Equality California Institute and the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus host an annual California LGBTQ+ Leadership Summit, bringing together nearly 200 openly LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials from across California to discuss key policy priorities for the LGBTQ+ community and provide leadership and networking opportunities.
The LGBTQ+ Leadership Academy identifies LGBTQ+ leaders and provides them with tools and resources to seek appointed and elected office. Through a combination of in-person training, mentorship and opportunity identification, Equality California Institute supports the LGBTQ+ leaders in becoming effective agents of change.
With the generous support of the Comcast Foundation, Equality California Institute hosts an annual class of summer legislative fellows in Sacramento where they spend five weeks experiencing the policymaking process firsthand and networking with the state capital’s top LGBTQ+ leaders. After a competitive application process, we select six undergraduate fellows from across California and coordinate their placements in the Sacramento offices of pro-equality legislators. Fellows gain first-hand experience working with legislators, policymakers and their staff and develop key leadership skills. Fellows also meet with prominent community members and LGBT leaders from diverse backgrounds to learn about how advocacy and public service can fuel meaningful policy change.
Fair Share for Equality brings together hundreds of LGBTQ+ community leaders, elected officials and policymakers from across California to address the widespread disparities that LGBTQ+ people face, and to work to allocate a “fair share” of budgetary resources to advance the health and well-being of California’s LGBTQ+ community. A full day conference is held each year in either Sacramento or Los Angeles. Critical findings and program recommendations from the event are compiled into a report that is delivered to the governor’s office, members of the legislature, and other federal, state, and local government officials.
Equality California Institute's LGBTQ+ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training is a unique in-person and/or virtual training program designed to empower direct service providers — including healthcare professionals and homeless service providers — to understand the unique needs of LGBTQ+ people and provide respectful and culturally sensitive care to the LGBTQ+ community. Equality California Institute's curriculum includes basic LGBTQ+ terminology, data on issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community, the significance of an intersectional approach and how to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ people, among other relevant topics. To date, we have delivered training to nearly 5,000 service providers across California, Nevada and Arizona.
Equality California Institute’s Safe and Supportive Schools Report Card shines a light on some of the successes and challenges that California unified school districts said they are experiencing when implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive programs and policies. The data informing the Report Card is gathered through Equality California Institute’s inaugural Safe and Supportive Schools Survey, which was created with the support of the law firm Latham & Watkins, LLP and an advisory board of educators and advocates and distributed to all 343 unified school districts throughout the state.
Equality California Institute strengthens political power by mobilizing LGBTQ+ people, our communities, and allies to drive civic engagement. Through outreach, voter education, and advocacy, we empower the LGBTQ+ community to champion social justice, participate in elections, and hold leaders accountable. Together, we are building a future that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all. Make your voice count—register to vote today!
Equality California Institute’s Stop the Hate program recognizes that hate crimes and hate incidents in California have egregious effects on the LGBTQ+ community. The need to provide survivors of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes with resources that are safe, inclusive, and affirming is imperative. Throughout its history, Equality California Institute has supported initiatives and legislation that aim to reduce anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes. The Stop the Hate program continues this work by engaging with communities, organizations, and government agencies to create and recommend prevention and intervention strategies that mitigate hate crimes in California.
Equality California Institute is committed to ending the stigma against people living with HIV by educating and mobilizing the LGBTQ+ community, and those who are disproportionately impacted by HIV.
The Real Impact campaign is aimed at expanding access to opioid and substance harm reduction treatment and resources within the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely to experience substance use disorders compared to their peers — and unfortunately, there is a lack of culturally sensitive resources in our communities to effectively address it.
In collaboration with the East Bay Community Law Center, Equality California Institute created the Legal Services Directory to provide information on free and low-cost clinics across California that assist with legal name and gender changes.
