The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund

David Bohnett Foundation Announces Major Gift to Boost Openly Gay Leadership

Thu, 8 May 2008 14:48:54 -0500

For Immediate Release

May 8, 2008

Contact: Denis Dison, 202-842-7308

David Bohnett Foundation Announces

Major Gift to Boost Openly Gay Leadership

Washington, D.C.—A new partnership between the David Bohnett Foundation and the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute (GLLI) will help openly gay public leaders take advantage of one of the nation’s most prestigious mid-career executive training programs, the two organizations announced today. GLLI also announced the first ten fellows who will benefit from the program.

The program, to be named the David Bohnett Gay & Lesbian Leadership Fellows, is being funded by a $500,000 grant to GLLI. It will offer scholarships to state and local elected and appointed officials in addition to other public leaders who are openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Fellows chosen to participate in the program will have been accepted into Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government for three-week summer sessions in its renowned Senior Executives in State and Local Government program.

“We are honored by and excited about David Bohnett’s commitment to growing the leadership capacity of the LGBT community,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute (GLLI). “This extraordinarily generous gift means our public leaders will be able to develop their leadership skills at the finest educational institutions in the world.”

The 2008 Bohnett Leadership Fellows are:

Dr. Dana Beyer, senior policy advisor, Montgomery County Council, Rockville, MarylandJeremy Bishop, executive director, Pride At Work AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.Spencer Cronk, senior advisor to the deputy commissioner, City of New YorkHenry Fernandez, school board member, Lawrence Township, IndianaRobert Gaiser, councilmember, City and County of Broomfield, ColoradoEvan Low, councilmember, City of Campbell, CaliforniaDavid Pierce, state representative, New Hampshire House of RepresentativesGerrie Schipske, councilmember, City of Long Beach, CaliforniaDebra Shore, commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Chicago, IllinoisKevin Vaughn, chief of staff to the city manager, City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The David Bohnett Foundation, which promotes social activism as a means to improve society, has long supported GLLI’s work to equip openly LGBT leaders for effective leadership. The Foundation’s executive director, Michael Fleming, said the grant reflects its desire to improve the lives of gays and lesbians through promoting leaders from among that community. “GLLI’s work is making a difference by ensuring gay people are well represented among the ranks of public leaders in America. But it’s not enough that leaders are out. Our leaders should also be outstanding, and that means we have to invest in developing their skills,” said Fleming.

The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute is a non-partisan, tax-exempt training and executive development organization dedicated to equipping LGBT leaders for success. Each year hundreds of openly LGBT elected, appointed and community officials take advantage of GLLI programs to grow their ability to lead. For more information, visit http://www.glli.org.

Webb becomes Virginia's first gay African-American elected to office

Wed, 7 May 2008 08:40:22 -0500

Last night, while most political onlookers were watching the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in Indiana and North Carolina, a Virginia resident quietly made history as he became the state’s first openly LGBT African-American elected to public office.

In his first bid for elected office, Lawrence Webb won a seat on the Falls Church City Council by a margin of 39 votes. He joins two other candidates on the City Council: Nader Baroukh and Robin S. Gardner.

“I am grateful that the citizens of Falls Church have entrusted me with the responsibility to help guide the direction of our city’s future, and I thank them. I look forward to working with Council to make Falls Church an even better city than it is now,” Webb said.

“I also hope my election opens the door for others to get involved in public service. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or black or both. What matters is your dedication to building a better community, and your willingness to work hard at it. I’m glad the people of Falls Church agree. I also want to thank the Victory Fund and its staff and donors. They were dedicated to this campaign from the beginning, and they worked very hard to help us win.”

Lawrence is currently the assistant dean of admissions at the University of Mary Washington. In his free time, Lawrence is an active member of the Falls Church City Democratic Committee, the City of Falls Church Parks and Recreation Commission and Equality Fairfax. Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner appointed Lawrence to the board of the Department of Correctional Education.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund staff launched an intense get-out-the-vote initiative, bringing supporters out to the polls.

