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Legislation & Policy

• Equality NC fended off attempts to pass an anti-LGBT, anti-marriage constitutional amendment for the fifth year in a row. North Carolina is the only state in the South that has not adopted this type of amendment.

• Equality NC Foundation won basic hospital visitation rights for all North Carolinians by securing an addition to the Patients Bill of Rights for all hospitals in the state.
• Equality NC was successful in getting the House to reject the weakened Senate version of the School Violence Prevention Act with the strong support of more than 20 coalition partners. While the Senate did not pass the final bill, our efforts position us well to work for passage in 2009.
• Equality NC and the NC AIDS Action Network's efforts secured a provision in the state budget raising the eligibility level for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program from 250% of federal poverty level to the national standard of 300%, making life-saving medicine available to more low-income people living with HIV.
• Equality NC Foundation's advocacy with the State Personnel Commission resulted in changes to the non-discrimination policy for state workers that clarify limited protections for gender non-conforming employees.
• Equality NC supported the work of ACLU North Carolina to win passage in the House of legislation opposing the implementation of the federal REAL-ID Act, which would have negative consequences for trangender North Carolinians.
• Equality NC lent its support to successful efforts to repeal the Gift Tax, which unfairly taxed same-sex couples at a higher rate than married couples.
• Despite taking on Equality NC's tough issues, our contract lobbyist Randolph Cloud rose in the NC Center for Public Policy Research's lobbyist effectiveness rankings to the 13th spot.

Organizing & Coalitions

• Equality NC Foundation's anti-bullying postcard campaign, led by organizing fellow Josh Wynne, generated over 6,000 hand-delivered postcards in support of the School Violence Prevention Act to legislators and engaged more volunteers across the state than ever before.
• Equality NC's online advocacy reached new heights as our online action network generated thousands of constituent emails to legislators. Plus, our Facebook group reached the 1000-member mark.
• Equality NC Foundation's Transgender Policy Summit and online survey collected valuable data about the needs of transgender North Carolinians that will inform our work going forward.
• Community organizer Rebecca Mann organized town hall meetings in Boone, Greenville, and Wilmington.
• Equality NC Foundation staff presented at conferences, trainings, and community events across the state, including the North Carolina Human Relations Commission conference, Camp Equality, the NC National Organization for Women conference, and meetings of campus groups, P-FLAG chapters, and other local groups.
• Equality NC reached out at seven pride festivals and other community events, collecting hundreds of anti-bullying postcards.
• Executive director Ian Palmquist took a leadership role in several standing coalitions, including the NC AIDS Action Network, Blueprint NC, the Base-Building Initiative, and the Equality Federation.

Equality Conference & Gala

• Equality NC Foundation's second statewide Equality Conference & Gala drew rave reviews from participants with conference attendance up 44 percent to 360 attendees. The gala also grew, with over 190 people present.

• The conference's keynote panel featured three respected national leaders:  Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality; Kate Kendell, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights; and Alexander Robinson, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition.

• Fifteen amazing breakout session covered topics ranging from a conversation about building LGBT people of color visibility to a skills training on managing the media to an analysis of LGBT aging issues.

• Equality NC Foundation honored long-time champion Rep. Paul Luebke with the 2008 Legislative Leadership Award.

• Financial support grew significantly as well, raising a total of $71,000, up 33% from last year. Organizational sponsorships grew from 21 to 32.

Elections

• Equality NC PAC played an active role in the 2008 elections, with 50 of 59 endorsed candidates winning on November 4. Highlights included the election of Governor Beverly Perdue and Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, several members of the Council of State, and many legislative allies. Openly lesbian Sen. Julia Boseman was also returned to office despite a difficult race.
• As part of the Base-Building Initiative, Equality NC Foundation helped turn out thousands of infrequent voters by providing them with information about early voting and vote-by-mail.

Organization Building

• Equality NC hired its first full-time community organizer, Rebecca Mann. Based in High Point, she is working hard to engage activists across the state. 
• Development director Kay Flaminio's fabulous work kept Equality NC steady despite the flagging economy. Our first Step Up for Equality major gifts campaign generated over $80,000 in gifts and pledges, our fund-raising events—including the first Luau for Equality—drew more than 750 people, and Equality NC PAC conducted its largest-ever matching challenge, raising $44,000 for our electoral efforts.
• Administrative coordinator Shawn Long has been building the systems to keep our growing organization running smoothly.
• Our growing staff was bursting at the seams in our tiny Raleigh office. In April we moved into a larger space just four blocks from the Legislative Building, allowing us to work more efficiently and expand our intern and volunteer programs.
• A stellar group of interns worked with us this year doing everything from volunteer management to conference programming to policy research and more. Thanks to Ashley Clingman, Seth Maid, Kelly Margolis, Eric Paro, Nicole Stonestreet, Rachel Tabbi, Alex Wach, and Stephen Wiseman.