LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About

Join us in Detroit: our final 2023 Candidate & Campaign Training!

It’s your time to run! Join LGBTQ+ Victory Institute for the 2023 Detroit LGBTQ+ Candidate & Campaign Training on October 12-15. Our signature 4-day trainings provide comprehensive, nonpartisan best practices to present and future LGBTQ candidates, campaign staff and community leaders. Trainees learn the necessary skills and strategies by engaging in tough, realistic campaign simulations and working with peers to develop a plan to run for office and win. To apply, visit: https://victoryinstitute.org/event/candidate-campaign-training-detroit-2023/

The Latest: meet the 2023 Women Out to Win Cohort!

Announcing the 2023 Women Out to Win cohort! We are excited to welcome our third class of participants to the program, joining nine successful alumni who have all run for office during or after participation in the Women Out to Win program. These women will receive six-months of personalized campaign training, mentorship and consultation.

Through generous funding from The Ascend Fund, Victory Institute produced a first-of-its-kind report, “The Decision to Run: Uncovering the Barriers and Motivators for LGBTQ Women Running for Office” to explore the barriers and motivators LGBTQ+ women experience when running for office. LGBTQ+ women expressed needing more mentorship from elected officials who are also LGBTQ+ women.

Learn more about this year’s participants here!

Shevrin Jones Takes Ron DeSantis to Task – Again.

Before Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took the Republican debate stage – and grinned one of the strangest grins we’ve ever seen – Florida state Senator Shevrin Jones was busy reminding Americans just how harmful DeSantis’s policies are. In this scathing op-ed, Senator Jones details the numerous ways DeSantis has attacked the LGBTQ+ community and communities of color.

While Ron is out of state to run, Floridians are dealing with the dual trauma of a mass shooting and a devastating hurricane. As Senator Jones said to NBC News in reference to the Jacksonville shooting, which has been labeled a hate crime; “How much can we allow the governor to keep his foot on our neck and not say anything. This is the result of that stuff. It’s not only the result, but it gives individuals who committed this act a hall pass to make it seem like it’s OK.”

Texas state Representative Ann Johnson Takes the First Step to Save Lives

After the Supreme Court struck down Roe, Texas was one of the many U.S. states that banned abortion under any circumstances. Texas doctors also could face enormous penalties for performing abortions, even those that would save the life of the parent, forcing both doctors and patients to navigate tricky and unclear laws.

In one of her latest pieces of legislation, Texas state Representative Ann Johnson wrote a bill – which was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott - easing restrictions and clarifying language around abortion. As Rep. Johnson says, "To me, it is a first step," she says. "I just very strongly feel we need to do more."

Trenton City Councilmember Jennifer Williams Fights On

Jennifer Williams holds the distinct honor of being the first out transgender person to win elected office in New Jersey and one of very few out transgender officeholders serving nationwide. She is also a Republican, fighting to carve out space and build acceptance within her party. She spoke with The New York Times about her experiences on the campaign trail, her current work on the city council and her love for Trenton. Read the whole interview here!

Two New Historic Appointees!

For the first time in U.S. history, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be led by an out LGBTQ+ person. Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo has been chosen to replace Dr. Anthony Fauci! Learn more about Dr. Marrazzo’s storied career and pursuit of equality here.

Congratulations to Seth Marnin, who made history as the first out transgender man to serve as a judge in the United States and the first transgender person in to serve as a judge in New York. Seth was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to the New York Court of Claims.

Ulster County, NY Signs Laws Protecting Drag and Gender Expression!

The fight for equality is local: in July, the Ulster County Legislature unanimously passed legislation expanding discrimination protections and including gender expression as a protected class. According to Vice Chair Peter Criswell, who championed the change, the law was proposed after the Woodstock Library hosted a Drag Story Hour and received anti-drag pushback.

Congratulations to Vice Chair Criswell and to all who fought for this important change!

Celebrating Triumphs: Summer 2023 Victory Congressional Interns Illuminate Success and Unity

In the afterglow of summer's end, we gather to celebrate the resounding success of the Summer 2023 Victory Congressional Interns (VCIs). Their dedication and passion reverberated through the Capitol's halls and the heart of D.C.'s community over 8 transformative weeks. The graduation ceremony bore witness to their growth and achievements, while their unity formed an unbreakable bond among the diverse 16. One VCI's reflection encapsulates their experience as Victory ensured LGBTQ+ youth not only participated in these spaces, but thrived.

“Representation on the Hill matters and [LGBTQ+ Victory Institute] is making sure that LGBTQ+ youth are not just showing up in these spaces, but that we are being cared for. I am so grateful to have been a part of a program that provided so many incredible opportunities and allowed me to create so many connections this summer on and off the Hill. Thank you to [LGBTQ+ Victory Institute] for making my summer one that I will never forget, not just for all the fun and adventure but because the connections I made here this summer will follow me for the rest of my career.” 

Spring 2023 Victory Congressional Internship (VCI) applications are due September 24! Victory Institute’s Victory Congressional Internship is developing the next generation of LGBTQ+ public leaders. Each semester, the Victory Congressional Internship brings outstanding LGBTQ+ college students to Washington, D.C. for an intensive leadership program and an internship with an LGBTQ+-friendly member of Congress. Click here to apply!

Registration is OPEN! Join us for the 2023 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference

Every year, more than 600 LGBTQ+ elected officials, activists, leaders and allies from across the globe join Victory Institute in the nation’s capital to schmooze and strategize with colleagues. And it's almost time to gather once again: registration for the 2023 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference is now OPEN! Learn more about the Conference and register here.