2016 EqualityGala ProgramvFINALv3 (1) (PDF)

THE EQUALITY NC FOUNDATION

Equality Gala
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PRESENTED BY

Celebrating
Ten Years
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Saturday, October 15th

2016

Welcome

to Equality NC Foundation’s Tenth
Annual Gala! We are honored to celebrate ten years with
you. Ten years of struggle, ten years of fighting, ten years of
standing up and demanding justice. Ten years of resilience,
bravery, and hope. Ten years of intertwined stories, experiences, and dreams of a state of equality.
Last year we celebrated first-year legal anniversaries, but this year we were reminded
that the journey continues and there is much work to be done. The worst anti-LGBT
bill in the nation, HB2, was hastily signed by Pat McCrory in our beloved home state in
March. With this bill came a cruel reminder that we do not yet live in a state of equality, as well as a powerful message that discrimination comes with costly consequences
for us all.
But we have also learned that we are so much more than this bill. We have learned
that despite the hate that HB2 legalizes, there are entire populations within our state
borders and beyond that know #WeAreNotThis. We know we have powerful allies in
Charlotte who endeavor to protect and fight for equality with us. We know we have
allies in the NCAA, the ACC, Paypal, the Lumineers, and countless other individuals
and organizations who sought to take a stand on the battle nobody in our state asked
for. This battle was born of an important but non-unique ordinance in Charlotte that
guaranteed protection to LGBT communities like hundreds of other cities nationwide
had done before us.
And we know that we have allies in you, in the people sharing this space with you, in the
people who made this evening possible, as well as the people who endeavor to carry us
forward. It is with people like you, with voices and dreams and hearts like yours, that
we will be able to continue our journey that will take us to a full repeal of HB2, and the
spread of ordinances like Charlotte’s across our state. This journey that will ensure,
beyond HB2, a state that recognizes the complexity, beauty, value, and humanity of our
communities.
For Equality,
Chris Sgro, Executive Director

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Equality NC Foundation Gala
Tonight’s Program
Welcome | Equality NC Board

State of Equality NC | Chris Sgro, Executive Director
Elected Officials Recognition
Our Work | Sarah McBride
Legacy Award | Maddie Goss
Special Story | The Nurkin Family
D Break F
Keynote | U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Julián Castro
Legislators of the Year Awards | Senator Terry Van Duyn &
Representative Larry Hall
Organization of the Year | NAACP
Ally of the Year | Mayor Jennifer Roberts
Closing Remarks | Equality NC Foundation Board

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Deutsche Bank

NYC’s Mayor’s Office recognizes
Deutsche Bank as one of the city’s
most engaged corporations

It’s a celebration
And everyone’s included

Employees of Bank of America are bringing the
message of equality to people everywhere.

Deutsche Bank
is a proud sponsor
of Equality NC

Join us as we work to overcome every obstacle
and celebrate every success.
bankofamerica.com/diversity

We promote an inclusive and productive
work environment for everyone,
including LGBT+ employees, because
diversity drives results.

©2016 Bank of America Corporation. | AD-09-15-0670

© Copyright Deutsche Bank 2016.

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2016 Equality Sponsors
PRESENTING SPONSOR

PNC Financial Services Group
OLD NORTH STATE

Replacements, Ltd
Workplace Options
LONG LEAF PINE

Bank of America
Deutsche Bank

GRANITE
Reynolds American Inc.
VF Corporation

EMERALD

Alston & Bird LLP
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC
Delhaize
The Fresh Market
McGuireWoods
Myriad Media

RUBY

EY LLP
GlaxoSmithKline
Potential Essential
Triangle Financial Advisors

NONPROFIT

ACLU of North Carolina
Human Rights Campaign
Lillian’s List
Planned Parenthood
NCAE

Table Captains

Cape Fear Equality
Linda and Bill Cary
Candis Cox-Daniels
ENC Foothills
Sarah Ford
Meredith Griffin-Speagle
Nation Hahn & Gerda Stein
Paula Kohut
Elinor Landess
Laura Levine
LGBT Democrats of NC & LGBT Democrats of Meck
Jeanne Lindquist Kutrow & Brad Kutrow
Crawford Mann
Michelle Mathis
Rick McDermott
Julie Merricks & Sue Hauser

Melissa Midgett
Donna Oldham & Vivian Joiner
Lisa Piazza
Mark Richardson
Martha Sgro
John Sherry
Scott Taylor
Laura Taylor & Robin Holdren
Marc Tiegel
Hon. Brian Turner
Hon. Terry Van Duyn
Diana Ward
Tiffany Williamson
Summer Wisdom
Young Democrats of North Carolina

