Edie Daly and Michael Yates

00:07 My name is Michael Yates. I am 76 years of age. Today's date is January 29th.

00:18 Mm

00:20 My interview partner is here with me.

00:25 And we will be going through a process that is going to be very interesting. Our relationship is at work eating and I are longtime friends and we work together to make a better Gulfport, correct?

00:40 And my name is Edie Daly and I'm 83 years old. Today's date is January 29th, 2020. We're here at the Gulfport library in Gulfport Florida. And my interview partner is former mayor Michael Yates, and I'm so happy to see you again. It's been a long time and I was hoping that just like you that the two of us work in very similar and yet very different ways to make Gulfport a better place for everybody.

01:26 Yes, it's been rewarding.

01:30 The reason why I asked you to come and have this conversation with me is because I felt that you were one of the people who was very instrumental in the days that we were forming the human rights ordinance for the City of Gulfport and that happened in the early 2000s. And that was 19. It was too I moved back to Gulfport and 1999 and I began at that time to come to the

02:13 The council meetings and to be really involved with the city and I love the fact that we're just a city of what is 3 square miles closer to 2 and we have our own Council and mayor and city government and our police force and our fire and in our library and we have a senior center and we have the rec center and we have Scout all and we have all these places for people to come together as people who live in Gulfport all all the different factions of the folks that live in Gulfport and I feel really blessed that I'm able to live in

03:13 Such a city.

03:15 II as a mayor and a

03:19 I will say a lifetime resident a Gulfport my family moved here in 1943. However, they came they went back to Berkley Michigan. I actually was born in Berkeley, but as an adolescent, I came here to Gulfport and in the Marina District actually and it was for us there was not the home that you see now the house is it existed that I recollect back as a child wear. My memory takes me probably around the age of four. Are you really able to put things together of where you're located and experiencing the growth of Gulfport along with my brothers and sisters. I want a v my mother and father they they they raised us with all that we needed to succeed.

04:19 Father of a very well provider. I came from a family of developers. My grandfather at like Ford was a Pioneer builder in Gulfport and my father was the superintendent and end up main contractor. If you will that work with the development of the single family homes, cuz my fault my stepfather Built Homes here in 1947. When I first came after I was born in Miami and then I came here to Gulfport in 1947 when I was ten and right after the second world war and my stepfather bought

05:09 Prefab homes that were from MacDill Air Force Base and he bought lots here in Gulfport and he put them up the the house is up on the Lots in Gulfport that were from MacDill. They were Army Barracks that's interest. And so when I was 10, I was working alongside of him and in the old days when used to thread pipes, I would hold the other end of the pipe and he would thread the pipe and then we would and so I learned not only Plumbing but I learned electric as well cuz that's what he would do is do that and then he would put the siding on the houses and and sell them.

05:56 So that's how I so he was a developer in that way. I'm a builder Air Force Base is pretty interesting, you know that we're able to utilize that

06:12 Across the bay through the Gandy Bridge the connector and the Gandy Bridge is another connection that I have because my grandfather was E M Elliott Hooper who was a producer and he got all the money for the Gandy Bridge to build the Gandy Bridge in 1926. I believe you and I've had this conversation, you know of all about the association was here with your grandparent. You say to know that connection how it how it brings my life into focus of being 125 is that Gulfport was the town it was not a city yet and the development Gulfport Elementary was our our school where families got together. It was the center point where people collected we had.

07:12 Take walks. We had social time and in that was really where where it was that there was distant junior high school and I went to distance high school was not built that area was a horse ranch. Jim. Dandy's is what's the name of that? Correct of ranch and I used to ride horses there.

07:48 Some Boolean about my thick coke bottle glasses that I experienced through life, but I overcame it. It was it was really just one of those things. I was not an outgoing student. I was not a very good honor student my brothers and sisters were but I had challenges and I don't lean on that challenge that I had as my vision, but I'm sure it was part of it. But my sister my older sister Diane was extreme Lee helpful and in helping me. Do you know my studies at home and everything that I needed and

08:30 Your life life was was good as a child in Gulfport. There was no real recreational facilities Gulfport was becoming a a a very popular little city, but it was because of the price cuz my granddad and my mom when I live downtown in the new Old Northeast section, so and he and and mr. Dandy were in partnership with each other. That is really wonderful.

