John,

I'm so excited to share that LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, the Black Leaders Caucus and Loyola Marymount University released a new report brief on the experiences of Black LGBTQ+ candidates on the campaign trail. You can read the full report brief -- The Experiences of Black LGBTQ+ Candidates: A Report from the When We Run Survey here. Or, you can read an exclusive report in The Advocate.

This exciting survey asked LGBTQ+ candidates to describe their motivations for running, the challenges they faced and how their identities affected their campaigns. Read the full report here!

Results include:

• Currently there are 142 Black LGBTQ+ elected officials in the U.S. -- 0.03% of all elected officials – which means 2,453 more must be elected to achieve equitable representation;
• 36% of Black LGBTQ+ candidates respondents faced racism on the campaign trail and 31.9% prejudice because of their sexual orientation;
• Four in five candidates stated endorsing political organizations biased white candidates over Black candidates;
• Nearly 75% faced homophobic or transphobic attacks during their campaign; and
• 43% incurred personal debt because of campaign expenses.

Whether they’re running to fight bigotry or simply to serve their community, Black LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates of color the best antidote against the homophobia, transphobia and racism that’s increasingly present in the public square. By drawing on their authentic lived experiences, they're brining a new perspective to the table - and blazing a trail for future generations of LGBTQ+ leaders.

Voters are increasingly demanding a government more reflective of America, and LGBTQ+ leaders are stepping up to meet the challenge. If you can pitch in to support this work and our LGBTQ+ elected officials, we appreciate it!

Thanks for reading,

Elliot Imse
Pronouns: he|him|his
Executive Director, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute