LGBTQ+ Power Player Deborah Glick has spent her 30-year career in the New York State Assembly fighting to codify and defend civil rights, reproductive rights, and the rights of tenants and immigrants. As chair of the Committee on Higher Education, she helped pass the Dream Act, which gave undocumented college students access to state support. Assembly Member Glick also pushed for the passage of the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA) and the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), and was the lead sponsor of the 2019 Reproductive Health Act, which enshrined the reproductive rights recognized under Roe v. Wade into New York State law.
Assembly Member Glick became the first out member of the state legislature in 1990, and has inspired others in the community to seek public office as well. In this interview, she reflects on the contrast between New York – which has assembled and expanded resources for LGBTQ individuals, including the Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund – and states around the nation that are attempting to gut these resources or roll back equal protection measures altogether. During a time when solidarity, unity, and determination are paramount, Assembly Member Glick offers her advice to young people looking to enter politics.