“While the presidential race is grabbing national headlines, openly gay candidates and elected officials are making great strides under the radar. Lawrence’s historic win is just one example of this,” said Chuck Wolfe, President and CEO of the Victory Fund. “I’m also extraordinarily proud of the work our team did in the field yesterday. They made calls until their cell phones went dead and, in the end, their work contributed directly to Lawrence’s close win.”

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, the results were:

Nader Baroukh 1,226 18.77% Robin S. Gardner 1,273 19.49% E.B. “Ed” Hillegass 807 12.36% M. R. “Lindy” Hockenberry 1,176 18.01% Margaret W. Housen 590 9.03% Patrice A. Lepczyk 231 3.53% Lawrence L. Webb 1,215 18.60% Write In 11 0.16%

Esquivel named to Victory Fund Senior VP position

Mon, 5 May 2008 08:53:30 -0500

May 5, 2008 for immediate release

Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308

Victory Fund appoints Senior V.P. for Political Affairs

Washington, D.C.—Laura M. Esquivel, a longtime political strategist and advocate for social justice issues, including in the gay, Latino and labor movements, has been named Senior Vice President for Political Affairs at the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, the group announced today. In the newly-created position, Esquivel will be responsible for strategically expanding partnerships to advance and broaden the base of political support for the Victory Fund and its endorsed candidates.

Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund, said, “Laura’s commitment and passion are equal to her skill and experience—and that’s a pretty rare combination. I am excited about what we will accomplish with her on our senior team.”

“The Victory Fund is among the most politically savvy and effective organizations I know. I’m thrilled to be able to help them expand their reach and build alliances with partners who share a vision of a world where sexual orientation, race and gender are no longer barriers to serving one’s community as an elected official,” Esquivel said.

Esquivel brings a wide range of grassroots organizing experience to the Victory Fund, along with strong political, policy, and advocacy expertise, having fought for the civil rights of racial and sexual minorities and for social justice for more than 20 years. In 1984, she became the first female president of Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos in Los Angeles. Soon afterwards, she co-founded both the Los Angeles-based Lesbianas Unidas and LLEGÓ—the first national Latino/a lesbian and gay organization—earning her recognition as one of the “madres” of the Latino LGBT civil rights movement in the US.

Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta commented on Ms. Esquivel’s hiring saying, "My friend Laura is a strong and committed advocate for people whose voices are not always heard by the powerful, and she knows what it takes to change that. Her political acumen combined with her passion for social justice will be vital as the Victory Fund helps to advance a human rights agenda by electing more LGBT leaders.” Ms. Huerta is the First Vice President Emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), which she co-founded along with the legendary civil rights and labor leader César Chávez.

Prior to coming to the Victory Fund, Laura headed her own consulting practice, and prior to that served as the Director of Research and Issues Marketing for People for the American Way and People for the American Way Foundation. Esquivel became the first Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for LLEGÓ in 2003, where she was responsible for increasing visibility of LGBT Latino issues on Capitol Hill and in the national public policy arena, and for developing strategies to successfully advance LLEGO’s policy agenda.

Robert Raben, a highly-regarded Democratic strategist, said he watched in amazement as Esquivel garnered significant new opposition to the anti-gay Federal Marriage Amendment, saying, "Laura has a rare gift: she can move people with equal parts passion, borne of activism, and pure smarts, borne of raw intelligence and political savvy. I've watched her do what people said could not be done in our movement; getting diverse interests to agree to support equality for us. Chuck Wolfe and the Victory Fund have made an excellent choice to bring her on; Laura will burnish further the terrific work they do." Mr. Raben is the president and founder of The Raben Group, a Washington, D.C. public affairs firm.

