Awardees (by year)
Our 2013 Awards
Hudson Taylor
Founder of Athlete Ally. Athlete Ally is a nonprofit sports resource encouraging all individuals involved in sports to respect every member of their communities.
Hudson Taylor
Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally. Athlete Ally is a nonprofit sports resource encouraging all individuals involved in sports to respect every member of their communities, regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and to lead others in doing the same. Athlete Ally provides social advocacy campaigns, on-campus trainings and practical tools including resources to locate and learn about allied athletes, coaches, teams, athletic clubs and sports-based advocacy projects around the country. Hudson Taylor founded Athlete Ally in January of 2011. He is the Wrestling Coach at Columbia University. An Athlete Ally is any person — regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity — who takes a stand against homophobia and transphobia in sports and brings the message of respect, inclusion and equality to their athletic community. Athlete Allies include competitive and recreational athletes as well as coaches, parents, teachers, league officials, sports fans, other sports participants and advocates. Taylor, a straight man, sets a fine example of how we all can live together in peace. http://www.athleteally.com/ [f]
Jeff Sheng
Photographer and creator of Fearless, since 2003, Jeff Sheng has been photographing athletes on high school and college sports teams who also happen to self identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ).
Jeff Sheng
Photographer and creator of Fearless. Since 2003, Jeff Sheng has been photographing athletes on high school and college sports teams who also happen to self identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ), and are “out” to their predominantly straight teammates, coaches and classmates. Even though he is by training an artist and photographer, this project is highly personal as he was a former closeted athlete in high school and could not be “out” and play collegiate sports at the same time. His book and exhibitions of photographs titled “Fearless” is a reminder of the true meaning behind the bravery of what young people are able to do: be themselves in the face of homophobia in competitive sports — something rarely ever seen at the professional level. http://www.fearlessproject.org/
Kirk and Laura Smalley
Founders of Stand for the Silent.
Kirk and Laura Smalley
Kirk and Laura Smalley, founders of Stand for the Silent. Stand for the Silent was started in 2010 by a group students from the Oklahoma State University- Oklahoma City Upward Bound Chapter after they heard the story of Kirk and Laura Smalley’s son, Ty Field-Smalley. At eleven years-old, Ty took his own life after being suspended from school for retaliating against a bully that had been bullying him for over two years. Since then Kirk and Laura Smalley have been speaking out against bullying to over 600 schools and community organizations reaching over 644,000 youths and adults, as well as meeting with President Obama and the First Lady. They have been invited to speak in 23 states and 6 countries to date. The mantra is a simple statement born from a commitment to a child lost – to stop bullying in our world today. Stand for the Silent exists as a platform to allow Kirk and Laura to share their story and offer education and tools that will prevent their tragedy from happening to another child and family. Kirk and Laura’s mission is to continue to change kids’ lives and bring awareness to bullying and the real devastation it causes. With unequaled dedication and commitment, they have tirelessly labored to inspire a world where our children can be safe and where no other parent feels the agony of a child lost to the effects of bullying. http://www.standforthesilent.org/ [f]
John Quiñones
For his television show: What Would You Do?
John Quiñones
John Quiñones for his television show: What Would You Do? What Would You Do? is an American television news magazine broadcast on ABC since 2008 as part of the Primetime series. What Would You Do? is about setting up everyday scenarios that reflect on how people react, why they react, and what they decide to do. Scenarios staged are usually injustices or illegal activity; things you may or may not experience in everyday life. As the experiment goes on, psychology professors, teachers, or club members watch and discuss the video with Quiñones, explaining and making inferences on why the certain reaction is made. This series looks at how people actually do in the face of everyday dilemmas that test their character and values. A cast of actors, all strong improvisers, commit to their characters, creating believable and real people in real-life scenarios. A few examples that touch on concerns of the LGBTQ community include: a transwoman who works at a diner, and while serving a customer she informs him that she used to be a man named Chris, during which the customer begins to harass her. In another episode same-sex parents are at a restaurant with their adopted children, and the waiter attempts to kick the family out of the restaurant, claiming that these parents are ‘messing up the kids’. Another episode of What Would You Do? tests people’s reactions to witnessing a counselor urging a teen to seek conversion therapy treatment for his sexual orientation. In this television show, John Quiñones brings homophobia out into the open for viewers to witness its ill effects. https://abcnews.go.com/whatwouldyoudo [f]
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Paul Monette papers, 1945-1995
UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library