Equality NC Foundation Staff
Brent Childers | Director of Faith Outreach
Ben Graumann | Director of Development
Matt Hirschy | Director of Advancement
Ben Julen | Development Associate
Shawn Long | Director of Operations
Maddie Majerus | Field Director
Tierra Ragland | RFRA Organizing Specialist
Crystal Richardson | Director of Advocacy
Chris Sgro | Executive Director

Equality NC Foundation Board
Jeanne Lindquist Kutrow | Chair
Laura Taylor | Vice Chair
Linda Cary | Secretary
Marc Tiegel | Treasurer
Deb Butler
Qi Chen
Sarah Ford
Elinor Landess
Laura Levin
Aaron Lucier
Donna Oldham
Guillermo Rodriguez
John Sherry
Summer Wisdom

2016 Equality Gala
Keynote Speaker

Julián Castro

was sworn in as the 16th
Secretary of the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development on July 28, 2014. Under
Secretary Castro’s leadership,
HUD has been a leader in ensuring LGBT rights. Most recently,
he finalized HUD’s Gender Identity Rule to affirm that all individuals have equal access to
many of the Department’s core programs in accordance
with their gender identity. Before leading HUD, Secretary
Castro served as Mayor of the City of San Antonio, where
he became known as a national leader in urban development and a staunch advocate for the LGBT community.
Secretary Castro earned a B.A. from Stanford University
in 1996, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2000. He
and his wife, Erica, have a daughter, Carina, and a son,
Cristian.

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2016 Equality Gala Award Winners

Appreciation for our
differences is woven throughout
the fabric of our culture.

Senate Legislative Leadership Award
Senator Terry Van Duyn
As the oldest of eight children and the first member of her
family to go to college, Terry credits all of her success to
the educational opportunities given to her and the strong
work ethic modeled by her parents. Each and every day she
remembers and appreciates where she came from and is
committed to ensuring others have access to the same opportunities she was afforded. Whether it is delivering meals
on wheels, reviewing community grants, or being a health
navigator, Terry has over 20 years of experience working in our community applying practical common-sense
solutions to help ordinary people put food on their table,
stay healthy, and ensure their children access to quality
education. Senator Van Duyn is honored this year for her
outstanding commitment to improving the lives of LGBTQ
North Carolinians.

POWERFUL BRANDS. POWERFUL PLATFORMS. ONE VF.

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Organization of the Year
North Carolina NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the
United States and the world are the premier advocates for
civil rights in their communities. The North Carolina Conference of NAACP Branches is 70 years old this year and is
made up of over 100 Adult, Youth and College NAACP units
across the state, convenes the more the 150 members of
the Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) Peoples
Assembly Coalition, and is the architect of the Moral Monday & Forward Together Movement. The North Carolina
NAACP is honored this year for standing with the LGBTQ
community in the fight against HB2 and their continued
commitment to equality for all North Carolinians.

Bob Page Equality Champion Award
Maddie Goss
Madeline Goss lives in Raleigh, NC with her partner, Luke and her
10-year-old daughter, Sophia. She is a geek, martial artist, and most
importantly an avid advocate for the LGBTQ community. When not
working, she spends a lot of her free time volunteering with HRC,
Equality NC, and the LGBT Center of Raleigh. It is her desire to make
a better world for her daughter to grow up in. Maddie Goss is honored with the Bob Page Equality Champion award for her years of
advocacy for LGBTQ people- especially transgender people.
Jamie Kirk Hahn Ally Award
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts
Jennifer Roberts was raised in Charlotte and now raises her two children there with her husband Manley. She has worked as a diplomat
for the State Department, as an international business woman and
as a high school math teacher. She is only the second woman elected
Mayor of Charlotte and is the first person to serve as both Chairman
of the County Commission and as Mayor. Jennifer Roberts is awarded the Jamie Kirk Hahn Ally Award for her commitment to domestic
partner benefits, marriage equality, and leadership in helping to pass
the most inclusive non-discrimination law ever passed in North Carolina, the Charlotte Non-Discrimination Ordinance.
House Legislative Leadership Award
Representative Larry Hall
Larry Hall is the Democratic Leader of the North Carolina House of
Representatives. Hall has represented Durham County, North Carolina’s 29th District in the House of Representatives, since 2006
and he has led House Democrats since 2012. As Democratic “whip”
in 2012 Rep. Hall permanently endeared himself to us during the
heated legislative fight to stop Amendment One when he joined fellow representatives from the North Carolina General Assembly and
North Carolina Chapter of the NAACP to speak out at press conferences, rallies, and forums. During this year’s fight to repeal HB2 we
could always count on Representative Hall’s leadership in the house
just as we have in the past.

GOING BEYOND
E QUAL IT Y F ORWARD T OGE T HE R

THE 22ND ANNUAL
HRC NORTH CAROLINA
GALA & SILENT AUCTION
F E BRUARY 0 4 , 2 0 1 7

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