Sorry to say, with cspan, what you are do we take you live that at the lgbtq vtory institute is honoring nancy pelosi as part of anvent marking the tenth anniversary of the repeal of the dont ask, dont tell law. Also want to take a moment to thank coach price price winr blues and devoted member of this Community Also differentnd lets face it bestdressed man and ten, Jonathan Capehart for taking theime to moderate todays very impornt conversation we are so grateful to Jennifer Pritzker, founder of the 20 foundation of saud and chairwoman of the Pritzker Military museum and library for serving a executive sponsor of todays Historic Panel issued international lgbtq leadership council. She regrets she could be with us today and absent im honor to share her followinghoughts on the importance of this topic. Todays panel [inaudible] thank you for jning us for the 2020 international ltq leaders conference. Close caption is a fatal b clicking the letter cc in the toolbar below the webcast window. Window. If youre having any technical difficulties please use the tech support chat at the bottom right of your webpage. Now please welcome to the virtualtage president elect joe biden. Hello, everyone. Its wonderful joint Ventures International lgbtq leaders conference. Thank you, thank y, thank you, for your leadership and your bravery, for your belief in possibilities. Historic numr of lgb people ran for office this year, and they want, many of them. Its an honor to be an ally and been on the bate with all of you. Ice president elect harris and i are committedo being the most proequality administration in history, but we cant do without you. We cant do it without my dear friend nancy pelosi. Nancy, congratulations on receiving this award. You deserve it. Three decades in congress always in the right side of the lgbtq histy, always. And the fact that you can receive history maker award for that, and so much more, is testament to your character, nancy. Its testament to the lifes work to make real the promi of this country that you have bn devoted to. And we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally and with dignity and respect. You are a dear, dear friend, nancy, you really are. You are an american treasure. I cant wait to workogether again for you to continue the fight for fl equality and usher in new era of lgbtq rht and the entire movent. God bless you, nancy. You deserve this and so much more. May god bless us all. Good day to all of you, and welcome. My name is jason and im a proud port member at the lgbtq victory fund. On a personal note let me say how delighted i am how we are honoring my friend and our Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the lgbtq history makers award during todays plenary session. I also want to take a moment to thank Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and a devoted member of this Community Also a dear fred and lets face it the bestdressed man in town Jonathan Capehart for taking the time to moderate todays very important conversation. You know, we are so grateful to colonel Jennifer Pritzker compound of the 20 Foundation Founder and chairwoman of the Pritzker Military museum and library for serving as executive sponsor of todays Historic Panel at this Years International lgbtq leaders conference. Colonel pritzker regrets that she couldnt be with us today. Enter absent an honor to share her following thoughts on the importance of this topic. Todays panel, ten years later, the repeal of dont ask, dont tell, reminded colonel pritzker of one of her favorite stories the military, and American History. The year was 1975 and seemingly out of nowhere on the cover of time magazine. Technical sergeant leonard, in uniform, his face fully visible with and for his dedicated expression. The headline read i am a homosexual. He had been in the air force for 12 years, wasnt simply record that the air force to a new morning of lgbtq american to defend the country in uniform. His brave decision to challenge is to respect a begin to change all that. He became only the first base member to out himself on such a National Stage but the first gay person to be name openly on the cover of a national magazine. This said a million of people suffering in silence, you are not alone. You when your quest for freedom can be seen and it will be hurt. His tombstone washingtons Congressional Cemetery is unnamed. It reads one is in the military they gave me a a medal for kilg two min. And the discharge for loving one. An exceptional roster of the brave activists, servicemembers and elected officials to cut his call to arms in the decades since. And today we gather to hear from some of them. Ten years ago this month the dont ask, dont tell repeal act was signed into law under the Depth Leadership of Speaker Pelosi with unwavering support from our allies such as former congressman patrick murphy, both with us today. Well also hear from admiral mullen, Valerie Jarrett and doctor belkin with the pumps and completers who played key roles at ending the ban. Today a senator jones remains with us. It seems to be in its very last throes. This is a fake something people here with us today. And the work and courage of euros like sergeant matlovich. We are pleased on event and look for to hearing what they have to say as we take up the fight ahead. Thank you, and enjoys todays discussion. My name is Claire Lukacs and im the proud brd chair of the lgbtqictory institute. Since the founding of our nation, lgbtq people have served in our military, risking their lives on the front lines. Yet for the majority of that history, more than 225 years of it, lgbtq people remain hidden, fa dishonorable discharge, or wors dont ask, dont tell signed intoaw in 1993 allowed gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers to serve as long as they remain hidde however, thetatus quo remained unchanged for trans servicemembers. While americans became more supportive of the quality, injustice of lgbtq servicemembers hing to hide their personal lives became more glittering. And the administration of barack obama and members of congress le by Speaker Nancy Pelosi were determin to take action. Ten years a dont ask, dont tell was repealed and for the first time in American History lgbtq individua were finally able to serve openly. Antilgb activists claimed the sky would fall and irruption amongst fellow soldiers. Today you would get a behind the scenes look at the repeal of dont ask, dont tell whose perspective from the white house, the u. S. Congress, the military, and the advocacy community. Youll hear about the impact of the repeal on lgbtq servicemembers and the country at large. Under therump administratio transit servicemembers were again targeted with the band that when to affect in april of 19. Yet president elect joe biden has promise to reinstate the obama era policyllowing trans people to serve openly. But soon all of our courageous lgbtq servicemembers can again be open about who they are. It will send a message to the world that the united state is a country that prices the quality, whether in baghdad, berlin,r washington, d. C. , out servicemembers transfer protectionsf our community and influence policies at home and abro. Thank you for joining us as we celebrate Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the lgbtq history maker award for her work to repeal dont ask, dont tell and for an insigful conversation about where we are to where we are headed. And, of course, thank you to those who have served and are serving. Hello, this is mark tacoma. Mar takano and i am the only lgbtq chairman of a full stanng committee in the house of representatives, the committee on Veterans Affairs. Its my distinct honor and privilegeo send a message of congratulations to speaker nancy pesi upon her receiving the inaugural lgbtq history makers awar for her achievement and leadership in overturning the dont ask, dont tell policy in the lameduck session of the 111th congress. E guided the repeal of that policy, which was so harmf to so many lgbtq svicemembers. And it is so reflective of who she is as a person, as a human bein someone guided by basic decency, and horrified, horrified by any kind of cruelty that human beings inflict on one other. Ely on in my careerur biggest fights were not stopping constitutional amendments, from prohibiting gave people getting married and trying to protect people from discrimination. It was hard tomagine todays rld where now im unable to may my wife, raise our daughter andn the protected. And that is within possible without the great work out the victory fu. It wouldnt have been possible wiout Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Shes been an outspoken ally who stood in the fight with us, raised her voice, long beforeo many others. Shes been with us on the beginning. You know what else would raise their voice abo the destinion of our community from the hiv aids epidemic, she was on the house floor fighting r needed funding. She fought for the repeal of dont ask, dont tell, for the passage of the federal hate crimes ls, and she embrace Marriage Equality early on, en voting against doma in the 1990s. Today she continues to fight for us, and for the passage of the equality act. Shes a true trailblazerhose one of her most important allie in the fight for coequality. Spear pelosi, inc. Is a much for helping create a more just world, and congratulations on such a well deserved award. Madam speaker, congratulations. When history looks back at this moment, we will see that you not only with the way ofhe Democratic Party which was a conscious of her country, fighting for ideals that making them realersonal many that for far too long have been left outside inclusiveness that our country sought for from its very founding. Weather was fighting back against dont ask, dont tell road leading to fight for the quality act or trying to find all the ways that we need to make our country kinder, more inclusive, stronger and fair. Youve been at the forefront of ery single fight. We are so grateful for you. Thank you, and congratulations. If it were not for her political skill, courage and devotion of principles, dont ask, dont tell would still be on the books, and the lameduck session of 2000 that she told the city that she would not pass the Defense Authorization bill that they worked on it until they agree to repeal dont ask, dont tell, some didnt like it but they did it because they knew she would follow through was most effective use of political power on behalf of of her principles i have ever seen. Its Pete Buttigieg and want to offer my congratulations to Speaker Pelosi for earning the lgbtq history makers award from the victory institute. Your work throughout the years has made such a difference including on dont ask, dont tell. I think about what it meant when i first signed up to serve knowing i could be fired because of who i am. And just a few years later because of the work of leaders like Speaker Pelosi, being able to include some of my fellow officers and guests at my wedding. We got a long way to go on equality but we have come such a long way. Thanks to leadership like yours. Congratulations again. Hi, everyone. I sued under dont ask, dont tell and it was rotc scholarship that to defend sanitizer boston university. One of the first things i did it was signed a piece of paper that said i will not engage in homosexual behavior because dont ask, dont tell applied to even as i could get some opportunities to serve her country, i forgot you need to come all when we