Hello friend,

I wanted you to hear this historic news from me first because you helped make it possible.

Today, Governor Northam signed into law the Virginia Values Act — a comprehensive bipartisan bill that expands non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and adds all-new protections in employment and public accommodations for all Virginians.

I am sure I speak for many when I say how important this victory is right now. As we continue to deal with an unprecedented pandemic, it is vital to see progress for LGBTQ equality and it is powerful beyond measure to see hard work pay off in this way.

We all deserve to be protected from bias as we earn a living, access housing and healthcare, and seek goods and services — especially in these uncertain times. By signing this into law, the governor and pro-equality leaders in the Virginia legislature are affirming just that.

When this law goes into effect on July 1, the roughly 257,400 LGBTQ people in Virginia — and people of color, people of faith, immigrants, women and more — will, at last, be protected from discrimination at work and in their communities. And that is not all.

In passing the Virginia Values Act, Virginia will be the first Southern state to have non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, the first state in over a decade to add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing non-discrimination law, and the first state since 1993 to add a prohibition on discrimination in public accommodations (protecting all Virginians) where none existed before.

This is extraordinary and you were instrumental in getting us here, Friend.

When I came on as president of the Human Rights Campaign last year, we made Virginia a top priority. We made a six-figure investment in the state legislative elections and, alongside Equality Virginia and local advocates, we helped flip both chambers of Virginia’s General Assembly — opening up the door to the progress we are seeing today.

Our volunteers knocked on over 13,500 doors in priority areas, made over 10,000 calls and sent thousands of texts to turn out voters, while 10 staff picked up their lives and were deployed across the Commonwealth. And, after Election Day, members and supporters like you kept up the fight and engaged elected officials — completing thousands of calls and emails to hold them to their word.

In my visits to Virginia over the last few months, I saw firsthand the impact your work had on the ground. You can see it, too, in this wonderful video recapping all our efforts.

Our work, even with this historic victory, is not over. The COVID-19 crisis rages on and we must continue to support one another through its end in order to keep pushing progress forward and hold leaders accountable. At the same time, our state legislative work will continue and our 2020 electoral work is in full swing as we fight to keep a pro-equality U.S. House majority, make gains in the U.S. Senate, elect a pro-equality president, and set us up to achieve full legal equality at the federal level by passing the Equality Act through the Senate in 2021.

It is a tall order ahead, but I hope you see with this news just how many incredible things are possible when we come together and fight for what we believe in. Thank you!!!!

In Unity,

Alphonso David President Human Rights Campaign Pronouns: he/him/his