Roland Palencia is out as head of
California's largest gay rights group, Equality California, gay site
LGBTPOV.com
first reported on Monday.
“I am stepping down,” Palencia told
Karen Ocamb. “We will be having a board meeting and have a
transition plan by the end of the week.”
Palencia was selected in May to succeed
long-time Executive Director Geoff Kors.
The group did not give a reason for
Palencia's quick departure, saying in a press release only that the
group was grateful for his service.
“Roland Palencia did important work
to build diverse and inclusive coalitions and engage and reconnect
our movement,” said board member Cathy Schwamberger. “That work
has helped to position our movement to fight back against attacks on
the LGBT community and protect advances in equality – the effects
of which will impact our movement for years to come. We are grateful
for his service to Equality California and his contributions to our
movement and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.”
The move comes just days after the
group announced that it would not
back a 2012 effort to repeal Proposition 8, California's gay marriage
ban.
Last month, Palencia was forced to walk
back comments he made about the effort to repeal the FAIR
Education Act (also known as SB 48), a law that mandates schools
teach about the historical contributions of gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender people.
“The prospects are not good if this
gets to the ballot,” Palencia told reporters during a conference
call. “I am not under any illusion.”
In a statement released a few hours
later, Palencia expanded on his comments: “We are realistic about
how difficult this campaign will be, how hard it will be to win. But
we also know that even if we start way behind, a loss is not a
foregone conclusion. From our starting place our chances may not
look good, but I don't believe it is impossible.”
(Related: Foes
of California gay history law SB48 running out of time.)