MESSAGE FROM RAND HOCH

December 14, 2024

As you know, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC) is Florida’s oldest, independent, non-partisan, political organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. We promote equality through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation and community outreach.

For the foreseeable future, the LGBTQ+ community nationwide will face greater challenges at the federal and state levels than we have in decades. Elections have consequences, and our community is being targeted.

Fortunately, over the years, PBCHRC has secured exceptional countywide and municipal victories which assure LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Palm Beach County are entitled to equal rights, privileges, benefits and protections.

However, as we have seen with the federal court decisions overturning the bans on conversion therapy for minors and eliminating federal abortion rights, nothing we have accomplished is set in stone.

PBCHRC will continue to work diligently to maintain our local LGBTQ+ rights and to help secure our community's rightful place in Florida and across the nation.

PBCHRC VOTERS ALLIANCE

Throughout the years, Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance (PBCHRCVA) volunteers have worked to identify more LGBTQ+ and allied residents and get them registered to vote. We have also worked on early voting, vote-by-mail and get-out-the-vote campaigns. So, it came as no surprise that our supporters turned out in record numbers in the elections held in 2024, while otherwise, turnout was disappointing.

Thanks to your votes, the following PBCHRCVA-endorsed candidates were successful in their election or re-elections campaigns for office over the past five months:

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, U.S. Congress (Dist. 20)

Lois Frankel, U.S. Congress (Dist. 22)

Jared Moskowitz, U.S. Congress (Dist. 23)

Debra Tendrich, State Representative (Dist. 89)

Joe Casello, State Representative (Dist. 90)

Daniel Eisinger, Public Defender

Alexcia Cox, State Attorney

Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff

Joseph Abruzzo, Clerk and Controller

Wendy Sartory Link, Supervisor of Elections

Joel Flores, County Commissioner (Dist. 3)

Maria Sachs, County Commissioner (Dist. 5)

Bobby Powell, County Commissioner (Dist. 7)

Matthew Jay Lane, School Board Member (Dist. 1)

Lourdes Casanova, County Court Judge (Group 2)

Jean Enright, Port of Palm Beach Commissioner (Group 3)

Ellen Baker, Northern PBC Improvement District (Seat 4)

In addition, Constitutional Tax Collector Anne Gannon, Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks, State Senator Mack Bernard, State Representatives Jevonte "Tae" Edmonds and Kelly Skidmore (Dist. 92), County Court Judge Ashley Zuckerman, and Port Commissioner Wayne Richards, all of whom have been repeatedly endorsed by PBCHRCVA, won their campaigns without opposition.

Moreover, while municipal elections are set for March 11, 2025, across Palm Beach County, two officeholders previously endorsed by PBCHRCVA - West Palm Beach City Commissioners Shalonda Warren and Joe Peduzzi -- have been re-elected without opposition.

Congratulations to all!

For a list of the 75 current officeholders who were endorsed by PBCHRCVA, go to: https://pbchrc.blogspot.com/2024/12/pbchrc-voters-alliance-currently.html

PBCHRC'S 2025 WINTER FÊTE

On January 11, 2025, PBCHRC supporters will gather at a private home in Boca Raton to celebrate at our annual Winter Fête. The catered event will feature plenty of amazing food, including lots of passed hors d'oeuvres. As always, Echo will be providing sushi boats and there will be premium open bars throughout the house and grounds. Attire is Palm Beach Casual and there will be complimentary valet parking.

Tickets are now available online at www.pbchrc.org/events. Once again, PBCHRC has lowered individual ticket prices to $250, to encourage attendees to use ride sharing.

