Human Rights Campaign again ranks Laramie Wyoming’s most inclusive city government
Laradise achieved a score of 92 out of 100 — three points more than it earned last year. That’s already well above any other Wyoming city, but local officials would like to see it even higher.
The city of Laramie stands head and shoulders above its Wyoming peers when it comes to providing inclusive government services and to combating discrimination against LGBTQ+ residents.
That’s according to the latest iteration of an annual report from the Human Rights Campaign once again designating the Laramie city government as an “all star” organization.
In a news release last month, Mayor Brian Harrington said the report validates efforts made by the city to ensure all residents feel welcome.
“The City Council understands the crucial connection between feeling respected by your community and the vibrancy of the community,” Harrington writes. “The City will proudly continue to work to provide the highest quality of life to all our residents.”
The 2024 Municipality Equality Index grades more than 500 cities across the country, including every state capital and other cities of significant size or local import. In Wyoming, the index considers seven municipalities — Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette, Jackson, Laramie, Rock Springs and Sheridan — placing them on a wide spectrum where 80 points separate the state’s lowest ranking city, Sheridan, from its highest, Laramie.
On the 2024 index, Laramie earned a 92 out of a maximum of 100 — a three-point gain from its score last year.
“This is a reflection of who we are and our character as a city,” said Laramie Police Chief Brian Browne. “I think we get those points because of who we are and because we’re doing things the right way.”
Laramie gained points this year by establishing a human rights commission and by supporting nonprofits that address homelessness. Those additions alone would have given the city a score of 96, but Laramie also lost four points it had previously earned in 2023.
The index doesn’t dictate the actions of the government in Laramie, but city leaders like City Manager Janine Jordan say the annual publication serves as a helpful audit of what the city’s doing well, what it could do better and how it stacks up to other municipalities across the nation.
“When we first became aware of the index — and that was years and years ago now, I’d say a decade ago at least — there were a few things on the list that we were already doing right, but then there were also things on the list that we were not aware of [like] best practices for inclusivity and those sorts of things,” Jordan said. “And so we were able to add, for instance, certain city policies based on that advice.”
Achieving an A grade on this year’s index won’t stop the city’s LGBTQ+ liaison, Nancy Oakland-Potter, from pursuing more points next year, she said. That could mean building a more inclusive workplace for government employees and making sure to submit documentation demonstrating what Laramie is already achieving.
“Regardless of what our points are right now, I think that we actually are performing better than what it reflects,” Oakland-Potter said. “It’s a little bit of a chess game, but we make it work.”
All Star Laramie
Laramie is home to a unique queer community that’s been shaped by both historical violence and the radical cultural shift that followed in that violence’s wake. Rainbow flags decorate storefronts throughout the historic downtown. Murals in the nearby alleys commemorate local icons who fought against inequality.
And at the level of city government, that culture is reflected in local laws, nonprofit funding, and public statements by city leaders. Each year, city officials deliver a Pride Month proclamation. In June, Mayor Harrington personally read this year’s proclamation to kick off the annual PrideFest march.
“... Wyoming’s LGBTQ+ community are living authentically today more than ever, and they deserve to know the city of Laramie and the state of Wyoming support them,” Harrington read. “... the city of Laramie celebrates its diverse LGBTQ+ community and is committed to ensuring equity for all Laramie citizens by fostering acceptance and preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”
Laramie’s nondiscrimination ordinance, passed in 2015, was the first in state history. (Jackson had a more limited ordinance at the time that applied only to government employees; Laramie’s ordinance banned discrimination in “employment, housing and public accommodations.”) Since then, Laramie has started requiring similar commitments from the contractors it hires. The city has also designated LGBTQ+ liaisons in both the city manager’s office (Oakland-Potter) and the police department.
Laramie’s high score designates it as an “all star” city, according to the Human Rights Campaign. That designation is a function of both the city’s efforts and its geographical context.
“In 20 states across the country, 74 cities earned over 85 points despite hailing from a state without non-discrimination statutes that protect sexual orientation and gender identity,” this year’s report notes. “The MEI serves to empower and remind all municipalities across the country that inclusivity and equality are achievable and non-negotiable regardless of the state’s partisan representation.”
Laramie is Wyoming’s only all star city. The next highest ranking city, with a score of 74, is Casper.
While the top score a city can achieve is 100, the total number of points available is actually 122.
The index includes 100 points for standard services and programs that are theoretically attainable by cities of all sizes — such as passing an all-encompassing non-discrimination ordinance (30 points) and reporting hate crime statistics to the FBI (12 points). The 22 additional “flex” points give cities “alternative paths to the same points.”
“Flex points are awarded for essential programs, protections, or benefits that may not be easily attainable for some cities,” the report states. “So, while cities with the item are rewarded, cities without it are not penalized.”
A total of 130 cities — about 25% of the evaluated municipalities — earned a perfect score of 100. The average score was 72. The report notes results from previous years show no correlation between city size and index score.
Where Laramie earned points
Laramie’s score went up this year by a net three points. The city moved from a score of 89 to 92 by earning seven new points and losing four.
