Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
I remember when I first became Executive Director at Equality North Carolina; like most Executive Directors, I was facing a number of substantial gaps in my skill set. While I had learned a lot about state politics and built a good network in the state, I had no idea how to read a financial statement, and managing staff was a brand new challenge for me. There were even some things I didn't realize that I didn't know.
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.
On November 5, the Illinois House passed the freedom to marry in a decisive 61 to 54 vote, following Senate passage on Valentine’s Day earlier this year. On November 20, Governor Pat Quinn signed the bill into law and gave committed same-sex couples across the state the protection and dignity they deserve.
Last month, we welcomed an incredible group of state leaders to our Midwest Leadership Summit in Chicago.
Since 2006, the State of the States report by the Equality Federation has documented the strength and sustainability of state-based advocacy organizations that advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.
The gross irony that Native Americans are being abused by overzealous police during Thanksgiving has not been lost on Equality Federation. For this #SolidarityWednesday we encourage you to consider donating to one of the organizations supporting the protestors at Standing Rock in the Dakotas who are fighting to preserve the land and water for future generations.
Equality California is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization in California. Over the past decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation.
According to research from the Horizons Foundation and Movement Advancement Project, less than 5% of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community gives to an LGBTQ cause. To increase this number, Bolder Giving created Give OUT Day, a national initiative that aims to mobilize thousands of donors across the country on one day in May to give in support of the LGBTQ nonprofit community.
The Empire State Pride Agenda is New York's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization. Our mission is to win equality and justice for LGBT New Yorkers and our families.
Founded in 1996 as the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, Equality Pennsylvania is the only organization in the Commonwealth based in Harrisburg and advocating there and across the state, exclusively for the rights of LGBT Pennsylvanians.
Many Federation members are actively engaged in efforts to support LGBTQ young people. Some are working to develop Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs); some are fighting to end school pushout; some are advocating for bans against harmful conversion therapy. No matter what form it takes, ensuring that LGBTQ young people are safe and thriving is a key part of all of our members' youth programs. That's why we're excited to share a new resource from our friends at The Trevor Project.
The Regional Field Director (Western U.S.) is a regular, full-time position who reports to the Deputy Field Director and is based in Washington, DC. The states included in the Western Region are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
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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.
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