Exclusive Interview: Evan Low, New Head of the Victory Fund
Former California Assemblymember Evan Low has been named as the new president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and Institute.
“This is about coming back home for me,” Evan Low says of his new role as president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and LGBTQ+ Victory Institute.
“Victory endorsed me as a candidate when I was 20 years old for City Council, back in 2004,” the former California State Assemblymember says.
“I lost that first election, but Victory was there for me to help pick me up, catch me, and push me right along. I ran the next cycle, and I was successful at 23 years old. Victory helped invest in me to make me become the youngest openly LGBT Mayor [of Campbell, Calif.] at that time back in 2009.”
The 41-year-old takes the reigns of Victory — which advocates for greater LGBTQ representation in politics and helps train and develop future LGBTQ political leaders — from Annise Parker, the former Houston Mayor who led Victory for seven years, overseeing several successful political cycles during which LGBTQ representation increased.
One of Low’s ambitions is to increase the percentage of elected seats held by LGBTQ people to match the percentage of the U.S. population that the LGBTQ community comprises.
That would be a daunting task at any time, but it seems extremely difficult at a time when there’s a more extensive conservative backlash against LGBTQ progress. Still, Low is ready to encourage and support LGBTQ people in seeking office.
“Our key core mission is getting LGBTQ+ people into elected and appointed positions,” he said in an exclusive interview with Metro Weekly. “So we have to think: what is the best approach in responding to the attacks that we are being subjected to each and every day, and to be legislated out of existence?
“And the best antidote to that is putting our members on the front lines. At Victory, we fundamentally believe that when we’re at the table, making decisions, we can change hearts and minds to advance equality for all people.”
Low wants to encourage more LGBTQ people to run for any office.
“If any individual is wishing to serve or has ever thought about it, or perhaps cannot stand seeing what is happening to members of our community, and wants to do something about it, we can provide the pathway to either run yourself, and we’ll support you,” he says. “And once you get into elective office, we’ll help provide networking and leadership capabilities for you. So it’s not just about getting you elected in the first place, but once you get elected, we’ll still be with you each and every step of the way.”
Low emphasizes how vital LGBTQ participation in the political process is, pointing to success in pushing back against recent bills seeking to overturn or undermine marriage equality.
“It was our LGBTQ elected officials who stood up to say that this is counter to the progress we’ve made,” he says. “By being in these positions, we can help not only stop these efforts, but just by having a voice and a vote, we can show that we are just like everyone else.
“We love like everyone else. We work hard like everyone else. We want to help lower the price of eggs, lower the cost of health care, lower the cost of housing. These are the core fundamental issues that people care about, and when we talk about our priorities and lead our authentic lives, we help push back against and dispel the misinformation that is often spread about us.”
Despite the prevalence of misinformation about the LGBTQ community, particularly on social media, Low notes that public officials can still use local media outlets to communicate their message to a broader audience and counter the negative portrayals of LGBTQ people.
And he insists that those messages can break through, pointing to examples of elected LGBTQ officials like U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride, and U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, who were elected despite Trump’s victory in the presidential race and millions of dollars spent on ads demonizing Democrats as too concerned with transgender rights.
“I do not subscribe or buy into that narrative that LGBTQ people are a liability or that we should shy away from LGBTQ issues,” he says, adding that it is vital for elected officials to speak out against some of the rollbacks of rights or protections occurring at the state and federal levels.
“We will be dead set on living our authentic lives with a deep sense of pride, and we are running for office to effectuate the change that everyday Americans want and care about, while also still being ourselves and not shying away from full striving to advance full quality for everyday Americans,” he says.
Low acknowledges how the political landscape has changed since his first race two decades ago.
Politics has become more hostile and contentious in the intervening years, with LGBTQ elected officials being subjected to constant harassment and even death threats. He acknowledges that those who enter the political fray often have to make personal, family, and financial sacrifices to run for office, which can dilute the pool of willing political candidates.
“With his extensive background in politics, we are confident that Low will achieve both missions — helping to elect more LGBTQ+ leaders and ensuring they have the tools to serve successfully,” Joseph Falk, the chair of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Board of Directors, said in a statement. “With Low’s leadership, expect more LGBTQ+ candidates, more candidate wins, and greater LGBTQ+ political impact.”
Low feels he can use his political experience to encourage coalition-building among LGBTQ elected officials, particularly those endorsed by Victory. These officials span the political spectrum and the array of different identities that fall under the LGBTQ umbrella.
“If you look at our website and you look at our mission, it says “LGBTQ+ Americans,” Low says. “That doesn’t mean LGBTQ+ Democrats. It doesn’t mean LGBTQ+ independents or Republicans — it is all LGBTQ+ people. It is important, when changing hearts and minds, to make sure that we are represented across the board. I think that’s key to our mission.”
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