Greetings!  

Tonight we celebrate a great victory for equality in Tennessee.  By a vote of 21 to 15, the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and DavidsonCounty has passed the Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination ordinance which requires vendors contracting with Metro Government to affirm that they will not discriminate in employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Victory!

The celebration has begun at Nuvo Burrito located at 1000 Main Street, #103 in East Nashville.  Please, join us if you're in the Nashville area tonight. 

We have many people to thank.  First, we recognize the incredible work of the bill sponsors-Council Members Jamie Hollin, Mike Jameson, Erica Gilmore, Megan Barry, and Ronnie Steine. We also thank all the Council Members who voted YES.  We are grateful to Mayor Karl Dean for his support of the bill and his administration's efforts to fight HB0598 and HB0600, two versions of the state Special Access to Discriminate Act that would take away the right of cities and counties to expand their non-discrimination ordinances.

Over 70 Nashville businesses, congregations, and community and labor organizations endorsed the ordinance.  We recognize the critical assistance of the Human Rights Campaign for providing financial support and mobilizing their Nashville members in support of the bill.  In addition, more than 20 Nashville ministers publicly announced their endorsement, which neutralized the spiritual violence propagated by our opponents. 

Finally we want to thank the TEP family.  Districts captains, who played a vital role in passing the 2009 Metro ordinance, "reenlisted" for another tour of duty and made sure we had wide support throughout Davidson County.  As TEP members, you did an incredible job of contacting your Council Members and faithfully attending Council meetings to show your support, visiting with your state lawmakers during Advancing Equality Day, and contacting your legislators with thousands of emails.

As we celebrate this important victory tonight, we want you to know that we are not resting.  We will continue to defend your rights from attack in the General Assembly on several fronts.  Please, consider making a contribution to TEP to help us continue the fight at http://www.tnep.org/donate .

We remain determined that equality will come to every corner of our state.  Let tonight's victory reverberate throughout Tennessee!