DEAR FRIENDS,
As we gather to celebrate another year of fighting for LGBTQIA+ Texans, I am filled with pride at what we’ve accomplished together and resolved to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
Though the election just wrapped up on Tuesday, this week’s victories have been a year in the making. We helped elect State Senator Molly Cook, who will be the first openly LGBTQIA+ lawmaker in the Texas Senate. After Shawn Thierry turned against the community, we launched an aggressive campaign to mobilize voters for Lauren Ashley Simmons, who will step into Thierry’s old seat.
We’ve expanded our grassroots organizing, with new advocates and volunteer networks across the state. We registered voters, helped community members navigate attempts to remove them from the voter rolls, and mobilized community in support of pro-equality candidates across Texas.
Equality Texas attended 96 Pride celebrations across the state, from big city Prides to firsttime pride celebrations in rural communities. In such a tense political climate, amplifying queer joy is necessary and invigorating. Our online presence has contineud to grow while engaging and educating people across the spectrum of the importance of fighting for LGBTQIA+ equality.
We know that 2024 will bring unprecedented attacks on our community. The upcoming legislative session threatens to roll back hard=won protections. Hateful lawmakers will continue targeting transgender Texans, especially youth, with cruel and dangerous legislation.
Our goal is to file over 150 pro-equality bills next session while fighting against every attempt to harm LGBTQIA+ Texans. With your help, we can turn the tide and make Texas the state we all deserve.
The road ahead is challenging, but I am constantly inspired by the resilience and strength of our community and our ability to work together to get things done.
Together, we can create a Texas where LGBTQIA+ people not only survive, but thrive. Thank you for standing with us. Your support makes all the difference.
From the trenches,
Brad Pritchett
Profile in Courage - Award
Rep. Jessica González
Monica Roberts Trans Activist of the Year - Award
Anandrea Molina
Celebrating Black Trans Leaders in Texas - Speaker
Joelle Bayaa-Uzuri Espeut
Dinner 8:00PM - AUSTIN BALLROOM
Welcome - Speaker
Brad Pritchett
Proclamation - Address
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson
Glen Maxey Lifetime Achievement - Award
Val Benavidez
Business Champion - Award
DOW
Live Giving - Speaker
Trevor Scott
Thank You - Speaker
Justin McCormick
your participation in the silent auction this year helps fund the vital advocacy necessary to continue to hold the line and fight back against anti-LGBTQIA+ extremists AT THE CAPITOL
PLACE YOUR BIDS NOW
GLEN MAXEY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Val Benavidez
Val Benavidez is the executive director of Texas Freedom Network (TFN), a statewide non-partisan, grassroots organization building an informed and effective movement working toward equality and social justice. Val has led the organization for 4 years, but prior to that, she served as TFN’s chief program officer and field director for almost 14 years.
As the proud daughter and granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, farm workers, railroad builders, and all-around rabble-rousers, Val knows that our communities harness so much strength to create our own futures. She also knows that the people in power in Texas do not reflect who we are, and it’s these values and passion that have driven Val’s work in progressive grassroots organizing for almost two decades.
MONICA ROBERTS TRANS ACTIVIST OF THE YEAR
Anandrea Molina
Anandrea Molina is the founder and executive director of Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT), a non-profit dedicated to ensuring, protecting, and defending the human rights of all trans, gender-nonconforming, and LGBTQIA+ people in Texas. Since founding OLTT in 2015, she has tapped into her lived experience to fight for justice, nurture community and foster a unified society where every person can be treated with respect and dignity.
Her work has earned recognition and awards from the City of Houston, the New York City Council, Cólectivo Intercultural Transgrediendo, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, La Escuela de Cambio Social y Educacion Popular, Houston Pride Festival/Festival de Orgullo, Houston Transgender Unity Committee, and the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus.
platform for advancing inclusion and driving profitable growth.
Over the past 24 years, Dow’s LGBTQ+ ERG has grown to more than 6,500 members. Dow hold a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index. Dow has been part of Texas Competes since its inception in 2015. Recognizing their steadfast support for the LGBTQ+ community, we honor Dow as our 2024 Business Champion.
PROFILE IN COURAGE
Rep. Jessica González
State Representative Jessica González is a member of the Texas House of Representatives serving House District 104 in the Dallas area and has represented the district since being elected in 2019. She is one of the founding members and current Vice Chair of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus—a nonpartisan official legislative caucus dedicated to harnessing our collective power to defend the rights of LGBTQIA+ Texans and to achieve social justice and equity in our state.
Rep. González has dedicated her time in the Texas House to protecting the civil rights of LGBTQIA+ Texans, expanding voting rights, reforming our criminal justice system, and increasing access to affordable housing.
Our board members ensure that Equality Texas stays true to our mission and values with their guidance, collaboration, and engagement.
We could not do this work without them.
EQUALITY TEXAS
501(C)(3)
Mark Phariss
Stephanie Byers
Brett Gray
Jack McBride
Aimee Arrambide
Elaheh Ashtari
Lonnie Bean
Annaliese Cothron
Samantha Greene
Angela Gutierrez
Lisa Kettyle
John C. B. LaRue
Omar Lopez
Danielle Marie Skidmore
Brianna Turner
Jesse Vallejo
Kylar Walker
Ashley White
EQUALITY TEXAS
501(C)(4)
Brad Nitschke
Mitra Azodi Woody
Brett Gray
Jack McBride
Erin Gurak
Meegan Honeyman
Annie Hsu
Briona “Bri” Jenkins
Steve Rudner
JonCarlo Serna
Brad Stuver
Colton Wright
navigate this brave new world we find ourselves in. The team hosted community events from Lubbock to San Antonio, and in every corner of the state, to equip trans and gender expansive people with the truth about their legal rights under the new regime.
TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE GLOBAL STAGE
After an exhausting legislative session, Texans were saddled with 7 new discriminatory laws. The fight for equality moved from the legislature, to the courtroom, and we brought the plight of our community to the global stage. In partnership with the Human Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law, we submitted a letter to the UN about the human rights crisis facing LGBTQIA+ Texans. By partnering with national and
