Home / Outreach / Community Resource Map / District 3 / Hillsborough County / Advocacy Groups / Equality Florida
Equality Florida
Date of Release: 10/21/2008
Equality Florida
3150 5th Avenue North
Suite 325
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Main Phone: (813) 870-3735, (727) 490-5061
Fax number: (727) 490-0965
Eligibility: Open
Area Served: Statewide
E-Mail address: david@eqfl.org
Internet Site: http://www.eqfl.org
Program Description: Equality Florida is a statewide education and advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and class. The organization reaches over 50,000 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Supportive (GLBTS) households in Florida, making it one of largest civil rights groups working at the state level. Equality Florida stays in constant contact with the public through our quarterly newsmagazine EQUALITY NEWS, regular action alerts, an extensive e-mail news service, news bulletins and town hall meetings. Through a statewide network, the organization brings together local advocacy groups representing nearly every city in Florida. Equality Florida continually works with these groups to develop a unified strategy for Florida’s progressive movement. Equality Florida is committed to the principle that local organizations are the most important component of statewide and national efforts. Everything must be measured by whether or not it strengthens local groups, respects the work of local activists and builds bridges between communities. Mission: Equality Florida is our statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights organization working to change Florida law so that no-one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. What We Do: Advocate, Educate and Mobilize • First, Equality Florida provides technical support to local groups, government agencies, private business and corporations. Equality Florida also offers information and training on fundraising strategies, ordinance and policy drafting, campaign planning, community outreach, youth support and workplace diversity, as well as, updates and interpretations on laws affecting the GLBT and supportive community. • Second, we mobilize tens of thousands of voters in support of equal rights legislation. We register voters, publicize candidates' positions on equal rights and educate elected officials on issues vital to our community. • Third, we monitor and respond to unfair or biased media coverage and actively educate journalists. • Finally, through our lobbying team in Tallahassee, we provide a voice and a face for the GLBT and supportive community at the state capitol. Goals: • End Anti-GLBT harassment and violence in Florida’s schools • Full legal recognition of our relationships and families • Overturn the toughest Anti-GLBT Florida adoption ban in the US • Change Florida’s Law and Public Policy so that NO Floridian faces discrimination based on Sexual Orientation, Race, Gender and Class • Build coalitions of support for the progressive movement in Florida • Provide the information, expertise and tools necessary to strengthen local groups working to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, class and gender (including identity and expression).
