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From YouTube: Equity and Inclusion Announcement - 3-23-22
Description
Mayor Michelle Wu joins Chief of Equity and Inclusion Mariangely Solis Cervera and several community memebers to announce the launch of a new LGBTQ+ initiative for the City of Boston.
A
A
You'll
hear
from
many
of
the
leaders
who
have
been
involved
with
this
for
years
and
years
long
before
I
had
the
privilege
of
stepping
into
this
role,
and
so
I
really
want
to
emphasize
how
much
of
an
effort
this
has
been
generationally
for
the
city
of
boston.
To
get
to
this
point
before
we
dive
into
remarks,
I
want
to
acknowledge
some
of
our
guests.
Everyone
there's
so
many
people,
I'm
even
seeing
out
here
that
need
to
be
acknowledged,
but
I'll
read
through
a
list
of
just
some
folks.
A
First
state
senator
julian
sear.
Thank
you
so
much
for
joining
us
and
for
your
advocacy
at
the
state
house.
Every
day,
city,
councilor,
liz,
braden
city
city,
councilor,
rutsey,
lujan,
city,
councilor,
michael
flaherty,
city,
councilor,
aaron,
murphy,
city,
councilor,
kenzie,
bach,
city,
council,
president,
ed
flynn,
city,
councilor,
tanya,
fernandez,
anderson.
A
A
A
A
A
A
Okay,
so
good
morning,
everyone
right
before
today's
event.
I
had
the
honor
and
deeply
moving
privilege
of
meeting
with
the
trans
emergency
fund
and
members
and
staff
and
community
about
the
work
that
they
do
every
day.
The
trans
emergency
fund
maintains
a
support
network
that
trans
folks
across
massachusetts
can
tap
into
whether
they're
facing
discrimination.
A
This
essential
work
is
often
underfunded,
I'll
just
say
that
always
underfunded
and
overlooked,
and
I'm
so
grateful
to
tef
and
the
organizations
across
our
city
that
recognize
the
urgency
of
providing
support
and
services
to
the
queer
community.
Here
in
boston
leaders
like
chastity
and
organizations
like
tef
have
fought
for
decades
to
secure
and
protect
rights
and
freedoms
that
many
of
us
take
for
granted.
A
A
In
the
first
few
months
of
this
year
alone,
more
than
20
states
have
introduced
anti-lgbtq
plus
legislation,
much
of
which
specifically
targets
the
trans
community.
These
laws
are
based
in
fear
and
misinformation
and
have
serious
consequences
for
the
mental
health
and
physical
safety
of
trans
people,
especially
young
trans
people
and
young
trans
people
of
color.
A
Boston's
lgbtq
plus
community
deserves
an
office
that
affirms
and
uplifts
and
defends
the
safety
of
all
the
opportunities
and
the
dreams
of
all
this
office
should
connect
them
to
services
and
resources
advocate
and
evolve.
Alongside
our
community
boston's
queer
community
deserves
leadership
and
representation
that
reflects
the
diversity
of
identity
and
lived
experiences.
A
This
is
the
next
step
in
our
journey
toward
creating
a
city
that
is
just
inclusive
and
safe
for
everyone
in
our
community.
The
office
will
develop
policy,
organize
programs
and
provide
resources
to
protect
and
expand
the
rights
of
our
lgbtq
plus
residents,
and
it
will
prioritize
addressing
the
disproportionate
discrimination
and
violence
directed
at
black
and
brown
members
of
the
trans
community.
A
There's
a
lot
of
important
work
to
be
done
and
we
need
dedicated
thoughtful
leaders,
partnering
all
across
every
sector
of
our
city
to
do
it.
At
this
moment
we
are
looking
to
hire
our
first
ever
executive
director
for
this
office
to
lead
the
charge
in
helping
us
create
a
more
affirming
and
welcoming
city.
The
executive
director
will
serve
as
part
of
the
equity
and
inclusion
cabinet
led
by
chief
maria
angeli
solis
and
the
online
application,
or
one
way
that
you
can
apply
is
to
go
to
boston.gov
lgbtq.
A
B
Thank
you
so
much
mayor
wu
for
the
introduction
and
good
morning.
