Rest in peace, Gay warrior

BY BEN WILLIAMS

David had a complicated relationship with leaders within the early Gay Community of the 1980’s and 1990’s. He and I sparred on many occasions regarding issues primarily as he was for building a Gay community through means of politics and I through means of social support groups. However I know we had a somewhat mutual respect for each other due to the love for this community.

David never knew that I nominated him several times for a Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award, which I think he richly deserved but I think he was too controversial for the majority of voting members.

When I nominated him in the early 2000s I listed the following as some of his achievements why he deserved to have been recognized-

David Nelson:

Founded the award-winning online service GayVoteUtah.com, which offers online voter registration and absentee ballot registration, voter services and political information to gay and lesbian voters across the state, and plans to expand the service nationally, 2001–2002

Advises the online service UtahDemocrat. com, which offers online discussion and voter resources for Democrats, 2001–2002

Advised on Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson’s executive order banning discrimination in city employment, 2000

Received a Democratic National Committee Lawrence O’Brien Achievement Award among others for his work as a gay Utah Democratic leader, 1998

Advised the formation of the Utah Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committee (GALPAC), 1998

Served as a federal hate-crimes adviser, 1997 to the present

Helped organize the state memorial for Matthew Shepard, 1997?

Served as board member of Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, Inc., 1997

Was invited to the White House to meet with Vice President Gore, 1996

Was elected twice as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, 1996 and 2000

Drafted and lobbied for Utah’s first sodomy reform legislation, 1995

Advised the creation of National Stonewall Democrats, 1995–1996; as well as Alaska, Colorado and other state gay Democratic clubs

Serves as a registered lobbyist, 1994 to the present

Fought successfully against mandatory AIDS testing legislation, 1994–1997

Advised and helped found Salt Lake County Gayand Lesbian Employees Association (GLEA), 1994

Ran for Utah Democratic Party secretary, 1993

Received the Utah Stonewall Center Diversity Is Great (DIG) Award, 1993

Fought successfully against the inclusion of sodomy to the state DNA database of criminal offenders, 1993

Helped draft and lobbied successfully for viatical-settlements law, which allows terminally-ill people to sell their life insurance, 1993

Drafted and lobbied successfully for Salt Lake County non-discrimination laws, 1992

Helped draft and lobbied successfully for Utah’s hate-crime legislation, 1991–1992; Helped draft and lobbied for amendments, 1993–1999

Was nominated to serve as the Western Regional Director of Human Rights Campaign Inc., 1991

Advised Utah Gay and Lesbian Youth (UGLY), 1990

Founded Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats (GLUD), 1990 and served on its executive committee, 1990–1996

Helped organize the political group Stonewall Town Meeting, 1989

Was nominated to serve as a San Jose, Calif., City Executive Compensation Commission member, 1989

Was nominated to serve as a board member of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 1988

Served as a San Francisco Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee Advisory board member, 1988–1989

Served as the Utah director for Human Rights Campaign Inc., 1987–1992

Co-founded Gay and Lesbian Community Council of Utah Inc., 1987

Lobbied successfully for Salt Lake City Police Department gay and lesbian cultural sensitivity training, 1986

Drafted and lobbied for first Salt Lake City non-discrimination ordinance, 1986; helped draft and lobbied for ordinance, 1998

Organized the Utah delegation Lobby Day for the National March on Washington, 1987 and 1993

Founded, published and wrote for Community Reporter, 1985; and Triangle, 1986–1987; and has written for Out Front Review and The Pillar

Ran for Salt Lake City Council, 1985

Helped organize the Utah delegation at the National March for Gay and Lesbian Rights at the Democratic National Convention, 1984

Lobbied the Democratic National Platform and Policy Commission, chaired by Gov. Scott Matheson and Gov. Ann Richards, for gay and lesbian family issues, 1984

Served as first gay liaison for Salt Lake City under Mayor Ted Wilson, 1984

Helped organize Utah Gay and Lesbian Pride Day, 1984

Served as vice-president of LGSU and lobbied for first official funding for the group, 1983–85

Served as a Democratic Party officer in the San Francisco, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City areas since 1983

Has lectured at University of Utah, Weber State University, Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College and Cedar City Hall, Utah, town meeting

Has registered well over 10,000 voters since 1980, many of them gay and lesbian

David Nelson was a force to be reckoned with, once upon a time in old Gay Salt Lake City, Utah. He was a fierce combatant in the fight for Equality

Rest in Peace you Gay Warrior.