NGLTF to Honor Assemblyman Mark Leno

MIAMI, FL (PRWEB) -- The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will present its National Leadership Award to California Assemblyman Mark Leno at the 9th Annual Miami Recognition Dinner on November 5th, at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The award will honor Leno for his extraordinary role in championing the cause of marriage equality.

Leno made history in November 2002 when he was elected as one of the first openly gay men to the California State Assembly. During his first term, Assemblyman Leno was successful in getting 28 bills passed by the legislature and signed into law, including laws that protect Californians from gender-based discrimination in housing and employment.

This year he became the driving force behind the California legislature's passage of a marriage equality bill — making it the first U.S. legislative body of duly elected representatives of the people to support equal rights for lesbian and gay couples who want to enter into the civil institution of marriage. Only a veto by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 29th prevented California same-sex couples from achieving marriage equality. The bill would have ensured equal treatment under the law by allowing same-sex couples to marry, with the same rights and responsibilities as different-sex couples.

Despite the veto, Leno remains undeterred. “While we are extremely disappointed, we have not lost faith, and our struggle continues,” he said. “We will continue to fight until our relationships are treated equally and we gain access to the rights and responsibilities of marriage, so that we may create loving, committed, stable homes for ourselves and our children.”

Last year, Leno received of the Award of Courage from American Foundation for AIDS Research, and he was honored by the Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles at their 25th Anniversary Gala for his commitment to marriage equality. In July of 2003, he was honored as Housing Hero of the Year by the San Francisco Housing Action Coalition. Additionally, Leno was proud to receive honors from the American Heart Association, the California Association of Food Banks and Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays.

Assemblyman Leno joins an esteemed list of individuals who have been honored at the Recognition Dinner, including U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, U.S. Rep. Richard A. Gephardt, actor Sir Ian McKellen and playwright Terrence McNally.

The Recognition Dinner also will feature the presentation of the 2005 Miami Herald Humanitarian Award to Richard C. Milstein, a Miami native and a partner at the law firm of Akerman Senterfitt. Milstein's contributions to the South Florida community are legion, and his philanthropy cuts across South Florida’s political, social and cultural landscape. His devotion to helping individuals has impacted the lives of thousands.

Two-thirds of the proceeds from the event will be returned to the Miami-Dade LGBT community through philanthropic grants distributed by the Dade Community Foundation (DCF) for its Lesbian and Gay Community Projects Fund. The remaining one-third will support the Task Force’s efforts to achieve full equality for LGBT people. Earlier this year, the Task Force donated more than $150,000 to DCF, representing proceeds from the 2004 Miami Recognition Dinner and this year’s Winter Party Festival.

For more information about this event, go to the Bgay.com Calendar.