FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATLANTA, Ga., November 25, 2020 –– OUT Georgia Business Alliance congratulates Malik Brown on his recent promotion to Director of LGBTQ Affairs for the City of Atlanta. OUT Georgia is also proud to recognize Board members Gabrielle Claiborne, Hillary Thomas, and executive director Chris Lugo on their appointments to the City of Atlanta Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board for 2020-2021.

From Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ press release:

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms created the City’s first-ever Director of LGBTQ Affairs position and has appointed additional members to the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board. These appointments build on the Bottoms Administration’s equity agenda and commitment to making City Hall more open and inclusive. Atlanta is among only a handful of cities in the country to establish a full-time position that advises the Mayor and senior City Officials.

The City of Atlanta’s LGBTQ Affairs Coordinator, Malik Brown, will now serve as Director of LGBTQ Affairs. Brown will work with and advise the Mayor and City departments on policies, programs and initiatives affecting LGBTQ residents, City employees and visitors, including cultural humility training.

“Since taking office, our Administration has prioritized the well-being and advancement of Atlanta’s large and diverse LGBTQ community and municipal LGBTQ affairs,” said Mayor Bottoms. “By creating a Director-level LGBTQ Affairs position in the Mayor’s Office and continuing the work of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, we are creating institutional support for LGBTQ Atlantans.”

Mayor Bottoms also announced the latest members of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, composed of citywide LGBTQ civic leaders, influencers, and advocates. New members of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board represent many of the diverse voices in Atlanta’s LGBTQ community, including trans and non-binary people, LGBTQ people of color, healthcare professionals, straight allies, Jewish residents, and more. The Director of LGBTQ Affairs will serve as the City’s liaison to the Board.

The Bottoms administration has achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI) every year since taking office. Key LGBTQ-related accomplishments include providing the first-ever City allocation of funds to combat HIV, leveraging private funding for trans- housing, and creating City of Atlanta’s first-ever LGBTQ resource website. Most recently, Mayor Bottoms virtually hosted the first-ever Mayor’s LGBTQ Opportunity Fair which connected more than 800 people with affirming employers, offered vital LGBTQ community resources, and provided free trans-specific cultural humility training to over 20 of Atlanta’s leading employers.

https://www.atlantaga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/13491/672


About OUT Georgia Business Alliance

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OUT Georgia Business Alliance proudly serves as Georgia’s only LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce.

Since 1994, OUT Georgia Business Alliance (formerly the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) has served the LGBTQ+ and Allied business community by advocating for the most inclusive and equitable business environment; providing support and resources to fuel economic growth; and driving meaningful community connections and impact across the State of Georgia.

OUT Georgia Business Alliance is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., and is a proud affiliate of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. For more information, contact us at OUTGeorgia.org or info@OUTGeorgia.org.