Samuel Garrett-Pate

For the first time in history, California’s Legislative LGBTQ Caucus could grow to comprise 10% of the state legislature in 2022. Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced endorsements of three openly LGBTQ+ candidates on Wednesday: former San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez in Assembly District 80; Palm Springs City Councilmember and former Mayor Christy Holstege in Assembly District 47; and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Joseph C. Rocha in Senate District 40. Equality California previously announced early endorsements of Rick Chavez Zbur for Assembly District 51 and Chula Vista City Councilmember Steve Padilla for Senate District 18. There are currently eight openly LGBTQ+ Californians serving in the Legislature, including four in […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced its endorsement Thursday of California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who is running for re-election in 2022. Thurmond has been a strong supporter of Equality California’s Safe and Supportive Schools program and recently personally intervened to help defeat an anti-trans policy proposal in the Chino Valley Unified School District. He is committed to closing the learning and equity gaps that were amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic and stopping discriminatory policies directed at LGBTQ+ and other vulnerable students. “Superintendent Thurmond is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ students, committed to ensuring […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, was the first organization to endorse Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia for an open Congressional seat Friday, after U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal announced Thursday that he will retire at the end of the 117th Congress. Garcia made history in 2014 when he was elected as Long Beach’s first openly LGBTQ+ mayor, first Latino mayor and youngest mayor in the city’s history. He would be the first openly LGBTQ+ immigrant and the second openly LGBTQ+ Latino elected to Congress — and the first LGBTQ+ Latino elected to Congress from California. “Mayor […]

The OUT Against Big Tobacco coalition supported by Equality California Institute launched a pledge today urging California legislators and candidates to voluntarily refuse campaign contributions from the tobacco industry. A total of sixteen legislators and candidates have taken the pledge thus far, with more expected to sign on as the 2022 campaign season gets underway. The pledge was launched in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, a national day in recognition of tobacco users who are looking to quit tobacco for good. LGBTQ+ people are more than TWICE as likely to smoke as our non-LGBTQ+ peers, and […]

As President Biden, Vice President Harris and advocates across the country continue to push for federal action to safeguard the freedom to vote, Equality California announced its endorsement of California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber on Tuesday. Secretary Weber is running for a full four-year term in 2022, after making history last year as California’s first Black Secretary of State — following her appointment to the position by Governor Gavin Newsom. “As other states attempt to roll back voting rights, Secretary Weber has used her office to protect and expand the freedom to vote — here in California […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced its endorsement of Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, who is running for re-election in 2022, on Monday. Kounalakis made history in 2018, when she became the first woman to be elected to the position. She has been an outspoken champion for LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice during her time in office and created the nation’s first statewide transgender advisory council in September 2021. “LGBTQ+ Californians are fortunate to have such a strong champion and ally in Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “She understands the unique challenges […]

California’s new congressional and state legislative maps include big wins for the LGBTQ+ community, after the state’s independent nonpartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission worked to unite and empower dense LGBTQ+ populations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Long Beach, the East Bay, Sacramento and the Coachella Valley. The achievement follows a months-long campaign led by Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, to advocate for fair and equitable maps that empower LGBTQ+ Californians to elect “candidates of choice” — members of the community and allies responsive to their unique challenges and priorities. [Click here to watch Equality California’s October 22 presentation to […]

Today Equality California and LGBTQ Victory Fund jointly announced their endorsements of Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Middleton in her race for California Senate District 28. The endorsements demonstrate an early commitment from the LGBTQ political community to elect Middleton, who would be the first out transgender state legislator in California history. In 2017, Middleton became the first out transgender person elected to a non-judicial position in California, when she won her race for Palm Springs City Council. Only eight out transgender people have ever been elected to state legislatures in the United States. All are currently serving. “Lisa Middleton is […]

Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and co-sponsored by Equality California and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis to give students at California public colleges — especially transgender and nonbinary students — the ability to have the names that reflect their gender identities printed on their diplomas. Assembly Bill 245 will ensure diplomas do not “deadname” or call the graduate by the name they were assigned at birth rather than the name they use. “A diploma represents years of hard work,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “Students should be able to celebrate their academic achievements without fear of being deadnamed. Deadnaming […]