Mayor Sylvester Turner has selected Harrison Guy to be Co-Chair of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board.Guy is one of Houston’s beloved artists/activists with a passion for community organizing. He began his community work in Houston in 2005 through the Donald R Watkins Foundation which focused on eliminating HIV/AIDS in the black gay community. Guy will serve alongside Co-Chair Melanie Pang.
Guy previously served as the communications chair for the board and is preceded by the previous co-chair, Lou Weaver, who stepped down to continue to focus on statewide level LGBTQ and specifically transgender advocacy work. Weaver will continue to serve on the board. Guy has been serving as co-chair since July 26, 2017.
Since its inception in June of 2016, the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board has worked to develop a solid foundation while strengthening relationships across communities to help protect and promote a diverse and inclusive Houston. The board has centered and uplifted vulnerable voices as well as amplified local community voices against anti-transgender/anti-LGBTQ and anti-immigrant State proposed legislation. The focus of the board in the upcoming year will be developing intersectional policy recommendations at a city level and finding ways to connect and educate Houstonians on ways to make the city more LGBTQIA inclusive.
The LGBTQ community still faces discrimination that dates back to before the times of the Second World War. In fact, a pink triangle symbol was originated in Nazi Germany and its purpose was for making a mark on gay prisoners at concentration camps so that they could be identified. The board will be hoping to continue to make positive strides in the treatment of the LGBTQ community.
Mayor Turner noted, “We want to thank Lou and Melanie for their tireless work, leading the board through its first year and developing a structure for this large and diverse group while connecting communities across Houston. As Lou homes in on his statewide advocacy work, we are excited to welcome Harrison to a new leadership role.”
Guy served on Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Quality of Life Transition Committee as well as the Democratic National Committee’s LGBT Advisory Board. He is a member of The Houston GLBT Political Caucus and the NAACP (young adult committee) where he is serving as its first LGBTQ community coordinaotor. He is the southern regional director and previously national vice president of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc., the first Greek lettered fraternity for gay men of color.
In his spare time, Guy can be found in the dance studio choreographing. He is the founder and artistic director of Urban Souls Dance Company, an award winning modern/contemporary dance company that has represented Houston internationally. Harrison recently married his longtime partner of 10 years.