Lexington Fairness is a grassroots organization founded in 1992 that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights in Central Kentucky. It has no official office or paid staff, but travels around the region and uses social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to further its mission of achieving equal rights, acceptance, and fairness through community action and educational outreach. The implementation of these new media sites has helped Lexington Fairness reach wider audiences more cost-effectively and increase support for its initiatives and programming.

2. HISTORY
• Founded in 1992- local grassroots initiative.
• Since Lexington Fairness has been active, times and issues have
changed., therefore they provide leadership and opportunities that have
shaped and responded to the changing times.
• Highlight and landmark moments for the Organization:
-Challenge Supreme Court's ruling on Kentucky’s sodomy law
- Fayette County Fairness Ordinance 1999
-Fairness Awards
-Project Speak Out

3. WHERE ARE WE?
 No official office location.
• Travel around Central Kentucky
• No paid staff- Board of Directors
• Contact: Lexington Fairness, Inc.
PO Box 417
Lexington Kentucky 40588
(859) 951-8565

4. MISSION
“Lexington Fairness is committed to achieve equal rights
under the law, acceptance, and fairness for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender people in Central Kentucky
through local community action, grassroots advocacy,
network-building, and educational outreach.”
Lexington Fairness

5. PROJECTS AND WHAT WE DO?
• Education and Programming
-Project Speak Out
-Small Project initiatives
• Special Community Events
-Fairness Awards
-MLK Freedom March
-Lexington Pride Festival
• Developed beyond specifically LGBT community, but advocate social
justice: race, class, gender.

6. WHY LEXINGTON FAIRNESS
• Course of Study
• Career Aspirations
• Connections and Volunteer through other student organizations
• Passion and Core Values

7. PROBLEMS AND NEEDS
Problems and Needs:
-Educating the uniformed/unreached public
-receiving more publicity and promotions
-lack networking connections
-supportive allies
-expensive monetary costs

8. LEXINGTON FAIRNESS: TWITTER
• Twitter- a social media application that allows it users (corporations,
businesses, celebrities, private citizens) to send a ‘tweet’ or message in 140
characters or less to those that have decided to follow the respected account.
Lex Fairness Twitter
• Why Twitter? – quick and easy, yet notable and popular way to get message s
and information to public.
• Impact of Twitter: Increase in supporters (organizations and individuals) and
donations.

9. LEXINGTON FAIRNESS: FACEBOOK
• Facebook – another online social networking site where users can create a profile to
add and connect with ‘friends’ , as well as like and join common interest groups from
large corporations, TV shows, community involvement organizations, small
businesses, and more.
Lexington Fairness Facebook
• Why Facebook? – promote events more in depth and extensively than Twitter. Create
events and invitations.
• Impact of Facebook: People visit this page more than out website (even if they don’t
like our page, they like information on it).

10. LEXINGTON FAIRNESS: YOUTUBE
• YouTube- a video sharing website (owned by Google) that allows private users,
celebrities, organizations, etc. to upload, view, and share video clips, TV clips,
educational messages, music videos, video blogs, and more.
Lexington Fairness YouTube
• Why YouTube? – allows individuals to visualize our mission, see the impact our
organization has, highlight past events or promote upcoming ones.
• Impact of YouTube: provided public with an additional and unique way to show
and help support our mission, become educated, and become inspired even
without attending an event.

11. REPLACEMENTS
• The implementation of these new media sites have required some
adjustments and changes to the system used prior to joining the
specific applications.
• Less reliance upon advertisement form: Television
Radio
Printed News (cost efficient)

12. EFFECTIVENESS
Mission: new media applications specifically through community actions, advocacy, and
educational outreach have aided in the continued efforts and increased the success of
achieving equal rights, and acceptance.
Problems and Needs (reminder): Improvements due to media:
--Educating the uniformed/unreached public -build brand
-receiving more publicity and promotions -support from other businesses/
-lack networking connections nonprofits
-supportive allies - increased sponsorship
-expensive monetary costs - development of
successful programs

13. STRENGTHS
• Equal opportunities to large nonprofits
• Faster and quicker way to reach wide variety of audiences
• Reach diverse groups and individuals may not be aware of
• Content creativity- allows us to customize and brand content
• Cheaper than print media –little to no costs

14. WEAKNESSES
• Not everyone is on social media
• Market saturation- Creativity due to uniformity
• Exploring ways to increase followers
• More cautious of perspective of diverse audiences
• Inherent risks of uncontrolled media

15. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Continuation of current media applications.
• Increase usage of applications.
• Start a Newsletter via email or print