Los Angeles – Equality California Institute today announced its 2016 class of Equality California-Comcast Fellows, and the commencement this week of the program’s sixth year.
The Equality California-Comcast Fellowship is a leadership development program in which six exceptional LGBT or ally college students are placed in the offices of California legislators and government officials. Fellows gain first-hand experience working with legislators, government officials and their staff on state legislative and public policy matters, and develop key leadership skills. Their presence increases LGBT visibility in the Capitol and gives government officials direct interaction with members of the LGBT community.
“If we plan to expand protections for LGBT people and to maintain those already won, developing future LGBT and allied leaders is vital,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “We are proud and excited to be working with this year’s fellows and are enormously grateful for the support from the Comcast Foundation that makes our work possible.”
This year’s Equality California-Comcast Fellows are:
Anthony Barros, from Burbank, is majoring in political science and LGBT studies at UC Berkeley and has been placed in the offices of Secretary of State Alex Padilla
Iliana Cuellar, from Los Angeles, is majoring in philosophy and women, gender and sexuality studies at CSU Los Angeles. She has been placed in the offices of Asm. Jimmy Gomez.
Raquel Dominguez, from Santa Ana, is majoring in collaborative health and human services at CSU Monterey Bay. She has been placed in the offices of Asm. Susan Bonilla.
Joseph Gietzen, from Torrance, is majoring in in political science at Loyola Marymount University. He has been placed in the offices of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.
Alan Moore, from San Jose, is majoring in cultural anthropology and political science at UC Santa Barbara. He has been placed in the offices of Asm. Tony Thurmond.
Ibilola Owoyele, from Elk Grove, is majoring in international relations at Georgetown University. She has been placed in the offices of Asm. Evan Low.
The Equality California-Comcast Fellowship is funded through a generous grant from the Comcast Foundation.
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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
