Crystal Monique Richardson

High Point, NC

Crystal Monique Richardson is an attorney who has spent her career working for the rights and protections of marginalized communities across our state.

In addition to serving on a number of progressive boards, Crystal previously served as Director of Advocacy at Equality North Carolina, where she was a strong leader and advocate for state and local nondiscrimination policies to include gender identity and sexual orientation. In this role, Crystal led several media campaigns across North Carolina to demonstrate the harmful impact of House Bill 2.

"Nondiscrimination protections matter because Black trans, queer, nonbinary, and people of color deserve to be uplifted," Crystal said. "There are too many legislative bills introduced each year that are intended to erase and diminish the quality of life for these very individuals. That's the thing about discrimination – oftentimes it's the impact of the laws and policies which are intended to protect us 'all,' which are most harmful."

"Without setting repercussions and recourse for discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, we perpetuate the very environment which makes it ripe for cultivating discriminatory practices," she continued. "It is our duty to call it out and end LGBTQ discrimination. We are all worthy of our dignity and respect, not just some of us – all of us. Nondiscrimination protections set the blueprint for private entities and corporations to do better, as well as, remind us that we are all worthy of equal protection under the law."