Palm Beach County Commission Proclaims LGBT Pride Month

June 6, 2016


LGBT community leaders and activists were on hand this morning as the Palm Beach County Commission issued a proclamation marking the 47th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and declaring June as LGBT Pride Month in Palm Beach County.


The proclamation, which was presented by Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, was co-accepted by PBCHRC Secretary Rae Franks, Compass CEO Tony Plakas and Metropolitan Community Church Pastor Rev. Dr. Lea Brown.

"We are all Americans. Period. We live in a country that stands for freedom, justice and equality for all.  We shall not discriminate on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation," said Commissioner McKinlay. "I am proud to support a resolution that stands for all of these things."

"The Stonewall riots in New York City served as the catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States," said PBCHRC Founder and President Rand Hoch.  "On that night in June of 1969 when harassed by the police officers who raided the Stonewall Inn, beleaguered gay, lesbian and transgender patrons finally fought back."

Shortly thereafter, riots occurred as LGBT and supportive New Yorkers joined the fray, denouncing the longstanding and unwarranted actions of the New York City Police Department.

"The rest is history," said Hoch. "Our history."

PBCHRC will be well-represented at the Democratic National Convention

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council will be well-represented at this summer's Democratic National Convention. 

Former PBCHRC Board Member Anne Gannon, a longtime ally of the LGBT community who currently serves as the Constitutional Tax Collector for Palm Beach County and former PBCHRC Vice President and Board Member Deidre Newton, an out woman who serves as the Democratic State Committeewoman for Palm Beach County, were elected to  serve as delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

                  Anne Gannon

 

PBCHRC Founder and President Rand Hoch, who served as Florida's first openly gay judge in the mid-1990s, was appointed by the Clinton campaign to serve on the Democratic Party's Platform Committee.

Former Congressman Barney Frank with Rand Hoch and Deidre Newton 

Gannon, Newton and Hoch are longtime supporters of Hillary Clinton. Last November, Clinton was endorsed by the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance. 
 

Rand Hoch presents Hillary Clinton with 

 the PBCHRC Voters Alliance endorsement letter

 

Over the years, the Democratic Party has relied on PBCHRC activists to help shape the party's platform. 

In 2004, then-PBCHRC Vice President Deidre Newton was tapped by John Kerry's presidential campaign to serve on the Platform Committee. 

PBCHRC research assistant Michael Ira Thayer was recruited by the Hillary Clinton campaign to serve on the Platform Committee in 2008.

Florida's 291 member delegation to the 2016 Democratic National Convention includes 246 delegate, 18 alternates and 9 members of each of the three standing committees: Platform Committee, Rules Committee and Credentials Committee.  

The Florida delegation includes 29 LGBT Democrats, including Florida Democratic Party First Vice Chair Alan Clendenin, who is running for Hillsborough County School Board and Broward County's Democratic State Committeeman Ken Evans.

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Philadelphia from July 25 to July 28.

Three students receive the 2016 Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Awards

Three local high school students --  Daniel Brassloff, Victor Espidol and Melanie Camejo Coffigny -- have been selected by the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council to receive this year's Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award 

Daniel Brassloff, a senior at Atlantic Community High School in Delray Beach, is founder and president of We the People, an equality club on Atlantic High School campus. Under Daniel's leadership, the organization created a website to help transgender people.  He also led the club's participation in the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Walk.  Daniel will be attending Babson College to study social entrepreneurship.

PBCHRC Treasurer Dan Hall and Daniel Brassloff

Victor Espidol, a senior at Boynton Beach Community High School, is the founder of the Boynton Beach High School Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) and has been an active participant in the Compass LGBT Community Center's youth program. In 2014, Victor traveled to Tallahassee to urge legislators to defeat a bill that would have banned transgender individuals from using their self-identified genders bathroom. He is an advocate for comprehensive sexual education in the public schools and has spoken out about the need for more HIV prevention programs in Palm Beach County. Victor will be attending the University of Florida to study biology.

