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Affirmations Recognizes Outstanding LGBTs, Allies at Silver Jubilee

By Shelby Clark Petkus

When Affirmations Community Center celebrates its 25th anniversary with the "Silver Jubilee" on April 5 at Cobo Hall, three awards will be presented at the black-tie event honoring outstanding members of the LGBT and allied community.
The Jan Stevenson Award is presented annually to those who've made exemplary contributions to Affirmations. The award pays tribute to Stevenson, the center's founding executive director and one of the founders of Between The Lines newspaper.
This year's recipient is Kathleen LaTosch, a former staff member of Affirmations. LaTosh is granted the Jan Stevenson Award for her dedication, commitment and service to Affirmations and southeast Michigan over the last 12 years. LaTosch is also noted for her four-year tenure coordinating the Multicultural Advisory Committee, expanding racial diversity of the board, staff and programming for the organization. She has also been a leader in helping coordinate older adult services for the LGBT community through her work with the Older Adult Summit and the Older Adult Coalition.
Darnell Jones is being recognized as the Lorna Utley Outstanding Ally this year for his leadership and dedication as an advocate for the health needs of the transgender community; Jones offers free hormone consulting sessions every week at Affirmation. Jones has also served on the Transgender Day of Remembrance Committee and has secured funding from CET Group and CVS Caremark for the health and wellness services at Affirmations.
The Lorna Utley Outstanding Ally Award recognizes allies who have made a difference to Affirmations and the LGBT community. Utley is currently the CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. The First Annual Lorna Utley Outstanding Ally Award was given to Utley, the former president of the General Motors Foundation and director of Diversity Initiatives and Philanthropy. It was Utley who made the decision for GM to become the first corporate sponsor of the first Big Bash in 2000.
The final award to be presented at the Affirmations' event is the Chuck Moyer and Tim Cavanaugh Philanthropy Award, presented to those who have gone above and beyond their typical support of Affirmations. Ron Northrup, lead fundraiser for Affirmations' AIDS Walk Detroit walk team for over five years, is recognized with the award for the example he sets to others about the importance of philanthropy in the LGBT community.
Partially as a direct result of Northrup's work, Affirmations has been able to provide HIV counseling and testing services. Northrup began his avid work for AIDS awareness and fundraising following the death of his partner in 2005 to complications with AIDS.
Interim Executive Director of Affirmations, Jon Fitzgerald, expresses pride that Affirmations is able to recognize such members of the community in a "meaningful way."
"It's important to always be mindful of those who give so much," notes Fitzgerald. "Affirmations and the entire LGBT community owes a debt of gratitude to these individuals."
Silver Jubilee will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at Cobo Center, 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit. Tickets are $175-500. For more information on the awards or Silver Jubilee, visit http://www.goaffirmations.org/bash.

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