BROOKINGS – A standing-room-only crowd turned out to celebrate the perfect score earned by the City of Brookings in the 2018 Municipal Equality Index. The presentation was made by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation at McCrory Gardens late Wednesday afternoon.

The Municipal Equality Index (MEI) score is a critical measure of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) inclusivity from the Human Rights Campaign, which is the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, according to an announcement on the city’s website.

No other city in South Dakota received a score of 100, said Collen Kutney, senior manager of the state of municipal program for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C.

“First and only 100-point city in the state,” Kutney said.

Brookings has held the highest score in the state since the MEI came out in 2013, Kutney said.

But it wasn’t an auspicious start, said Steve Bayer, chair of the Brookings Human Rights Commission: Brookings debuted with a score of 34 out of 100. 

The city set out to improve its score and its message by continually raising its score. Last year, Brookings had a score of 72.

In February 2017, the HRC presented a resolution of inclusivity to the Brookings City Council and it passed unanimously, but councilors felt the words were just not enough. Brookings drafted what would be the first comprehensive LGBTQ inclusive non-discrimination ordinance in the state, and the council passed it in September 2017.

“This brave action catapulted Brookings to a perfect 100 in the state,” Bayer said emotionally. “Brookings is truly a place where you can bring your dreams.”

Mayor Keith Corbett told of the excitement in the room when the city council passed the ordinance.

“This is a big deal,” he said. “Truly a landmark.

“We’re not done. One hundred is huge and it’s wonderful. It’s not done. Brookings will always be this welcoming and inclusive community,” Corbett said.

Wren Murphy said coming out in high school didn’t go so well, causing concern about where to go to college and if acceptance could be found. Murphy noticed Brookings’ score last year was 72, whereas the hometown score was just 12. Murphy noticed many people in Brookings fight for what they believe in, and the council passed the ordinance just a month after Murphy’s arrival in town.

Murphy is now college student representative of the Brookings Human Rights Commission.

“I cannot think of a more deserving city” to be honored for what it does for LGBTQ people, Murphy said.

Murphy has many friends who have faced discrimination.

“Now I have hope for their future,” Murphy said.

Murphy thanked everyone for making Brookings “a place where people of all identities can call home.”

Lawrence Novotny of Equality South Dakota spoke on all the work that’s been done over the years for equality. They started on the state level, but when their efforts failed, they focused on the local level.

“We have achieved a perfect score, and I’m very glad to see that happen,” he said.

Novotny said he’s been contacted by people in the LGBTQ community who ask what Brookings is doing to get such a high MEI score, and some are considering moving here.

Kutney is one half of the team that published the MEI and explained what went into compiling the information that’s used to come up with the scores.

“Brookings did not waver in the fight” to extend rights to LGBTQ people, Kutney said.

Brookings was one of four cities honored with an event, Kutney said. The others were Atlanta, Georgia; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Reno, Nevada. 

“Brookings is the smallest city that we have one of these events in, so we want to celebrate that. It’s not easy for a city this size,” Kutney said.

Brookings is held to a higher standard than bigger cities but that hasn’t stopped the city leaders, Kutney added.

“Congratulations to the city of Brookings for being a shining example to cities across South Dakota,” Kutney said.

For more information, contact City Clerk Shari Thornes at 605-692-6281 or sthornes@cityofbrookings.org or humanrights@cityofbrookings.org. 

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.