PHILADELPHIA -- For the first time ever, there will be a direct liaison working with the Philadelphia Mayor's Office who knows the issues important to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

---

Video Report

---

At City Hall on Monday, dozens of LGBT community members repeatedly cheered for Mayor Michael Nutter's latest appointment.

Some were calling the event historic, NBC 10's Kristen Welker reported.

Even Nutter was emotional as he introduced Gloria Casarez for the post.

"Before I completely burst out in tears, let me have Gloria come up and say a few words. Gloria?" Nutter said.

"I see it as a responsibility for all of us to stand together to make Philadelphia a true City of Brotherly Love, and I pledge to represent us with authenticity, integrity and respect," Casarez said.

The city has had a liaison to the community before, but Monday's announcement meant an expansion of the role.

"For the first time, the LGBT liaison will actually be operating out of the mayor's office, working across city government to advocate for the needs of Philadelphia's LGBT community," Nutter said.

Longtime partners and community activists, Jerry MacDonald and David Acosta, who are no strangers to discrimination.

"You do feel like a second-class citizen," Acosta said.

They said the appointment is more than a title -- it's a chance for a better Philadelphia.

"I think that people need to be treated with respect, and I think that, if society doesn't deal with it as a problem, we have events like murder of Matthew Sheppard," Acosta said.

Sheila Colson Pope, who is transgender, said, "I should be afforded the same rights as anyone else in this community."

For the past decade, Casarez was the executive director for the Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative. And, in her new role, she will continue to work on issues concerning, health, education and youth.

She said the community has made progress, but she made it clear there is a lot of work to be done.

"As a community, we are strongest at the points where we stand together just as we are in this room today," Casarez said.

The Equality Forum, the largest civil rights forum for the LGBT community, was kicking off with its first event Monday night at City Hall. NBC 10 is a sponsor of the weeklong event, Welker reported.