This June's Pride Month was perhaps the most important Pride month in recent memory. All across this country, we saw LGBTQ organizers and groups -- including ENC -- come together to support Black Lives Matter and the movement to end racialized violence in this country.
In many ways, the protests and marches are a return to our roots. Pride began as a riot against police brutality at places like Stonewall Inn and Compton's Cafeteria. Over half a century later, we are still coming together to resist oppression and fight against police brutality targeting the most vulnerable members of our communities.
This work will continue as we head into the election season and continue to grapple with the ongoing pandemic. We're also announcing a new membership program as a way for you to plug into our work. It's on all of us to roll up our sleeves and figure out our capacities to change the trajectory of this country and help build a better world. I hope you will join us.
The Equality NC Crew is a new membership program at our organization that you can enter at any level, starting at just $25.
By becoming a member of the #ENCCrew, you'll receive a free gift, early access to and information about our work across North Carolina, first dibs on invitations to ENC virtual events and personal invitations to take part in initiatives such as our Lobby Day! Higher-level membership even affords you very special opportunities like a private lunch with senior Equality NC Staff and Board. Head here to learn more!
We're five months away from the most important elections of our lifetimes, and Equality North Carolina has endorsed 145 candidates for office across the state of North Carolina. We've broken our slate down into six different voting guides based on our regional chapter groups in order to help you sort through the whole ticket before heading to the ballot box. Download our Voter Guides here.
ENC would like to offer a hearty "THANK YOU!" to everyone who supported our Rural Youth Empowerment (RYE) Fellowship on Give Out Day -- and especially Big Freedia for entertaining us all with a live-streamed concert on our Facebook. Thanks to your generous support, we were able to raise over $11,000 to support our next cohort of RYE Fellows. From the entire ENC Staff and Board, thank you! We couldn't do this work without you.
The past month, in many ways, felt like whiplash when it came to LGBTQ rights. On June 12, the Trump administration finalized a rule interpreting Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that removes clear protections from discrimination against LGBTQ people.
Three days later, SCOTUS ruled that companies can't unfairly fire or otherwise discriminate against LGBTQ people in the workplace.
Finally, just last week the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it would propose a rule that would enable emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness and intimate partner violence to discriminate against transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals by denying them access to single-sex shelters based on their gender identity.
The message from the Trump Administration is clear: this country is committed to targeting and attacking the most vulnerable members of our communities. It's on all of us to fight back in the weeks and months ahead. How will you show up?
Head here to register to vote online.
Equality North Carolina is partnering with Sage Central North Carolina and the LGBT Center of Raleigh for an intergenerational LGBTQ-friendly phone call program in the age of physical distancing. Are you an LGBTQ elder or LGBTQ youth who'd like to get involved? Our program will run until at least mid-July and we're looking for folks from all walks of life to sign up.
Queer Gone Home (QGH) is an e-zine/webzine specifically centering the queer experience during COVID-19. This e-zine is here for your narratives, stories, angry doodles, random sketches, poems, and anything else that helps you unfold your experience as an LGBTQ+ individual in the midst of this pandemic. Head here for more information.
