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Annise Parker

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Annise Parker
Parker in 2008
61st Mayor of Houston
In office
January 2, 2010 – January 2, 2016
Preceded byBill White
Succeeded bySylvester Turner
14th City Controller of Houston
In office
January 2, 2004 – January 2, 2010
Preceded byJudy Johnson
Succeeded byRonald Green
Member of the Houston City Council
from At-large Position 1
In office
January 2, 1998 – January 2, 2004
Preceded byGracie Saenz
Succeeded byMark Ellis
Personal details
Born
Annise Danette Parker

(1956-05-17) May 17, 1956 (age 68)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Kathy Hubbard
​
(m. 2014)​
Children2
EducationRice University (BA)
WebsiteGovernment website
Personal website

Annise Danette Parker (born May 17, 1956) is an American politician from the state of Texas. A Democrat, Parker served as the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas, from 2010 until 2016. She also served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and as city controller from 2004 to 2010.[1][2]

Parker is Houston's second female mayor (after Kathy Whitmire). She is also one of the first openly gay mayors of a major U.S. city, with Houston being the most populous U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor until Lori Lightfoot was elected mayor of Chicago in 2019.[3][4][5]

Early life and education

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Parker was born in the Spring Branch community of Houston on May 17, 1956.[6] Her mother, Kay Parker,[7] was a bookkeeper.[6] Parker was adopted by her mother's second husband, Ivy Leslie Parker, who worked for the Red Cross.[7] She lived briefly in Mississippi and South Carolina.[8][page needed] In 1971, when Parker was 15, her family moved to a U.S. Army post in Mannheim, Germany for two years.[6] In Germany, she volunteered in the Red Cross youth service organization and worked at the post library.[9]

Growing up, Parker was shy and suffered from extreme anxiety; her family nicknamed her "Turtle". She has maintained a turtle collection.[8][page needed]

Parker graduated from Stall High School in North Charleston, South Carolina in 1974 and was named a National Merit Scholar.[10] During her senior year of high school, Parker participated in the school’s National Honor Society, Ecology Club, and Christian Youth Fellowship and was a high jumper and long jumper on the track team.[11]

Parker began attending Rice University in 1974, working several jobs to pay for her room and board.[9] While at Rice, Parker founded a lesbian student group.[8][page needed] A member of Jones College (a residential college at Rice), she graduated from Rice in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in anthropology, psychology and sociology.[12] In 2005, Parker completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government[citation needed] as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.[13]

Career

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Prior to serving as an elected official, Parker worked in the oil and gas industry as a software analyst[6] for over 20 years, including 18 years at Mosbacher Energy. In addition, she co-owned Inklings Bookshop with business partner Pokey Anderson from the late 1980s until 1997 and served as president of the Neartown Civic Association from 1995 to 1997.[9][better source needed] In 1986 and 1987, she was president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus.[14]

Houston City Council

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Parker ran unsuccessfully for Houston City Council in District C in 1991.[15] In 1995, she ran for City Council again, finishing third in a special election for At-Large Position 4 after Sheila Jackson Lee vacated the seat upon her election to Congress.[16] In 1997, Parker prevailed in the runoff election for At-Large Position 1 to become Houston's first openly gay elected official.[17] She was re-elected twice to the same seat in 1999 and 2001 without being forced to a run-off.[18]

Houston City Controller

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In 2003, Parker was elected City Controller.[2] She was re-elected in 2005 and 2007 unopposed. In addition, Parker also secured a seat for a controller's appointee on the Houston Municipal Pension System Board of Trustees, marking the first time the city's chief financial officer has had any involvement in the pension system."[19]

Mayor of Houston

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2009 election

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Main article: 2009 Houston mayoral election

In 2009, Parker announced her candidacy for the office of Mayor of Houston in a video posted online to her campaign website.[20] She was endorsed by several organizations and campaigned on a platform of better city security and financial efficiency.[21] During the run-off election, Parker was endorsed by former rival Peter Hoyt Brown. The city's primary newspaper, the Houston Chronicle, endorsed Parker, citing her experience. Parker was elected mayor on December 12, 2009, and assumed office on January 2, 2010. Houston became the largest U.S. city ever to have an openly gay individual serve as mayor.[22][23] After the election, Parker declared that the top priorities of her administration would be improving transportation, balancing the city's budget, and selecting a new police chief.[24]