As of December 10, 2024, the following individuals and entities have joined our amazing Host Committee:

Allied Property Management Group

Altima Palm Beach

Lori Berman

Paul Bernabeo and David Cohen

Mack Bernard

Ric Bradshaw

Karen Brill

Pamela Buchmeyer and Shellie Crandall

Castle Wealth Management

Nancy Chanin

Shawn Cherry and Vincent Ruisi

Coda Tours

Gil Cohen and Paul Gervais

Jason Colin and James Curtis

Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center

Cornerstone Solutions

Lew Crampton

David Crespo and Nicholas Coppola

Joseph Paul Davis

Arlen Dominek and A.J. Young

ECP Event Rentals and Design

Echo

Dan Eisinger

Michael Fowler and David Mittleman

Sarah and Melissa Hassan

Rand Hoch

Tom Holton

Elaine Johnson James

Keith and Lorna James

Michael Judd and Ben Small

Michael Kagdis

Chip Kidd

Christina and Monte Lambert

Gregg Lerman

Wendy Sartory Link

Joseph Marino, Jr. and Anthony Sibilia

Anthony and Crystal Marotta

Mittleman Eye

Jared Moskowitz

Stephen J Robertson MD and W. Steve Haston MD

Maria Sachs

Arthur Schofield

David Silvers

James Swope and Scott Robertson

Eric Telchin and Logan Nolting

Scott Velozo and Stephen Mooney

Katherine Waldron

Dr. Donald Watren and Anthony Jaggi

Scott Wechsler

Thanks to their generosity 100% of the proceeds from the sale of individual tickets will go to funding PBCHRC initiatives and programs.

PBCHRC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

This year, PBCHRC Charitable Foundation granted four graduating senior high school students in Palm Beach County our Social Justice Awards for 2024. The students are William T. Dwyer High School graduate Lindsay Reese, Florida Atlantic University High School graduate Laura Susskind, Seminole Ridge High School graduate Samaril Vellavoor, and Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts graduate Katherine Yang.

Congratulations to the recipients!

The award program was established in 2015 and awards are presented annually to college-bound graduating seniors who have demonstrated interest in advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.

Applications for the 2025 Social Justice Awards will be available in early 2025.

To review the biographies of all of our scholarship recipients over the years and to learn more about the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation, click here.

The PBCHRC Charitable Foundation also provides need-based scholarships to LGBTQ+ college students through the Norman L. Stern and August R. Venezio Scholarships.

In addition, the Charitable Foundation has established the W. Trent Steele Legal Advocacy Award in recognition of Trent’s decades of pro bono work on behalf of PBCHRC as well as his work as a PBCHRC Board Member. The scholarship is available to LGBTQ+ and allied second and third year law students with ties to Palm Beach County. Please contact PBCHRC@gmail.com for further information.

• Over the past year, PBCHRC and the Charitable Foundation have made significant contributions to:
  
• 451 Avengers, a local activist organization challenging library book bans in Palm Beach County,
  
• ACLU of Florida Foundation, which works to create a Florida free of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,
  
• Compass, our county's LGBTQ+ community center,
  
• First Amendment Foundation, which watched over a legislative program to review, and reenact if warranted, each of the hundreds of exemptions to Florida's public records law,
  
• Lambda Legal, a national legal organization representing LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV in court – and in the court of public opinion,
  
• MAP (the Movement Advancement Project), a nonprofit think tank working to create a thriving, inclusive, and equitable America where all people have a fair chance to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, take care of the ones they love, be safe in their communities, and participate in civic life,
  
• Night Runners, a local non-profit organization that hosts weekly meetups for the LGBTQ+ and allied runners and walkers,
  
• PRISM, which works to expand access to LGBTQ+-inclusive education and sexual health resources for youth in South Florida,
  
• Stonewall National Museum & Archives, which presents exhibitions on LGBTQ+ themes and public programs in South Florida and across the United States, and,
  
• Vita Nova, which is a safe bridge to independence for former foster care, LGBTQ+ and other unhoused local youth through supportive housing, education, employment and life.
  