09:20 Those are the things that you and I both I was a kid with dyslexia. And so I had a hard time in school as well. And so I got teased for being that's what cuz I couldn't read and it was because I had the dyslexia took me a long time to learn to read. So in that way you and I have kind of the ways that we grew up helped us both understand other folks that have disabilities or are different.

09:56 And I like to say different abilities not just disabilities because your ability as a what you were saying before about your way of reading people of being of understanding people of being around folks and knowing right away how how they are and

10:22 And I appreciated that with you always as a mayor.

10:27 Well, thank you. I I I really

10:31 Do appreciate how your phrasing that because it is so true. I do understand that there's difficulties and I can reflect also with my job with Department of Transportation and people with disabilities and and how to overcome that disability with possibly. It is some sort of a Aid that helps a person with as myself Vision. It may be hearing

11:00 Physical circumstances, but there's also the change in the environment where a person lives that we've learned as as as a we kept progressing and study and in-laws are coming to affect night that that help people an intake the disability and corrected. It could be the setting you work at of making it easier place to access and all of these components make a better place to live and equal access equal opportunity to everyone and everyone having the balance of that life is extremely important to me. So I wanted to talk a little bit about that.

11:49 Ability to have all of us included and that begins with me when I moved I had graduated and moved to New York to make my way in the big city and I had my kids in the north and I fell in love with a woman and I moved back at to Florida. This was my hometown when I moved back here in 1981 and and then we couldn't find any other lesbians in anywhere in the city of St. Pete. We looked at in the different places where women gathered and nobody was out in those days. It was not safe to be out and so my partner and I opened a bookstore a woman's bookstore on Madeira Beach and within

12:49 200 within 2 months we knew 250 women and we started what was called the salon and it went for 25 years and we met at the Friends Meeting House in St. Pete and then so that was the background for when the human rights ordinance. It has started to be passed. So that lesbians and gay people and transgender folks could have equal access to all the things that citizens of of Gulfport are entitled to and so in two thousand and

13:40 3 St. Petersburg past the human rights ordinance and since my partner and I lived in Gulfport we decided that we would get see if we could get a human rights ordinance passed here. Do you remember who brought it up the first time?

14:02 I believe.

14:07 It was a council member of that that brought up a human ordinance. I don't remember who it was. But I know that the first time around it's failed even though my partner and I and our little Coalition had all the council members we met with each one separately and we ask them questions about what you know, what they would have what they would like to know about what it was like to be gay or lesbian. And so

14:45 During that time. We thought that we had really spoken with all the council people and then we thought that it would be something that they would want.

14:56 And also we would decided not to leave out the transgendered folks St. Petersburg when they pass their Ordnance did not include transgender in their order. And so we said as a coalition we said we did not want to leave those folks. We didn't want to leave anybody behind and so when we presented it to Council in 2004, it didn't pass. Do you remember that time?

15:31 I'd like to sort of bring up my perspective of Gulfport off and going back. If I may become involved with the politics of Gulfport was was interesting.

15:51 My job with the Florida Department of Transportation helped me immensely. I I gain confidence I started in with the. He has a labor and I retired is a Statewide safety and health administrator and presentations in front of many people. A lot of study. The Americans with Disability Act was Terminus part of my job operations was a lot of where I worked at. I dealt with a very diverse employment. They were probably two thousand plus employees involved in total collection through the State of Florida and I covered the State of Florida. So I learned a lot from the subordinates that were there from the diversity of employment challenges of a 24/7 operation.

16:49 As I was learning and in gaining knowledge, it was brought to my attention of the politics in Gulfport or we're not necessarily pleasing the expansion of ownership residents that live there the family attraction that we've had of, you know Gulfport. Home you can you buy here the community for a lifetime and I was part of that Community for a lifetime and it where I'm going with this is it Gulfport was a sleepy little city though.

17:29 And when I was made aware that the ward that I lived in was up for election. I submitted my name and I lost I never complained I never campaigned I did not go to the forums or anyting. I just submitted my name and I came in a very respectful second. And with Western was that 1990 I believe.

