HECHO Celebrates the Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in Congress

By Jose Ignacio Gaona, National Policy and Advocacy Manager for HECHO

As policy and advocacy manager for HECHO, I take great pride in working to support the organization's efforts to elevate Hispanics in conservation. Our community is truly at the forefront of the climate crisis as well as public lands and water issues. I grew up with a strong connection to our public lands in the Pacific Northwest which moved me to join HECHO in this work.

I also grew up experiencing the shared struggle that many in our Hispanic community who identify as LGBTQ felt living in a country that did not offer us full rights and protections under the law. It was not until 2015 that marriage equality was upheld as a right across our country by the Supreme Court in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, and to this day we still have not passed the Equality Act which would prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system.

HECHO's work to expand access and engagement for Hispanics around our public lands and waters includes ensuring LGBTQ members of our community are also welcomed and uplifted in the conservation space with dignity and protections from discrimination. There are many LGBTQ identifying Hispanics, and many of us who work in the conservation space.

I am proud to work with an organization like HECHO that celebrates and values its diverse LGBTQ staff and community members. It is this support and understanding of the important intersections in our community that strengthens HECHO's work.

Today we thank the 61 Senators and the 258 Members of the House who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act which will enshrine marriage equality into Federal Law as we face challenges to the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision.

HECHO is proud to stand in support of this bill as we work to elevate LGBTQ Hispanic voices in conservation