time, two excellent organizations merged and created Free State Justice.  Its parents are Free State Legal Project and Equality Maryland. From the Free State Justice website:

Equality Maryland’s primary focus was achieving legislative victories in Annapolis, and its efforts made Maryland one of the most inclusive states in the country for LGBTQ people.

 FreeState Legal Project was a legal services organization founded in 2007 by a group of attorneys and law students who recognized that the specific needs of the low-income LGBTQ population in Maryland were not being effectively met. 

 Their merger in 2016 created Free State Justice.

 FreeState Justice is a legal advocacy organization that seeks to improve the lives of low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (“LGBTQ”) Marylanders. Despite recent, incremental judicial victories for the national LGBTQ community, the low-income LGBTQ population continues to struggle with legal challenges such harassment, complex family law issues, and anti-LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, foster care, healthcare and public accommodations. 

 I was reminded of the good work of Free State Justice recently when I wrote this post condemning a Change.org petition which sought to curtail the rights of LGBTQ students in the Howard County School System. A friend suggested that those of us who were outraged take our energy one step further and donate to Free State Justice. Many of us did. 

 Here is where you come in, dear readers. You can support Free State Justice tomorrow at an imaginative, family-friendly event that will get you out of the bubble and into some serious fun.

From the event page:
Join us for the first ever Ice Ball benefiting FreeState Justice
The Ball kicks off with an Ice Show, featuring performances by up-and-coming talent and professional show skaters doing their most fabulous performances for the crowd. Prepared to be dazzled!
The show is followed by a "Frozen Dance Party" - an Open Family Skate, complete with DJ Theodore Rexx and dancing (Ice will be 'dry cut' to allow for shoes and skates) - this is a chance for everyone to show their moves and vogue on the ice!
The Ball will be presided over by Baltimore's very own drag queens, Washington Heights and Anastasia Belladonna, who are sure to make this an event to remember.
Ruby Slipper Catering will be serving hot cocoa and lite fare to warm those fingers and toes following the show.
Ticket price of $25 includes admission to show, dance party (on foot or BYO skates), food, and a donation to FreeState Justice.
Skate rental is available for $3 more at the $28 price.
We hope you can join us to support FreeState Justice, watch some amazingly talented skaters, and twirl to the music to your heart's content.
This is a family friendly event and we encourage folks to attend of all ages and ice-bound abilities.
Go to the event page to get all the details.

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