The Courage Awards

Last Night, THE NEW YORK CITY GAY AND LESBIAN ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT CELEBRATED THE 10th ANNUAL COURAGE AWARDS at Gotham Hall in Manhattan. It was hosted by the incomparable BD Wong of Law & Order: SVU - who was superb. They were honoring Channel 7's hot studd weather man / anchor Sam Champion, one of CNN's senior producers Rose Arce, The Ali Forney Center, and Law & Order: SVU executive producer Neal Baer for all the wonderful work they do for the LGBT community.



For the past ten years, the Anti-Violence Project has selected outstanding individuals, community-based organizations and companies who deserve special recognition for their leadership, “courage,” and service on behalf of the City's lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and HIV-affected communities, and particularly on behalf of victims of violence. On this important anniversary, the Anti-Violence Project took the opportunity to celebrate some invaluable allies in the shared effort to eliminate violence both against and within the LGTB community. 

The Anti-Violence Project was the organization that took care of me right after my attack this past summer. They will remain as a very important organization in my life; as they took very good care of my well being.

Sam Champion said it best last night when he was called up to accept his award. He said that I was an example of courage; to be able to be in this room looking so amazing after being brutally attacked by a bunch of cowards. He summoned me to stand-up so the rest of the room could see who I was. Drowned in tears, I stood up to accept his warm words of courage. I felt truly blessed to be here on this earth; especially in a room with my LGBT family.

Additional celebrities and elected officials who attended include Tamara Tunie (pictured above with her husband) and Richard Belzer (pictured with me and his pooch) from Law and Order Special Victims Unit and Zulema Griffin from Season Two of Project Runway as well as New York State Assemblymembers Daniel O’Donnell and Deborah Glick, City Councilmembers Rosie Mendez and David Yassky. I also had the opportunity to meet Ryan (pictured right); the guy who was attacked on the isle of St. Martin, as well as Michael Sandy's parents.

Thanks to Clarence Patton, the executive director, for the all the work that he and his staff at AVP do so well. THIS EVENT WAS SO CORRECT. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE SPEECHES. I LAUGHED AND CRIED.

DONATE TO AVP: www.avp.org