Date: Tue, 23 Sep 97 18:46:57 EDT From: "communications" Subject: President Clinton to Speak at HRC Dinner -- Historic First ________________________________________________________ NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: hrc@hrc.org WWW: http://www.hrc.org ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997 PRESIDENT CLINTON TO SPEAK AT HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN NATIONAL DINNER NOV. 8 First Time a U.S. President Speaks at a Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Event WASHINGTON -- President Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Campaign's gala national dinner on Nov. 8, the organization announced today. "President Clinton's participation at this event will be historic," said Elizabeth Birch, HRC's executive director. "The president's attendance will mark the first time a sitting president has participated at a gay and lesbian civil rights event." In addition to Clinton's keynote address, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the legislative arm of this country's historic civil rights movement, will receive one of HRC's National Civil Rights Awards. Dr. Dorothy Height, chairperson of LCCR, will be accepting the award. Actress Ellen DeGeneres and her partner, Anne Heche, will also be attending the event. DeGeneres will also be accepting an HRC National Civil Rights Award for her historic and very public coming out last spring. On Sept. 8, HRC named DeGeneres' mother, Betty, as the organization's National Coming Out Project spokesperson. The sold-out national dinner will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington and will be attended by 1,500 guests. Last year, President Clinton provided a videotaped message to the Human Rights Campaign's OutVote convention during the 1996 campaign. That event was designed to inspire volunteer involvement in political campaigns for state and federal office seekers who are supportive of equal rights for lesbian and gay people. The dinner occurs two days before the first White House Conference on Hate Crimes, scheduled for Nov. 10. The conference will examine bias-motivated crime and seeks to find solutions to curb this escalating social problem which is one of HRC's highest priorities. The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. -30-