[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 97 (Friday, June 20, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF STRATTON POLLITZER

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 20, 2014

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Lesbian, Gay, 
Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, to recognize Stratton 
Pollitzer. Stratton is the co-founder and Deputy Director of Equality 
Florida. A Phi Beta Kappa Political Science graduate of Emory 
University, Stratton has spearheaded numerous community-based campaigns 
that respond to political attacks and build support for anti-
discrimination ordinances, safe schools policies, and domestic 
partnership laws at the local and state level. He also oversees all 
Equality Florida fundraising programs and has raised over $15 million 
for LGBT organizations and political campaigns.
  Since founding Equality Florida in 1997, Stratton and Executive 
Director, Nadine Smith, have helped it grow into one of the largest 
LGBT equality organizations in the country. Today, Equality Florida has 
over 185,000 members, over a thousand volunteers, and a staff of 22. 
Equality Florida fights at the state level to end discrimination based 
on sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization has helped 
overturn the state ban on gay and lesbian adoption, implemented a 
statewide anti-bullying law that has led to specific bans on LGBT 
bullying, and passed over 130 local policies addressing LGBT 
discrimination and providing domestic partnership benefits.
  As a key spokesperson on LGBT issues, Stratton is a regular 
contributor to major television, print, and radio outlets throughout 
the state. He has had opinion columns published in the Miami Herald, 
Broward Sun-Sentinel, Saint Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune, Daytona 
Beach News Journal, and Orlando Sentinel.
  From 2004-2006, Stratton served on the board of directors and as 
Vice-Chair of the Equality Federation, a national network of statewide 
LGBT advocacy groups. In 2011, he was presented with the Harvey Milk 
Foundation's Honors Medal. Stratton lives in Miami with his husband of 
20 years, Christopher Boykin and is the father of 17 year old twins, 
Ben and Sarah.
  I am happy to honor Stratton Pollitzer, during LGBT Pride Month, for 
his activism on behalf of the LGBT community in Central Florida and 
nationwide.