Arlington County forms LGBTQ Advisory Committee
Arlington County’s newly formed LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting on Oct. 21. The committee will guide county leadership on LGBTQ issues and ensure representation of the community in local government.
Officially formed by Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz, the committee was developed in collaboration with Equality Arlington, a nonprofit LGBTQ advocacy organization. “We’re excited to see what the committee can do to help improve the county’s understanding of and services for the LGBTQ+ community,” Kellen MacBeth, the president and founder of Equality Arlington, said.
The committee was developed with Alexandria’s LGBTQ+ Task Force and the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs as references. The County Manager will appoint 15 members who are active in the LBGTQ community to two year terms.
According to the committee’s charter, it will “keep county and community leadership apprised of issues and actions regarding the needs of LGBTQ+ residents, make recommendations to ensure LGBTQ+ residents can thrive in the county, and work to increase understanding and support for the LGBTQ+ community.” The County Manager created the committee in response to a letter Equality Arlington sent to the Arlington County government in March that highlighted several areas where the county could improve its responsiveness to the needs of LGBTQ residents.
