Good evening John,

The 2020 General Assembly will be a transformative session for Virginia’s LGBTQ community. Equality Virginia is prioritizing legislation that supports LGBTQ youth, protects our community, and prohibits discrimination. As someone who has represented EV in the General Assembly for the past decade, I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us!

I joined Equality Virginia in 2009 as a program officer to increase support for protecting LGBTQ Virginians from discrimination in public employment. This work has taken me across the commonwealth where I have had the pleasure of working with leaders, organizations, and amazing advocates like you to create a more equal Virginia.

Now, with incoming pro-equality majorities in the House and Senate, we have an opportunity to be bolder. In 2020, Equality Virginia is introducing a comprehensive nondiscrimination bill to protect LGBTQ people in employment, housing, and public spaces. These first in the south statewide protections are the foundation to creating a Virginia where we all thrive.

To ensure we can fully capture the momentum of this moment, we have created the Virginia Values Coalition. The coalition includes statewide and national organizations – like the ACLU of Virginia, National Center for Transgender Equality, HRC, and Freedom For All Americans – plus individuals across the commonwealth committed to passing comprehensive nondiscrimination protections.

Recognizing the magnitude of the work ahead, I will be stepping down from my role as Equality Virginia’s executive director at the end of the year to lead the Virginia Values Coalition full time. In this role, my sole focus will be passing legislation to create a commonwealth where all people can live, work, and play free from discrimination regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

As I move into my new role with the Virginia Values Coalition, the great work at EV will continue thanks to the dedicated and talented staff and board. The excellence and heart that Chris, Thalia, and Dorothy bring to our organization is second to none, and leading these efforts, I am excited to share, will be Vee Lamneck. They will begin serving as our organization’s 4th executive director starting January 1st! Please congratulate them at [email protected]

In closing, I would like to thank each and everyone one of you reading this email – all of our successes during my tenure at EV have only been possible because of your support, advocacy, and commitment. While my time leading Equality Virginia is ending, I will not be far away, and I look forward to joining you as an EV supporter and advocate in the future.

Sincerely,
James Parrish

PS – I would be remiss if I did not include an ask for you to support EV’s work in 2020.