FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Prominent Businessman Backs Prop 1 via Houston Unites

Contact:
Anna Núñez | Anna@Houstonunites.org | (713) 325-7010

HOUSTON – Gilbert Herrera, immediate past chairman of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), today endorsed Proposition 1, Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance. Herrera has received prominent appointments by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Supreme Court prior to founding Herrera Partners, an investment banking and financial consulting firm.

“The equal rights ordinance is about the freedom of hardworking Houstonians – irrespective of race, ethnicity, pregnancy and gender – to earn a living and take care of their families,” said Herrera. “It is not about imposing new rules or restricting business owners. I am a small business owner and I support the Equal Rights Ordinance. More than half of the claims under the ordinance have been about racial discrimination. Discrimination is bad for business, bad for the bottom line and a vote against the ordinance would be bad for Houston.”

Last month, the Greater Houston Partnership reiterated the business case for backing the ordinance because a “welcoming, diverse and inclusive” community is a key to “the continued success of the region’s economy.” And many Fortune 500 companies and small businesses in Texas – as well as the Houston Super Bowl Committee – have gone on record this year supporting equality for all Texans, including those who are gay and transgender. 

The Equal Rights Ordinance, on the ballot this November, ensures that a broad range of hardworking Houstonians – regardless of race, age, gender, orientation, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or military status – have the opportunity to earn a living and take care of their families, without fear of discrimination. 

Houston Unites recently released its first radio ad and this past weekend held a grassroots kickoff where volunteers knocked on 1,000 doors in neighborhoods across the city and made 6,000 phone calls.

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Houston Unites is the coalition working to elevate the diversity of voices supporting HERO. The leading coalition partners include: ACLU of Texas, Equality Texas, Freedom For All Americans, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP Houston Branch and Texas Freedom Network.