PBCHRC Treasuer Dan Hall and Victor Espidol

Melanie Camejo Coffigny, a senior at Lake Worth Community High School, is founder and president of her high school's GSA, which is one of the largest organizations at her school. In conjunction with 2016 PrideFest of the Palm Beaches, Melanie and other GSA members from throughout the county joined the parade contingent of policemen and women employed by the School District of Palm Beach County. Marching together, the group showed support for LGBTQ students. Melanie will be attending Duke University in the fall to study neuroscience. 

PBCHRC Board Member Carly Cass and Melanie Camejo Coffigny

The Social Justice Award is named after Daniel S. Hall, a local attorney who manages a financial counseling company. Hall has served as the Treasurer of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council since 1990 and is its longest serving board member. As a father of three, an activist and a mentor of gay youth, Hall always has had a strong interest in education. The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, awards the annual scholarship to local college-bound high school seniors who have demonstrated  an interest in advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ community.

"These three students exemplify the new generation of LGBTQ activists, who will help bring our nation together on our issues, which, unfortunately, divide America today," said Hall. "The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council is proud to be able to help them further their educations in college."

 

PBCHRC Secretary Rae Franks Receives Diversity Honors Award From The Harvey Milk Foundation

West Palm Beach attorney and LGBT advocate Rae Franks, who has served on PBCHRC's Board of Directors for more than two decades, was presented with a Diversity Honors Award  by the Harvey Milk Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 13, 2016. 

Diversity Honors spotlights those people who live their lives by advancing inclusiveness.  In addition to Rae, this year's honorees included Peter Clark, publisher of Hotspots Media Group; Enbar Cohen, City of Aventura Commissioner; Mark Denker, M.D. of Palm Berach Fertility Center; Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools; and Judge David Young. In addition, the annuak Milk Foundation Rosza Award will recognize eight year old Ryland Whittington, a transgender child whose family chronicled their son's transition from girl to boy on YouTube.

"It is such a privilege to host this annual event where we come together to honor men and women who, in their extraordinary lives remind us all of the diversity of the human spirit, the values that define us as not only as the South Florida community, but as a nation, and the potential that lives inside of all of us," said Stuart Milk, co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation and global human rights advocate. "We are thrilled to join together again with The Pride Center and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to present this ongoing celebration of those who exemplify the best examples of authenticity, leadership and courage in our community." 

 

Rae Franks was brought up in Cuba and came to the United States in 1962, so she has a personal interest in serving the Hispanic community and in protecting the rights of all minorities. She is a founding member of the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association and served on its Board of Directors for many years. Rae has also been a strong supporter of feminist issues and served as Treasurer of the both West Palm Beach Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Women's Political Caucus in Palm Beach County.

 

She became a board member of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council in 1991, through her friendship with then President Norman Aaron, who was one of the early out-and-proud LGBT seniors in South Florida. Rae became actively involved with the drafting of the City of West Palm Beach's Human Rights Ordinance, and its subsequent winning battle in the court and in the referendum challenge. For her work, in 1995 Rae was awarded the Legislative Advocacy Award by the Palm Beach County Legal Aid Society, along with former PBCHRC Vice President Joseph Fields, Esquire. This was one of the first citywide "human rights ordinances" in Florida which provided protection for gay and lesbians .

 

Rae is currently the Chair of the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity/Fair Housing Board, the Chair of the City of West Palm Beach Zoning Appeals Board, and Secretary of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

Showing her commitment to service, Rae's law practice includes representation of domestic violence victims, assisting LGBT clients in navigating the currently changing landscape of property and probate rights, and in assisting non-English speaking clients through legal advocacy.   

In her role as candidate outreach coordinator for the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance, Rae has personally contacted and interviewed more than 250 candidates seeking office in Palm Beach County.

 

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio places travel ban on city-funded trips to Mississippi

(West Palm Beach, Florida) -- In the wake of Mississippi's enactment of HB 1523, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio became the first mayor in Florida -- and the second in the nation after Seattle Mayor Ed Murray -- to place a travel ban on city-funded trips to Mississippi.

HB 1523, which was signed into law yesterday by Mississippi's Republican Governor, Phil Bryant, allows people with religious objections to deny services to lesbian and gays and permits employers to use religious beliefs as justification in determining workplace policies.

