Every now and then, I’m going to tell you a bit about some of the work that I do when not hammering away at my keyboard to write for the various publications I contribute to.
Early in our 2016 awards season, the excitement is building for our 6th annual INSPIRE Awards gala to be held on May 27, 2016, at Hart House, University of Toronto.
Next year, this will be the first time in the history of our awards in the Greater Toronto Area, that the gala portion of the evening will be televised, and the tiniest hint I could possibly give you is that we will be honoring people from the Trans Community in a special spotlight during the evening’s ceremonies.
When I think back over my life in our larger LGBTQIA+ community, the one thing that had been sorely lacking was any recognition of the people and organizations who work tirelessly to make things better for the people in our family.
Antoine Elhashem had a vision, to recognize and honor those people who work quietly every day, to make a difference in the world, to change the conversation, to cause great strides forward in the quest for equal rights for all. Thus was born the INSPIRE Awards.
Over the course of 6 years, many people and organizations have been honored within the current categories which you can see by checking out the website here.
My first involvement with INSPIRE was in late 2013, when I was contacted by one of the partners of the awards about nominating a young man I had been working with for some time on his cause/organization. When I was told about the mission of the INSPIRE Awards, I was excited to have the chance to give some recognition to an LGBTQ Youth who is a true game changer in the conversation about bullying. And, as the person who nominated him, I would be attending the awards gala with him if he made the final five nominees for his category.
He made the cut.
Then a realization hit me. Yikes! I would be at a large public event, anxiety starts climbing. I will be very early in my transition and presenting as myself full time. Okay, scared half to death.
I contacted Antoine, telling him how scared I was to attend with my nominee and his mother, considering the circumstances I would be in at that time. He assured me over a number of conversations by phone or electronically, that the awards are all about love and community and supporting each other, and my early stages of transition would not even get noticed. Okay, time to soldier on!
The evening arrives, I’m in a brand new outfit, and absolutely petrified and trying to hide the fact that I was shaking like a leaf, and upon arrival, glued myself to a wall in a corner. No worries though, I was treated like family, greeted warmly, and I honestly do not think I had ever been hugged as much as I was that night.
Then my ultimate moment, LGBTQ Youth of the Year, 2014, was about to be revealed. My nominee’s mother and I had worked our way up a side aisle to be able to get good pictures of the envelope being opened. I couldn’t help myself, when I heard his name, I let out a roar of a YES!!!
The moment which still brings tears to my eyes was when he walked back to our seats, set his trophy and certificate down, threw his arms around me and sobbed against my chest. For the first time ever, somebody had noticed the anti-bullying work he had been dedicated to.
That was what our community had been missing. That recognition, that thanks you for a job well done.
I was biting the inside of my lip furiously to not break down and cry with him.
What is amazing for me, is to see the personal growth he has undergone since that evening. Overcoming anxiety and becoming a well-spoken advocate for the anti-bullying cause, both through his own organization and partnering with many others. He has received other awards for his work since that evening, but he regularly tells me that that night was a game changer for him. He says that everything great that has happened is because of that night.
So, I was pleasantly surprised to hear of an opening on the organization’s board of directors. I submitted my letter of intent right away after a telephone interview.
My nominee attended the 2015 awards. He didn’t recognize me at first when I met him at the doors for the reception before the evening’s gala. Amazing the changes that over a year of HRT have caused. He told me after the awards that he was blown away when I walked onto the stage for the first time to present the award for LGBTQ Person of the Year. Yes, transition has caused great things to happen for me, but, I too, credit the INSPIRE Awards family for that embrace the first time I attended.
This year, I brought another young friend to the awards. She reminded me so much of myself that first time, glued to a wall, petrified. But, I knew magic would happen that night, and it did, as I watched her from across the gardens while greeting guests and nominees… she slowly came away from the wall and began to circulate with the people there. By the end of the evening, she was positively glowing! We didn’t stay long for much of the after party, my feet were killing me (new heels that weren’t broken in yet), and both of us being hearing impaired, we were lost in the sounds. But, I know that evening gave her confidence a sizeable boost.
Nominations are now open for all the categories for the 2016 awards. You can find the nomination forms here.
We are definitely ready to receive what we hope will be a record number of nominations for the 2016 awards. Next year’s gala evening will be the best one ever! And there are many huge announcements and surprises to come in the time leading up to a night that will truly, as is our mantra for this awards year, INSPIRE love.
