Susan Russell Receives Lamba Legal Liberty Award

Tuesday night Integrity President Susan Russell was presented with the Liberty Award by Lambda Legal. Here are her remarks...

Thank you – and what a great privilege it is to receive this Liberty Award from Lambda Legal this evening. In honoring me you are also honoring the organization I lead: Integrity USA – with a thirtysomething-year-old history of working to fully include LGBT people in the life and work of the Episcopal Church and the parish I serve: All Saints Church in Pasadena, committed to turning the human race into the human family one I.R.S. investigation at a time.

As we continue the work Sr. Joan Chittister has called "reclaiming the planet an inch at a time until the Garden of Eden grows green again" I give particular thanks tonight for my brother priest, Michael Hopkins: the past president of Integrity who has been my friend, my mentor, my partner in ministry and my partner in crime. I credit Michael with teaching me two great life lessons that have helped make my work and witness possible. Number one is "the truth will set you free" and number two is "don’t confuse God with the church."

I could not do the work I do or even dare to dream the dreams I dream for my church and for our country without Michael – and without the unfailing support of my rector, Ed Bacon, my clergy, staff and parish colleagues and, most importantly, my fearless, fabulous, faithful partner Louise. Time does not permit a longer list than that, but you must know that I stand here tonight on the shoulders of countless LGBT faithful who have for decades tilled the hard ground of the Episcopal Church to plant the fragile seeds of inclusion while tirelessly pulling the stubborn weeds of racism, sexism and homophobia.

God is not finished with us yet – and we Episcopalians are not finished with our bishops yet! – but in the days and weeks and months to come we’re gonna keep at it – an inch at a time – in partnership with Lambda Legal and our LGBT allies until the stubborn weeds of employment discrimination, hate crimes and marriage inequality are history in this country and the garden of liberty and justice for all grows green once and for all!

"Set audacious goals and celebrate incremental victories" was the advice I heard years ago from our former rector, George Regas. And if it is true – as Michael taught me – that the truth will set you free and it is true – as Janis taught me – that freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose – then tonight we have nothing to lose as we recommit ourselves to the audacious goal of becoming a nation where liberty and justice for all truly means ALL – one of the truths we hold self-evident as a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all people ARE created equal.

Thanks you again! God bless! Shanti. Salaam. Shalom.

Bay Windows on Lambda Legal Award

Bay Windows reports on President Susan Russell's award from Lambda Legal.

An excerpt:

Considering all of this you’d think that educated clergy such as the Episcopal Church of America’s Presiding Bishop, the Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori — a scientist by training, no less — would stand resolutely against those in her church who are using the Bible to foster ignorance. After all, it was Jefferts Schori who said June 8 on PBS’s Bill Moyers Journal that this is not the first time bigots have roiled her church. “When I look at other instances in church history, when we’ve been faced with something similar — the history in this country over the — over slavery,” she said. “The church in the north, much of it came to a different conclusion than the church in the south — about the morality of slavery. And neither side was comfortable with the breadth of understanding that could include the other.”

The difference between now and then, of course, is that her church didn’t disown abolitionism during the Civil War, but continues, in part, to appease anti-LGBT forces in today’s church.

Part of me is happy that Lambda has chosen to support Integrity, but I wonder if it’s worth it for any of us to continue to be a part of institutions whose leaders cannot muster the courage to just say no to hatred.

Susan Russell to Receive Liberty Award from Lambda Legal

620 Park Avenue #311 Rochester, NY 14607-2943
800-462-9498 info@integrityusa.org www.integrityusa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 31, 2007—Lambda Legal announced last week that the Rev. Susan Russell, the President of Integrity, will receive a Liberty Award " for effectively advocating for full inclusion of LGBT people in the Episcopal Church, including the blessing of same sex unions."

In response to the announcement, Russell said, "I am thrilled to accept this honor on behalf of the tireless efforts of those within the Episcopal Church who have labored so long and hard for the full inclusion of all the baptized into the Body of Christ. I believe it is a wonderful opportunity for evangelism—a chance to proclaim to the Lambda Legal community that the Episcopal Church is committed to respecting the dignity of every human being. Integrity and Lambda Legal are united in our dedication to 'liberty and justice for all.'"

The award will be presented on October 2nd at the Directors Guild of America Theatre Complex in Los Angeles. Ticket prices for the event begin at $200 each and can be purchased by calling Levy, Pazanti & Associates at 310-201-5033.