MAN WHO VANDALIZED DELRAY BEACH LGBTQ+ PRIDE INTERSECTION OFFERED SWEET PLEA DEAL FROM STATE ATTORNEY DAVE ARONBERG

On February 4, 2024, Dylan Reese Brewer repeatedly barreled through the Delray Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection in his pickup truck, creating "burnouts" that significantly damaged the street mural. Brewer also endangered pedestrians and a man on a scooter. To view a video of the crimes, click here.

State Attorney Dave Aronberg initially charged Brewer with both a third degree felony (Criminal Mischief over $1000) and a first degree misdemeanor (Reckless Driving). However, Aronberg refused to add a hate crimes charge, as he concluded -- without seeking a judicial determination -- Florida's hate crime law does cover intentional damage to public property.

The PBCHRC Charitable Foundation and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation paid $16,000 for the installation of the Pride Intersection. Therefore, PBCHRC took the position that defacement of the LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection should be considered a hate crime and the two organizations, as well as the City of Delray Beach and the LGBTQ+ community, were all victims of this hate crime. Aronberg was not persuaded.

If convicted of the felony count, Brewer could have been be sentenced to prison for up to five years. If convicted of the misdemeanor count, he could have been sentenced to prison for up to one year. Had Aronberg charged Brewer with a hate crime, those penalties could have been enhanced.

Brewer was contacted by the police and given the choice of either being arrested at his home or turning himself in. To avoid embarrassment, he chose the latter. In court, he pleaded "not guilty" to both the felony and misdemeanor counts.

The Affidavit of Probable Cause indicated Brewer drove his pickup truck through the Pride Intersection three times. By repeatedly speeding and sharply applying his brakes, Brewer intentionally defaced the intersection with "burnouts" in several places.

According to the sworn statement of one of Brewer's passengers that day, Brewer recently had modifications made to the truck making it easier for him to do "burnouts."

Brewer maintained his "not guilty" plea until December 10, 2024, when, at a hearing before Circuit Court Judge Daliah H. Weiss, an Assistant State Attorney informed the court Aronberg had offered -- and Brewer had accepted -- a plea deal to settle the case as a misdemeanor instead of the felony he was originally charged with.

Prior to the hearing, Aronberg tried to convince PBCHRC the misdemeanor deal was offered because it would be difficult for state prosecutors to prove the damage done exceeded the $1,000 threshold to support the felony charge, despite the fact the City of Delray Beach paid Eagle Painting $5,618.71 to restore the Intersection.

With all of the video and documentary evidence, any first year lawyer could have convinced a judge and jury that the damages Brewer caused exceed $1,000.

"I cannot fathom why Dave Aronberg cut such a sweet deal for Brewer," PBCHRC President Rand Hoch told reporters. "It just makes no sense legally."

If the deal is approved by Judge Weiss at the plea hearing on January 8, 2025, Brewer will have to (1) plead guilty to two misdemeanor charge, (2) reimburse the City of Delray Beach $5,698.71, (3) pay up to $2,000 in fines, as well as court and prosecution costs, (4) perform 150 hours of community service, (5) attend an 8 hour anger management course, and (6) be placed on probation for 24 months. In addition, Brewer's driver's license will be revoked for up to one year.

PBCHRC and the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation will be filing a Victim Impact Statement with the court, asking Judge Weiss to reject the plea deal and set a date for trial in 2025. However, only in very rare cases does a judge reject a plea deal agreed to by a state attorney and a criminal defendant.

Shortly after Brewer's arrest last February, a "GiveSendGo" defense fund established to assist Brewer raised more than $36,500. ( "GiveSendGo" is a Christian crowdfunding website that assists white supremacist activists and hate groups seeking to raise funds.) Because of the GiveSendGo fund, Brewer may not have to pay anything out of pocket -- not the $5,698.71 to reimburse Delray Beach, not the fines, court costs and prosecution fees, and not his attorney's fees. So, Brewer may not personally be held responsible financially for the hate crime he committed.

We will keep you posted on Judge Weiss's ruling in January.

