(Photo: Lorri L. Jean)
With no clear winner emerging from Tuesday’s General Election, Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean issued the following statement:
“We do not yet know the final result of the Presidential election and, depending upon what happens with the as yet undecided states, we may not know for several days. Given this turn of events, many in our community are nervous and fearful—and with good reason: There is so much at stake.
“Today, however, we must put those feelings aside and get to work. We must do everything in our power to see that the outcome of this election is fair and free of political influence. We must mobilize and make sure that every vote is counted. We must insist that our government guarantees the rights of all citizens to have their voices heard and that the election is decided by the people—not by the courts.
“For four years, the LGBTQ community has faced hundreds of attacks against our collective and individual rights from the Trump Administration—assaults that included attempts to take away our health care, remove legal protections, and threaten the safety and well-being of our youth. Indeed, we have experienced nothing less than a concerted effort to delegitimize our existence and strip us of our humanity. And, today, arguments happened before the Supreme Court in the Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania case in which the Trump Administration and right wing forces hope to establish a constitutional right to discriminate against us (and others) based on religion.
“Clearly, our fight for freedom, justice, and equality is far from over. Our gains are at risk, and our future is in jeopardy. We cannot wait passively for the results of this election, especially since the President and many other politicians have signaled the ways they hope to undermine the outcome for their own purposes. We will work with our community and our allies to ensure that there is a fair result. If you want to actively participate in our efforts, join our Resistance Squad at lalgbtcenter.org/resist.
“No matter what happens with the Presidential election, the LGBTQ community today stands united with other communities which have also faced ongoing attacks against their humanities. We stand with Black, Indigenous and people of color, with activists seeking racial justice, with feminists and immigrants, and, indeed, with the many millions of people who believe in the possibility that—working together—we can build a more equitable and loving national community.
“No matter the results, the Center will continue to do what we’ve always done: Fight like hell for our community and for all people who believe we can truly be a nation of liberty and justice for all.”
The Center will host a post-election virtual community conversation via Facebook Live tonight (Wednesday, November 4) at 6 p.m PT that will include an update on the election results and their impact on the LGBT community. Center CEO Lorri L. Jean will be joined by guests U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (CA–28th District); Phill Wilson, Founder of the Black AIDS Institute; and Dan Maldonado and Eve O’Toole, the Center’s Federal Advocates.
