Delaware Stonewall PAC

Delaware's Political Voice for the LGBTQ+ Community

About Delaware Stonewall PAC

Our Mission

Delaware Stonewall PAC is a non-partisan political organization whose purpose is the promotion of the rights of LGBTQ+ Delawareans.

Delaware Stonewall PAC derives its name from the Stonewall Inn in New York City, the scene of a 1969 confrontation between gay patrons and an intolerant society. The patrons that June, having had enough harassment, took a historic stand against hatred and discrimination. A three-day riot inspired a revolution that has been a rallying point of our community for over a quarter century. President Clinton had the Stonewall Inn declared an official national historic site.

Our History

The mission of Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee is to help elect candidates who support equality, fairness, and opportunity for all, and who support the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in the life of Delaware.

Browse our website to learn more, including information about our candidate questionnaires and endorsements, and join us as a member for only $25!

Email President@DelawareStonewall.org for more information.

Pictured Left: Founder Peter Schott

Board of directors

DWAYNE BENSING President

Dwayne is the Legal Director of the ACLU of Delaware and has been on Legal Staff since 2020. Dwayne previously served for three years with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and two years with the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Dwayne began his legal career at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, LLP, in Washington DC.

Dwayne was a Truman Scholar and taught middle school in Philadelphia

TARA SHELDON Political VP

Tara is a lifelong pursuer of equality, equity and justice. By 13 yrs old, she lamented the confinement and traumas experienced by animals in zoos, circuses and in factories and stopped eating meat. Her passion for social justice was amplified in college and graduate school studying Psychology, Women’s Studies and obtaining her Masters in Social Work.

Tara has channeled her advocacy for social justice as a former board and staff member for CAMP Rehoboth, and as President of VegRehoboth / VegFest

PETER SCHOTT Secretary

Peter Schott worked as a Congressional Aide for twenty-five years with the House Education and Labor Committee. Throughout his thirty-two years in the District of Columbia he was active in political and community affairs. He was a delegate to two National Democratic Conventions, has served or continues to serve on numerous National, local and community Boards.

He moved to Delaware in 2002 and continued his activism. He is currently involved with the Social and Environmental Justice Committee of

LESLIE CALMAN TREASURER

Leslie is a retired administrator and educator who taught political science and women’s studies at Barnard College before holding executive positions at the International Center for Research on Women, NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, Engineering World Health, and The National Lesbian Health Organization. She was a board member of The National LGBT Health Coalition, and Breast Care for Washington. She volunteers at the Community Resource Center and is an advisor to the Russ Huxtable campaign

DESHANNA NEAL BOARD MEMBER

DeShanna Neal is a queer, mother of 4, is a graduate of Wilmington University with a MS in Applied Family Science and a certified family life educator. Since sharing her story of raising a transgender child she has been a public figure for families of LGBTQ children in Wilmington, Delaware for several years. She battled Delaware Medicaid for pediatric transgender services when her own transgender child was denied and after an eight-month fight, she won. Changing policy for all transgender and

LESLIE LEDOGAR BOARD MEMBER

Leslie is an attorney with over twenty-five years of experience in environmental, administrative and insurance law, working as regulatory counsel for two different state agencies in two separate states. She is well versed in social justice and civil rights advocacy and is also viewed as a leader on the Delaware political scene.

Leslie and her wife Marilyn met in the Philadelphia area in 2001 and have called Lewes/Rehoboth Beach home since 2013.

ELIZABETH KAETON BOARD MEMBER

The Rev Dr. Elizabeth Kaeton is an Episcopal priest whose life work has ranged from university chaplaincy, parish priest, political activist and, presently, a hospice chaplain. She comes to the work of Delaware Stonewall PAC with a clear understanding that, with the exception of the ADA, every civil rights movement – from women’s suffrage, to abolishment of legalized racial segregation and voter restriction and suppression, to DACA, and LGBTQ+ rights – has either faced strong opposition or gaine

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Delaware Stonewall PAC Bylaws

Article I -NAME

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee.

Article II- MISSION

Section 1. The mission of Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee shall be to help elect candidates who support equality, fairness and opportunity for all, and who support the full inclusion of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender individuals in the life of Delaware.

Section 2. To achieve this mission Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee will work to help candidates at local, state, and national levels who reflect the needs and desires of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, by endorsements of and contributions to candidates who support our mission. We shall hold fund-raising activities to enhance our ability to assist candidates.

Section 3. Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee’s platform shall be enunciated by the Board, reflecting the organization’s priorities consistent with the goals stated in Section 2 above, by and through the endorsement process.

Article III-MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership fee is set by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Any person who pays the membership fee at least 2 weeks prior to the regularly scheduled organizational meeting shall be a voting member of Delaware Stonewall PAC for one (1) year from the date of providing their payment and contact information to a member of the Executive Board, who shall share such information with the entire Executive Board by or at the next Executive Board meeting.

Section 2. Membership information shall be preserved by the Executive Board and not distributed to any other person or organization unless required by law. Executive Board members shall only use membership information pursuant to fulfilling the mission of Delaware Stonewall PAC.

