Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
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.
A coalition of local and national organizations is planning a grassroots public education campaign to win the freedom to marry in Nevada. This newly formed program will work with Nevada businesses, faith communities, community groups and opinion leaders to increase support for marriage, pass the necessary legislative resolution and lay the groundwork for a ballot measure campaign.
Oregon United for Marriage (orunited.org) is building a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Oregon. We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together. We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters to all Oregonians.
Oregon United for Marriage (orunited.org) is building a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Oregon. We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together. We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters to all Oregonians.
Oregon Says I Do is building a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Oregon. We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together.We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters to all Oregonians.
On any given day in America thousands of LGBTQ youth, disproportionately youth of color, are separated from their families by means of our broken, corrupted juvenile justice system. In this webinar discussion with MAP, Youth First!, Impact Justice, and NCLR we explore the issue and what we can do together to make the changes necessary to ensure all our youth have a fair opportunity to thrive. Click here to take the pledge for youth and learn more.
In response to some inquiries from people who are afraid their marriages might be invalidated, we drafted this brief explanation.
The election results are devastating. The Equality Federation staff and I are deeply saddened today as we grapple with the reality that the country has elected Donald Trump, who campaigned on racism, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia—sentiments based in fear and hatred.
Almost 500 attendees, including over 250 people identifying as transgender, gathered in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday for the 3rd annual TIES (Transgender Information and Empowerment Summit) hosted by Equality Federation Member, Equality Virginia. TIES is the largest conference of its kind in the south and is free to attend.
On Monday, October 24, after nearly six hours of public testimony and dais debate, the Cheyenne City Council voted 7-3 to approve an anti-discrimination resolution that commits to equal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
For nearly four years, the two of us have worked together to coordinate a grant from the State Equality Fund focused on developing campaign strategies that would advance nondiscrimination protections for the LGBTQ community. Our time at Equality Federation has been incredibly rewarding, but our project is now winding down, and we will be leaving the Federation at the end of December.
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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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