BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Equality Alabama has worked state-wide for more than 10 years to advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender Alabamians.

Now, the nonprofit organization wants to create "steering committees" in several communities across Alabama to increase those efforts at the local level.

"Most of our current board membership is in Birmingham, Alabama's largest city," said board chairman Fergus Tuohy. "The people we are here to serve are in every community."

The inaugural steering committee will meet in Birmingham with a launch party at Rojo Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m.

From there, the effort will focus on launching committees in Montgomery, Mobile, Tuscaloosa and the Shoals areas, Tuohy said.

"Regional steering committees will be comprised of volunteers who will host monthly town hall meetings to address local issues, get feedback from supporters and raise funds for the organization," a press release about the project stated. The organization hopes to have several of the groups up and running by the end of 2013.

The organization has also added over the past months board members from outside the Birmingham area, including Montgomery resident West Honeycutt and north Alabama resident Juliann Losey.

"There is a lot of energy and excitement for the work we're doing," Tuohy said. "There was a void in leadership in Alabama advocating for LGBTQ people at the local level. We're excited."

Equality Alabama was founded in 2002 through a merger of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Alabama (GALAA) and Equality Begins at Home of Central Alabama.

For more information, email Equality Alabama at volunteer@equalityalabama.org.