EQMD TO HONOR SEN. GWENDOLYN BRITT AT NIGHT OUT FOR EQUALITY ON JUNE 1 by: Equality Maryland, OIA Newswire
Equality Maryland is pleased to honor the late Sen. Gwendolyn T. Britt with the Advocate for Equality Award at the 7th Annual
Night Out For Equality Gala
CELEBRATING OUR SUCCESSES – HONORING OUR HEROES
Sunday, June 1, 2008 6:00 - 11:30 pm
Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center
Our Special Guest George Takei
Our Emcee Candace Gingrich
Out For Equality Award Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams
Ally For Equality Award Montgomery County Council Member Duchy Trachtenberg
Ally For Equality Award Attorney General Doug Gansler
State Senator Gwendolyn T. Britt lived her life fighting for the rights and dignity of others. In the 1960s, Britt took tremendous personal risks fighting for the civil rights of African Americans by challenging and changing the practice of segregated seating at lunch counters in Prince George's County, Montgomery County, along the Route 40 corridor between Hyattsville and Baltimore, and as far south as Warrenton, Virginia. Her work in Virginia was the first desegregation of any kind in that state's history.
Britt made headlines in Washington in 1960 when she and four other black friends sat on the merry-go-round at Glen Echo Park, segregated at the time, and were arrested for trespassing. The lawsuit that they subsequently filed challenging the Park's policies eventually made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and successfully led to the desegregation of Glen Echo Park. Britt went on to become a Freedom Rider, fighting Jim Crow laws in Mississippi, where she spent 40 days in jail for sitting in a whites-only train station waiting room in 1961. She was also a voter registration volunteer in McComb, Mississippi, helping African Americans who had been denied the right to register to vote because they could not interpret the Constitution before white registrars.
Within hours of the court ruling that upheld Maryland's 34-year-old ban on same-sex marriages, Sen. Britt announced that she would be the lead sponsor on a Senate bill to legalize civil marriage for same-sex couples. At a time in our nation's history where LGBT people seek champions for the equal protection of our families, Sen. Britt rose up and declared our cause her own. She was a founding member of the Maryland Black Family Alliance, a coalition of Black families and leaders speaking out against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Gwendolyn Britt, a true Maryland gem, stood with LGBT Americans because it was the right, and not necessarily the most popular, thing to do. Sen. Britt was only 66 when she died in January. She is survived by her husband, Travis Britt, two children, and five grandchildren. [5/15/08]
IFBP CONVENES SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL BLACK AND BROWN SUMMIT Over sixty Latino/Hispanic and Black/African American LGBT leaders gathered at the first National Black and Brown Summit on Friday April 25, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Philadelphia in conjunction with Philadelphia Black Gay Pride weekend (April 24 – 27, 2008). Participants came from over one dozen cities from across the United States to participate in a facilitated dialogue about issues that impact LGBT Blacks and Latinos. The Black/Brown Coalition was conceptualized by Carolina Ramos, Latino Services Coordinator, San Diego LGBT Community Center and Earl Fowlkes, IFBP President/CEO after a joint presentation on reaching out to LGBT Communities of Color for the Democratic National Committee Western Region training in Las Vegas, NV in March 2007. > Full Story. [5/8/08]
COLUMBUS GAY MEN’S CHORUS TO PRESENT ROCKET MAN COLUMBUS, April 28, 2008 - The Columbus Gay Men's Chorus (CGMC) wraps up its 18th season with a spectacular tribute to the music of Sir Elton John. No keyboard, sunglasses, or costume change will be safe when CGMC pulls out all the stops in this musical extravaganza! > Full Story. [4/28/08]
NEW BOOK OF GAY FAMILY DRAWINGS; CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED BOSTON, MA — Today Family Equality Council is thrilled to congratulate Julian, age 8 of New Mexico, as the winner of our 2nd Annual Family Drawing Contest. Julian will receive a $250 savings bond. This year’s ten finalists hailed from across the nation: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas. Over 4,000 people cast votes in the Contest this year. The Drawing Contest serves to put a face on too-often invisible lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) headed families in communities around the country. > Full Story. [4/24/08]
AIDS ACTION BALTIMORE AND THE HIPPO PRESENT SANDRA BERNHARD On Friday, May 2, 2008, AIDS Action Baltimore and The Hippo will host two performances by the legendary Sandra Bernhard. The shows will be held at The Hippo, One West Eager Street, at 8pm and 10pm. A Champagne Reception will be held at 7pm, preceding the 8pm show. Tickets for either show are available for $55 for reserved seating (sold in tables of four), or $30 for standing room. Tickets for the Champagne Reception, which will feature an appearance by Ms. Bernhard, will include reserved seats for the 8 PM show and are available for $100. Proceeds will benefit AIDS Action Baltimore. > Full Story. [4/24/08]
BALTIMORE TO HOST REGIONAL MEETING FOR HIV COMMUNITY BALTIMORE—On Monday, May 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., people living with HIV/AIDS and their service providers from across the mid-Atlantic region will gather in Baltimore for CAEAR Coalition’s HIV Community Meeting: “Have Your Voice Heard in DC…Without Leaving Baltimore.” The meeting will take place at First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, at 201 W. Madison Street in Baltimore. > Full Story. [4/24/08]
GLBT RADIO NETWORK ® AND GAY DAYS, INC. ® ANNOUNCE NATIONWIDE DJ CONTEST WINNERS Fort Lauderdale / Orlando, FL. - April 1, 2008 - On November 15, 2007 GLBT Radio Network and Gay Days, Inc. announced a nationwide contest for DJ's across America to compete for a chance to spin their very own pool party at the host hotel, Royal Plaza, during Gay Days 2008. > Full Story. [4/3/08]
