Union County Launches First LGBTQ Office In New Jersey

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Union County is the first county in New Jersey to launch an LGBTQ office. It was launched as part of Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives.

Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Services will provide a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, and serve as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

“My commitment to the LGBTQ community, through a progressive directive working alongside my Freeholder colleagues has inspired us to establish the new Office of LGBTQ Services, charging the office with promoting equality, and advancing programs, resources and services to support LGBTQ individuals and their allies through inclusion and unity within our communities," Granados said.

The new LGBTQ office will work in collaboration with all county departments and in partnership with non-government ally and advocacy organizations to develop innovative strategies to help address the needs of the LGBTQ community on issues that include housing, education, health, public safety and community engagement.

Through the Union County Office of LGBTQ Services, the Freeholder Board will host community engagement events including the first Union County LGBTQ PRIDE flag raising ceremony to launch PRIDE Month and the second annual Union County Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic.

The Office will also facilitate access to resources, information and programs on LGBTQ awareness days, a resource directory of LGBTQ-friendly organizations and businesses, as well as a list of federal and state legislative decisions on LGBTQ issues, and other areas of interest to the LGBTQ community and its allies.

In February, the Office of LGBTQ Services will host a roundtable for organizations that serve the LGBTQ community to discuss programs, services, issues and priorities for 2018.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org.

(Image via Union County: Joining Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados (center left) and Freeholder Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski (left) and coordinator of the new Office of LGBTQ Service Danni Newbury (4th from right) with her wife Christina Wilson at the Union County Reorganization ceremony event on January 7 to support the announcement of the first county government Office of LGBTQ Services were representatives from Garden State Equality, CASA of Union County, Union County College’s Gay Straight Alliance, Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, Officer Timako Brooks (UC Sheriff’s Office LGBTQ liaison), as well as NJ LGBTQ activists Christopher Hillmann, Michael Spadoro and Joseph Forte - all ready to partner with the new LGBTQ office to support the LGBTQ community in Union County.)

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