hattiesburg

for an ndo

Who, What, When, and Why

Hattiesburg is home to a diverse population of students, young professionals, working families, manufacturing companies, artists, small businesses, faith communities, immigrants, retirees, unhoused folks, and more. Our residents & workers deserve to be protected by the City that serves them - that’s why we’re joining forces with other community based organizations, businesses, and faith communities to ask that Mayor Toby Barker and the Hattiesburg City Council pass a Non Discrimination Ordinance. Learn what that means - and how you can get involved - below.

hattiesburg is an inclusive city. why do we need an ordinance to prove it?

While Hattiesburg can definitely be a refuge for folks seeking diversity and inclusion, there are still many in our City who are not on board with progress. Every day we hear stories of folks who have been let go after coming out as gay, denied a lease because the landlord did not want to “deal” with their disability, or turned away from job interviews because of their hairstyle.

Even if you have never experienced discrimination, it is still collectively our job to protect those who do.

  • NDO stands for Non Discrimination Ordinance. It is an ordinance - or legislation passed on a municipal / City level - that creates a statute allowing Municipal Courts to hear cases of discrimination based on criteria outlined in the Ordinance.

    The Ordinance can also detail filing fees for discrimination suits and penalties should a party be found guilty of discrimination.

  • No - an Ordinance simply paves a road for average citizens to bring a civil suit against an individual or business they believe has discriminated against them. They will have to provide evidence of the discrimination and prove to a Judge that they deserve recourse.

    The NDO does not provide for criminal complaints or arrests.

  • Technically yes. However research shows that Federal lawsuits cost 600% more than a municipal suit. For communities and populations already socioeconomically disadvantaged, a cost like that is an undue burden.

    Additionally, most of the actionable Federal Anti-discrimination statutes exist in Agency rulings or standards, which can be struck down or superseded at any time.

  • Discrimination affects everyone! It affects the young, the old, the disabled, people of color, LGBTQIA+ folks, veterans, and more. Even if you do not belong to an affected population, you certainly have family or friends who do.

    Additionally, having anti-discrimination protections in place makes a City more appealing to large businesses and organizations with diverse employees. If we want Hattiesburg to grow, we need to make its welcoming attitude official!

    Ultimately, protecting our neighbors is up to us. It should not have to happen to you for it to matter to you.

So what’s our plan?

collect petition signatures

Anyone living, working, attending school, shopping, or otherwise existing in Hattiesburg can sign the petition to make their voice heard.

encourage folks to contact mayor barker & their councilmembers

The more Hattiesburg government hears that we the people care about this initiative and want to protect our community, the more motivated they will become to take action.

have conversations with mayor barker & city council

TSC leadership along with coalition partners, faith leaders, and business people will use your petition signatures, letters of support, and feedback to encourage City administration to introduce and pass the NDO in meetings and other offline conversations.

public comment

Once a month, the City Council opens meetings for public comment. In the near future, our group of supporters, coalition leaders, and partners will begin gathering at these meetings to publicly request that an Ordinance be negotiated and introduced to the Council.

pass the ndo!

Once it all comes together, either the Mayor’s office or a Councilmember will introduce the Ordinance to the Council for a reading and public comment. In a subsequent meeting, the NDO will be introduced for a vote, and PASSED by the Council with majority vote!

how can you help?

Everybody can help by using their voice - from the comfort of your own home.

  • Click here to add your name: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/hattiesburgndo/

  • See below for contact information or visit https://www.hattiesburgms.com/ward-maps/ to find your Ward and Councilmember.

  • Interested in attending City Council meetings? RSVP to info@tschburg.org and we’ll keep you in the loop with the when & where!

  • Do you want to help? Whether you own a business, lead a community organization, serve in a faith community, or simply care about your neighbors, we want YOU to help our effort! Get in touch via info@tschburg.org to get plugged in.

contact Mayor Barker

and your city councilmember

Every resident of Hattiesburg has a right to contact our Mayor and their respective City Councilmember regarding any issue that concerns them.

After signing the petition, find out which Ward you reside in to find out who your Councilmember is.

Below is listed email addresses for each Councilmember, the Mayor, and the Chief Administrative Officer.

Reach out to encourage their support of the NDO using your own words, or click the button for sample scripts.

Ward 1 - Jeffrey George - jgeorge@hattiesburgms.com

Ward 2 - Deborah Delgado - delgadoward2@gmail.com

Ward 3 - Carter Carroll - ccaroll@hattiesburgms.com

Ward 4 - Dave Ware - dware@hattiesburgms.com

Ward 5 - Nicholas Brown - nbrown@hattiesburgms.com

Mayor Toby Barker - mayor@hattiesburgms.com

Chief Administrative Officer Ann Jones - annjones@hattiesburgms.com

want to get involved?

or do you own a business or lead a community organization and want to sign on to the effort?

Drop us a line at info@tschburg.org or 601-909-5338.

We’d love to have you!