The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado has honored six Colorado individuals and organizations with the 2009 Advancing Equality Awards to recognize their commitment to creating an inclusive and equal environment for all people. Honorees have each received a gift of $5,000 to be allocated to a nonprofit of their designation. Awards were presented at the Gay & Lesbian Fund’s annual holiday reception in Colorado Springs on December 9.
Mary Lou Makepeace, executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Fund and vice president of Colorado Programs for the Gill Foundation, said, “Each year, Colorado becomes an even better, more equitable place to live – thanks in no small part to the winners of the Advancing Equality Awards. This year’s winners express a clear voice for social justice in their everyday lives—from their job, to their school, to their volunteer efforts. We thank them for advancing equality in Colorado.”
See the full list of 2009 awardees after the jump.
The 2009 awardees are:
Outstanding Youth Advocate: James Lozano, a student at Greeley West High School - In response to the verbal and physical harassment of his African American friend, James stepped in to defend him, only to be physically attacked himself. Fifty stitches later and disturbed by the bigotry and bullying he witnessed in his school, James led the effort to bring the “No Place for Hate” program to Greeley West High School. He continued to provide leadership as the school became a certified “No Place for Hate” High School in this most conservative community.
Outstanding Public Official: Senator Chris Romer, Denver - Sen. Romer has been a leading voice in the fight to pass legislation allowing undocumented Colorado high school graduates to attend state colleges and universities and pay in-state tuition. Although the tuition equity measure fell short of the necessary votes in the 2009 legislative session, Sen. Romer vows to continue the fight in the next legislative session.
Outstanding Nonprofit: El Centro Humanitario, Aurora - This non-profit provides services to Latino day laborers. It was notified 10 days before its annual fundraising event that the Catholic diocese would not permit the display of the Gay & Lesbian Fund banner or logo anywhere in the facility, and prohibited the naming of the Gay & Lesbian Fund from the podium. El Centro’s board voted to take the risky move to change the luncheon’s location at the last minute, stating they would not compromise their values of equal treatment for all people.
Outstanding Community Supporter (Individual): Linda Meric, executive director of 9to5 National Association of Working Women-Colorado Chapter, Denver - In addition to the strong leadership she provides in her day job fighting for employment equality for women, Linda was a key leader in the effort to defeat the anti-affirmative action amendment on the Colorado ballot last year. Amendment 46 would have eliminated Colorado's equal opportunity programs for women and people of color. Traveling the state to inform voters of the devastating effects of this measure, Linda paved the way for Colorado to be the first and only state in the country to turn back this discriminatory initiative.
Outstanding Community Supporter (Organization): Pueblo Human Relations Commission - Formed as the result of a community summit in 1998, the Pueblo Human Relations Commission serves both the city and the county of Pueblo. The Commission listens to the concerns of minority groups with respect to the underlying root causes of discrimination, prejudice, hatred and exclusion perpetrated against a group simply because of their race, color, religion, national origin/ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, gender or age. The Commission’s goal is to officially encourage and bring about mutual understanding and respect for all persons in this racially and culturally diverse community.
Gill Stonewall Award: Wasson High School Arts MAGNET Drama Department, Colorado Springs - Facing great resistance from school district administrators and teachers, drama students and their coach, Nancy Vogel, worked for three years to perform 'The Laramie Project', about the murder of gay student, Matthew Shepard. With the goal of reversing the school’s decision to prohibit the performance, they met with parents, teachers, and their principal. They pursued interviews with the local media and organized an all-school “Erase Hate” campaign to promote tolerance and kindness. The play was finally performed to sell-out audiences in November 2008. The outcome has been the establishment of a Gay - Straight Alliance that will now build bridges of understanding and acceptance for all at Wasson High School.
