HRC Colorado Announces

2008 Award Winners

DENVER, CO (March 26, 2008)—HRC Colorado, a chapter of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization, announces the winners for its annual Paul Hunter Award, the Partners in Equality Award, and the HRC Colorado Outstanding Youth Award. The award winners will be honored at the Mile High Gala on April 28, 2008.

The recipients are as follows:

Paul Hunter Award Recipient: Patrick Steadman
The Partners in Equality Award Recipient: The Matthew Shepard Foundation
The Outstanding Youth Award Recipient: Jason Marquez

Patrick Steadman has over a decade of lobbying and political campaign experience and has been involved in statewide issue campaigns in every general election since 1992. Steadman is a licensed attorney with a Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado School of Law. His background in law, government and public employment has enabled him to tackle a number of complex legislative issues including education, health care, criminal justice, taxation, local government, and civil rights. A frequent public speaker, Steadman has been a guest lecturer at numerous organizations, universities and law schools. He is an active volunteer and has served on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations and has served on the Denver Women's Commission and the Denver GLBT Commission. He was recently appointed to the Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations Advisory Board. Pat lives in Denver with his partner Dave and Dave's son.

The Paul Hunter Award was conceived in 1993 and is named for Paul Hunter, a gay activist who, through two decades of work for the community, was instrumental in creating positive social and political change in Colorado. Hunter, an attorney, is noted for his work in the 1970s with Denver zoning laws. He died from AIDS-related complications in October 1991. The award is given every year by HRC Colorado to a single member of our community who has exemplified the spirit of Paul Hunter by working tirelessly for social justice, equality and visibility of the GLBT community.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation is dedicated to 'Erasing Hate' through education, advocacy and awareness. The foundation is the voice for inclusive hate crimes legislation and works to empower and ensure the safety of GLBT youth.

Founded by Judy, Dennis and Logan Shepard in memory of 21 year-old Matthew, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998, the foundation was created to honor him in a manner that was appropriate to his dreams, beliefs, and aspirations. The Matthew Shepard Foundation seeks to "replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance.”

Conceived in 2001 as the Equality in Business Award, the Partners in Equality Award seeks to recognize those businesses in the community that demonstrate a forward thinking vision of GLBT equality, through their activism, contributions to social issues and community events, and their own internal business practices. The award was recently changed to reflect the inclusion of those non-profit organizations that have worked over the years in the areas of advocacy, social justice, service provision, and positive change. The award is now called the Partners in Equality Award.

Jason Marquez is an example of the strength and determination youth who are expressing their sexual identities must show in order to survive today. Jason turned to the GLBT Community Center, where he not only found support, but emerged as a leader—volunteering for the Center, serving on the Youth Leadership Council for Rainbow Alley, and even being honored by Rainbow Alley this past October at the annual Gaybutante awards banquet.

For the third year, the HRC Colorado Outstanding Youth Award recognizes youth (individuals 23 or younger) who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the GLBT community and work to empower both GLBT and straight allies in their schools, churches, organizations, and communities. The award recognizes that youth are often times the impetus for change and have the ability to blaze new trails for the future.