[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 117 (Thursday, July 24, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF DEBBIE SIMMONS

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2014

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Lesbian, Gay, 
Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, to recognize Debbie 
Simmons. Ms. Simmons is a native Floridian, born and raised in Miami. 
In spite of rigid family and societal opposition, she dreamt of 
marrying and raising a family with her high school girlfriend.
  Ms. Simmons moved to Orlando in 1978. Later that same year, Harvey 
Milk was assassinated, profoundly impacting her life and leading her to 
extensively educate herself about gay rights, the Stonewall riots and 
the 1979 and 1987 Marches on Washington. She later attended the 1993 
and 2000 March on Washington.
  In 1990, she bought her first home with her partner of two years and 
prepared mock legal and financial documents to mimic a real marriage. 
In 1991 she walked in the first gay pride parade in Orlando, which 
marked the beginning of her community activism.
  In 1992, she co-founded the Metropolitan Business Association (MBA), 
Central Florida's LGBT chamber of commerce. She served as the first 
vice president, and in a few months the board of directors appointed 
her president. She served in that role for 16 years. During her tenure, 
she organized six MBA Business Expos, the first of which was in 1994 
with 89 vendors. She also produced and published yearly member business 
directories dubbed the MBA Buyer's Guide.
  Her organization also hosted numerous forums and town hall meetings 
for local political candidates. This political involvement resulted in 
a change to the City of Orlando's anti-discrimination policy to include 
sexual orientation, providing protections for 3,200 city employees. The 
efforts also resulted in policy changes at the Orlando Police 
Department to end discrimination based on sexual orientation.
  Ms. Simmons also co-founded the Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance 
committee. In 2002, the committee succeeded in its effort when the City 
of Orlando amended its citywide anti-discrimination policy to include 
sexual orientation.
  In addition, Ms. Simmons created MBA's subsidiary organization, Come 
Out With Pride. She developed and produced the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Come 
Out With Pride parade and festival. Additionally, she wrote its 
logistics manual and served as logistics director in 2008.
  Through her work with MBA, Ms. Simmons also developed and produced 
the Central Florida LGBT History project in 2005, to preserve and 
chronicle the local LGBT movement. She partnered with the Gay, Lesbian 
and Bisexual Student Union (GLBSU) at the University of Central Florida 
(UCF) to develop future community leaders, new businesses, and lifetime 
relationships through scholarships, mentoring, and internships. Ms. 
Simmons has also spearheaded numerous consortiums to build consensus, 
strengthen leadership, and enrich the community.
  I am happy to honor Ms. Debbie Simmons, during LGBT Pride Month, for 
her leadership and commitment to the LGBT community in Central Florida.

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