"For more than two decades, West Palm Beach has been in the forefront, protecting the civil rights and ensuring equality for the LGBT community," said Muoio. "Until the discriminatory laws in Mississippi and North Carolina are repealed, West Palm Beach taxpayers will not subsidize legally-sanctioned discrimination against LGBT people."

On March 28, Muoio became the second mayor in the nation -- after San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee - to impose a similar ban on travel to North Carolina following the enactment of another comprehensive anti-LGBT law in that state.

Mayor Muoio implemented the two travel bans at the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC), a local civil rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.  Since 1990, PBCHRC has been responsible for the enactment of more than 100 local laws and policies which prohibit discrimination against the LGBT community.

"Once again, Mayor Muoio has taken steps to ensure that taxpayers dollars will not be spent in places that discriminate against LGBT Americans," said retired judge Rand Hoch, PBCHRC President and Founder.  "We commend Mayor Muoio for putting her strong beliefs against bigotry into action by prohibiting taxpayer dollars being used in both Mississippi and North Carolina."

Last year, Muoio was one of a handful of mayors who announced a similar travel ban to the state of Indiana, following the

wake of Indiana's passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,

As the result of pressure placed on Indiana by civic leaders, businesses, and numerous other entities, the Indiana Legislature promptly amended the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,by specifying that the law could not be used as a legal defense to discriminate against patrons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Following Muoio's announcement this morning, travel bans to Mississippi have been implemented by the governors of Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington as well as the mayors of.San Francisco and Seattle.

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio places travel ban on city-funded trips to North Carolina

(West Palm Beach, Florida) -- In the wake of North Carolina's enactment of HB2, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio became the first mayor in Florida to place a travel ban on city-funded trips to North Carolina.

HB2, which was passed by North Carolina's Republican-controlled General Assembly and signed into law  by Gov. Pat McCrory last week, nullified local LGBT rights laws in North Carolina.  The law was enacted in response to an LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance in Charlotte, which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The Charlotte ordinance also allowed transgender people to use bathrooms which relate to their gender identity.

"For more than two decades, West Palm Beach has been in the forefront, protecting the civil rights and ensuring equality for the LGBT community," said Muoio. "Until North Carolina's  discriminatory law is amended or repealed, West Palm Beach taxpayers will not subsidize legally-sanctioned discrimination against LGBT people."

Mayor Muoio took this action at the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC), a local civil rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.  Since 1990, PBCHRC has been responsible for the enactment of more than 100 local laws and policies which prohibit discrimination against the LGBT community.

"North Carolina's leaders have struck down local LGBT-inclusive discrimination ordinances and have prohibited the enactment of similar laws forever," said retired judge Rand Hoch, PBCHRC President and Founder.  "We commend Mayor Muoio for putting her strong beliefs against bigotry into action by prohibiting taxpayer dollars being used in North Carolina."

Numerous corporations including Apple, IBM, Facebook, Google and Wells Fargo have issued statements condemning the State of North Carolina for enacting HB2.

Last Friday, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee imposed a similar ban on travel to North Carolina.

In 2015, Muoio was one of a handful of mayors who announced a similar travel ban to the state of Indiana, following the enactment of Indiana's passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

As the result of pressure placed on Indiana by civic leaders, businesses, and numerous other entities, the Indiana Legislature promptly amended the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,by specifying that the law could not be used as a legal defense to discriminate against patrons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

"The focus in now on the North Carolina General Assembly," said Hoch.  "Until they repeal this clearly unconstitutional law, the LGBT and allied communities will we will keep the economic pressure on." 

PBCHRC President's Message - March 2016

March, 2016

Once again, LGBT voters in Palm Beach County turned out in force in the municipal elections (and the Presidential Primary) held earlier this month.
Congratulations to three longtime PBCHRC supporters from Lake Worth - Mayor Pam Triolo, City Commissioners Andy Amoroso and City Commissioner Scott Maxwell - who were re-elected in the March 15 election.  All three of these civil leaders have been outspoken in their support of LGBT rights and marriage equality.

Congratulations also go out to West Palm Beach City Commission Sylvia Moffett whi was also re-elected in a contested election on March 15.  (West Palm Beach City Commissioners Paula Ryan and Shanon Materio were re-elected without opposition.)  All three public officials have been outspoken advocates on LGBT issues and PBCHRC initiatives.

