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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner creates LGBT Advisory Board

HOUSTON – Mayor Sylvester Turner has created an LGBT Advisory Board of 49 people, in a symbolic nod to the 49 victims in the Orlando shooting.

The board consists of a diverse group to represent Houston's LGBT community.

The racial makeup of the board is 21 Anglos, 12 African Americans, 13 Hispanics and three Asians. There are 26 gays, 13 lesbians, eight transgender people including two intersex, one bisexual and one parent of a transgender child. The gender breakdown is 21 females and 28 males.

“It was important to me to make this announcement before the end of Pride Month,” said Mayor Turner. "However, let me be clear, our support for the LGBT community is not ending. We are standing with Orlando today and we will be standing with them tomorrow. In Houston, we fight hate with love and inclusion. There is much work to be done and I can’t wait to get going.”

The board will serve as a link between the mayor's office and the LGBT community, providing advice and recommendations on relevant issues.

Due to the board’s size, the mayor says there will be a committee structure. The board chair and co-chair are Lou Weaver and Melanie Pang, respectively.

Weaver is with Equality Texas and Pang works for the Salvation Army.

Below is the list of other board members:
Kristen Capps
AJ Mistretta   
Alan Dettlaff 
Ashton Woods
Aurora Harris 
Barry Mandel 
Becca Keo-Meier       
Brad Pritchett 
Brandon Mack
Brandon Wilke          
Chris Busby   
Crystal Solares-Bockmon      
Dee Dee Watters                    
Dennis Beedon          
Eesha Pandit              
Erika Richie               
Felix Perez     
Fran Watson              
Frances Valdez
Harrison Guy             
Isabel Longoria          
Januari Leo    
Jeffry Faircloth                      
Juan Lerma    
Kent Loftin    
Kevin Nix      
Koomah                                 
Lily Pando (15-year-old who will serve as an honorary member)
Lura Groen    
Maria González         
Mark Chupik 
Maximo Cortez                      
Mike Webb    
Monica Roberts
Paul Guillory 
R. Aaron Flores         
Renita Cooksey         
Ricardo Rodriguez     
Richard Lapin            
Ron Goines 
Ryan Leach   
Steven Guthrie
T. Ray Purser 
Tamira "Augie" Agustine      
Tammi Wallace                      
Tiffany Ross   
Tim Martinez


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