LGBTQ & Allied Democrats of Franklin County

03/21/2026

03/17/2026

We hope to see you TONIGHT (Tuesday March 17th) at 7:00pm at headquarters
108 E Nash St, Louisburg NC

We will be holding officer elections and collecting dues.

We have Judge John Arrowood as our guest speaker.

03/12/2026

Some 1,700 Kansans had their driver’s licenses invalidated last month. It wasn’t for racking up speeding tickets or a DUI charge, but because they are transgender.

Kansas is one of five states to prohibit trans people from changing the gender marker on their licenses, but it is the first to pass a law that retroactively cancels licenses that were already changed. The law also invalidated birth certificates for those who updated their gender markers.

Hundreds of trans drivers already received letters from the state informing them their documents were “invalid immediately” and they “may be subject to additional penalties” if they continue to drive, unless they surrender the license to the Kansas Division of Vehicles and receive a new one with their birth s*x.

“I’m pretty heartbroken,” said Jaelynn Abegg, a trans woman living in Wichita who received a letter. She said she will not turn in her license and plans to move this month to another state.

Read more: nbcnews.app.link/DWFlcRZjq1b

03/10/2026

The LGBTQ+ Dems will meet Tuesday March 17th at 7:00pm at headquarters
108 E Nash St, Louisburg NC

We are pleased to welcome Judge John Arrowood as our guest speaker!
We must re-elect him to the NC Court of Appeals in 2026!

Judge John Arrowood was the first openly LGBTQ person to win a state-wide race in the South when he won his race to remain on the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2018.
Judge Arrowood is a North Carolina native. After obtaining his law degree at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, he clerked, and served as a staff attorney and head of the Court of Appeals Central Staff. He then relocated to Charlotte, where for a total of 26 years he practiced with the firm of James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. doing complex civil litigation, employment and administrative law.
Judge Arrowood was initially appointed as a Special Superior Court Judge in 2007 by Governor Michael Easley. Later that year Gov. Easley appointed him to the Court of Appeals. When Judge Arrowood lost his election to retain the seat, he returned to his old firm.
In 2017, Governor Roy Cooper reappointed Judge Arrowood to the Court of Appeals. In 2018 he was elected to a full eight year term and was the leading vote-getter in the State that year.
Judge Arrowood has served as the Chair of the Equality NC PAC, served for many years on the board of the Gay and Le***an (now LGBTQ) Victory Institute and served on the board of One Victory.

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
We host a hybrid in-person and Zoom meeting typically on the 3rd Tuesday each month. We have moved up one day this month due to Precinct Meetings.
Our caucus welcomes all registered Democrats, unaffiliated, and non-registered people. We can help you switch around your registration if you’d like.
We welcome anyone in the q***r community and our allies to these meetings.
You can just come to observe, find a safe place, or get active and participate.
Sign up for our updates and be added to the email list!
https://linktr.ee/lgbtqdemsfrcnc

03/04/2026

Trans rights are under attack, and we can’t stay silent. 🏳️‍⚧️ We must elect leaders who will fight for equality and human dignity.

Every vote is a stand against hate. Support candidates who support the LGBTQ+ community. 🗳️
BlueVoterGuide.org has your candidates' info.

03/04/2026

Congratulations Paige!!

Congrats on your win in the Primary Election Paige Sayles!
We look forward to you winning in November!

We have a lot of work ahead of us in the next few months. Reach out for details on how you can help in local elections.

03/01/2026

As Black History Month comes to a close, we honor Anita Earls, a trailblazer, a civil rights attorney, and a steadfast voice for fairness on the bench.

Before serving on the North Carolina Supreme Court, Justice Earls spent decades fighting for voting rights and equal justice as a civil rights lawyer and co-founder of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Her career has been rooted in one belief: that our democracy works best when it works for everyone.

In 2018, she made history as one of the few Black women ever elected to North Carolina’s highest court; bringing not only legal brilliance, but lived experience and moral clarity to decisions that shape our state.

At a time when courts are under political pressure and fundamental rights are being tested, Justice Earls continues to stand firm in her commitment to equal protection, voting access, and justice without fear or favor.

This month, we celebrate her leadership and the legacy she is building for the next generation of Black leaders in North Carolina.

02/19/2026

This Black History Month, we honor Stormie Forte, a barrier-breaking leader and community champion.

Stormie made history as the first African American woman to serve on the Raleigh City Council, expanding representation in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing cities. Her election marked not just a milestone, but a message: leadership in Raleigh should reflect the diversity, strength, and brilliance of its people.

As an advocate and public servant, she has been a strong voice for equity, economic empowerment, and inclusive communities, including standing up for LGBTQ+ neighbors and ensuring that everyone, regardless of identity, has the opportunity to thrive.

Black History Month is about honoring those who paved the way and recognizing those who are actively shaping what comes next. Stormie Forte’s leadership is a powerful reminder that representation matters, progress requires courage, and our communities are strongest when everyone has a seat at the table.

02/18/2026

Rev. Jesse Jackson was a trailblazing LGBTQ+ ally at a time when support from national civil rights leaders was rare and often met with backlash. In 1984, he made history with the first-ever speech at the Democratic National Convention explicitly advocating for gay and le***an rights, declaring that "no group is free until all are free."

He shattered stereotypes of Black men as homophobic by marching shoulder-to-shoulder with q***r activists in the massive 1993 March on Washington for Le***an, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights, sharing the stage with RuPaul and Martina Navratilova while pushing for equal protection under the law. Through Rainbow/PUSH, he framed LGBTQ+ justice as inseparable from racial and economic struggles—backing marriage equality during Prop 8 and praising Obama's 2012 endorsement as a moral triumph akin to ending slavery. A unifier who lived the rainbow. RIP, Reverend. 🏳️‍🌈✊🏾

02/16/2026

We hope to see you at headquarters tonight!
108 E Nash St, Louisburg
7:00 pm

02/14/2026

Monika Diamond was a vibrant Black transgender woman, entrepreneur, and beloved community leader in Charlotte. She co-founded NC Phyne Promotion Company and served as co-CEO of the International Mother of the Year Pageantry System, creating spaces of celebration, visibility, and chosen family within the LGBTQ+ community.

On March 18, 2020, Monika was tragically murdered at just 34 years old; a devastating loss that underscored the epidemic of violence facing Black transgender women across our country.

Monika was a chosen mother to many, a builder of joy, and a fierce advocate for her community. This Black History Month, we honor her life, her leadership, and the legacy she leaves behind and recommit ourselves to a world where Black trans women are not just celebrated, but protected.