[7] Meanwhile, in 1992, activists, including Mandy Carter and Michael R. Nelson, founded the NC Pride PAC as a response to Sen. Jesse Helms' victory in 1992.

[8] The two merged and were named Equality North Carolina in 2002, when the board agreed they needed a parent organization to manage the work and to link all the smaller foundations together.

[10] Equality NC PAC also managed to get Senator Julia Boseman, the first openly gay state legislator in North Carolina, elected in 2004.

[10] The organization was successful in getting the 2008 edition of the State Personnel manual to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

After Amendment 1 passed, Equality NC responded by hosting a series of town halls all across the state.

[13] In its current iteration, Equality NC has evolved from a single-issue focus on LGBTQ rights to a broader social justice organization committed to racial equity.

Roy Cooper to pass an executive order barring the use of taxpayer dollars to fund conversion therapy.

This program provides support for young people in rural areas in executing a social justice project while developing leadership skills.

These programs work to educate elected officials about LGBTQ issues and cultural competency, as well as provide networking opportunities.