The 41st annual International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference opened not only with applause on Thursday, Dec. 4, but also with a call to defend equality.
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute President & CEO Evan Low opened the ceremony, his first as the organization’s leader, warmly welcoming a room filled with a global audience of hundreds of elected LGBTQ+ officials, leaders, advocates and allies.
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute President & CEO addresses his first International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference as the organization’s head. Photo by United Photography.
“Let us be reminded that we are here for each other and for creating space for each other to laugh, to be joyous, to cry, to lean on one another, to be vulnerable and most importantly, to be reaffirmed in our love of our country and answering the call for service,” said Low.
Low added that the call to action aligns with Victory Institute’s mission to ensure LGBTQ+ representation in elected and appointed offices worldwide.
His remarks set the tone for the conference—representation, LGBTQ+ leadership, allyship, collective efforts and fighting for equality all matter.
Victory Institute’s board members and volunteers were also honored in the opening remarks, which acknowledged their contributions to the organization’s stability.
Low then turned the opening plenary over to the longtime LGBTQ+ ally Janet Mills, governor of Maine. But before she was a governor, she served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2002 to 2009.
In a politically divided state, Mills aligned with non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Her trailblazing allyship contributed to Maine’s LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights laws early on, before it was popular or even safe.
“I voted more than 20 years ago to make discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity illegal in Maine,” said Mills in her opening remarks.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills spoke on her history of allyship in action at the 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, DC on Dec. 4. Photo by United Photography
She served four non-consecutive terms as attorney general from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2019. During this time, Mills wasn’t afraid to enforce justice for crimes against LGBTQ+ people and supported marriage equality.
“I speak as a former district attorney who prosecuted those who committed brutal crimes against LGBTQ+ people, thinking they could get away with it because society just didn’t care,” continued Mills. “I speak as a former attorney general of my state who testified in front of 4,000 people at a public hearing in 2009 to support legislation recognizing the fundamental right of every person to marry who they love.”
As Governor of Maine, Mills worked with colleagues, including Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau and Majority Leader Matt Moonen, who were also present at the plenary discussion, to protect transgender individuals from healthcare discrimination. Mills supported, signed and enforced a ban on conversion therapy on minors.
She famously clashed with President Donald Trump and his administration over those rights; her “I’ll see you in court” promise became a viral moment and rallying cry.
I speak as someone who, yeah, stood up to the president of the United States to his face,” Mills told the crowd. “When Donald Trump demanded Maine violate its own laws to discriminate against transgender youth, I said I’d see him in court. And guess what, we did see him in court. And, we won.” Funding was restored in May after the administration backed down.
Her opening remarks showcased a track record of allyship that also explicitly stands up for LGBTQ+ rights, decades before it became more mainstream.
“Discrimination violates our compassion and our conscience,” said Mills before proclaiming that LGBTQ+ rights shouldn’t be dependent on where you live in the U.S.
“And yet more than half the country, in more than half the country, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity remains legal,” added Mills. “The rights of LGBTQ+ people should not depend on what state you live in.”
Mills highlighted her history as a champion for LGBTQ+ rights before cautioning about the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to roll back protections and civil rights.
“We cannot and will not stop fighting to make equality for all an unbreakable promise in America,” she said. “Regardless of where you live, we cannot, and we will not stop fighting for clear and comprehensive non-discrimination laws nationwide.”
Gov. Janet Mills points to fellow Mainers House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and Majority Leader Matt Moonen in the crowd at the 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference. Photo by United Photography.
After Mills spoke, Low made a lighthearted joke about LGBTQ+ leadership in Maine. “The gays run the state,” Low quipped, while referencing Fecteau and Moonen. “They tell me what to do,” added Mills.
“We’re talking about the gays running the show, a good segue to our next guest speaker,” said Low, while transitioning into the introduction of Robert Garcia, Congressman from California.
Garcia, a longtime LGBTQ+ Victory Institute supporter, became the first out gay mayor of Long Beach in 2014—serving two terms. He also made history as the first Latinx and youngest person to be mayor in Long Beach. Currently, he has served as U.S. representative for California’s 42nd congressional district since 2023 and as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee since 2025.
Garcia and Low both served as mayors in California during their careers, and were historic firsts. Photo taken at the 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, DC by United Photography.
The congressman praised LGBTQ+ Victory Institute for supporting LGBTQ+ candidates not only in the House or Senate but also at statehouses, city councils and mayoral offices.
“I am one of 12 LGBTQ+ members of the U.S. House right now, but I am the gayest of all of us,” said Garcia as the audience laughed. “I do consider myself the absolute gayest.”
Garcia joked about being the gayest while also applauding the growing representation of barrier-breaking LGBTQ+ politicians across local and federal governments.
Though his tone remained direct and serious, he warned of the danger democracy faces today. Garcia called the Trump administration for working to roll back the civil rights and protections of vulnerable communities: LGBTQ+ people, women and immigrants. Garcia has been a visible voice on accountability and transparency in his role as committee leader.
Rep. Garcia made history at the local and national level in public service, and is currently an influential member of the House. Photo taken at 2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, DC on Dec. 4 by United Photography.
“It’s not an opportunity for us at this moment to retreat or to try other things or to draw our attention elsewhere,” said Garcia. “This is a moment where we have to be in the fight. We have to be in the fight every single day and push back as hard as we can.”
While the fight for democracy and civil rights continues, the message was clear at the opening plenary of the leaders conference: LGBTQ+ and allied leadership are answering that call to action, showing receipts and delivering results.
Please support our work to build global LGBTQ+ equality—donate to LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and help us create programs, events and opportunities for LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials across the United States and around the world.