just to get with the courage to say anybody ready and willing to serve should have the opportunity to do so. Dont ask, dont tell its a policy that never should have been and thankfully it is no more, in no small part due to nancy pelosi. We know Speaker Pelosi is always ready to throw a punch for the children, thankfully we also know Speaker Pelosi is always ready to throw a punch for lgbtq equality. So Speaker Pelosi thank you for your leadership and for your current. Speaker pelosi, i just want to send along my congratulations on your honor as an lgbtq history maker. You deserve this award from your amazing work to help repeal dont ask, dont tell to your support of Marriage Equality, something very personal to me. Youve been an advocate and an ally for the Lgbtq Community and you definitely deserve this honor. Congratulations again, Speaker Pelosi. Congratulation Speaker Pelosi. On being honored with the inaugural lgbtq history makers award. Your leadership in repealing dont ask, dont tell is just one example from a very long list of how you helped make america better for the disenfranchised in our society. I am honored that only to call you a friend, but one of my heroines. Thank you for inspiring me and countless other women, not only to go to the class should become you entered the barriers are torn down to keep lgbtq less people, women, and so many others living the life they deserve. Congratulations. I i love you, nancy Speaker Pelosi, tim gunn here to help celebrate the tenth anniversary of the repeal of dont ask, dont tell. You were the key role in that historic achievement and short it after you and i both went to a lgbtqeception at my partner which you should with us more salient details about the repeal actually happens. It was an astonishing and electrifying story, i have to say, did you made us all feel like very special insiders. Congratulations on receiving the leadership institu inaugural lgbtq history makers award and pruse thanks for your unparalleled support for our community. You are indeed a history maker every day. I am patrick mphy. [inaudible] its my honor to be here to present nancy pelosihe United States history maker award. Speaker pelosi is one of a kind. She is a true champion for equality and im proud to call he my friend and one of americas best leaders. 17 17 phycal i was in baghdad iraq with the 82nd airborne. 19 o my brothers never made it home. In my time in the army ove 13,000 of my brothers and sister veterans were thrown out because of dont ask, dont tell. It wasnt until the repeal of dt ask, dont tell until w had true equality in our military, and our fight is not over. Speaker pelosi said you believe in equal we dont. You wl either fight for it or you are not. We all know shes a fighter. It my honor and all of our honoro present to her the 2020 lgbtq history maker award to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. [inaudible] other side of the screen is some who are middle responsible but as speaker of the house she made it happen. Thank you for being here. Congratulations on receiving the lgbtq history maker award. Thank you very much, jonathan. Congratulations to you on your new show. Were all excited about that. Thank you very much. To be with you and all of the guests who are here. You said it so well, many people contributed to the success. I was eager orchestrate how we would get this done and will talk more about that, but it was about time. It was about time, the blessings of time, the blessings to have admiral mullen in the white house from early in the years the time it that come. It was about Valerie Jarrett being there with president obama without whom this would not have happened, calling for and when the report came later in the year we could deal with it. But without president obama is courageous leadership, and joe biden right there with them, we know hes a leader on these issues in many ways. And then to have patrick murphy, what better spokesperson on the floor of the house and a veteran who served with many of the lgbtq colleagues in the military and saw the injustice of it all, came and spoke without authority. And barney frank, oh, my gosh. What he didnt say is hes the one who got me on the phone and insisted, insisted, so he was very generous in his comments, but the fact is it was essential that barney frank is so much a part of all of that. Well talk more about others who are involved, but i am honored to have joe biden say such a nice things. One thing he said that struck me in particular is that we respect the dignity and worth of all people. And thats why we love each other so much because we have a shared value. There is no question in our mind that this is an injustice and with much more work to do. But im humbled by the award, but he didnt because so many people made it happen. Im happy to accept it on behalf of all of them. Tim gunn [inaudible] courageous in the fields, leaders, pioneers, visionaries. [inaudible] i am honored shes with us today and she is remarkable [inaudible] such great things for a cleaner government. Really you made some a chaplain in the courts that we could not do during congress. Thank you for that. And joe kennedy came in right away chair of the transjans task force come task force honored by his remarks and, of course, mark takano as chair of the Veterans Affairs committee, how perfect is that . Thank you for your kind words. But if you want to talk about how it happened yes. Madam speaker, i should point out no one could see you during all of those remarks from the people youre talking about but i could see you. Watching your reaction to what was being said tells me that this was of all the things, of all the accomplishments you have made in your two times as speaker of the house of the legislati