2011 Annual Report 1 CONTENT 4 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS 14 FINANCIAL REPORTING 6 ELECTION SCORECARD 16 2011 SUPPORTERS 10 VICTORY PROGRAMS 26 BOARD MEMBERS 12 THE VICTORY LAP 30 STAFF & INTERNS ON OUR FRONT COVER LEFT TO RIGHT: Daniel Hernandez, Jr., Sunnyside Unified School District, Tucson, Ariz.; LaWana Mayfield, Charlotte, N.C., City Council; Zach Adamson, Indianapolis City Council; Robin Kniech, Denver City Council. DEAR to the college level and engaging draw nearer when LGBT Americans with emerging leaders on multiple participated in government not just FRIENDS, continents. In cities like Charlotte, as voters or petitioners, but as public Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Denver, officials themselves. They were right, In 2011 we celebrated Victory’s 20th the LGBT community finally gained and so our task is to strengthen that anniversary, and saluted the thousands authentic representation on city power with numbers. of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and councils. And in a milestone moment transgender men and women who have that signalled the excitement ahead of Thank you for your generosity, support answered the call to public service us in 2012, the Victory Fund proudly and friendship. since our founding two decades ago. endorsed Congresswoman Tammy Back then, just a handful of out public Baldwin in her race for the U.S. Senate. Yours in Victory, officials were serving at any level of government in the U.S. Today, more Tammy’s path to this campaign than 1,000 are, and their honesty is mirrors the progress we have seen changing our world. over the past 20 years. Indeed, she was among the first candidates ever It’s good to look back at all that has endorsed by the Victory Fund, and Susan Atkins-Weathers been accomplished, but we don’t have her historic election to the House of Chair, Victory Fund Board the luxury of pausing for long. That’s Representatives in 1998 was made why our 2011 results were so exciting, possible by Victory supporters like with record numbers participating in our you. This year she will lead a slate of Victory Institute training and leadership Victory-endorsed candidates that will be programs, and a remarkable 72 percent our largest ever. Debra Shore win rate among LGBT candidates Chair, Victory Institute Board endorsed by the Victory Fund. With your support and encouragement, we embark on the next 20 years with We created new programs in 2011 the same determination, commitment that have expanded our identification, and conviction our founders shared training and support of openly in 1991. They believed the promise Chuck Wolfe LGBT leaders, extending that work of equality under the law would President & CEO, Victory Fund and Institute 2011 Annual Report 3 IMPACT IN Adding New York to the list of states NUMBER Strength in numbers always begins with number where same-sex couples can marry one. That’s why history-making elections in cities NEW YORK was a remarkable political victory, ONE like Denver, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Charlotte but it was so much more. It was the made 2011 a groundbreaking year for their LGBT culmination of years of very hard work by people, groups and coalitions communities. In each city, openly gay and lesbian candidates won too numerous to count, and it was the story of a caucus of openly LGBT elections to city councils for the very first time, drawing cheers from state legislators who refused to quit. local advocates and positive media coverage of the notable progress. New York’s six openly LGBT state lawmakers weren’t just introducing Chris Seelbach’s victory in Cincinnati marked a significant turnaround and supporting marriage bills over the years, they were telling their own for the city, which in 1993 had seen the council pass a harsh anti-gay stories to colleagues, introducing their partners, and challenging their ordinance. Seelbach led the campaign to overturn that law, and now peers to stand with them in this fight. As their caucus grew in size, so he sits in the very chamber that once was dominated by public officials did the power and strength of their argument. that voted to keep him a second-class citizen. His victory prompted one local activist to marvel at the progress on a local TV news report, On the night the bill finally passed, Gov. Andrew Cuomo quickly saying, “Not too long ago we had in place a law where we couldn’t even gathered the LGBT caucus in his office and signed the legislation think about having equality for gay and lesbian people in Cincinnati. with those legislators standing around his chair. It was fitting that the Five or six years later, we have an openly gay man elected to this city governor invited them to witness history. After all, they helped make it. council. It’s amazing.” 4 Victory Fund and Institute TAKING AIM AT ANOTHER GLASS CEILING When U.S. Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin announced he would not Moments after her announcement, the Victory Fund endorsed her seek reelection in 2012, Tammy Baldwin had a big decision to make historic campaign. and not much time to make it. Would the seven-term congresswoman from Madison give up an easy reelection bid in order to run for the seat? After all, no openly LGBT American had ever won election to the “We are enormously proud that Tammy has Senate, and campaigns for open seats in swing states like Wisconsin are among the most expensive in the nation. taken this courageous step, and we will be strong supporters of her campaign.” Within hours of Kohl’s announcement Tammy let it be known she was seriously considering becoming a candidate, and on September 6th she made it official, launching an historic bid to break a glass ceiling - CHUCK WOLFE for LGBT Americans that has been in place since the Senate’s first President and CEO of the Victory Fund meeting in 1789. 2011 Annual Report 5 COUNTY / MUNICIPAL = WINNER Ruth Atkin CA Emeryville City Council Kenneth DeLeon GA East Point City Council Bevan Dufty CA Mayor, San Francisco Pam Miller GA Savannah City Council Larry Forester CA Signal Hill City Council Lance Rhodes GA East Point City Council Steve Pougnet CA Mayor, Palm Springs James Cappleman IL Chicago City Council Debra Johnson CO Denver Clerk & Recorder Ray Johnson IL Oak Park Board of Trustees Robin Kniech CO Denver City Council Zach Adamson IN Indianapolis City Council Kniech became the first openly LGBT Adamson became the first openly LGBT city member of the Denver, Colorado City Council councilmember in Indianapolis, Indiana Daryl Finizio CT Mayor, New London Clifford Cunningham MA Chelsea City Council Pedro Segarra CT Mayor, Hartford Alex Morse MA Mayor, Holyoke A 22-year old gay man won his race Steve Kornell FL St. Petersburg City Council for mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts Michael Smith FL Largo City Commission Ken Reeves MA Cambridge City Council Kecia Cunningham GA Decatur City Commission Amaad Rivera MA Springfield City Council 6 Victory Fund and Institute COUNTY / MUNICIPAL CONT. Denise Simmons MA Cambridge City Council Bruce Harris NJ Mayor, Chatham Jass Stewart MA Brockton City Council John Kashwick NJ Borough of Closter Council Patrick Wojahn MD College Park City Council Ray Velazquez NJ Jersey City Council Dave Coulter MI Mayor, Ferndale Ed Zipprich NJ Red Bank City Council Rory Neuner MI Lansing City Council Brad Bender NY Southampton Town Council Greg Lemke MN Moorehead City Council Stephen Keblish NY Herkimer County Legislature Caitlin Copple MT Missoula City Council Sean Massey NY Binghamton City Council Copple, an out lesbian, won a seat on the Missoula, Montana City Council Michael Sabatino NY Yonkers City Council Wayne Abraham NC Greensboro City Council Ken Zalewski NY Troy City Council Lydia Lavelle NC Carrboro Board of Aldermen Chris Seelbach OH Cincinnati City Council LaWana Mayfield NC Charlotte City Council John Campbell PA City Treasurer, Harrisburg Mayfield became the first openly LGBT city councilmember in Charlotte, North Carolina Sherrie Cohen PA Philadelphia City Council 2011 Annual Report 7 COUNTY / MUNICIPAL CONT. Geraldine Delevich PA New Hope Borough Council Alan Anderson UT Midvale City Council Bruce Kraus PA Pittsburgh City Council Ken Schneck VT Brattleboro Selectboard Malcolm Lazin PA Philadelphia City Council Sally Clark WA Seattle City Council Elinor Warner PA Easton City Council Robert Gelder WA Kitsap Board of Commissioners David Glasgow TN Nashville City Council Joe McDermott WA King County Council Nancy VanReece TN Nashville City Council Ryan Mello WA Tacoma City Council Joel Burns TX Fort Worth City Council Tom Rasmussen WA Seattle City Council Chris Hightower TX Arlington City Council Samuel Stevenson WI Madison City Council Michael Laster TX Houston City Council Annise Parker TX Mayor, Houston Parker was reelected as mayor of Houston, Texas Randi Shade TX Austin City Council 8 Victory Fund and Institute SCHOOL BOARD STATE LEGISLATIVE Daniel Hernandez AZ Sunnyside Unified School Board Tim Eustace NJ New Jersey General Assembly The intern who helped save the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was elected to the school board in Pima County, Ariz. Reed Gusciora NJ New Jersey General Assembly Juanita Gonzales CA El Monte School Board Adam Ebbin VA Virginia State Senate Adam Ebbin, a Virginia Delegate, Stephanie O’Brien CA Marin College Board of Trustees became the state’s first openly gay senator Jose Solache CA Lynwood School Board Patrick Forrest VA Virginia State Senate David Vela CA Montebello School Board Mary Doran MN St. Paul School Board JUDICIAL Anthony Cannataro NY Civil Court, NYC VICTORY FUND ENDORSED CANDIDATES Daniel Clifford PA Montgomery County Court 54 WON ELECTION IN 2011 of Common Pleas Hugh McGough PA Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas 2011 Annual Report 9 CANDIDATE AND LGBT DAVID BOHNETT LGBT CAMPAIGN TRAINING LEADERS 2011 LEADERSHIP FELLOWS We launch careers in politics and government.