Sacramento — Today, Equality California announced the endorsement of four strong pro-equality candidates for the State Board of Equalization District 2 and State Assembly District 15.
“Fearless representation is imperative as we fight every anti-LGBTQ action coming from the White House,” said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. “We must elect LGBTQ candidates and strong allies at every level of our government – representatives who will lead the way in advocating for LGBTQ equality and social justice.”
The candidates endorsed by Equality California are as follows:
State Board of Equalization District 2
In the Board of Equalization race we interviewed two candidates whose prior records demonstrate that they will prioritize LGBTQ equality on the Board of Equalization. Equality California is making a dual endorsement of Cathleen Galgiani, an openly-LGBTQ member of the California Senate who has been a strong supporter of pro-equality legislation and serves as a role model for LGBTQ people and youth while representing one of the most conservative Senate districts represented by a Democrat, and Malia Cohen, who has demonstrated significant leadership to advance LGBTQ equality and social justice in her role as San Francisco County Supervisor.
Malia Cohen
Cohen currently serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and is a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community and all vulnerable communities. As Supervisor, she has been an advocate for affordable healthcare, access to education, and LGBTQ people and youth, including helping San Francisco develop a program to provide necessary medical care to uninsured transgender individuals.
“As Supervisor, Malia Cohen has always prioritized the needs and rights of LGBTQ people and all vulnerable communities,” said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. “She has been an outspoken champion for criminal justice reform, and introduced first-in-the-state legislation requiring officers to record information on every person they detain to reduce disparate encounters that people of color – especially LGBTQ people of color – face with law enforcement. She has also fought Big Tobacco, an industry that targets flavored tobacco products at LGBTQ communities, successfully passing legislation which banned the sale of those products in San Francisco. We are confident that as a member of the Board of Equalization, she will advance the interests of the LGBTQ community and all Californians.”
Cathleen Galgiani
Galgiani is a member of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus and represents one of the most conservative districts held by a Democrat in the state. As State Senator, Galgiani has served on key committees that oversee California’s businesses and has fought to create jobs, spur innovation, and expand California’s economy. She has been a strong supporter of LGBTQ legislation and has served as a role model for LGBTQ youth and people in the conservative communities she represents.
“Cathleen Galgiani has been a role model for LGBTQ youth and people in the rural communities that she represents,” said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. “During her 11 years serving in the California Assembly and Senate in some of the state’s most conservative seats held by a Democrat, Galgiani has demonstrated incredible leadership on behalf of the LGBTQ community and changed hearts and minds through her service and leadership. She has authored legislation to provide mental health services for our youth, including LGBTQ teens, and co-authored a bill to require that California schools teach LGBTQ history. As a member of the Board of Equalization, she has committed to ensuring that California continues to collect its fair share of taxes to provide the services necessary for LGBTQ people and all Californians to have a safe and healthy life. We are proud to endorse her for Board of Equalization District 2.”
State Assembly District 15
Equality California interviewed a large number of LGBTQ candidates and allies who had strong records of support for LGBTQ equality and social justice in the race for Assembly District 15. However, based on their prior demonstrated commitment and advocacy for LGBTQ equality as part of their current and prior elected and professional positions, two candidates stood out. Equality California is therefore making a dual endorsement in the Assembly District 15 race for Judy Appel and Jovanka Beckles because we believe they will continue to provide focused leadership to prioritize advancing LGBTQ equality and social justice as a member of the California Assembly.
Judy Appel
An openly LGBTQ candidate, Appel currently serves as a Berkeley Unified School District Trustee. Appel is also the former Executive Director of Our Family Coalition, an LGBTQ non-profit organization advocating for LGBTQ families, like her own. For over ten years, Appel has been one of the LGBTQ community’s leading civil rights advocates. She was one of the leading voices advocating for the implementation of LGBTQ curriculum in California schools and in the fight for marriage equality. As a member of the Berkeley Unified School Board, she has led efforts to assure that our schools are safe and supportive for LGBTQ and all students.
“Equality California has worked with Judy Appel for over 10 years in her role as executive director of Our Family Coalition and as a member of the Berkeley School Board, in which together we worked to address the needs of LGBTQ families,” said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. “On the Berkeley Unified School Board, Appel successfully advocated for anti-bullying and safe school policies, which included specific protections for LGBTQ students. As a result of her ten years experience leading an important LGBTQ advocacy organization, Judy Appel has a deep knowledge of all the issues and challenges LGBTQ people face and has devoted much of her career to advancing the needs of the LGBTQ community. We are delighted to endorse Judy and believe that if elected she will provide extraordinary leadership advocating for LGBTQ equality and social justice as a member of our community.”
Jovanka Beckles
Beckles is the first openly -LGBTQ person of color on the Richmond City Council. As a City Councilmember, she authored a workplace resolution on anti-bullying and she helped establish a Human Rights Commission for the city. She has been an advocate for LGBTQ youth and works closely with them as a Mental Health Specialist and counselor.
“Jovanka Beckles exhibited great courage as the first openly-LGBTQ person of color on the Richmond City Council where she endured public, homophobic attacks and ridicule because of her LGBTQ status,” said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. “Rather than be deterred, she stood courageously and worked to make sure that the City of Richmond made progress on addressing the needs of LGBTQ people and stood up to bias and discrimination. We are confident that she will bring similar courage and advocacy for the LGBTQ community if she is elected to State Assembly.”
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
