“Stars of the Rainbow” 2011 Scheduled for April 3
By Bob Kecskemety
Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 3 from 4 to 6 p.m. for this year’s “Stars of the Rainbow” which celebrates its eighteenth anniversary celebrating the best our community has to offer.
2011 Stars of the Rainbow Honorees represent individuals, businesses and organizations that exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and activism. Honorees have represented the LGBTQ community in a positive light, and have supported the efforts of the Pride Center.
Only a limited number of $150 tickets are still available for what promises to be the social event of the season located in the Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six, 2301 S.E. 17th Street Causeway in Fort Lauderdale. To purchase tickets go to PrideCenterFlorida.org.
This year’s event will be emceed by Bishop S. F. Makalani-MaHee and Donna Woessner and includes great entertainment, terrific hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and outstanding company and fellowship in service to our community.
Wachovia/Wells Fargo is the Presenting Sponsor of the event. 100% of all monies collected through ticket sales and donations support the programs and services of the Pride Center at Equality Park. The Pride Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
For information about additional underwriting and sponsorship opportunities, please contact David Yalen, Membership Development Coordinator at (954) 463-9005 or email dyalen@pridecenterflorida.org.
And the Honorees Are …
Our honorees represent individuals, civic groups and businesses that exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and activism. They have dedicated their time and support in making the Pride Center at Equality Park what it has become today.
Pastor Leslie Tipton of the Church of the Holy SpiritSong – Board Member Star of the Year
Born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Rev. Leslie Tipton refers to herself as a “Valley Girl.” After earning a B.A. in Psychology at San Diego State University in 1986, she served as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer in the United States Marine Corps for over ten years. Rev. Tipton has lived in the Fort Lauderdale area since 2003 and served for three years as the Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Pride Center at Equality Park. She is an ordained Reverend in the Christian faith and serves as the Associate Pastor of Administration and Outreach at Church of the Holy SpiritSong in Wilton Manors, FL, on the Campus of Equality Park. Pastor Leslie is very active in the South Florida community. She resides in Miramar with her wonderful wife, Sandra and their many pets. “
It is with humility that I accept this award,” said Reverend Tipton in response to being chosen the Pride Center Board Member Star of the Year. “My service to our community is in direct response to God’s call on my life and that is, in part, to let the GLBTQI community in South Florida know that God loves them and accepts them just the way they are. Don’t let anyone tell you differently!”
Nikki Adams of Broward House and Donna Markland of the Broward County Health Department – Community Stars of the Year
Nikki Adams’ career as a female impersonator has spanned over 34 years, traveling throughout the United States and abroad bringing her unique act and much soughtafter emcee capabilities to countless nightclubs, theaters, corporate events and fundraisers for varied LGBT and mainstream organizations. On a national and local basis, she has helped raise millions of dollars for charity. In the mid-80s, she pioneered a gay variety/talk television show called “Way Off Broadway” costarring with her friend and mentor, Dana Manchester. Nikki also played the role of Carlina in the movie “Catherine’s Grove” and appeared in music videos for Evelyn Thomas and Gloria Estefan. Along the way, Nikki has captured numerous titles including Miss Florida F.I. and Miss Continental Elite.
In 2009, Nikki signed on with Broward House as Community Liaison, lending her skills with event production, promotion and fundraising to Broward County’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS organization. “Though garnering numerous accolades throughout my career,” said Nikki, “I am humbled for this recognition from the community I call home. It is my pleasure and privilege to serve as a representative for South Florida, and I do so with great PRIDE!”
Donna Markland serves as the Minority AIDS Coordinator at the Broward County (Florida) Health Department / HIV/AIDS Program Office. She provides capacity building, technical assistance for minority communities and she also supervises the Prenatal HIV Program.
Ms. Markland chairs the HIV/AIDS Minority Network, Black Advisory Group in Broward County. The Network, and collaborating partner agencies in the community, have launched several HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives in the comm u n i t y s u c h a s : street outreach, leadership training and multicultural, multi-ethnic prevention efforts to bring about HIV/AIDS awareness to hard-toreach populations in Broward County. Donna has also worked on numerous HIV/AIDS Hispanic Latino initiatives since the inception of the Broward Community Planning Partnership.
