Memphis City Council fails to provide LGBT-inclusive workplace protections for city employees

The Memphis City Council welcomes visitors to its home page with these words: 

Our Fellow Memphians: This is an exciting time to be a Memphian. Our city is on the move. Building on our heritage, working together, we've made great strides in recent years. From Downtown to Midtown to East Memphis, from Frayser to Whitehaven, Memphians share a pride in our past and a faith in our future.

The above words ring hollow after last night’s second reading of the Employment Non-Discrimination Ordinance (See Item #7 in this video). The ENDO fell one vote short of the seven needed due to the withdrawal of support from Chairman Harold Collins.

The ENDO appeared as the only item in the Council’s Consent Agenda for second reading. The vote occurred as follows:

Yes: Halbert, Strickland, Ford, Lowery, Fullilove, and Flinn.

No: Boyd, Conrad, Hedgepeth

Abstained: None

No vote recorded: Brown, Collins, Morrison

Suspended: Swearengen Ware

Chairman Harold Collins

 Collins’ reversal ensured that the ENDO cannot return to the council’s agenda for six months. Council Chairman Collins and Councilors Boyd, Conrad, Hedgepeth, Brown, Collins, and Morrison have essentially voted that discrimination against City employees based on SOGIE should remain legal in Memphis. They reached this conclusion before a Council-authorized study of discrimination in city employment based on SOGIE had even begun.

The media and other organizations often saddle Memphis with poor ratings for quality of life and business friendly environment indices. Forbes Magazine ranked Memphis #3 on its “America’s Most Miserable Cities” index. Just hours before the ENDO vote, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research ranked Memphis last among the state's 50 largest communities in a list of business-friendly cities. Rather than stem the tide of bad news, the Memphis City Council added yet another heavy yoke to the shoulders of Memphis.

Our City Government has made it official: inequality in the workplace is acceptable and legal. This message will resonate outside City Hall. The decision will affect employee recruitment and retention in City Hall and private businesses in Memphis. Who wants to live in a community that does not value diversity in its workforce and community?

Despite yesterday’s vote, the City of Memphis Department of Human Resources will complete a study of discrimination in employment in every division of the city to include mistreatment based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression (SOGIE). If the study is fairly designed and implemented, the results will shed light on the problem that many of our City Council members have chosen to ignore. How will they respond to internal employee data that demonstrates LGBT discrimination? We’ll have to wait at least 6 months to find out.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I am particularly grateful to everyone who wrote letters and emails, made phone calls, attended hearings, marched for equality, donated to the cause, and recruited more advocates in support of the ENDO.

I also encourage everyone to take a moment to give thanks for the equality advocates on the Memphis City Council who supported equality without fail: Janis Fullilove, Shea Flinn, Wanda Halbert, Jim Strickland, Edmund Ford, Jr., and Myron Lowery. Send them a message at this link.

It’s also appropriate to tell the remaining members of the Memphis City Council that you will remember their failure to support equality in Memphis.

The next six months will not be a vacation from equality activism in Memphis. In addition to ensuring that the city's discrimination study is conducted fairly, TEP (and TEP PAC) will be laying the groundwork to ensure that the Memphis City Council represents the mainstream values of equality that most cities our size already demonstrate. As we prepare, be ready to contribute your time, talent and treasure to advance equality in the political and electoral process. We must support equality advocates in our government and in next year's city government elections.

-Jonathan Cole, TEP Board Chair

TEP PAC announces endorsements in 2010 state legislative races

21 September 2010

For Immediate Release

Nashville- Tennessee Equality Project’s Political Action Committee, TEP PAC, has announced its 2010 General Assembly Candidate Endorsements*. Following the Primary Elections, TEP PAC reviewed legislative candidates’ records and policy positions for legislative districts throughout Tennessee. After careful deliberation, the following candidates were endorsed.

District 49- Representative Kent Coleman (D), Murfreesboro – part of Rutherford Co.

