The 8th Tennessee Equality Project Gumbo Contest presented by Hilton Memphis will be held on Sunday, January 21, 2018. TEP's annual Mardi Gras celebration brings together teams from the Western, Middle and Eastern United States to compete for the best gumbo in Memphis. Gumbo contestants will be awarded prizes by an appointed panel of judges and by individual tasters like you in the People’s Choice competition. TEP is grateful for the generous support of its presenting sponsor for 2018: Hilton Memphis!

 CLICK HERE FOR INDIVIDUAL TICKET PURCHASES 

TEP's annual Mardi Gras gumbo competition draws large crowds who support the LGBTQ community of the Mid-South and draws many public and elected officials. 

The annual Mardi Gras gumbo competition draws large crowds who support the LGBTQ community of the Mid-South including public and elected officials. You can support this year’s event and the work of TEP to advance and protect equality in Tennessee as a host or in-kind sponsor. Here are the steps:

1. Review the sponsor information below and select the right level for you on the left. If you prefer to write a check for your sponsorship, mail a check to "TEP Foundation", c/o Jonathan Cole, 1889 Nelson Avenue, Memphis, TN 38114. 
2. If you choose a Flaming or Hot sponsorship, you will be assigned a VIP Table closest to the dance floor in the event space in the order that sponsorship are completed. Sponsors will receive tickets by mail to the purchaser within a few weeks of the event. 
3. Sponsors must submit event program ads and organizational logos for the sponsor reel (300+ dpi image) to Charles Fowler at [email protected] by December 20, 2017 to guarantee ad placement. Click the bulleted sponsor level links below for ad specifications:
   • FLAMING or HOT
   • MEDIUM 
   • MILD

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Hilton Memphis is the Presenting Sponsor for the 2018 TEP Gumbo Contest.

HOST SPONSORSHIPS

How spicy do like your gumbo? Gumbo contest sponsors may contribute as hosts for this event at the Flaming, Hot, Medium or Mild level as individuals, organizations or businesses:

HOT SPONSOR

Hot sponsors giving $500-999 will receive:

• FLAMING or HOT
• MEDIUM 
• MILD

IN-KIND SPONSORS

In-kind gifts of decorations, beer, or other supplies used in the event may be donated. In-kind sponsors will receive 2-8 gumbo tasting tickets (which includes live music and one beer or soft drink ticket per admission) and promotion of your business in the event program. In-kind gifts of $500 or greater will receive a VIP Table with 8 seats. In-kind gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

 

In-Kind Sponsor Donation	$100	$200	$300	$400	$500+
Tickets given	2	4	6	8	VIP Table

 

Laissez le bon temps rouler!

For more information or to volunteer for this event, contact Jonathan Cole at [email protected] / 901-301-3306.

 

Why should your business or organization sponsor the TEP Gumbo Contest?

Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, provides educational projects and programs which advance the well-being of LGBTQ people and their families here at home in Tennessee. Unlike other organizations that advance equality, every dollar contributed to TEP Foundation is spent here in Tennessee.

A diverse group of over 500 LGBTQ people and their allies attend the TEP Gumbo Contest each year. Attendees receive a program with sponsor ads and information and will see the event sponsor reel on the projection screen during the event. Our PRESENTING sponsor and FLAMING sponsors will be thanked from the main stage during event announcements.  

Your sponsorship will be advertised through the TEP Gumbo Contest Event web page, Facebook event page and email list (14,000+ contacts). Tennessee Equality Project social media reach extends deeply in the Mid-South and the State of Tennessee (as of 9/2/2017):

• Facebook Page: 14,800+ followers
• Facebook Group: 4,200+ members
• Twitter @TNEquality: 9,100+ followers
• Instagram @TNEquality: 1,500+ followers

As a monthly supporter of Tennessee Equality Project, your contribution funds the advancement of policies through direct and grass roots lobbying which protect the rights of LGBT people and their families here at home in Tennessee. Contributions to TEP (a 501(c)(4) organization) are not tax deductible.

