New executive director joins Equality Wisconsin

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Written by Louis Weisberg, Staff writer
Feb 10, 2012

Jason Burns is the new executive director of Equality Wisconsin. – Photo: Courtesy

In late January, Jason Burns did something that few Floridians do mid-winter. He climbed into his car in Ft. Lauderdale and headed north for his new job in Milwaukee as executive director of Equality Wisconsin. 

As the palm trees receded from his rear view mirror, Burns thought about the chilly weather and warm people ahead in his future. 

"There's just something about people from the Midwest and their values and the things they hold important," Burns said. "We had a going-away dinner with some friends from Ft. Lauderdale. People kept telling me, 'By March, you're going to have more friends than you know what to do with. People in the Midwest are so genuine.'"

Not that Burns, 28, is a stranger to Midwesterners. He grew up in Ludington, Mich., which is where the Manitowoc ferry lands on the other side of the lake. His partner is a native of Ohio.

Burns is not a stranger either to the sort of political activity he'll handle in his new job. He got involved in his first campaign at age 16 and, more recently, worked on a successful effort to elect Broward County's first out gay commissioner. He's worked as both a paid and volunteer consultant on numerous political campaigns.

Before beginning his new position at Equality Wisconsin on Feb. 1, Burns' most recent job was at The Pride Center of Fort Lauderdale, one of the nation's largest LGBT community centers. He served as the organization's development director and major gifts officer.

He also has a strong record of local activism, having served on the board of directors for The Dolphin Democrats, as a member of the Broward County School Board's diversity committee, and as the co-chair of Oakland Park Main Street's events committee.

Burns said he and his partner have been looking for the past two years for a way to return to the Midwest – to live closer to their roots and their families. 

Equality Wisconsin found Burns through a nationwide search. The process began more than a year ago. The  organization's board obtained a grant to hire a consultant who helped to identify strategies and funding sources to hire a full-time director, said board co-chair Ray Vahey.

The board reviewed about 35 resumes before conducting a dozen phone interviews, followed by five live interviews, according to Vahey.

"Jason is a very bright young man with a lot of energy and experience in raising money and also political campaigning," Vahey said. "Those were two things important to us."

For his part, Burns said he was excited by EW's goal of getting more LGBT Milwaukeeans and their allies, including younger people, engaged in the community. 

"A poll found that only one of 10 people identified as LGBT or queer was involved with an LGBT charity or political organization," Burns said. "That speaks to the shame or stigma that's occurred all their lives. You have to find ways to empower them."

At The Pride Center, Burns developed a group called "varsity club," which engaged people under 35 through a program that combined socializing and community service activities. En route to Milwaukee, Burns met with Equality Florida to advise that group on creating a similar program, he said.

"It was a way of making (younger people) stakeholders in the organization, of letting them know their voices are valued and they don't have to give thousands of dollars to have their voices heard," Burns said.

Burns said he was inspired by EW's Voices of Faith project, which involves local congregations and faith communities in the struggle for LGBT equality. Overcoming religious-based stigma is an essential part of the movement, he said.

Burns said EW's long-term goal is the same as that of every other LGBT organization – "to get to a point where an organization like this isn't needed any more."