District 50- Representative Gary Moore (D), Joelton – part of Davidson Co.

District 51- Representative Mike Turner (D), Old Hickory – part of Davidson Co.

District 55- Representative Gary Odom (D), Nashville – part of Davidson Co.

District 59- Representative Sherry Jones (D), Nashville – part of Davidson Co.

District 60- Metro Councilman Sam Coleman (D), Antioch- part of Davidson Co.

District 85- Representative Johnnie Turner (D), Memphis – part of Shelby Co.

District 89- Representative Jeanne Richardson (D), Memphis – part of Shelby Co.

What does it mean when TEP PAC endorses a candidate? “The endorsement is a commitment to provide volunteers to work for campaigns- from phone banking to walking districts. TEP PAC will also assist in raising money for our endorsed candidates,” says Jenny Ford, TEP PAC chair. “These individuals stand behind our mission to promote equality for all, and we intend to do everything we can to get these candidates elected and in office to serve our state wisely and fairly,” Ford emphasizes. This is the second time the TEP PAC has endorsed candidates for the General Assembly.

If you would like to assist these candidates and TEP Steering Committees, please contact Chris Sanders at chris@tnequalityproject.com. To learn more about TEP PAC, along with TEP Foundation and TEP, please become our friend on Facebook and visit our website www.tnequalityproject.com .

*- The endorsements by TEP PAC do not necessarily reflect the position of Tennessee Equality Project’s Board or membership.

TEP-PAC announces endorsements for Shelby County Commission

TEP PAC is pleased to announce several endorsements for the Primary and General Elections for the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

These candidates have expressed a commitment to LGBT equality, and we need their voices on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

We encourage you to donate to and volunteer for these candidates and to vote for them if you live in their district. Click on the links on the following candidates’ names to learn more about their campaigns.

Shelby County Commission District 2, Position 3:

Both Reginald Milton and Norman Lester responded well to TEP-PAC's survey, but Reginald Milton won TEP-PAC's endorsement in the Democratic Primary and General Election. Contact Campaign Coordinator Tarrin McGee at 901-517-2870 to request a yard sign or volunteer to phone bank or canvass for Reginald Milton. Make a donation to Milton's campaign on his website (http://www.votereginaldmilton.com/) or make it in person at the March 25th fundraising party from 6-8 PM (see Evite and on on Facebook).

Shelby County Commission District 3, Position 1:

Support and vote to re-elect incumbent James Harvey in the Democratic Primary and General Election. To volunteer for Harvey's campaign contact him at CommHarvey@yahoo.com or 901-590-2348. Campaign donations may be mailed to 4118 South Plaza Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116.

Shelby County Commission District 3, Position 3:

Support incumbent Edith Moore in the Democratic Primary and General Election. You can assist Commissioner Moore's campaign by volunteering to canvass, phone bank, or hold a meet and greet for the candidate in your home. Contact Campaign Manager Ester Moore at 901-219-9109 or on web. Visit Commissioner Moore's website to learn more about her or make a donation to her campaign: edithamoore.com.

Shelby County Commission District 5:

Support and vote to re-elect incumbent Steve Mulroy in the Democratic Primary and General Election. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Savanah at 901-487-0344 to request a yard sign or volunteer to canvass or phone bank for Steve Mulroy. Visit Mulroy's website at http://www.mulroy4dist5.com/ to learn more about his positions on the issues and make a donation in support of his campaign.

Voting Information:

Early voting begins on April 14 and ends on April 29. May 4 is election day. For detailed information about early and election day voting locations and times, click here.

Let’s make sure we have strong allies on the Shelby County Commission.

TEP PAC is a state political action committee registered in Tennessee. Joyce Peacock, Treasurer. The endorsements of TEP PAC do not necessarily reflect the views of the board of the Tennessee Equality Project.

TEP PAC endorses Steve Mulroy for Shelby County Commission

TEP PAC is pleased to announce that we endorse Steve Mulroy in the Democratic Primary for the District 5 Shelby County Commission seat and we urge you to support his campaign and vote for him if you live in this district.