2011 election

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Main article: 2011 Houston mayoral election

In the 2011 election, Parker won a second term as Houston's mayor by defeating Fernando Herrera, Jack O'Connor, Dave Wilson, Kevin Simms, and Amanda Ulman without a runoff.[25]

2013 election

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Main article: 2013 Houston mayoral election

In November 2013, Parker won a third term as Houston's mayor by winning 57.22% of the vote, making a runoff unnecessary.[26]

Tenure

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Main article: 2015 Houston, Texas Proposition 1

On May 28, 2014, the Houston City Council passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) which was authored by Parker,[27] by a vote of 11 to 6. Mayor Parker had certified that "there exists a public emergency requiring that this Ordinance be passed finally on the date of its introduction".[28] The measure banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, family, marital, and military status. It applied to housing, businesses that serve the public, private employers, city employment, and city contracting.[29]

On July 3, 2014, opponents of HERO submitted 50,000 signatures to the city to force the ordinance to a vote of the public.[30][31][32][33] The city announced that the opponents were 2,022 signatures short of the 17,269 needed to put the matter to a vote.[34][31][35] HERO opponents filed a lawsuit[36] against Mayor Parker and the city on August 5, 2014.[27] In response, city attorneys defending the law filed subpoenas for sermons from local Christian pastors.[31] Attorneys for the pastors called the subpoenas retaliation against Christians for opposing the ordinance. Parker maintained that the attorneys who dealt with the lawsuit for the city were outside lawyers (i.e., not city employees) and that she and City Attorney David Feldman had been unaware of the subpoenas.[33] After what some news organizations called a "firestorm"[37][38] of criticism over the subpoenas (Parker said that she had been "vilified coast to coast"[38]), Parker directed the city's attorneys on October 29, 2014, to withdraw the subpoenas.[39] After the subpoenas were withdrawn, local city pastors filed a civil rights lawsuit against Parker.[32][40]

On November 3, 2015, Houston voters overturned HERO by a 61%-39% margin.[41]

As mayor, Parker enacted an ordinance making it illegal to share food with the homeless in public spaces.[42] Lawsuits continue over the ordinance, with a judge ruling in 2024 that local organization Food Not Bombs Houston could sue the city over it.[43]

Due to term limits, Parker was not eligible to run for a fourth term in 2015.[44]

Post-mayoral career

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After leaving the office of Mayor in 2016, Parker has worked for nonprofit organizations in Houston. She was Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for community development nonprofit BakerRipley. From December 2017 to March 2025, Parker served as CEO and President of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and Leadership Institute.[45][46] She is also a professor at the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University.[47]

Media reports in May 2024 indicated that Parker was considering a candidacy for Harris County judge in 2026.[48][49]

Personal life

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Parker and her wife, Kathy Hubbard, have been together since 1990.[9] On January 16, 2014, Parker and Hubbard were married in Palm Springs, California.[50][51] They have two adopted children together. In addition, the couple provided a home to a teenaged boy; they consider him their son as well.[52][53]

Awards and honors

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In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride parade, Queerty named Parker among the fifty heroes "leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people."[54][55]

Electoral history

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2003

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Houston Controller Election 2003[56]
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker 109,393 42%
✓ Bruce Tatro 52,366 20%
Mark Lee 40,103 15%
Gabriel Vasquez 30,784 12%
Steve Jones 26,303 10%
Houston Controller Election 2003, Runoff[57]
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker 127,280 62.05%
Bruce Tatro 77,849 37.95%

2005

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Houston Controller Election 2005
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker

2007

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Houston Controller Election 2007
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker

2009

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Houston mayoral election, 2009[58]
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker 53,919 30.82%
✓ Gene Locke 43,974 25.14%
Peter Brown 39,456 22.56%
Roy Morales 35,802 20.47%
Houston mayoral runoff election, 2009[59]
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker 81,971 52.8%
Gene Locke 73,331 47.2%

2011

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Houston mayoral election, 2011[25]
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Annise Parker (Inc.) 59,156 50.83%
Jack O'Connor 17,237 14.81%
Fernando Herrera 16,712 14.36%
Dave Wilson 13,648 11.73%
Kevin Simms 7,797 6.70%
Amanda Ulman 1,835 1.58%
Turnout 116,385

2013

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Houston mayoral election, 2013

