CITY OF YONKERS SCORES PERFECT 100 ON MUNICIPAL EQUALITY INDEX FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Yonkers Rated as One of the Top U.S. Cities Exhibiting LGBTQ Inclusion in Municipal Law & Policy

YONKERS, NY – October 12, 2018 – The Human Rights Commission Foundation, in partnership with the Equality Federation Institute, this week released its sixth annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI), the only nationwide rating system of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law and policy, scoring the City of Yonkers with a perfect 100. Yonkers was one of four cities in New York to receive a perfect score and one of 78 nationally.

“Our administration works tirelessly toward full equality amongst our residents and employees,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “We are once again extremely proud to continually be part of the growing list of communities with a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index. Our rating reflects diversity as Yonkers’ greatest strength and the respect we have for one another, regardless of who you love.”

Yonkers was specifically recognized for its non-discrimination laws; municipal services; law enforcement and leadership of LGBTQ equality.  June 2018 marked the first time Yonkers hosted a pride festival, attracting hundreds of visitors and residents from the area.

Michael Sabatino, Yonkers City Council Majority Leader stated, “I am proud to know that Yonkers was one of 78 cities nationwide to score a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index.   We can attribute this to the hard work of Mayor Spano’s administration and the Mayor’s LGBTQ advisory board.   Yonkers is truly a diverse city where our residents are respected and embraced regardless of their ethnicity, religion or their sexual orientation.   We promote a safe environment that allows everyone to co-exist and creates an atmosphere that allows all to contribute to the betterment of the City of Yonkers. Our first pride festival was a huge success having been supported by the community at large.  Congratulations to all.”

The 2018 MEI reveals that cities across the nation are not waiting for their states to extend vital protections to the LGBTQ community, nor are they intimidated by some state elected officials threatening to deny cities the ability to extend fully-inclusive protections to their residents and workers. This year, 78 cities earned perfect scores for advancing fully-inclusive policies and practices — at a time when the nation has been seeing a record number of anti-LGBTQ measures proposed by state elected officials bent on promoting discrimination.