Mulroy is a strong LGBT equality advocate with a record of achievement. As sponsor of the Shelby County Non-Discrimination Ordinance in 2009, he opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We need Steve's voice to remain on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

Steve’s desire, his passion to make things right for all is powerful. His tenacity in ensuring passage of the LGBT non-discrimination resolution in the County Commission was inspiring, and it is an honor to join the growing list of organizations endorsing Commissioner Mulroy. Tennessee Equality Project knows Steve “gets it” and he gets it done.

Voting Information: Early voting begins on April 14 and ends on April 29. May 4 is election day. For detailed information about early and election day voting locations and times, click here.

How to Help: Attend Mulroy's Campaign Kickoff and Headquarters Grand Opening on Saturday, March 20 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at 4661 Knight Arnold (in shopping plaza at Perkins & Knight Arnold). Burgers, dogs, and karaoke with Myron Lowery and Edmund Ford Jr.

We encourage you to donate to Steve's campaign here and to volunteer for campaign office work, canvassing and phone banking. Call (901-301-3306) or email (JonathanTN@juno.com) Jonathan Cole for more information.

Let’s keep a strong ally on the Shelby County Commission. Please support Steve Mulroy in the District 5 Democratic Primary election.

Jenny Ford
TEP PAC Chair

TEP PAC is a state political action committee registered in Tennessee. Joyce Peacock, Treasurer. The endorsements of TEP PAC do not necessarily reflect the views of the board of the Tennessee Equality Project.

Endorsement of David Glasgow in Metro District 18: Full text

The news has already broken at Out & About and at the Tennessean, and picked up by Mr. Kleinheider, but here is the full text of TEP PAC's endorsement of David Glasgow from TEP PAC Chair Jenny Ford:

On Tuesday in the presence of the statewide community gathered for the 5^th annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill, I had the pleasure of announcing that TEP PAC has endorsed David Glasgow for the open Metro Nashville Council seat in District 18.

David is a strong neighborhood advocate, a quality prized highly by the people of District 18. Also impressive is how hard David has worked in this campaign. David has knocked on countless doors and, according to the first financial disclosure, he is the leading candidate in fundraising with an impressive number of local contributors. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to put in the time needed to serve his neighbors, and the residents of his district are responding enthusiastically.

David is the third openly gay candidate that TEP PAC has endorsed. In 2007, we endorsed Shane Burkett for Metro Council District 12 as well as Keith Durbin, who served as the District 18 Council Member. David has expressed a strong commitment to equality that stems not only from his personal story, but from his desire to represent one of the most progressive areas of the State. He understands that there is not a separation between the task of serving all his constituents and advancing equality. For these reasons, he has received our endorsement.

We would also like to acknowledge the clear commitment to equality articulated by candidates John Ray Clemmons, Stephenie Dodson, and Kristine LaLonde. In particular, we are grateful for the longstanding and active work for equality exhibited by Kristine LaLonde. It is obvious that District 18 is fortunate to have so many good candidates running for this seat.

If you live in District 18, we ask you to vote for David. We ask the entire statewide community to support him in his bid for Metro Council. You can find out how by clicking here http://www.glasgow18.com/contribute/ . If you live in Nashville, we ask you to consider volunteering in the campaign. Learn more by clicking here http://www.glasgow18.com/volunteer/ .

Let’s all do our part to help David get elected.

Yours,

Jenny Ford

Chair, TEP PAC

State and Municipal Endorsements for November 4, 2008

Early voting has begun in Tennessee. If you live in Memphis, I encourage you to support TEP PAC's endorsements for the November 4, 2008 election.

