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New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Open to All® Launch National Partnership with Elected Officials and Businesses to Fight Discrimination

November 13, 2018—New York City, NY—In an expansion of a nationwide public education campaign, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Open to All® today announced the launch of a taskforce of elected leaders from around the country, as businesses from all over New York City commit to serving everyone on equal terms, regardless of who they are. Open to All® is a coalition that unites leaders in business, civic engagement, and the non-profit sector across the United States to build support for nondiscrimination and defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

Comptroller Stringer also announced that fifteen lawmakers from around the country, including Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland and Mayor Catherine Pugh of Baltimore, have joined him in supporting Open to All®. Comptroller Stringer’s taskforce, Local Electeds Against Discrimination (LEAD), is a national network of elected leaders who support Open to All® and are also taking a stand for nondiscrimination protections in their cities and states. The LEAD taskforce brings together local elected officials from across the country to share model nondiscrimination policies, strategies for encouraging businesses to pledge to be Open to All®, and ideas for bringing together local communities to oppose discrimination.

“Diversity is our nation’s greatest asset and putting policies in place to fight discrimination moves us one step closer to becoming a more just, thriving country,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “We have seen too many instances where people have been turned away because of who they are – it’s discriminatory and it has to end now. That starts with government leaders taking a stand and advocating for policies that reflect our values of inclusion. I’m honored to stand with elected officials across the United States to ensure that businesses in every corner of our nation are open to all.”

By signing the Open to All® Elected Officials Pledge and joining the LEAD Taskforce, lawmakers agree to:

  • Take a stand for nondiscrimination in their city or state and work to create a welcoming and safe environment for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or disability.
  • Oppose discrimination against individuals or denial of goods or services based on any of these characteristics, and to work to ensure businesses provide all goods and services to everyone on the same terms.

The announcement that New York City is Open to All® is also supported by Gap Inc., which recently signed on to the Open to All® business pledge at over 2,300 Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Intermix stores across the country, spanning all 50 states, including 190 stores in the state of New York. Last month, Gap Inc. joined Yelp, Marriott International Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, as well as more than 1,500 small businesses and 200 nonprofits, in partnering with Open to All®.

“Open to All® and the work of the LEAD Taskforce is critical in this current environment,” said Open to All® Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “We have heard from gay couples who are afraid to stop at restaurants on a cross-country drive, or people of color who are afraid to linger too long over a cup of coffee. People want to know where they will be safe and welcome. Open to All® is very simple. It’s a public declaration that a business will treat people fairly—and a promise that if someone isn’t treated fairly that the business will take that seriously. It’s also a pledge to fight back against discrimination in communities across the United States. We’re inspired to see businesses like Gap Inc. and elected officials like Comptroller Stringer leading the charge and making a commitment to inclusion.”

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The Open to All® coalition is a coalition of over 200 organizations including civil rights and racial justice organizations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations and community centers, health and advocacy organizations, and faith organizations—plus a rapidly growing number of businesses—that believe in the basic principle that when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to everyone, on the same terms. Learn more at www.OpentoAll.com

Gap Inc. Declares its Stores Nationwide as ‘Open to All’

Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, and Intermix Pledge to Serve Everyone on the Same Terms

October 4, 2018—Washington, D.C.—Gap Inc. today announced it is signing the Open to All® Business Pledge and urging other business leaders across the nation to add their voices and their businesses to declare they are Open to All® and oppose discrimination. There are over 2,300 Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Intermix stores in the country, spanning all 50 states.

Gap Inc. joins Yelp, Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, as well as more than 1,500 small businesses and 200 nonprofits, in partnering with Open to All®, a public education campaign focused on the longstanding principles that affirm when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to everyone on the same terms. To welcome all customers, Gap Inc. stores will also feature the Open to All® window cling in select stores across America.

“Since our founding nearly 50 years ago, our company values have led the way we run our business. Together, our brands celebrate equality for all in our workplaces and communities globally. Not only does this foster inclusivity, creativity and contribute to a more just world, it also helps us be more competitive in the marketplace and better serve our customers. We’re proud to join the Open to All® coalition and stand with other businesses to welcome all customers to our brands,” said Art Peck, president and chief executive officer at Gap Inc.

