You can now register to vote online! It’s simple and fast. The deadline to register for the upcoming General Election in November is October 6th. Once you register, you should receive a card in the mail within 6 weeks that has your voting location and address. Also remember, you can vote early or by mail using an absentee ballot. For more information visit our Election Center!
Piece written by Tony Huynh, HIV Policy Intern at Georgia Equality.
Each year on December 1, communities around the world pause to honor World AIDS Day. It is a day of remembrance, education, and renewed commitment in the global response to HIV and AIDS. First observed in 1988, World AIDS Day was the very first international health day, created to raise awareness about the HIV epidemic, address stigma, and support people living with or affected by HIV.
World AIDS Day 2025 is uniquely different, though. For the first time since its founding, the federal government has decided to not recognize World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day reminds us of the millions of lives lost to AIDS related illnesses, the strength of people living with HIV, and the efforts of activists, caregivers, and medical professionals who have worked for care, dignity, and justice for more than four decades– and the choice of the federal government to ignore this meaningful day is especially disrespectful amid the ongoing challenges to our collective fight to end the HIV epidemic.
Piece written by Rachel Handler, Housing Policy Manager
What is the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count?
The Point-in-Time, or PIT, Count is a HUD-mandated survey of unhoused people that is conducted across the country on a single night in late January. Each area’s Count is run by the local Continuum of Care, or CoC, which is a coalition of organizations that works together to end homelessness in their community.
The PIT Count is one critical piece of data in the bigger picture of a community’s housing landscape. By getting a ballpark sense of just how many people are unhoused, advocates and providers can design targeted solutions and apply for funding to implement them.
Because the PIT Count is such a huge undertaking, it also means that volunteers are almost always needed to help out. Learn more about the PIT Count and how to get involved to help better advocate to end homelessness in your community:
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Noël and Marisol at the KSU Pride Center.
Piece written by Noël Heatherland, Statewide Organizing Manager at Georgia Equality.
When I was asked to write something for Georgia Equality for this year’s TDOR, I paused to consider the direction I wanted to go: Trans Day of Resilience or Trans Day of Remembrance. I ultimately chose both. Life is nothing if not duality. Especially in these times. Trans and gender expansive people are some of the best at holding space for it all. We know what it’s like to go to funerals in the morning and go dancing in the evening. Continue reading
The “Here We Are” campaign is an initiative designed to combat the rising tide of anti-trans rhetoric and legislation by fostering empathy and understanding through personal storytelling. The campaign features three individuals: Ashton, Nayda, and Gio, and highlights their experiences as transgender individuals and their supportive families. These stories aim to humanize transgender lives, illustrating their aspirations, challenges, and the support they received from their families.
The main goal of the “Here We Are” campaign is to create empathy. By sharing these personal narratives, the campaign seeks to dismantle stereotypes and counter misinformation that fuels discrimination and hate. This initiative has proven to be successful, with Ground Media’s research indicating that exposure to these stories significantly increases acceptance and belief in the authenticity of transgender identities.
Equality Foundation of Georgia, Georgia Equality’s C3 arm, ran a YouTube and Connected TV media buy in February 2025 that lasted for nearly five weeks, featuring the “Here We Are” videos. In total, the ads delivered over 1.6 million impressions and achieved a video completion rate (VCR) of 98.62%—meaning nearly everyone who started the video watched it to the end. The campaign also generated earned media coverage, including in CNN en Español and other publications.
Conservative super PACs have launched aggressive ad campaigns, which recently ran an anti-LGBTQ+ ad for several weeks in spring, spreading harmful narratives across broadcast TV, cable, and YouTube.
We will use competitive conquesting to target the very same folks who were exposed to the anti-LGBTQ+ ads. Our first step is extensive research to identify which households across Georgia have been targeted with this opposition messaging. We will then use that information to serve our “Here We Are” campaign to those same folks, ensuring that those who were exposed to the harmful rhetoric are also given the chance to see authentic, humanizing stories from transgender people themselves.
Our goal is to raise $300,000 to support this program through a matching grant structure. We’re asking you to be part of the match by raising $150,000 toward our overall $300,000 goal. This money will then be given a matching grant, doubling the impact of your donation.
Donations to Equality Foundation of Georgia, an IRS designated 501c3 organization, are fully tax-deductible.
This program will go a long way in fighting anti-LGBTQ+ hate in Georgia. We can’t thank you enough for the opportunity to send you information about a potential partnership and look forward to working with you.