I believe the following candidates are strong equality advocates and urge you to cast your vote for them if you live their districts:

Paul Shaffer
Memphis City Council Super District 9, Position 1

Representative Jeanne Richardson (D)
Tennessee State House District 89

Representative Mike Kernell (D)
Tennessee State House District 93

Senator Beverly Marrero (D)
Tennessee State Senate District 30

Early voting for the Nov. 4 General Election begins Oct. 15 and runs weekdays and Saturdays through Oct. 30. There will be 18 satellite voting centers including the Shelby County Election Commission, churches and community centers throughout Shelby County. For a list of locations, call (901) 545-4125, then press 4, or go to the Shelby County Election Commission.

TEP PAC is a State political action committee registered in Tennessee. Joyce Peacock, Treasurer. The endorsements of TEP PAC do not necessarily reflect the views of the board of the Tennessee Equality Project.

A chorus of endorsements for Paul Shaffer

The endorsements for Paul Shaffer to fill the Super District 9 Position 1 seat on the Memphis City Council vacated by Scott McCormick are piling up.

The editorial board of the Commercial Appeal, Congressman Steve Cohen, and Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton join TEP-PAC in recommending him to voters.

FUNDRAISER UPDATE FROM THE SHAFFER CAMPAIGN:

Paul Shaffer for City Council
1899 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN. 38104

October 10, 2008

Dear Friend,

On Tuesday, October 21st from 5:00- 7:30, we are hosting a fundraiser reception for Paul Shaffer, candidate for Memphis City Council, At-Large, District 9-1 at Just for Lunch, 3092 Poplar (Chickasaw Oaks Plaza-just east of the Memphis Public Library). We hope you will attend, and contribute $100, or more (made payable to Paul Shaffer for City Council). You can also mail your check to Paul Shaffer, 1899 Jefferson, Memphis 38104.

Many of you may know Paul as the business manager of the IBEW Local 474 where he oversees over two million dollars in revenue annually. As the business manager, Paul has broad experience in the functions of government, as well as private industry. He has worked to bring jobs, train workers, negotiate and build consensus on economic and other issues with both labor and business leaders and elected officials. As a Memphis City Councilman, he will work to bring more major industry to Memphis.

Paul has been married for 36 years to Madaline Crossley Shaffer. He advocates for better public schools, and his three (now adult) children all graduated from the Memphis City Schools (White Station). Paul supports neighborhood revitalization, and has lived in different areas of the city. He has taught Sunday school and been a youth group leader for the United Methodist Church.

Paul volunteered his services as an electrician for the needy, and helped Habitat for Humanity, and MIFA Meals on Wheels. He is a member in the Wolf River Conservancy. Paul served as a scoutmaster for the boys scouts, and was honored with the George Meany Scouting Award and the Kiwanis Club Joe Fuso Youth Service Award.

We hope you will join us in supporting Paul Shaffer, who has a proven track record of building coalitions to make Memphis better.

David Cocke
Carol Chumney
Commissioner Steve Mulroy
Regina Morrison Newman
Former State Rep. Mary Wilder
David Upton
Dr. Joe & Midge Weinberg

TEP PAC endorses Paul Shaffer for Memphis City Council Super District 9, Position 1

TEP PAC has endorsed Paul Shaffer for Memphis City Council Super District 9, Position 1. The winner of this special election will finish the term of Scott McCormick who resigned in late summer.

Mr. Shaffer will be a strong equality advocate on the Council. TEP PAC urges you to cast your vote for him if you live in his district.

If you would like to make a contribution to Mr. Shaffer's campaign or volunteer, go to http://www.shafferformemphis.com/ . Let's work together to put another friend of our community on the Council so we can get closer to passing a nondiscrimination ordinance.

TEP PAC is a registered political action committee in Tennessee. Joyce Peacock, treasurer. The endorsements of TEP PAC do not necessarily reflect the views of the board of the Tennessee Equality Project.

TEP PAC endorses Mike Kernell in the General

From TEP PAC chair Jenny Ford's announcement:

I am pleased to announce that TEP PAC has endorsed Rep. Mike Kernell (D-Memphis) in his reelection bid for House District 93. He faces Republican challenger Tim Cook in the General Election on November 4.

