Cherry Iocovozzi
Asheville, NC
Cherry Iocovozzi, who uses They/He pronouns, lives in Asheville, NC, where they work at East Fork Pottery. They delivered this testimony on March 30 at a press conference announcing the introduction of four proactive bills to improve the lives of LGBTQ North Carolinians. They said:
“I remember when HB2 passed five years ago and a flood of news broke about businesses pulling investments from North Carolina. Concerts were rerouted, conventions were canceled, and planned expansions were rolled back. The Associated Press estimated that the law would cost our state $3.76 billion dollars in lost investments and revenue. These developments underlined that HB2 and later HB142 were not just bad for LGBTQ people and especially transgender people – they were also bad for business.
“Five years later, our economy is still missing out because LGBTQ people remain vulnerable to discrimination in NC. We’re lagging behind the 20 other states that fully protect LGBTQ people, including our neighbors to the north in Virginia, who passed comprehensive protections last year. And while it’s great to see local communities passing nondiscrimination ordinances, 93% of our state’s residents live in municipalities without protections.”
“I’m proud to work at East Fork Pottery, where the company centers equity and compassion as core values. As a transgender person, I have felt more respected in the workplace than I ever have. This is because of East Fork’s strong commitment to finding more equitable ways to do businesses, an imperative that includes supporting LGBTQ causes. The company has been a longtime partner of the Campaign for Southern Equality and last year sponsored tens of thousands of dollars in grants to BIPOC LGBTQ people in North Carolina and across the South.“
“I want every LGBTQ person to feel included and welcome and free from discrimination, not just in the workplace but in every area of life. Your basic freedoms should not depend on where you live. Nondiscrimination protections and this entire package of pro-LGBTQ bills will make North Carolina a stronger state, build a better place to do business, and create more opportunities for LGBTQ people everywhere to thrive. “