Esquivel’s resume also includes eight years of service as a legislative deputy for Los Angeles City Councilmember Jackie Goldberg—the first openly gay person elected to that body. Laura later went on to become Goldberg’s campaign manager in her successful first-time bid for State Assembly in 2001. She has also worked on the two most recent Democratic presidential campaigns, overseeing regional field organizing in Arizona and Colorado in 2004, and local get-out-the-vote efforts in both California and Iowa in 2008.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa praised Esquivel’s political and organizing skills, saying, "I have known Laura for many years and have always been impressed with her passion for equality and social justice, strategic thinking, political savvy—and her personal warmth. Laura understands the importance of electoral politics in advancing true equality for all Americans. Congratulations to the Victory Fund for recognizing all of these qualities; she will be a tremendous asset to a great organization."

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to increasing the number of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) elected officials at all levels of government. It is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee. Since Victory’s founding in 1991, the number of out elected officials in the U.S. has grown from just 49 to more than 410.

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Laurette Healey gets an A on education

Fri, 2 May 2008 14:02:21 -0500

California Community Colleges Vice Chancellor Dr. Tod Burnett and Los Angeles Community College Board Trustee Georgia Mercer have endorsed 40th District State Assembly Candidate Laurette Healey.

“I am honored by the endorsements of LACCD Board Trustee Georgia Mercer and CACC Vice Chancellor Dr. Burnett. I will work diligently once in the State Assembly to provide a greater scope of educational choice at community colleges. Their collective endorsements signal their confidence in my candidacy and my commitment to improving the standards of higher education in this state”, says Healey.

She is additionally endorsed by State Senator Sheila Kuehl, Majority Whip Fiona Ma, L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the California League of Conservation Voters, and the Southland Realtors Association, among others.

Victory Fund releases annual report

Fri, 2 May 2008 09:56:26 -0500

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund recently released its annual report, revealing that nearly 90 percent of the organization's budget went directly to training and support for LGBT candidates. The report, available online at www.victoryfund.org/2007_report, also gives information about the organization's accomplishments in 2007. These milestones include:

Joel Burns won his Forth Worth City Council race despite snide attacks by a sitting CouncilmemberKeith Durbin became the first openly gay man ever elected in Tennessee as a Nashville City Councilmember Brian Bates became the first openly gay Republican ever elected in the South after winning a seat on the Doraville, Georgia City Council. Denise Simmons became the nation’s first openly lesbian African-American mayor.

Sam Adams approaches pivotal 50 percent mark in mayoral race

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:24:38 -0500

From Survey USA: Three weeks until the primary, City Commissioner Sam Adams has gained new support in his quest to become mayor, according to this SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KATU-TV. Today, Adams takes 47% of the vote; businessman Sho Dozono takes 36%. In the eighteen days since an identical poll was released, Adams has picked up 8 points of support; Dozono has lost 2 points. The number saying they would vote for one of the eleven other candidates for mayor has fallen from 14% to 10%; 7% remain undecided, down from 10% in the previous poll. 18 days ago, among men, Dozono led by 5 points; now, Adams leads by 6, an 11-point swing. Adams has more than doubled his leads among women and voters under age 50, and tripled his lead among white voters from 4 points to 12. Among voters 50+, Dozono maintains a 9-point lead, essentially unchanged from his 11-point lead eighteen days ago. Then, Adams had a small lead among whites and Dozono led among minorities. Now, Dozono continues to lead among African American voters, but Adams now has significant leads among whites, Hispanics, and others. Among those voters who say city spending is the most important issue for the next mayor to take on, Dozono leads by 26; among those focused on taxes, Dozono leads by 11. Among those who say schools are the most important issue, Adams leads by 41 -- up from 14 points in the previous poll. Among conservatives, Dozono leads 3:1; among liberals, Adams leads 3:1. Moderates split.

Austin American-Statesman endorses Randi Shade

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:58:30 -0500

For the Place 3 seat, we are endorsing Randi Shade. She has experience running a business, impressive credentials and readiness to tackle the tough challenges facing Austin.