In the win column, Laramie picked up five points for the establishment of a human rights commission.
The Laramie City Council approved that commission in April. Its mandate is not exclusive to LGBTQ+ issues. Once it’s up and running, the commission will recommend ways the city can make its services more supportive, inclusive or accessible.
The city is still accepting applications for membership. City Manager Jordan said she hopes to see the commission host its first meeting in early 2025.
The commission will serve in a strictly advisory capacity.
The council could have decided to give the commission teeth by empowering it to enforce the nondiscrimination ordinance. It didn’t. But if it had, Laramie would have picked up another two points on this year’s index.
Oakland-Potter said the non-discrimination ordinance has its own teeth.
“Even though we meet that criteria where [the ordinance] has that follow-through, they don’t give it to us because they want the [commission] to have that capability to enforce,” Oakland-Potter said.
When someone files a complaint regarding alleged discrimination by an employer, the city can mediate and seek to resolve the dispute. To earn points on the index, that process would have to be run through the new human rights commission.
The nondiscrimination ordinance is seldom used; the city has yet to advance a complaint to a full mediation process in the near-decade since the ordinance’s passage.
Looking forward, Jordan said the new human rights commission could investigate or propose new avenues for the city council and the wider municipal government. She said it represents “a real opportunity for Laramie,” whether or not those new avenues are ultimately reflected in the city’s index score.
“I don’t know if it will get points here, but I think it’s a great place where we can have dialogue,” Jordan said. “Maybe that’ll translate into points. Maybe it won’t. But I think it’s a great new tool in the community for educating and for building understanding.”
Laramie also gained two flex points for providing “services to LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness.”
The city government does not provide these services directly. Instead the city council awards community partner grants to organizations such as Laramie Interfaith (a food pantry) and Albany County SAFE Project (a domestic violence shelter) — both of which aim to alleviate some of the causes of homelessness.
LGBTQ+ people, especially LGBTQ+ youth, are disproportionately likely to experience homelessness.
Where Laramie lost points
Laramie lost four flex points it previously received in 2023. Two of those points had been awarded to Laramie for providing “services to people living with HIV or AIDS.”
As with efforts to combat homelessness, the city has never provided AIDS/HIV testing or support services directly. But in 2023, it supported the nonprofit Laramie Reproductive Health with a community partner grant.
“So in effect, when they receive funds from the city, we are supporting that effort in-kind with those monies,” Oakland-Potter said. “But since they did not apply and receive funds this year, that’s where we lost the two points … that area right there does depend on the community partners.”
Additionally:
In 2023, Laramie received three points for city leadership’s “Pro-Equality Legislative or Policy Efforts.” In 2024, the city received just two points for this metric. “This section grades, on a sliding scale from zero to three points, how actively the city has been pursuing pro-equality legislation and policies,” notes the Human Rights Campaign. “This includes ordinances introduced (whether passed or not), city policies, and pro-equality city council resolutions and proclamations.”
In 2023, Laramie received two points for mandating “Single-Occupancy All-Gender Facilities.” This dropped to one point on the 2024 index because the HRC changed how it grades this metric. Previously, requiring such facilities in government buildings was enough to earn a city the full two points. Now, a city receives one point for requiring those facilities in its own buildings and one point for requiring them citywide. Laramie does not require such facilities beyond its own walls.
Where Laramie could pick up points in 2025
The Human Rights Campaign could change other metrics, or rework the point values attached to them, ahead of its work on the 2025 Municipality Equality Index. The HRC does update these measures to reflect changing times, and to hold city governments to ever-higher standards.
But assuming the 2025 index looks similar to 2024’s, the city of Laramie could pick up:
Two flex points for having “Openly LGBTQ+ Elected or Appointed Leaders.” Councilors-elect William Bowling (Ward 1) and Melanie Vigil (Ward 2) identified themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community in candidate questionnaires published earlier this year by the Laramie Reporter. They will join the council in January.
Two points for fostering an inclusive workplace. The HRC notes: “Cities will receive credit if they have any one of the following: an LGBTQ+ employee resource group open to all city employees, LGBTQ-inclusive diversity training for all city staff, or a recruitment program that actively advertises available positions to the LGBTQ+ community.” Oakland-Potter said she is actively pursuing these points — likely through the training and recruitment criteria.
Two flex points for providing services to people living with HIV or AIDS. If Laramie Reproductive Health — or another nonprofit with equivalent programs — applies for community partner funding and receives it, the city could regain these 2023 points.
Up to three flex points for testing the limits of a “restrictive state law.” The HRC notes: “Cities can advocate against restrictive state law through council resolutions or declarations and engagement with state legislators.” Since 2023, Wyoming has added three anti-LGBTQ+ laws to the books — including a sports ban, a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, and a bill requiring local school districts to pass forced outting policies. The right-wing majority taking power in the Wyoming House will likely attempt more bills of this sort in the upcoming session.
Funny how this also measures the quality of the communities and largely reflects the leadership within them and who they send to Cheyenne.