President's Message - August 2026

 August 22, 2026

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC) is Florida’s oldest, independent, non-partisan, political organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. We promote equality through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation and community outreach.

PBCHRC VOTERS ALLIANCE

For the past four years, Florida’s LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges at the state level unlike any we have experienced in decades. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, those challenges have only intensified at the federal level.

But now, there is hope. Change is in the air.

For years, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance (PBCHRCVA) has worked to build and strengthen LGBTQ+ political power. We have interviewed more than 1,000 candidates for public office and endorsed hundreds who have demonstrated their support for LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion.

This summer, PBCHRCVA volunteers worked tirelessly to identify and register LGBTQ+ and allied voters. We encouraged voters to participate through early voting, vote-by-mail, and our get-out-the-vote efforts.

The results were clear. While overall turnout in the August 18 primary election was disappointing, PBCHRCVA supporters turned out in record numbers—and made their voices heard.

Thanks to your votes, Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Blair Ciklin was re-elected; School Board Member Erica Whitfield was elected to the Palm Beach County Commission; and Village of Wellington Council Member John McGovern was elected to the Palm Beach County School Board. All three have been outspoken leaders and longtime allies of the LGBTQ+ community.

And the momentum continues.

The following PBCHRCVA-endorsed candidates also won their primary elections and will need your continued support in November:

• U.S Senate - Angie Nixon
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 22) - Pia Dandiya
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 23) - Lois Frankel
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 25) -Jared Moskowitz
• Governor - David Jolly
• Chief Financial Officer - Annette Taddeo
• County Commission (Dist. 6) - Katherine Waldron
• Port of Palm Beach Commission (Group 5) - Deandre Poole
• School Board (Dist. 4) - Christina Romelus

The General Election will be held on November 3, and every vote will matter. The deadline to register to vote is October 5.

If you know LGBTQ+ supportive friends, family members, neighbors, or colleagues in Palm Beach County who are not yet registered to vote, please encourage them to register and share this link: https://www.votepalmbeach.gov/161/Voter-Registration

Your voice—and theirs—can help shape the future of our community.

While PBCHRCVA still has a few candidates left to interview, we are pleased to announce our current endorsements for the November 3 General Election:

• U.S Senate - Angie Nixon
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 21) - James Martin
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 22) - Pia Dandiya
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 23) - Lois Frankel
• U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 25) - Jared Moskowitz
• Governor - David Jolly
• Attorney General - Jose Javier Rodriguez
• Chief Financial Officer - Annette Taddeo
• Clerk & Comptroller - Yvette Drucker
• State Senate Dist. 24 - Mack Bernard
• State Senate Dist. 26 - David Silvers
• State Representative (Dist. 87) - Emily Gregory
• State Representative (Dist. 88) - Tae Edmonds
• State Representative (Dist. 89) - Debra Tendrich
• State Representative (Dist. 90) - Rob Long
• State Representative (Dist. 92) - Kelly Skidmore
• State Representative (Dist. 93) - August Mangeney
• State Representative (Dist. 94) - Elizabeth Holmes
• County Commission (Dist. 4) - Curtis Calabrese
• County Commission (Dist. 6) - Katherine Waldron
• Port of Palm Beach District Commission (Group 5) - Deandre Poole
• School Board (Dist. 4) - Christina Romelus
• Palm Beach Soil & Water Conservation Board (Group 3) - Douglas Richard Brown

SUMMER SOIRÉE

On July 25, nearly 150 PBCHRC supporters gathered at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach for our biennial Summer Soirée. It was a wonderful evening of friendship, celebration, and support for the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

As always, guests enjoyed an abundance of fabulous food, generously provided by Sandy James Fine Food & Productions and Echo Palm Beach.

A special thank-you goes to our generous Host Committee Members, whose support helped underwrite the event:

• Altima Palm Beach
• Paul Bernabeo and David Cohen
• Bernard Taylor for Congress
• Lauren Book
• Terry Bowie and William Feldkamp
• Sheriff Ric Bradshaw
• School Board Member Karen Brill
• Castle Wealth Management
• Nancy Chanin
• Shawn Cherry and Vincent Ruisi
• Port of Palm Beach Chair Blair Ciklin 
• Jason Colin and James Curtis 
• Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center
• Cornerstone Solutions
• State Attorney Alexcia Cox
• Palm Beach Town Councilmember Lew Crampton
• David Crespo and Nicholas Coppola
• Yvette Drucker
• WPB City Commissioner Christy Fox
• Congresswoman Lois Frankel
• Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A
• H.G. Roosters
• Rand Hoch
• WPB Mayor Keith James and Lorna James
• David Jolly
• Michael Judd and Ben Small
• Wood Kinnard
• Christina and Monte Lambert
• Gregg Lerman
• Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link
• State Representative Rob Long and Alexandria Ayala-Long
• LWB Vice Mayor Mimi May
• Meat Market - Palm Beach
• Michael and David Mittleman
• Mittleman Eye
• Congressman Jared Moskowitz
• Erin Peduzzi and WPB City Commissioner Joe Peduzzi
• Port of Palm Beach Vice Chair Deandre Poole
• LWB Mayor Betty Resch
• Christina Romelus
• Sandy James Fine Food & Productions
• Arthur Schofield
• Julie Seaver
• W. Trent Steele
• Bruce Sutka
• WPB City Commissioner Steve Sylvester
• Eric Telchin and Logan Nolting
• Scott Velozo and Stephen Mooney
• Katherine Waldron
• WPB City Commissioner Shalonda Warren
• A.J. Wasson and Randy Christensen
• Dr. Donald Watren and Tony Jaggi
• Commissioner Gregg Weiss and Rebecca Weiss
• School Board Member Erica Whitfield

