#BlackLivesMatter Creators, CeCe McDonald, and Senator Bennet to Receive Award at Annual Creating Change Conference in Denver
WASHINGTON, DC, January 14, 2015 —The National LGBTQ Task Force has announced the award recipients for the 27th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change—the nation’s premier organizing and skills-building LGBTQ conference.
“We are proud to announce the list of award recipients—all of whom are trailblazers working around the clock to advance freedom, justice, and equality for all,” said Russell Roybal, Deputy Executive Director of External Relations at the National LGBTQ Task Force. “This year, we’re taking the conference to Denver and expect over four thousand LGBTQ and allied advocates to join us as we continue to create long-lasting change for LGBTQ people.”
During the conference, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza will be presented with the Empress I Jose Sarria Award for Uncommon Leadership for creating and launching #BlackLivesMatter—a social media campaign calling for an end to the systematic targeting and killing of Black people. CeCe McDonald, a transgender activist and political prisoner who was incarcerated for defending herself against a violent, racist, and homophobic attack, will be receiving the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leadership Award. Also being honored is U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), who will receive the SAGE Advocacy Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issues. Additional award recipients include Anthony Aragon, Mark Frazier, Dr. Genny Beemyn, and Carlos Padilla.
Creating Change is a unique four-day experience consisting of daylong institutes, dynamic plenary sessions, and over 350 skills-building workshops, presentations, and trainings. The conference also features networking sessions, film screenings, interfaith services, community caucuses, hospitality suites and special receptions.
For more information about the conference and to register, please visit www.CreatingChange.org.
For media credentials, please contact Jorge Amaro at jamaro@thetaskforce.org.
–30–
To learn more about the National LGBTQ Task Force, visit us online at: www.thetaskforce.org and follow us on Twitter @thetaskforce
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jorge Amaro
Media and Public Relations Director
(Office) 202.639.6306
(Cell) 213.842.7564