If you prefer to make a ONE-TIME donation to Tennessee Equality Project, click here.  

If you would prefer to make a tax-deductible contribution to Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, click here.

Other Giving Options

Some supporters prefer to write a check or make monthly donations to Tennessee Equality Project through automatic bank drafts. Consider creating “Tennessee Equality Project” as a regular payee with your bank’s online service.

Checks and automated bank drafts may be mailed to the following address:

Tennessee Equality Project | P.O. Box 330875 | Nashville, TN 37203 

Thank you for supporting Tennessee Equality Project.

UPDATE:  Minister Ben Bailey of the Central Church of Christ called us this morning and talked about his views.  He is not pro-equality, but he wants to make absolutely clear that he does NOT support the stoning of LGBT people.  You can read his response at the link. 

The New Civil Rights Movement has reported on the teachings of Minister Ben Bailey of the Central Church of Christ in McMinnville in which the pastor tries to justify the stoning of LGBT people as biblical. 

People of faith and people of no particular faith alike reject the dangerous extremism of Pastor Bailey.  At a time when hate crimes are up against LGBT people in Tennessee and at a time when the nationwide murders of transgender people in particular have reached crisis levels, such hate has no rightful place in religion or in civil society. 

Despite the pastor's notoriety, hate will NOT define McMinnville or the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee.  We were in McMinnville recently for the Summer of Love tour with a strong showing of equality advocates.  Read the report if you doubt there are many great people in the area living their hopes for full equality.  Upper Cumberland Pride, which serves the region, is an organization that is growing again and now reunited to TEP.  We know they will continue to raise awareness for the safety and equality of LGBT people in the area.

We urge people of good will across the state and nation to stand with those in McMinnville and the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee and against the hateful rhetoric of Pastor Bailey.  Add your name as a show of solidarity!

SUPPORT OUR START UP!*  With the Supreme Court taking up the marriage issue, it looks as if marriage equality is FINALLY coming to Tennessee.  But that's not all that's coming.  Family Action Council of Tennessee is going to try to bring an Indiana-style RFRA to Tennessee again next year.  You'll remember that we beat the bill last year, the one we called "Turn the Gays Away." 

So we wondered what to do and how to prepare.

Then the answer came to us!

A startup, of course!  If bakers and pizza places can turn away LGBT people, why not start our own RFRA Wedding Cake Emporium to meet all your needs when the haters can't be bothered.  This is social entrepreneurship at its best.

So invest in our RFRA Wedding Cake Emporium where we welcome everyone!

Help us build a better wedding cake toward the $1000 level! Each completed cake layer means $500 toward our $3000 goal!

*(OK, so we're not actually starting a wedding cake emporium.  But when you make a donation, we can fight negative bills like RFRA and Mini Indy/Counseling Discrimination style bills in the Legislature and WIN!  Because your donation supports excellent professional lobbying and grassroots policy organizing, it is not tax deductible.  But it tastes great.  Wedding cake minus the discrimination.)

As a supporter of Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, your contribution funds much needed educational projects and programs which advance the well being of LGBT people and their families here at home in Tennessee. Unlike other organizations that advance equality, every dollar contributed to TEP Foundation is spent here in Tennessee.

If you prefer to make contributions to TEP Foundation without using PayPal, click this link. 

Other Giving Options

Some supporters prefer to write a check or make monthly donations to TEP Foundation through automatic bank drafts. Consider creating “TEP Foundation” as a regular payee with your bank’s online service.

Checks and automated bank drafts may be mailed to the following address:

TEP Foundation | P.O. Box 330875 | Nashville, TN 37203 

Thank you for supporting TEP Foundation.

Giving Tuesday, a nationwide day of giving following Cyber Monday, is coming up on December 2.  TEP is asking our friends to give $10 or more on that day to engage new donors and encourage existing donors to support us with their year-end giving.  But we need VOLUNTEERS to help make it successful.  We specifically need volunteers to help spread the word about this link .  You can get the long form here:  http://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Giving-Tuesday-For-Equality-In-Tennessee .