PHILADELPHIA—Equality Forum will produce and disseminate a video, biography, and bibliography celebrating the achievements of 31 GLBT leaders selected for each day during GLBT History Month in October.

Nominations from GLBT organizations for the 31 leaders will be reviewed by GLBT History Month National Co-Chairs Rev. Nancy Wilson, Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) and Professor Kenji Yoshino, Deputy Dean for Intellectual Life at Yale Law School.

Nominees must be national or international GLBT persons, living or deceased, who have distinguished themselves within their field of endeavor, as recognized national heroes, or in the GLBT civil rights movement. The recommendations of the National Co-Chairs will be authorized by the Equality Forum Board of Directors.

According to Lowell Selvin, CEO, PlanetOut, "Equality Forum's GLBT History Month project will serve as a constant reminder of the work the community has done and the work we still need to do in our fight for civil rights. Equality Forum's dedication to commemorating history while being a newsmaker in its own right speaks to the good work that can be done when we work together."

In addition to a 30-second video, a short biography, and a bibliography for each leader, Equality Forum will produce a 30-second video for GLBT History Month, a two-minute overview video of GLBT History Month, a GLBT History Month website and an annual GLBT History Month Souvenir Program with photo and bio for each of the 31 leaders.

Lisa Sherman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Logo, said, "The past doesn't exist; only what we choose to preserve. Commemorating and celebrating LGBT history honors those who made us visible and reminds us of our obligation to future generations."

GLBT History Month content will be disseminated without cost to television and internet media, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions for their websites.

"Our goal is to help teach gay history, highlight role models and enhance understanding of the important national and international contributions of the GLBT community," stated Malcom Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum.

October was selected as GLBT History Month in the 1990's by a grass-roots network of teachers and community leaders to create a month of celebration. That month was chosen because public schools were in session and national events including National Coming Out Day (October 11) and the anniversaries of the first two Gay and Lesbian marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 occurred during October.

In the 1990's GLBT History Month was endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRC), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Education Association (NEA) and other national organizations.

Equality Forum has as one of its goals to highlight gay history. Equality Forum, with WHYY/PBS, co-produced "Gay Pioneers" (www.gaypioneers.com), a documentary about the start of the ongoing GLBT civil rights movement; coordinated in 2005 the 40th Anniversary Celebration at Independence National Historical Park of the start of the organized GLBT Civil Rights Movement; and successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for a historic marker across from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion which designates the site where the first organized demonstrations were held each July 4th from 1965 to 1969.

ABOUT EQUALITY FORUM

Equality Forum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) national and international GLBT civil rights organization. Equality Forum (www.equalityforum.com) undertakes high impact initiatives, produces documentary films, highlights gay history and presents annually the largest national and international GLBT civil rights forum.