Everyone
as
mayor
wu,
said
my
name
is
chastity
boick.
I
use
she
her
and
her
pronouns
and
I
am
the
executive
director
of
the
transgender
emergency
fund
of
massachusetts,
which
is
dedicated
in
supporting
low-income
and
homeless,
transgender
folks
across
the
state
of
massachusetts.
B
We
have
transgender
individuals
who
are
being
beaten,
gang,
raped
and
attacked
in
the
city
of
boston,
but
we're
not
important
enough
to
make
the
news,
but
with
this
new
office
I'm
hoping
that
they
will
be
backing
the
trans-emergency
fund
backing
bagley
backing
mass
trans
political
coalition.
While
we
serve
these
members
who
are
only
asking
for
a
basic
survival
needs
and
instead
of
getting
that
they're
being
discriminated
against
in
this
great
city
of
boston,
so
I
know
moving
forward.
B
This
is
the
right
step
in
the
right
direction
and
I'm
so
grateful
for
this
administration
for
making
this
happen,
and
it's
this
public
knowledge
since
we're
all
here
together
that
you
know,
tef
will
be
one
of
the
organizations
that
will
hold
this
office
accountable
in
making
sure
that
things
are
getting
done
for
this
community
and
again.
Thank
you
all
for
coming
out.
Thank
you
again,
mayor
wu.
I
appreciate
you
thank
you.
C
Good
morning,
everyone,
my
name,
is
grace
sterling
stowell
and
I'm
the
executive
director
of
bagley,
the
boston
alliance
of
lgbtq
youth
bagley,
is
a
youth-led
organization
based
in
boston
that
does
statewide
work
led
by
and
for
the
young
people
of
our
communities.
I
am
thrilled
to
be
here
today
and
thanks
so
much
for
the
the
mayor,
wu
and
her
team
for
the
her
leadership
in
creating
this
new
office
of
lgbtq
advancement.
C
Michelle
wu
is
not
new
to
supporting
the
needs
of
our
community,
but
I'm
so
excited
to
see
this
next
step
forward.
We
know
that
not
only
locally
but
nationally,
our
community
is
under
attack,
and
especially
young
people,
especially
trans
people,
especially
people
of
color,
and
especially
those
who
sit
at
the
intersection
of
all
of
those
identities.
It
is
so
important
that
we
have
leadership
from
the
from
the
highest
ranking
in
the
city
and
mayor
wu
is
providing
that
so
that
we
can
support
the
lgbt
youth
of
all
of
our
communities.
C
I'm
excited
to
be
here
today.
I'm
excited
to
work
with
the
mayor
and
her
team
to
move
this
forward
and
his
chastity
and
others
have
said
to
make
sure
that
this
this
is
not
just
an
office,
but
a
group
effort
to
make
sure
that
we
we
make
boston
safe
for
lgbt
young
people
and
adults
of
all
communities.
Thank
you.
D
Good
morning
my
name
is
julian
sear.
I
use
him
pronouns
and
I
have
the
honor
of
representing
cape
cod
and
the
islands
in
the
massachusetts
senate.
I'm
one
of
I
used
to
be
the
youngest
senator
and
I'm
the
second
youngest
senator
one
of
one
of
a
fierce
crew
of
young
elected
officials
in
this
commonwealth
in
this
country,
and
I
just
want
to
say
in
in
starting
off
today
mayor.
D
D
It
is
such
an
honor
to
be
here
with
so
many
people
with
true
giants
in
our
community
and
if
I
start
naming
names
I'll
get
in
trouble,
but
I
think
that
we
really
have
work
to
do
and
to
build
upon.
And
yes,
the
city
of
boston's
been
pretty
darn
good
on
these
issues,
and
I
actually
found
this
fabulous.
D
D
E
E
E
I
also
get
to
coalition
build
with
some
of
the
amazing
grassroots
organizations
like
chastity,
kamar
and
so
many
others.
I
want
everyone
to
know.
That's
doing
the
work,
the
real
work
that
this
is
not
in
vain.
We
see
you.
I
see
you
and
we
celebrate
you
through
the
beyond
pride
initiative
we
have
rallied
and
we
have
provided
a
wealth
of
feedback
to
the
wu
administration.