PBCHRC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Established in 2015, the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation is committed to investing in the future of our community by awarding scholarships and providing financial support to nonprofit organizations that advance equality, opportunity, and social justice.

Each year, the Foundation presents Social Justice Awards—$2,500 scholarships—to graduating LGBTQ+ and allied high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to advocating for our community. This year, eight outstanding local students received Social Justice Awards. To date, the Foundation has awarded 37 Social Justice Awards.

To learn more about this year’s recipients, read their biographies, and discover more about the work of the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation, go to https://www.pbchrc.org/foundation.

The Foundation also provides a wide range of scholarships to help local LGBTQ+ and allied students pursue their educational and professional goals. These include:

• The Norman L. Stern and August R. Venezio Scholarships, which provide need-based assistance to local college students;
• The W. Trent Steele Legal Advocacy Awards, supporting second- and third-year law students;
• The Charlie Fredrickson Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Scholarships, assisting students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and
• The Scott Velozo Graphic Design Scholarship, supporting students pursuing careers in graphic design and the visual arts.

Through these scholarships and other charitable initiatives, the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation continues to invest in the next generation of leaders, advocates, and professionals.

PBCHRC and the Charitable Foundation have made significant contributions to:

• 451 Avengers, a local activist organization challenging library book bans in Palm Beach County,
• ACLU of Florida Foundation, which works to create a Florida free of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,
• Compass, our county's LGBTQ+ community center,
• First Amendment Foundation, which watches over a legislative program to review, and reenact if warranted, each of the hundreds of exemptions to Florida's public records law,
• The Historical Society of Palm Beach County, in support of their 2026 Celebration of Pride, 
• Lambda Legal, a national legal organization representing LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV in court – and in the court of public opinion,
• Lavender Graduation 2026, a ceremony honoring the academic achievements, leadership, and resilience of LGBTQ+ and allied youth group members in South Florida,
• The Movement Advancement Project (MAP), a nonprofit think tank working to create a thriving, inclusive, and equitable America where all people have a fair chance to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, take care of the ones they love, be safe in their communities, and participate in civic life,
• Night Runners WPB, a local non-profit organization that hosts weekly meetups for the LGBTQ+ and allied runners and walkers,
• PRISM, which works to expand access to LGBTQ+-inclusive education and sexual health resources for youth in South Florida,
• South Florida Queer Jewish Youth Alliance, 
• Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library, which presents exhibitions on LGBTQ+ themes and public programs in South Florida and across the United States,
• Transpire, which provides the resources necessary for LGBTQ+ individuals to create a solid foundation for a healthy and fulfilling life, and,
• Vita Nova, which is a safe bridge to independence for former foster care, LGBTQ+ and other unhoused local youth through supportive housing, education, employment and life.

IN OTHER NEWS

• PBCHRC Board Member Nicholas Coppola is running for the Delray Beach City Commission. To learn more about his campaign, volunteer, or contribute, visit Nick for Delray.

• PBCHRC Board Member Matt McWatters recently participated in the Victory Fund’s 2026 Candidate & Campaign Training, furthering his commitment to public service and LGBTQ+ political leadership.

• PBCHRC Board Member Chauncey Graham, an attorney and longtime political activist, has been named PBCHRC’s Legislative Director. In this new role, Chauncey will help monitor legislation and public policy affecting the LGBTQ+ community and advance PBCHRC’s advocacy efforts.

• The criminal case arising from the attack on the Night Runners LGBTQ+ running club continues. Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud, the man accused of deliberately driving his truck into members of the group last November, remains in jail awaiting trial on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of reckless driving. The case is being prosecuted as a potential hate crime.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

PBCHRC continues to advocate for policies that promote dignity, equality, and inclusion. Among our current priorities are:

• Respecting transgender people in the courts. We are urging judges, prosecutors, and public defenders to use the names and pronouns that transgender people use when addressing individuals with business before the courts.

• Standing up for equality in our schools. We are urging the School District of Palm Beach County to reconsider doing business with Chick-fil-A and other companies that discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and other minority communities.

For more than three decades, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council has worked tirelessly to protect and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. With your continued support, we will remain committed to that mission for years to come.

Thank you for standing with us. As always, we will keep you informed about our progress and the work still ahead.

Judge Rand Hoch (retired),

President and Founder

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. PBCHRC’s Registration Number is CH46486. Our Federal Tax ID #65-0175288.