July 11, 2014
Trans Lobby Day to Bring Awareness to Capitol Hill
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Transgender Lobby Day is July 14-15. It's an opportunity for transgender people and advocates from across the country to educate their members of Congress and lobby for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Arianna Lint, the Director of Transgender Services at SunServe has been chosen to represent the South Florida region at the event. She will lead a workshop presentation about transgender identity issues while in Washington.
Transgender Lobby Day is a joint project of National Center for Transgender Equality, Trans People of Color Coalition, Trans Latin@ Coalition, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, PFLAG National, Black Transmen, Inc., and Black Transwomen, Inc.
There is no cost to register for this event. Every participant will receive training to ensure members of Congress listen to trans stories of workplace harassment and violence. That training takes places on Tuesday morning. Participants will go over materials, discuss the current state of the law on employment non-discrimination and learn how to share stories while role-playing Congressional meetings.
If you're planning to attend, the National Center for Transgender Equality has complied a list of hotels that are offering a discount. The NCTE is also working with community members in the Washington, D.C. area who have spare bedrooms for guests to stay in at no cost. To request assistance with travel or housing, register and mark the box requesting assistance. The application can be found here.
There are still ways you can help if you are unable to make it to the event. The most important thing is that members of Congress know that you care about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Concerned citizens are urged to schedule a meeting with their members of Congress during their summer recess between August 4and September 5. You can use the NCTE Make Your Voice Heard" resource to learn more about how to schedule and prepare for your meeting.
<i>For more information, visit www.TransEquality.org</i>
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
