National Council of La Raza

The influential Latino group National Council of La Raza announced May 17 that it has moved its 2016 Northeast/Southeast Affiliate Leadership Convening from North Carolina to Miami, Florida, because of the group’s opposition to HB2, a North Carolina law that discriminates against the LGBT community.

Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO, said in a statement:

“Hispanics know what it is like to be singled out and stripped of our humanity because of who we are or what we look like. And with the wave of anti-immigrant state laws in recent years, the Latino community is all too familiar with legislation that purports to ‘protect’ but, in fact, legalizes discrimination. By taking this action, we extend our support to the efforts of so many in North Carolina and the LGBT, civil rights and business communities to repeal this egregious law.”

The North Carolina Action Center calls HB2, a so-called “bathroom bill” that was signed into law in March, a “blatant attack on trans people” that takes away the rights of transgender individuals to use public restrooms in line with their gender identity. Additionally, HB2 overrides all local ordinances addressing employment, wages, or public accommodations; essentially, HB2 can allow the state government to completely minimize local nondiscrimination ordinances.

GLAAD was recently on the ground in Raleigh urging for the state to #RepealHB2, and is working continuously to stand against HB2 and similarly discriminatory bills nationwide.