LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About

First Speakers Announced for the 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference!

We’re thrilled to announce the first wave of speakers joining us for the 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference, happening December 4–6 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC!

Confirmed speakers include Governor Maura Healey (MA), Attorneys General Anne Lopez (HI) and Kris Mayes (AZ), Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio (Guam), Speaker Ryan Fecteau (ME), Member of Parliament Alex Greenwich (Australia), and Mayors Gina Ortiz Jones (San Antonio) and Todd Gloria (San Diego). Each of these trailblazers has made history — and continues to shape a more just, inclusive, and representative world.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the conversation and connect with leaders driving progress across the globe. Spots are filling fast — register today to secure your place at the 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference!

From Lima to the Future: A New Decade of LGBTIQ+ Political Power

This September, over 200 LGBTIQ+ political leaders from 22 countries gathered in Lima, Peru, for the VII Conference of LGBTIQ+ Political Leaders of the Americas and the Caribbean — a powerful reminder of our collective strength and vision for the decade ahead. The conference marked a turning point for regional collaboration, culminating in the launch of The Lima Agenda, a shared roadmap for advancing equality and inclusion across the hemisphere.

The Lima Agenda outlines seven core principles — Present, Diverse, Equal, Free, Alive, Dignified, and Together — to guide policy, representation, and civic participation over the next ten years. It’s a call to action for leaders, institutions, and movements alike to ensure LGBTIQ+ people are not only visible, but leading. Victory Institute is proud to stand alongside our partners across the Americas in bringing this vision to life — from Lima to every corner of our shared future.

Building Inclusive School Boards, Together

Our collaboration with GLAAD is making a real difference in how LGBTQ+ leaders engage at the local level. Their recent piece on organizing for inclusive and welcoming school systems spotlights how school boards are becoming critical battlegrounds for affirming youth, families, and communities (and emphasizes the importance of trained, representative leadership to protect those spaces).

Through our joint efforts, we’re helping equip LGBTQ+ candidates with the tools, confidence, and community support to step into these roles. And demand is skyrocketing: school board candidates are stepping up to run in high numbers.

And we need them in office more than ever. The Trump Administration is cracking down on states, such as Minnesota, that have prioritized trans-inclusive policies and is seeking to further limit gender-affirming care.

Incident Involving Jessie Fuentes and Federal Immigration Agents

In early October, Chicago 26th Ward Alderman Jessie Fuentes intervened at Humboldt Park Health after federal immigration agents brought a man with a broken leg into the emergency room.

While challenging agents on whether they had a judicial warrant for the individual’s detention, a video shows an agent handcuffing Fuentes from behind, although she was released shortly thereafter.

Fuentes has since filed a federal claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act, seeking damages for what she describes as an overreach of federal power and a threat to community trust.

Upcoming Trainings — Get Ready to Make Your Move

We’re excited to announce a powerful lineup of trainings courtesy of the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute that are perfect for aspiring LGBTQ+ leaders ready to step into the arena. First up: the virtual Time2Run Webinar: October 2025 on October 27 (4:00 – 5:00 pm ET) — a free, one-hour session for anyone exploring candidacy and the campaign journey.

Then: the FREE Candidate & Campaign 101 Training in Washington, DC (December 4) — a full-day, in-person crash-course on what it really takes to run.

Looking ahead to early 2026, mark your calendar for our Minneapolis LGBTQ+ Public Leadership Summit (Feb 21) and Seattle LGBTQ+ Public Leadership Summit (Feb 28) — two regional convenings designed to sharpen leadership, build networks and mobilize change-makers.