Distinguished Service Award to DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
Presented by former GLAA President Jeff Coudriet
GLAA 36th Anniversary ReceptionWashington Plaza Hotel
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Good evening. I don't see an interpreter here for the hearing impaired, but for the visually impaired I?d like to point out that I am not Mayor Fenty.
I am very honored to be here tonight as a former GLAA President and distinguished service honoree to honor the nonprofit Appleseed Center. As you may know, their great work has already been recognized by Mayor Fenty tapping its leader, Linda Singer, to serve as the District?s new Attorney General.
The DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, under Executive Director Walter Smith, solves problems affecting the daily lives of those who live and work in the D.C. area -- from health care to voting representation to education reform to environmental concerns to jobs and housing. Appleseed works with volunteer attorneys, business leaders and community experts to identify issues, conduct research and analysis, make specific recommendations for reform and advocate effective solutions.
Last December, DC Appleseed presented Mayor-elect Fenty with a policy briefing book containing the many ideas that area residents submitted last summer during its Solving DC Problems Campaign 2006. Mr. Fenty said, "I thank DC Appleseed for creating a unique way for residents to share their ideas for making the District a better place."
DC Appleseed's August 2005 report, HIV/AIDS in the Nation's Capital: Improving the District of Columbia's Response to a Public Health Crisis, was influential in prompting reforms at the Administration for HIV Policy and Programs(or HIV/AIDS Administration, or whatever it's currently called). Appleseed has released two HIV/AIDS Report Cards since then to track the city?s progress. Mayor Fenty recently stressed the importance of improving the city's score. There's a vote of confidence for you.
Here we see a model of how independent expertise can be brought to bear in solving a range of public policy challenges. GLAA embraces this same spirit of partnership in working with District officials, for example in our project to increase legal protections for same-sex couples. It is therefore my tremendous honor to present GLAA's Distinguished Service Award to our fellow reformers at the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
