The City of West Hollywood just released this urgent warning:

The City of West Hollywood is issuing a strong warning regarding meningococcal infection, a bacteria-caused illness that can lead to potentially deadly meningitis, at a news conference to be held today, Friday, April 12, 2013 at 2 p.m. in the lobby of West Hollywood City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard.

“We don’t want to panic people,” said West Hollywood Councilmember John Duran.  “But we learned 30 years ago the consequences of delay in the response to AIDS.  We are sounding the alarm that sexually active gay men need to be aware that we have a strain of meningitis that is deadly on our hands,” continued Duran.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bacterial meningitis is usually severe. While most people with meningitis recover, it can cause serious complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disabilities.

Infectious diseases such as meningococcal infection tend to spread more quickly where larger groups of people gather together. College students living in dormitories and military personnel are at increased risk for meningococcal meningitis as well as people with weakened immune systems such as those living with HIV/AIDS.

The germs that cause bacterial meningitis can be contagious. Some bacteria can spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (e.g., kissing). Fortunately, most of the bacteria that cause meningitis are not as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the flu. Also, the bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Meningitis infection may show up in a person by a sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It will often have other symptoms which include:

·       Nausea

·       Vomiting

·       Increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)

·       Altered mental status (confusion)

The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically they develop within three to seven days after exposure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been alerted about a Los Angeles County case of meningococcal infection. Tests are being conducted to determine the imprint of this strain, which is not a new one. There may be similarities to an especially deadly strain of meningococcal infection found recently in New York that has resulted in twenty-two cases, including ten fatalities since 2013. The outbreak in New York City involved a strain circulating among men who have sex with men and may be transmitted during intimate encounters including sex.

The Williams Institute  is hosting it’s 12^th Annual Update TODAY with the theme: Lawrence + 10: What’s Next for LGBT Rights?  The free conference, which is open to the public, will discuss the Supreme Court arguments in the Prop 8 and DOMA cases on this, the 10^th anniversary of Lawrence v. Texas, the case that struck down sodomy laws, though not every state has recognized that SCOTUS decision. The conference will also discuss what’s happening with other anti-discrimination laws and the “continuing criminalization of sex and identity through HIV criminalization, sex-worker persecution, and sex offender registries; as well as new approaches to achieving equality for LGBT people.”

Additionally, Harvard’s Michael Klarman will deliver the keynote address assessing the costs and benefits of pursuing gay marriage through litigation. He is  will  in his keynote address. Klarman is Kirkland and Ellis Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and author of From the Closet to the Altar: Courts, Backlash and the Struggle for Same-Sex Marriage. He considered one of the nation’s leading legal historians. (Full Schedule Here)  Williams Institute @ UCLA School of Law, Room 1347, 337 Charles E Young Dr E , Los Angeles, CA 90095

LGBT demonstrators were among the tens of thousands of immigrant reform activists who rallied outside the U.S. Capitol and in 30 cities around the nation Wednesday as a group of eight senators reached tentative agreement on a broad immigration bill. The New York Times reports that the bill“would require tough border measures to be in place before illegal immigrants could take the first steps to become American citizens, according to several people familiar with drafts of the legislation.” The bill would allow Homeland Security 10 years “to make plans and use resources to fortify enforcement at the borders and elsewhere within the country before it sets several broader hurdles that could derail the immigrants’ progress toward citizenship if they are not achieved.”

KNBC Channel 4 reports that activists, some holding signs for “Equality,” demonstrated at rallies in the Los Angeles area calling for immigration reform and family unification for the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants. They also pressed Sen. Dianne Feinstein for an agreement over workers wages and visas to bring agricultural workers to the US under a new program.

“There’s a tentative agreement on a number of things, and we’re waiting to see if it can get wrapped up,” Feinstein said told the AP. “I’m very hopeful. The train is leaving the station. We need a bill.”

