On Tuesday, the White House Office of Public Engagement convened over 70 Latino LGBTQI+ leaders, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and National Coming Out Day, to discuss priority issues and the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to advance equity for LGBTQI+ and Latino communities. 

Administration officials and community leaders discussed recent actions President Biden has taken on issues including civil rights, community safety, health, and education including recent Department of Justice actions to combat hate-related violence, efforts to improve health care outcomes for Latinos living with HIV/AIDS and the newly formed Office of Gun Violence Prevention to enhance the President’s longstanding efforts to eradicate gun violence and community-based crimes.

Community leaders shared personal anecdotes that underscored the importance of creating community-centered spaces focused on solution development and agreed to continue working with the Biden-Harris Administration to support the Latino LGBTQI+ community.

Administration Participants Included:

• Steve Benjamin, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
• Emmy Ruiz, Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach
• Betsy Lawrence, Deputy Assistant to the President for Immigration, Domestic Policy Council
• Ruben Gonzalez, Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Agency Personnel
• Greg Jackson, Deputy Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention
• Rob Wilcox, Deputy Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention
• Sol Ortega, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, White House Office of Public Engagement
• Harold Philips, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy
• Melanie Fontes Rainer, Director of the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health and Human Services
• Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, Deputy Director of Public Engagement, Department of Transportation
• Alberto Gonzalez, Senior Advisor for External Engagement for the Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture
• Charanya Krishnaswami, Counselor for the Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security
• Larry Sandigo, Senior Advisor, Department of Health and Human Services
• Joaquin Tamayo, Senior Advisor in the Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of Education
• Carlos Uriarte, Unites States Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice

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