E
I
am
very
proud
that
the
city's
work
on
behalf
of
this
community
will
expand
beyond
the
liaison
role
to
a
full
department
that
is
more
represented,
representative
of
the
entire
lgbtq
community.
There
is
a
african
proverb
that
says
many
hands
make
light
work.
What
you
see
today
in
this
room
look
around
is
the
many
hands
that
help
get
us
to
this
historic
moment.
F
F
G
Morning,
everyone,
my
name
is
adrian:
I
use
the
pronoun
she
and
her
and
I'm
the
director
of
community
impact
and
engagement
at
fenway
health,
I'm
so
excited
to
be
here
around
people.
So
if
I
seem
excited,
I'm
excited
I'm
excited
about
this
office.
There
is
so
much
work
that
still
needs
to
be
done
in
the
lgbtq
plus
community
health
inequities,
disproportionate
impacts
on
bypoc,
lgbtq
people,
persistent
challenges
faced
by
our
youth
and
our
elders
and
systemic
barriers
that
require
focus
and
attention
at
the
city
level,
fenway
health.
G
We
are
so
excited
and
applaud
mayor
wu
for
recognizing
this
and
for
developing
the
office
of
lgbtq
the
office
of
lgbtq
advancement.
I
got
it
we're
going
to
keep
saying
it
the
office
of
lgbt
advancement
to
elevate
the
concerns
of
our
community
and
we're
looking
forward
to
working
with
the
office
and
the
wu
administration.
Thank
you
all.
H
My
remarks
are
to
talk
about
lgbt
aging
and
to
really
represent
my
friend
and
colleague,
paul
glass,
who
is
the
founder
of
the
lgbt
elders
of
color
who's,
not
with
us,
and
if
paul
were
here
paul-
and
I
can't
talk
about
paul
without
talking
about
his
husband,
charles
evans.
They
would
tell
you
the
story
of
how
they
were
stonewall
is
not
a
memory
for
them.
They
were
there
and
that
they
were
part
of
those
black
queer
people
who
were
part
of
a
stonewall.
That
history
would
like
to
whitewash
and
say
that
we
weren't
there.
H
H
Yet
we
50
years
later
have
revised
that
history
to
not
understand
that
these
struggles
are
real
power,
never
conceives
anything
without
a
fight
it
never
has,
and
it
never
did.
You
can
quote
the
words
of
frederick
douglass
and
that
standing
here
now
we
have
an
opportunity,
both
in
that
in
the
moment
of
sankofa,
to
be
in
the
present
to
be
to
understand
our
past,
but
look
towards
the
future.
We
stand
here
because
of
people
like
byron,
rustin.
We
stand
here
because
of
people
like
audre
lorde.
H
H
We
can
be
new
and
different
from
the
way
in
which
boston
tends
to
default,
which
is
to
continue
to
create
silos
where
we
say
that
we're
part
of
a
community.
Yet
we
go
off
and
do
the
same
things,
and
I
will
say
to
you
as
having
been
a
member
of
the
queer
community
for
over
50
years
that
sometimes
we
are
still
a
work
in
progress
and
we
are
as
biased
and
racist
as
any
other
parts
and
segments
of
the
population.
We
have
our
work
to
do.
H
We
have
a
lot
of
work
to
do,
but
I
know
that
we
can
do
it,
but
we
have
to
be
intentional
about
doing
that
work
and
we
have
to
understand
that
it's
not
going
to
be
immediate.
This
has
been
a
long
time
coming
and
in
the
words
of
psychoanalyst
franz
faunen.
None
of
us
eat
the
fruit
of
the
trees
which
we've
planted.
H
A
Okay,
before
I
hand
it
over
to
our
chief
to
wrap
up
with
some
of
the
the
details
of
the
office
and
just
so
grateful
for
her
incredible
leadership,
this
is
a
collaborative
partnership.
We
are
putting
forward
this
proposal
in
the
upcoming
city
budget,
and
this
is
also
an
initiative
and
fund
source
of
funds
that
city
councillors
have
been
pushing
for
to
be
included
in
the
very
first
version
of
the
budget.
A
I
Thank
you
very
much
mayor
wu
for
your
leadership.