Immigration is an up close and personal issue for many LGBT people in Southern California. For instance, LGBT Angelinos are keenly aware that Dolores Huerta and her United Farm Workers have long been a solid LGBT ally, including strongly opposing Prop 8 and serving on the board of Equality California. Additionally, LGBT Latino organizations such as the Latino Equality Alliance, Bienestar and The Wall Las Memorias, to name just three organizations, work on healthcare rights for LGBT immigrants who seek safety to come out and/or are HIV positive and come to the US seeking medical services without drawing homophobic attention that could get them beaten up, murdered or disappeared. The US doesn’t recognize asylum requests when the mortal danger is from family or neighbors. That’s one reason why a comprehensive immigration reform bill in Congress – whether initially or through amendments – must include LGBT protections. 

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.

Last month, Gary Gates at the Williams Institute released a new report  indicating that, “There are approximately 267,000 LGBT-identified individuals among the adult undocumented immigrant population and an estimated 637,000 LGBT-identified individuals among the adult documented immigrant population. The report finds that approximately 71 percent of undocumented LGBT adults are Hispanic and 15 percent of undocumented LGBT adults are Asian or Pacific Islander.” But among the documented adults, Gates finds that 30 percent of documented LGBT adults are Hispanic and 35 percent of documented LGBT adults are Asian or Pacific Islander. Since there is also a problem of data-collection in the self-identified LGBT population (some people don’t accept the label “gay,” for instance) as well as identifying people who live in the closet and the shadows, these numbers suggest under-reporting.

The Washington Blade reported Wednesday that a number of LGBT organizations participated in the national rally. Additionally, 26 national LGBT groups released a joint statement urging Congress to pass a “fair and comprehensive” immigration reform bill. (See more below)

When Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, addressed the crowd, (full statement below), she attempted to respond to those who suggest that immigration is not an LGBT issue:

From time to time, someone will ask me, a white lesbian: “What does immigration have to do with LGBT rights? Why are you spending your time on that issue?”

Here’s what I tell them, unequivocally: Immigration is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and human rights issue!

A great many immigrants are themselves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Take Esmeralda, a transgender Mexican woman who suffered horrific abuse for her gender identity while in immigration detention. Hers is among the terrifying stories shared by LGBT immigrants who experienced abuse because of their gender identity or sexual orientation AND their immigration status.

And, right now, countless binational same-sex couples are threatened with forced separation because they are blocked from sponsoring their partner for citizenship.

It is cruel and unfair to force loving couples and families to live apart …to make them choose between family and country.

Yes, LGBT people are immigrants — and immigration is an LGBT issue.

Immigration reform is about our common humanity. It’s no wonder then, that a broad cross-section of Americans supports immigration reform, of creating a clear path to citizenship, of keeping families together.

It is about fairness and dignity.

It is about moving out of the shadows and into the sunlight.

It is about America living up to its full promise of equality — of ensuring everyone gets a fair shake.

This is why we need immigration reform.

Carey, National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director  Kate Kendell and Ben De Guzman also explain in the Huffington Post today that immigration reform is a family issue for LGBT people, too. 

As advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, we understand how crucial it is that our immigration system work to unify all families. Right now, same-sex binational couples are kept apart because our immigration policy is ill-equipped to protect these families. Because most states still do not recognize marriage equality, and because the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevents the federal government from recognizing the marriages legally performed in those states that do have marriage equality, U.S. citizens cannot sponsor their same-sex foreign partners for citizenship.

For the same reasons that we demand that immigration reform include protections for same-sex binational couples and families, we join our colleagues in being equally adamant that the number of family sponsorship visas not be reduced, and that no categories of family sponsorship be eliminated. Reducing the number of family sponsorship visas would add to an already alarmingly high backlog of people waiting to reunite with their families. This logjam has had a particularly devastating impact on the Asian-American community: Nearly half of the 4.3 million family members currently waiting for family-sponsored visas are relatives of Asian Americans.