Candidate Vote Number Vote Percentage[60]
Annise D. Parker 97,009 57.22%
Ben Hall 46,775 27.59%
Eric B. Dick 18,302 10.79%
Victoria Lane 1,782 1.05%
Don Cook 1,720 1.01%
Keryl Burgess Douglas 1,192 0.70%
Michael Fitzsimmons 1,179 0.70%
Derek A. Jenkins 823 0.49%
Charyl L. Drab 767 0.45%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mayor's Office". City of Houston, TX. Archived from the original on December 25, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Past City Controllers". The City of Houston. 2013. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Annise D. Parker (2004 - 2010)
  3. ^ Bustillo, Miguel (December 12, 2009). "Houston Election May Prove Historic". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  4. ^ Olson, Bradley (December 13, 2009). "Annise Parker elected Houston's next mayor". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 17, 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  5. ^ James C. McKinley Jr (December 12, 2009). "Houston Is Largest City to Elect Openly Gay Mayor". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d James, Randy (December 15, 2009). "Annise Parker, Houston's Gay Mayor". Time. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  7. ^ a b Turner, Allan (March 12, 2012). "Houston PBS, library help Mayor Parker explore ancestry". chron.com.
  8. ^ a b c Reynolds, Andrew, 1967- (2019). The children of Harvey Milk : how LGBTQ politicians changed the world. New York, NY. ISBN 978-0-19-046095-2. OCLC 1023814403.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ a b c d "About Annise". Annise Parker for Houston. The Annise Parker Campaign. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
  10. ^ Kropf, Schuyler (December 16, 2009). "Parker once shy, mom says". Post and Courier.
  11. ^ Hambrick, Greg (December 21, 2009). "Houston's new mayor a Stall High School grad". Charleston City Paper.
  12. ^ Brotzen, Franz (December 13, 2009). "Rice alumna Annise Parker elected Houston mayor". Rice University. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010.
  13. ^ "Bohnett Leaders Fellowship Alumni". victoryinstitute.org. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  14. ^ "The Caucus Changes Its Name". OutSmart Magazine. September 8, 2021.
  15. ^ "Parker wins mayoral race in Houston". Keen News Service. December 13, 2009.
  16. ^ "Annise Parker Aims High". OutSmart Magazine. June 1, 2009.
  17. ^ Verhovek, Sam Howe (December 8, 1997). "Houston Elects Lee Brown As Its First Black Mayor". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  18. ^ "Office of the City Secretary". Houstontx.gov. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  19. ^ "Office of the City Controller". Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
  20. ^ "Annise Parker Official Website". Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  21. ^ Nancy Ford (August 14, 2008). "Annie's List Makes Early Endorsement of Annise Parker for Houston Mayor in 2009". OutSmart Magazine. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
  22. ^ "Locke Concedes In Mayor's Race – Politics News Story – KPRC Houston". Archived from the original on December 16, 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  23. ^ Martin, Jonathan; Smith, Ben (December 16, 2009). "Houston election signals key trend". Politico. politico.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  24. ^ Olson, Bradley (December 15, 2009). "Budget cuts, HPD top Parker's agenda (w/video)". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 8, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  25. ^ a b "Cumulative Report — Official - Harris County, Texas — Joint Election — November 08, 2011" (PDF). harrisvotes.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  26. ^ "Cumulative Report — Official - Harris County, Texas — Joint Election — November 05, 2013" (PDF). harrisvotes.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  27. ^ a b Wright, John (August 6, 2014). "Opponents of Equal Rights Ordinance sue Mayor Annise Parker, city of Houston". Lone Star Q. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. a lawsuit filed Tuesday by opponents of the city's Equal Rights Ordinance.
  28. ^ "Text of Houston Equal Rights Ordinance - Ordinance No. 2014-530" (PDF). City of Houston, Texas. June 3, 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017. Section 6. That there exists a public emergency requiring that this Ordinance be passed finally on the date of its introduction as requested in writing by the Mayor; therefore, this Ordinance shall be passed finally on such date (i.e., upon its first reading before the City Council rather than its second reading as per the normal procedure.)
