Washington, DC — More than 150 openly LGBTQ elected officials and newly elected officials from across the nation are calling on the incoming U.S. Congress to act on four key initiatives related to LGBTQ equality. The letter was drafted after a closed-door convening of LGBTQ elected officials at LGBTQ Victory Institute's International LGBTQ Leaders Conference last week. The conference is the largest convening of LGBTQ elected officials in the world — with more than 140 elected officials from 26 countries, as well as 400 other advocates and leaders.
The letter calls on Congress to:
pass The Equality Act to expand non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity;
reduce HIV/AIDS by forming an advisory commission, advocating a "Getting to Zero" goal, and taking proactive measures to address disparities in communities of color;
protect trans people from anti-trans Trump administration policies and other measures; and
improve LGBTQ rights globally by supporting asylum claims and ensuring LGBTQ rights is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.
"LGBTQ political power is growing thanks to the rainbow wave of LGBTQ people who won elected office in November — and this letter is the first sign of us wielding that new power," said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute. "The current U.S. Congress failed to advance equality policies and legislation that most Americans support: non-discrimination protections, addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis, protecting trans people from abusive policies, and being a moral voice on the global stage. The next Congress can remedy these wrongs and LGBTQ elected officials are determined to add their voice and energize their constituents around these important measures. The officials who attended our conference and signed this letter won elected office because voters demanded authentic, values-driven leadership. That is what they are delivering on and we hope the new Congress delivers as well."
The letter will be delivered to members of Congress in the next session and was spearheaded by West Hollywood City Councilmember John Heilman and organized by LGBTQ Victory Institute. The complete text can be found at victoryinstitute.org/116congressletter.
The 152 signatories so far include:
Zach Adamson, Vice President of Indianapolis City-County Council ( IN )
James Aguilar, San Leandro Unified School Board Trustee ( CA )
Victor Aguilar, San Leandro City Councilman-elect ( CA )
Ben Allatt, Vice President of Harrisburg City Council ( PA )
Raghib Allie-Brennan, Connecticut State Representative-Elect
Francena Amparo, Dutchess County Legislator ( NY )
Nickie Antonio, Ohio State Representative and State Senator-Elect
Judy Appel, Berkeley Unified School District School Board Trustee ( CA )
Kelvin Atkinson, Nevada Senate Majority Leader
Barbara Baier, Lincoln Board of Education Member ( NE )
John Bauters, Mayor of Emeryville ( CA )
Wendy Berry, West St. Paul City Councilmember ( MN )
Jeremy Blake, Newark City Councilmember
Joshua Boschee, Minority Leader in North Dakota House of Representatives
David Bria, Yardley Councilmember ( PA )
Lisa Bunker, New Hampshire State Representative-Elect
Sara Burlingame, Wyoming State Representative
Deborah Butler, North Carolina State Representative
Ed Butler, New Hampshire State Representative
Christopher Cabaldon, Mayor of West Sacramento ( CA )
Park Cannon, Georgia State Representative
Andres Cano, Arizona State Representative
James Cappleman, City of Chicago Alderman
Kevin Carden, Recorder in Corporation of Harpers Ferry ( WV )
James Chang, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner ( CA )
Cesar Chavez, Arizona State Representative
Justin Chenette, Maine State Senator
Chris Clark, Mountain View City Councilmember ( CA )
Cathy Connolly, Minority Floor Leader in Wyoming House of Representatives
Richard Conti, President Pro Tem of Albany Common Council ( NY )
Christopher Constant, Anchorage Assemblymember ( AK )
Julian Cyr, Massachusetts State Senator
Allison Dahle, North Carolina State Representative-Elect
Thomas Davidson, Summit County Commissioner ( CO )
Larry Forester, Signal Hill Councilmember ( CA )
Michael Defusco, Hoboken City Councilman ( NJ )
Scott Dibble, Minnesota State Senator
Beth Doglio, Washington State Representative
Randy Downs, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner ( Washington, DC )
Adam Ebbin, Virginia State Senator
Harrie Farrow, Carroll County Justice of the Peace ( AR )
Ryan Fecteau, Maine State Representative and Assistant Majority Leader
Greg Ford, Vice Chairman of Wake County Board of Commissioners ( NC )
Larry Forester, Signal Hill Councilmember ( CA )
Shay Franco-Clausen, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority ( CA )
Jesse Gantt, Vice President of Susquehanna Township School Board ( SD )
Brian Garcia, Tempe Union Governing Board Member ( AZ )
Joseph Geierman, Doraville City Councilmember ( GA )
Steven Glassman, Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner ( FL )
Diana Gonzalez, Vermont State Representative
Mary Gonzalez, Texas State Representative
Michael Goodnow, Bremerton City Council ( WA )
Steve Hansen, Vice Mayor of Sacramento ( CA )
Bruce Harris, Mayor of Chatham Borough ( NJ )
John Heilman, West Hollywood Councilmember ( CA )
