Live Out Loud
held its Seventh Annual Young Trailblazers Benefit Gala at
the Chelsea Art Museum Monday night. The event honored four
high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding
leadership skills and were each awarded a $2,500
scholarship for their activism. The evening was hosted
by Broadway actor Cheyenne Jackson and included fashion
designers Thom Browne, John Bartlett, and Ralph Rucci.
"I've been blown away because it's been
a few months since I got involved with [Live Out
Loud]," said Jackson. "I thought I was making
a little bit of a difference and doing something
special, but it's nothing compared to what
these kids are doing."
Live Out Loud
awards annual scholarships to LGBT high school students who
help create an atmosphere of tolerance within their
community. The recipients this year are Nelson
Rodriguez, Raymond Martinez, Tiffany Studer, and Luis
Garay.
"I am so
honored that I got this, I did not expect it. I feel so
great that people are happy with what I did,"
said Studer, who is president of the gay-straight
alliance at her school. "Discriminating against
someone is pretty much being ignorant of the fact that
people are different."
The goal of Live
Out Loud is to connect LGBT youth to out professional
role models who provide positive examples and help create a
pathway for them in today's world. The
scholarships provide students with funding for their
college education in the hopes that they will continue their
endeavors for the future.
"It is my
dream to start an [LGBT] program of my own," says
Martinez, who will be attending Staten Island
University next year. "I know the work
I'm doing will benefit someone else one day."
Among those
attending the gala was Project Runway alumni Malan Breton,
who thinks what these students are doing is pivotal in the
road to acceptance.
"I
don't understand why in the 21st century it's
still necessary to degrade people," said
Breton. "The way things are in the world right now,
it's becoming harder for us. I'm very excited
to see who is honored with the scholarship this
year."
During the award
ceremony, Live Out Loud announced plans to go forward
with a television project called Homecoming, which
chronicles the stories of successful LGBT individuals
returning to their high schools to mentor a new
generation of LGBT students. The project will be produced
pro bono by Showtime, and Alan Cumming is onboard as the
host.
Since 2001, Live
Out Loud programs, all free of charge, have reached more
than 5,000 New York City students through panel discussions,
speaker bureaus, and a workshop series. Programs
usually are held in the afternoon when the school day
has concluded or as part of an after-school program.
(Paul Florez, The Advocate)
