Kors departs EQCA

After helping to push through dozens of laws to strengthen protections for LGBT Californians, working to elect politicians who support full equality, and trying to win marriage rights for the state's same-sex couples, Geoff Kors, executive director of the statewide lobbying group Equality California, is stepping down today (Thursday, March 31).

Kors, 49, announced his decision to resign in December, saying at the time, "I felt I'm ready to do some different things."

He joined EQCA on April 1, 2002 and quickly set about re-branding what had been known as the California Alliance for Pride and Equality, which formed in 1998.

In an interview this week, Kors said the toughest time was his first two years at the organization, when there were only two staff, the organization was in debt, and there was no office.

"It was touch and go whether we were going to be able to keep a statewide LGBT organization in California," said Kors.

At the time he joined EQCA, California's same-sex couples had less than 15 legal rights and protections; there are now more than 400. There are also more employment and housing protections for transgender people.

EQCA, which also includes the educational branch Equality California Institute, now has a budget of roughly $6 million to $6.5 million.

Mixed bag on marriage

Besides the successes, however, Kors is also known for the unsuccessful campaign to defeat Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban that California voters passed in November 2008.

While the No on 8 campaign kept pace with the Yes on 8 side in the money race - each raised more than $40 million in what became the most expensive social-issue initiative race ever - the campaign was hampered by ineffective TV ads and slow responses to the fear-mongering by protectmarriage.com. Kors and Kate Kendell of the National Center for Lesbian Rights were only two of the 16 people on the No on 8 executive committee, but they became the public faces of the campaign. Kors bore the brunt of the LGBT community's anger in the months following Prop 8's passage.

This week, he said the campaign was "a 24/7 effort, and having the voters take away our rights was a painful experience, I think, for the whole community."

Last November, EQCA saw the most successful elections in its history, and some of the results could help gain marriage equality in California.

Every candidate that the group's political action committee endorsed for statewide office won, including Governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris, both Democrats.

EQCA boasts of only endorsing candidates "who are 100 percent for full equality." For the first time in decades, all of California's top state officeholders are now Democrats.

When he was attorney general, Brown refused to defend Prop 8 in court, and Harris has said she won't join the case either. Their positions could be critical as backers of the measure are appealing a federal judge's ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional.

A 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel has asked the state Supreme Court to weigh in on whether Prop 8's supporters have standing to bring forward the case. Kors and others are hopeful that without Brown and Harris's support, Prop 8 will become a thing of the past and marriage rights for same-sex couples will be restored.

Legislative record

Kors has pointed to last year as the most successful legislative session in EQCA's history. Termed-out Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed several EQCA-sponsored bills, including a bill aimed at helping youths obtain mental health counseling without parental consent.

However, Schwarzenegger also vetoed some EQCA-backed bills, including one that would have clarified members of the clergy do not have to perform same-sex marriages.

Proposals that EQCA is supporting this year address school safety and transgender rights, among other issues.

In a recent interview, out state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), who's worked with EQCA on numerous bills, praised Kors.

Kors is "so creative in his legal expertise," said Leno, and "we have accomplished more than any other state."

Leno said that someone involved in the search for Kors's replacement had asked him what "the talent base" should be and pointed out that Leno and his colleagues "have accomplished everything, short of marriage."

"There will be less legislating to do," said Leno, which raises the question, "What's the organization's ongoing mission?"

Kors gave some indications of that in an interview this week. He said that Matt Bunch, a former aide for out Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), and Daniel Gould, who's been deputy director of EQCA's LGBT Health and Human Services Network, joined EQCA's Sacramento staff in the past month and a half.

He said that tasks there would include trying to prevent cuts to LGBT health and human services and obtaining funding for organizations that do culturally competent work in those areas.

In addition, said Kors, EQCA's formed a federal political action committee, so it will not only be endorsing in federal races, but will also be "playing a much larger role in congressional and Senate races, which is going to be critical, given the redistricting next year." The boundaries for legislative and congressional districts in the state are expected to be redrawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission by the end of the year.

Rick Jacobs, the out chairman and founder of the progressive Courage Campaign, which works for full equality in California and nationwide said he met Kors "years and years ago when EQCA was still a small organization, maybe more of an idea in some ways than it was a reality."

The two men have been at odds at times, with Courage viewed as a more grassroots organization to EQCA's more button-down approach. Both groups waged canvassing efforts in 2009 to persuade voters to support marriage equality after the state Supreme Court upheld Prop 8 and it appeared that there might be an initiative on a future ballot to restore marriage rights. During the community-wide debate over whether to return to the ballot in 2010 or 2012, Courage (2010) and EQCA (2012) came down on opposite sides of the matter. As it turned out, however, there was no ballot measure last year, largely because the large organizations like Courage and EQCA took a wait and see stance after the filing of the federal Prop 8 lawsuit.

Jacobs said through tenacity, strategy, and commitment, Kors has "accomplished an enormous amount for LGBT people in California."

Asked if he'd applied for Kors's job, Jacobs said, "No" and laughed. "I'm a little busy," he said.

Candidates for next director

Jim Carroll, EQCA's managing director, will become interim executive director Friday, April 1. He said his plans involve "keeping the ship steady."

Carroll's current salary is $130,000. He said he didn't know what he'd be paid for the interim position.

"I hope they give me a bonus, but I'll see," said Carroll. Kors's salary is $180,000.

Carroll also said, "I have thrown my hat in the ring" to keep the executive director post.

Another applicant for the job is Molly McKay, who had previously worked with EQCA and is currently national media director for Marriage Equality USA and an attorney.

McKay said what EQCA needs to do next is engage the community and solicit feedback from allies, elected officials, and others, and have regional town halls.

"Geoff has been so successful in advancing the legislative agenda, that there needs to be a new look" to see how the organization can serve and support continued education, outreach, and advocacy, she said.

Robin McGehee, who co-founded the national group GetEqual, also praised Kors, saying that, among other things, he "created an amazing landslide of LGBT legislation in California that began to set a bar and precedent for other states to look to about creating state rights while we wait on federal rights."

McGehee, who once criticized EQCA for not being supportive enough of the 2009 Meet in the Middle for Equality rally she helped organize in Fresno, said she wouldn't consider taking on the EQCA director's job herself.

"Fundraising is just not my forte," she said. Kors has been a prolific fundraiser, and developing relationships with donors is one of the specific duties listed in the job description.

Cary Davidson, chair of the EQCA board's search committee, said about 50 people have applied for Kors's position. He said the search firm Morris and Berger has been asked to get additional information from approximately half of the applicants.

Davidson said that pool includes "a very diverse group of people from inside and outside the state of California." He said the hope is for the new executive director to be selected by the end of May or beginning of June.