Pride Awards

The Pride Awards occur each March in commemoration of the campus-wide protest that led to the establishment of the Office of LGBT Life. Started by inaugural Office of LGBT Life Director Saralyn Chesnut in 1993, the Annual Pride Awards commemorate the protest and celebrate progress towards LGBTQ equality through peer-nominated awards. Graduating students from all schools are also honored in our Lavender Graduation. 

Established in 2007 by the President’s Commission on Sexuality, Gender Diversity, and Queer Equality (formerly the President's Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns), this annual award recognizes a member of Emory University’s LGBT community. University students, faculty, staff, and alumni (including graduates working beyond the campus) are eligible. Recipients are selected based on one or more of the following:

  • outstanding service to the LGBT community through participation in a volunteer organization
  • extraordinary contributions made through a special initiative or project that benefits LGBT people
  • demonstrated leadership in an organization, program, project, or other effort that advances equity and awareness of the LGBT community
  • distinguished achievement in business, the arts, the professions, government, or education that specifically benefits the LGBT community
  • volunteer service to LGBT people through community activism and advocacy mentoring, outreach, and role-modeling for other LGBT and non-LGBT people with the aim of fostering understanding and support for the LGBT community

Any member of the Emory community may nominate a candidate for the Chesnut Award. Nominations are accepted via online form found at the Office of LGBT Life website. Required information includes:

  • the name of the nominee,
  • their title and profession,
  • their affiliation with Emory,
  • a description of how the nominee has fulfilled one or more of the core activities above
  • contact information for both the nominee and the nominator.

Recipients are chosen by the Office of LGBT Life Advisory Committee. Winners are announced at the annual Pride Awards.

Past Award Winners Include:

  • 2023: Quasheba Allen 23PH
  • 2022: Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" Collins 11MR
  • 2021: Tharyn Grant
  • 2020: Eric Solomon 17PHD
  • 2019: Holly C. Lewis 17PHD 19M
  • 2018: Nichole Schladt 18L
  • 2017: Marcel W. Foster, 17PH
  • 2016: Lilly Correa 73C
  • 2015: Timothy Holbrook
  • 2014: Scott Turner Schofield 02C
  • 2013: J. Michael Aycock 66Ox 69C 82G
  • 2012: Danny Ingram 80Ox 82C
  • Scot Seitz 09C
  • Laura Douglas-Brown 95C 95G
  • Jonell Adair Usher 89G
  • Gerald Lowrey 81G
  • Jason Schneider

This award is named in honor of the fierce leadership of former Emory University student Berl Boykin.  While an undergraduate at Emory in 1963, Berl was found with another man in his dormitory room by a dormitory counselor and was immediately expelled from Emory and given 48 hours to move out of his residence hall. While this ended Berl’s collegiate career, it inspired his commitment to the advancement and protection of LGBTQ people at Emory and in Atlanta.  As a formative leader in the LGBTQ civil rights movement, Berl was a founder of the Georgia Gay Liberation Front and of Atlanta Pride. Berl’s work helped make the work of fellow LGBTQ activists possible, and he remained active in civil rights causes until his death in 2018.

The Berl Boykin Fierce Leadership Award comes with a $3000 prize and honors an Emory student who has made meaningful contributions to Emory’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community throughout the past year through their leadership on or off campus. The Berl Boykin Fierce Leadership Award winner will have demonstrated contributions that resulted in the creation or improvement of an inclusive, respectful, and safe climate for the LGBT community and their allies thereby furthering the mission of the Office of LGBT Life, and promoting acceptance, equality, and diversity in the Emory University community.

The award (s) recognizes individuals at Emory University who have made significant contributions and improvements at Emory University in one or more areas of:

  • Leadership in campus LGBT-related or other organizations and programs
  • Contributing to greater LGBT visibility through involvement in campus in LGBT-related or other organizations and programs
  • Service to the greater Atlanta community through hands-on volunteerism and/or philanthropic fundraising
  • Activism and advocacy for inclusion of queer communities within the greater campus community

The nomination materials should include a description of specific demonstrable examples of how the nominee has led and/or participated one or more of the activities listed above.

Please note that nominations are open to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

Previous winners include:

  • 2023: Soju Hokari 25C 
  • 2022: Destinee Gulley 22C
  • 2021: Brent Allman 22PhD
  • 2020: Maria McNiece 20B
  • 2019: Victoria Alarcon 19C; Amari Sutton 19C
  • 2018: Tara Noorani 18N
  • 2017: Sonia Chinai 17C; c. Holly Lewis 17PhD, 19M
  • 2016: Sei Yoshioka-Cefalo
  • 2015: Nowmee Shehab 16C
  • 2014: Andy Ratto 13G
  • 2013: Shu Wen Ong 13C
  • 2012: Dohyun Ahn 14C
  • 2011: Anson Koch-Rein 14G

This award honors an individual, department, or organization that has made meaningful contributions to Emory’s transgender, gender variant, genderqueer, and gender questioning people throughout the past year. The Transgender Advocate of the Year Award winner will have demonstrated contributions that resulted in the creation or improvement of an inclusive, respectful, and safe climate for the transgender community and their allies thereby furthering the mission of the Office of LGBT Life, and promoting acceptance, equality and diversity in the Emory University community.