And not to forget that immigrants come not just north to California from South and Latin America but also as a beacon of hope, fairness and equality for the Pacific Rim.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Rim Immigration reform is an LGBT issue not just as a matter of compassion or coalition building but because LGBT people do not live in silos: we are the most marginalized of immigrants who dream of safety, opportunity and the promise of fairness and equality. 

Here’s the press release from the 26 national LGBT organizations supporting immigration reform:

Today, national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organizations join local, state and national immigration, civil rights and LGBT groups and advocates marching for justice for all immigrants on National Immigration Day of Action.

Standing in solidarity with the immigration movement in calling on Congress to do the right thing and pass fair and humane comprehensive immigration reform are the 26 undersigned groups, including the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; GLAAD; the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR); the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP), a project of the United We Dream Network; National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA); and Immigration Equality.

“LGBT people are immigrants and immigration is an LGBT issue,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, who spoke from the stage on the West Lawn of the Capitol representing a broad range of allied organizations at the march.

The groups also call on media to tell the stories of undocumented people that shed light on the many ways the broken immigration system harms millions of Americans, including through family separation and inhumane conditions and abuse in detention facilities.

“Federal immigration reform is about respecting the humanity in each and all of us, including DREAMers and our families, migrant farm workers, LGBT binational couples, and transgender people in need of asylum,” said Jorge Gutierrez, project coordinator of the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP), a project of the United We Dream Network. Gutierrez is openly gay and undocumented.

“As a transgender woman who was detained by immigration authorities, I have first-hand experience with the inhumane treatment and abuse in detention facilities that for years have threatened the health, safety and even lives of millions of immigrants,” said Bamby Salcedo, president of the Trans-Latin@ Coalition. “I was sexually assaulted when I was forced to be housed in a dorm with about 100 men in a detention facility, and I was denied adequate access to HIV medication and hormone treatment. These are the harms countless transgender detainees face; we must put an end to these atrocities. We all deserve a chance to live with dignity, to pursue our dreams, and to work for a better future and better quality of life.”

“The current broken system hurts, scapegoats and vilifies all immigrants, including LGBT immigrants, and their friends and families. Comprehensive federal immigration reform is an urgent priority for our nation and the LGBT community,” said Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

“It is important for the LGBT and immigrants’ rights communities to work together and support one another. We’re all working to be treated equally and to be able to enjoy lives free of discrimination and fear, for ourselves and our families. We’ve seen the success of unity in places like Maryland, Colorado and Washington. In all of these places, our two communities prevented our opponents from pitting us against each other. We cannot stop now,” said Dave Montez, chief of staff of GLAAD, a member of the coalition.

Immigration Equality Executive Director Rachel B. Tiven said, “Immigration Equality helps thousands of LGBT immigrant families every year: undocumented families, mixed-status families, DREAMers, asylum seekers fleeing persecution, and detainees locked in immigration jail. LGBT people demand reform of a system in which our families are invisible. In the words of binational couple activist Pablo Garcia: ‘I want a path to citizenship. But I don’t want to wait 13 years to be a citizen. If I were straight I would be one already.’”

“At stake in the comprehensive immigration reform debate is our ability to keep our families together and to recognize the diversity of all our families. LGBT people are challenged across the entire spectrum of the broken immigration system and comprehensive reform is needed now,” said Ben de Guzman, co-director, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA).

For more stories of undocumented people, please contact any of the media contacts listed above.

National LGBT Organizations in Support of National Immigration Day of Action:

American Civil Liberties Union
Center For Black Equity
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
Freedom to Marry 
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC)
GetEQUAL
GLAAD
GLAD
GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network)
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
Immigration Equality
Lambda Legal
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 
National Minority AIDS Council
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
PFLAG National
Pride at Work AFL CIO
Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP), a project of the United We Dream Network
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)
The Trevor Project
Trans-Latin@ Coalition

Here’s Rea Carey’s entire address to the rally: 

Good afternoon! It is so incredible and inspiring to be with all of you here today!

