Get Connected. Get Involved. Make a Difference.

I've written a lot lately about my frustration over the lack of political awareness and involvement among Roanoke's LGBT community. When I first moved here from Washington, DC, the center of the political universe, it was with the belief that the best way to make a difference as a gay man in a small southern city was to simply live my life openly and honestly. I've noticed over the years that more queer folks here are doing the same thing. Living openly and honestly and without fear is one of the primary goals of the LGBT rights movement. But there is so much more left to do.

Roanoke is a geographically isolated city nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a three-hour drive from the State Capital in Richmond and 5 hours from DC. It's easy to see why our local community feels such a sense of disconnect from the larger LGBT struggle for equality.

One of the ways I've tried to stay connected is by reading award winning LGBT blogs like Towleroad, Blierico Project, Joe.My.God, Pam's House Blend, Queerty and AfterElton. Those guys all do an amazing job and inspire me every day to do better here at the Cyber-Pulpit. There are links to these and other sites I follow on the side bar. Please check them out.

I also subscribe to e-mail and RSS news feeds from organizations like HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) as well as mainstream sources like CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast.

In the coming days, I'll be reorganizing my links section by category to make it easier for you guys to find those resources. Your computer is an amazing tool and the Internet is about so much more than hook-up sites and porn downloads. Use it to stay informed about what's going on in the world. Knowledge is power.

Get connected. Get involved. Make a difference.