National Latino gay rights group receives grant from Ford

A national Latino gay rights organization announced on February 13 it had received a $50,000 grant from the Ford Foundation. The grant, given to LLEGO--the National Latino/a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Organization--will support Accion LLEGO, the organization's national advocacy program that addresses issues of specific interest to Latino GLBT people. "The Ford Foundation's generous grant has helped make it possible for Accion LLEGO to carry out its mission of addressing LGBT civil rights concerns which are specific to Latino communities," said LLEGO executive director Martin Ornelas-Quintero. "This is very important work, and we are thankful to the Ford Foundation for its support." Created in 2002, Accion LLEGO focuses community organizing and mobilization, public policy, and media advocacy to address Latino LGBT issues in the areas of racial and social justice. The Ford Foundation grant will fund Accion's efforts to fight homophobic and racist legislation and to obtain immigration rights for binational couples. The grant will also fund work to pass such legislation as the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would provide protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation, and efforts to obtain marriage equality for same-sex couples.