My name is Rea Carey, and I am executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

AMERICA IS COMING TOGETHER to support immigration reform! I am proud to represent diverse sectors of society that are united for immigration reform – and I’d like to recognize my colleagues here with me today.

From progressive organizing groups like MoveOn.org, USAction, Campaign for America’s Future, Presente.org, National People’s Action, and Jobs with Justice!

To student and youth organizations like the United States Student Association and the League of Young Voters.

To women’s organizations like MomsRising, Family Values at Work, the National Asian Pacific Women’s Forum, We Belong Together, 9 to 5, Breakthrough, UltraViolet, New Immigrant Community Empowerment, Domestic Workers United, Filipino Advocates for Justice, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Women’s Refugee Commission, Brazilian Immigrant Center, and the National Domestic Workers Association.

To environmentalists like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Green4All.

And, of course, the LGBT community, including my organization the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, as well as the Human Rights Campaign and Immigration Equality!

We stand for immigration reform.

Today, there are 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country — including hundreds of thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Under our broken immigration system, immigrants are forced to live in hiding, spending every day fearful that they will be discovered, sent into detention, and separated from their families, possibly forever.

No one should ever be forced to live this way.

We believe everyone should be free to live their lives openly and fully, to be and to flourish no matter who they are, who they love, or where they come from.

Yet current immigration law makes this impossible, and only serves to punish people.

America can do better than this.

America needs humane and comprehensive immigration reform now.

Creating a direct pathway to citizenship will ensure better and brighter futures — not just for the 11 million undocumented immigrants who are here already — but for our entire nation.

We know that America would not be what it is today without the grit, guts, ingenuity, creativity and work ethic of millions of immigrants who have come to this country with a dream.

These dreams have built and sustained America — from science and industry, to agriculture and domestic work, to commerce and innovation.

The American dream dies when the dreamers are shut out.

From time to time, someone will ask me, a white lesbian: “What does immigration have to do with LGBT rights? Why are you spending your time on that issue?”

Here’s what I tell them, unequivocally: Immigration is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and human rights issue!

A great many immigrants are themselves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Take Esmeralda, a transgender Mexican woman who suffered horrific abuse for her gender identity while in immigration detention. Hers is among the terrifying stories shared by LGBT immigrants who experienced abuse because of their gender identity or sexual orientation AND their immigration status.

And, right now, countless binational same-sex couples are threatened with forced separation because they are blocked from sponsoring their partner for citizenship.

It is cruel and unfair to force loving couples and families to live apart …to make them choose between family and country.

Yes, LGBT people are immigrants — and immigration is an LGBT issue.

Immigration reform is about our common humanity. It’s no wonder then, that a broad cross-section of Americans supports immigration reform, of creating a clear path to citizenship, of keeping families together.

It is about fairness and dignity.

It is about moving out of the shadows and into the sunlight.

It is about America living up to its full promise of equality — of ensuring everyone gets a fair shake.

This is why we need immigration reform.

The time is now!

(Editor’s note: This morning I posted a video of U.S. Marine Corps Captain Matthew Phelps and his beloved Ben Schock discussing how DOMA will impact them after they marry next month and Phelps is transferred to Japan for two years. Phelps says that while his heterosexual colleagues are “worried about whether or not the place they’re moving to will accept the breed of dog that they’ve got, I’m waiting on a decision from the Supreme Court to see if my husband is going to be allowed to move with me.” Strong LGBT ally Rep. Adam Schiff is indignant about this indignity and has introduced legislation to help. Here is an essay he wrote for Los Angeles-based Frontiers magazine that focuses on the emotionally difficult situation of one of his constituents, retired Army Sgt. Tracey Cooper-Harris (at her post in the above photo provided by OutServe-SLDN). Bear in mind that the partners and spouses of servicemembers and veterans with PTSD suffer, too. – Karen Ocamb)

Military Service Members Deserve Equal Treatment Under the Law

By Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) 

When President Obama signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) in 2010, Army Sergeant Tracey Cooper-Harris, a Pasadena, California resident, had already been out of the military for seven years. During her twelve years of military service, which included posts in Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan, she earned more than two dozen medals and commendations and the respect of her peers and superiors.

