by dfw-ix3.ix.netcom.com (8.8.4/8.8.4) Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 21:32:12 -0400 From: Jim Fagelson Subject: Announcement of GLPCI Awards GLPCI Celebrates Family Activists FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 15, 1997 Each year at our Annual Family Conference, the Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International (GLPCI) presents awards recognizing outstanding efforts on behalf of our families. This year, the GLPCI Board of Directors is proud to announce the following awards and recipients -- to be awarded on July 26th at our 18th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Image in Media Award -- GLPCI is honored to award its 1997 Image in Media Award to Evan Wolfson of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, for leading the fight for same-gender marriage in the courts and in the national media. In addition to his responsibilities as co-counsel in the Hawaiian marriage trial, Baehr v. Miike, Evan has led the formation and development of the National Freedom to Marry Coalition (of which GLPCI is a founding member) and shaped our message and strategy for the long-term struggle to win and retain the historic right to full civil marriage. The marriage debate has been largely about parenting -- our ability to raise and nurture our children. Evan's voice has been clear, timely, sometimes lonely, and very persuasive: Equal marriage doesn't destroy the mythic American family; it protects our real, loving relationship and our healthy, happy children. Previous recipients of GLPCI's Image in Media Award include: Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey, Dear Abby, authors April Martin and Amity Pierce Buxton, The Tracey Ullman Show, and Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer. GLPCI is proud to announce the addition of Evan Wolfson to this distinguished group of honorees. Chapters of the Year -- This year, GLPCI honors Lambda Families of New Jersey for its exemplary efforts on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents, their children and prospective parents in the Garden State. In just five years, Lambda Families has developed into a thriving organization with a twice-monthly calendar of events -- mixing social get-togethers for children and families with educational events for parents, prospective parents and school teachers and administrators. In the last year, our New Jersey chapter has conducted a regional mini-conference on gay parenting, developed a county-by county network of contact families, launched play groups for toddlers, and traveled widely throughout the state to host events for new members. GLPCI is extremely proud of the achievements of Lambda Families of New Jersey and celebrates the unique role they've played in the lives of hundreds of men, women and children. Keep up your outstanding work! Love makes a Family! Award -- Two years ago, the NBC television show, Friends, received GLPCI's first "Love makes a Family! Award" for its groundbreaking storyline of lesbian motherhood. Last year's recipient, Momazons, is a national organization for lesbian mothers and for lesbians who want children in their lives. This year, GLPCI is delighted to honor the life and achievements of an individual, Doug Robinson of New York, New York, for his tireless efforts on behalf of lesbian and gay-headed families everywhere. A former co-chair of Center Kids, the largest local support group for our families in the world, Doug helped lead the fight for New York City's Children of the Rainbow curriculum. Since then Doug has become one of New York's few openly gay elected officials, running successfully for a seat on his local community school board. As an advocate for lesbian and gay adoption and foster care, Doug is an ever-present feature at conferences and seminars, and in the media, speaking out on our issues. With our heartfelt thanks and appreciation, GLPCI is honored to acknowledge the example of Doug Robinson -- and example that shouts to the world "Love makes a Family! Activists of the Year -- GLPCI is proud to announce its selection of filmmakers Debra Chasnoff and Helen Cohen of Women's Educational Media in San Francisco, California as our Activists of the Year. Their documentary, It's Elementary, has proved to be a lightning rod for activism throughout the United States -- winning awards at film festivals, generating positive controversy in our children's schools, and changing hearts and minds everywhere. Producer/Director Debra Chasnoff, an Academy-Award winning director and the director of Choosing Children, and Producer Helen Cohen have created a moving statement about homophobia, its effect on all children and the powerful silence which exists in too many schools. Focusing on elementary educators who incorporate lesbian and gay subject matter in their classroom teaching, It's Elementary is enlightening, de-mystifying, and empowering for all fortunate enough to see it. GLPCI's Activists of the Year is a new award, created especially this year in honor of Debra and Helen's extraordinary achievement. - END - For more information, contact the Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International, Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091 Work (202) 583-8029; Fax: (201) 783-6204.