Honolulu Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram Talks Pride & Partnership with Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi
One Oʻahu Podcast - 10/23/24: Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram joins host Brandi Higa on the One O‘ahu Podcast to discuss his role as the City and County of Honolulu’s LGBTQ Liaison, all the ways the City and County of Honolulu is celebrating Honolulu PRIDE month, and explains the City’s DOE shadow program.
The City and County of Honolulu’s LGBTQ+ Liaison
In October 2023, Mayor Rick Blangiardi appointed Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram as the City’s LGBTQ+ Liaison, the first appointment of its kind.
“It really has two components,” explained Jayaram when asked about this liaison role. “One, is sort of an outward-looking component and the other is an inward-looking component. The outward-looking component is that I’m a friendly ear and an advocate for the LGBTQ community. So if there’s an issue, if there’s something that we can be doing better, I’m the friendly ear to come to and talk to and try to work those things. And then internally, I want to make sure that the City and County (of Honolulu) as a workplace, is a safe and welcoming place for the LGBTQ community.”
Jayaram is tasked with the following responsibilities:
Nurture relationships with LGBTQ+ community organizations
Seek and recruit members of the LGBTQ+ community for City boards and commissions
Work with the Department of Human Resources to promote diversity, equity and inclusivity within the City workforce
Be responsible for elevating/addressing LGBTQ+ concerns with appropriate City personnel
Honolulu PRIDE Month 2024
On Oct. 1, 2024, Mayor Rick Blangiardi hosted a special ceremony to raise the Pride flag over the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center Grounds for the annual commemoration of October as Honolulu Pride Month. Mayor Blangiardi also proclaimed the Rainbow Shower Tree (Cassia x nealiae ‘Wilhelmina Tenney’) as the “Official Pride Tree of Honolulu,” and unveiled a plaque that shares the compelling and unique history of the tree on Oʻahu.
“We’re really excited about this,” explained Jayaram. “We have a wonderful partner in Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson. So they’re the driving force behind the Lei Pua‘ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i project. And what it is is it’s memorializing, and putting into place, historically significant LGBTQ plaques throughout our state and our counties.”
In addition, Honolulu Hale will be illuminated in the rainbow colors of the PRIDE flag from Oct. 1 – 5, 2024 and Mayor Blangiardi will be leading a City and County of Honolulu cohort in this year’s Honolulu PRIDE Parade on Oct. 19.
