| Related Links |
|
Awards presented at GLAA 30th Anniversary Reception 04/19/01 Awards presented at GLAA 29th Anniversary Reception 04/27/00 Awards presented at GLAA 28th Anniversary Reception 04/22/99 |
Councilmember Jack Evans
A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
_______
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
_______
To Honor the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance on the occasion of its 30th Anniversary and to recognize the distinguished citizens the organization will recognize at its anniversary reception
WHEREAS, the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC (GLAA) was founded in April 1971 to advance the cause of equal rights and social equality for lesbians and gay men living in the District of Columbia through peaceful participation in the political process; and
WHEREAS, GLAA now ranks as the nation's oldest continuously active gay and lesbian civil rights organization; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has long fought to improve relations between the District's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities and the District's public safety agencies, as evidenced by its advocacy on behalf of justice for Tyra Hunter and other transgendered citizens, its efforts in support of the Citizen Complaint Review Board, and its efforts to ensure community sensitivity and diversity training for police and fire department employees; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has long struggled for effective public health strategies in the fight against AIDS, as evidenced by its effective leadership in the drive to commit the District government to implementing a unique identifier system that will be sensitive to the privacy concerns of people testing positive for HIV, and insuring that treatments and medicine are available to those in need; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has long been at the forefront of the efforts for better enforcement of the landmark D.C. Human Rights Law of 1977, as evidenced by the reestablishment of the Office of Human Rights as an independent agency, by GLAA's unrelenting watchdog role in assuring that all anti-discrimination policy statements in the D.C. government reflect the full range of classes protected under the landmark D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, and by GLAA's cooperative efforts which led to my Executive Order reaffirming this policy; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has kept the gay and lesbian community of Washington informed about the positions and records of candidates for public office by rating all candidates for Mayor and Council in every election since the establishment of home rule, through a system noted for its fairness and nonpartisanship; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has been an outspoken advocate for gay and lesbian youth, as evidenced by its efforts with the D.C. Public Schools to get an effective, enforced anti-harassment policy established to protect all students; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has participated in the lobbying efforts against arbitrary Federal restrictions on the District's budget aimed at lesbians and gay men, and has staunchly defended the principal of home rule; and
WHEREAS, GLAA has provided leadership in communications among various District communities, as evidenced by its coalition efforts with such groups as the ACLU and NAACP, its loan of TTY equipment to the Metropolitan Police Department for improved access by the deaf and hearing-impaired community, and its maintenance of a comprehensive and informative online activist resource on its website; and
WHEREAS, GLAA will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary with a reception at the historic Jurys Washington Hotel on Thursday evening, April 19;
WHEREAS, GLAA will be presenting its Distinguished Service Awards that evening to several distinguished individuals and organizations who have helped advance the causes and concerns of the lesbians and gay men in the District of Columbia, including: Councilmember Sharon Ambrose, a longtime friend of the gay and lesbian community, for her leadership in reform efforts on public safety and regulatory matters; The Bridge Builders Fund, a grantmaking fund whose mission is to promote communication, understanding and appreciation between the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities and the straight community in the Washington metropolitan region; Councilmember Jack Evans for ten years of service to the gay and lesbian community on numerous matters including sodomy law repeal, domestic partnership, AIDS funding, needle exchange, and citizen complaint review; Federal GLOBE for its efforts to eliminate prejudice and discrimination in the federal government based on sexual orientation; Morgan McDonald for over two decades of service as a GLAA volunteer, and for many years of service to gay students at Catholic University; Karen Pettapiece for years of expert service as the Police Diversity and Sensitivity trainer for Gay Men and Lesbians Opposing Violence;
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this Resolution may be cited as the "Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance 30th Anniversary Recognition Resolution of 2001."
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia salutes GLAA on the occasion of its 30th Anniversary Reception on April 19, 2001 and thanks its members for their long record of dedicated service that has advanced the welfare not only of the gay and lesbian community but of the entire population of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. The resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in either the District of Columbia Register, the District of Columbia Statutes-at-large, or the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.