VIDEO: Duke student asks Obama to sign ban on employment discrimination
by Matt Comer Editor editor@goqnotes.com
Published: June 18, 2012 in Blog
Duke University student Jacob Tobia, who worked diligently during North Carolina’s Amendment One campaign to increase voter turnout on his campus and around Durham, was among several LGBT leaders and community members from North Carolina invited to Friday’s White House LGBT Pride Month reception.
Tobia took the opportunity to not only celebrate but to continue his activism. He carried a letter from him and eight College Democrats leaders asking President Barack Obama to sign an executive order barring anti-LGBT discrimination by federal contractors.
Tobia was able to give the letter to one of Obama’s aides and later got to shake the president’s hand, telling him he’d left a letter for him and, in a bit of UNC-Duke rivalry, added, “I hope you’ll consider voting and cheering for Duke in the future.” Tobia said that Obama, who has regularly cheered for Chapel Hill in ACC sports tournaments, simply smiled and shook his head no.
You can read the letter via Pam Spaulding of Pam’s House Blend. Spaulding also got two short video interviews with Tobia recounting his experiences. Watch below.



QNotes explores two urban homes and gardens in our "Springtime in the City" issue, plus news on openly gay candidates, legislative updates and regional news from the Carolinas and abroad.
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