HRC Blog

Hello Everyone, Mike here! I just got back from the campus of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) where we held our third “Coming Out for Equality” event, recruiting college students to get involved in the LGBT movement and fight for Equality. I feel that the message of EQUALITY was heard loud and clear last week in Vegas, and this is just the beginning! That message was amplified by student groups at UNLV, QVegas Magazine, and dozens of other individuals involved with the fight to bring fairness and equal treatment to the LGBT Community.

Yesterday, the White House nominated former Associate White House Counsel Alison Nathan for a judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is the fourth openly LGBT individual nominated by the Obama Administration for a judicial appointment. In a press statement from the White House, President Obama stated, “Alison Nathan is a distinguished individual who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice throughout her career.” Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed this sentiment in a press statement. “Through her work in the New York Solicitor General’s Office and the White House, she has proven to be an extremely capable attorney and a dedicated public servant,” he said. “She is a first-class legal mind who will bring tremendous experience and skill to the bench.”

Day two of Nevada Equality Days began with a quick breakfast to get the day started. Each participant was assigned a legislator to sit with during the general session for the day but since we had some time before each chamber met, we each went over talking points and some of us even had the chance to make some quick stops into supportive legislators’ offices. Regional Field Organizer Adrian Matanza and I stopped by our loudest advocate’s office. Senator David Parks, Nevada’s first openly gay legislator also happens to be the lead cosponsor for all of Nevada’s pro-equality legislation. He is a staple of the Las Vegas LGBT community and it was great to see him in his element at the statehouse.

Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina! HRC recently gave a $10,000 grant to Equality North Carolina to fight against Senate Bill 106. This bill would amend the state constitution to prohibit marriage or any other form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples. This means it could prohibit domestic partnerships and civil unions.

As Americans struggle to recover from one of the worst economic recessions in our nation’s history, it’s important to remember that the risk of losing a job can be far greater for LGBT people. However, this week we will see an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) introduced which would create federal protections against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill is a critical piece of our economic empowerment agenda for the LGBT community, as detailed in a new memo on federal LGBT legislation.