Houston Mayor Annise Parker this week spoke with New York-based civil rights attorney Yetta Kurland at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. Parker, who has been openly-lesbian her entire professional career, was attending a DNC 2012 event for the Victory Fund. She also serves as a delegate from Texas.
“I have been out and an activist my entire adult life,” Mayor Parker tells Kurland. When asked if it is challenging to be an openly-lesbian mayor, Parker says, “I really wouldn’t know,” because when she entered politics, voters were very familiar with her. “It was part of my political resume,” Parker says.
“Honesty, integrity, and transparency,” adds Parker, “goes a long way.”
Annise Parker, who is 56, is Houston’s first openly gay mayor. She and her partner of a dozen years, Kathy Hubbard, are raising two two adopted daughters and a foster son.
Yetta Kurland in 2009 ran against Christine Quinn in New York City’s City Council race. In addition to her legal practice, Kurland hosts a weekly progressive radio show on WWRL.
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