This article was originally published in The Baltimore Sun. For the full piece, go to the Sun’s website: https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/06/25/melanie-bryant-lgbtq-office/. Below is a short clip.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott appointed Melanie Bryant as the director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, according to a Wednesday news release.

The interim director, Alexis Blackmon, will now serve as deputy director.

“Dr. Bryant is joining the City at a critical moment in the fight for equity and LGBTQIA+ rights — and I can’t think of a better leader to bring on board,” Scott said in the release. “All Baltimoreans, regardless of who they love or how they identify, deserve to live their lives freely and without fear or judgement.”

In her new role, Bryant will work to “expand resources, advocate on behalf of community stakeholders, and enhance service delivery and opportunity access for residents citywide,” the release says. “Bryant brings a powerful blend of expertise in African-center and gerontological practice, ex-offender reentry, social justice, addictions, and culturally grounded policy development.”