This record group documents the administration and activities of this advocacy organization to bring public attention to issues impacting the lives of gay males and lesbians. The records include both paper and visual materials and have been divided into eight series: Audiovisual Materials, Administrative, Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Legislative/Political, Miscellaneous, Other Organizations, Religion, and Publications and Clippings.
Triangle Foundation is a Detroit-based civil rights organization whose mission is "to promote equality and to secure freedom from violence, intimidation and discrimination for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons throughout Michigan."
The Triangle Foundation began as part of the Michigan Organization for Human Rights or MOHR. The mission of this organization was to promote the education, awareness and understanding of the lives of gay men and lesbians. In 1983 the MOHR Foundation was created to receive tax deductible contributions The Lesbian Gay Foundation of Michigan was formed in 1990 when MOHR and the MOHR Foundation separated. Finally, in 1991, the Lesbian Gay Foundation of Michigan changed its name to Triangle Foundation. The pink triangle was the badge which homosexuals were required to wear in Nazi Germany and in the Nazi concentration camps. It is now an internationally recognized symbol of gay and lesbian oppression and resistance.
The new Triangle Foundation chose Jeffrey Montgomery as its President; he was later hired as executive director of the organization. Other important figures in the establishment and growth of the organization were Henry Messer and John Monahan.
The Triangle Foundation has a number of ongoing advocacy and legislative lobbying projects: Anti-Violence Project, Human Rights Project, Education, Speakers Bureau, Professional Trainings, Direct mail, Literature & publications, Legislative education/policy, Private Sector policy, Media activism, and Out-state/rural organizing.
The Triangle Foundation is a also founding member of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), which publishes a national survey of hate violence against GLBT people. The Foundation's major contribution to this effort is in compiling statistics from incident reports in the state of Michigan and contributing to the annual "Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Violence" report. This report provides data about the type and extent of violence that is occurring against GLBT crime victims in the United States. The Foundation also works with the GLBT community about the importance of reporting these hate crimes so that statistics can be compiled. Once an incident has been reported, the Foundation can assist the victim by acting as an advocate until the situation is resolved. In many cases, Triangle is the only source of such support.
The Human Rights Project is a referral service provided to put victims in touch with attorneys throughout Michigan who can provide needed legal advice and representation. Victims can also be referred to counselors and other support services.
The Foundation takes every opportunity to educate the public on GLBT issues. The Triangle Speakers Bureau gives presentations on topics such as civil rights, hate violence and hate crime legislation and other legal issues to many school groups, organizations and conferences. It offers training on lobbying techniques involvement in electoral politics and legislative reform, working effectively with the media, and dealing with homophobia in the workplace. Their publications and mailings also reflect these issues.
Media activism is another major function of the Triangle Foundation. Staff monitor and respond to media coverage of relevant issues and offer training to members of the media on accurate coverage of GLBT issues. Triangle provides instruction to their own leaders to effectively work with the media and alerts the media to important events and developments in the GLBT community.
A final major function of Triangle Foundation is the "Out-State" organizing. This organizing is focused on getting out into the community and establishing a positive presence at local events, beyond the urban centers in southeast Michigan. It also encourages people to be "out" (of the closet) into their own communities and active in local government and community activities.
