Human Rights Campaign Foundation

RESEARCH, ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.

PUBLIC EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND TRAINING: THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION (HRCF) ENVISIONS A WORLD WHERE ALL LGBTQ+ PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE SYSTEMS THAT SHAPE OUR DAILY LIVES. THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION, RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE CHANGE, AND TRAINING, THE FOUNDATION'S IMPACT CAN BE FELT IN SCHOOLS, ON FACTORY FLOORS AND CORPORATE SUITES, AND IN HOSPITALS. IT TOUCHES LGBTQ+ LIVES FROM CHILDHOOD THROUGH END-OF-LIFE, PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, ETHNICITIES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, GENDER IDENTITIES, ABILITIES, AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, IN BIG CITIES AND SMALL TOWNS, IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ACROSS THE GLOBE.IN FY24, THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ESTABLISHED A NEW PROGRAM AREA, AI & TECH ADVOCACY. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO ADVANCE LGBTQ+ EQUALITY AND DEMOCRACY ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. IT WORKS TO COMBAT ANTI-LGBTQ+ HATE, DISINFORMATION, AND ALGORITHMIC BIAS, WHILE LEVERAGING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO STRENGTHEN HRC'S MISSION AND PROMOTE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THE MOST MARGINALIZED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.THIS INITIATIVE UNITES KEY THOUGHT PARTNERS FROM ACROSS HRC, INCLUDING GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, LEGAL, COMMUNICATIONS, AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO DEVELOP A COHESIVE, ORGANIZATION-WIDE STRATEGY REGARDING AI, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND TECHNOLOGY. THROUGH THIS EFFORT, HRC WILL ADVANCE INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY, MITIGATE POTENTIAL HARMS FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND USE TECHNOLOGY TO SHAPE PUBLIC NARRATIVES POSITIVELY, EXPAND PROGRAMMING, AND ADVANCE THE MOVEMENT.THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EVOLVE BY FORMING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES ACROSS CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIGITAL RIGHTS SECTORS AND LEADING CAMPAIGNS TO AMPLIFY HRC'S VOICE ON THESE ISSUES PUBLICLY. BY CONDUCTING GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH AND CREATING NEW RESOURCES, THIS INITIATIVE WILL RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY'S IMPACT ON THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.ALL CHILDREN - ALL FAMILIES (ACAF) STANDS AS THE SOLE NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON ADVANCING LGBTQ+ INCLUSION WITHIN CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS, PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF SERVICES INCLUDING RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING. IN ITS 2023 CHANGE-MAKERS REPORT, ACAF CELEBRATED AN UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONE: A TOTAL OF 172 CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES, EMPLOYING OVER 30,500 PROFESSIONALS, ARE NOW ENGAGED WITH THE PROGRAM. THESE AGENCIES COLLECTIVELY SERVE MORE THAN 1.4 MILLION CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES ANNUALLY ACROSS 43 STATES IN FY24. THIS EXPANSIVE REACH SIGNIFIES THAT ACAF IS MAKING A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT, WITH ENGAGED AGENCIES NOW COVERING 85% OF THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IMPROVEMENTS. MOREOVER, ACAF'S WEBINAR SERIES EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH THROUGHOUT 2023, ACHIEVING COVERAGE IN ALL 50 STATES FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE SERIES SUCCESSFULLY TRAINED MORE THAN 10,500 CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS, DEMONSTRATING THE PROGRAM'S COMMITMENT TO WIDESPREAD EDUCATION AND SKILL-BUILDING. LOOKING AHEAD TO FY25, ACAF IS POISED TO BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM BY FORGING NEW CONNECTIONS WITH LARGE NETWORKS OF CHILD WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF STATE ASSOCIATIONS FOR CHILDREN. THESE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WILL SUPPORT THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF ACAF'S INITIATIVES, FURTHERING ITS MISSION TO ENHANCE LGBTQ+ INCLUSION AND SUPPORT ACROSS THE CHILD WELFARE SECTOR.THE HEALTH & AGING PROGRAM (HAP) IS DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING THE POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND CULTURES OF HEALTHCARE AND AGING ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NATION. THIS INITIATIVE ALSO FOCUSES ON RAISING AWARENESS OF LGBTQ+ HEALTH AND AGING CONCERNS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 (FY24), THE HAP TEAM, IN COLLABORATION WITH SAGE, PROUDLY RELEASED THE INAUGURAL LONG-TERM CARE EQUALITY INDEX (LEI) 2023 REPORT. THIS GROUNDBREAKING REPORT IS THE FIRST VALIDATED SURVEY DESIGNED TO ASSESS LGBTQ+ INCLUSION WITHIN LONG-TERM CARE AND SENIOR HOUSING COMMUNITIES. THE LEI 2023 SURVEY INCLUDED PARTICIPATION FROM OVER 200 SENIOR HOUSING COMMUNITIES SPREAD ACROSS 34 STATES. NOTABLY, 75% OF THESE PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES ACHIEVED EITHER THE HIGH PERFORMER OR LEADER DESIGNATION, HIGHLIGHTING THEIR COMMITMENT TO LGBTQ+ INCLUSION. MODELED AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL HEALTHCARE EQUALITY INDEX, THE LEI EVALUATES THE PRACTICES, POLICIES, AND OVERALL INCLUSIVITY OF SENIOR HOUSING COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE. THIS ASSESSMENT ENCOURAGES THESE COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, AND RESPONSIVE CARE TO ALL RESIDENTS. THE LEI IS THE FIRST AND ONLY COMPREHENSIVE BENCHMARKING TOOL IN THE UNITED STATES SPECIFICALLY MEASURING LGBTQ+ INCLUSION IN THE REALMS OF SENIOR HOUSING AND LONG-TERM CARE.THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) PROGRAM IS THE ONLY