Equality Florida hosted a virtual Town Hall with Black LGBTQ leaders in response to a rash of attacks that have claimed Black lives including the brutal killing of George Floyd by white police officers in Minneapolis. The Black LGBTQ leaders included Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President, Michele Rayner, Civil Rights Attorney who represented the McGlockton family following the murder of Markeis, Imani Rupert-Gordon, National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director, Andrea Jenkins, Minneapolis City Council Vice President and moderated by Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director. The Town Hall came after more than 500 LGBTQ organizations from across the country signed onto a letter condemning racial violence and committing to the fight against it. This important dialogue also comes on the heels of the murders of seven Black transgender women in Florida in less than two years, the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery by white vigilantes in Georgia and the weaponizing of race by a white woman against Christian Cooper a Black gay man bird watching in New York City’s Central Park and the disturbing questions raised in the recent police shooting death of Tony McDade a Black transgender man in Tallahassee. All the leaders during the Town Hall also addressed the fact that since 2013 over 170 transgender women and men have been murdered in this country with over 70% being of color. This is another stark reminder of the need for all civil right leaders who are speaking out against systemic racism and hate violence claiming Black lives must be LGBTQ inclusive.

Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director has been named one of Florida’s "Most Powerful and Influential Women" by the Florida Diversity Council. She has received the League of Women Voter's Woman of Distinction Award and in 2018 was named one of the 100 Most Influential Floridians by Influence Magazine. She currently serves as chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Florida Advisory Committee. She lives in St. Petersburg with her wife Andrea and son Logan. Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s LGBTQ community. Through education, grassroots organizing, coalition building and lobbying they are changing Florida so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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