Ohio Democratic Party Names Collin Burton As LGBT Caucus Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2010
Contact: Press Office
614-221-6563 ext. 145
press@ohiodems.org

Ohio Democratic Party Names Collin Burton As LGBT Caucus Director

COLUMBUS – Today, the Ohio Democratic Party announced Collin Burton has joined its team as LGBT Caucus Director. In his new role, Burton will facilitate outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as part of the Ohio Democratic Party’s continued efforts to reach diverse constituencies throughout the Buckeye State.

Born in Youngstown and raised in Westerville, Burton is a proud Ohio native. He’s a graduate of Westerville South High School and Marquette University, with time spent at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. An early activist, Burton participated in a local city council campaign at age 12. While at Marquette, he was a founding member of the MU Gay Straight Alliance and became President of the group during his junior year. Most recently, Burton served as the co-founder of an organization called The Activist Nation, which focuses on organizing young adults to participate in global activism. Burton’s passion for open dialogue, relationship building and community engagement will be an asset to the Ohio Democratic Party.

“I am excited about this opportunity to engage the LGBT community in the work of the Ohio Democratic Party,” said Burton. “The party is moving forward with incredible momentum toward the 2010 elections, and the LGBT community has many amazing opportunities to elect progressive leaders who will advance pro-LGBT legislation at all levels in Ohio. Let’s get to work!”



Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern added, “In 2005, soon after being elected Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, I decided we would build the strongest LGBT Caucus in the nation. Under James Winnett’s leadership, we achieved historic success, electing a record number of openly-gay and lesbian Ohioans at the local and county level. With Collin Burton now at the helm of our outreach to the LGBT community, we will continue to grow as a Party and be stronger than ever.”

The Ohio Democratic Party is the only known State Party in the country to have a full-time staffer dedicated to outreach to the LGBT community. In the 2009 municipal elections, ODP supported thirteen openly-LGBT candidates, electing a record ten of those candidates to office. ODP also celebrated last year’s historic passage in the Ohio House of Representatives of H.B. 176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act. All Democrats supported the bill, and we look forward to the day that Ohioans can no longer be legally fired from their jobs or kicked out of their homes because of who they are or who they love. In addition, Governor Ted Strickland was the first governor in Ohio history to appoint openly-gay and lesbian judges to the bench. He celebrated this landmark during his 2010 State of the State Address.

Collin can be reached at lgbt@ohiodems.org.