Jorge Reyes Salinas

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, issued the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to the passage of AB 1955, the SAFETY Act, through both houses of the California legislature following a successful 60-15 vote in the Assembly: “With LGBTQ+ young people under attack in California from extremist politicians and school boards seeking to prevent them from safely being themselves at school, the SAFETY Act could not be more timely or necessary. We are thrilled to see it headed to Governor Newsom’s desk. While today’s Assembly floor vote was successful, anti-LGBTQ+ politician Bill Essayli took […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to the release of the 2023 Hate Crime in California report by the Office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta: “The report released today by the Attorney General reveals that, although overall hate incidents have decreased across our state, those targeting the LGBTQ+ community saw a sharp increase. Among the disturbing findings in the report are: • A 4.1% increase in hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation bias• A 10.2% increase in hate crimes motivated by anti-transgender bias• An 86.4% increase in hate […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced endorsements for 36 incumbent members of Congress running for re-election in 2024 on Monday. Equality California extends pro forma endorsements to incumbent members of Congress in California running for re-election who have earned a 100% pro-equality rating on the organization’s legislative scorecards in both of the last two years and who meet Equality California’s code of ethics, standards of conduct and other applicable endorsement criteria. (See below for additional details.) “LGBTQ+ Californians are lucky to be represented in Washington by so many incredible pro-equality champions,” said Executive Director Tony Hoang.“Together […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang after the vote by the Chino Valley USD Board of Education to adopt a policy that will forcibly out transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming students — who may use different names and pronouns at school than those they were assigned at birth — to their parents without the student’s consent: “Equality California is appalled and alarmed by the level of blatant homophobia and transphobia leveled against LGBTQ+ youth by the Chino Valley Unified School Board yesterday evening. With LGBTQ+ youth around the country […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) introducing H.R. 2640, the Border Security and Enforcement Act of 2023, which would make it much harder for immigrants to seek asylum in the US and reinstate previous provisions enforced during the Trump Administration: “The United States has always served as a beacon of hope for immigrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families, including those who are LGBTQ+. Until our nation has a just and functional immigration system, we do not have full […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, endorsed California Proposition 1, the Reproductive Freedom Act, that seeks to amend the California Constitution to protect a person’s right to basic healthcare and reproductive freedoms on Wednesday. Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon introduced the Reproductive Freedom Act shortly after the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson was leaked in May, indicating that the Court would likely issue a ruling that would reverse Roe v. Wade and undercut nearly five decades of precedence that protects access to abortion. The California Legislature voted to place Proposition 1 on […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced endorsements of 18 pro-equality candidates Thursday, including candidates for the California Board of Equalization and Legislature and 13 openly LGBTQ+ candidates for local offices throughout the state. The full list of new endorsements can be found below: California Board of Equalization: BOE District 1: Braden Murphy California Senate: Senate District 34: Tom Umberg Senate District 38: Catherine Blakespear California Assembly: Assembly District 17: Matt Haney Assembly District 64: Elizabeth Alcantar Local Offices: San Leandro Unified School District Board of Trustees, TA 2: James Aguilar Covina City Clerk: Drew Aleman Contra Costa […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced endorsements of seventeen pro-equality candidates Friday, including eight openly LGBTQ+ candidates for local office and nine pro-equality allies running for the California Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives. “Just 67 days out from California’s June 7 primary election, we are proud to endorse these 17 pro-equality champions, including eight openly LGBTQ+ leaders,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “Equality California is committed to building the bench of out LGBTQ+ officials across our state and electing pro-equality allies who will fight alongside our community in Sacramento and Washington, DC. We […]