Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
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In honor of HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day, we sat down with 3 Black LGBTQ+ leaders and executive directors whose state-based LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations successfully modernized or repealed HIV criminalization laws for a candid conversation about what it actually takes to win—and why victory can still feel incomplete.
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It’s hard to be a queer or trans Texan right now, especially in deep-red rural areas. But Equality Texas has the answer: the Rainbow Rights Roadshow, a 15-stop tour of the state is a chance for LGBTQ+ Texans to connect, learn, advocate, and be in community.

Check out our bilingual community education toolkit to help our communities learn about mpox and the safe and effective vaccine that protects against it.

FACT: Cuts to health care disproportionately hurt LGBTQ+ communities. Click to view our health care factsheet!
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We are thrilled to share that three of our incredible team members have been selected for the National Black Justice Collective’s (NBJC’s) 2025 Cohort of 100 Black LGBTQ+/SGL Emerging Leaders to Watch!
“Beyond Pink Ribbons” is more than a slogan. It’s a reminder that breast cancer advocacy must evolve if it’s going to serve everyone it claims to represent. It’s time to create space for everyone who lives with, or is at risk for, this disease.
Based in Salt Lake City, Equality Utah is the state’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) political advocacy organization. With a vision of a fair and just Utah, Unity Utah was founded in 2001, by a group of visionary members of the Utah LGBT Community.
In just a few weeks, advocates, attorneys, organizers, ministers and community members will come together to strategize about new approaches to LGBT advocacy in the South. The Federation’s Ian Palmquist will join the conversation.
State-based organizations across the country are making change in the communities we call home -- where the work is hard, but the impact is great. Nearly every week, we hear about another victory that provides LGBT people with the protection, respect and dignity they need and deserve, but far too often, these wins go unsung by the broader LGBT movement.
Thinking back to this time last year, I certainly didn’t expect to be looking at an equality map showing that 17 states and the District of Columbia have extended the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. But in nearly every region of this country, we’ve seen monumental progress that has dramatically changed the map.
On November 5, 2013, voters in the Michigan community of Royal Oak approved a local ordinance protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from discrimination. Passage of this ordinance, in a 54 to 46 percent vote, comes 12 years after Royal Oak residents previously voted down a similar proposal. Federation member Equality Michigan was a key player in the fight for fairness and equality in Royal Oak. We talked with Emily Dievendorf and Sommer Foster about the campaign that led to this historic win.
Mobilize the Immigrant Vote (MIV) is a California alliance of organizations advancing the broader movement for social change by building immigrant voting power. MIV strategies include building the capacity of community-based organizations working with New American and immigrant communities of color to educate and mobilize their constituents to vote; linking these efforts with ongoing community organizing; shaping the debate on immigrant civic participation; and developing models for collaboration.

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With your support, we'll be able to continue our work to build the leaders of today and tomorrow, strengthen state-based LGBTQ+ organizations, and make critical progress on the issues that matter most—like protecting transgender people, ending HIV criminalization and ensuring access to care, and banning conversion therapy across the country.