A landslide win in the 2011 general election for LaWana Mayfield not only made her the first out LGBTQ+ elected official in Charlotte, but also just the second Black woman to serve on the City Council. Prior to her election, Mayfield spent years volunteering with a variety of causes, serving as national female diversity co-chair for the Human Rights Campaign and a casework supervisor with the American Red Cross. During her time in office, she focused on issues pertaining to housing, transportation, small business growth, and wages. She is an alum of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s Candidate & Campaign Training as well as the Bohnett Leaders Fellowship, and received LGBTQ+ Victory Fund’s support in her city council races. 

Winning second place in an at-large election that placed two people on Denver’s City Council, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund candidate Robin Kniech became the first ever out LGBTQ+ person elected to the position. After 10 years in policy work, Councilwoman Kniech has used her time in office to focus on expanding affordable housing, local food access, energy efficiency, and more. She also worked to establish a $15 minimum wage for city employees and contractors and has collaborated on efforts to update Denver’s regulations governing the marijuana industry.

Out New York Assembly member Daniel O’Donnell and Senator Tom Duane introduced the Marriage Equality Act of 2011 after a narrow defeat in 2009 and subsequent electoral efforts to oust some of their anti-LGBTQ+ colleagues. Three anti-equality senators had been replaced with pro-equality legislators in the 2010 elections, making way for the bill to clear the upper chamber, where it had previously stalled. The bill was fast-tracked by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who signed it into law on June 24, 2011. 

In its 2011 annual report, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund emphasized the role of LGBTQ+ elected officials in the marriage equality fight: 

New York’s six openly LGBT state lawmakers weren’t just introducing and supporting marriage bills over the years, they were telling their own stories to colleagues, introducing their partners, and challenging their peers to stand with them in this fight. As their caucus grew in size, so did the power and strength of their argument. On the night the bill finally passed, Gov. Andrew Cuomo quickly gathered the LGBT caucus in his office and signed the legislation with those legislators standing around his chair. It was fitting that the governor invited them to witness history. After all, they helped make it.

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s Congressional Internship and Fellowship programs are designed to increase LGBTQ+ inclusion on Capitol Hill. Launched in 2011, the programs provide outstanding LGBTQ+ college students with intensive leadership skills and experience in the most-difficult-to-access political offices.

Every year, the Victory Congressional Internship brings cohorts of LGBTQ+ undergrads – selected from hundreds of applicants around the country – to Washington, DC, where it provides them a stipend, housing, mentorship and trainings as they complete internships with pro-equality members of Congress. The Victory Congressional Fellowship brings one LGBTQ+ young professional to Capitol Hill for a year-long fellowship with the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus, where they work with members of Congress to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.