18:03 The council person Colleen she left that early and the ref made an unsuccessful attempt for County Commission. The console appointed after looking there were five people into that race for that Council seat, and I was the second choice so they took that second choice and I was appointed and there goes the story and I served in that position my point of going to is this

18:37 I came in very very lack of experience is sitting on a console but knowledgeable of what the needs work. I work hard with with gaining the respect utilizing my experience in life and propel them into the city council of

19:00 Be proud of what you are. This city does not need to take a back seat or be silent of issues be humbled. We need to be proud and pride of what we have and that involved and I also changed the entire I dress with coat and tie the respect of the community of the dignity that I felt it deserved and it is but it expanded. I will say the confidence grew we were we set examples Pinellas County's a challenge, as you know, 24 Miss municipalities are in makeup of the Pinellas County in the City of Gulfport went from a small city of Silence to a city that was setting the mark in in the ability to move forward and handle those challenge political situations such as the human rights ordinance was

20:00 Just one example of the courage that we had collectively and the individual that you had mentioned. That was Harry Broadhead. Harry Broadhead was a council member aboard 3 and he was instrumental in bringing the issue of the Homeland rights given rights ordinance forward and the council member Robert Worthington and end where I'm at is that my involvement went from bringing the City of Gulfport. I was twice the president of the Suncoast League of municipalities very few mayors of ever served two terms as that and I was the president of the Pinellas County Mayors Association served on the Florida League of cities board and representative on the national league of cities, small City.

20:53 And I did not do this and I feel uncomfortable if you might but the word I is the mayor of a city that word Mayor I represent you every individual here. Michael Yates. My job is to carry forward what we want and the attire is part of where I'm at the dignity that it deserves and the respect that we deserve from other places regardless, if we are a 12000 population would 9000 voters. I wish that we be considered as New York right here at we are coming in with all the research and study that we need and I don't bring us up to where we're at because the challenge that we had we were on the verge of it. It's a terror of being a a community that sets

21:48 The the pace we were ahead of a lot of cities collectively utilizing all of the knowledge that we can have and so we never failed we went back and then we restarted the issue so it didn't pass the first time so then a coalition of like-minded folks in Gulfport decided that we would figure out what was the next step and so we Michelle King was running and we knew that Michelle king would bring it up because if it does not pass the city council. No one on the council can bring it up again for 2 years, but a new council member was allowed to bring it to the table again.

22:48 And so when we worked hard to get Michelle King elected and we knew that then she would bring it up for vote again, and I was happy to say that in the second time in 2005. It passed unanimously.

23:09 And so I know that you were part of that and remind me is is that you didn't have to vote unless it was a tie vote. Is that correct?

23:24 Yes, if it is the the structure of our city council was that if that boat was tied 2-2. I was the Swing Vote that my vote would would brakes at Thai I voted. I express full concern of issues whether I was supportive are opposing and presented the position. I was utilizing to make that decision or ask for more information endearing if I met during during a d o e r i n g during I admired her for a lesbian gay Crush Junior efforts.

24:17 She was very instrumental in bringing forth information that we needed a little bit off of that. But you mentioned Michelle King. I don't know that it was a big effort for Michelle King to be elected. Michelle King was popular but on a personal about you may not know but my late wife Darlene Darlene pretty outspoken.

24:54 Was was so kind to Darlene in her last week's of life. She I lost Arlene the cancer, but they had planned they they were

25:08 Very strong

25:12 Political supporters of various people and together what a team. I mean it was interesting to hear them talk take shush me away. But anyhow back onto the business and I want an example.

25:29 Where we're at with Michelle with others as we go because in

25:38 And not Credit in myself, but having the support of the community of my effort to strengthen gulfport's image image and how it presented. Our self was very very important to me of on Johnson. I modeled a lot of my

25:58 Matera mayor skills of of how she conducted herself. She also was a president of the Suncoast League of cities for one term but you lysing all of this, but putting it together and being aggressive very determined. We are not going to be shy we're not taking a backseat. We will be at the County Commission meetings. We will be at at the Florida legislature. And yes, if it's Washington we need to go we'll go there and I gained that

26:37 Interest that confidence of the community backing and that strengthen all the other console. I think maybe it'd be good to to mention. What a human rights ordinance is and that is that it gives all people access to jobs to housing to restaurants to hospitals all of those things when we started in 1999 were denied to us.

