Welcome!
Welcome to the Fall 2024 Silver State Equality newsletter!
It’s been a very busy few months for us, headlined by our Silver State Equality Awards, the Las Vegas Pride Parade and Festival, our annual Equality Luncheon, and our inaugural Silver State Leadership Academy.
Most importantly, as we inch closer to election day – November 5 – we continue to be hyper-focused on encouraging everyone to vote in support of democracy, individual rights, and full, lived equality. We’ve done the work and research to vet pro-equality candidates, so be sure to check out our Election Center for our full list of endorsements: https:// silverstateequality.org/elections/ Here, you will also find important dates for the election and an online voter registration link.
Read on for more important updates!
André Wade State Director, Silver State Equality Pronouns: he/him/his
GOTV (Get Out The Vote) 2024
During the 2024 Nevada Primary Election, only 19.12 percent of active registered voters turned out to vote. During the 2022 General Election, that number was 54.7 percent, according to silverstateelection.nv.gov. We must do better and actively work to get out of the vote!
This cycle, Nevadans have the opportunity to rise in support of democracy and to speak out for a world that is fair, just and equal for all Nevadans, all Americans, and all LGBTQ+ persons.
History will remember this election. The imperative to take action has never been greater, and it all comes down to voting. Make your voting plan today!
We also have an important decision to make on protecting reproductive rights. Silver State Equality encourages everyone to vote YES on Ballot Question 6, which would establish abortion as a fundamental right in the Nevada state constitution. This is about bodily autonomy and individual freedom — protections that belong in the state constitution.
History will remember this election. The imperative to take action has never been greater, and it all comes down to voting. Make your voting plan today!
Quick Facts
Only 19.12% of active registered voters turned out for the Nevada Primary
Only 54.7% turned out for the 2022 General Election
We must do better & actively work to get out of the vote!
SILVER STATE EQUALITY AWARDS
More than 300 friends of Silver State Equality attended the organization’s 2024 annual Equality Awards on Sept. 12 at KAOS at The Palms in Las Vegas, raising more than $200,000 to continue to support our work! Many thanks to our presenting sponsors: AT&T, Southwest (Official Airline Sponsor), and Walmart; as well as many other corporations and individuals that stand with Silver State Equality in our mission to secure full, lived equality for all LGBTQ+ persons.
This year’s honorees included singer, songwriter and actor Debbie Gibson, who received the Ally Leadership Award. Throughout her career, Debbie has been a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, performing at numerous Pride and charity events around the globe and as an ally in the battle to end HIV — a cause that is particularly close to her heart.
“...raising more than $200,000 to continue to support our work!”
City of Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Brian Knudsen received the Equality Leadership Award, and the Community Leadership Award was presented to Our Center, a Reno-based nonprofit community center that serves Northern Nevada’s LGBTQ+ community. Coco Montrese of RuPaul’s Drag Race hosted and treated us to an exclusive performance!
Silver State Equality Luncheon
On June 20, Silver State Equality hosted its annual Equality Luncheon at the Culinary Academy. A fascinating discussion on the history of LGBTQ+ political power-building in Southern Nevada was the event’s theme, with commentary and insight provided by many who helped to build that power in Nevada, including former Nevada State Senator David Parks, Denise Duarte, LaToya Holman and historian Dennis McBride. Thank you to our event sponsors, Amazon, Wynn Resorts, and Alisa Nave Consulting!
Las Vegas Pride Parade & Festival
Silver State Equality is a proud and loud supporter of the annual Las Vegas PRIDE Parade and Festival that coincided this year with National Coming Out Day. The parade, held on Oct. 11 in downtown Las Vegas, drew tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ persons, friends, allies and champions in a fun and colorful support of equality. We were happy to be joined by our friends at PLAN, who marched alongside us in the parade. Thank you to Dizzy Red Productions for providing a bevy of beautiful Queens to accompany us. We also enjoyed connecting with community members at the PRIDE festival on Oct. 12 and downtown to share information, resources, and network.
Silver State Equality Leadership Academy
On August 24, nearly a dozen individuals gathered at Silver State Equality’s inaugural Leadership Academy, held at The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada, to participate in an immersive, all-day workshop to learn the nuts and bolts of running for political office – from effective campaigning, fundraising, media relations, and much more.
This innovative program, patterned after Equality California’s successful Leadership Academy (now in its 8th year), reflects Silver State Equality’s commitment to building the bench of LGBTQ+ elected leaders at all levels of government in Nevada.
We’d like to give a special thanks to many presenters who helped make the experience informative and valuable for participants, including City of Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Brian Knudsen, former Nevada State Senator David Parks, former Washoe County School Board Trustee Kurt Thigpen, SEIU-NV president Michelle Maese, political campaign advisor Bradley Schrager, political fundraiser Kalani Tissot, public relations advisor Melissa Warren, and others!
The program was made possible by generous support from the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, NV Energy Foundation, and SEIU-NV.
Nevada Headquarters
Mailing Address: 4780 West Ann Road #5357
North Las Vegas, NV 89031
Phone: (702) 755-6288
email: andre@silverstateequality.org
You can stay informed and discover ways you can join the fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice by signing up for Silver State Equality updates.
