FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 22, 2012 CONTACT: Tico Almeida, Freedom to Work tico@freedomtowork.

org; 917-566-8871 (cell) Brad Luna, Luna Media Group brad@lunamediagroup.com, 202-812-8140 (cell)

**MEDIA AVAILABILITY**
Ahead of this Weekend's PRIDE Celebration in NYC, Tico Almeida Available to Discuss Urgency of Passing Equal Workplace Protections for LGBT Americans
WASHINGTON, DC As New York PRIDE kicks off this weekend, Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work -- a national organization working to ban workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans is available for comment. Almeida previously worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as lead counsel on the Employment Non-Discrimination (ENDA) Act and wrote several portions of that legislative proposal, which numerous Senators and LGBT advocates are pushing towards a vote of the full Senate this summer. Almeida is available today, June 22 through Monday, June 25 for in-studio interviews from New York City to discuss Freedom to Work's campaign urging President Obama to sign an executive order protecting millions of LGBT Americans from workplace discrimination at federal contractors, as well as the campaign for passing ENDA legislation through Congress. Currently, lesbian and gay Americans can still be fired because of their sexual orientation in 29 states, and the number increases to 35 for transgender Americans. Following a White House meeting last month during which the administration staffers told Almeida and other LGBT leaders that the President would not sign an executive order for equal workplace protections "at this time," Almeida appeared on Viewpoint with Elliot Spitzer" to detail the weak excuses for delay given by Valerie Jarrett and other senior White House staff. The segment is available on the Current TV website, here. Earlier this month, Freedom to Work addressed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to request that he follow through on his promise to bring ENDA to a vote in the Senate this summer after an identical request from nine Senators. The letter is available online here, and more information on the Senate request is available on the Washington Blade website, here. Almeida is also available to comment on the 71st anniversary of President FDRs executive order protecting African Americans from discrimination among military contractors. FDR, like Obama, originally said he would not sign the order, but because of the advocacy of labor activist, A Philip Randolph, and Bayard Rustin he ended up signing this critical employment protection for African American workers. An op-ed from Almeida is available on the Metro Weekly website, here.

** To book Almeida to discuss Freedom to Works LGBT workplace equality advocacy campaign, please contact Tico Almeida at 917-566-8871 or Brad Luna at brad@lunamediagroup.com or 202812-8140. **

###
Freedom to Work is a national organization committed to banning workplace harassment and career discrimination against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender Americans through public education, policy analysis and legal work. For more information on Freedom to Work, please visit: http://www.freedomtowork.org.