This is the second time the Delray Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection has been defaced. In June 2021, just days after the Pride Intersection was dedicated, Alexander Jerich drove his pickup truck through the Delray Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection, intentionally causing "burnouts" which resulted in extensive damage.

Like Brewer, Jerich was charged with both a third degree felony (Criminal Mischief over $1000) and a first degree misdemeanor (Reckless Driving) and Aronberg refused to add a hate crimes charge.

Shortly before his trial in 2022, Jerich pled "guilty" to both the felony and misdemeanor charges.

Although PBCHRC filed a Victim Impact Statement requesting Jerich to be adjudicated of the felony he was charged with and serve time in county jail time, Circuit Court Judge Steven Suskauer merely gave Jerich a slap on the wrist.

Jerich was ordered to write an essay about the victims of the Pulse Massacre, pay approximately $2,000 in restitution to the City of Delray Beach, undergo a mental health examination, and conduct 100 hours of community service, Judge Suskauer also withheld adjudication on both the felony and misdemeanor charges. Although Jerich was sentenced to two years probation, Judge Suskauer released him from probation 5 months early.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GRANTS PBSO $175,000 FOR SAFE PLACE INITIATIVE

In good news about taking steps to assist victims of hate crimes, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw applied for -- and received -- a $175,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to Implement a Safe Place Initiative in Palm Beach County.

Through the program, local businesses will be asked to post SAFE PLACE 4" x 6" decals by the front doors, easily visible to the public. The decals are designed to encourage any victim of a hate crime or harassment to enter an establishment that has a decal, knowing that someone at the business will promptly call 911 on their behalf and the victim can remain safely in the establishment until PBSO arrives.

Since its beginning in Seattle in 2015, the Safe Place Initiative has helped break the victim mentality, and says to any victim: You will be heard, you will be treated with care, dignity and respect from the business you enter to find help, as well as from the Deputy Sheriffs who respond to investigate.

PBSO will kick off the initiative at the December 17, 2024 Lake Worth Beach City Commission meeting, which begins at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend the meeting to support PBSO's Safe Place Initiative. The meeting will be held at Lake Worth Beach City Hall, 7 North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach.

Kudos to Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his team of LGBTQ+ liaisons. 

SAVE THE DATE!

St. Tropez in Palm Beach

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

5:30 - 7 p.m.

Cremieux

The Royal Poinciana Plaza

340 Royal Poinciana Way, Suite 2C

Palm Beach

Please join PBCHRC for an evening of fashion, cocktails and nibbles. More information will be sent out prior to the event.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Emmy Kenny, PBCHRC's representative on the School District's Diversity and Equity Committee and a longtime member of PBCHRC Voters Alliance, has moved to California. Emmy was the 2024 recipient of the School District's "Champion for Equity in Education" award. We greatly appreciate her service to our organization and the community.
  
• I have been appointed to serve on the newly formed Palm Beach County Hate Crimes Task Force. Michael Riordan, the Director of Media and Communications for Compass, was also appointed to the Task Force. In addition, I have been appointed to serve on the Advisory Board for Florida Atlantic University's Department of Sociology.
  

CURRENT INITIATIVES

PBCHRC is currently working to persuade:

• The School District of Palm Beach County to ease doing business with Chick-fil-A and other companies that discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and other minorities.
  
• The local courts, prosecutors and public defenders to utilize the appropriate pronouns when addressing trans people with business before the courts, and
  
• The Health Care District of Palm Beach County to provide trans-specific healthcare services to indigent patients. 
  

For more than three decades, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council has worked diligently on behalf of the LGBTQ community. With your support, we will continue to do so in the years to come. As always, we will keep you posted on our progress.

Best wishes for the Holidays and the New Year!

Judge Rand Hoch (retired)

President and Founder

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. PBCHRC'S Registration Number is CH46486. To obtain registration information, you may consult the website or call 800-435-7352.