Top L-R; Sen. Shevrin “Shev” Jones, Commissioner Eileen Higgins and U.S. Rep. David Ciciline. Bottom L-R; artist Edel Rodriguez, Captain Kevin Cho Tipton and singer-songwriter Robbie Elias. (Photos from SAVE)
The Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (SAVE) announced they will move forward with its virtual fundraising gala Sept. 23. The Champions of Equality Awards Gala will be hosted by U.S. Rep. Brian Sims — Pennsylvania’s first openly gay elected legislator. The gala will honor community luminaries and elected officials for their work in advancing equality and providing critical relief to South Florida residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the awards ceremony, the evening will include a musical performance by Miami native singer-songwriter Robbie Elias and an online silent auction.
The honorees will be recognized in two categories — safeguarding democracy and COVID-19 relief efforts.
Those being honored in the safeguarding democracy category are:
-U.S. Rep. David Ciciline (D-R.I.) — one of only seven openly gay members of Congress. Cicilline’s achievements include authoring and introducing the “Equality Act” — which prohibits the discrimination of LGBTQ Americans in employment, housing, public accommodations, government funding and education. Cicilline is also currently advocating for the “Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act” and “Global Respect Act.”
-Florida Sen. Shevrin “Shev” Jones, who is the first openly LGBTQ Black person to serve in the Florida Legislature. Jones’ work in public service includes championing meaningful bipartisan legislation, including two consecutive bills to secure dignity for incarcerated women, statewide expansion of a clean syringe exchange program, safety and oversight for athletic coaches for youth athletic teams and ensuring transparency and accountability via police body cameras.
-Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins. The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved the creation of an LGBTQ Advisory Board — sponsored by Higgins. The Advisory Board will serve to address quality of life issues and propose policy recommendations to address social, economic, cultural, and political problems facing the LGBTQ community.
-Artist and Illustrator Edel Rodriguez is a Cuban American artist who has exhibited internationally. Socialist propaganda and western advertising, island culture and contemporary city life, are all aspects of his life that continue to inform his work. Edel makes work that magnifies the truth and is meant to encourage those that are a little afraid.
Those in the COVID-19 relief efforts category are:
-Captain Kevin Cho Tipton — a South Florida critical care nurse practitioner in the ICUs of two of the nation’s three largest public hospital systems — has distinguished himself in combating the devastating effects of COVID-19 and the spread of misinformation associated with the pandemic. Tipton became invested in researching the epidemiology of the disease and sharing up-to-date knowledge with his health care colleagues and local citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. He found himself picking up on a lot of discrepancies in the data being reported and took it upon himself to paint a truthful data-driven picture of what was happening locally in Miami in comparison to the national reporting.
-Our Fund Foundation exists to support a sustainably livable community for all South Floridians by promoting and increasing responsible philanthropy directed at agencies advancing LGBTQ issues in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. The foundation was envisioned as a means of capturing and preserving LGBTQ financial resources. Since 2011, Our Fund Foundation has become the third-largest LGBTQ foundation in the country — granting $1.5 million annually to worthy nonprofit agencies advancing LGBTQ causes in South Florida and has grown its asset base above $17 million.
-The Miami Foundation currently manages over $350 million in assets, mobilizes donors, nonprofits, leaders and locals to set a bold vision for our community’s future and to invest in a stronger, more equitable, more resilient Greater Miami. They devote some of their efforts to LGBTQ residents by investing in the capacity of organizations seeking to make a difference in the lives of people in the LGBTQ community. In 2020, the Miami Foundation partnered with Miami Dade County to lead a $10 million COVID-19 recovery program and purchased hundreds of thousands of masks, gloves and gallons of hand sanitizer to help nonprofits stay safe. In conjunction with the Black Lives Matter movement, the Miami Foundation launched a Racial Equity Fund to address systemic racism in our community and have raised more than $1.4 million to support leaders at the frontlines.
SAVE Executive Director, Orlando Gonzales expressed his appreciation to the honorees.
“Although this poignant year has brought a paradigm of shifting events, we continue to advocate for LGBTQ rights at the local, state, and national level and are thrilled to announce our annual gala to acknowledge the individuals and organizations who stand for fairness and equality for our community,” said Gonzales. “These Champions of Equality have shown great influence and determination in South Florida and beyond.”
The Champions of Equality Awards Gala will be held virtually Sept. 23 starting at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. Those interested can register at SAVE’s website. Attendees are encouraged to join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #SAVEChampions and to provide donations if possible.