Gap Inc. will also post Open to All® signs at its headquarter buildings in San Francisco, New York and Albuquerque, as well as at its distribution centers in California, Ohio, Tennessee and New York. The company has approximately 135,000 employees around the world.

“Gap Inc. has demonstrated a deep commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equality,” said Calla Rongerude, campaign manager of Open to All®. “In a time when many people of color, LGBT people, people of minority faiths, and many others still can’t be sure they won’t be discriminated against when they seek goods or services, it is more important than ever for businesses to affirm inclusive values. Their stores are found in most communities across the country and we’re thrilled to work with Gap Inc., as a leader on this campaign.”

A new poll released earlier this week shows that most Americans support businesses like Gap Inc. that are Open to All®. The Harris Poll®, conducted in conjunction with Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, finds that 75% of Americans believe when a business opens their door to the public, they should be open to all and serve everyone on the same terms. The poll also found that a vast majority of Americans agree that businesses should not be allowed to deny services to people based on their race, ethnicity, or national origin (87%), sex (87%), sexual orientation (81%), gender identity (80%), religion (85%), or disability (88%).

Last month, Gap Inc. was ranked as one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive companies for the second consecutive year in the annual Thomson Reuters Global Diversity and Inclusion Index, which scores companies using environmental, social, and governance metrics. Earlier this year, Gap Inc. was named as the only U.S. retailer to make the 2018 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and was the first Fortune 500 company to independently validate it pays women and men equally for the same work. In 2017, the company was the first and only apparel company to sign on to a new set of global business standards—led by the United Nations Human Rights office—to promote LGBTQ rights around the world.

Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the non-profit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality.

In addition to the over 1,500 business members, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender (LGBT) equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All® members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

Open to All® was originally launched in November 2017. Initially, the campaign was focused on strengthening support for nondiscrimination amid oral arguments in the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Open to All’s business engagement initiative represents a dramatic expansion of that effort, encouraging businesses large and small across the country to publicly and visibly declare that they support nondiscrimination and that they are Open to All®.

Businesses can sign the pledge at http://www.opentoall.com/business-pledge/.

For more information about the Open to All® coalition, or today’s announcement, please visit www.OpenToAll.com.

Top Corporations, Major Cities Launch Partnership with Civil Rights Leaders and Equality Advocates to Reinforce Commitment That Businesses Should be “Open to All”

Washington, D.C. July 31, 2018—Today, some of the nation’s largest businesses including Yelp, Levi Strauss & Co., Airbnb, Lyft, and Thumbtack, as well as the cities of New York and Oakland, are joining forces with more than 1,200 small businesses, and more than 190 organizations (representing a cross-section of perspectives and interests including civil rights, racial justice, LGBT equality, health and disability rights, and faith causes) to launch a partnership with the Open to All® Coalition and kickoff a new nationwide initiative focused on encouraging businesses large and small to join together, to declare that they are “open to all,” and to reinforce their commitment to longstanding principles that affirm when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to everyone on the same terms. The launch of the partnership comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s narrow ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, involving a Colorado bakery that refused service to a same-sex couple—in violation of the state’s nondiscrimination law—which did not address the discrimination that millions of Americans still face.

“As a nation, we decided long ago that when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to all,” said Calla Rongerude, campaign manager of Open to All®. “So, it’s shocking that many people of color, LGBT people, people of minority faiths, and many others still can’t be sure they won’t be discriminated against when they seek goods or services from businesses in their local communities. No one should have to worry about whether they will be denied service or face hostility as they go about their daily lives, simply because of who they are.”

YELP LAUNCHES NEW “OPEN TO ALL” FEATURE

Participating businesses can show their support for “Open to All” in several different ways. One of these ways is with Yelp—the company that connects people with great local businesses—which is introducing the “Open to All” attribute allowing businesses to distinguish themselves as a safe and welcoming place to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or disability.

The new feature makes it easier for consumers across the country to identify and support businesses who are committed to welcoming all. The new attribute also gives businesses a way to express their support for the Open to All® movement and affirm their commitment to opposing discrimination and serving everyone on equal terms.

