Rev. Nicole Garcia talks about her new role as Faith Work Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Nicole is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She firmly believes that her experience as a transgender and Latina seminarian has prepared her for this new position at the Task Force to help bring all denominations of our community together. This comes at a time when LGBTQ people are under attack with hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills pending across state legislatures and 7 states have banned transgender women and girls from competing in sports teams consistent with their gender. Four years ago there were 41 expressly anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country and today we are dealing with a barrage of over 300 bills rooted in hate. Then we’re dealing with states like Arizona, Texas and Alabama moving to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Thankfully in Alabama a federal district court judge has issued a ruling blocking enforcement of Alabama SB 184 while a legal challenge to the law that criminalizes parents who seek to get essential medical care for their transgender children’s needs has its day in court. Not to mention other states following Florida's lead which passed the "Don't Say Gay" bill and are eyeing restrictions on teaching LGBTQ topics in schools. Though President Biden has stated that the onslaught of state laws targeting transgender Americans and their families is simply wrong nothing has been done nationally to stop these malicious bills that are spiritually and physically dividing our country by radical rightwing conservative politicians and religious leaders preaching hate from their bully pulpits. We talked to Reverend Garcia about what she hopes to accomplish at The Task Force and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.  Reverend Nicole M. Garcia, M.A. LPC identifies as an out and proud queer transgender Latina. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado. Nicole has been practicing as a therapist and a clinical supervisor at the Umbrella Collective in Boulder CO since 2018. She is a former member and faculty emeritus of the Trans Seminarian Leadership Cohort. Nicole currently serves on the board of directors of Out Boulder County a nationally recognized LGBTQ advocacy organization and the Boulder County Wildfire Fund Advisory Committee of the Community Foundation of Boulder County. The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. They are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today despite all the progress that has been made to end discrimination millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives including housing, employment, healthcare, retirement and basic human rights. For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES