Los Angeles — In response to online comments made by Joe Bray-Ali, candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 1, Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur issued the following statement:
“We are extremely disappointed by the offensive and derogatory comments focusing on transgender people and people of color made by Los Angeles City Council candidate Joe Bray-Ali on the website Voat and elsewhere. Those running for public office hold a special responsibility not only to uphold values of respect and inclusion, but to pattern behavior that advances full equality and acceptance for everyone. Mr. Bray-Ali’s comments are totally unacceptable and inconsistent with the values and conduct that we expect of candidates running for public office in Los Angeles or anywhere else.”
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society. Our mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance, and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBT communities, inside and outside of California. Our mission includes advancing the health and well-being of LGBT Californians through direct healthcare service advocacy and education. Through electoral, advocacy, education and mobilization programs, we strive to create a broad and diverse alliance of LGBT people, educators, government officials, communities of color and faith, labor, business, and social justice communities to achieve our goals. www.eqca.org
