In a demonstration of mutual respect and unity, the city of Tempe Gay-Straight Alliance met June 15 for the first time with representatives of Tempe’s two Islamic faith communities.
Formed in 2005 by city of Tempe employees, the mission of the Gay-Straight Alliance is “to create a more equitable and safe work environment for all employees through increased awareness and education about sexual orientation and gender identity.”
The group meets quarterly and is joined by employees from the town of Gilbert, the cities of Mesa, Chandler and Scottsdale, and Tempe businesses and agencies.
Members often do community service work and mentoring of others.
Rosa Inchausti, director of Tempe’s Office of Strategic Management and Diversity, worked with the alliance’s two co-chairs to organize a meeting in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando.
It was important to the group to invite guests from the two mosques in Tempe.
“In times of tragedy, people seek support and safety. This meeting helped reaffirm Tempe’s commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for everyone in our community, specifically at this time our LGBT and Muslim families,” Inchausti said.
Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir and Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Chief Greg Ruiz also talked with the group about the proactive joint training the two departments have been engaged in over the past year.
