by Jessica Carreras
There was a yellow brick road. An Emerald City. A munchkin, a tin man, a cowardly lion and a Dorothy – two, actually.
Borrowing from every gay's favorite film, "The Wizard of Oz" took over this year's Pride Banquet, held June 18 at the Ukranian Cultural Center in Warren. Though the night was still reserved for awarding deserving members of the LGBT community with recognition for their hard work, it was also a night for fun. As for the two Dorothys, Affirmations CEO Leslie Thompson and Triangle Foundation Executive Director Alicia Skillman coordinated blue gingham dresses and wigs for the event to be the movie's leading lady.
"When I arrived this evening, many people did not know who I was," a still-costumed Skillman said with a laugh, introducing herself to the audience. "…We have to speak to everyone to get equal rights in the state of Michigan. So when you see someone you don't know or maybe she looks a little bit strange like I do tonight, still make that effort to speak and reach out. We have to reach out to everyone – all of our allies – they will be the ones to help us get equal rights in the state of Michigan."
Detroit City Councilman Ken Cockrel, Jr. kicked off the night by presenting the Spirit of Detroit Awards to four deserving recipients.
Notable faces at the event included state Reps. Alma Wheeler-Smith and Steve Tobocman, Motor City Pride Chair Dave Wait and heads of the organizations Triangle Foundation, Michigan Equality, Affirmations and more.
New to this year's banquet was the Queer Choice Award, which was the only award where the three recipients were not known before the event. Members of the community were invited to cast their votes online, and picked Chris Gerlach, Jay Kaplan and Robert D. Thomas as the 2009 recipients.
This year's Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Marvin Marks, a longtime LGBT activist. Marks began his work as the treasurer and then president of LGBT Catholic group Dignity Detroit. He was also president as Wellness Network, now known as AIDS Partnership Michigan, as well as president of the networking organization Detroit Area Gay Lesbian Counsel, president of the Forum Foundation and founder of the Motor City Business Forum.
Marks was brief and touching in his remarks. "The thing about being president of all these organizations was a challenge to see our community volunteer, stand up and bark when it was necessary to do so," Marks said in his acceptance speech. "And in the past 18 years, in 1991 when I received an award, I said to the people attending that we've gone so far … but now's the time to get up and do more."
