23rd Annual Spirit of Justice Award Dinner

Thursday, October 27 2022

6:00 pm

Virtual AND in-person at Boston Park Plaza
50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116

About the Event

Thank you to everyone who made our 23rd Annual Spirit of Justice Award Dinner such a success!

GLAD’s biggest event of the year brought together supporters of LGBTQ+ equality for an opportunity to unite in resistance, look toward a future of true justice, and support GLAD’s life-changing mission.

This year, we were thrilled to honor Nadine Smith with the Spirit of Justice Award. Nadine is the Executive Director of Equality Florida and a lifelong advocate for human rights and LGBTQ+ equality.

Watch the powerful remarks from the event’s speakers:

Jennifer Levi

Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights Jennifer Levi reflects on our accomplishments of the past year, the challenges facing our movement for equality, and how we will tackle these attacks together.

Cynthia Lamar-Hart

Featured speaker Cynthia Lamar-Hart shared her incredible story as an Alabama parent of a transgender child and the fear parents are now feeling in the face of a law criminalizing essential healthcare for their children. Cynthia described the powerful impact your support is having in the fight against that law, which GLAD’s lawsuit has blocked from taking effect.

Janson Wu

Executive Director Janson Wu memorialized the late Urvashi Vaid, 2014 Spirit of Justice Honoree and an LGBTQ+ and HIV advocacy hero who we lost this year.

Janson also announced GLAD’s exciting new strategic plan to deepen our national leadership partnerships and impact, expand our legal capacity, protect a multiracial, pluralistic democracy, and sustain an antiracist and intergenerational movement for the long term.

Marie King

We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect as we age. But transgender older adults, like our client Marie King, experience high rates of discrimination and vulnerability in long-term care facilities. Here’s Marie’s story about being denied a room at Sunrise Assisted Living in Maine simply because of who she is – and how the settlement in her case will help other transgender older adults.

Michael Johnson

Chief Legal Officer Michael Johnson introduces the 2022 Spirit of Justice Award Honoree Nadine Smith. The award recognizes someone whose work and achievements reflect a profound dedication to GLAD’s ideals of a just and equitable society.

Nadine Smith

Spirit of Justice honoree Nadine Smith is the Executive Director of Equality Florida and a lifelong advocate for human rights and LGBTQ+ rights. In her acceptance speech, Nadine reminds us that the work ahead is formidable, but that we have fought courageously throughout our community’s history, and won. Learn more about Nadine and her impactful work.

Watch the full playlist from the 2022 Spirit of Justice Award Dinner, including looks back at past honorees and a tribute to beloved friend and trailblazing activist Urvashi Vaid.

Inspired to support LGBTQ+ justice? Need to fulfill your gift? Donate today.

Co-Chairs
Ray Cheng
Jamie Bergeron

Host Committee
Gavin Alexander
Annika Bockius-Suwyn
Jean-Phillip Brignol
Liz Monnin Browder
Mario Nimock
Michael Thompson
Michael Xavier

Presenting

Diamond

Ruby

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Do you have questions about the event? Want to become a sponsor of next year’s Spirit of Justice Award Dinner? Contact Mads Ouellette at mouellette@glad.org.

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