If you live in District 93, we urge you to vote for Mike Kernell. Rep. Kernell has already proven himself an equality advocate by sponsoring one of the birth certificate bills in the House of Representatives this year. He is a trusted friend to our community.

TEP PAC had endorsed Rep. Kernell (D-Memphis) in the primary and has reaffirmed that stand today with an endorsement in his General Election bid.

TEP-PAC endorses Stewart and Richardson in first round

Here is the statement that will go out tomorrow about TEP-PAC's first endorsements in State House and Senate races.

This year's legislative races are important for the future of Tennessee's LGBT community. Today we announce our first endorsements for the Tennessee House of Representatives.

District 52 includes more people on our contact list than any other district in the state. As you would expect, issues important to our community are important to the candidates. In the Democratic primary, TEP-PAC endorses Mike Stewart. Mr. Stewart has shown his commitment to equality in his responses to questions about policy as well as his consistent outreach to our community. His opponent Eric Stansell has also shown a true commitment to issues of equality in response to questions about policy. We thank the candidates for their clear support. If you would like to help Mike Stewart's campaign, go to http://electmikestewart.org.

In District 89, we again endorse Rep. Jeanne Richardson (D-Memphis). She is running unopposed, but we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge her strong defense of our community in the preceding legislative session. We are grateful for her leadership.

Yours,
Jenny Ford
Chair, TEP-PAC

TEP-PAC is a state political action committee registered in Tennessee. Joyce Peacock, treasurer. The endorsements of TEP-PAC do not necessarily reflect the views of the board of the Tennessee Equality Project.

Holding the line another year

The 105th Tennessee General Assembly has adjourned for the year. The state's GLBT community is perhaps not the most relieved of all constituencies, but we're certainly not the least. For us, the session began, not in January, but in October 2007 when Attorney General Bob Cooper gave the opinion that there is no legal barrier to same-sex couples adopting. Some legislators immediately gave notice that they would attempt to ban same-sex adoption in 2008.

Instead, what we got was SB3910/HB3713 , which sought to ban all unmarried cohabiting couples (straight and gay) from adopting. Thankfully, this fiscal note of more than $4.5 Million in impact to the state appeared. In a tight budget year, a revelation like that began the bill's death march. But we think opposition to the substance of the bill also mattered. Our webmaster just told me today that members of the Tennessee Equality Project sent almost 13,000 emails through our system to legislators this session. We know that one of our allies generated at least 2000 emails on the adoption bill alone. So the level of citizen contact with lawmakers on GLBT issues spiked this year.

Of course, there was also SB3733/HB2997. No doubt many consituencies have a piece of legislation that they call the "Campfield bill." This one was ours. It attempted to prohibit discussion of any sexuality other than heterosexuality in grades K-8 of our public schools. After unconvincing attempts to prove that homosexuality is part of the state mandated curriculum in these grades (proving that it is sometimes part of curriculum used to train teachers is not the same thing as proving it is part of the curriculum from which children are instructed!) and an unfortunate incident in which the House K-12 subcommittee chair failed to take a roll call vote, the bill meandered into the oblivion of study by the Department of Education from which it hasn't reemerged. Some seemed outraged about the lack of roll call vote. For us, the most significant issue was not whether he had received his roll call vote, but rather the sad state of discourse about GLBT people in Tennessee. But it's up to us to improve that. So on it goes.

No anti-GLBT bill has been adopted by the General Assembly since 2005 when the marriage amendment passed both houses for a second time to head to the ballot where the voters approved it in 2006. There have been various attempts to pass bans on adoption, foster care, civil unions, and so on. Nothing has gone very far. At the same time, the few pieces of positive legislation that we have worked on have fizzled as well. It's a bit of stalemate.

We're already getting started on next year. TEP-PAC held a small fundraising reception last night. We hope to play a larger role in legislative races this summer and fall than we have before. That will be a critical piece in shifting from fighting negative legislation to advancing positive legislation.