Awards & Recognition

Throughout its history, Triangle Speakers has received many thanks and recognition from the individuals that the organization has served. The community has also recognized the organization:

In 1998, Triangle Speakers was honored as one of the community's "Local Heroes" by the Community Assessment Project and the United Way. This was the first time that any GLBT organization had been publicly honored by the greater community. Cynthia Druley was Board President and accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

In 1999, the organization decided that it was time to assume a higher profile and encourage informational press articles and speaking on radio talk shows. An especially important and effective piece that proved to provide greater public awareness and recognition of the organization was published in March in the San Jose Mercury News. (Reprints are available.)

In 1999, the organization received the "Gay Youth Leadership Organizational Ally Award" from the Santa Cruz County GLBTQ Task Force at their Gay Youth Leadership Awards Ceremony. Glenn Cochran was Board President and accepted the Award on behalf of the organization. A Certificate of Recognition from the California State Assembly and a Proclamation form the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors were also presented.

In March 2001, the organization was presented with a "Schools Plus Volunteer Recognition Award for On-going Special Service to Santa Cruz County Schools." One of the primary purposes of SCHOOLS PLUS is to build community involvement in public education. Its awards were created to highlight and celebrate exemplary efforts.

In May 2001 at the Gay Youth Leadership Awards, three (3) of the Youth Leadership award recipients were Triangle Speakers. These awards are a testament not only to the organization's impact on the community, but also the positive impact that it has upon the youth that become speakers for the organization.

In May 2002 at the Queer Youth Leadership Awards, three (3) more of the Youth Leadership award recipients were Triangle Speakers. Our Program Director, Marcia Stein, was also presented with the Queer Youth Ally Award.

In May 2002 at the Queer Youth Leadership Awards, Triangle Speakers Board of Directors member Maria Luisa Perez won a Queer Youth Ally Award.

In May 2004 at the Queer Youth Leadership Awards, Monica Morales (a former Latino Outreach Coordinator at Triangle Speakers) received a Queer Youth Ally Award.

In May 2005 at the Queer Youth Leadership Awards, three of the Queer Youth Ally Nominees were Triangle Speakers. Two of the nominees, Angelica Zamudio and Chris Weir were members of the Triangle Speakers Board of Directors and Gail Levine is a school principal and Triangle Speaker.

These awards are clear indicators of the impact that Triangle Speakers has on the community and in local schools. The organization not only provides speakers to educate people about the prejudice against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, but helps to build self-esteem and leadership in the gay community, especially for gay youth. Many young LGBT and questioning youth are profoundly influenced by the experience of seeing positive role models in their classes. They directly benefit from the reduced violence and harassment at their schools and the increased atmosphere of tolerance, acceptance and support from their teachers, administrators and peers. In time, many of them have become speakers themselves and serve on panels in the schools they once attended.