Sweet Sorrow

Farewell blog by departing ENC Foundation board member Jami Taylor

Recently, I accepted a faculty position at the University of Toledo. As such, it is with great sadness that I must stand down as a director of Equality NC Foundation. On the bright side, I leave after we won important legislative battles with the School Violence Prevention Act and Healthy Youth Act. In particular, the School Violence Prevention Act victory marks the first time that a fully inclusive and explicitly pro-LGBT law has been enacted in the state. By my count, it is also the first state level transgender inclusive law in the South. These accomplishments, along with our on-going fight to block a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage are items to which we should all be extremely proud.

Out of fear of missing the efforts of any person, I will not single out the work of any individual for special praise. Staff members, volunteers, board members and interns have all been important in achieving our recent gains. More importantly, you, the people who support our work, have been vital. Without your generosity, our organization would not exist. Without your willingness to live openly, attitudes would not change. Without your willingness to contact legislators, political actors would not do what is right. It has been a privilege to work with and for such a such a group of dedicated and talented individuals. I will miss everyone and I hope that we can collaborate in the future.