As we navigate the challenges of 2025, I begin with profound gratitude for you — our steadfast members, supporters and allies across this nation. Your commitment sustains our movement during these extraordinary times that demand extraordinary courage.

Make no mistake: The new administration has launched a calculated assault on our community. Their objective is clear — to divide us, to silence us, to erase us. We see this in executive actions targeting transgender Americans, proposed HIV funding cuts, systematic dismantling of the Department of Education, and flagrant defiance of court orders protecting our fundamental rights.

But this is still a democracy, and in a democracy the power still rests with the people. 

Despite the challenges we face, there are unshakeable truths we must not forget. The Supreme Court's protection of LGBTQ+ workers remains intact. Title IX continues to prohibit discrimination in schools. And federal judges have halted discriminatory policies, including the unconstitutional ban on transgender military service. These legal victories matter — but they remain fragile and require our vigilant defense.

In this critical moment, the Human Rights Campaign is executing a comprehensive strategy to protect our community and advance equality.

We are providing clarity amid chaos and developing actionable guidance for employers, workers, parents, students, healthcare providers and patients to understand and assert their rights.

We are reclaiming our narrative, refusing to be portrayed as political pawns or cultural scapegoats. Instead, we’re amplify authentic stories that reveal the human impact of these attacks and showcase our community's resilience.

We are taking this administration to court, having already filed strategic lawsuits challenging unconstitutional policies, with our legal teams prepared for sustained litigation.

We are building strategic alliances from corporate boardrooms to community centers, cultivating partnerships that strengthen our position and amplify our impact.

And we are laying the groundwork for electoral victories in 2026, committed to restoring pro-equality majorities in Congress and state legislatures nationwide.

Across America, the courage we are living is transferring in remarkable ways. It’s shining through Rep. Sarah McBride, who serves with dignity as the first transgender member of Congress despite relentless attacks. It’s emerging through leaders like Gov. Janet Mills, who directly confronted the President with her commitment to protect LGBTQ+ youth. And it is inspiring through allies like Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde who challenged the president to embrace compassion and respect for dignity. 

We’re seeing courage in Corporate America, too. Disney recently showed extraordinary courage when its shareholders rejected proposals to abandon LGBTQ+ inclusion and diversity initiatives. When pressured to retreat, their message was clear: equality is non-negotiable.

The great Ella Baker once said, "We who believe in freedom cannot rest." In this moment, I am clear that we cannot afford to give up, back down or give in. We will not rest while trans youth are denied healthcare. We will not rest while our families face discrimination. We will not rest until we have reached full equality without exception.

Ella Baker's wisdom reminds us that the most effective movements are built from the ground up, with people taking direct responsibility for creating the changes they need in their communities.

This imperative has taken on new meaning as my wife and I expect our second child. This spring, my family will welcome our newest member. As I carry this child, I am reminded daily that we are not fighting for abstract principles but for tangible futures — for the lived experiences of those we love most.

My hope is that when our children ask what we did in this pivotal moment — when transgender youth were under attack, when our families were delegitimized, when our very existence was contested — we will be able to tell them: We did not merely wait for change — we demanded it. We refused to accept defeat, and in doing so, we changed the course of history. 

This is our charge. This is our obligation. This is our opportunity. An opportunity we would not be able to seize without your guidance and support. As we fight forward, your voice matters. Your presence matters. Your courage matters. Thank you for your determination.