Five Questions for HRC’s 2017 National Dinner Lexus Raffle Winner

Longtime HRC member and supporter Alan Uphold had almost forgotten to buy his tickets for the Lexus raffle at the 2017 HRC National Dinner.

Lexus has been an HRC National Corporate Partner for the past decade, and each year the company donates a car to be raffled in support of equality.

Luckily, Uphold and his husband Jeff were able to purchase a ticket for the Lexus raffle at the silent auction.

When his name was called as the winner just a short time after, Uphold said he leapt out of his seat, jumping up and down and screaming.

“It was an incredible rush,” recalled Uphold. “When my name was called I couldn’t believe it.”

Nearly one year later, HRC caught up with Uphold to hear about his experience.

How did you hear about the raffle?

I am a former HRC board member, and one of our responsibilities was to encourage people to buy raffle tickets every year. It’s a great way to support the important work of HRC — all of the money goes to the fight for LGBTQ equality.

Why did you decide to enter the raffle and support HRC? 

HRC has helped LGBTQ Americans win many hard fought battles for equality, but given the current leadership in Washington, D.C., my husband Jeff and I are acutely aware of how precarious those rights are. We all need to support HRC however we can — and you could win a car!

How did you find out you had won the Lexus?

I was sitting next to my sister Bonnie, who is currently on the Board of Governors for Los Angeles. We were both in a foul mood because we’re huge Penn State fans, and just as the dinner was beginning, Ohio State beat Penn State in the final seconds of the game.

Our friend Dana Goldberg does the live auction for the National Dinner. I kept saying over and over to myself, “She’s gonna say Alan Uphold.”

I’ll never forget the moment when she said, “Oh my God. I don’t believe it. It’s Alan Uphold!”

What did it feel like to hear your name called?

I’ve never won anything in my life — unless you count that time in eighth grade when I won an Eagles album — so when my name was called I couldn’t believe it. I just kept saying to my husband Jeff, “Oh my God! We just won a car!”

What do you plan to do with your new car? 

My husband and I are hoping to take a road trip up the Pacific Coast — after we attend the HRC National Dinner on September 15, of course.

Interested in entering for a chance to win an all-new Lexus at HRC’s National Dinner like Alan did? Click here for your chance to win an all-new Lexus ES F SPORT.

To learn more about the HRC National Dinner, check out hrcnationaldinner.org.

www.hrc.org/blog/five-questions-for-hrcs-2017-national-dinner-lexus-raffle-winner?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

100 Days Out: HRC Doubles Staff in Key 2018 States & Races to #TurnOUT Millions of Equality Voters

With Sunday marking just 100 days before this November’s critical midterm elections, HRC is doubling staff in key states and races in order to #TurnOUT 10 million LGBTQ voters and millions more allies. For the final 100 days, HRC is hiring another 45 organizers and deploying 50 more staff, who will join 35 existing staff already on the ground in key districts and states leading GOTV efforts, training hundreds of local organizers and volunteers across the country, and organizing online as part of the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history. For more than a year, HRC has been on the ground building support for pro-equality candidates with priority investments in six key states — Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

“For nearly two years, the LGBTQ community has endured an unrelenting onslaught of attacks by the Trump-Pence administration on our basic civil rights,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “HRC is seizing this opportunity to change that by doing everything in our power to turn out millions of LGBTQ voters and allies to elect pro-equality senators, representatives, governors, and others who will put Americans first and pull the emergency brake on this hateful regime.”

Today, HRC also released a new video showcasing the work of its grassroots army of more than 3 million members and supporters across the country. Since launching HRC Rising last July, the organization has helped more than 25,000 people register to vote and spent 6,000 volunteer hours phone banking and canvassing for a record number of nearly 330 HRC-endorsed candidates up and down the ballot. HRC has trained more than 800 local advocates in person and more than 1,800 have already signed up for training online. HRC is also launching a GOTV countdown clock at its headquarters in DC and across its digital platforms that will remind voters daily to make a plan to vote. The digital countdown will appear across every page of hrc.org and external communications through Election Day on November 6.

The estimated 10 million LGBTQ voters across the nation have proven to be one of the most important and effective voting blocs in the nation. And HRC and Catalist have expanded that pool by using sophisticated analytics to identify 52 million Equality Voters  — voters who support LGBTQ-inclusive policies including marriage equality, equitable family law, and laws that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The immense power of LGBTQ voters and allies has been proven time and time again in recent years, including during the challenging 2016 cycle.  In a watershed moment for the LGBTQ community, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory was the only incumbent governor of either party to lose re-election and the only incumbent governor to lose re-election in North Carolina’s history — in large part due to his discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ HB2 law. The power of Equality Voters was also made crystal clear in 2017 when a wave of pro-equality and openly LGBTQ candidates were elected in states across the country. In Alabama, HRC-endorsed candidate Doug Jones claimed a historic victory over his opponent — the notoriously anti-LGBTQ politician Roy Moore. In Virginia, voters sent a resounding message rejecting the politics of hate and fear by electing pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot.

Supporters in any state can text “VOTER” to 30644 to verify their voter registration, find their polling place, and receive election reminders. For more information on how to get involved, sign up to volunteer, or join an advocacy training, visit HRC’s Equality Voter Action Center.

www.hrc.org/blog/100-days-out-hrc-doubles-staff-in-key-2018-states-races-to-turnout-millions?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

All the Money Advice You Ever Needed

LGBT financial issues can be complicated. Let us help.

www.advocate.com/couplespersonal-finances/2018/7/27/all-money-advice-you-ever-needed

Celebrity Couples That Are Straight Up #Goals

I can still remember the moment I audibly gasped reading the breakup note from one of my favorite #couplesgoals – Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan. We all watched in awe as sparks flew during they’re first on screen appearance in Step Up and cracked up when Jenna impersonated Channing with the infamous “Magic Mike” dance […]

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Celebrity Couples That Are Straight Up #Goals