MAYOR’S TASK FORCE ON LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER+ (LGBTQ+)

As one of the most diverse cities in the country, the City of Jersey City aims to provide equal opportunity to all of its diverse employees, residents, and businesses.

In support of this aim, on April 26, 2013, the City of Jersey City’s Mayor’s Taskforce on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ Equality, together with other City officials, held a meeting with the Legislative Counsel for State and Municipal Advocacy of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). The HRC is the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for LGBTQ+ individuals. This meeting demonstrated the City’s continued partnership in the advancement of Jersey City’s LGBTQ+ related programs.

Our mission is to promote & practice equality, respect & inclusiveness for LGBTQ+ employees, residents, businesses & organizations.

Our vision is for workplace & community of equality, respect, & inclusiveness.

2024 4TH ANNUAL RE-PAINTING OF PROGRESSIVE PRIDE FLAG CROSSWALK

Mayor Steve Fulop’s LGBTQ+ Taskforce faced hot weather on July 17th hosting day-long activities: program ceremony held in the Municipal Council Chambers, Pride crosswalk re-painting by volunteers between Mercer and Grove Street and table vendors/participants line-up outside City Hall building with important information and giveaways regarding free services.

Entitled “Unity,” the Pride Flag crosswalk was originally painted in 2021 and became an annual community event, providing opportunity to build or strengthen alliances and foster diversity, equality and inclusion regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The program ceremony was filled with gratitude, including presentations of City and State proclamations, citations and certificates of appreciation recognizing the significant contributions of residents, employees and varied establishments and their impact to the LGBTQ+ community.
Senator RAJ MUKHERJI, Assemblywoman BARBARA MCCANN STAMATO, Councilwoman MIRA PRINZ-AREY, Councilman JAMES SOLOMON and Chief Taskforce Administrative Coordinator JEANA ABUAN honored the life and legacy of CHRISTOPHER ENGLESE, former Chair of Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Taskforce Committee on Clinical & Social Services in the presence of his parents, MAGGIE and LENNY ENGLESE; siblings, JASON AND JESSICA (Hablitz), nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Other parts of the program recognized CHEF ALEJANDRO FERRER, owner of CAVANY FOODS, the first LGBTQ+ owned-business enterprise certified in New Jersey; recognitions of JC prominent LGBTQ+ leaders: co-producers EDUARDO BAEZ and JOSEPH CAMERON of JC Pride and executive director ELIZABETH SCHEDL of Hudson Pride Center; recognition of MIGDALIA PAGAN-MILANO as Taskforce Committee Chair of Outreach and Public Relations and, recognitions of MAYOR’S LGBTQ+ TASKFORCE LIAISONS, CITY EMPLOYEES, DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS, TABLE VENDORS AND PAINTERS for their time, talent, commitment and support to the mission and goals of the Taskforce.

Transformative dance rendition by FOR THE FAME, fantastic hosting of the second half of the program by CHACHA BOI LUNA and the warmth engagement of the public throughout the day contributed to the vibrancy of the event.

MAYOR FULOP thanked everyone for their participation in this important initiative as Jersey City continues to lead the way on creating an inclusive and equitable city.

See or download the PROGRAM

4th ANNUAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY

March 28, 2024

Recognizing 2 Distinguished Transwomen who made an Impact in our Community
Gabriella Gomez and Dr. Roxanne Raquel A. Cajigas

 

 

Fulop Administration Earns Perfect Score for Leadership’s Efforts in Equality & LGBTQ+ Rights for 11th Consecutive Year

Jersey City Earns 100/100 in Nationwide Evaluation of LGBTQ+ Policies and Services
by the Human Rights Campaign

 JERSEY CITY, NJ – For the 11th consecutive year, Mayor Steven M. Fulop is proud to announce Jersey City has, once again, earned a perfect score from the nationwide 2023 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI), citing the administrative efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming community where every LGBTQ+ residents, employee, and visitor can thrive.

“To achieve a perfect score in LGBTQ+ rights 11 years in a row is a testament to our unwavering dedication towards establishing equality for all,” said Mayor Fulop. “Every person deserves equal rights and equal opportunity, and as one of the most diverse cities in the nation, Jersey City is proudly leading by example.”

MEI is the only nationwide evaluation of LGBTQ+ equality regarding municipal policies, laws, and services in over 500 cities. As a result of the Fulop Administration’s decisive steps to safeguard our large LGBTQ+ community, Jersey City earned a final score of 100 out of 100 in all 5 categories:

• Non-Discrimination Laws
• Municipality as Employer
• Municipal Services
• Law Enforcement
• Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality

Mayor Fulop has long supported LGBTQ+ rights. He even became a public advocate for marriage equality well before it became legal. In 2013, just 3 months into the Fulop Administration, Jersey City became one of the first in New Jersey to issue licenses and perform same-sex weddings. Just last month, Jersey City celebrated 10 years of marriage equality.

To take the City’s equality efforts a step further, the Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Task Force was established in 2014 to ensure equal opportunity for our diverse population, workforce, and business sector. The following year, Mayor Fulop announced the City’s first-ever transgender-related healthcare coverage.

The annual Pride event and other important initiatives have catapulted Jersey City to the top of most gay-friendly lists, consistently outranking places such as New York City and San Francisco. Earlier this year, the award-winning documentary “Strength through Visibility” was released to mark 20 years of Pride in Jersey City.

“No other Mayor or public official has committed to promoting equality and LGBTQ+ rights as much as Mayor Fulop has over the past decade, and it is felt beyond our LGBTQ+ community to encourage inclusivity among people of all races, religions, socioeconomic status, and so on,” added Jeana Abuan, Coordinator for the Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Task Force. “Our task force works in close collaboration with our community partners for the continued advancement of vital LGBTQ+ programs and equality initiatives.”

