Take Action: Equality Act

After passing in the U.S. House, the Equality Act (H.R.5) is working its way through the Senate Judiciary Committee and a Floor vote is on the horizon. In order for H.R.5 to reach President Biden's desk for signing, we need at least 60 Senators to vote yes. 

Let your voice be heard. Thank Senator Mark Warner and Senator Tim Kaine for their support, and ask them to work with their colleagues to expand bipartisan support for this landmark legislation. It’s time to protect all LGBTQ Americans from discrimination and we have to urge our Senators to act now. 

Community Spotlight: Nathaniel Preston

In honor of the Transgender Day of Visibility, we wanted to highlight one of our amazing Transgender Advocacy Speakers Bureau (TASB) members. Nathaiel has been busy building relationships and sharing his life experiences with trans-affirming organizations all across the Commonwealth. Check him out!

What got you interested in TASB: "I took some time off from volunteer work after a few rough years personally and professionally. When I was ready to get back into being active in the community, I saw a posting about a new class of the Speakers Bureau. I was familiar with EV's work from my time with Roanoke Pride, and I'd done some panels for the Roanoke Diversity Center Speakers Bureau. It seemed like a good fit for me, so I applied."

What makes the Speakers Bureau an important program: "What makes TASB so important is, not only are we focused on the experiences of Trans people, but we also get to tell our own stories. Our presentations are a good combination of facts and feelings. The work we do also helps to take some of the burdens of emotional labor from other trans folks who don't have the energy. We put a very human face on something that is an abstract concept for a lot of people."

How has your experience been: "TASB has been an amazing experience for me. I've developed my public speaking skills and I've met a lot of wonderful people. It's given me an opportunity to work through coping skills and strategies for my social anxiety, and it confirmed that working in diversity, equity and inclusion is my true passion. It's also taught me to share my vulnerabilities with others and find common ground."

Fun Facts and Hobbies:  "I'm a fan (season ticket holder) of our local hockey team, the Roanoke Railyard Dawgs. I also love baseball at any level, but only college basketball. I'm apparently good at fantasy football, despite very little knowledge about football itself. I love music of all kinds from death metal, to rap to bluegrass and, I'm currently involved in three Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

Once the pandemic is over, I'm going to spend all my money on concerts, theater tickets, art museums, and getting my 7th tattoo. In my spare time, I love going to the farmer's market and then cooking or baking with what I find."

A big thank you to Nathaniel and all of our TASB members for being visible and sharing your stories! If you're interested in bringing a TASB presentation to your community, please contact us.

Transgender Day of Visibility 

Join us today in celebrating the triumphs, resilience, and contributions of transgender and non-binary people for the 12th annual International Transgender Day of Visibility!

Started by trans advocate Rachel Crandall, this day uplifts trans and non-binary people who are breaking barriers in every aspect of our society. With all of the harmful attacks happening across the country, it has never been more necessary to uplift the work and voices of the trans and non-binary community. We are hosting a web page to list TDOV events happening all across the state and we invite you to attend an event virtually or socially distant in celebration of TDOV. 

2021 Commonwealth Dinner 

On April 22nd, hop online and join us for the 18th Annual Virtual Commonwealth Dinner as we come together and celebrate the progress we've made to advance equality for LGBTQ Virginians. 

We can't wait to see every corner of the Commonwealth represented as we toast to these historic legislative wins. Come craft your own cocktail/mocktail and appetizer during the pre-show, learn how your advocacy made an impact in the lives of thousands, honor our OUTstanding Virginians, and so much more! Reserve your free Dinner ticket today, so that you don't miss out on the celebration. Or, if you're not able to join us for the event, you can still make a 100% tax-deductible contribution to support our work.  

Racial Justice Statement 

The uprisings in defense of Black lives during the summer of 2020 and the rise in race-based violence over the last year has spurred our staff and board to reflect upon our mission and work as an LGBTQ advocacy organization.

Over the past few months, we have been challenged to confront our organizational privilege and address the ways in which we have been complicit in upholding white supremacy. Through intentional conversations that have demanded our growth, we have begun to identify how our organization needs to change in order to build anti-racism into the foundation of what we do and how we work together, starting with our statement on racial justice. 

General Assembly Update

We all worked hard to achieve continued legislative success for LGBTQ Virginians during this General Assembly session! The state legislature passed 11 pro-equality bills, which will positively transform the state's legal landscape. Most of these bills have already been signed by Governor Northam, but there are a handful left that he has to sign by the March 31st deadline. Once signed, most bills will go into effect on July 1, 2021.

Because of you, we were able to build upon 2020's historic wins and move equality forward. To learn more about this year's legislative milestones, stay tuned for another Legislative Lunch and Learn series. More details to come!