Washington, DC — This Thursday, April 2, LGBTQ Victory Institute and 40 partner organizations will hold the second annual National Out to Win Day, which aims to inspire LGBTQ people to consider a run for office. Social justice and advocacy organizations, as well as high-profile politicians and celebrities, will promote the day on social media and encourage LGBTQ people to take the pledge to run at outtowin.org . A Facebook Live panel with U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, Maryland state Delegate Gabriel Acevero and Fairfax County School Board Member Karl Frisch, will also be held that day.

Take the Pledge

LGBTQ people can take the pledge and learn more about National Out to Win Day at outtowin.org . Pledgers will receive a 10-email series from Victory Institute that includes videos of encouragement from LGBTQ elected officials, tips from candidates on winning tough races, and information from campaign experts on first steps to organizing a run.

"Out to Win" Facebook Live Panel

The "Out to Win" Facebook Live panel will be held on April 2 at 1pm ET at outtowin.org and on Victory Institute's Facebook page. Rep. Davids, Del. Acevero and Member Frisch will talk about opportunities and challenges unique to LGBTQ candidates and about their decision to run.

The Mission

National Out to Win Day was launched to address the severe underrepresentation of LGBTQ elected officials at every level of government. LGBTQ people hold just 0.17 percent of elected positions nationwide despite being 4.5 percent of the population. There are currently 854 openly LGBTQ elected officials in the United States and America must elect 22,529 more to achieve equitable representation. The event is held on April 2 in honor of Kathy Kozachenko's election to the Ann Arbor, Michigan city council on that day in 1974. She is the first openly LGBTQ person ever elected to public office in the United States, and likely the world.

"Many barriers exist for LGBTQ people considering a run for office, but among the most significant is that we need to be asked more times than white straight cisgender men before we give it serious consideration," said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute. "On National Out to Win Day, we urge community members and allies to ask LGBTQ people they know to run for office, or to consider a run themselves. We need 22,529 more out LGBTQ elected officials to achieve equitable representation and it will require a political moonshot to close that gap. It does not need to take generations or even decades, but it requires us all to make the asks or step up ourselves."

Partner Organizations

Partner organizations for National Out to Win Day 2020 include:

A Wider Bridge, Center for Black Equity, Center for American Progress, CenterLink, Collective PAC, Congressional Equality Caucus, Courage to Run, Democratic Governors Association, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Emerge, Equality California, Equality Montana, Equality New Mexico, Equality Ohio, Equality Texas, Fair Wisconsin, Family Equality, FreeState Justice, GLAAD, Latino Victory Project, League of Conservation Voters, LPAC, MassEquality, Men4Choice, Montana Human Rights Action Network, Movement Advancement Project, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, NextGen America, One Colorado, Pride at Work, Progressive Turnout Project, Run for Something, Sister District, The Personal Stories Project, Trans United Fund, and #VOTEPROCHOICE.

Victory Institute thanks all the partner organizations for supporting and believing in the National Out to Win Day mission.

About LGBTQ Victory Institute

LGBTQ Victory Institute works to increase the number of LGBTQ people in public office and to provide programming, service, and other support to ensure their success.

victoryinstitute.org .

—From a press release