On March 15, voters also elected the fifth openly LGBT mayor in Palm Beach County history!

In Wellington, two PBCHRC supporters - John McGovern and Michael Napoleone - were elected to the Village Council without opposition.  Unfortunately, Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis and Village Councilman John Greene lost their re-election bids in a hotly contested election.  (Incoming Mayor Anne Gerwig who defeated Margolis, did vote in favor of the LGBT Civil Rights ordinance proposed by PBCHRC last year.)

In Riviera Beach, Tonya Davis Johnson garnered the most votes on March 15 in her race for a seat on the Riviera Beach City Council.  However, since she did not receive a majority of the votes cast, she must win again in the March 29 runoff election. 

 

There is another key runoff election being held on March 29 - for Mayor of Boynton Beach.  Longtime incumbent Mayor Jerry Taylor has been a thorn in PBCHRC's side since the mid-1990s when he first opposed a gay rights ordinance sought by PBCHRC.  More recently he has spoken out against domestic partnership benefits and he was the sole vote against enacting an LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance for his city.  

 

Fortunately, Taylor is being challenged by Steven Grant, who has been endorsed by the PBCHRC Voters Alliance. Grant is a strong supporter of LGBT rights who can defeat Taylor - if enough people turn out and vote. 

Since 1988, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance (PBCHRCVA)  has been screening candidates for public office, making endorsements, educating public officials and taking action with the sole purpose of changing laws and policies to provide equal treatment and equal benefits for the local LGBT community. PBCHRCVA endorsements are made upon consideration of how candidates have voted on LGBT issues and how they have supported the Palm Beach County LGBT community.  (A complete list of 2016 endorsed candidates can be found at http://pbchrc.blogspot.com/2015/11/pbchrc-voters-alliance-endorsements.html.)

Working to elect LGBT-supportive public officials has resulted in the enactment of the local laws and policies that now provide Palm Beach County's LGBT residents and visitors with equal rights, protections and benefits. 

 

Last year, elected officials in eight local municipalities - Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Haverhill, Lake Clarke Shores, Riviera Beach, Wellington  and West Palm Beach - voted to enact LGBT-inclusive civil rights laws and policies.  The Palm Beach County Commissioners, officials at the Port of Palm Beach, the School Board of Palm Beach County, Florida Atlantic University and the South Florida Water Management District also took steps last year to ensure the rights of LGBT people were protected.

Our successes have continued in 2016. 

• In January, Lake Worth City Commissioners unanimously voted to (a) amend the city's Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, (b) amend the city's Merit Services policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression and (c) amend the city's Procurement Code to ensure equal opportunity based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.  

• Later that month, the Town of Haverhill amended its Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Harassment Policies to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression."

• In March, the Town of Lake Clarke Shores updated its Anti-Harassment Policy to specifically include "gender identity or expression" among the protected classes.

To date, local public employers that have enacted ordinances, resolutions,  collective bargaining agreements and policies prohibiting discrimination based on both "sexual orientation" and/or "gender identity or expression" for their employees include the City of Atlantis, the City of Belle Glade, the City of Pahokee, the City of Palm Beach Gardens, the City of South Bay, the Town of Haverhill, the Town of Hypoluxo, the Town of Juno Beach, the Town of Jupiter, the Town of Lake Clarke Shores, the Town of Lake Park, the Town of Manalapan, the Town of Palm Beach, the Town of Palm Beach Shores, the City of Riviera Beach, the Village of Royal Palm Beach, the Village of Tequesta, the School District of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach State College, Florida Atlantic University,  the Port of Palm Beach, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, the Office of the Tax Collector, the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, the Office of the Public Defender, the Office of the State Attorney, the Palm Beach County Sheriffs' Office, the Office of the Clerk and Comptroller, Seacoast Utility Authority, the Solid Waste Authority, Palm Tran, the Palm Beach County Children's Services Council and the South Florida Water Management District.

At PBCHRC's request, the City of West Palm Beach added an LGBT web page to the city's website in February. The page presents information on the city's history of supporting the LGBT community, as well as contact information for the City's liaison to the LGBT community and the City of West Palm Beach Police Department's liaison to the LGBT community.  To access the new web page, go to: http://wpb.org/Contact/LGBT-Liaison.

