PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The new director for the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs is officially on the job.

Amber Hikes’ appointment comes after months of protests over racism at Gayborhood nightclubs and a recent ruling by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations Commission meant to offer remedies.

“It’s a challenging time, but it’s a pivotal point in our history,” says Amber Hikes, an Atlanta native and University of Pennsylvania grad. As director of LGBT Affairs, she’ll serve as the liaison between the LGBT community and city government. She’s spending her days getting to know City Council and government officials and her nights at community meetings.

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“I keep telling people — consider me your eyes, your ears, your voice,” says Hikes.

Hikes spent years organizing the Philadelphia Dyke Walk and did a stint on the board of the William Way Community Center before taking a job in California. She says she got a call from the Mayor’s Office and offered her current roles. The Kenney Administration replaced Nellie Fitzpatrick with Hikes hoping her community organizing background will allow the office to be more outward facing and on the ground with the LGBTQ community.

“My role will be understanding what the community wants and needs and communicating that back to the mayor,” says Hikes.

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She’ll lead the new Commission on LGBT Affairs. Hikes says they’ll focus on four priorities, which include fighting for vulnerable populations, ensuring the city is adequately addressing LGBT concerns, increasing city accessibility to the LGBT population and data.

“We’ve had some challenges with data in the past because of privacy issues,” says Hikes. “People are not as out about that as they are about their race or their gender.”

Hikes is located in room 115 of City Hall.