The Trevor Project Non – Profit Star of the Year
The Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization and the leading national organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. The Trevor Project operates The Trevor Lifeline, a tollfree number and confidential service staffed by trained counselors. The Trevor Project also provides guidance and vital resources to parents and educators in order to foster safe, accepting and inclusive environments for all youth at home and at school.
Executive Director Charles Robbins has spent his career in non-profit management. From founding organizations to serving in senior fundraising and development roles at some of the most prominent LGBTQ organizations in the country, Charles is a seasoned leader and passionate advocate. During his four-year tenure at The Trevor Project, the full-time staff has grown from five to 24 and the annual budget has quadrupled to $4 million. Charles is a member of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Lifeline Suicide Prevention Consumer/Survivor Subcommittee, the Suicide Prevention Plan Advisory Committee for the California Department of Mental Health, and the California LGBT Health Network. His professional experience includes serving as development director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, various senior fundraising roles at GLAAD and founding Project Angel Heart, a Denver-based nonprofit. A Colorado native, Charles holds a certificate in non-profit administration from the University of Colorado, Denver, and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. When he’s not leading the Trevor staff, you’ll find Charles spending time with his husband, Damon, in Los Angeles or Palm Springs.
South Florida Gay News Norm Kent, Publisher – Media Star of the Year
The successor to Express Gay News, SFGN was inaugurated in January of 2010, designed to be a progressive, credible, newsworthy LGBT newspaper for South Florida, illuminating the lives, breadth and dimensions of the LGBT community. SFGN prides itself on reporting openly and honestly on the community’s wins as well as its wounds, its accomplishments as well as its failures. Its publisher, Norm Kent, is a constitutional rights and criminal defense attorney who has been practicing law in South Florida for over 30 years. Formerly the morning drive radio talk show host for WFTL 850 AM, Kent has served on the Board of Directors of local AIDS agencies, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws.
“Our management and staff appreciate the acknowledgement that this award embraces,” said Kent in response to being chosen the Media Star of the Year. “However, for a free community print newspaper to survive in the 21st century, even one with a niche as clearly defined as our own, the very people here giving us this award also have to support our efforts and energies with an ongoing financial commitment in advertising, determining for yourselves if you want the history of the LGBT community written by guides showing shirtless men holding up cocktails or fact-driven newspapers which chronicle our lives. The future and that choice, is ours to make.”
U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz – Public Official Stars of the Year
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen represents Florida’s 18th Congressional District, a diverse area which includes Miami, Little Havana, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Miami Beach, Westchester and the Florida Keys. RosLehtinen was born in Havana, Cuba and at the age of eight, her family was forced to flee the oppressive communist regime of Fidel Castro where the family settled in Miami.
In 1982, she was elected to the Florida State House of Representatives and the Florida Senate in 1986, becoming the first Hispanic woman to serve in either body and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1989 — the first Hispanic woman to serve in Congress.
She has been a long-time supporter of policies that help end discrimination and violence against individuals as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identity expression.
She was a founding member of the House Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. The Caucus works toward the extension of equal rights, the repeal of discriminatory laws, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and the improved health and well being for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity expression. She fought tirelessly to repeal the oppressive “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy of the military. She cosponsored the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act and to provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of violent, biasmotivated crimes among other pro equal rights legislation.