27:15 We could be fired for being lesbian or gay we could be denied housing. We could not visit are a significant others in the hospital. And so for us this was a really big step for being full citizens of every city and we found that Gulfport certainly became that kind of a city for us so much so that because it was one of those places that was still affordable housing we could as lesbians. We with our limited incomes, we could buy homes here in in Gulfport. And and so we did and so then on fast forward in when the library, can you tell me when the new

28:15 Was built do you remember I should be able to book the to put a date on it now? I'm sorry. I walked through the pathway of knowledge and my family we have our bricks there from my mother and dad my sisters and brothers as I've said, I'm 125 and my wife and I I would have should have looked at the plaque but I've I've experienced the growth of the sunshine room expansion through the friends, but I don't have that date in my mind. It was so much we move.

28:57 Very positive very thorough through my my involvement in my terms as mayor entities that we have in the city. So one of the things that I was where I was going with that was the fact that then six years ago is it that there was

29:25 And an initiative to start the lgbtq resource center right here in the library and we have now over 7,000 volumes on the stacks here and we have the resource committee the special programming and so we have an every month. There is an lgbtq film that happens here in the library for folks and so that for me that overarching space.

30:13 Of time

30:15 When we were able to come from being folks who work hiding in the closet and to us being you know, full members of the society here in Gulfport is for me a lifetime achievement.

30:32 I get it is it's an accomplishment that I think ahead of time Pinellas County adopted the ordinance of this nature course now Florida and what we've learned in and acceptance of marriage my my nephew just married his male companion. It was a large wedding and it took was a still at the Women's Club out there and they're happy. They're very successful what what I find contributes to to this is

31:10 What I believe in in the past of talking of what Injustice you people experience them not being fairly treated why it was so important to have this human rights ordinance and we step up to this was people did not know it is assumed that that the community of this size was aware of of the Discrimination of the unfairness.

31:45 But truthfully

31:48 What I've always referred to and Rodger Turner the reporter from the Gaba used to very respectfully, but make human when I refer to the silent majority, but there is a Asylum and in that fashion of our community were not aware of the experience of denial that gay lesbian crust in your with experience in the in their challenge of just trying to achieve a normal life.

32:20 What once the education become and you don't what another part is is very true of of I don't necessarily have the explanation other than a better caring.

32:37 Individual of the respect of their property or properties escalated the properties that you mentioned that were purchased that low-income by say a lesbian couple were

32:53 Extremely improved correct the renovations made our city.

33:00 A higher tax base if you will, but it it propelled us financially. It was was a great achievement and it was recognized as is this and then we've learned we educated as a community Through Council meetings people of yourself and what I'd like to say that I opened up was

33:26 Same as any entitlement freedom of speech. I allowed people to come to the microphone and speak and if the issue was sensitive go beyond the three minutes on explain their perspective. I always felt that every time that I came to the council it was with respect and not adversarial. And so that's what I wanted you to see and I wanted you to see how respectful we were of you and of the council.

34:02 And and that we were just wanting to be ourselves and to have a fun our own place in the sun was proven that together. We make a difference a wrecked together with understanding. We did not need to make adjustments. We just needed to be honest and in in Fair the right of choice. It was very very unjust that

34:40 With the inability to be represented by your partner in illness and possibilities of not being physically or mentally able to make a decision of medical need of of what would be in your future the right of choice. It just drove me to We Will Champion this

35:11 And I knew that I loved you at the time. It seemed like a challenge for us every place that we went. And so when we met with that acceptance as I said, it was wonderful and I thank you very much for all the things that you had to do and your wife had the things that you had to do to make that possible cuz I know that you must have spoken to folks you and your own families and the people that you met on our behalf will most definitely I never made a hasty decision without research and in vitalizing home rule is very important in municipalities and the right choice. Also, why do you choose to live in a in a county that has 24 cities? Why here but there are the very important values of

36:12 A county Support and we led the way for small cities. It's raining and we did it together. We did even back about the time and I'm fortunate and thank you for being my friend you for me and willing to have this conversation with me.