The award(s) recognizes individuals, departments, or organizations at Emory University who have made significant contributions and improvements at Emory University in one or more areas of:

  • Creating inclusive and accessible environments, physical and/or social, for transgender, gender variant, genderqueer, gender questioning people
  • Activism and advocacy on behalf of transgender, gender variant, genderqueer, gender questioning people including policy work
  • Education of Emory community members on concerns of transgender, gender variant, transsexual, genderqueer, gender questioning people through education opportunities, increased visibility, and/or other similar works
  • Outreach to various community constituents to increase collaboration, effectiveness, and/or efficiency in improving climate and/or resources for transgender, gender variant, genderqueer, gender questioning people

The nomination materials should include a description of specific demonstrable examples of how the nominee has led and/or participated in one or more of the activities listed above.

Please note that nominations are open to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

Previous winners of the Outstanding Transgender Advocate of the Year Award include:

  • 2023: Miles Sterling 23C
  • 2022: Dr. Athena D. F. Sherman
  • 2021: Henry Mangalapalli; Ben Gilbert; Gabe Harr-Siebenlist; Sean Parker; Jackson Eckel
  • 2020: Karissa Kang 21C
  • 2019: Jamie Harrell 16MBA; Joey Bahng, MD
  • 2018: Sasha Cohen 19N
  • 2017: Everett Arthur 17L
  • 2016: JoAnn McKenzie
  • 2015: Zebulun Treloar-Reid 15T
  • 2014: Samantha Allen 15G
  • 2013: Hal Jones
  • 2012: Matt Garrett
  • 2011: Vin Tangpricha

This award honors an individual who has made a strong commitment for making Emory Pride as well as the university a safe and inclusive place throughout the past year as an active participant in the organization. The Member of the Year Award winner will have demonstrated contributions that resulted in the creation or improvement of an inclusive, respectful, and safe climate for the LGBTQ community and their allies by furthering the mission of Emory Pride; and promoting acceptance, equality, and diversity in the Emory University community.

The award recognizes a member of Emory Pride who has made significant contributions and improvements at Emory University in one or more areas of:

  • Active participation in the organization
  • Commitment to make Emory a safe and inclusive place
  • Furthering Emory Pride’s mission to educate, advocate and create a social space for LGBTQ and ally students at Emory.

Nominations should include demonstrable examples of how the nominee has led and/or participated in one or more of the activities listed above.

Please note that nominations are open to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression. Self-nominations are welcome. Executive board members are ineligible to win.

 

Previous award winners: 

  • 2023: Vex Hutton 24C
  • 2022: Aqua 25C
  • 2021: Griffin Noble 24C; Nat Trejo 24C
  • 2020: Erin Neely 19OX 21C
  • 2019: Sierra Cate 19C

"Writing remains a powerful means of advocating for change, whether we’re sharing our own stories, reporting on the lives of other LGBT people, or arguing passionately for justice."
- Samantha Allen 15PhD, Senior Reporter at the Daily Beast

Established in 2018, and made possible by the generosity of Emory Alumna, Samantha Allen 15PhD, the Excellence in LGBTQ Writing Award is given to a student who has contributed an outstanding piece writing on LGBTQ issues, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, op-ed pieces, reporting, or blogging. 

Any member of the Emory community may nominate a candidate for the Excellence in LGBTQ Writing Award. Nominations for this award should include contact information for the nominee, a sample(s) of the student’s writing (e.g. links, attachments, and other access points), and explanation of the piece’s contribution to LGBTQ advocacy.

Award recipients are chosen by Samantha Allen 15PhD, with support of the Office of LGBT Life, and announced at the Annual Pride Awards.

Previous award winners: 

  • 2022: Alyssa Colen 25C
  • 2020: Emiricus Brown-Murillo Gonzalez 21C
  • 2019: Jane Nichols 19T
  • 2018: Jordyn Crayton 

The Office of LGBT Life is proud to announce the Alum of the Year Award. This award honors an Emory Alum who has made meaningful contributions to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community throughout the past year. The Alum of the Year Award winner will have demonstrated contributions that resulted in the creation or development of an inclusive, respectful, and safe climate for the LGBTQ community and their allies that promotes acceptance, equality and diversity in the Emory University community and/or beyond.

