Have you purchased your ticket for the 2019 LGBTQ International Leaders Conference – November 13 - 16? There’s still time to save $125 on your conference rate!

Our Domestic Programs team successfully executed their third Candidate & Campaign Training of the year in Minneapolis, Minnesota, training 44 LGBTQ leaders. Women, members of the trans community and nonbinary attendees comprised 56% of training attendees, including our Victory Empowerment Fellows (VEF). Read up on VEF Brenda Duverce’s experience at the Minnesota training here!

Victory Institute has now trained over 120 LGBTQ leaders to run for office in 2019.

Further proof our trainees go on to do great things: Bre Kidman is currently running to take on U.S. Senator Susan Collins in Maine. Learn more about Bre’s race and our trainings here.

Our International team has been extremely busy traveling and just recently returned from trips to Columbia, South Africa and Brazil, where they trained LGBTQ leaders to run for public office. You can watch a mock debate of our South Africa attendees here:

In case you missed it: this morning, we announced our seven new nominees for the Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award! The Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award is given annually to an up-and-coming state or local LGBTQ elected official whose promising political career will move equality forward.

A huge congratulations to this year’s nominees! You can find their bios (and vote for your favorite) here:

And here’s what our amazing nominees have been up to lately:

Maryland Delegate Gabriel Acevero is fighting to maintain school funding and increase teacher salaries after learning most teachers in state are working two jobs to survive.

North Carolina state Representative Deb Butler had an extremely busy month defying North Carolina’s Republican leadership after they snuck a vote during a 9/11 memorial. Read Director of Constituent Engagment Reggie Greer's exclusive interview with Representative Butler here.

Much like the U.S., Peru is currently experiencing political upheaval. Peru Congressman Alberto de Belaunde took a quick break from maintaining governmental accountability to debunk mental health myths.

Colorado state Representative Leslie Herod is campaigning hard for the Green New Deal, joining forces with Congressmembers Joe Neguse and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

While not holding the Trump Administration accountable, Nebraska State Senator Megan Hunt is taking her local opposition party and Governor to task after key operatives skipped a Medicaid hearing.

We’re not the only ones to recognize Pennsylvania state Representative Malcolm Kenyatta: he was recently named one of Temple University’s 30 under 30.

Eau Claire (WI) School Board Member Joe Luginbill has written over 155 policies and resolutions since his election in 2015. His latest? Protecting children from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Our Domestic Programs Team just wrapped another phenomenal Leadership Summit in Missoula, Montana – inspiring LGBTQ Montanans to run for office. A big thank you to State Senators Diana Sands and Bryce Bennett for joining us and sharing your story!

Do you long to view the Great Plains and hear the soft cry of the Western Meadowlark? Are you an LGBTQ leader looking to attend a one-day training on the ins-and-outs of running for public office? Long no longer – attend the 2019 Nebraska LGBTQ Leadership Summit this October!

Join us Saturday, October 19, 2019

10 am - 5:00 pm CT

in gorgeous Omaha!

Learn more about our Nebraska Leadership Summit and register here!