Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2009 > March > 29 > Entry
HRC gala inspires at the Hilton Austin
I really don’t expect to sob at galas.
em>Clifton Walker, Brian Cash
And, as a reporter for a traditional, mainstream publication, I’m not supposed to let the reader know I was shaken with emotion. Especially not when the subject is as much political as it is social — the ostensible subject of this column.
Dale Fiala, Ronnie Garza, Ian Levin
Yet my objectivity flew momentarily out the window during the Human Rights Campaign Awards Dinner at the Hilton Austin on Saturday.
Chrysta Hudson, Joselyn Hamilton
It wasn’t just the inspirational speeches, the adroit videos or the thundering applause. It was the sense of history’s rewards.
David Sorrells, Lindsey Misle
You live long enough, you witness history. In my youth, the words “gay,” “lesbian,” “bisexual” or the 1960s equivalent of “transgendered” rarely made it into newspaper pages, except as part of stories about shame, crime or tragedy.
Eric Alva, Richard Irizarry, Scott Tyson
My nieces and nephews’ generation can’t even imagine that. They’ve known gay people all their lives because others were brave enough to come out and also to fight for basic human dignity.
Carina Gonzalez, Erica Sherrill
The HRC, criticized recently for its poor showing in the Proposition 8 gay-marriage battle in California, remains an effective promoter of human rights. And one reason the HRC Awards ceremony operates so effectively — raising more than $100,000 in one sitting, including $6,000 for a meet-up with Cher at Harrah’s in Las Vegas — there are only two official prizes.
Janet Waller, Bridget Wilson
Universal role model Bettie Naylor introduced Woodie Jones, who, before he returned to the bench as chief justice, Third Court of Appeals, worked tirelessly, pro bono, to establish equal legal rights in Texas for gay parents. (The evening’s first award went to Jones.)
Michelle Valles, Cliff Redd
Later, Cuc Vu, chief diversity officer for HRC nationally, made an edifying speech that touched on her family’s harrowing journey from Vietnam and the unique opportunities offered the GLBT community during the Obama era.
Cuc Vu, Leslie Jaffe, David Jaffe
Cliff Redd, head of the Long Center for the Performing Arts and practiced public speaker, made the speech of his life when accepting the Person of the Year Award. He made it clear that being out was as much a part of his success as an arts and business leader as any other quality he possesses.
Sissy Spiro, Traci Campbell, Gina Fant-Saez
Michelle Valles , however, proved the hit of the evening with her random, sweet quips that, as she says, will probably land her in the newsroom office explaining herself again. Example: The KEYE anchor formerly worked for KXAN, which, she says, was regularly called “GAYXAN” because so many gay people were employed there. Valles also kept apologizing to District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg for jokes that might suggest the anchor wasn’t altogether upstanding. Despite her sometime troubles, Valles remains an Austin superstar.
Comments
Click here to report comment abuse.
By Scott Tyson
March 30, 2009 9:26 AM | Link to this
What a great event and evening. Thanks to all our sponsors, advertisers and attendees for making the 2009 HRC Gala a huge success!!! To follow HRC locally visit austin.hrc.org or search for HRC Austin on Facebook.
By Scott
March 30, 2009 7:31 AM | Link to this
"poor showing re Prop 8"? that campaign was led by EQ CA and other local Cal groups. HRC donated $3.5m and had staffers on the ground to help.