For more than eighteen years, Debbie Wasserman Schultz has dedicated her public life to working on behalf of the people of South Florida. On January 4, 2005, she was sworn in as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Florida’s 20th Congressional District which includes portions of Miami Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and west to Sunrise. As Founding Vice-Chair of the House LGBT Caucus, Rep. Wasserman Schultz has consistently voted to expand civil rights for the LGBT community by ensuring federal protection from hate-motivated violence and by providing remedies for unfair discrimination in the workplace. She has fought for equality for all of Florida’s families — from full marriage equality to repealing Florida’s painful ban that prohibits loving gay and lesbian parents from adopting children. Just a few months ago Rep. Wasserman Schultz voted in favor of repealing the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that prevents gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces. She also supports the Obama Administrations recent decision to stop defending the unconstitutional ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ (DOMA) in federal court. While making strong progress toward equality, Rep. Wasserman Schultz knows we have a long way to go to achieve true equal opportunity for LGBT Americans who still face undue prejudice and treatment.
“I am humbled to receive this honor from the Pride Center,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “As your representative in Washington, I promise to continue my fight for equality and justice so that we may all live, love and prosper in a more perfect union.”
Arthur B. Smith Tyler Healis – Sustainability Award
Arthur Smith moved to South Florida in 1987. Already a successful lawyer in Massachusetts, Smith decided he would sell his house up north, close his law offices and relocate to South Florida where he specializes in real estate development, estate planning and corporate law. Over the years, Smith represented many estates which have contributed to the Pride Center at Equality Park. He also represented the John C. Graves estate which oversaw the creation of the John C. Graves Charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of Broward, from which the Pride Center has received sizeable grants. Mr. Smith represents the Gilbert Corwin estate which has bequested $350,000 to the Pride Center.
PALS Project Volunteers – Volunteer Star of the Year
For years, the PALS Project has provided local gay, bisexual and transgender- identified men with vital social support, accurate HIV information and effective tools to lead safer, richer lives. Two of the guiding principles in the PALS Project are to “give back” and to use “peer support”. Non-paid staff (volunteers) are graduates of the PALS programs and who come back to work in partnership with paid staff in almost all aspects of initiatives. Volunteer serve as: (1) peer facilitators in programs, small groups and individual coaching sessions; (2) peer educators in community workshops; (3) quality assurance/improvement evaluators; (4) customer relations specialists; (5) activity/event planners; and (6) care team associates to help participants with special needs. PALS volunteers provide the Center and the community literally with thousands of hours of service each year. In addition, PALS volunteers spearheaded the Pride Center’s participation in 2010 Florida AIDS Walk, raising over $23,000 for HIV/AIDS services at the Center.
“I received so much from the LIFE program that I became passionate about giving back and helping my brothers who are HIV-positive,” says Will Cudequest, one PALS volunteer. “But what really happened is that I got even much more back when I volunteered! Thank you so much — my life has changed!”
“Without the daily service, energy and dedication of volunteers, the PALS Project as we know it wouldn’t exist. Period,” says Kristofer Fegenbush, Deputy Director of the Center. “I’m inspired, humbled and challenged by how they impact the lives of so many people in our community — regardless of health status, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or income — including mine.”
Will Spencer - Alan Schubert Humanitarian Award
Will Spencer moved from New England to Fort Lauderdale over 23 years ago. He’s an avid tennis fan, is openly gay and HIV positive who has lived without traditional medications for over 17 years – he is also a major advocate for complementary therapies. For the bulk of the last 15 years, Spencer has been a full time volunteer for many different charitable organizations. He currently or has sat on the board of directors for the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council, CAMP4Health, Kids in Distress, Children’s’ Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Dublin School (Dublin, NH), Gay and Lesbian Fund, Broward AIDS Partnership and is a lifetime member of Leadership Broward.
Spencer is also a Pride Center Founders Circle member, supporter of the Transformers and Sunflower Circle of Friends, Broward House Spirit of Hope Society recipient, a member of the Legacy Society and the list goes on and on.
“Being honored is always a double-edged experience,” said Spencer upon hearing that he is receiving a Stars of the Rainbow Award this year. “On one hand it is especially nice to be recognized for doing what I can. On the other, Cleve Jones (founder of The Quilt and visionary pioneer for the LGBT movement) once wisely pointed out that, ‘It feels a bit as if I am a fraud, not worthy. I get so much more in return than I could ever fully express with words.’”
