A local LGBT nonprofit is among 10 organizations involved in a citywide initiative to protect Philadelphia’s most vulnerable residents.
Mazzoni Center, an LGBT health and wellness agency, will partner with other nonprofit legal-aid organizations for Take Action Philly (TAP). TAP will unite lawyers, government officials, community organizations and residents for an ongoing conversation about civil liberties in the nation’s new political reality.
“Acting together, we can design solutions that can truly make a difference in the lives of many,” Philadelphia Chancellor Deborah R. Gross said in a statement. “Join us and take action to be part of our community’s response to state and federal policy decisions.”
The groups will convene in ongoing conversations about how to best serve the community. TAP’s first discussion on Feb. 24 in Millennium Hall at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel focused on immigration, President Donald Trump’s executive order banning refugees from seven countries and legislation to defund “sanctuary cities” such as Philadelphia.
Thomas W. Ude, Jr., Mazzoni’s legal and public policy director, noted that issues like immigration intersect with the LGBT community.
“Issues like immigration and the way that government interacts with its citizens impact LGBT people,” Ude said. “LGBT people are part of every other community that is being targeted.”
Ude said he expects LGBT-specific issues will be at the forefront of future TAP discussions. He mentioned the potential for a “religious-freedom” executive order from Trump’s administration that could allow businesses and organizations to refuse services to LGBT individuals.
“There have been drafts circulating about a religious-exemption memo that would impact people who are LGBTQ,” Ude said. “That’s one that we’re certainly on the lookout for as an issue that would be important for people to be aware of and to address.”
Ude said he would like to hear recommendations from the LGBT community on other topics TAP could address.
“I’m certainly open to and eager for suggestions that anyone is seeing emerging that could benefit from this type of approach,” Ude said.
Other partnering organizations include the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, American Immigration Lawyers Association, the City of Philadelphia and its Office of Immigrant Affairs, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Nationalities Service Center, Philadelphia Bar Association and Public Interest Law Center.