  29. ^ Morris, Mike (May 29, 2014). "Council passes equal rights ordinance". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  30. ^ Morris, Mike (July 3, 2014). "Equal rights law opponents deliver signatures seeking repeal". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  31. ^ a b c Todd Starnes (October 14, 2014). "City of Houston demands pastors turn over sermons". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  32. ^ a b Valerie Richardson (October 29, 2014). "Houston mayor withdraws pastor subpoenas after national uproar". Washington Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  33. ^ a b Josh Sanburn (October 17, 2014). "Houston's Pastors Outraged After City Subpoenas Sermons Over Transgender Bill". Time. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  34. ^ "Houston declares non-discrimination ordinance's repeal petition invalid". KTRK-TV Houston. August 4, 2014. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017. For this specific petition, a total of 17,269 signatures were needed. Feldman says the number of valid signatures submitted came to only 15,247.
  35. ^ Eyder Peralta (October 17, 2014). "Houston Narrows The Scope Of Controversial Subpoena Of Pastors' Sermons". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  36. ^ "Anti-HERO Petition Lawsuit". Scribd. August 4, 2014. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014.
  37. ^ "Editorial: Houston went too far in sermon subpoenas". The Dallas Morning News. October 2014. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2017. Amid a firestorm of criticism
  38. ^ a b Weiss, Debra Cassens (October 16, 2014). "Sermon subpoena request was overbroad, Houston mayor acknowledges". ABA Journal. American Bar Association. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2017. After a firestorm erupted over the subpoenas
  39. ^ Gryboski, Michael (October 29, 2014). "Houston Mayor Annise Parker Drops Subpoenas Demanding Pastors Turn Over Their Sermons". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017. I am directing the city legal department to withdraw the subpoenas issued to the five Houston pastors
  40. ^ "Pastors sue Houston Mayor Parker over sermons subpoenaed". ABC 13. August 3, 2015. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  41. ^ "Cumulative Report - Official - Harris County, Texas - General and Special Elections - November 03, 2015". Stan Stanart: Harris County Clerk. November 11, 2015. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  42. ^ "Its now illegal to feed more than five homeless people at once on public property". houstonpress.com. April 10, 2012.
  43. ^ Shey, Brittanie (June 19, 2024). "Judge rules Food Not Bombs Houston can proceed with lawsuit against city". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  44. ^ "Mayor Annise Parker reveals her third term agenda — and what she'd do with the Astrodome". Culture Map Houston. January 2, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  45. ^ Aisha C. Moodie-Mills Leaves Victory Fund, Succeeded by Annise Parker, Dec 08 2017, The Advocate
  46. ^ Ring, Trudy (March 5, 2025). "New LGBTQ+ Victory Fund leader Evan Low on making our voices heard". The Advocate. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  47. ^ "Annise Parker". business.rice.edu. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  48. ^ Schneider, Andrew (May 1, 2024). "Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker may run for Harris County Judge in 2026". Houston Public Media. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  49. ^ McGuinness, Dylan (April 30, 2024). "Annise Parker may run for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's seat". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  50. ^ Morris, Mike (January 16, 2014). "Mayor Parker marries longtime partner". Houston Chronicle. Houston, Texas: Hearst Newspapers, LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  51. ^ Turner, Allan (December 27, 2013). "Source: Parker, partner plan January wedding". Houston Chronicle. Houston, Texas: Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013. Mayor Annise Parker and her partner of 23 years, Houston tax preparer Kathy Hubbard, are planning to marry, a source close to the couple said Friday.
  52. ^ Melanie Lawson (March 29, 2015). "Houston Mayor Annise Parker Talks About Marriage, Children". Archived from the original on March 4, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  53. ^ "Mayor Parker and Kathy". Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  54. ^ "Queerty Pride50 2020 Honorees". Queerty. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  55. ^ "9 queer political figures creating a more perfect union this election year". Queerty. July 2, 2020. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  56. ^ "City of Houston General Election - November 4, 2003" (PDF). Election Information and Results - Office of the City Secretary. The City of Houston. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  57. ^ "City of Houston Runoff Election - December 6, 2003" (PDF). Election Information and Results - Office of the City Secretary. The City of Houston. p. 1. Retrieved January 30, 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  58. ^ "City of Houston Runoff Election - November 3, 2009" (PDF). Election Information and Results, Office of the City Secretary. The City of Houston. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  59. ^ "City of Houston Runoff Election - December 12, 2009" (PDF). Election Information and Results, Office of the City Secretary. The City of Houston. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  60. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Houston
2010–2016 		Succeeded by
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