Incumbent Jennifer Kim, an intelligent, hard-working council member, was our choice in 2005. But Kim focuses too narrowly on policy and has been unable - or unwilling - to make the transformation to elected leader.

By contrast, Shade, 41, is a proven leader. That quality is needed on a council being pulled in several directions at once. Shade is the kind of doer who can help the council focus on important issues during an economic slowdown. This council already wastes too much time on pet projects and other unworthy distractions.

Shade, a graduate of Harvard Business School, successfully ran the AmeriCorps volunteer program under Govs. Ann Richards and George W. Bush. She then founded a successful Internet company that sold gift cards for charitable donations. Throughout her campaign, Shade has demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the city and its challenges.

Shade respects the work of police, firefighters and EMS workers and won endorsements from their unions without pandering to them. On the question of whether Austin should convert to a council elected from geographical districts, Shade is open to a hybrid system that blends at-large seats with single-member districts. But she said she would not put the question to voters without knowing the cost and having a specific map that should be drawn after the 2010 census.

Shade also opposes an initiative on the November ballot to prevent the city from granting tax incentives to retail projects. She said it would mean reneging on a contract that makes tax incentives available to the Domain shopping center. Kim has not taken a position on the initiative.

Kim, 35, is more a facilitator than a leader. She defers to ballot questions too often, and too many of her initiatives, such as those to expand affordable housing, don’t make it off the drawing board. Austin voters elected her to make tough decisions on their behalf, but she has stumbled in that role.

Shade is a better leader, and we urge voters to support her in Place 3. The other candidate in the race is Ken Weiss, who operates two local businesses.

Kevin Lee advances in race for state legislature

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:26:36 -0500

Kevin Lee, a Victory Fund-endorsed candidate for the Pennsylvania state legislature defeated his opponent scored a decisive win in his Democratic primary election last night. He defeated his opponent, Robert Cassidy, by a margin of 58 percent to 42 percent. He now faces a competitive race in the general election. Help Kevin win his election by making a contribution to his campaign . Looked upon as a rising star in Pennsylvania Democratic politics, Kevin Lee was appointed to the Lansdowne Borough Council in 2004 and was reelected in 2005. He was immediately approached to run for the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. Lee would be the first openly LGBT person to serve in the PA State Legislature, and with rampant anti-gay legislators fighting to advance an agenda, Lee’s voice would serve as an effective equalizer. During his tenure on the Lansdowne Borough Council, Lee passed one of Pennsylvania’s first domestic partnership benefit programs for borough employees. He is also a Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute Harvard Fellow, where he impressed several colleagues at the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program. While the current incumbent has been a member of the State House since 1978, his antiquated ideas and leadership no longer reflect the best interests of his district. As a health care worker, Lee recognizes the hardships that working families face to make ends meet and still obtain affordable health care for their children. There have been rumors that the current legislator will retire but we must make sure that Kevin has substantial funds heading into this election cycle and ensure he is able to get his message out proving he is the best person to represent PA’s 163rd Legislative District. Contribute today to a well developed campaign plan that is a rare opportunity to elect PA’s first openly LGBT legislator.