My
name
is
ruzi
luigen
and
I'm
an
at-large
city
council
here.
This
is
an
amazing
time
to
recognize
that
we're
having
this
office,
I
remember,
being
at
a
restaurant
with
quincy
talking
about
this
office
just
months
ago
and
to
see
it
realize,
is
a
beautiful
thing.
I
10
years
ago
I
was
here
at
city
hall,
testifying
about
my
own
experience
of
discrimination
here
in
the
city
and
next
to
me
was
a
trans
activist
who
was
talking
about
his
own
experiences
of
discrimination,
and
I
realized
that
our
issues
are
intersectional.
We
have
to
show
up
for
each
other.
We
have
to
be
with
each
other
in
solidarity
and
we
will
lead
with
you
all
showing
us
the
way.
So
I'm
very
grateful
for
this
office.
I
J
Thank
you
mayor,
it's
great
to
be
here
as
the
first
boston
city,
council
and
city-wide
official
to
support
marriage
equality
and
also
worked
very
closely
with
grace
to
create
the
first
transgender
ordinance
here
in
the
city
of
boston.
I'm
proud
to
be
here,
look
forward
to
working
with
mayor
wu
and
this
new
department
to
make
sure
that
we're
making
real
progress
and
continue
to
move
forward
together.
Thank
you,
and
god
bless
you
all.
K
K
It
says
a
lot
about
why
we're
here
we're
here
for
all
the
right
reasons
having
this
office
and
dedicating
the
needs
of
our
lgbtq
plus
bostonians
gives
me
hope
that
we
will
have
the
more
advocacy
and
support
for
all
of
our
residents,
and
this
fills
the
promise
and
commitment
that
all
of
our
bostonians
are
represented
and
supported
in
an
equitable
and
accessible
way.
Thank
you,
mayor
wu,
for
your
leadership
in
this
space
and
count
me
in
as
a
strong
advocate
and
counselor.
K
L
L
And
I
just
think
it's
so
powerful
for
the
city
of
boston.
To
say
today
with
this
office:
yes,
we
are
a
home
for
lgbtq
plus
folks,
and
we
are
going
to
stand
here
and
from
this
office
to
work
that
impacts
the
whole
community,
not
just
in
boston's
borders
but,
as
the
senator
said
in
the
state
and
in
this
country,
in
what
is
a
very
dark
and
difficult
time
on
many
fronts.
L
L
I
many
folks
know
my
chief
of
staff.
Emily
brown
is
very
involved
there,
and
so
I
get
a
ringside
seat
to
just
how
much
work
they
do
in
in
lifting
up
this
community
here
in
city
hall,
and
we
can't
do
that
work
outside
of
that
this
building,
if
we're
not
doing
that
work
here
inside
this
building,
so
really
want
to
shout
out
to
andrew
and
liz
and
alicia
and
everybody
else
in
the
group.
So
thank
you.
Thank
you,
mayor.
A
M
M
Inclusivity
is
super
important
and
I
thank
you
meru
for
your
open,
mind
and
heart,
and
I
thank
everyone
before
me.
Who's
done
the
work
who's
been
here,
who's
been
fighting
for
this
cause,
mary
angeles.
Thank
you
so
much
for
the
personal
invitation
to
be
here.
I
appreciate
you
and
quincy
you
are
so
lovely.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
you.
I
have
nothing
else
to
say:
y'all,
it's
a
beautiful
day
in
the
neighborhood.
N
N
We
have
the
office
of
blackmail
advancement.
We
have
the
office
of
immigrant
advancement,
we
have
the
office
of
women's
advancement,
I
can
keep
going
human
rights
commission,
we
have
the
fair
housing
commission
home.
We
also
have
the
language
and
communications
access,
and
then
we
also
have
the
resilience
and
racial
equity
office,
and
I
say
this
because
this
is
about
the
intersections
of
our
identities
as
well,
and
if
you
meet
any
person
of
the
lgbtq
community,
that's
when
you
meet
race,
gender,
socioeconomic
status,
all
in
one
person.
N
As
a
former
teacher,
I
will
say-
and
I'm
so
happy
that
somebody
brought
the
youth
voice
in
here
earlier.