Because of the overwhelming lack of support for LGBT rights in the Florida Legislature, LGBT people around the state must continue to work on the county and municipal level to enact laws providing equal rights and benefits for our community.

On the statewide level, 2016 was a horrible year for LGBT rights in Florida.

• After trying for seven years to get a vote in the Florida legislature on an LGBT-inclusive civil rights act, Equality Florida succeeded in getting a committee to hear the bill. Unfortunately, the bill was defeated in early February.  So, while Florida has the third largest LGBT population of any state in the union (following California and New York), our state still lacks any statewide laws offering protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents regarding employment, housing and public accommodations. 

• Later in the session, the Florida Legislature overwhelmingly passed the so-called "Pastor Protection Act" to shield clergy, churches, and religious organizations and their employees from civil action for refusing to perform same-sex marriages. Governor Rick Scott signed it into law on March 10.

In contrast, thanks to the efforts of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council over the past 28 years, more than 100 local laws and policies now provide Palm Beach County's LGBT residents (and visitors) with both equal protection and equal benefits.

SAVE THE DATES

 

April 2, 2016            Tailgate with PBCHRC at Gay Polo 

July 9, 2016             Summer Soirée in West Palm Beach  

January 14, 2017     Winter Fête in Wellington  

Please join Palm Beach County Human Rights Council supporters for open bar and snacks at our Tailgate Party at the International Gay Polo League Tournament between  1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Saturday, April 2 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.  For tickets to the upcoming Gay Polo League events, go to: http://www.gaypolo.com/the-event/.

Joseph Publiones, PBCHRC President Rand Hoch and Don Todorich

 

Once again, Joseph Pubillones Interiors and  REALTOR Don Todorich of the Corcoran Group are sponsoring our tailgate party.  Thanks Joseph and Donnie!

 

Thanks to our longtime supporters (with an assist from social media), the 2016 Winter Fête sold out shortly after we sent out our "Save the Date" cards.  We didn't have to send out a single invitation!  We are strictly limited to no more than 100 attendees at the July 9, 2016 Summer Soirée, which will be held at the fabulous new home of Jeffrey P. Ganek in West Palm Beach's South End. 

Jeff Ganek's new home - site of the PBCHRC's 2016 Summer Soirée

So if you are interested in attending PBCHRC's Summer Soirée, keep checking the PBCHRC events page (www.pbchrc.org/events.html) to see when tickets become available so you won't miss out! 

PBCHRC Treasurer Dan Hall and 2015 Scholarship Recipient Ethan Kennedy 

 

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council is accepting applications for the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award -- a college scholarship available to graduating LGBT high school seniors from Palm Beach County. Each year we award this scholarship to local college bound high school seniors who have demonstrated an interest in advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ community. 

PBCHRC's Social Justice Award is named after Daniel S. Hall, a local attorney who manages a financial counseling company.  Hall has served as the Treasurer of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council since 1990 and is its longest serving board member.  As a father of three, an activist, and a mentor of gay youth, Hall has always had a strong interest in education.

If you are - or know - a college-bound high school senior and are interested in applying for the scholarship, please go to http://bit.ly/PBCHRC to apply.  The deadline is midnight on April 6, 2016.
 

Diversity Honors recipient Rae Franks, Esquire.

Finally, PBCHRC congratulates our longtime Secretary and Board Member Rae Franks for being selected to receive a Diversity Honors Award from the Harvey Milk Foundation. Information concerning the May 13, 2016 Diversity Honors Awards ceremony will be sent out shortly.

Since 1988, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council has worked diligently on behalf of the LGBT community. Since there is virtually no chance of enacting either federal or statewide LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination laws in the immediate future, we will focus on work that remains to be done on the local level in 2016 - and beyond.

Rand Hoch,
President and Founder 

This paid electioneering communication, which is independent of any party, candidate or committee, is produced, sponsored and paid for by The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance. 

 

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance 

Post Office Box 267 

West Palm Beach, Florida 33402 

(561) 358-0105