State Representative Luis Garcia from Miami Beach has declared he will run for Congress against incumbent David Rivera.

Garcia is a long time champion to the LGBT community. While serving on the Miami Beach city commission he helped pass several pro-LGBT policies and has been a consistent supporter of LGBT legislation in Tallahassee.

In his campaign announcement yesterday, Garcia told supporters he was running because, "The middle class has been under attack."

Note: Equality Florida worked with the Florida Independent to highlight the disproportionate impact hate crimes have on Florida's LGBT community. The article also points out that anti-LGBT hate crimes, as a percentage of all hate crimes in Florida, are at there highest level ever.

The US Senate Judiciary Committee is currently hearing the Respect for Marriage Act. The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The hearing is underway, and you can watch it live here.

Check out this article from The Washington Post.

By Dana Milbank, Published: July 18
The remarkable thing about what happened on the Senate floor Monday night was that it was utterly unremarkable.

Recently, Equality Florida's Executive Director, Nadine Smith, gave a talk at TEDxTampaBay. Nadine discussed the "Refuse to Lie" campaign and the importance of living authentically. Check out this incredibly moving video that perfectly touches on what so many of us experience every day.

Right now, Florida is 'ground zero' for women's rights. This year our Florida state government passed five laws that restrict women's access to safe and affordable health care.

Yesterday, the Florida legislature held it's public hearing on redistricting in Gainesville. And like with so many other issues, Gainesville showed up to have their voices heard.