Cincinnati City Council appointed 12 members to the state’s first LGBTQIA+ commission on March 26.
The commission will serve on a volunteer basis, advising council members on policies and measures that could affect the LGBTQIA+ community.
The idea for this commission began in June 2024 after former council member Reggie Harris left his position.
Storm Boyd, who worked with Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney to establish the LGBTQIA+ Commission, introduced the idea during public comment at a council meeting last summer.
“We’ve always had a member of the LGBTQ community on council for the past, like, 16 years,” Boyd said. “So it got me thinking.”
Boyd said representation for the community is not guaranteed.
He researched similar commissions in other cities, including Baltimore, Orlando, Florida and Kansas City.
“I reached out just to inquire about how it works and get the ball rolling,” Boyd said.
On March 5, the Cincinnati City Council approved the creation of the commission in a unanimous vote.
“Cincinnati is the first city in the state of Ohio to have a city commission to advise council on issues of importance and policies to consider,” Kearney said before the vote.
The appointed members include former Councilman Harris, Boyd, Carson Hartlage, Jeniece Jones, Joshua Petty Kayes, Sarah Pickle, Jeremy Jay Phillippi, Karen Morgan, Delia Sosa, Jeremy Tyler, Jonah Yokoyama and Nicha Zingarelli.
Boyd said the advisory commission will bring a robust, experienced roster of individuals, including the presidents of the Cincinnati Gay Pride Parade and Black Pride, owners of queer businesses and nonprofit leaders.
“It’s fully encompassing,” he said. “I’m very excited to see what we can all build together.”
Kearney said she was excited to make history. Boyd spoke to the council in June, telling them they had inspired the city of Columbus to begin the process of creating its own commission, he told the council Wednesday.
“This is really historic,” Kearney said after the members were approved. “I’m really just proud that Cincinnati has moved forward like this.”
Boyd said that given the political climate in Ohio, having an official seat at the table is significant and will help the community feel safer.
“Ohio is no friend to our community,” Boyd said of Ohio’s current political climate. “But that’s what makes it really a good opportunity.”
Boyd said the commission will meet in April to set its first agenda.
One of his top priorities is preserving safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“One big thing I’ve noticed is that we’re losing social spaces,” Boyd said, listing several queer venues that had closed recently. “We’re losing space here.”
He said that Cincinnati needed to increase it’s safe social spaces for his community. He said many people look to Chicago as a regional LGBTQ+ destination.
“We’re underperforming in areas like that,” Boyd said.