The ninth annual Respect Awards - New York honor extraordinary allies in our safe schools movement - as well as those who serve as strong role models for our nation's youth.
The ninth annual Respect Awards - New York were unforgettable. We honored Marguerite Kondracke, Janet Sammons, James Hubert Blake High School's "Allies 4 Equality," and the National Basketball Association for their immense commitment to respect and equality.
Business leaders joined celebrity guests, educators, student advocates, corporate partners, donors and GLSEN staff to celebrate the gains made so far in making schools safer for all throughout the country and to continue promoting respect for difference.
Marguerite Kondracke is the outgoing President and CEO of America's Promise Alliance (APA), for her lifelong personal commitment to changing the lives of children across America. The ripple effect of her community-minded and tireless work - through APA and the Grad Nation campaign, and her history serving at organizations such as Bright Horizons Family Solutions and Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families - to name a few - serve as great inspiration and reminder to us of what one person can do. GLSEN is proud to have been the first LGBT organization selected as a member of the Alliance.
2012 Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion Award
National Basketball Association
The NBA is a global sports and media business that features three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women's National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. Games and programming reach 215 countries and territories in 47 languages. NBA merchandise is sold in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averages more than 35 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site's visitors coming from outside of North America. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media with more than 240 million fans and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players support a wide array of programs, partners and initiatives that strive to positively impact children and families around the world.
2012 Gay-Straight Alliance of the Year
"Allies 4 Equality" at James Hubert Blake High School
They Gay-Straight Alliance at James Hubert Blake High School, called Allies 4 Equality, is one of the largest in the country with over 40 members. Allies 4 Equality created a paper doll named %93Allie the Ally%94 designed to be printed out so that members and supporters of the LGBTQ community could take a picture with her and submit a message. Participants could comment on why LGBTQ rights and awareness are important to them, or share a message with youth that may be struggling with sexuality or acceptance. Their intention? %93To spread awareness of LGBTQ issues, and to give hope to LGBTQ youth that may be struggling with acceptance, from others or themselves. We hope to post pictures and messages from people and groups from all over the world to demonstrate the level of support that is available for LGBTQ youth.%94 Allie has been photographed with Ted Danson and the cast of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the governor of Maryland, various delegates at the Civil Marriage Protection Act 2012 signing ceremony, and Sergeant Eric Fidelis (part of the DADT repeal), among others. In addition to this work that extends far beyond their own school community, Allies 4 Equality have been active within their school, sponsoring a combined No Name-calling Week and Day of Silence every year, and creating PSAs for it in their TV production classes.
2012 Educator of the Year Award
Janet Sammons
A teacher for 42 years at cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, CO, Janet Sammons has done everything in her power to transform her school and the state of Colorado when it comes to acceptance of LGBT students and issues. In 1990, she started a student diversity club; since 1993, she has run a statewide diversity conference for over 80 schools and is also a powerful champion of LGBT staff. Her personal support for LGBT students is obvious; she even took in a gay senior who was not welcomed at home. Janet%92s classes, bulletin boards, club programs, teacher conferences, conference website and personal interventions have made her famous as a champion of all LGBT people.
CO-CHAIRS
Barbara Frankel
Barbara Frankel is Executive Editor and Senior Vice President of DiversityInc, supervising diversity-management content for DiversityInc.com, DiversityInc magazine, and for DiversityIncBestPractices.com, a web site for senior diversity leaders. Along with DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti, she is one of two DiversityInc senior executives who present benchmarking consulting results to CEOs and senior leaders across corporate America. She also oversees the content of DiversityInc's five annual events, which average more than 600 attendees from 200 companies and have featured more than 20 CEOs from major corporations.
Ms. Frankel produces and anchors monthly webinars on diversity best practices and arranges and co-moderates corporate roundtables on diversity-management issues. She also speaks to organizations on the business benefits of diversity and diversity-management best practices.
Before joining DiversityInc in 2000, Ms. Frankel had more than 20 years as a reporter and editor at New Jersey newspapers. She also ran national ethics forums for journalists as well as political roundtables. She spent 10 years as an adjunct professor of journalism at Rutgers University, teaching Media Law and Ethics.
She has a bachelor's degree in English and mass communications from the University of Vermont and a master's degree in business journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Wilson Cruz
Wilson Cruz first won the hearts of audiences with his portrayal of "Rickie Vasquez", the first openly gay teenager on network primetime television, on ABC's critically acclaimed series, MY SO-CALLED LIFE. He has continued earning both critical acclaim, and a large and loyal fan base throughout his career in various roles on television, film and stage.
Wilson's television work continued with memorable roles in PARTY OF FIVE, THE WEST WING, ER, MONK and PUSHING DASIES. On stage, Cruz took over the role of "Angel" both on Broadway and in the West Coast Premiere of RENT.
On the big screen, Wilson received festival accolades with the Indie films PARTY MONSTER, COFFEE DATE, JOHNS and ALL OVER ME. He recently completed filming a lead role in the upcoming feature, METH HEAD, starring opposite Lukas Haas.
Wilson continues to be a fierce advocate for issues affecting the GLTB community. Since 1995, Wilson has traveled to universities and corporate headquarters across the country speaking on equality issues and civil rights. His efforts have been recognized by numerous national institutions including The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, GLSEN, PFLAG, The Hetrick-Martin Institute, The LA GLBT Center, and in 2010 Wilson hosted the Los Angeles GLAAD Awards after receiving their Visibilidad Award.
EVENING GUESTS
John Amaechi Retired NBA player
Kevin Bacon 8, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Kathy Behrens NBA EVP Social Responsibility & Player Programs
Dr. Eliza Byard GLSEN Executive Director
Amy Cappellazzo Christie's Deputy Chairman
Jonathan Del Arco Major Crimes, The Closer
Lily G. GLSEN Student Ambassador
Tempest C. GLSEN Student Ambassador
Peter Dewitt Elementary school principal, Education Week blogger
Cynthia Germanotta Born This Way Foundation President
Kelby Johnson
featured in Bully
Bob Johnson
featured in Bully
Mary Jane Karger
2009 GLSEN Honoree
George Kolasa Burberry VP of Marketing & Communications
Joey K GLSEN Student Ambassador
Janet Mock People.com Editor
Rohan M. GLSEN Student Ambassador
Rich Epsey
2011 GLSEN Honoree
Chris Salgardo President of Kiehl's
Kyra Sedgwick The Closer, Man on a Ledge
Chip Sullivan DreamWorks Studios Head of Publicity, GLSEN Board Member
Jesse T. GLSEN Student Ambassador
Loan T. GLSEN Student Ambassador
Sirdeaner Walker Safe Schools Advocate, GLSEN Board Member
Sue Wicks Retired WNBA player
Ariel Foxworth InStyle Editor
Andy Tobias
2004 GLSEN Honoree
Emmett Patterson 2011 Student Advocate of the Year
Hudson Taylor Founder, Athlete Ally
Kenneth Faried Denver Nuggets
Cappie Pondexter
New York Liberty
Dave Karger
Senior Writer, Entertainment Weekly
SPONSORS
Made possible by:
2012 Respect Awards - New York Presented by
SENIOR
JUNIOR
David Dechman & Michel Mercure
Ryan Pedlow & Jonathan Duchrest
SOPHOMORE
FRESHMAN
Frank D. Pond
Ken Mehlman
Barbara Frankel
Peter McKown and Kenneth Heng
If you are interested in sponsoring Respect Awards - New York at the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior level, please contact Stephanie at sblackwood@glsen.org or 646.388.6587. Additional information available here.
