Tres Watson

Tres Watson
Born (1980-08-22) August 22, 1980
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater University of California, SD (B.A.), (M.B.A)
Occupation American Businessman, Community Leader, Former Civil Rights Activist
Known for Founding Canvass for a Cause, The Gadget Guys Foundation
Website www.treswatson.com

Tres Watson (born August 22th, 1980) is a community leader, a corporate executive, and an American civil rights activist who best known for his work advocating for LGBT rights in the United States, and defending free speech. Especially his role in helping to legalize marriage equality,[1] and as the founder of Canvass for a Cause which was a response to Proposition 8 in California, as well as taking a stand for Free Speech rights in highly public lawsuit involving Target Corporation that eventually culminated in a national LGBT boycott of Target Stores.[2][3] Watson has Also been involved successfully preventing bans on medical cannabis, prison justice reform, as well as working on get out the vote efforts in 2010 in coalition with Prop 19 the effort to legalize recreational cannabis, and was active in helping to raise money with the Red Cross to aid the earthquake victims in Hatie.[4] Tres was also a subject of the 2012 documentary The Search for Equality: LGBT Stories of Democracy in Action documents first-person stories from San Diego’s LGBT community that explore the basic principles of democracy, inequality, biography.[5]

Early life and education

Watson was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in an upper middle class family in an upscale suburb of phoenix called Scottsdale, where he lived with his Mother, Father, and two sisters. He attended Valley Christian High School were he was active in the choir, as well as on the schools cheer team, and later served as the school mascot. After coming out of the closet, Watson transferred to a public school called Highland High school, where he graduated in 1999.

LGBT rights activism

Tres got his start in political organizing during the build up to the Proposition 8 referendum, seeking to deny marriage rights to same sex couples in California. During the signature gathering phase of Proposition 8 Tres volunteered for the Decline to Sign campaign, an effort to deny the proponents of Proposition 8 the requisite number of signatures to make the ballot by sending activists to disrupt and educate the efforts.[6] After the initiative qualified, Tres went on to work for the No on Proposition 8 campaign as a campaign staffer out of their San Diego office, working to oppose the proposition 8 by helping organize staffers and volunteers in a grassroots public education effort.

Canvass for a Cause staff right after the City Counsel meeting yesterday morning that created much buzz after the events closed down the counsel meeting due to Occupies demands that they place an item on the agenda to endorse the occupation with tents, food, medical supplies and other vital items to sustain an effective movement.

Following his work on Proposition 8, Tres directed the campaign to elect Stephen Whitburn, a local political figure within the democratic party in San Diego with a large following, to the San Diego City Council to represent the predominantly LGBT District 3. Tres was also involved in Maine’s marriage equality effort called proposition 1, as well getting involved with marriage equality projects in San Diego as part of the national LGBT Rights Group Marriage Equality USA.

Canvass for a Cause

Main article: Canvass for a Cause

Following the 2008 passage of California's highly publicized Proposition 8, which barred the recognition of same-sex marriage, Watson founded the Canvass for a Cause (CFAC) to help organize a grassroots public education and persuasion effort to move public opinion on the issue of marriage equality.[7] At its zenith, Canvass for a Cause was one of the largest groups on a staff size perspective with 75 organizers working out of offices in San Diego and San Francisco, and contributing the grassroots manpower to the coalition that helped legalize marriage equality in Washington, Maryland, and Maine.[8]

Most notably, Watson and his organization Canvass for a Cause received a significant national publicity when they were sued by Target Corporation in an effort to deny their free speech rights in front of their stores, something Target had successfully with 327 separate non-profit entities. This was Targets first loss in court, and the ensuing national publicity lead to a community leaders call for a national LGBT boycott, and notable figures such as Lady Gaga canceling exclusive record releases as a response.[9]

Canvass for a Cause organizers at Pride 2011

Watson and his group have also been involved in defending access to medical Cannabis in San Diego, successfully opposing a overly restrictive ordinance passed by San Diego City Council. Watson organized a coalition effort called Stop the Ban,[10] which used his staff to rally grassroots opposition to the ordinance , eventually resulting in the City Council reversing itself and rescinding the ordinance. Additionally, CFAC under Watsons leadership led the get out the vote effort in 2010, with funding from the Yes on 19 campaign leading to unexpected turn out in areas leading to some polling places to run out of ballots.[11]

Watson has also worked on efforts to raise money for the Red Cross following the earthquake in Haiti, as well as several other projects surrounding hate crimes, such as prison justice reform.[12]

The Gadget Guys

Main article: The Gadget Guys

Tres incorporated Consider it Done, which eventually became The Gadget Guys in December 2014 as an S Corporation.[13][1][14] It is federally registered 501 C3 corporation founded on June 2015 on the premise that people in need, who live below the poverty line, or are struggling need help with technology but often can't afford to pay the price tag of a consultant.[15] Its mission is to provide access, education and technology products to underserved communities including disabled individuals, seniors and those living on or below the poverty line to empower those individuals to greater social mobility and inclusion.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Connecting people in need with tomorrow's technology". LGBT Weekly. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Target sues solicitors, triggers free speech debate". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Dear Target…THIS SUCKS!". Perez Hilton. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Who is Canvass For A Cause?". San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Search for Equality: LGBT Stories of Democracy in Action - Cal Humanities". www.calhum.org. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Target Sues Gay Rights Group for Lobbying". ABC News. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Nico D'Amico-Barbour: Canvass for a Cause Organizer on Marriage Equality, Occupation-print". Independent Media Center. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Love Honor Cherish, NOH8 Campaign kick off signature gathering drive for marriage-equality initiative". San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Judge Eyes Target Lawsuit Against Gay Rights Group". CBS. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "Medi-pot advocates hope letters sway upcoming City Council vote". San Diego CityBeat. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Polls run out of provisional ballot envelopes". KFMB (AM). Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  12. ↑ "Canvass for a Cause to speak out Saturday in support of prison reform". San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Gadget Guys by Consider it Done offering Tech Support San Diego". www.cidsandiego.com. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  14. ↑ "Connecting people in need with tomorrow's technology". Rady School of Management. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  15. ↑ "The Gadget Guys foundation overview". NonProfitStorm. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Connecting People in Need with Tomorrow's Technology: Underserved, Elderly and Disabled Lag Behind". The Huffington Post. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
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