RALEIGH, N.C. — The Human Rights Campaign Carolinas Gala Committee and statewide Steering Committee have announced the recipients of their annual Equality Awards, which will be presented at this year’s Carolinas Gala in February.
This year’s awardees are Greensboro’s Guilford Green Foundation (Equality Award – Organization), Mary Elizabeth Lennon of Charlotte (Trailblazer – Equality Individual Award) and David Parker of Colfax, N.C. (Legacy Award).
For the past 11 years, the Guilford Green Foundation has promoted diversity and inclusiveness throughout the greater Guilford County community and distributed over $550,000 to organizations serving the LGBT community. Through programs such as the “Triad Takeover” and “Green Queen Bingo,” the Foundation has worked effectively to create both an awareness and appreciation of the LGBT community through visibility, solidarity, and generosity.
Lennon, the youngest individual to ever receive the HRC Carolinas Equality Award, founded the Human Rights Alliance at Providence Day School in Charlotte, the first such organization to address LGBT issues at a private school in the area and stood firmly by her work and compassion as she rode out the storm of controversy subsequent to the group’s founding. Her work has since spread to other private schools in the area.
Parker is being recognized for his work with and on behalf of the transgender community, not just in North Carolina, but nationwide and for his work with PFLAG both locally and nationally. Not only has he worked to be an ally and an advocate, he has mentored, counseled, and parented countless transgender men and women serving to help them and their families understand and cope with their transitions.
HRC will host their Carolinas Gala at the Raleigh Convention Center on Feb. 27. Tickets are on sale $175 through Feb. 10. Price includes a one-year membership and a subscription to the quarterly HRC magazine.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit hrccarolinas.org.