The following is a statement from Victory President and CEO Aisha Moodie-Mills:
We at the Victory Fund want to express our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the horrific violence in Orlando. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and the entirety of the Orlando LGBTQ community. Together, as a community, we have made amazing progress advancing the cause of equality and inclusion for LGBTQ Americans, but yesterday we were reminded that there is so much work left to do – for too many, anti-LGBTQ violence, discrimination and hatred remain a daily reality.
At Victory, we have the privilege of working with brave members of the LGBTQ community who choose to be public servants, and who have stood up to bigotry and extremism. But this isn’t enough. The fact remains that our community needs courageous leaders at every rung of government fighting our fights, protecting our rights and consolidating the gains that many in previous generations have died to achieve.
We need better, braver public officials and elected leaders that aren’t afraid to stand up to powerful, entrenched lobbies, or the hate-mongers in state legislatures all over the country. But more than bravery or better public service – we need leaders that will fight for and affirm the rights of ALL Americans to live safely, freely and openly.