The award (s) recognizes an Alum of Emory University who has made significant contributions and improvements by:

  • Organizing, promoting and/or participating in social, educational, professional and networking events for the LGBTQ community at Emory, locally, regionally and/or nationally.
  • Advocating or providing leadership for LGBTQ issues and concerns on university, local, regional, or national levels.
  • Volunteering time, effort, and resources to promote and maintain an active community for LGBT alumni.
  • Volunteering time, enthusiasm and expertise to support, lead and/or mentor LGBTQ students at Emory.
  • Organizing and/or participating in fundraising efforts that support the scholarship, leadership and/or community-building efforts of LGBTQ students at Emory.
  • Organizing and/or participating in fundraising efforts that serve the needs of the LGBTQ community at Emory, locally, regionally, and/or nationally.

The nomination materials should include a description of specific demonstrable examples of how the nominee has contributed to one or more of the core activities listed above.

Please note that nominations are open to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

Previous winners of the Alum of the Year Award include:

  • 2023: Kimble Sorrels 11T
  • 2022: Stephen Urbrock 88C
  • 2021: Jessica Oliveria 13B; Neil Vasudeva 16B
  • 2020: Thomas Hoff Prol 89OX 91C 97P
  • 2019: Brian Tolleson 95C
  • 2018: Gabrielle Claiborne 80OX 82C 
  • 2017: Dr. Gerry Lowrey 81G
  • 2016: Scot Seitz 09C
  • 2015: Malcolm Bruni 92C
  • 2014: John Blevens 05T
  • 2013: Robert Lewis 87Ox 89C
  • 2012: Lilly Correa 73C
  • 2011: Ryan Roche 03Ox 05C

This award is named in honor of Reverend Susan Henry Crowe’s 22 years of service as the Dean of the Chapel and Religious Life at Emory University. During her tenure, she provided loving pastoral care to Emory’s LGBT community while becoming a beacon of social justice on campus and within the Methodist Church. Her ability to bring people together resulted in the development of a caring and affirming community for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni at Emory University.

The Reverend Susan Henry Crowe Keeping the Faith Award honors an individual, department, or organization that has made meaningful contributions toward the creation of a welcoming and accessible campus environment for queer people of faith at Emory University.

Theaward recognizesindividuals,departments,ororganizationsatEmoryUniversitywhohavemade significant contributions and improvements at Emory University in one or more areas of:

  • Understanding of faith traditions by the LGBT communities and/or understanding of the LGBT communities by various faith traditions
  • Welcoming and safe environments for various identities and the intersectionality of faith and queer identities
  • Activism and advocacy for inclusion of queer communities within one or more faith communities
  • Outreach to various groups, individuals, churches, etc. to effectively bridge traditional gaps among faith and queer communities
  • Rewriting mission statements or other documentation to be more inclusive of LGBTQ and religious issues/members
  • Staging collaborative events with student groups of varying sexualities, gender identities, and faith communities

The nomination materials should include a description of specific demonstrable examples of how the nomineehasledand/orparticipatedinoneormoreoftheactivitieslistedabove.Pleasenotethat nominations are open to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

Previous winners include:

  • 2023: Maury Allums
  • 2022: Dr. Rev. Letitica Campbell
  • 2021: Christine Liang 22N
  • 2019: Rev. Kevin Crawford 14T 17T
  • 2018: Keegan T. Grace 16Ox 18C 
  • 2016: Larry Gipson 17T
  • 2015: Dr. Isam Vaid, 93Ox 95C 99PH
  • 2014: Sacred Worth
  • 2013: Reverend Joshua Noblitt, 04T
  • 2012: Reverend Saul Burleson
  • 2011: Reverend Susan Henry Crowe, 76T

This award honors and acknowledges contributions made by an individual, department or organization to Emory’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities throughout the past year. These contributions resulted in the creation or improvement of an inclusive, respectful and safe climate for the LGBTQ community, and thereby furthered the mission of the Office of LGBT Life, Emory University.

The award (s) recognizes individuals, departments or organizations at Emory University who have made significant contributions and improvements at Emory University in one or more areas of:

  • Strategies and skills for interrupting homo/bi/transphobic situations, and for supporting LGBTQ students, staff and faculty
  • Creating inclusive and accessible environments, physical and/or social for the transgender, transsexual and genderqueer community.
  • Active involvement in LGBTQ issues and communities to include the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, ability, age, and culture

The nomination materials should include a description of specific demonstrable examples of how the nominee has led and/or participated in one or more of the activities listed above.

Please note that nominations are open to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

Previous winners of the Outstanding Ally of the Year Award include:

  • 2023: Nicole Ingram 
  • 2020: Marché Simpson
  • 2019: Michelle Thomason Sariev 06N
  • 2018: Michael J. Huey, MD 
  • 2017: Jill Camper
  • 2016: Michele Hempfling
  • 2015: Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church
  • 2014: Alpha Tau Omega
  • 2013: Ajay Nair
  • 2012: Michael Huey
  • 2011: Beth Brandt 11C