The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

Toni Broaddus, Executive Director of the Equality Federation, will be stepping down. She has served the organization for nearly six years and was the group's first leader. Toni is also a personal friend who has helped many state organizations gain the capacity to achieve actual change on the front lines.

Toni first became involved with the Federation in 2003 during her tenure as Program Director for Equality California. In 2004, she left EQCA to work with the Federation Board to transition the Federation from a volunteer-run coalition to a resourced and staffed organization with the capacity to implement a vision for the movement on behalf of state equality organizations. In 2005, she became Equality Federation's first executive director. The Federation now boasts 55 member organizations in 42 states and has an annual operating budget of $1 million.

"It has been an honor and privilege to serve the leaders of equality organizations in the states, who are some of the most amazing unsung heroes of the LGBT civil rights movement," said Toni. "Equality Federation is one of the most critical organizations in this movement for equality, because it is the only organization built by state leaders in every state with a vision for equality based on the belief that change trickles up. I am incredibly sad to leave this great organization, but I am proud of what we have built together over the past six years."