Steve Lee, Editor

LGBTQ students benefit from Point Foundation Scholarship; applications accepted beginning March 1

LOS ANGELES — Nearly half of the nation’s undergraduate students are enrolled at community colleges, which are an increasingly important springboard for advancing to a bachelor’s degree. To help LGBTQ students transfer to a four-year degree program, Point Foundation (Point) welcomes applications for its Community College Scholarship. Students selected for the program will receive up to…

Read More

NC governor announces new proposal to repeal HB 2

Today, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new proposal that would fully repeal the state’s deeply discriminatory HB2 law and introduce additional legislation. After the North Carolina General Assembly failed to follow through on their end of a bargain the Governor brokered in December, this new proposal would fully repeal HB2 while requiring a…

Read More

The Southern REACH initiative awards $1.4 million in funding to 23 organizations in the Deep South

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Through the generous support of the Ford Foundation, 23 organizations in nine Deep South states heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS will receive critical support to fight the HIV epidemic by addressing the disparities and social injustices that fuel the epidemic. By adopting an intersectional approach, Southern REACH grantees will advance the rights, health…

Read More

Point of Pride awards two trans recipients $9,000 in financial assistance for gender-affirming surgeries

Eugene, Ore. — Over the weekend, Point of Pride announced it will award $9,000 to two recipients: Armaan Singh from Washington, who will receive $6,000 toward his gender-affirming surgery later this year. As part of his application process, Armaan shared with Point of Pride his struggle to identify as a deeply religious Punjabi person as…

Read More

Tonner Doll Company introduces Jazz Jennings doll at 2017 New York International Toyfair

KINGSTON, N.Y. — Transgender star of TLC’s docuseries “I Am Jazz“, Jazz Jennings, will take form as the newest Tonner play doll.  The 18” portrait doll was designed and sculpted by renowned doll artist Robert Tonner. Robert Tonner founded the Tonner Doll Company in 1991 and has continually created the best and most fashionable dolls in…

Read More

Councilmember Chris Ward proposes San Diego equal pay ordinance

SAN DIEGO, Calif. –  San Diego Councilmember Chris Ward (District Three) Friday formally announced a proposal for a San Diego Equal Pay Ordinance, which would require that any contractor certify that they provide equal pay based on gender and ethnicity before being awarded a city contract. “The city has a responsibility to do whatever it…

Read More

San Diego leaders earn perfect scores on environmental justice

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), an organization fighting toxic pollution in San Diego and Tijuana, reports that local leaders Sen. Toni Atkins and Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher have scored 100 percent on the annual Environmental Justice Scorecard. Late last month, the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) released the report detailing 2016 voting records…

Read More

HRC releases 2017 Buying Guide for equality-minded shoppers

From Airbnb to Audi, companies used their advertising airtime during the 2017 Super Bowl to embrace the values of inclusion and equality. And those values are increasingly shared by consumers looking to spend their dollars to make a statement for equality, writes Sarah McBride of the Human Rights Campaign. To help direct consumers to companies…

Read More

Rep. Susan Davis re-introduces legislation to expand access to voting and to protect the integrity of elections

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) has re-introduced two of her signature election reform bills to restore integrity to federal elections and end constraints placed on voters who want to vote by mail, known as absentee. The Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act would end restrictions many states impose on a person’s ability…

Read More