Join a conversation with Angela Peoples (GetEQUAL and No Justice, No Pride), Mara Keisling (National Center for Transgender Equality), Shayla (HIPS), Candace Bond-Theriault (National LGBTQ Task Force), and Jasmine Gomez (Free Speech For People) about how our democracy does not work for many queer or trans people.

WHEN:  Sunday, June 25 3:30PM – 5:30PM ET

WHERE:  1525 Newton St. NW, Washington DC

This event is free and open to the public.

It’s not a secret that many of our current laws do not reflect the wants or needs of the queer and trans community, especially queer and trans people of color. The private prison industry impacts our immigration and criminal justice system; pro-trans legislation is impacted by a a predominately white, cis-majority donor class; the Supreme Court’s Shelby v. Holder decision unleashed a flurry of voter ID laws that disproportionately impact trans POC; and money in politics even impacts representation in local government and in Congress for communities of color and the LGBTQ community.

Come listen to activists in the queer and trans community talk about how money in politics hurts our ability to have meaningful conversations without the unequal influence of wealth; and how voter suppression disproportionately disenfranchises our communities. Folks working on fostering an inclusive, representative democracy will discuss how our big money system entrenches existing inequalities on the basis of wealth and race, how corporations are claiming more and more privileges of corporate personhood, including “constitutional rights” to profit and to discriminate against LGBTQ people and how the voter ID laws popping up in state legislatures are keeping thousands of trans POC from the polls.

The panelists will end the discussion with community strategies and solutions to increase political equality (the idea that everyone has an equal say in politics) in the United States today.

 There will be art to kick off the event. Snacks and coffee will be provided.

Co-Sponsors Include: Free Speech For People, Demos, Public Citizen, Democracy Initiative, Communications Workers of America, Pride at Work, Every Voice