Health care workers endorse Hirshfield

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:44:54 -0500

Four influential unions representing thousands of nurses, heath care workers and teachers in Sonoma County have endorsed Maddy Hirshfield in the race for 5th District Supervisor. The California Nurses Association, SEIU United Healthcare Workers – West, SEIU Local 1021 and the Sonoma County Educators Council all announced they are supporting Hirshfield. “With all of the challenges facing healthcare and our schools, it means a lot to know that the nurses, health workers and teachers looked at all the candidates and came down squarely on our side,” Hirshfield said. “Our volunteer effort is stronger with them on our team and I’m deeply honored to have the support of these hardworking, dedicated people who contribute so much to all our lives.” she said. Hirshfield is the only candidate for supervisor with a background in health care delivery. For eighteen years she helped patients recover from serious injuries and illnesses as an Occupational Therapist. The California Nurses Association, and its national arm, the National Nurses Organizing Committee represents 80,000 direct-care RNs with members, including 450 nurses at Sutter Santa Rosa.SEIU United Healthcare Workers – West represents 150,000 health care workers in California including, 520 nurses' aides, respiratory therapists and dietary, housekeeping, technical and support staff at Sutter Santa Rosa. Hirshfield has also been endorsed by SEIU Local 1021, which represents 54,000 front-line health care and other service workers in Sonoma County and throughout Northern California. The Sonoma County Educators Council is the local arm of the California Teachers Association (CTA). CTA is the largest professional union in the state, representing more than 340,000 members, librarians and other school employees.

Statesman Journal endorses Brown for secretary of state

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:00:56 -0500

The Statesman Journal in Salem has endorsed Kate Brown in her bid to become Oregon’s secretary of state.

In a glowing endorsement, the paper mentioned that Brown’s priorities would include cracking down on fraud and abuse in the initiative system and to motivate young people to vote when they become of age.

The paper writes:

Her nine years as Senate majority leader gave her experience in working with colleagues, other elected officials and everyday Oregonians. She demonstrated a keen understanding of state issues and the pragmatic ability to negotiate compromises.

Most of all, she proved she could get results. She played a key role in passing major pieces of legislation. She would apply the same intelligence and skill to the job she seeks.

To support Kate’s campaign, click here.

Webb campaigns in northern Virginia

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:40:13 -0500

Victory endorsee Lawrence Webb has a long history of serving Virginians. He is currently the assistant dean of admissions at the University of Mary Washington. In his free time, Lawrence is an active member of the Falls Church City Democratic Committee, the City of Falls Church Parks and Recreation Commission and Equality Fairfax. Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner appointed Lawrence to the board of the Department of Correctional Education.

Although this is Lawrence’s first bid for elected office, he has a great deal of political experience stemming from his work on successful campaigns like those of Gov. Tim Kaine in 2005 and U.S. Senator Jim Webb in 2006.

Lawrence received a key endorsement from Citizens for a Better City (CBC), which is one of the strongest political players in the city of Falls Church. All of the current sitting members of the Falls Church City Council obtained their seat with the help of the CBC. While the group will play an extremely important role in this election, your donation will help Lawrence further distinguish himself as a rising star within Falls Church. He recently participated in a debate with his opponents, coming out against a May ballot question and bringing a pro-environment perspective to the conversation.

There are eight candidates vying for three seats in the May 6th general election. With two incumbents seeking re-election, this open seat provides a great opportunity for the LGBT community garner another leadership opportunity in the quickly changing northern Virginia suburbs of Washington DC.

With your help today, Lawrence could become the first openly LGBT African American elected in the state of Virginia.

Bullying accusations at the Capitol

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:05:36 -0500

Representatives Jeanette Mott Oxford and Sara Lampe held a news conference Thursday morning, accusing Representative Jane Cunningham of bullying two students by throwing them out of her office because of their facial piercings and colored hair. The students were at the Capitol in late March for a Safe Schools Act/Missouri Non-Discrimination Act lobbying day. They were not present at this event. "During that time, Desiree Bain and Austyn Langston, two students from the Kansas City area, were asked to leave her office because she said they were difficult to look at. She later told another group of students that looking at them was making her ill," says Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, D-St. Louis. Representative Oxford says the students also believe Cunningham kicked them out because of their sexual orientation. I went to Cunningham who says none of that is true. She says that day she only had time to sit down with her constituents. She then asked for their address, which she says is common office policy. When the students couldn't come up with an address, she says she realized they were lying and were not in fact from her district. Cunningham says she and her assistant asked the students to leave. Cunningham says the students then became disruptive and that's why they were asked to leave. "I really feel like those young people were used for political purposes by legislators to promote their legislation," says Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield. That legislation is House Bill 1751, sponsored by Lampe and co-sponsored by Oxford, a bill all about bullying. Supporters say the bill would incorporate specifc types of harrassment into the current state anti-bullying law and require school districts to have detailed policies to address bullying cases. But opponents, like Cunningham, say the current legislation protects all students equally and making a list could end up excluding some students. Oxford wants Cunningham to publicly apologize for her actions on that day and immediately schedule a hearing for their anti-bullying bill. Cunningham told Mallory she has no such plans. The proposed bill specifies 13 categories. For example, students couldn't be bullyed because of their race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.

