PFT Media

The City of Orlando passed a resolution in early April for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ owned businesses in contracting and procurement opportunities with the city. The City of Orlando has long provided inclusionary measures for businesses owned by underrepresented minorities, but they were strictly for racial minority, women and veteran owned businesses.

The Resolution states the City will provide a mechanism to monitor and track usage of LGBTQ+ owned and certified businesses in the procurement of goods and services for the City of Orlando. It will also develop training programs and services that will ensure LGBTQ+ business owners are familiar with how to do business with the City of Orlando and are informed about procurement opportunities. Lastly, it will develop a database and registry of LGBTQ+ owned businesses.

The Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama non-profit will be installing a historical marker outside the Orange County Regional History Center in Heritage Square in June memorializing “one of the bloodiest days in American political history” which took place in downtown Orlando – the 1920 Ocoee Massacre.

During the Ocoee massacre, an African American man named July Perry was arrested and taken to the Orange County Courthouse, which at the time was located just next to the grounds of what is now Heritage Square. He was pulled out of the building by an angry mob, dragged away and lynched.

According to Equal Justice Initiative’s research, somewhere between six to over thirty African Americans were killed; twenty-five black homes, two black churches, and a masonic lodge were burned.

According to writer Jason Byrne, after the horrific tragedy, “not a single African-American dared live in Ocoee for sixty years until 1981. The city didn’t hire its first black worker until 1986. And for 18 years following the 1920 massacre, not a single black vote was cast in all of Orange County.” The full story of the event will be displayed on the historical marker.

The Equal Justice Initiative is solely responsible for the cost of installation and maintenance of the Marker for the next 25 years.

The Official Ribbon Cutting and celebration of the new Colonial Drive Overpass pedestrian and bike walkway took place last week. The overpass crosses Colonial in downtown Orlando right next to I-4. This new quarter-mile bridge will help provide a safe connection from the Downtown core to the north, providing critical links between the Orlando Urban Trail and Gertrude’s Walk, SunRail and LYNX Central Station.

For more local Orlando news you can find us on instagram at THE DAILY CITY. And as always hashtag Orlando is Wonderful!