RALEIGH, N.C. — Equality North Carolina (ENC) announced at its annual gala held on Nov. 9 in Greensboro that it had formed NC Electeds for Equality, a bi-partisan peer network of elected officials representing communities from across North Carolina and at every level of state and local government who are supportive of LGBT rights and justice.
Thirty one individuals are part of this groundbreaking organization.
“Over the years, Equality NC has heard from elected officials of all political stripes throughout the state that there is a pressing need and ever-present desire to better represent all North Carolinians by providing more effective leadership on, and understanding of, LGBT issues,” said Chris Sgro, Equality NC’s executive director. “NC Electeds for Equality was therefore formed as an all-important network for state and local officials interested in education and engagement on LGBT issues as a means to not only produce more effective leaders, but also build a state of equality for future generations.”
The network will allow supportive elected officials to learn more about issues related to LGBT rights as they arise at various levels of state government, including how certain policies affect the lives of LGBT North Carolinians, in areas such as employment, housing, accommodations, healthcare and public safety.
The list includes: N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper; N.C. Treasurer Janet Cowell; Rep. Alma Adams; Rep. Marcus Brandon; Rep. Tricia Cotham; Rep. Susan Fisher; Rep. Rick Glazier; Rep. Larry Hall; Rep. Pricey Harrison; Rep. Paul Luebke; Rep. Grier Martin; Rep. Susi Hamilton; Sen. Angela Bryant; Sen. Floyd McKissick; Sen. Martin Nesbitt; Sen. Josh Stein; Sen. Mike Woodard; Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt; Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins; Greensboro City Councilperson and Greensboro Mayor Elect Nancy Vaughan; Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane; Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey; Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones; Boone Town Councilperson and Boone Mayor Elect Andy Ball Carrboro; Alderman and Carrboro Mayor Elect Lydia Lavelle; Chapel Hill Town Councilperson Lee Storrow; Charlotte City Councilperson LaWana Mayfield; Greensboro City Councilperson Nancy Hoffman; Mecklenburg County Commissioner and Chairwoman Pat Cotham; Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger; and Guilford County Register of Deeds Jeff Thigpen.
As a part of clarity, ENC stated: “While Equality NC has convened the inaugural class, membership in NC Electeds for Equality does not infer endorsement of any particular policy position or action by Equality NC. Questions about member positions on particular issues should be directed to their respective offices.”
Officials who wish to join should email electeds@equalitync.org.
info: equalitync.org. equalitync.org/electedsforequality.
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Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.