Mott Oxford cites students' appearance with legislators meeting refusal

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:03:50 -0500

From Pub Def : Did State Rep. Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield) really turn tail on two teens who came to Jefferson City to support anti-bullying legislation? The office of Jeanette Mott Oxford (D-St. Louis) put out a press release Thursday claiming Cunningham refused to meet with students Desiree Bain and Austyn Langston of Jackson County because “she found their appearance very difficult to look at.”

Oxford, who did meet with the students, said they had multiple facial piercings and one had “vividly colored hair.”

“Other than that they looked like regular teenagers to me,” Oxford said.

The incident happened March 26. Langston and Bain were at the State Capitol in support of the Missouri Safe Schools legislation (House Bill 1751). The bill contains training provisions for teachers and school administrators to better recognize and stop school bullying. The bill also addresses harassment of homosexual and transgender students.

The bill is presently being held up by Rep. Cunningham who is the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee chairperson.

PubDef.net has tried to contact Cunningham’s office for her side in this incident, but so far all attempts have been unsuccessful.

Laurette Healey receives sole endorsement from the California Nurses Association

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:54:49 -0500

The California Nurses Association has endorsed former Deputy State Controller Laurette Healey in the race for the 40th Assembly District which serves Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Lake Balboa, Northridge, North Encino, North Hills, Reseda, Tarzana, Van Nuys, West Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, and South Granada Hills

The California Nurses Association (CNA), and its national arm, the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), presently have 80,000 members in 50 states, representing nurses at scores of hospitals, clinics, and home health agencies.

“As a cancer survivor I have personal experience in the critical role that nurses play in patient care. I have deep respect for their service to all of us and the role nurses have in our overall healthcare system. Affordable and accessible healthcare is a critical problem in our State. We need real solutions and real leadership to solve this crisis. I believe I can provide this leadership in the State Assembly”, says Healey.

Laurette Healey is the only female Democratic Candidate in the race for the 40th Assembly District. She is additionally endorsed by the Police Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, State Senator Sheila Kuehl, the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV), Steve Soboroff, CEO, Playa Vista Development, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1277, Jill Banks Barad, Board member, Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), and LA DWP General Manager David Nahai.

Pettis leads by 7 points in new poll

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:22:29 -0500

An independent poll conducted last week by the San Francisco firm of David Binder Research showed Greg Pettis in a commanding position to win the Democratic primary in the 80th Assembly District and ahead of his presumptive Republican opponent in November. The poll showed Pettis pulling 22 percent in the four-way race against challengers Manuel Perez, Richard Gonzales and Dr. Richard Gutierrez and with a 41-39 lead over likely Republican nominee Gary Jeandron. “This clearly establishes Greg Pettis as the frontrunner to be the next Assemblymember from the 80th District,” said Pettis campaign consultant Michael Grossman. “Not only does Pettis already have 75 percent of the votes he needs to win the primary, but it clearly demonstrates the fallacy pushed by some of his opponents that Greg wouldn’t be as viable in a general election,” Grossman said. Pettis’ lead has not only been in the polls, but he has also raised more money than any other Democratic candidate running for the 80th AD and has received the endorsements of the California AFL-CIO, AFSCME, California League of Conservation Voters and Progressive Majority in addition to Lt. Governor John Garamendi, Controller John Chiang and State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata.