From Mayor Brown’s GLBT liaison
Super GLBT Neighborhood
by Janine Brunjes

What appeared to be a daunting but exhilarating job has evolved into one of the most exciting assignments of my life. I cannot tell you how much I have appreciated the outpouring of efforts from the GLBT leadership to include me in their plans. For the past three months I have received countless invitations to meetings–both to share updates as the mayor’s liaison, and to share my journey as a proud member of our GLBT community. What I know is that we all have a special story and receive an education as we go along and make inroads in our quest for equality. I find that the stories we tell further ignite our drive toward our goals. Foremost in my visits, I have focused on learning what are the highest priorities to the many diverse organizations. My thanks to all of these organizations and leaders for extending themselves to me so that I can communicate the pulse of the community’s issues to our mayor, who listens intently.

I have remarked in many venues I have visited that we have many leaders in our community. We have appointed leaders, self-appointed leaders, elected leaders, and natural leaders, all of whom represent various GLBT constituencies across Houston . . . to all of them I am an ear and another voice as they need me to be. We need each and every one of our voices.

At the last Liaison Roundtable, as well as at the last GLBT Chamber of Commerce meeting, the issue was raised as to how we would "keep our GLBT community together as many of us move from Montrose and the Heights to outlying areas." This is a challenging question and one I request each and every one of us to ponder. The key to success in all issues that affect our community lies in the ability to be cohesive and to present a united front. As time goes on, this becomes a more challenging task. There is not a single remedy to this challenge. I invite you to the roundtable as we address this perplexing issue. In order for us to work efficiently with our city, we must continue to focus on a united front, no matter what zip code we live in, and to work as a bloc, whether it be to vote or to have our voices heard on issues that concern us. We are best in numbers.

At the chamber meeting I also presented and discussed the mayor’s Super Neighborhood Program. Basically, the mayor and his administration have developed a strategy to ensure prompt and efficient delivery of city services. This program also focuses attention on the priorities of Super Neighborhood for public infrastructure and other needed improvements. Montrose is a super neighborhood, number 24 to be exact. There are 88 Super Neighborhoods, and 29 of these have councils developed for meeting purposes and communication. The whole Super Neighborhood Program is really neighborhood-oriented government; it is a way to problem- solve in a very manageable way. I understand that our community has also begun such a program, which I plan to learn more about. This certainly is a major step toward developing a high level of cohesion and communi-cation as many in the community move to the suburbs.

The Super Neighborhood model of our mayor’s could be applied to our community. Since we all live in various areas, we could begin to organize more formally around this model. I had a lengthy conversation with Jani Lopez after the GLBT Chamber of Commerce meeting. She described some GLBT neighborhood councils that already exist, such as the one in Willowbend. I believe we should expand this concept of GLBT neighborhood councils to ensure citywide communication for our interests. I look forward to conversing more about such councils at the Liaison Roundtable on Monday, June 11, 5—6:30 p.m. at the Lesbian and Gay Community Center. Please do join in this queer-y query. This could be one remedy for our communication challenge.

In late February I was asked to identify GLBT leadership for the mayor’s Campaign Finance Committee. I am pleased to say that Anita Renteria, Jim McElgunn, and John Michael Gonzalez have eagerly volunteered to serve in our mayor’s re-election bid. These three community leaders are truly energetic, passionate, and committed. We will be hearing more from them as they develop their plans.

Also to stay connected to all, Han-Net (the Houston Activists Network e-mail discussion group) hosts a live chat room from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m. on the Wednesday after each month’s Monday roundtable; the next web chat will be Wednesday, June 13. Please join us at www.talkcity.com and type in Houston GLBT Forum.

Janine Brunjes is the GLBT liaison to Mayor Lee Brown and our direct pipeline to influencing Houston politics.