RiseOut is The Center s advocacy program working to establish a unified voice and vision and advance civil rights for the LGBTQ community in New York State. RiseOut s goal is to shine a light on the issues still facing the LGBTQ community and empower them to chart a new path in the struggle for equity and justice. By leveraging the collective power of LGBTQ and allied communities statewide, RiseOut will push for LGBTQ-affirming policy outcomes by coordinating an inclusive, people-centered agenda. Introduction to Advocacy 101 RiseOut Bootcamp is a one-stop-shop for advocacy and civic engagement, where people at every level of advocacy expertise can come together, learn the history of the LGBTQ movement, what we re still fighting for and how you can take action to make a difference in New York and your local community. Table of Contents 1. LGBTQ Rights in New York State: A Brief History What are we still fighting for? 2. Effective Forms of Advocacy Attending a rally or march Attending public meetings or issue forums Meeting or calling your legislator Making a donation 3. The Role of Government Federal, state and local government What do congressional representatives do? What do state elected officials do? How to find your representatives 4. Registering to Vote Why do elections matter? Are you eligible? How to register to vote Voter registration tips
LGBTQ Rights in New York: A Brief History The Stonewall Riots of 1969 were a testament to the bravery of our community against injustice during the early years of the LGBTQ rights movement. Nearly 50 years later, our struggle for full equality continues. When marriage equality passed in New York in 2011, our state stood out as a model for progressive change. It was the culmination of decades of LGBTQ activism and advocacy. But since then, there have been no statewide laws enacted to advance the rights of the LGBTQ community. We still see disparities in access to basic services and the quality of life for LGBTQ New Yorkers, particularly for LGBTQ people of color, transgender and gender nonconforming New Yorkers, immigrants, women and youth. Too many still face issues like housing insecurity, economic instability and the constant threat of violence. With RiseOut Bootcamp, you can help New York take action once again by bringing together diverse voices in your community to make a concerted, coordinated push to shatter the barriers to LGBTQ equity that remain. What Are We Still Fighting For? No LGBTQ-affirming or progressive policy has been passed in New York State since marriage equality in 2011. So what s still missing? To name a few: Transgender and Gender Nonconforming (TGNC) Community Protections: New York State does not have codified protections that say it is illegal to harass or assault individuals based on their gender identity or expression. Health Benefits: New York State does not include transgender and transition-related health care for state employees. Foster Care and Adoption Discrimination: State policy prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, but not gender identity and/or expression. Changing Gender Marker: This process requires burdensome documentation of clinical treatment and/or other updated identity documents. Conversion Therapy: There is no law banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors. Learn more about LGBTQ laws in New York: lgbtmap.org/equality_maps/profile_state/ny
Effective Forms of Advocacy Attending a Rally or March Marches and rallies allow people to connect face-to-face with their neighbors and show solidarity. There are more than 1 million people who are part of the LGBTQ community across New York State who can work together to increase visibility and raise awareness of LGBTQ issues. Attending Public Meetings or Issue Forums This is an opportunity to highlight local issues that affect the community. Leaders respond to how many people turn out, so there s no replacement for showing up and making your voice heard. Find Town Halls and Public Forums Meeting or Calling Your Legislator Representatives are more responsive to their constituents when they hear from them directly and meet them in person. Regularly contacting your legislator to discuss issues that you care about can make a huge impact. There s also strength in numbers, so encourage your friends and family to get in contact as well to make an even bigger impact. Find Your Elected Officials Making a Donation Donating to a non-profit organization or cause that you feel is important can directly support efforts to organize and distribute resources, even when you don t have the time to be physically involved. Learn how you can support The Center s advocacy work at gaycenter.org/riseoutny/.
