An official event of Houston Pride Week®

Openly LGBT elected officials at all levels and from across the country – including the first gay US Senator, Tammy Baldwin – share their stories of self-doubt and triumph over multiple barriers ranging from race and poverty to gender and sexual orientation, revealing a deeply personal, rarely-seen side of politicians and gay people.

Tho’ featuring politicians, it isn’t about politics: it’s about people who feel fear and shame, yearning to live meaningful lives. They reveal how they broke through internaland external barriers to achieve the future they envisioned and by showing that “anything is possible,” they impact and inspire people from all walks of life.

Despite whispers, smears, and even physical threats, they beat the odds and now serve openly and effectively. But how did they achieve their goals, and at what personal cost?

In Breaking Through, openly LGBT political leaders reveal why they were compelled to run for public office and how they faced and overcame fear, stereotypes and personal attacks.

As they offer their vision for the future – one in which being LGBT is no longer an obstacle – they offer encouragement to anyone who struggles with feeling “less than” or different, regardless of the reason, and reaffirm for those in doubt that life’s possibilities are limitless