Article IV- OFFICERS

Section 1. The elected officers of Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee shall be a President, Vice President for Political Action, Secretary, and Treasurer. Elected officials shall take office immediately following their election and shall hold office until their second regularly scheduled organizational meeting , at which point they may stand for re-election or allow a successor to be elected. All elected and appointed positions are open only to individuals who declare Delaware as their primary residence and are members of Delaware Stonewall PAC.

Section 2. Duties of Officers

President. The President shall develop the organization’s vision; develop and implement annually a strategic operating plan; serve as the chief spokesperson; set the agenda for and preside over all meetings of the Executive Board and of the membership; establish such committees as may be deemed necessary; appoint directors of committees; serve as the official representative of the organization in public forums; make decisions for the organization of policy when specifically empowered to do so by the Executive Board; advise the membership of pertinent matters affecting the welfare of the organization; disburse funds of the organization within limits set by the Executive Board; and perform the functions customarily attributed to this office.
Vice President for Political Action. The Vice President for Political Action shall be responsible for coordinating the organization’s candidate evaluation: political campaign and legislative activities; coordinating activities to maintain and enhance relations between the organization and elected officials and candidates for public office; developing activities to increase lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender participation on public boards, commissions and elective office; and shall promote and implement the registration of voters, coordinate the organization’s “Get Out the Vote’ program, and shall alert members of pending legislative or administrative actions.
Secretary. The Secretary shall keep minutes and records of the organization, including records on all votes cast by each member and Executive Board member; maintain the membership list, and list of supporters; shall act as Treasurer in the absence or inability of the Treasurer; and shall have the traditional role carried out by secretaries.
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the organization; receive and disburse funds of the organization; report the financial status of the organization to the Executive Board on a regular basis; make an annual report to the membership; prepare and submit all required Political Action Committee reports on a timely basis; and provide all information necessary for periodic audits as may be directed by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE V- EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Officers enumerated in Article IV and three additional Board members, all elected by a majority-vote by all members present at the regularly scheduled organizational meeting, shall serve as the Executive Board of Delaware Stonewall PAC. Every effort shall be made to assure that all constituency groups are included on the Executive Board, and that each one of the State’s counties is represented.

Section 2. In the event of a vacancy during the term of any Board Member or Officer, a replacement Board Member or Officer may be elected by a majority vote of the remaining Executive Board members. Officers or Board Member Positions filled by the Executive Board will be open for election at the next regularly scheduled organizational meeting.

Section 3. An Officer or Board Member may be removed for good cause shown by a motion and two-thirds vote of the Executive Board, provided that such Officer or Board Member is provided written notice of such good cause and an opportunity to address the full Executive Board in response to the removal motion prior to the removal vote.

ARTICLE VI- AUDIT COMMITTEE

Section 1. An Audit Committee of not less than three (3) members in good standing may be appointed prior to the time of the Board Elections by the Executive Board to review the financial records of the organization, its income and expenditures since the previous audit, and make a report of its findings at the next meeting of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII- ELECTIONS

Section 1. Members of the Executive Board shall be elected at a regularly scheduled organizational meeting.

Section 2. Executive Board members may be nominated from the floor immediately prior to voting for each office, as long as the person nominated has agreed to run.

Section 3. Executive Board members shall be elected individually in the following order, President, Vice President for Political Action, Secretary, Treasurer, additional Executive Board members.

ARTICLE VIII- MEETINGS

Section 1. Regularly scheduled organizational meetings shall be held at least once a calendar year as set by a majority-vote of the Executive Board and provided that at least two-weeks notice is provided to all members.

Section 2. Called special meetings of the Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board or called by the request of one Executive Board member and at least twenty-five percent of the membership, provided the purpose of the meeting is stated and at least two-weeks notice is provided to all members.

Article IX–ENDORSEMENTS

Section 1. The Executive Board, by majority vote, may choose to endorse candidates for any elected office within the State of Delaware, provided that such candidate has requested Delaware Stonewall’s endorsement and has provided information as required by the VP for Political Action. Endorsements may be made in any election, including primary elections, general elections, special elections, and in other non-partisan races. Such endorsement decisions shall be shared with all members and reasonably shared broadly with other stakeholders.

Section 2. By majority-vote, the Executive Board may determine whether and how much money to donate to a candidate endorsed by Delaware Stonewall .

ARTICLE X- RULES OF PROCEDURE

SECTION 1. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for the organization on all questions not covered by these bylaws.

SECTION 2. Questions of interpretation of these bylaws may be appealed to the President, whose decision shall be final.

SECTION 3. Meetings and Votes by membership and the Executive Board may be performed virtually or in-person, provided proper notice is given.

ARTICLE XI- FISCAL YEAR

Section 1. The organization’s fiscal year shall begin July 1

ARTICLE XII- AMENDMENTS

Section 1. The bylaws of the organization may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at any meeting, or two-thirds vote of all members if such approval is sought electronically, provided that a two week notice be sent to the members explaining the intent of the amendment and identifying the amended section with draft proposed language.

adopted 1/13/2023