Throughout her distinguished career in the United States Army, Sgt. Cooper-Harris served with the knowledge that if the Army found out whom she loved, her career could come to a sudden end. Once out, she wrote to President Obama about it: “I lived in constant fear serving under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ I was always looking over my shoulder, censoring what I said and keeping as much physical distance as possible between my military life and my personal life.”

Thankfully, DADT is now a thing of the past – but there are many remaining obstacles facing LGBT service members and veterans that are still very real, including dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the impact that has on relationships.

Nine states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriages but under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the federal government defines marriage strictly as the union of one man and one woman.  As a result, same-sex military couples can be legally married in their state, but not be eligible for the U.S. military benefits and privileges that come with marriage despite selflessly serving their country.

As we await the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA, we know that the tide is turning in favor of full equality for all Americans.  But despite this progress, many military families are still struggling as second-class citizens.

When Sgt. Cooper-Harris married her partner Maggie in November 2008, before the passage of Proposition 8, the couple vowed to love each other “in sickness and in health” – which includes Cooper-Harris’ PTSD and multiple sclerosis that the government has classified as service-connected. The Department of Veterans Affairs considers Cooper-Harris 80 percent disabled and pays her approximately $1,500 a month in disability benefits, which is $124 less than the VA would pay if she were married to a man. Additionally, Maggie is not entitled to receive survivor’s benefits, currently $1,200 a month, if Cooper-Harris passes away, nor is she allowed to be buried alongside her spouse in a military cemetery. Cooper-Harris has filed suit to attack this discriminatory denial of equal benefits.

I recently led an effort, joined by almost 40 other House colleagues, to urge Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to extend equal treatment to same-sex spouses who are denied a wide range of services and benefits including disability, health insurance, pre-deployment counseling and access to base commissaries. We urged Secretary Panetta to allow spouses the benefits and services that accrue to military families while we pursue the repeal of DOMA. 

Secretary Panetta agreed, and in his last days in office outlined a series of policy changes to administratively address many of the inequities we raised. And, in addition to benefits available to spouses, the Defense Department extended benefits to same-sex domestic partners – including issuing military identification cards, commissary and exchange privileges, child care and access to MWR programs and other benefits. 

While this was a very welcome step, the administrative changes are just not enough.  And they are not law. That’s why I have joined with my colleague Adam Smith (D-WA) to introduce the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act. This legislation remedies one of the discriminatory impacts of DOMA, by allowing the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments to recognize any marriage that has been recognized by a state, the District of Columbia, commonwealths, territories or possessions and provide the same benefits to all spouses of all service members.

Congress must act on legislation allowing same-sex couples – in and out of the military – to express their love and commitment through marriage and have that love recognized in every branch of American military service. It’s only fair – and Americans serving now should not have to wait on the Supreme Court to issue it’s ruling when Congress can end this inequality now and forever. 

Perhaps Sgt. Cooper-Harris’ spouse Maggie put it best when she said that she is looking forward to the day when her marriage is “a fully recognized marriage in the eyes of the federal government.” Our military men and women make the ultimate sacrifice every day to defend freedom and equality around the world.

The least we can do is make sure they receive that equality here at home.

Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) serves in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Remember that sweet romantic moment during the Christmas holidays last year when U.S. Marine Corps Captain Matthew Phelps proposed to his love Ben Schock during a tour of the White House? Well, the couple plans on marrying next month in Seattle, Washington before Phelps is transferred to Japan for a two year stint. But even though they will be legally married, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prohibits Schock from enjoying base privileges so, unless he can get a Visa, he must leave Japan every 90 days, only to have to go through the process of re-entering again. And they must do this all at their own expense, unlike an opposite-sex couple who automatically gets housing, a moving allowance and any other assistance the military can provide. To the military, Schock doesn’t exist.

