A Dark History At the turn of the 20th century, despite the German Criminal Code banning homosexuality, Germany had a thriving LGBTQ community. In Berlin alone, there were over one hundred queer bars, cafes, clubs, and organizations. Queer publications were plentiful and LGBTQ activists fought for a more equitable society. However, as the Nazis rose to power, hostility towards LGBTQ people – especially gay men – increased, as they considered homosexuals to be a detriment to their...
Malkia Hutchinson (She/Her) – Director of Media and Communications We are excited to announce that Malkia Hutchinson recently filled the position of Director of Media and Communications! She comes to NCLR after working in communications in the reproductive justice space. Get to know Malkia in this Q & A! Where do you currently reside? Missouri City, TX (a suburb outside of Houston) What is your educational background? I have a BA in Sociology from Cornell University and an MPA...
Staci Peters (she/her) – Senior Staff Accountant Staci knew it was important that her next job make an impact, and this is drew her to NCLR. Staci says she is excited to learn more about all the great work NCLR does as she begins her position. She brings a wealth of experience in accounting to NCLR, and we are excited to have her on our team! Where do you currently reside? Fox Point, Wisconsin What is your educational background? I have an BA in Accounting and a MBA from the University...
51 years ago, on January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade recognized the individual right to decide whether or not to have an abortion. Since this right was overturned in the Dobbs decision in June 2022, we’ve seen cruel abortion bans passed and even attempts to outlaw medication abortion. We know bans and restrictions on this important healthcare impact poor and working class people, rural residents, people of color, and queer folks the most. From advocating for...
We’ve had two more additions to the NCLR team recently! Help us welcome our new Staff Attorney, KJ Popkin, and our Director of People, Culture, and Equity, Shauna Madison! KJ Popkin (they/them) – Staff Attorney KJ Popkin comes to us with a breadth of experience working on social justice issue cases ranging from police brutality to abortion bans. They were led to NCLR because they believe it is “crucial to go where the need is greatest,” and are motivated to work on behalf of...
Even as Latinx Heritage Month has come to a close, we continue to uplift Latinx voices year-round. This month, we are spotlighting our Immigration Project Associate Pamela Mercado Garcia (she/her/ella). Pamela works with our Immigration and Asylum team. In 1994, NCLR was the first national LGBTQ organization to launch an Immigration Project. As part of this program, the work that Pam does daily helps to carry on the life-saving work that this program has always focused on, including advancing...
NCLR Philanthropy Coordinator Misa Ridgway receives some gender affirmations during Pride Month! Happy Pride Month! This month, we not only celebrate the wins of the LGBTQ community as a whole, but we also want to highlight the wins achieved by queer individuals. Our very own Philanthropy Coordinator Misa Ridgway had a win of his own earlier this month in June 2022. Misa joined NCLR around the same time that I did in the late fall of 2021. He was drawn to work at NCLR because he loves the...
Today is Lesbian Day of Visibility, a day when we celebrate and uplift every lesbian, no matter where they live or how they identify. Today is a day of joy, yes, but this celebration goes much deeper. We are celebrating being out, proud, and seen – things that often don’t come without pain and sacrifice. To me, being out and visibly queer is a way to continue towards progress, as representation of the complex identities within the LGBTQ community is vital to the well-being of queer...
Today, April 22, marks Earth Day, a day when we celebrate the Earth and also rally around finding solutions to climate change and environmental injustice. Started in the 1970s partly in response to Silent Spring, a book written by lesbian author and marine biologist Rachel Carson, the day has been part of a movement that has grown more aptly in tune with today’s intersectional movements. At first glance, environmental injustice may not seem like an LGBTQ issue, but in fact, queer folks have a...
Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. We’re changing Florida through lobbying, grassroots organizing, education, and coalition building — so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Come Out With Pride
The mission of Come Out With Pride Orlando is to cultivate visibility, authenticity, and acceptance by curating inclusive experiences that celebrate and embody the spirit of queer resilience.
Orlando Youth Alliance
Since 1990, the Orlando Youth Alliance (OYA) has been providing safe spaces for LGBTQ youth in Central Florida. Their coverage area includes metro Orlando, but also spans out to include the rural counties surrounding Orlando. In 2008, they created a chapter in Lakeland, Florida (Polk County). OYA oversees the highly successful Polk Pride Festival which attracts over 6,000 people annually.
Southern Legal Counsel
Southern Legal Counsel, Inc. (SLC) is a Florida statewide not-for-profit public interest law firm that is committed to the ideal of equal justice for all and the attainment of basic human and civil rights. SLC developed its Transgender Rights Initiative to fill a gap in access to justice for Florida’s transgender community, including in areas such as access to legal authenticity, access to safe and affirming school and work environments, access to medically necessary healthcare, and more. SLC’s Trans Rights Initiative protects the rights of Florida’s LGBTQ+ community utilizing federal impact litigation, policy advocacy, and individual representation. SLC has litigated many of the recent federal cases against the state of Florida, and has successfully overturned the Medicaid Ban on gender-affirming care (Dekker v. Weida); permanently enjoined the medical care bans for minors and restrictions for adults created by SB 254 and the Boards of Medicine rules (Doe v. Ladapo); preliminarily enjoined the pronoun ban for transgender teachers in Florida’s public schools; and more.
Joy Metropolitan Community Church
Joy MCC is the spiritual home to a multi-cultural, inclusive, and diverse community of faith. We are rooted in the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus. We experience a vibrant spirituality that is positive, practical, and progressive. We’ve always been a totally open and affirming church. We welcome the full participation of people of allraces, cultures, ages, abilities, spiritual backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We share a deep sense of community where our diversity is celebrated, not merely tolerated.
ACLU of Florida
The mission of the ACLU of Florida is to protect, defend, strengthen, and promote the constitutional rights and liberties of all people in Florida. We envision a fair and just Florida, where all people are free, equal under the law, and live with dignity.
QLatinx
QLatinx is a grassroots community-led racial, social, and gender justice organization dedicated to the advancement and empowerment of Orlando’s LGBTQ+ Latinx community. QLatinx is committed to building a supportive infrastructure, addressing inequity, promoting inclusionary QLatinx aims to deepen the political consciousness of LGBTQ+ and Latinx individuals about intersections and complexities of institutional, interpersonal, and internalized forms of oppression. This work includes empowering local LGBTQ+ leadership to become cognizant of gender and racial inequities with the LGBTQ+ community and in relation to cisgender populations.
Community Spring
Community Spring is a grassroots organization dedicated to economic justice. The two pillars of our work are income and power: income to meet people’s needs and power to reshape the systems that keep them down.
Pride Community Center of North Central Florida
The Pride Community Center of North Central Florida offers safe spaces, resources, services and events to foster and enhance the well-being and visibility of LGBTQ+ people in North Central Florida. Visibility changes minds. Here in North Central Florida, LGBTQ+ people deserve access to safe spaces where they can not only express themselves, but where they can also be a part of a community. Come join us.
