In recognition of LGBTQ History Month, the Charter for Compassion introduces an annual awards program honoring LGBTQIA+ young people, community leaders and organizations making an impact through compassionate social & spiritual activism.
On November 20, 2021, the Troy Perry Awards will become a permanent annual program of the Charter for Compassion’s LGBTQIA+ Initiative, produced in association with Los Angeles-based Charter Partner Rainbow Advocacy. Launched in 2017 by Rainbow Advocacy, the awards were created in recognition of one of the most significant and historical figures in the global LGBTQ community: Rev. Troy D. Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church denomination, international human rights activist and pioneer in social equality, legal protection and spiritual justice for LGBTQ+ people.
Past recipients include Jamaican activist Angeline Jackson (2017), Chinese activist Wei Tingting (2018), Indian activist Anwesh Sahoo (2018), Los Angeles-based Jalen Bell-Syftestad (2018), and San Francisco-based Odessa Shlain Goldberg (2019). The month of October, LGBTQ History Month, is designated to recognize individuals who have had an impact in the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights throughout history, as well as to celebrate members of the LGBTQ community who have made great contributions towards humanity in general. In 1994, Rodney Wilson, a teacher at a Missouri high school, believed that a month should be devoted to the learning and celebration of LGBTQ history and chose October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on October 11th and in recognition of the first two marches on Washington for lesbian and gay rights in October of 1979 and 1987. Rev. Troy Perry was a leader in the earliest 1960’s marches in Los Angeles, as well as the March on Washington events, and co-created the first Pride Parade in 1970, now LA PRIDE, one year after the historic Stonewall uprising in New York City.
The 2021 Troy Perry Awards have been bestowed to: Edafe Okporo, Medal of Pride, historian / writer / podcaster August Bernadicou for Media Activism, and San Diego Pride honored with the award for Social Action.
