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News Release
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE GRANTS ANNOUNCED AT HORIZONS' "CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITIES"
Other event highlights include former Congressman Gerry Studds, LGBT leaders in politics and philanthropy

Contact: Roger Doughty
Executive Director
415.398.2333 x102		 Date: September 29, 2004
For Immediate Release

Horizons Foundation announced several grants focusing on equal marriage rights for same-sex couples at its annual "Celebrating Our Communities" gala. These grants were made through Horizons' new advocacy initiative fund, which was seeded through a bequest from the Charles M. Holmes Supporting Foundation. Equality California, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and ACLU Gay and Lesbian Rights Project received grants in support of their legislative, judicial, and public education efforts. For their work around marriage equality in communities of color, Horizons made grants to the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at the Pacific School of Religion, Eyebite Productions, and Gay Asian Pacific Alliance. Also recognizing that the intention behind the Holmes bequest was not limited to the Bay Area, Horizons gave a grant to Basic Rights Oregon, which is working to defeat an amendment to Oregon's constitution that would forbid same-sex marriage. The awards, which total approximately $45,000, were presented by San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Mabel Teng.

"Without a doubt, same-sex marriage is the issue for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in 2004," Doughty said. "The blizzard of media, laws, presidential posturing, and litigation has focused unprecedented public attention on our lives, our community, and our relationships. Unfortunately, it also brings significant danger of right-wing backlash. These grants could not be more timely." Horizons Foundation also honored former Congressman Gerry Studds (D MA) and other political leaders from the LGBT community at the event. Congressman Studds, who served 24 years in the U.S. House of Representatives-more than half as an out gay man-received a Cornerstone Award from the foundation for his accomplishments. Horizons' "Honor Roll" included more than 80 openly LGBT officials from the San Francisco Bay Area and California.

"In a year when the political stakes are so high for the LGBT community," said Roger Doughty, Executive Director of Horizons Foundation, "we welcomed the chance to recognize the courage and achievements of Congressman Studds and all the other elected and appointed officials who demonstrate daily that life in public service and life as a proud member of the LGBT community are far from mutually exclusive." The annual event honored LGBT leaders in philanthropy as well, including the heads of five major foundations in California and the Bay Area: James E. Canales, President and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation; Patti Chang, President and CEO of The Women's Foundation of California; Pamela David, Executive Director of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund; Tim Hanlon, President of the Wells Fargo Foundation; and Dr. Sandra Hernández, CEO of The San Francisco Foundation.

Founded in 1980, Horizons was the nation's first community foundation focused exclusively on LGBT issues.

Photos available upon request.


A community foundation rooted in and dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, Horizons Foundation exists to mobilize and increase resources for the LGBT movement and organizations that secure the rights, meet the needs, and celebrate the lives of LGBT people; empower individual donors and promote giving as an integral part of a healthy, compassionate community; and steward a permanently endowed fund through which donors can make legacy gifts to ensure our community's capacity to meet the future needs of LGBT people. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Horizons aspires to set a stellar example of effective community-based philanthropy in all its work.