By virtue of the authority vested in the United States of America, Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Code of Laws, and the Richmond City Charter, the Mayor of Richmond and Richmond City Council, the governing legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia in The United States of America, do hereby and officially proclaim on behalf of:

Richmond LGBTQ+ Friendly Community

Whereas, Richmond City Council, the governing legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia, and the Mayor of Richmond, in the United States of America, do hereby unite in solidarity and common purpose to recognize, honor, and celebrate the diversity, shared humanity, and civil rights of our LGBTQ+ community; and

Whereas, Each of us should be able to love who we love without the fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence, or exclusion based on gender identity or sexual orientation; and

Whereas, Richmond has an extensive and rich queer history and proudly includes people of all ages, races, and ethnicities who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, and beyond - who deserve the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities shared and enjoyed by all; and

Whereas, Leading the nation, in 1991 the nonprofit Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth (ROSMY), now known as Side by Side, was established as one of the first dedicated LGBTQ+ youth support organizations in our country, and Richmond is now home to a full prism of LGBTQ+ groups; and

Whereas, Richmond is a leader in supporting its LGBTQ+ community by establishing non-discrimination laws, hiring a LGBTQ+ Liaison, forming a Human Rights Commission, expanding transgender-inclusive care for city employees, and recognizing same sex marriages from other states for city government employee spousal benefits; and

Whereas, In 2011, Richmond was one of the earliest cities in Virginia and the South to proclaim a city LGBTQ+ Pride Month (Richmond LGBTQ+ Pride Month), and in 2013 the first to proclaim Richmond LGBTQ+ Pride Day (first held in 1979) and Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance; and

Whereas, On October 6, 2014, Richmond hosted the first legal gay marriage in the South; and

Whereas, Leading the state, in 2018, Richmond hosted Virginia's first official Black Pride event, Black Pride RVA, produced by UGRC on behalf of the BI-POC LGBTQ+ community and, in 2019, the first celebration of Virginia's Hispanic LGBTQ+ community, Viva RVA!, held by Diversity Richmond; and

Whereas, Over the past decade and a half, Richmond has recognized, embraced, and honored local Richmond LGBTQ+ trailblazers, advocates, and celebrities, such as Guy Kinman, Jr., Rodney Lofton, Donnie Corker, and Judge Tracy Thorne-Begland; and

Whereas, Richmond's many years of advancement and advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights has earned it a rare perfect annual score since 2020, of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index; and

Whereas, Richmond has served as a stalwart LGBTQ+ ally by creating the first citywide Equity Agenda, raising the Progress Flag at Richmond City Hall, supporting state legislation such as the 2020 Virginia Values Act, LGBTQ+ Rainbow crosswalks, and ensuring protection of LGBTQ+ people in Richmond and beyond;

Now, Therefore, Richmond City Council and Mayor Danny Avula do herby proclaim and establish the City of Richmond as an official Richmond LGBTQ+ Friendly Community, in perpetuity; declare Richmond a safe place for LGBTQ+ people to live their lives freely, openly, authentically, and protected from harm; and bring this to the attention of all Richmond residents in honoring our thriving inclusive community.

Signed,

The Honorable Danny Avula, Mayor
The Honorable Cynthia I. Newbille, Council President
The Honorable Katherine L. Jordan, Council Vice President