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 the protection, respect, and dignity they need and deserve.

These wins build critical momentum in the fight for full and lasting equality -- but we don’t often hear about them. Far too often, they go unnoticed and uncelebrated by the broader LGBT movement.

At the Federation, we’re committed to telling the story of these victories. That’s why we’re launching a regular feature: Unsung Victories. Through it, we’ll be getting the word out about advances that are happening in every corner of this country.

So let’s get started:

• Thanks to the work of Equality Pennsylvania and local advocates, Pittston, PA became the 32nd municipality in the Keystone State to protect LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
• Because of the work of the Tennessee Equality Project, the Knox County Commission passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that protects county government employees from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Equality Utah successfully advocated for nondiscrimination ordinances in So. Salt Lake and Marriott-Slaterville, bringing the total number of municipalities protecting LGBT people to 17.
• Avondale Estates became the fourth municipality in Georgia to establish a domestic partnership registry, which will allow the city formally to recognize both same-sex and opposite-sex couples with limited benefits. Congratulations to Georgia Equality on this big win!
• The Idaho Transportation Department released new regulations allowing transgender motorists to change the sex designation on their driver's licenses without a surgeon's note.

What else? Let us know about a win in your community, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming edition of Unsung Victories! Just send an email to communications@equalityfederation.org.