On Wednesday, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released a video of the couple as part of their joint “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” campaign in which they talk about the joyous proposal and what they expect to face next.

“There seems to be a contradiction between serving my country and my country not fully supporting my relationship with Ben,” Phelps says. “Every day, I’m reminded that my marriage to Ben is different from everybody else’s marriage, and it’s just not right.” 



But perhaps most chilling is this: “While [his heterosexual colleagues are] worried about whether or not the place they’re moving to will accept the breed of dog that they’ve got, I’m waiting on a decision from the Supreme Court to see if my husband is going to be allowed to move with me.”

Here’s reaction in a press release from Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN:

“As Captain Phelps prepares to put his life on the line every day for his country, his government has yet to ensure that his marriage will be given the same respect and dignity that his colleagues receive,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “Captain Phelps has made a commitment in life and will be legally married, but his husband will be treated as a stranger in the eyes of the federal government. It’s time to end the discrimination of military families like theirs and repeal DOMA.”

“As much as military leaders at all levels may wish to treat the troops under their command with equity, they are forced by federal law to discriminate,” said Allyson D. Robinson, Executive Director of OutServe-SLDN. “As a result, gay and lesbian service members are denied access to critical benefits and meaningful support programs the services provides to help families face the unique challenges of military life. This denial weakens the force itself.”

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Lambda Legal has been in the forefront of the fight for LGBT rights and equality for 40 years. Congrats and thanks, Lambda Legal – with a special nod to Legal Director Jon Davidson who has always taken the time to explain legal intricacies and nuances to a sometimes confused LGBT reporter like me.

White House Liaison Gautam Raghavan announced on the White House blog Monday that the public is invited to nominate an LGBT individual who has been elected or appointed to state or local office” with a “strong commitment to public service” – someone “whose contributions have gone unrecognized” – for a Harvey Milk Champion of Change award. Here’s the post with more information:

In August 2009, President Obama honored Harvey Milk posthumously with America’s highest civilian medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with the following citation:

Harvey Bernard Milk dedicated his life to shattering boundaries and challenging assumptions. As one of the first openly gay elected officials in this country, he changed the landscape of opportunity for the nation’s gay community. Throughout his life, he fought discrimination with visionary courage and conviction. Before his tragic death in 1978, he wisely noted, “Hope will never be silent,” and called upon Americans to stay true to the guiding principles of equality and justice for all. Harvey Milk’s voice will forever echo in the hearts of all those who carry forward his timeless message.

To honor Harvey Milk’s legacy, the White House will recognize a group of outstanding openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) state and local elected and appointed officials as “Harvey Milk Champions of Change.” Established in 2011, the White House Champions of Change Program regularly spotlights ordinary citizens who are doing extraordinary things for to their community, their country, and their fellow citizens. In that tradition, we will honor as Harvey Milk Champions of Change a small group of LGBT state and local elected and appointed officials who have demonstrated a strong commitment to both equality and public service.

If that sounds like you or someone you know, then we want to hear from you!

Members of the public are invited to nominate candidates for consideration. Nominees should be LGBT individuals who have been elected or appointed to state or local office, and who have demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. Please keep in mind that, in the spirit of the Champions of Change program, we are looking for unsung heroes – individuals whose contributions have gone unrecognized.

Click here to nominate a Harvey Milk Champion of Change before Friday, April 19, 2013 (Note: Under “Theme of Service” please choose “Harvey Milk Champions of Change”).

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact LGBT@who.eop.gov. For the latest news on efforts by the Obama Administration on behalf of the LGBT community, please sign up for updates.

Many may know actress/producer Sara Gilbert, now a co-host on “The Talk.” But you may not know that singer/songwriter/producer Linda Perry has spearheaded the Women’s Night benefit for the LA Gay & Lesbian Center for years. Congratulations to the two who give back to their community!