One Thing or Another Podcast #65: An Interview with Carlos Guillermo Smith, Senior Policy Advisor for Equality Florida
I had the pleasure of speaking with Carlos Guillermo Smith, Senior Policy Advisor for Equality Florida. Carlos was also a member of the Florida legislature for six years (D), and has extensive experience as an advocate for LGBTQ people in a state where anti-LGBTQ legislation has taken hold. I spoke with Carlos about life on the ground for LGBTQ people, how the laws are shaping reality for us and our allies, and what is being done to resist the forces working against us. Fasten your headphones for an engrossing conversation.
A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Carlos Guillermo Smith first joined Equality Florida in 2011 as a public policy fellow and returned in early 2015 as government affairs manager. Carlos previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2011-2012 as the chief of staff to former Democratic Representative Scott Randolph as well as one of Florida’s first openly gay state representatives Joe Saunders from 2012-2014. A twice-elected former chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party himself and longtime LGBT progressive activist, Carlos made history in November 2016 when he was elected to the Florida House as our state’s first openly LGBT Latino lawmaker. [Equality Florida]
Equality Florida Mission Statement
Equality Florida is Florida’s statewide civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community.
Equality Florida Background:
Equality Florida was formed in 1997 as Governor Jeb Bush took office and Florida’s state government made a hard turn to the right. For over 25 years, Equality Florida has worked hard to make our state a welcoming and inclusive place to live, work, and visit. We’ve led the passage of policies at the local and state level to respect and protect our community in schools, in the workplace, in healthcare, and in caring for our loved ones. This experience has made Equality Florida uniquely suited to create real and lasting change for LGBTQ Floridians.
Through lobbying, grassroots organizing, education, and coalition building, we are changing Florida so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
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