FIVE LGBTQ STORIES WORTH KNOWING

1. Rainbow Ceilings Shattered in the Brazilian Congress

Duda Salabert and Erika Hilton won their October elections, and are now the first out trans people elected to the Brazilian Congress!

They were two of the 304 out LGBTQ candidates on the ballot this election cycle. Twenty eight of the 304 were trained by LGBTQ Victory Institute. We celebrate this news as we continue our global fight for LGBTQ political equity and greater representation.

2. LGBTQ Leaders Gather in Mexico City with LGBTQ Victory Institute Delegation

The delegation brought LGBTQ Leaders to Mexico City to meet with local LGBTQ leaders including activists and elected official. They participated in the Global team’s “Tu Huella Deja Huella” training and had the opportunity to explore the cultural offerings of the nation's capital.

The global team kicked off our inaugural training in Mexico City, “Tu Huella Deja Huella,” bringing together 48 LGBTQ leaders from across the region to strengthen their skills and learn how to craft their future campaigns. Members from all seven Mexican political parties gathered to share personal experiences and build lasting connections. Check out photos from the trip here!



Trainers and speakers included Wilson Castañeda, from our partner organization Caribe Afirmativo, Guatemala Congressman Aldo Dávila and Ale Parra from Momento.

Keep an eye out for two additional trainings in Yucatán and Jalisco next year!

3. Winners of Global Trailblazer Award and Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award: Salma Luévano & Megan Hunt

Mexico Congresswoman Salma Luévano made history as one of the first two out transgender people elected to Mexico’s Congress. She has championed LGBTQ political and electoral rights, such as instating rainbow candidate quotas, amending birth certificates for trans people and more.

Nebraska state Senator Megan Hunt is an entrepreneur, mother and activist. She has tackled conversion therapy, food insecurity and affordable housing since her election in 2018, when she became the first out LGBTQ woman elected to the Nebraska legislature. She recently earned national headlines for filibustering a bill that would have outlawed abortion access in Nebraska.

Congresswoman Luévano and state Senator Hunt will receive their awards at the International LGBTQ Leaders Conference this November.

4. Spotlight on Presidential Appointments Initiative: Welcoming New Appointee

David Bohnett was appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Bohnett is a philanthropist and technology entrepreneur committed to community building and social activism. As the Chairman of the David Bohnett Foundation, he provides funding and technical support to innovative organizations and institutions across numerous funding areas surrounding social justice initiatives in support of underserved communities.

The foundation supports LGBTQ Victory Institute’s David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship - a program designed for LGBTQ senior-level executives working with state and local governments. Kimberly Mascott Zieselman was sworn in to be the new Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for LGBTQI+ Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State. Zieselman is an intersex woman, lawyer and human rights advocate based in the U.S. with more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and advocacy.

If you're interested in joining the Biden-Harris administration, please click here to submit your information.

5. Celebrating LGBTQ History Month

Happy LGBTQ History Month! This month and every month, we celebrate LGBTQ history by honoring the trailblazing queer and trans leaders who’ve come before us. Click here to learn about LGBTQ political history in the U.S.!

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

 

Join us in Washington, D.C. November 30 - December 3 for the International LGBTQ Leaders Conference! Our annual conference brings together over 600 LGBTQ elected officials, leaders and advocates from across the world who are working to move equality forward. The conference includes four days of networking and building as we strategize the year ahead in our movement for equality.

There will be a special Elected Officials Summit on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 7:45am - 3:45pm featuring workshops and panels geared towards supporting elected officials throughout their journey in office. This is a valuable opportunity to build community and learn from fellow elected officials across the world. Click here to register today!

Summer 2023 VCI applications are due January 8! LGBTQ Victory Institute’s Victory Congressional Internship is developing the next generation of LGBTQ public leaders. Each semester, the Victory Congressional Internship brings outstanding LGBTQ college students to Washington, D.C. for an intensive leadership program and an internship with an LGBTQ-friendly member of Congress or caucus. We will be selecting 16 strong out leaders to participate in our Summer 2023 cohort which will run from May 31st to July 23rd, 2023. Click here to apply!



2023 Candidate & Campaign Trainings: Applications are now live for Victory Institute’s signature four-day intensive training program. Join us in Dallas, Salt Lake City, Orlando or Detroit to learn non-partisan best practices, necessary skills and strategies for running for office by engaging in tough, realistic campaign simulations and working with peers to develop a plan to run for office and win. If you’re ready to run for office or serve as a campaign manager, apply today!



Registration is now open for our biannual LGBTI Political Leaders in the Americas Conference! Join us in Mexico City to connect with out LGBTI elected officials, advocates, public servants and allies with like-minded leaders to increase LGBTQ political power. This is your chance to strategize, connect with and hear from amazing out leaders from across the Americas and the Caribbean. Expect amazing speakers, transformative workshops and more this year. Join us in Mexico City, Thursday, July 20, 2023 - Saturday, July 22, 2023! The Conference is free to all - register here!

Apply to the 2023 Victory Empowerment Fellowship by April 3, 2023: 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. Click here to learn more and apply!  

Apply to the 2023 Women Out to Win Class by April 3, 2023: Women Out to Win is an advanced campaign training that includes personalized coaching through mentorship and quarterly convenings to address challenges specific to women candidates, such as imposter syndrome, safety concerns and fundraising. To learn more and to apply, please click here!

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 global and domestic trainings, professional development programs and yearly conferences, 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 now serving around the world. You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today!

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