NATIONAL INITIATIVE THAT PARTNERS WITH HBCUS TO CREATE AN LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVE CAMPUS CLIMATE. IN FY24, THE HBCU PROGRAM CONTINUED ITS NATIONAL HBCU LEADERSHIP SUMMIT, WHICH INCLUDED 35 STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM HOSTED THE FOURTH EXECUTIVE SUMMIT ON LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE, A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DAY-LONG EVENT THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOLARS, AND ADVOCATES FROM HBCUS AND MSIS (MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS). THIS EVENT FACILITATED MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PROMISING PRACTICES AND SUPPORTIVE POLICIES THAT PROMOTE EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS. THE SUMMIT, HELD IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, GATHERED HBCU ADMINISTRATORS FROM ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, AND ARKANSAS FOR TWO COMPELLING DAYS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES TAILORED SPECIFICALLY FOR COLLEGE CAMPUSES. IN FY24, THE HBCU TEAM ALSO INTRODUCED THE POPULAR HBCU PRIDE TOOLKIT, A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO HELP HBCUS CELEBRATE AND PROMOTE PRIDE MONTH WHILE FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING CAMPUS ATMOSPHERE. FURTHERMORE, THE HBCU PROGRAM CONTINUES TO FORMALIZE ITS NATIONAL LGBTQ+ TRAINING INITIATIVES, EMPHASIZING SUPPORT FOR BIPOC LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES. THESE INITIATIVES AIM TO EQUIP HBCU STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS WITH EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AND POLICIES TO CREATE A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS.THE HIV AND HEALTH EQUITY (HHE) PROGRAM DEVELOPS PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF HIV ON BLACK AND LATINE COMMUNITIES. IN FY24, THE HIV & HEALTH EQUITY PROGRAM SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED ITS PROGRAMMATIC REACH AND IMPACT. A KEY HIGHLIGHT WAS THE EXPANSION OF THE WELLNESS IN ACTION INITIATIVE, A NATIONAL HIV SELF-TESTING KIT PROGRAM. THIS INITIATIVE WAS BROADENED TO INCLUDE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SIX COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA, GEORGIA, TEXAS, ILLINOIS, AND PUERTO RICO. THESE ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO DISTRIBUTING 3,000 FREE HIV SELF-TESTING KITS NATIONWIDE AND PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO RECIPIENTS ON ACCESSING RELATED SERVICES. THIS EXPANSION AIMS TO MAKE HIV TESTING MORE ACCESSIBLE AND REDUCE BARRIERS TO CARE, PARTICULARLY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE HHE TEAM FOCUSED ON INCREASING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FOSTERING LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COHORTS. IN FY24, THEY WELCOMED TWO NEW COHORTS, COMPRISING 16 INDIVIDUALS, TO DRIVE FORWARD THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS. THE GENHERATE COHORT IS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING CISGENDER AND TRANSGENDER BLACK WOMEN, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO ADDRESS HIV AND SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ISSUES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE GENERAR COHORT, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, IS A SPANISH-LANGUAGE INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON LGBTQ+ YOUNG PEOPLE IN PUERTO RICO, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO EDUCATE THEIR PEERS ABOUT HIV AND ADVOCATE FOR HEALTH EQUITY. THESE EFFORTS UNDERSCORE THE HHE PROGRAM'S COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES AND BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE FOR ALL. THROUGH INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES AND DEDICATED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AND IN SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.THE HRC LEARN ELEARNING PROGRAM IS TRANSFORMING HRCF'S HIGH-QUALITY, BEST-IN-CLASS IN-PERSON TRAINING PROGRAMS INTO VIRTUAL FORMATS, SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDING THEIR REACH ACROSS VARIOUS INDUSTRIES. A CROSS-PROGRAMMATIC TEAM IS COLLABORATING TO DEVELOP ELEARNING TOOLS THAT WILL ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING AND PUT POLICIES INTO PRACTICE ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF SECTORS. THIS INITIATIVE INCLUDES CREATING A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE HRC FOUNDATION AND DEVELOPING MULTIPLE MODELS FOR DELIVERING NEW CURRICULA TO THE MARKET, SUCH AS LICENSING AND FEE-FOR-SERVICE OPTIONS WHERE APPROPRIATE.

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA: HRCF WORKS TO BUILD UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY BY TELLING OUR STORIES TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC THROUGH THE MAINSTREAM PRESS. HRCF ALSO MAINTAINS A PRESENCE IN THE LGBTQ+ MEDIA TO HELP EDUCATE, INFORM, AND ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY. HRCF WORKS TO SHARE OUR STORIES THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, OUR PUBLICATIONS, AND A VARIETY OF ONLINE OUTLETS, EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

FEDERAL AND STATE ADVOCACY: IN ADDITION TO GENERAL PUBLIC EDUCATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LGBTQ+ INCLUSION IN MUNICIPAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAW, HRCF MADE A GRANT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN (HRC). THE GRANT FROM HRCF TO HRC ALLOWED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR DIRECT LOBBYING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ADVOCATING FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT WILL PROVIDE EXPLICIT, CONSISTENT PROTECTION FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY IN EMPLOYMENT, CREDIT, EDUCATION, FEDERAL FUNDING, HOUSING, JURY SERVICE, AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS (THE EQUALITY ACT) AND LEGISLATION THAT WILL IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.