WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mitchell Gold, founder of Faith in America, was honored Oct. 5 at a reception co-sponsored by North Carolina’s U.S. Sens. Kay Hagan and Richard Burr for his work to educate the public about the harm caused to LGBT youth.
The event paralleled the launch of Gold’s new paperback book “Youth in Crisis: What Everyone Should Know About Growing Up Gay.” Gold in 2008 published “CRISIS: 40 Stories Revealing The Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing up Gay in America.” He has called the book, which was co-produced with Mindy Drucker, his sister-in-law, one of the most rewarding advocacy projects he has ever undertaken. [Ed. Note — This publication’s editor contributed an essay to Gold’s book.]
Approximately 65 guests attended the evening reception in the U.S. Capitol Building. Congressional guests included Hagan and Burr, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Rep. Brad Miller and Rep. Melvin Watts, both of North Carolina. Staff from a number of representatives and senators attended the event along with other guests.
Bob Williams, co-founder of the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams home furnishings company and a founding member of Faith in America’s board of directors, was also in attendance.
Both Hagan and Burr spoke at the reception, thanking Gold for his work.
“No child should grow up in an environment where they are made to feel less than whole,” Hagan stated. “Mitchell Gold’s work on behalf of our LGBT youth pushes attitudes away from intolerance and ignorance, and toward acceptance and compassion. I thank him for his continued support of our next generation.”
Guests were provided a copy of the new paperback edition of “Youth in Crisis.”
While most the content in the paperback edition is the same, there is a brief new introduction by Gold, as editor of the book, that speaks to Faith in America’s mission of educating people about the harm religion-based bigotry causes and other factual updates. It was read by Mitchell Gold at the Capitol Hill reception.
From left: Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Rep Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mitchell Gold, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.).
From left: Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mitchell Gold.
From left: Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mitchell Gold, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.)
— Compiled from release. Photos credit: Stephen Heavner.