The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles will have various sports figures as part of their Voice Awards on May 3 in Los Angeles. One gay sports figure will be on stage, Olympic legend Greg Louganis. The other sports figures are straight: Olympian Gary Hall (who once testified on behalf of Outsports in a legal case), and former NFL players Steve Young and Brendan Ayanbadejo.
It's great to see sports recognized at an event like this. Just a couple years ago, sports were an afterthought for all of these gay fundraisers. The GLAAD Awards this past weekend mentioned sports several times. GMCLA sees the value of including them as well.
Tickets start at $300 and can be purchased at www.gmcla.org.
Here is their press release with honorees and presenters:
April 1, 2014 (LOS ANGELES) – The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (www.gmcla.org), whose mission is to change hearts and minds through the power of music, announced an impressive lineup of honorees for the organizations 3rd annual Voice Awards to be held on Saturday, May 3, 2014, in Los Angeles, CA. India's Crown Prince Manvendra, the world's first openly gay royal; Southern California business leaders and community activists Brian Pendleton & Chad Goldman; Uprising of Love, a coalition raising international awareness about the violence faced by the worldwide LGBT community being represented by co-founder Bruce Cohen and Melissa Etheridge; and the Montgomerys, the subjects of the documentary Families Are Forever, which examines a Mormon family's journey to accept their gay son, will each receive top honors throughout the evening. The high-profile charity event will raise vital funds for GMCLA programs that encourage diversity and acceptance through the performing arts in schools across the United States.
"We are absolutely thrilled to announce a remarkable line up of honorees and presenters for our 3rd annual Voice Awards presented by First Investors," said Chris Verdugo, Executive Director of GMCLA. "The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles is on a mission to change hearts and minds around the world through the power of music. The funds we raise through the Voice Awards will be immediately put to use. They will power a range of programs including the Alive Music Project and the it gets better tour. These projects address bullying in schools across America by encouraging diversity and acceptance through the performing arts."
"It's a privilege to be the presenting sponsor for the GMCLA annual Voice Awards again in 2014. First Investors' relationship with GMCLA is a natural fit as we both share a passion for service to the community. GMCLA is a fabulous organization deeply involved in the Los Angeles community and in promoting civil rights, tolerance and acceptance. These shared values inspire us to support the important mission of GMCLA," said Forrest Strickland, Executive Vice President, Sales, First Investors Corporation.
Each year, GMCLA holds its annual Voice Awards gala and silent auction, a spectacular evening not only to raise funds for the charity's work, but also to honor those members of our community who have used their voice to affect significant social change.
The star-studded Voice Awards gala will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2014, at the Globe Theatre on the back lot of Universal Studios and will be an unforgettable night of music, food, spirit, honors, a silent auction and live performances from LiV, an R&B girl group in the tradition of TLC & Destiny's Child; the cast of the new Broadway-bound musical Inappropriate; and the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles. This year's celebration features presenters and special guests including three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Steve Young with his wife Barbara, Super Bowl champion Brendon Ayanbadejo, Olympic medalists Gary Hall Jr. and Greg Louganis, Tony winner Marissa Winokur, Bridegroom's Shane Bitney Crone, actress Sharon Lawrence and Army Captain Stephen Hill, with more to come.
The third annual Voice Awards Presenting Sponsor is First Investors, a Foresters Company. Additional sponsors include Wells Fargo, AT&T, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, State Farm, IAC and HBO.
Individual tickets for the Voice Awards are $300; VIP tickets are $400 and include a private reception on Friday, May 2nd with the Crown Prince and honorees. Table sponsor packages are also available. To purchase tickets, please visit: http://voiceawards.gmcla.org/.
ABOUT GMCLA:
GMCLA has garnered international acclaim for artistic excellence while remaining deeply rooted in service to the Los Angeles community and beyond by promoting civil rights, tolerance and acceptance through music. Founded in 1979 during the emergence of the gay civil rights movement, critics have proclaimed the chorus "inspired," "expressive, innovative, and utterly moving," and hailed it for presenting "meaningful entertainment."