I
still
get
calls
from
my
students
who
I
no
longer
see
on
a
day-to-day
basis
who
got
kicked
out
of
a
home,
are
not
being
respected
or
being
bullied.
You
name
it.
So
I
want
us
to
remember
that
while
we
have
come
a
long
way,
our
youth
are
still
seeing
us.
N
Our
youth
are
still
expecting
us
to
continue
to
build
safe
and
inclusive
environments
for
them,
and
so
my
commitment
as
the
chief
of
equity
of
this
cabinet,
as
we
build
out
this
office,
is
that
we
are
going
to
be
driven
by
you
and
with
you,
and
I
hope
that
you
hear
that
and
that
you
hold
us
accountable.
Like
a
lot
of
you
said
earlier.
L
N
Some
of
the
things
that
we
will
be
focusing
on
is
just
simply
coordinating
resources.
There
are
a
lot
of
resources
that
are
there
and
they're
not
making
it
to
the
hands
that
we
need
them
to
go
into
so
we'll
be
doing
a
lot
of
the
coordination
of
resources
amplifying
a
lot
of
the
work.
That's
already
happening
in
this
community,
we're
not
here
to
save
anyone
or
to
reinvent
the
wheel.
N
N
We
are
here
to
build
that
trust
with
this
community,
because
we
believe
that
we
can
change
the
trajectory
of
this
city
and,
last
but
not
least,
we
are
here
to
also
change
policy,
because
it's
about
policy
as
well
and
with
that,
if
you
are
interested
in
joining
this
team,
we
are
going
to
go
to
a
pro.
We
have
a
hiring
committee,
we're
going
through
a
process
to
find
our
next
executive
director,
who,
I
hope
is
in
this
room.
N
A
B
What
that
means
is
an
advancement
for
our
community,
so
before
this
office
you
know
we
have
nowhere
to
go
in
city
hall,
besides
the
liaison,
which
has
only
limited
capacity
for
issues
that
are
facing
our
community.
So
for
us
this
means
that
now,
when
something
is
going
on
one
of
our
members
or
are
being
discriminated
against
or
whatever
the
case
may
be,
we
have
a
direct
office
to
go
to
and
to
be
able
to
assist
us
with
these
matters.
B
But,
furthermore,
this
office
will
be
able
to
assist
in
so
many
other
different
matters
as
well,
not
just
discrimination.
It
could
be
a
housing
issue,
a
health
issue.
It
could
be
a
policy
issue
in
that
the
community
will
now
have
somewhere
to
say
we
have
a
space
at
city
hall
that
is
actually
going
to
listen
to
our
concerns,
but
not
just
listen
but
help
us
address
those
as
well.
H
I
would
say
quickly
that
the
the
way
in
which
an
office
like
this
is
so
important
as
someone
who
has
lived
my
life
in
the
context
of
always
being
the
and
as
an
academic
and
someone
who's
black,
a
gay
person
and
someone
who's
of
color.
That
this
office
is
an
opportunity
to
make
me
a
part
of
the
whole
and
get
me
out
of
the
world
of
the
ands.
C
It
is
also
important
in
that
what
it
represents
that,
from
the
from
the
top
of
the
leadership
mayor
wu
in
the
in
city
hall,
that
our
community
matters,
our
communities
are
valued
and
that,
as
I
said
earlier,
lgbtq
folks
are
part
of
every
community,
every
neighborhood,
every
part
of
this
city
and
so
to
see
to
have
a
formal
office
where
not
only
you
can
get
direct
support
and
and
have
your
needs
dressed
or
resources.
Referrals
whatever's
needed
it's
important
in
terms
of
what
it
represents
for
this
administration
and
the
work
of
the
city.
Thank
you.
N
As
for
budget,
we
are
still
in
the
process
and
but
we
know
we
have
the
council
of
support
and
so
we'll
be
looking
for
an
operational
budget
to
ensure
that
we
are
doing
appropriate
programming
and
one
thing
that
I
wanted
to
name
and
we
have
pride
coming
up
really
soon,
and
I
know
that
things
have
changed
in
the
last
couple
of
years.
But
we
are
thanks
to
the
help
of
the
employee
resource
group
as
well
as
in
both
former
and
current
lgbt
final
current
lgbtq
liaison.