Nathan Bruemmer describes his first weeks as the LGBTQ+ Liaison for the City of St. Petersburg as “a baptism by fire.” 

St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch appointed Bruemmer to the role on Dec. 1. He said the work is ultimately about trust, visibility and meeting people where they are during a period of rapid political and legal change.

A Tampa Bay native and longtime St. Pete resident, Bruemmer told Florida Politics he’s focused on ensuring residents know there are “trusted folks locally,” particularly as LGBTQ+ residents across Florida navigate shifting laws and a contemptuous political climate. He framed the work as intensely local, emphasizing that for many people, city government is the most immediate and accessible level of public service.

Bruemmer said he’s still familiarizing himself with city operations just two weeks into the role. Still, he expects the role to involve significant public-facing outreach, education and partnership-building across departments and with community organizations. 

He pointed to arts and culture initiatives, housing affordability and homelessness as areas where St. Petersburg can continue reinforcing a sense of belonging, while also acknowledging the limits imposed by feasibility, funding and evolving state laws.

“For me, being from this area, this is my home. I think that feeling of safety and comfort and belonging, it really is the most important function of what we do as public servants,” Bruemmer said during a conversation with Florida Politics.

Florida Politics: Tell us about your background.

Bruemmer: I grew up in the Tampa Bay area. Born and raised in Tampa, but I have now, as an adult, spent more time in St. Pete. I’m a University of South Florida alum, a Stetson law alum, so I’m a local through and through. Former educator, I now teach at the collegiate level at the law school, I’m an attorney, and I’ve been a community advocate for a long, long time. So this opportunity I think is a natural transition for the work that I’ve done in the community, and I’m happy and proud to keep doing it just on behalf of the City of St. Petersburg.

FP: What are your goals for the LGBTQ+ Liaison role?

Bruemmer: I think a big part of it absolutely is visibility, is the community’s awareness that the City of St. Petersburg is taking care of its own. We’ve got a changing dynamic, both legally and politically, and at the heart of these things are our people whose lives are impacted every day. We’ve got a number of changing factors that we’ve got to be on the lookout for, and some of the best work happens locally, and that’s what the city has done and will continue to do. I’m just starting, so it’s a bit of a baptism by fire.

Our city is quite large, and there are a lot of programs that I’m still getting to know, but we’ve got a lot of public-facing community outreach work that we do. There’s a lot of education that needs to continue, partnerships that need to continue. 

Frankly, I think one of the biggest pieces for me is making sure folks know that there are trusted folks locally taking care of their needs. We can’t ignore that the political realities are shifting. We’re getting ready for another Legislative Session, and there are families in Florida living in fear as the laws have changed and confusion has continued to evolve. But we’ve got to stay rooted in those day-to-day needs to provide that security and take care of the community.

FP: Are there additional arts or cultural efforts in the works in response to Florida’s removal of LGBTQ+ street art at the behest of Gov. Ron DeSantis?

Bruemmer: We’ve been discussing a number of things. The Mayor had a great survey that was open with a number of responses, and then we’ve got community members engaging on social media with new ideas.

We’re going to continue researching what’s possible and the timing, but as of right now, I don’t have something specific that I can tell you about. But boy, are there some great ideas in the hopper. I think really it’s about feasibility, the economics and ensuring we’re keeping up to date on any changing laws we might see come forward in Session this year.

FP: As you’ve gotten to know the work of your predecessors, what stands out?

Bruemmer: I’ve known Jim Nixon and Eric Vaughn through their tenure. I worked with Jim Nixon when I was in leadership with St. Pete Pride. And so we created over many years a lot of really amazing, I think beautiful, private and public partnerships that showed the best of the city of St. Pete.

I don’t know when St. Pete Pride first began its roots, in resistance when the city of Tampa canceled Pride many, many years ago, how big and how impactful it would be as one of the largest LGBTQ celebrations in the Southeast. Nor that the economic impact would grow into the tens of millions of dollars. And that doesn’t include the folks who have moved here, opened small businesses and raised families. We don’t ever get to measure that, but that number is well beyond what we see in the economic impact studies.

FP: Is there anything new you want to bring to the table?

Bruemmer: I think we’re seeing a lot in the arts and culture space. You covered the bike racks; the community response. I think that positivity and hope, continuing to show that the sunshine does in fact shine here more brightly than anywhere else in the state, we’ve got to continue that. So a lot of arts and culture work.

But near and dear to my heart is work in education, housing and affordability issues. I worked in homeless advocacy for a number of years. In January, we’ve got our point-in-time count again. Every aspect of city services is going to be important to this, and having someone able to focus on that lens and translate and maybe find new opportunities.

FP: Why is this role important right now?

Bruemmer: We have seen the face of our government look more like the communities we serve over the decades. We’re still working toward the aspirational goal that our representation truly reflects the full tapestry of our community. In the meantime, we have found ways to encourage folks to trust the government and collaborate with the government to receive the services they are entitled to receive, and feel good about living where they live. To be happy with the place where you work and you live, and you play, and you raise your family, and you get to live out your version of the American Dream.

FP: What does the embrace from the City of St. Petersburg or the LGBTQ+ community signal to residents?

Bruemmer: I think it’s a sign of the times, and it’s awareness that I appreciate. I appreciate the leadership and the trust of the Mayor and our senior leadership. LGBTQ+ Floridians live all across our state; we have one of the largest LGBTQ+ populations in the country, based on research out of the Williams Institute, and I think it behooves us as public servants to be aware of the needs of our community members. 

FP: How would you describe St. Pete’s LGBTQ+ community?

Bruemmer: St. Pete’s really special. Having been in community work for a while and having been a part of a lot of community-based events, the number of folks who have moved here because of public-facing events like St. Pete Pride, or like Winter Pride, or like the Grand Prix or any of our oodles of art festivals. People get into the vibe, they enjoy the food, they hear the music downtown, and they just want to be here… It’s a gift, and it really makes this city really special. When I think about the size of some of our Pride celebrations used to be 20 years ago versus what they’ve grown to, how it just was a breath of fresh air coming out of COVID to relaunch and see those celebrations.

FP: Have you started meeting with community groups?

Bruemmer: We’ve got our large Pride celebrations starting after the new year. I’ve got meetings with the LGBT Chamber and other partner organizations. I’ve been in the community, and I will continue to do that, just wearing a different hat for the city. 

There are a lot of good things happening. Some of those things we will take the lead on, and other things we’ll be supporting. There’s great work coming into the city. I’m excited.

FP: How did you come to step into this role?

Bruemmer: I’ve worked in a variety of roles with the city for over a decade, with this administration and the prior administration. So I have done this work and been excited about my home for a long time, maybe unofficially assisting. I can’t even remember where the spark was, it is a political appointment, it is an appointment from the Mayor. But I think we were just talking about the changing dynamic. 

I really am at a moment for myself, personally and professionally. I have heard from so many constituents, I’ve been doing a tremendous amount of pro-bono work, and there are so many questions that folks are asking to clarify what these things mean and how we go about just getting our basic needs met, that it just became a natural progression. It was just really a matter of timing. It is a continuation of the work that folks who know me know that I will continue to do.

FP: What would you like the community to know?

Bruemmer: My work is about the community. I’m a resource. If folks have questions, my contact information’s on the website. I want folks to reach out. I’ve already received questions about different kinds of services we have here in the city, and whether it’s us helping directly or my providing a referral out to a nonprofit or partner agency, we’re here to help. Be on the lookout, there are a lot more good things coming. It is a lot more than a slogan; the idea that “we are St. Pete” is completely true. The warmest of welcomes the last two weeks, it’s just been amazing, and I’m grateful.