FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Erica Riggins, Public Information Officer Erica.Riggins@stpete.org, (o) 727-892-5896, (c) 727-270-2670

Contact: Jim Nixon, Director, St Pete Service Center & LGBTQ Liaison Jim.Nixon@stpete.org, (o) 727-893-7879

CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG RECEIVES PERFECT SCORE ON HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN'S MUNICIPAL EQUALITY INDEX FOR NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (November 30, 2022) - For the ninth year in a row, the City of St. Petersburg has scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI) - the only nationwide assessment of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law, policy and services. The 2022 MEI evaluates 506 cities on how inclusive cities' laws, policies, and services are of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people.

"In my first year as mayor, I am proud to be leading a city where intentional inclusivity guides our work," said Mayor Ken Welch.  "After nine years of a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index, it could be easy for St. Petersburg to become complacent. Rather, it is motivation for the City to explore more ways in which our LGBTQ+ community can be supported, promoted and valued.  I appreciate the Human Rights Campaign for holding municipalities accountable, and I especially thank the City's LGBTQ Liaison Jim Nixon for leading the charge in ensuring that St. Petersburg remains so."

"St. Petersburg works hard to preserve the inclusive, welcoming city we have become over the last nine years with a perfect score," said Jim Nixon, the City's LGBTQ Liaison.  "Under the leadership of Mayor Welch, our city continues to make inclusivity and equity part of this administration's principles. In the face of Anti-LGBTQ legislation, cities must continue to work towards achieving these benchmarks provided through the HRC Municipal Equality Index. Even if municipalities do not reach 100, this road map of municipal policies and outreach has proven to make Florida cities more inclusive and equitable and have improved the quality of life for all its citizens."

For more information on the HRC's MEI, visit www.hrc.org/mei.

For more information on the City's LGBTQ commitment, visit www.stpete.org/lgbt.