The following is a statement from Voces executive director Christine Neumann-Ortiz, in response to State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa’s decision today to publicly announce herself as a member of Wisconsin’s LGBT community:

“Today we congratulate our longtime friend and ally, State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa on her decision to come out as openly bisexual in the middle of her re-election campaign. 

The issues that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community faces are very similar to those that the immigrant community faces, such as discrimination in the work place and being targets of hate crimes.  Both communities are fighting to achieve their full civil rights in society.  Undocumented youth were inspired by the LGBT movement to come out themselves as “undocumented and unafraid”, and challenge negative stereotypes.

As the first Latina in the state legislature, JoCasta has already been a role model for so many in the Latino community here in Wisconsin. Now she will be extending that inspiration to the LGBT community as well.  We look forward to continuing to work closely with her as she works to address the many critical issues for her constituents in the 8th District.”

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