Feb
What do you get when you take the ‘Big Apple’, great entertainers like Sigourney Weaver, top business leaders like Rick Anacetti, CEO of Food Lion, LLC, elected officials of possibly the most powerful city in the world like mayor Michael Bloomberg, educators and humanitarians like Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, a great author and voice for all like Dr. Maya Angelou, wonderful food and 600 people gathered to say we are going to support equality? The answer, of course, would be PFLAG’s First Annual Straight for Equality Gala that was held last Thursday, February 5 in New York City!
The first annual gala was truly an evening to remember with not even the smallest detail being left out. The enormous task of organizing an event like this, especially considering PFLAG’s small national staff, was definitely a testament to their dedication and hard work. The event was executed flawlessly and the efforts of all raised over a quarter of a million dollars to advance equality! Congratulations PFLAG!
‘Straight for Equality’ has provided training for over 2,000 people and it empowers all people in supporting and advocating for the rights of GLBT people. This program has been a wonderful outreach opportunity to engage allies to the GLBT movement and to introduce people to PFLAG and what we are all about. ’Straight for Equality in the Workplace’ is one of the programs and it has been given to more than 20 U.S. corporation. ’Straight for Equality’ will also launch a new module of this program for the healthcare profession in 2009 and in the future will have modules in faith and also in education.
I have lived all my life in Tennessee and am regional director for the South Atlantic Region (one of the most conservative regions). I was so impressed to see what can be accomplished through the support of straight allies, GLBT people and PFLAG when we come together to support equality in one of the most diverse and supportive regions. New York has allowed me for the first time in my life to experience a brief moment where I could say that I honestly felt equality–there were no judgments about gender or who we love, there were no looks of scorn and not one time did I hear whispers or even blatantly disrespectful comments. My friends, we have a lot of work to do.
Dr. Johnetta B. Cole, an honoree of the gala, spoke and exclaimed that we have gone from asking for tolerance (of the GLBT community) to asking for acceptance. I am happy to say that the South Atlantic Region of PFLAG has transcended mere acceptance and instead practices embracing the GLBT community. Thank you.
In addition to the gala we also had our regional director’s meeting. I will send another communication about the meeting soon.
Blessings,
Jaime Combs
South Atlantic Regional Director
PFLAG
