Palm Springs, Transgender Health and Wellness Center honored for LGBTQ+ equality advancements
Kendall Flynn
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Human Rights Campaign is set to honor the City of Palm Springs and the Transgender Health and Wellness Center Saturday for their work in advancing LGBTQ+ equality and quality of life.
Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte will be presented with the HRC Community Leadership Award and Transgender Health and Wellness Center CRO Thomi Clinton will be given the HRC Community Impact Award.
For deHarte and Clinton, they said this award is a great way to show how inclusive the Palm Springs community is during the Greater Palm Springs Pride events. They also said the awards are meaningful as DEI rollbacks continue across the nation.
“This is something new, and it shows me that, there are those who are able to change and be more inclusive, and we’re ready for that,” Clinton said. “I think it’s really it’s time that we all be really supportive of one another.”
The honorees will be awarded during the 24th HRC Palm Springs Garden Party based on their leadership and perfect scores on the HRC’s Municipal Equality Index. This is the second year in a row Palm Springs has received a perfect Municipal Equality Index score, and HRC officials said the city is on track for a third year as well.
“It says to everybody that the city plans and moves forward and makes decisions with intention, and you have to act like that every single day,” Mayor deHarte said. “Your actions have to show in your words and deed, and that’s what this scale, the 100, means.”
The Palm Springs members of the HRC Foundation Board of Directors Brian O’Connor said he hopes these recognitions of Clinton and deHarte’s work in the community set an example for other cities on how to advance work in LGBTQ+ equality.
“This is just a demonstration of the sustained leadership of the city council and our leaders here within this region. And, I think there’s a ripple effect of that,” O’Connor said. “We see many cities here in the valley, who follow along, who appreciate that diversity, equity and inclusion really does bring together, more unique, innovative and critical thinking that just makes us a better community.”
Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest on this award garden party.