LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About

The Conference Rundown:

What happens when LGBTQ+ leaders from across the country come together in one room? Power, possibility, and a renewed commitment to lead boldly.

The 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference was a powerful reminder that our movement is growing stronger, more connected, and more determined than ever to meet this moment — and shape what comes next. Check out some of the big moments from the Conference below!

A huge thank you to all the LGBTQ+ elected officials (including U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin!) who joined us for the Elected Officials Summit (bottom picture) and the amazing leaders who came to Candidate and Campaign 101 Training (top picture). We hope you found the time interesting and informative!

Each of our Speakers and panelists brought a unique perspective - and a lot of fun!

But Day 1 didn't end with the Summits - we were thrilled to welcome Maine Governor Janet Mills (top left), U.S Representative Robert Garcia (top right), and our amazing panelists for the opening plenary, The State of LGBTQ+ Political Power: Challenges, Momentum, and the Road Ahead, U.S. Representative Mark Takano, Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, Florida State Representative Michele Rayner, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and moderator Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin (bottom photo), to the main stage!

Not to be outdone, Day 2 brought a lot of surprises and welcome guests. San Diego Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones opened our first plenary, before welcoming former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to the stage.

In the afternoon, we were honored to induct Spanish Senator Carla Antonelli into the LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame!

But we didn't end there - the Lunch Plenary: Health Equity at a Crossroads: Strengthening Systems and Protecting Communities was a fantastic conversation between Massachusetts State Senator Julian Cyr, North Carolina State Representative Vernetta Alston, Milwaukee Common Councilmember JoCasta Zamarripa, Senior Director, External Affairs at Genentech Brian Maloney, Interim Policy Director for Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker Ben Brooks and Senior Advisor for Data Policy and Strategy at Movement Advancement Project Caroline Medina.

And last but certainly not least, we closed the afternoon on the main stage with a very historic guest... President Joe Biden. Victory Institute President & CEO Evan Low, President and Founding Executive Director of the David Bohnett Foundation Michael Fleming and Chris Abele presented President Biden with the Chris Abele Impact Award to honor his historic role in championing LGBTQ+ rights and for his leadership in achieving the most LGBTQ+ inclusive administration in U.S. history.

After a historic second day, Day 3 had big shoes to fill... and fill them it did! The day began with an enlightening and thought-provoking conversation at Breakfast Plenary: Together, We Win: Lessons, Data, and Leadership from a Global Movement with Deputy Director of Global Programs Mateo de la Torre, Senior Director of Law, Policy, and Research at Outright International Neela Ghoshal, Director at the National Democratic Institute Birgitta Ohlsson, Ambassador-at-Large for Gender Issues and Feminist Global Policy at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arlene B. Tickner, and The Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard Kennedy School Fellow Reggie Greer!

Then, we rounded out the LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame with West Hollywood Vice Mayor John Heilman and California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, before awarding the phenomenal Denver City Councilmember Shontel Lewis with the Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award, and MEP Robert Biedroń with the Global Trailblazer Award!

And last but certainly not least, the Closing Lunch Plenary: Going Viral For Change: Winning Hearts and Votes in the Digital Era brought Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart, writer and activist Charlotte Clymer, San Antonio City Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Communications Director for U.S. Representative Robert Garcia Sara Guerrero and Social Media Strategist and LGBTQ+ Advocate RaeShanda Lias together for a hilarious and fantastic conversation on the state of the internet today.

Thank you all the amazing LGBTQ+ leaders, allies, sponsors, elected officials and more who joined us. We couldn't be more grateful for your support and partnership!

Join Us at an Upcoming Training!

Next year, our LGBTQ+ Public Leadership Summits head to Minneapolis on February 21, 2026 and Seattle on February 28, 2026, offering powerful one-day programs designed to inspire, equip, and connect future LGBTQ+ public leaders.

Looking to go even deeper? Applications are now open for our 2026 Candidate & Campaign Trainings (CCTs) — intensive, multi-day programs that prepare LGBTQ+ leaders to launch winning campaigns. We’ll be in Philadelphia, PA from April 23–26, 2026, including a Trans Training Extension for trans and gender-expansive participants on April 26–27, and in Denver, CO from July 9–12, 2026. All applications are due by Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 11:59pm PT, so don’t wait. If you’re ready to run — or ready to explore what’s possible — we’re ready to train you!

Calling Future LGBTQ+ Leaders: Applications Now Open

Are you — or is someone you know — a young LGBTQ+ leader ready to launch a career in public service? Applications are now open for two of Victory Institute’s premier youth programs. The Victory Congressional Internship (VCI) places LGBTQ+ undergraduates in congressional offices for a transformative summer experience on Capitol Hill, and applications for Summer 2026 are due January 5, 2026!

For recent graduates, the Victory Congressional Fellowship (VCF) offers a full year of policy, leadership, and hands-on legislative experience in Washington, D.C.; applications for the 2026–2027 cohort are now live and due April 12, 2026!