West Hollywood is now soliciting nominations for its annual Rainbow Key Awards. The awards are presented to people who have made outstanding contributions to the gay and lesbian community. These contributions, whether by an individual or a group, may be in many forms, including the arts, community action, humanitarian action, sports, medicine, armed services, leadership, benefit to the global gay and lesbian community or in other ways.
Winners this year included the National Council of Jewish Women, an organization of volunteers and advocates with a strong record of supporting gay and lesbian equality; Noelle Carter and Valerie A. Moore, West Hollywood residents who for the last 10 Thanksgivings have hosted “The Long Table,” a place for LGBT people and friends who may not feel welcome elsewhere; Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, now in its 35th season, which has grown from an initial group of 99 men who met in Plummer Park to a group of more than 240 who use music to promote a world free from homophobia and other discrimination; Jeff Zarrillo, Paul Katami, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, who were the named plaintiffs in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the lawsuit challenging California’ s Proposition 8 that resulted in the U. S. Supreme Court’s ruling in 2013 permitting same-sex marriage in the state, and Kim Rocco Shields, a director, writer, producer and editor noted for her short film “Love Is All You Need?” (2011), which challenges assumptions about social pressure and conformity, including the verbal and physical abuse of those whose sexual orientation differs from those around them.
A two-page nomination form is available as a downloadable PDF file and on the city’s website. A hard copy of the form can also be requested by contacting Jeff Book, staff liaison to the City’s Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board at (323) 848-6471. Nomination forms are due by Feb. 2 at 5 p.m. The city expects to present the awards in June, which is LGBT Pride month.
Nominations will be reviewed by the City of West Hollywood’s Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board, and awards will be determined by the West Hollywood City Council.
