On the Campaign Trail—HRC
‘Tis the season—the campaign season that is. There is one man committed to his campaign, and his name is Bruce Rohr. The campaign he is on, however, does not involve kissing babies or glad-handing strangers. Bruce is on the Human Rights Campaign, affectionately known as HRC. Having been born and raised in Salem, Oregon, Bruce moved to the East Coast in 1997 in conjunction with his role at Marriott International.
Bruce has been with Marriott for 25 years and is currently Vice-President and Global Brand Leader for J.W. Marriott Hotels. His introduction to Rehoboth Beach came with his move east and the ties here have only grown stronger since he met his husband, Andrew Wills, here five years ago. In 2020, they decided to buy a home in RB. This has brought them to the beach from Washington, DC on a much more regular basis. Bruce shares that their wedding venue this past April was Fort Miles, with their reception at The Pines.
HRC has been on the receiving end of Bruce’s volunteer efforts in a variety of ways. He served as Co-Chair of the HRC National Dinner in 2016 and 2017 and was subsequently invited to be on its Board of Governors. On this Board, he is Co-Chair of the Greater Washington, DC Steering Committee.
Bruce writes, “I’m most proud that our leadership team was able to stay connected to each other and stay committed to [HRC] work amidst the uncertainty of the last two years. The pandemic literally took away all in-person volunteer opportunities. We had to be super creative in how we connected to our members and donors through virtual events. It was definitely challenging and reminded me of what is most important—supporting and taking care of each other.”
As with many public interest groups that operate in the political world, HRC has many challenges. Their focus has been on equality, equity, and liberation of all, not just some. Mobilization of voters across the country to support and elect pro-equality candidates is one of its prime ventures, along with advancing policies and legislation that reflect those concerns. Given the climate in politics today, there are numerous opportunities to lay the foundation for equality.
When asked what the greatest threat is to equality today, Bruce did not hesitate in his reply. “The greatest current threat to equality right now is two-fold. The first is the extremely conservative US Supreme Court. After overturning Roe v. Wade, and Justice Thomas’s response, it is clear they are inviting challenges to other “settled” law, such as marriage equality.
Unfortunately, none of us can assume the rights we’ve been granted in the last 20 years will survive with this Court. We must do everything we can to elect pro-equality leaders to pass legislation that protects our rights.
“The second greatest threat is the Republican Party and all the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation they have passed at the state level. Banning books, banning trans-athletes in youth sports, and the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Florida are examples of laws meant to be wedge issues and culture fights for the Republican base. Yet they legally alienate LGBTQ+ people in those states, which is incredibly scary to me. We must fight back in those states.”
The Human Rights Campaign trail leads to Rehoboth Beach. Hosting a recent gathering of HRC staff and volunteers in Rehoboth, Bruce is convinced that there is a likeminded group that is well-suited for partnering. That group would be CAMP Rehoboth. As Bruce reflects, “I think the local advocacy and support that CAMP Rehoboth provides to our area is a good fit with the national mission and outreach of HRC. I think we can partner together to create awareness for the work of both organizations. We definitely make more progress toward equality when we work together!”
Without compromising each group’s identity and mission, HRC and CAMP Rehoboth share much in common. This campaign trail comes full circle. From Washington, DC to Rehoboth Beach and back. Many travel that route on a regular basis. It is a path to equality. ▼
David Garrett, a CAMP Rehoboth Board member, is a straight advocate for equality and inclusion. He is also the proud father of an adult trans daughter. Email David Garrett at davidg@camprehoboth.com.