News from Affirmation
Since taking office as the Executive Committee of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families & Friends on March 1st, 2024, Fred Bowers (President), Joel McDonald (Senior Vice President), and David Doyle (Vice President) have been hard at work to ensure Affirmation continues to accomplish our mission and vision. An Evening with Affirmation was an opportunity for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and their family and friends to meet the new Executive Committee, hear about progress being made, what’s next, and opportunities to support this important work.
Fred wrote that he wanted to focus on “planning thoughtfully and carefully while considering the spiritual, physical, and emotional aspects of all the people we serve. Our job is to let them know we must preserve, steward, and grow the organization… as a place for them to find a refuge to land, heal, share, and be authentic.”
Fred Bowers is the only candidate to file a statement to run for President of Affirmation in a special election called after the resignation of Melissa-Malcolm King. He has nominated Joel McDonald and David Doyle as his vice presidents.
Candidates for Affirmation President must declare their candidacy by February 2nd. More information, including a timeline for the election and how to declare your candidacy, can be found on the Affirmation Presidential Election page.
On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, the International Day Against LGBTQI+phobia was commemorated, a terrible social scourge that affects the lives of millions of people in our community, today, in the…
We recognize that LGBTQ+ people are targets of hate worldwide as they seek to proclaim their most authentic version of themselves. We condemn these actions and call on leaders, parents, allies, and queer folks to join us as we defend and uphold the fundamental human rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially equal treatment in health care.
As a community, we are no strangers to this loss, and we rally around and support the Asian-American members of our queer community who these events have most impacted. We recognize the contributions of Asian Americans in defending the rights of ALL citizens and, with the same compassion, hold space for these beloved communities during their time of immense sorrow.
On January 1st, Melissa-Malcolm King, Francisco Ruiz, and Kate Mower began their terms as president, senior vice president, and vice president of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families & Friends. This presidency forms Affirmation’s executive committee. The executive committee serves as the leadership of the board of directors and as the executive of the organization, overseeing its day-to-day work.
Melissa-Malcolm wrote that they wanted to focus on “creating a broader opportunity to increase leadership development among marginalized groups, raising awareness and education for intersectional experiences, with a focus on supporting transgender, BIPOC, and disabled individuals.”