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SEVEN LGBTQ STORIES WORTH KNOWING
1. For State Rep. Neil Rafferty, It’s Personal
Earlier this month, the Alabama state legislature passed a bill which is one of the most restrictive, anti-trans bills in the country. [[link removed]] This bill combines language from Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which bans classroom discussion about LGBTQ people, and anti-trans “bathroom bill” language, which bars trans people from bathrooms and locker rooms.
Neil Rafferty -- the only out LGBTQ representative in the state legislature -- pleaded with his colleagues to oppose the bill. [[link removed]] “I’m begging y’all, all right? What’s going to happen is going to happen. Just don’t you dare call me a friend after this.” Click here to listen to his floor speech. [[link removed]]
The New York Times dug into Neil’s fight and the impacts Alabama’s hateful bills will have on our community. [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]2. Megan Hunt Stops Anti-Choice Legislation in Nebraska
Nebraska state Senator (and first out LGBTQ woman elected to the state House) Megan Hunt led the charge to kill a bill that would have criminalized healthcare providers who perform abortions. [[link removed]] Senator Hunt led an eight-hour filibuster on the floor of the Nebraska state House against the legislation. [[link removed]]
Because of Rep. Hunt’s bravery and resolve, the anti-equality legislators could not cobble enough votes to bring the bill to a full chamber vote – effectively killing the legislation.
3. Danica Roem Shares Her Story (and How Heavy Metal Prepped Her for Politics)
Virginia state Delegate Danica Roem is sharing her story of perseverance, why she chose to run for office and what’s it’s like being Virginia’s first out trans legislator . [[link removed]] She also shares messages of hope for the next generation of LGBTQ leaders. As an LGBTQ legislator, “it is possible to succeed because of who you are, not despite it.” Check out NPR ’s interview with Rep. Roem here! [[link removed]]
4. Announcing the 2022 Bohnett Fellows
[link removed] [[link removed]]This week, Victory Institute announced the 2022 cohort of the David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship [[link removed]] ! Designed for senior-level executives working with state and local governments — including government officials and elected officeholders — this intensive, three-week Executive Education program at the Harvard Kennedy School hones skills and furthers the leadership potential of accomplished individuals from across the United States. Click here to meet this year’s outstanding cohort [[link removed]] !
Victory Institute, in collaboration with The David Bohnett Foundation, has sent over 150 outstanding LGBTQ leaders to the Harvard Kennedy School program since 2002. [[link removed]]
5. On the Ground in Mexico: Global Team Celebrates Transgender Day of Visibility
On April 20th, our global team celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility in Mexico City! They participated in a massive flag signing -- over 20,000 people signed a trans pride flag to stand in solidarity which was brought onto the Congressional floor. They also joined the Global Equality Caucus [[link removed]] for the launch of the Latin America chapter. Read our full blog post here to learn more about this exciting celebration! [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]6. National Out to Win Day: Motivating Future LGBTQ Leaders
Earlier this month, Victory Institute celebrated National Out to Win Day [[link removed]] – our annual celebration to encourage more LGBTQ people to run for office!
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This year, we heard from Illinois state Senator Mike Simmons [[link removed]] on his work to end hair discrimination in Illinois, state Representative Park Cannon [[link removed]] on her work to provide free PrEP in Georgia, state Representative Stephanie Byers [[link removed]] on her work to stop anti-trans legislation in Kansas and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia [[link removed]] on his intersectional work to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their videos are a testimonial to the impact an LGBTQ leader can have in office!
Bonus content: check out Mayor Parker’s op-ed “Electing Out People Is Our Best Defense to the War Against Queer Youth.” [[link removed]]
7. Elliot Imse Named Executive Director!
We have a new executive director! Elliot Imse, former Vice President of Communications at Victory Institute and Victory Fund, was recently named Executive Director of Victory Institute. Read the full release here [[link removed]] !
Did we miss a headline? It happens sometimes! Reply to this email to let us know what we missed – we might feature it on our social media or in next month’s newsletter!
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Victory Empowerment Fellowship Applications Due May 6! [[link removed]]
The Victory Empowerment Fellowship is for LGBTQ leaders of color and/or transgender leaders who seek to expand their campaign skills and policy-making power and join a strong cohort of movement leaders from across the country. The Fellowship consists of three key components provided by Victory Institute – the Candidate & Campaign Training [[link removed]] , International LGBTQ Leadership Conference [[link removed]] and a year-long mentorship program. Click here to learn more and apply. [[link removed]]
Apply by May 3 for the Victory Congressional Fellowship! [[link removed]]
The Victory Congressional Fellowship (VCF) brings one to three outstanding LGBTQ young professionals to Washington, DC for an intensive leadership program. The fellows will engage in a year-long placement in the office of a co-chair of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus and go through an educational and leadership development program to learn about the legislative process and careers in policymaking. Click here to read stories from past fellows. [[link removed]]
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LGBTQ Victory Institute is a tax-exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 52-1835268.
Victory Institute is a global organization dedicated to elevating openly LGBTQ leaders who can further equality at all levels of government. Through our international [[link removed]] and domestic [[link removed]] trainings, professional development programs [[link removed]] and yearly conferences [[link removed]] , Victory Institute prepares hundreds of out individuals to launch an influential careers in politics, government, business and advocacy. Many of our trainees join the more than 1,000 openly LGBTQ elected and appointed officials [[link removed]] now serving around the world. You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today [[link removed]] !
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