Albuquerque Makes Significant Jump On National LGBTQ+ Report Card
ALBUQUERQUE – The City of Albuquerque has moved from a ‘B’ to an ‘A’ on a report card compiled by the national Human Rights Campaign that measures how well a city supports its LGBTQ+ community. The City earned a score of 91, up from 85 in 2019.
The 2020 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) Report rated more than 500 cities nationwide based on how inclusive municipal laws, policies and services are of LGBTQ+ people who live and work in those cities. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and the city leadership's public position on equality.
“We’re making Albuquerque more inclusive and more welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community on everything from hiring to standing up for basic civil rights,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “This year we made a big leap forward, but we will continue to push forward to strengthen our policies and fight discrimination against our LGBTQ+ community.”
The City saw the most progress made in the Municipality as an Employer section of the MEI. The City jumped 7 points in that category, receiving recognition for its non-discrimination laws, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, city contractor non-discrimination ordinance, and for having an inclusive workplace. The City received recognition for its city employee domestic partners benefits. The City additionally received points for its non-discrimination laws.
“Queer and Trans people, especially LGBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are faced with systemic violence across this country, including in Albuquerque,” said Marshall Martinez, interim executive director of Equality New Mexico. “Equality New Mexico is grateful that the City of Albuquerque is working to eliminate some of those systemic issues by ensuring that LGBTQ+ employees are protected, respected and valued because of their identities — not in spite of them. We are proud of Albuquerque and looking forward to working with Mayor Keller and his administration to keep dismantling those systems that are dangerous to our communities."
This is the second year in a row that the City has made a significant leap forward. Last year, the City received a score of 85, up from 74 in 2018. The Human Rights Campaign issued the first MEI report card in 2012. Since its first report it has served as a tool and guide for many cities to develop, share and sustain equitable and inclusive practices for the LGBTQ+ community.
"We can be proud of the progress we have made as an employer, making sure that all City employees have the rights and access to resources that we all deserve and we can learn from the Human Rights Campaign how we can do even better," said Michelle Melendez, Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion.
Albuquerque's MEI report card can be viewed here.