The Role of Government What happens in the federal government is important, but don t forget that state and local policies also affect your everyday life. State and local laws can fill the gap in community needs and protections that federal laws don t fully cover. Federal Federal laws are rules that apply in every state, such as: Immigration Taxes Social Security and Supplemental Security Income State State laws apply to people who live or work in New York State, such as: Funding for public universities Public transit Minimum wage Local Local laws for counties, cities, towns and villages impact your day-to-day quality of life, such as: Rent Police departments Funding for libraries and parks What do Congressional Representatives do? Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate represent the interests of their states and districts as a whole. New Yorkers rely on their Congress members to make their voices heard on matters that deal with federal policy. Members of Congress are elected directly by popular vote your vote! There are 100 members of the Senate, each elected to serve a six-year term. Each state has two senators. There are 435 members of the House elected to serve a two-year term. The number of House members in each state varies based on the state s population. Learn How a Bill Becomes a Law
What do State Elected Officials do? Governor: The Governor serves the highest executive office in the state. They have the power to appoint and remove judges to the Court of Appeals, and commissioners of most departments, boards and commissions. The Governor also enforces state laws, can call the legislature into a special session and can sign or veto bills passed by both houses of the state legislature. Lieutenant Governor: The Lieutenant Governor is elected on the same ticket with the Governor. They preside over the Senate, serve as the Governor s right hand, and can make decisions in the Governor s absence. State Attorney General: The Attorney General is the state s representative in all legal actions and proceedings. They re the people's lawyer, who enforces and protects the legal rights of all citizens of the state. New York State Senate and Assembly: There are 63 seats in the New York State Senate. State Senators are elected by voters in their state senate districts. They introduce and vote on legislation which, if passed in the same form by both houses of the legislature and signed by the Governor, becomes state law. Senators also approve the state budget, advise and consent on the Governor s nominees to the Court of Appeals and may pass amendments to the state constitution. There are 150 seats in the New York State Assembly. Members of the Assembly are elected by voters in their state assembly districts. They have the same responsibilities as the Senate, except they don t advise on and consent to the Governor s nominees to the Court of Appeals. A 2/3 vote of both the Senate and Assembly can override bills that have been vetoed by the Governor. How to Find Your Representatives Research goes a long way to help you make an informed decision on the candidates that best represent the issues you care about. There are a number of websites that make it easy for you to find your elected officials. Here are a few: Find Your Elected Officials: commoncause.org/take-action/find-elected-officials/ Find Your Senator: nysenate.gov/find-my-senator Find Your Assembly Member: nyassembly.gov/mem/search/ New York State Elected Officials: elections.ny.gov/district-map/district-map.html
Registering to Vote Why Do Elections Matter? Elections are important because your vote is your voice, and you can use your vote to speak up about the issues that matter to you. Want to change something? It s up to you to raise your voice for the future that you want to see. Are You Eligible? To register to vote, you have to be: A citizen of the United States (born in the U.S. or naturalized). That includes people who were born in Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A resident of New York State for at least 30 days before the election. At least 18 years of age by Election Day (that includes if you turn 18 on Election Day!). What about people with experiences of incarceration? If you ve been convicted of a felony, you ll need to re-register to vote. You can still register to vote if you ve ever been convicted of a misdemeanor. You can vote from jail as long as you re registered and not serving time on a felony conviction. Contact your local Board of Elections for an absentee ballot before the deadline. You don t need to provide documents about your criminal history to register and vote. How to Register to Vote First, complete a voter registration form with your signature. Then you ll need to either mail or hand-deliver the form to your local county Board of Elections. Don t know if you re registered? Double check online at voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us. Guide to the New York State Voter Registration Form If you already have a Driver s License, Non-Driver s ID card or Learner s Permit issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), you can register to vote or update your voter registration on the DMV website: dmv.ny.gov/mydmv.
Voter Registration Tips Your home address determines which races you re eligible to vote in, so it s important to update your registration when you move. In New York, you can change your party enrollment when you register, but you won t be able to vote in a primary election for the new party of your choice in the same year. A change of enrollment will go into effect one week after the next general election. If you are experiencing homelessness, you can register using the location where you stay at night, which can be the closest building address to a street corner, a shelter, a bus station or any other location. Pay attention to the deadlines! To get updates on elections near you, text RISEOUT to 69866. For more information on advocacy work at The Center, visit.