Four Stories You Should Know About

Hey folks – this will be the last Agenda for 2021. We’ll be back in 2022!

1. VICTORY FUND ENDORSES MAYOR ROBERT GARCIA FOR U.S. CONGRESS

Earlier today, LGBTQ Victory Fund endorsed Mayor Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) for the U.S. Congress! If elected, Robert will be the first out LGBTQ immigrant, second out LGBTQ Latinx person and second out LGBTQ former mayor elected to the U.S. Congress.

Robert boasts an impressive resume of accomplishments during his time as mayor. His response and leadership to secure COVID-19 testing and vaccines has been applauded by many in the state and nationally. Watch his campaign announcement video here!

“Big city mayors make excellent members of Congress because of the scope of their knowledge and experience and their focus on practical governing over excuses and scapegoating,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “Mayor Garcia went to Long Beach to get things done – and he has – including making the city a national role model for its response to the pandemic and vaccine distribution strategy. His competence is only matched by the heart he brings to governing – using his experiences as an LGBTQ immigrant who lost parents to COVID to inform his policymaking and governing. Mayor Garcia is the type of leader Washington, DC desperately needs and voters are ready to send him there.”

Read Victory Fund’s full endorsement release here. Equality California also announced their endorsement of Mayor Garcia’s campaign!

2. JARED POLIS ATTACKED BY ANTI-LGBTQ OPPONENT

During a meet and greet earlier this week, a potential challenger to Colorado Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO), made bigoted and outrageous claims that Jared is, “not even gay.” She continued to make a fool out of herself by saying that Jared’s wedding earlier this year is a “sham.” His opponent even doubled down on her disgusting comments, claiming that she would be a better advocate for LGBTQ Coloradoans than Governor Polis.

Governor Polis has made LGBTQ history several times over: he became the first out LGBTQ parent elected to the United States Congress in 2008. In 2018, he became the first openly gay man and second openly LGBTQ person (after Kate Brown of Oregon) elected governor of a U.S. state. He is also the first Jewish governor of Colorado (his opponent also made several anti-Semitic comments).

3. NEWS TO WATCH: PROUD BOYS LAUNCHING CAMPAIGNS FOR LOCAL OFFICES AND SCHOOL BOARD

Following the deadly insurrection on January 6th, the conspiracy-based group, the Proud Boys, are pivoting their focus to pick fights on the local level. After being caught red-handed in organizing an attack on democracy, the Proud Boys now feel that the best use of their time is to work to ban books in schools that champion pro-LGBTQ and diversity topics.

Even more alarming: The New York Times reports that this hate group now asks its members to “think local, act local.”

Using intimidation tactics, death threats and more, these bigots are now launching efforts to run for office. According to CNN, their onslaught on LGBTQ kids, LGBTQ local elected officials and allies is only going to get worse.

Take a look at the LGBTQ candidates currently running for local office that will be a much-needed firewall against these anti-LGBTQ extremists.

4. 2021 GEORGIA VOICE PERSON OF THE YEAR: LILIANA BAKHTIARI

Congratulations to Atlanta City Councilmember-elect Liliana Bakhtiari (@LilianaforATL), who was just named the 2021 Person of the Year by the Georgia Voice! When she won her runoff, Liliana made history as the first out LGBTQ Muslim ever elected in Georgia history.

She’ll also be sharing a seat space with fellow LBGTQ councilmember, Alex Wan (@AlexWanforATL)!

 

Paid for by LGBTQ Victory Fund. Your contribution may be used in connection with federal, state and local elections and be subject to federal, state and local laws. Contributions to LGBTQ Victory Fund are not tax deductible. Victory Fund members do not have governance participation rights.

LGBTQ Victory Fund is the political arm of the LGBTQ community. Since our founding in 1991, we’ve supported and elected LGBTQ candidates like U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin, Governors Jared Polis and Kate Brown and all nine LGBTQ members of U.S. Congress. We've boosted out candidates running for state and local government, including California Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Florida Senator Shevrin Jones, Virginia Delegate Danica Roem, Colorado state Representative Leslie Herod, Pennsylvania state Representative Brian Sims, Hawaii state Representative Adrian Tam, Oklahoma Representative Mauree Turner, and so many more (meet all of our current candidates here)! We’ve shattered rainbow ceilings in all 50 states and broken election year records. You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today!

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