14th Annual Rainbow Families Conference

Clay Aiken, Terry Boggis honored at Family Equality Council's NYC event

+400 attendees raise record-breaking $375,000 for LGBT families

Statement of Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director, Family Equality Council

Photos available upon request

Boston, MA—The Family Equality Council held Night at the Tavern, the national LGBT family organization's annual New York City event, Tuesday, April 21 at famed Central Park restaurant, Tavern on the Green. Platinum-recording artist, Clay Aiken, received the Equality Circle Award for his humanitarian work and the important visibility he provides LGBT families as an out, gay dad. Terry Boggis, Director of Center Kids at the LGBT Center in NYC, received the first Hostetter-Habib Family Award for her more than twenty years of front-line service to LGBT families.

More than 400 LGBT parents, family members and friends attended this year's Night at the Tavern, helping raise a combined $375,000 for the work Family Equality Council does to ensure equality for LGBT families nationwide.

Special appearances were made by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn; vocal sensation Linda Eder; previous Equality Circle Award winner, actor and gay dad B.D. Wong; and Emmy-nominated Queer Eye star Thom Felicia. Xanadu author Douglas Carter Beane emceed the event. Nederlander Producing Company of America, Inc. was this year's presenting sponsor.

Statement of Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director, Family Equality Council:

“We were thrilled to have record-breaking attendance at Night at the Tavern, our annual New York City event,” said Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of Family Equality Council. “More than 400 LGBT parents, family and friends joined together, raising $375,000 to support LGBT families nationwide. In this tough economy, such generosity shows that LGBT families believe in our work and want to be included in the struggle to secure equality in all fifty states. We are excited to put these community resources right to work—supporting marriage equality campaigns in New York, Iowa and other states; passing comprehensive safe schools legislation in Minnesota; producing seminal community events like our 14th Annual Family Week in Provincetown, MA; and providing online resources and connection for the millions of LGBT families living, working and contributing to their communities each and every day.”

EDITORS: For high-resolution photos contact Dustin Kight at dustin.kight@familyequality.org or at 617.502.8700 x 228.

The Family Equality Council works to ensure equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families by building community, changing hearts and minds, and advancing social justice for all families. We recognize and believe that the laws, provisions and ordinances that hurt LGBT-headed families also hurt so many others—single parents, blended families, families of color, and more. To that end, Family Equality Council is standing strong to defeat anti-family legislation and promote pro-family legislation. For more information, please visit www.familyequality.org.