PRESS CONTACTS

The Rev. Susan Russell, President
president@integrityusa.org
714-356-5718 (mobile)
626-583-2741 (office)

Mr. John Gibson, Director of Communications
jhngb@aol.com
917-518-1120 (mobile)

BACKGROUND

See attached Lambda Legal press release.
-----------------------------------------
LAMBDA LEGAL WEST COAST LIBERTY AWARDS
TO HONOR ALAN CUMMING, DAVID BOHNETT,
REVEREND SUSAN RUSSELL AND HILTON

Awards Ceremony to Take Place Tuesday, October 2nd
at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles

(Los Angeles – July 25, 2007) - Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund will present its 15th Annual Liberty Awards on Tuesday, October 2nd at the Director’s Guild of America in Los Angeles. This year’s celebrated honorees are actor Alan Cumming for his distinguished career and as an LGBT activist and champion for civil marriage equality; David Bohnett for improving society through social activism and philanthropy including his generous support of LGBT organizations; Reverend Susan Russell for effectively advocating for full inclusion of LGBT people in the Episcopal Church, including the blessing of same sex unions and Hilton for their excellent record of workplace diversity as well as their dedication and hospitality to the LGBT community. The event will also celebrate Lambda’s Executive Director Kevin Cathcart for his 15 years of service.

Actress and designer Honey Labrador will host the event which is one of the most important and meaningful awards ceremonies of the year as it honors those heroes who have made strides in the fight for full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people (LGBT) and those with HIV.

Lambda Legal is the country’s most prominent and powerful civil rights organization addressing the needs of the LGBT community and those with HIV. Since 1973 Lambda Legal's strategy has been to secure legal precedents that solidify basic rights in all areas of life for LGBT people and people with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. From the beginning, Lambda has produced unparalleled results, changing the day-to-day lives of LGBT people across the country.

"This year’s Liberty Awards celebration comes at an exciting time for both Lambda Legal and the struggle for LGBT rights in general. We’re proud to recognize those who are helping us in our fight for equality," says John Davidson, Lambda Legal’s Director of Legal Affairs.

Over the past decade Liberty Awards have been given to corporations, law firms, and individuals whose work exemplifies the highest standards of service and commitment to the LGBT communities and those with HIV. Past recipients include Mayor Gavin Newsom, Rosie & Kelli O’Donnell, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Martina Navratilova, Herb Ritts, Bill Jones, Margaret Cho, Dolores Huerta, Kathy Griffin and State Senator Sheila Kuehl.

Located in Los Angeles, the Western Regional Office (WRO) anchors Lambda Legal’s operations throughout the West Coast. The oldest and largest of Lambda Legal’s regional offices, the WRO celebrated its 15th anniversary year in 2005. The WRO boasts a docket as diverse as the territory it covers, with cases advancing legal protections for gay youth, advocating for the freedom to marry, defending domestic partner benefits, challenging discriminatory police policies, and fighting for fair treatment of people with HIV.

Ticket prices begin at $200 each and can be purchased by calling Levy, Pazanti & Associates at 310-201-5033.

For press information contact:
Jim Dobson
INDIE PR
(818) 753-0700
jim@indie-pr.com

4370 Tujunga Ave. #105, Studio City, Ca. 91604 (818) 753-0700 jim@indie-pr.com

Clock in for Equality

Integrity is a participating organization in Lambda Legal's campaign, "Clock in for Equality." This May 15th, people across the country will participate and we hope you will to.

It is anticipated that by the time this day arrives that ENDA (Employment on-Discrimination Act) Legislation will be introduced on the House and Senate floors. HRC and Lambda Legal are working together to move the legislation and to promote it through "Clock in for Equality."

This is a great opportunity for local chapters and local leaders to join with parishes and other church leaders to promote ENDA. This legislation has been endorsed by The Episcopal Church and many other mainline denominations.

Here's what you can do:

• Contact other local leaders or arrange an event. Go to the Lambda Legal website for ideas.


• Tell your stories about why this legislation is important. You can do this at the Lambda Legal website.


• Connect with other local groups and individuals to make them aware or ask what they are doing.


• Go to the Lambda Legal website for free buttons and stickers. (Do this
  quickly so they will arrive in time--NO LATER THAN NEXT WEDNESDAY,
  APRIL 18)

Questions? Comments? Contact Neil Houghton, Northeast Regional VP <IntegrityNEVP@mac.com>, Integrity contact for Clock in for Equality.