November 12, 2016
Like all of you, we, the undersigned members of the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association Board of Directors, have been processing the lessons learned from this week’s presidential election. Regardless of political party or affiliation, we are gravely concerned about the real-life implications of the President-Elect’s anti-LGBT platform, such as his support of the First Amendment Defense Act, which erroneously enfranchises LGBT discrimination as fundamental in supporting religious freedoms, and his proclaimed interest in appointing a Supreme Court justice who would overturn the Obergefell decision. We are also concerned about the impact of the campaign rhetoric and election on the other communities of which we and our members are a part. We know pain and grief abound.
A bright future for America will require a united effort and respect for multiple diverse constituencies, including members of the LGBT community, ethnic and religious minorities, immigrants and refugees, people of color, Native Americans, and people of all genders and abilities. Our new Administration must repudiate the messages of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other bigotry spoken during and emboldened by the President-Elect’s campaign. We challenge President-Elect Trump to demonstrate through both words and action that he respects and will protect the rights, hopes, and dreams of every person in this country, each of whom deserves dignity, respect, and recognition.
As members of the MLBA board, we are committed to our mission of promoting equality and justice in the legal profession and the LGBT community in Minnesota. In the near future, we will be actively identifying means of achieving that mission with renewed vigor. We hope to work closely with the other affinity bars of Minnesota in building strong networks with a common goal of demanding mutual respect and recognition. We invite each of you to share with us your hopes for our organization and join us as we undertake the hard work ahead.
You belong here.
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Cumah Blake
Jess Braverman
Erin Bryan
Kristien Butler
Taylor Cunningham
Darius DeBoer Massoudi
Thomas Hale-Kupiec
Claire Joseph
Colleen McGarry
John Mederios
Nic Puechner
Sarah Riskin
Alyssa Smith
Matthew Streff
Ann Viitala
Jacob Westlund