FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 9, 2006

Contact:
Christina Gilgor, Kentucky Fairness Alliance Executive Director, (859) 420-6677

KENTUCKY FAIRNESS ALLIANCE RECOGNIZES LEADERS, CELEBRATES ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT SECOND ANNUAL DINNER

Lexington --- The Kentucky Fairness Alliance hosted its Second Annual Dinner on Saturday. Featuring keynote speaker Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, the event brought together fair-minded community and political leaders to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments over the past year. Nearly 650 people joined the Kentucky Fairness Alliance staff and board of directors for the evening.

Guests heard Wolfson speak about the importance of sharing personal and family stories to combat the myths and stereotypes on which discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people is based. Jade Esteban Estrada provided entertainment.

Jody Cofer, the chair of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance Board of Directors, introduced the Jason Johnson scholarship fund, made possible by a generous gift from Cliff Todd of Waddy. The scholarship was established to recognize young leaders and to help them further their education.

Jason Johnson, for whom the scholarship was named, was its first recipient. Johnson was expelled in April from the University of the Cumberlands for revealing his sexual orientation via the Internet. Rather than quietly accept the injustice, he spoke out against the discrimination he had suffered and became a powerful role model for other young, gay Kentuckians. His experience sparked a statewide debate about the legality of public funding for sectarian, exclusionary colleges.

Through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations, the dinner raised over $100,000 to further the Kentucky Fairness Alliance’s work toward building equality for GLBT Kentuckians.

“The overwhelming community support was amazing,” said KFA Executive Director Christina Gilgor. “Fair-minded Kentuckians are beginning to realize fairness is not just a GLBT issue. Rather, it is a human issue, for which everyone concerned with justice and equality must work together.”

The Kentucky Fairness Alliance is grateful to all the volunteers, organizers, sponsors, and guests who contributed to the evening’s success.

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