Luminaries
honored at NCLR's 28th anniversary gala May 14 in San
Francisco

The National Center for Lesbian Rights on May 14 will honor award-winning actress Glenn Close; writer, producer, and actress Guinevere Turner from Showtime's lesbian drama The L Word; San Francisco city attorney Dennis Herrera; Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez; and five courageous asylum-seeking NCLR clients at the sold-out 28th anniversary gala in San Francisco.

For her important contributions as an ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, Glenn Close will receive NCLR's Spirit Award, which pays tribute to individuals who have devoted their time, talent, and energy to ensuring that all people are respected without fear of discrimination and prejudice. Last year's Spirit Award was presented to actress Sharon Stone.

Turner will receive NCLR's Community Empowerment Award. Turner is a story editor on The L Word and has a recurring role as Gaby, Alice's vixen ex-girlfriend. Her career began as writer, producer, and star of the feature film Go Fish, which premiered at Sundance in 1994. She also collaborated on the screenplay adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho, in which she costarred.

"We are at a pivotal moment in our community's history," said Kate Kendell, NCLR's executive director. "As the fight for marriage equality advances, NCLR is also leading the charge to secure equality and protection for the most vulnerable members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community: parents seeking custody of their children, students facing homophobic and gender-based harassment, elders in need of affordable senior housing, and immigrants seeking asylum from gender- and sexuality-based persecution in their home countries."

Proceeds raised at the gala will help win important legal victories for NCLR's clients.