[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 55 (Thursday, April 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ALLIANCE OF 
                         WASHINGTON, DC (GLAA)

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 2011

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC (GLAA), a valued 
organization that has become a local leader in the struggle for equal 
rights for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) 
community.
  Since its founding in April 1971, GLAA has been a respected and 
tireless advocate for full and equal rights for the District of 
Columbia, and has been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen 
enforcement of the landmark D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977. One of 
GLAA's most significant achievements, on which it worked with coalition 
partners, D.C. elected officials, and District residents, was the 
enactment of the District of Columbia Religious Freedom and Civil 
Rights Equality Amendment, which permits same-sex couples to marry in 
the District of Columbia.
  In addition to its leadership on GLBT rights in the District, GLAA 
has always provided leadership on a wide range of civil rights issues, 
such as family rights, police accountability, and access to condoms in 
prisons and D.C. public schools. GLAA also emphasizes effective public 
health strategies and accountability in the fight against HIV/AIDS in 
the District.
  At GLAA's 40th anniversary reception on April 20, 2011, the 
recipients of its 2011 Distinguished Service Awards will be recognized, 
including The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, an Episcopal Bishop of 
Washington since 2002, a leader on issues of faith, politics and 
religion, an advocate for seniors, homeless and GLBT citizens, and a 
leader on interfaith dialogue and study; Sharon Farmer, a native of the 
District of Columbia and the first African American and woman to serve 
as Director of White House Photography, where she shot news stories, 
political campaigns, cultural events, conferences and portraits, 
including of President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham 
Clinton; David Friedman, Director of the D.C. Regional Office of the 
Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, a co-founder of the Bias Crimes 
Task Force, and a longstanding ally of the GLBT community who advocates 
for victims of hate crimes and legislation to address bullying and 
harassment of GLBT students in D.C. public schools; Theodore ``Teddy'' 
Guerrant, the longest serving accompanist in the gay and lesbian choral 
movement, including with the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC since 
1983, an accompanist for the Central Maryland Chorale for eleven years, 
a member of the National Philharmonic Chorale at Strathmore Music 
Center for twenty-nine years, and an Organist-Choirmaster at St. 
Margaret's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC for thirteen years; 
Ronald King, a longtime public servant in the District of Columbia who 
served as a Director of Prevention and Intervention Services for the 
HIV/AIDS Administration, a Government Co-Chair of the D.C. HIV 
Prevention Community Planning Group, a manager of the first Centers for 
Disease Control & Prevention-funded outreach program in the District of 
Columbia for Black and Latino sexual minorities and of several HIV/AIDS 
programs, and co-founder of the DC Needle Exchange Coalition and the 
award-winning AIDS Program of the National Basketball Players 
Association; and David C. Ward, co-curator, with Jonathan Katz, of the 
National Portrait Gallery's landmark ``Hide/Seek'' exhibition who 
defended the integrity of the show in the face of censorship and 
controversy, an author, poet, and literary critic, as well as an 
historian at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
  I ask the House to join me in honoring the recipients of GLAA's 2011 
Distinguished Service Award and celebrating GLAA's 40th anniversary of 
contributions to the GLBT community in the District of Columbia.

                          ____________________