Rosanna Herber, Director-Elect of Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Leslie Herod, Colorado State Representative
Dana Hilliard, Mayor of Somersworth ( NH )
Jon Hoadley, Michigan State Representative
Matt Hughes, Town of Hillsborough Commissioner ( NC )
Megan Hunt, Nebraska State Senator-Elect
Jay Irwin, Ralston School Board Member ( NE )
Andrea Jenkins, Vice President of Minneapolis City Council
Laurie Jinkins, Washington State Representative
Anne Kaiser, Maryland House of Delegates
Gabe Kearney, Petaluma Councilmember ( PA )
Michelle Kennedy, Greensboro Councilmember ( NC )
Audra Killingsworth, Apex Town Councilmember ( NC )
Rebecca Kislak, Rhode Island Representative-Elect
Geoffrey Kors, Palm Springs City Councilmember ( CA )
Ben Ku, Gwinnett County Commissioner ( GA )
Shawn Kumagai, Dublin City Councilmember-Elect ( CA )
Sandra Kurt, Clerk of Courts of Summit County ( OH )
Jack Patrick Lewis, Massachusetts State Representative
Marko Liias, Washington State Senator
Signe Lindell, Santa Fe City Councilor ( NM )
Bill Lippert, Vermont State Representative
Raymond A. Lopez, City of Chicago Alderman
LaWana Mayfield, Charlotte City Councilmember ( NC )
John McCrostie, Idaho State Representative
Tippi McCullough, Arkansas State Representative-Elect
Luis Medina, Lewisburg Borough Councilmember ( PA )
Douglas Metcalfe, School Director of Twin Valley School District ( PA )
Lisa Middleton, Palm Springs Councilmember ( CA )
Daniel Miller, Treasurer of Harrisburg ( PA )
Brian Mock, Chamblee Councilmember ( GA )
Dominick Moreno, Colorado State Senator
Marcia Morey, North Carolina State Representative
Jason Morgan, Washtenaw County Commissioner ( MI )
Kevin Morrison, Cook County Board Commissioner ( IL )
Jeremy Moss, Michigan State Senator-Elect
Garrett Muscatel, New Hampshire State Representative
Donna Nesselbush, Rhode Island State Senator
Andrea Olsen, Montana State Representative
Laura Parmer-Lohan, San Carlos City Councilmember ( CA )
Roy Peterson, New Carrollton City Councilmember ( MD )
Greg Pettis, Mayor of Cathedral City ( CA )
Michael Poppa, Roeland Park Councilmember ( KS )
Karin Power, Oregon State Representative
Jeffrey Prang, Assessor of Los Angeles County ( CA )
Austin Quinn-Davidson, Anchorage Assemblymember ( AK )
Gabriel Quinto, El Cerrito Councilmember ( CA )
Sam Park, Georgia State Representative
Neil Rafferty, Alabama State Representative-Elect
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, City of Chicago Alderman
Alex Randolph, Vice-President of City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees
Greg Razer, Missouri State Representative
Alex Reber, Millersburg Borough Treasurer ( PA )
Lois Reckitt, Maine State Representative
Janelle Rettig, County Supervisor of Johnson County ( IA )
Felix Rivera, Anchorage Assemblymember ( AK )
Lamont J Robinson, Illinois State Representative-Elect
Paul Rosenthal, Colorado State Representative
Evan Ross, Amherst Town Councilor ( MA )
Deborah Ruggiero, Rhode Island State Representative
Susan Ruiz, Kansas State Representative-Elect
Michael Sabatino, Majority Leader of Yonkers City Council ( NY )
Janelle K. Sarauw, U.S. Virgin Islands Senator
Lori Schreiber, Abington Township Commissioner ( PA )
Chris Schwartz, Black Hawk County Supervisor ( IA )
Katie Scott, Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners ( MI )
Kristin Seale, Director of Rose Tree Media School Board ( PA )
Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore of Carrboro ( NC )
Debra Shore, Commissioner of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Jeffrey Slavin, Mayor of Somerset ( MD )
Paul Smedberg, Alexandria City Councilmember ( VA )
Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida State Representative
Marque Snow, Omaha Public Schools Board of Education Member ( NE )
Karen Stegman, Chapel Hill Councilmember ( NC )
Ty Stober, Vancouver Councilmember ( WA )
Ron Strouse, Mayor of Doylestown ( PA )
Michael Sutphin, Blacksburg Town Councilmember ( VA )
Eric-John Szczepaniak, Kenowa Hills Public Schools Board of Education Member ( MI )
Joshua Tenorio, Lieutenant Governor-Elect of Guam
Brianna Titone, Colorado State Representative-Elect
Tyler James Titus, Erie City School Board Director ( PA )
Dave Upthegrove, King County Councilmember ( WA )
Alex Valdez, Colorado State Representative
Nancy VanReece, Nashville and Davidson County Metro Councilmember
Lawrence Webb, Chair Falls Church City School Boardmember
Jennifer Webb, Florida State Representative-Elect
Tyller Williamson, Monterey City Councilmember ( CA )
Claire Wilson, Washington State Senator
Matthew Wilson, Georgia State Representative-Elect
Brett Withers, Nashville and Davidson County Metro Councilmember
Patrick Wojahn, Mayor of College Park ( MD )
Brandon Woodard, Kansas State Representative
Zach Young, Goodlettsville City Commissioner ( TN )
JoCasta Zamarripa, Wisconsin State Assemblymember
Ahmad Zahra, Fullerton City Councilmember ( CA )
Amy Zanelli, Lehigh County Commissioner ( PA )
Les Zendle, Desert Healthcare District Director ( CA )
—From a press release
About LGBTQ Victory Institute
LGBTQ Victory Institute works to increase the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in public office and to provide programming, service, and other support to ensure their success.
victoryinstitute.org .