The MEI examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are for LGBTQ+ people who live and work there. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.

“Even when anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in state capitals are working to undermine their progress, mayors and city councilmembers keep fighting to make sure that LGBTQ+ people in their communities - especially trans people - are supported and lifted up to the fullest extent possible. This year’s Municipal Equality Index shows the results of their dedication while acknowledging the increasingly hostile environment in which they must govern,” Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement with the release of the MEI results.

The full MEI report is available online at www.hrc.org/mei.

JERSEY CITY CELEBRATES A DECADE OF MARRIAGE EQUITY 

Mayor Fulop has supported marriage equality long before it became legal in New Jersey. As Jersey City Mayor, he joined the group "Mayors for Freedom to Marry" by signing a pledge immediately upon assuming office in 2013. Together with other mayors across the state, he urged the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the freedom to marry for all and signed a "friend-of-the-court brief."

On October 21, 2013, Jersey City was one of the first to issue licenses and perform same sex weddings in New Jersey. To date, same-sex marriage continues to be conducted at Jersey City municipal facilities by statutorily authorized municipal officials.

READ THE 2013 PRESS RELEASE

2022 EVENTS

The LGBTQ+ Taskforce was involved in numerous city-wide events to promote the LGBTQ+ community.

The annual Pride event is where we make the biggest splash, starting at City Hall and making our way to the Newark  Ave. Pedestrian Walkway in a lively, colorful and joyful parade we celebrate how far we've come. 






Members of the LGBTQ+ Taskforce take the stage with friends and supporters at the annual August Pride event. 







A few days before the event, everyone pitches in to paint the town rainbow on Grove Street in front of City Hall, including the Mayor. 

LGBTQ+ QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVES

• Jersey City has received the highest score in the State of New Jersey from the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index since its inception in 2012 and received a perfect score of 100 points from HRC for eight (8) years in a row (2013 - 2020).
• Jersey City was ranked 8th among the top ten LGBTQ+ Friendly cities nationwide in 2014 by Nerdwallet.com
• Jersey City was ranked among the Top 10 Affordable Gay friendly neighborhoods by CNNMoney.com
• Jersey City was named the Queerest City in America by the Advocate Magazine
• The Office of the Mayor, The Office of the City Council, The Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs and the Jersey City Police Department were recipients of Hudson Pride Council’s Vital Voice Award for their service to the LGBTQ+ community.
• Jersey City is home to two bars/restaurant geared towards the LGBTQ+ community, with a third slated for this year
• Jersey City co-sponsors Annual LGBTQ Pride Diversity Festival and Annual Raising of LGBTQ+ Pride Rainbow Flag at City Hall.

CIVIL RIGHTS INITIATIVES

• The Mayor and Municipal Council have annually issued Proclamations and Resolutions in support and recognition of LGBTQ+ Equality and Pride.
• Mayor Fulop has supported marriage equality long before it became legal in New Jersey and joined the group Mayors for Marriage by signing a pledge immediately upon assuming office in 2013.
• Same-sex marriages are performed at municipal facilities by statutorily authorized municipal officials.
• The City of Jersey City ensures equal employment rights regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity and offers equal Health& Pension Benefits for married LGBTQ+ employees and their spouses and also for LGBTQ+ municipal employees pursuant to the Domestic Partnership Act and the Civil Union Act.
• The Mayor’s Executive Order 2016-011 created a Diversity and Inclusion Board consisting of twelve (12) members , two (2) of which from the LGBT community, to advise the City on methods to eradicate and remediate discrimination, violence and economic disparities affecting the City’s historically underrepresented constituencies, including LGBTQ+ and to further advise on policies to ensure equal access to education, employment and economic opportunity as well on programming to foster cultural awareness of the City’s many diverse communities.
• The Mayor’s Executive Order 2017-005 established gender inclusivity in all municipal bathroom facilities owned and maintained by the City.
• The Jersey City Police Department is the first Police Department in the state to establish an LGBTQ+ Police Liaison Officer.
• The Office of the Mayor has a designated LGBTQ+ Community Liaison who also serves as the Mayor’s representative on the Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Task Force.
• The City of Jersey City coordinates with local community businesses in fundraisers and hosting events involving non-profit LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations that promote diversity and acceptance through education and awareness, such as The Matthew Shepard Foundation, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Lambda Legal of NJ, CondomNation and Garden State Equality.
• Jersey City holds year-round training for all employees on Sensitivity, Diversity and Inclusion, Anti-Discrimination/Harassment and Workplace Inclusion, with specific focuses on LGBTQ+ topics, and promotes school district-wide Anti-Bullying and Youth Prevention Bullying policies and training.
• Jersey City actively recruits LGBTQ+ individuals to serve within municipal agencies such as the JC police and fire departments.

LGBTQ+ SOCIAL SERVICE INITIATIVES

• Partners with Jersey City-based Hudson Pride Center on various social service initiatives, including their Community Outreach Events, HIV Testing/Counseling Activities and LGBTQ+ Youth and Senior Programs
• Promotes additional equality awareness efforts by partnering with other NJ-based LGBTQ+ organizations such as the African-American Office of Gay Concerns, NJ Lambda Legal and Garden State Equality.
• The JC Department of Health & Human Services' Division of Health promotes the Mayor's AIDS Task Force which continues to provide HIV education, awareness and testing as well as treatment services and referrals.
• Jersey City also receives federal funding via Hudson County to assist people living with HIV/AIDS with their housing needs through the Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA) program.