BY AJ TRAGER
DETROIT — In a sold out Spring Bash fundraising event on April 11, Affirmations presented their new "Prince Charming" and executive director, Darrious Hilmon, to the local LGBT community.
Last year was a time of tradition and growth for Affirmations as it actively searched for an executive director to lead the organization while maintaining its daily services, providing support and development for the LGBT community in metro Detroit.
"Unlike the Disney-fied fairytales that you're used to, here we are going to do away with archetypes. Like any good fairytale, there is good versus evil. Evil of alienation and shame that can be placed on individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. And those that fear our equality and continue to be against it. In this story good does conquer evil and there are many, many heroes," Affirmations board president Frank Aiello said while introducing Hilmon to event-goers at the Fillmore Detroit. "I know I said I would do away with the traditional archetypes of the fairytale, but I do need to introduce you to our new prince charming."
Hilmon joins Affirmations at a pivotal time in LGBT history. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments regarding same-sex marriage, the Michigan economy is growing stronger and the majority opinion across the country is support of LGBT equality.
"I'm excited to come out tonight to support Affirmations and their event. They do such critical work across the community in so many different facets," said Jon Hoadley, openly gay state representative from Kalamazoo. "Supporting Affirmations in an event like tonight is a great way both to celebrate their work and to allow it to continue in the future. To me it is so amazing to see such a growing amount of support for an event like this, but I also think it's a sign that things are turning around here in Michigan. We need to make sure that that economic recovery benefits places like Affirmations and middle-class Michiganders."
Affirmations continues to facilitate support groups, provide HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, host youth programs, mental health counseling, "senior coffee klatch" and many other services and every year continues to grow and develop.
The "Enchanted" Spring Bash gathered 400 LGBT and allied individuals including Hoadley; Ken Mogill, co-counsel for the DeBoer-Rowse family in the case that will be presented before SCOTUS; Nancy Katz, former Jan Stevenson Award winner; current and former Affirmations board members and Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown, among many others.
From 2000-2003, Alice McKeage, a Ford retiree and recipient of the 2004 Jan Stevenson Award, served as a board member of Affirmations. She has only missed one Spring Bash event in the past 15 years and was catching up with her friend, the event D.J. for the Afterglow party, when she spoke with BTL.
"It's a different event every year. It has a different flavor every year. I was happy to see they were sold out. The economy is picking up, and that makes a big difference. One of the complaints that I've heard over the years is that this event is too expensive for a lot of people, especially if you have a partner or a spouse," McKeage said.
"Being a board member was more then just being enthusiastic about Affirmations," McKeage noted. "Now, I do the things that I like to do for Affirmations, which is speak up for them and encourage people to be center partners and donate money."
Awards
Mark Blanke, current CFO of Delfingen, was presented with the Jan Stevenson Award for his tireless contributions to the center after serving 12 years on the board, working as a volunteer and spearheading fundraising initiatives that greatly benefited Affirmations.
"The staff of Affirmations is just remarkable. They are there day in and day out changing lives, impacting lives, just making the world survivable for so many people," Blanke said while accepting the award.
Kenneth Mogill, co-counsel for the DeBoer-Rowse family in DeBoer v. Snyder, was presented with The Lorna Utley Outstanding Ally Award for his work on the case and his continued support as a strong ally.
"In so many ways what Affirmations is about and what this case is about are the same: dignity, respect, about people being who they are, and that just makes it all the more wonderful to me to be the lucky recipient of this award," Mogill said. "As a lawyer, to be able to do something that I care about deeply and can use my legal training to help further, it's impossible to express just how good that makes me feel. I went to law school because I wanted to work for progressive social change, and here we are 44 years later and I'm still able to do that."
Allan Gilmour and Eric Jirgens were presented with The Charles Moyer Philanthropy Award for contributing beyond typical financial support for the center and setting examples for others to be philanthropic. They will formally receive their award later this year at a donor appreciation event.
