|
Home
> Courage Awards > Press
View press releases: 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2000
| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
May
1, 2002 |
Contact:
Simon Aronoff, 415-901-0111
Electronic photos and biographical information on winners available
3rd Annual 'Courage Awards' Honor Everyday Heroes Fighting Bigotry
in Their Own Backyards
2002
Colin Higgins Courage Award Winners Braved Harassment, Hostility
in the Trenches to Promote Tolerance, Queer Rights
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - A 15-year-old boy who stood up to the local
school board in his rural Missouri town and a Miami grandmother
who overcame religious and community backlash to support her gay
son, are among this year's Colin Higgins Courage Award winners.
The awards are given each year to honor everyday heroes who demonstrate
courage in the face of discrimination, intolerance and bigotry based
on sexual orientation.
"We
may be tempted to believe that just because 'Will & Grace' is
a hit TV show and Rosie O'Donnell comes out of the closet, equality
and acceptance for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people
is a fait accompli," said Charles Fernandez, spokesperson
for the Colin Higgins Foundation and a program officer of the Tides
Foundation.
"The
experiences of the 2002 Courage Award winners prove that there are
still blood and tears in the trenches where ordinary individuals
battle bigotry in their daily lives," Fernandez said. "But
most importantly, these heroes teach us that personal bravery shines
a light on the struggle for LGBT rights, and that each of these
lights is an important victory."
The
winners of the third annual Colin Higgins Courage Awards are:
- D.
Patrick Bynum - at the age of 12, this 15-year-old from Ozark,
MO went twice before his local school board to ask for protection
from beatings and harassment by his classmates. When the school
board failed to act, he bravely took his battle to the next level
by filing a complaint with the Department of Education's Office
for Civil Rights.
- Eva
Leivas-Andino - the mother of four children, including a gay
son, and grandmother of two, Eva overcame her own fears and prejudices
and those of her religious and ethnic community in Miami to become
a full-time advocate of LBGT youth.
- Vanessa
Duran - As a 17-year-old queer African-American-Latina activist,
Vannessa has lived a lifetime of being labeled and attacked for
who she is. But this El Cerrito, CA youth has transformed her
experience into art and activism, using film, video and photography
as lenses through which to explore racism and homophobia.
- Calvin
Warren - taught by his church that his sexual orientation
made him the "antithesis of black manhood," 21-year-old
Calvin endured threats and regular harassment in his hometown
of Newburgh, NY to become an outspoken and dedicated gay rights
activist who will graduate this May from Cornell University.
The
Colin Higgins Courage Awards recognizes ordinary but remarkable
individuals who have endured overwhelming hostility and hate, yet
have handled themselves with the utmost grace as they educate and
enlighten others about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
experience. Each winner receives $10,000 as part of the prize.
Colin
Higgins, acclaimed screenwriter, director and producer of films
such as Harold and Maude and Nine to Five, established
The Colin Higgins Foundation in 1986. In addition to the Courage
Awards, the Foundation also funds film scholarships and has supported
over 390 LGBTQQ organizations, ranging from the Gay, Lesbian and
Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender outreach and AIDS prevention programs in such locations
as Fayetteville, AK and Biloxi, MS.
The
Colin Higgins Foundation is administered by the Tides Foundation,
a larger parent foundation which partners with donors to increase
and organize resources for progressive social change. In the past
decade, the Tides Foundation has awarded more than $100 million
in grants to community-based organizations and progressive nonprofits.
If
you would like to view this press release in  PDF,
click here. You will need Adobe Acrobat
Reader - to download a free version of the Reader, click here.
|
