2018 GLSEN Respect Awards Raises $1 Million for LGBTQ Inclusive Schools

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Rosario Dawson, Hollister Co., David Henry Jacobs, Stephanie Byers, & E.O Green High School Honored At 2018 GLSEN Respect Awards – NEW YORK

Event Raises Over 1 Million For Creating Safe And LGBTQ-Inclusive K-12 Schools

NEW YORK (May 23, 2018) – GLSEN, the leading education organization focused on ensuring safe and inclusive schools for all students, honored Rosario Dawson, David Henry Jacobs, Hollister Co., Stephanie Byers, and E.O. Green Junior High School at the annual GLSEN Respect Awards – New York on Monday, May 21st at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Rosario Dawson received the Inspiration Award; Hollister Co., a brand of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF), received the Corporate Ally Award, which was accepted by Michael Scheiner, VP & Head of Marketing for Hollister Co.; Stephanie Byers received GLSEN’s Educator of the Year Award; and the E.O. Green Junior High School GSA, PRISM, received GLSEN’s GSA of the Year Award.

GLSEN’s Executive Director, Eliza Byard addressed the crowd saying “The [Trump] Administration has stopped enforcing transgender students’ rights, has opened the door for school counselors and others to cite personal beliefs to deny care to LGBTQ students, is trying to erase LGBTQ youth from the public record by stripping them from the government surveys that guide national law and policy-making, and is crusading to make public funds more readily available to religious schools that actively and openly discriminate against LGBTQ people.”

Byard continued, “Above and beyond all that, the cruel brutality, racism, and misogyny of statements and actions by our government, in our name, has unleashed a tsunami of fear in our K-12 schools. To all of them, and to all of you, I say, we will not let you down. Even in these most challenging times, we will keep moving forward. We will continue to build on our progress over the past 28 years and rally brave and dedicated individuals of all ages, all beliefs, all races, and all abilities to ensure that every single K-12 school in this country affirms and nurtures every student who walks through their doors.”

Nico Tortella, Molly Bernard, Miss J Alexander, Kerry Butler, Cheech Manohar, Angelica Ross, Isis King, Laith Ashley, Tarana Burke, Kaia Burke, Valerie Smaldone, and Desmond is Amazing were in attendance at last night’s gala, along with student leaders from GLSEN’s National Student Council, including Julia Bisaga, Sarah Bunn,Cruz Contreras, Soli Guzman, Sayer Kirk, Ezra Morales, Katie Regittko, Kian Tortorello-Allen, and James van Kuilenburg, visiting from across the country. The National Student Council is GLSEN’s youth leadership and engagement program, which helps develop campaigns that hundreds of thousands of students organize in their schools each school year. Members of the National Student Council dedicate their time, passion, and commitment to the mission of LGBTQ-inclusive schools while elevating the voices of marginalized groups within the LGBTQ community, including (but not limited to) youth of color, youth in rural communities, and transgender and gender nonconforming youth.

Honorary Co-Chairs for the event included Carla Gugino & Frank Bisignano. Co-Chairs included Cindy Armine-Klein, Chely Blitzer-Wright, Michel Mercure, Ryan Pedlow, and Elizabeth Stribling-Kivlan. The evening’s co-hosts included Dan Ennis, Matthew Schaab, and David Schwarz.

The GLSEN Respect Awards were introduced in 2004 by GLSEN, the leading education organization working to create safe and inclusive K-12 schools for LGBTQ youth. Held annually in Los Angeles and New York, the award show honors the work of student leaders, educators, community organizers, influencers, and corporations who serve as exemplary role models and have made a significant impact on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

For additional information, please visit www.glsen.org/respectawards.

About GLSEN

GLSEN works to create safe and inclusive schools for all. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools across the United States, and our network of 39 community-led chapters in 26 states brings GLSEN’s expertise to local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact have won support for inclusive schools at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research, and educator training programs, please visit www.glsen.org.