“Yelp exists to empower and protect consumers,” said Luther Lowe, SVP of Public Policy at Yelp. “We’re excited to offer small business owners and consumers the tools to promote inclusion and combat discrimination.”

“No matter their identity, people should be able to live with dignity and feel free to eat, shop, and gather in public spaces without fear of being turned away because of who they are,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. “The reality is that most Black Americans regularly face the indignities of being treated with suspicion, asked to pre-pay for service or denied service altogether, or told they cannot use a store bathroom. Federal law already prevents this type of discrimination in public places, but this initiative led by the Open to All® Coalition is the kind of broad and diverse partnership of individuals, groups, small businesses and large corporations needed to send a powerful message that there is no room in our society for bias or discrimination. More importantly, it will foster communities where individuals do not have to question whether they’re welcome.”

Other prominent, national businesses enlisting in the effort today include Levi Strauss & Co., Airbnb, Lyft, and Thumbtack, among others, and all of whom urged other business leaders across the nation to add their voices and their businesses to the effort to stand against discriminatory laws and ensure their businesses do not discriminate.

CITIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES ENLIST IN THE NATIONWIDE INITIATIVE

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland and the mayors of Bloomington, IL, Durham, NC, Alexandria, VA, Madison, WI and more, also officially announced their commitment to the Open to All® campaign, and called on other cities across the nation—big and small—to enlist in the effort to enact and affirm laws and policies that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations like stores and restaurants. New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, the chief financial officer of the largest city in the country, will lead a national taskforce of public officials called Local Electeds Against Discrimination (LEAD), committed to engaging business and community leaders in building “Open to All” cities, including the development of a toolkit of model nondiscrimination policies. For a full list of city leader support, visit www.OpenToAll.com/supporters.

“Diversity is a city’s greatest asset and putting policies in place to fight discrimination moves us one step closer to becoming a more just, thriving country,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “An injustice to one is an injustice to all, and it is a moral imperative that government leaders protect every community – no matter who they are, who they worship, or who they love. That’s why I am proud to join the Open to All® coalition and look forward to working with city officials across the United States to ensure that businesses in every corner of our nation are open to all.”

Small businesses are leading the effort as well, with more than 1,200 small businesses having committed to the campaign prior to launch—among them, is Tia Agnew, co-founder and CEO of the Indianapolis-based New Day Craft.

GALVANIZING UNPRECEDENTED SUPPORT

The Open to All® campaign represents one of the most significant efforts to date to unite and galvanize national leaders in business, civic engagement, and advocacy to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality.

The Open to All® coalition consists of more than 190 civil rights and racial justice organizations; lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender (LGBT) equality organizations and community centers; health, labor and disability organizations; and faith organizations committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of our nation’s fundamental values around nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

“We are grateful to Yelp for recognizing that America is at its best when we are Open to All®. Business owners from coast to coast are committed to keeping their businesses open to all, and now they have a unique opportunity to demonstrate that – thanks to a new partnership with Yelp,” said Masen Davis, CEO of Freedom for All Americans. “The vast majority of small business owners agree that serving all customers equally is good for business and builds thriving communities. Freedom for All Americans is proud to be part of the Open to All® Coalition as we work together to ensure that all Americans are free from discrimination, no matter what city or town they call home.”

Open to All® was originally launched in November 2017. Initially, the campaign was focused on educating the public about the need for nondiscrimination protections amid oral arguments in the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Today’s new partnership represents a dramatic expansion of that effort, encouraging businesses large and small across the country to publicly and visibly declare that they support nondiscrimination and that they are open to all.

RESOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION

The newly revamped website features an Open to All® business page so that business owners can sign the Open to All® business pledge, order window signing, and learn about the new Yelp attribute. Advocates and individuals can use the site to spread the word through innovative social media shareables, watch videos, order window signing to share with local businesses in their communities, and much more.

For more information about the Open to All® coalition, or today’s announcement, please visit www.OpenToAll.com.

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Click here to download hi-res images of the window cling for publication.