Georgia Equality Endorses Borders, Mitchell
Georgia Equality, the state’s largest LGBT advocacy group, announced Tuesday that it is endorsing Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders for mayor and Councilmember Ceasar Mitchell for council president.
Here is what Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham had to say in part about Borders:
Lisa Borders’ commitment to LGBT rights is part and parcel of who she is as an individual and as an Atlantan. Right now, the entire community, including LGBT Atlanta, is looking for a mayor who will make this city safe, and do so with integrity. When she is elected Atlanta Mayor, Lisa will use the office to advocate strongly for a state-wide hate-crimes law including sexual orientation and gender identify. Further, she has pledged to hire a new police chief who will be sensitive to LGBT civil rights and maintain an LGBT community liaison position within the Atlanta Police Department. Lisa Borders will bring change to the city’s police leadership and will make certain that the city’s public safety program is listening to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
Here is part of what Graham had to say about Mitchell:
Ceasar Mitchell is strongly committed to protecting existing domestic-partner benefits for Atlanta city employees, while also working proactively to urge the state Legislature to pass anti-bullying legislation.
According to her campaign Web site, Borders supported marriage equality, including gender identity in Georgia’s hate crime legislation and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Borders also worked with senior management to change Grady Health System’s non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation.
Mitchell, on his campaign Web site, said Atlanta “has room for improvement” when it comes to policies toward the transgender community.
Borders now has five endorsements: iMove, Women’s Campaign Forum, Atlanta Board of Realtors, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, and Georgia Equality.
Mitchell has two: Georgia Equality and the Atlanta North-Georgia Labor Council, which endorsed Kasim Reed for mayor.