Press Contact: Johnathan Gooch, (512) 922-4040, [email protected]
Austin, TX – Tonight at the Equality Texas annual gala, among a celebration of the resilience and defiance of the community, the Board of Directors announced that Brad Pritchett would take on the permanent role as CEO of Equality Texas.
Announcing Brad’s Appointment, Equality Texas Action Board Chair, said,
“Brad embodies what it means to stand firm in your truth—to speak out when it isn’t easy—to believe that change is possible. In short, he’s shown us all what it means to be a little “Wicked”: to do good, even when the world doesn’t yet understand your kind of magic.”
In an article for the Dallas Voice, former Board Chair Steve Atkinson said:
“Brad is a thorn in the side of every lawmaker who threatens our peace and freedom. When Houston representative Shawn Thierry abandoned her principles and delivered an egregious anti-trans speech on the House floor, Brad vowed then and there to unelect her. After knocking on hundreds of doors, pushing out thousands of mailers, and sending tens of thousands of text messages, Theirry no longer represents any district in Houston. Today, Lauren Ashley Simmons, a Black queer union organizer, holds that seat.”
In an article for OutSmart, Board Member Jack McBride said:
“As a leader in Texas’s equality movement, Brad inherits a major challenge. The climate in Texas has never been exactly welcoming to queer and trans people. In Texas private gay relationships were illegal until 2003, the Republican platform labels queer people unnatural, and since 2022 there has been a consistent escalation of attacks on life-affirming healthcare and freedom of movement for trans Texans.Not only are threats to the safety and wellbeing of trans and queer folks on the rise, pressure from the Trump administration has major corporations second guessing their support of organizations like ours. Texas has always been on the frontlines of the LGBTQIA+ movement, but the fronts seem to be growing. But in the face of such pressure and high stakes, I am so grateful to know Brad, his team, his network of allies, and Equality Texas have my back. Whatever fight we have to face next, the Board of Equality Texas is grateful that Brad will lead us through.”
In a rousing Brad Pritchett cast a vision of hope for the future:
“Community is the solution to the challenges we are facing. It was true during the AIDS crisis when government inaction left so many for dead. It was true in the fight for marriage equality when our families were seen as less than.”
The evening’s program included a celebration of leaders and advocates who stand up for LGBTQIA+ equality. Honorees included, State Representative Venton Jones, State Representative Nicole Collier, Ash Hall of the ACLU Texas, Mandy Giles from Parents of Trans Youth, and social media and Back to the Frontier personalities, Jason Hanna and Jo Riggs.
