SARASOTA – Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy L. Wilson, Metropolitan Community Churches’ Global Moderator, will be presented with the 2016 Voice for Equality Award by Equality Florida at Sarasota’s Suncoast Celebration Nov. 20.
Rev. Wilson was pastor of Sarasota MCC before she was elected as Global Moderator in 2005. However, she has been an activist and a leader in the MCC since she was 22 years old. Rev. Wilson says she came out at a young age when the MCC was in its early stages and no one could envision LGBT victories such as marriage equality. She says her work began to transform into a global issue over time.
“We discovered there were LGBT communities all over the world, and many of them face much more dire straits than we do,” Rev. Wilson says. “It’s very important to be a voice to change lives and change history.”
Although Rev. Wilson is retiring, she will continue being an activist and a pastor. She also says she plans to continue writing, traveling and bird watching.
“She’s a big deal,” Michael Farmer, Equality Florida Statewide Deputy Director of Development, says. “It’s a good time to honor her. She spent her whole life doing this and being the pinnacle of the church.”
Jarred Wilson, 2016 Suncoast Steering Team Co-Chair, says the venue is a central location to the communities Equality Florida serves.
“As with our previous venue (the Palm Avenue Parking Garage rooftop), the great thing is that they really do have a history of hosting great organizations and being friendly to really progressive causes,” Wilson says. “We like to make sure we are hosting events at places where we know the owners are supportive of the work we’re doing.”
The event will be held at Michael’s on East and will begin at 5 p.m. and includes hors d’oeuvres, a full open bar, music by Deejay Jamaal Day and surprise entertainment. The program will include a State of the State Address by Nadine Smith, Equality Florida CEO.
Farmer says Equality Florida raised $211,000 at last year’s Suncoast Celebration. This year’s goal is to raise $225,000; the committee has raised about $180,000 to date. Presenting sponsor PNC Bank is hosting a photo booth and complimentary printouts for guests.Many other sponsors have already contributed, including Puff ‘n Stuff Catering, who is giving away pumpkin spice themed gift bags, and So Staged, who is donating over $10,000 worth of furniture and décor to transform Michael’s on East into an enchanted forest for the evening.
“I think for me these events are really good moments, like a benchmark in our movement,” Farmer says. “Things are moving so fast and it’s easy to lose sight of the progress. This a fundraiser, but also a way to bring people together at our biggest event and tell them the story of what we’ve done over the last year.”
Tickets are $125 in advance and $150 at the door. For event information, sponsorships, and tickets, visit EQFL.org/SunCoastCelebration.
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