Legends Gala 2014 Legend: The Honorable Ralph and Mrs. Pam Northam

Tonight is the 9th annual Equality Virginia Legends Gala - the husband and I have been to all but one of the galas and I was on the Legends committee for 5 years (which had the added benefit of helping me make many wonderful friends).  The black tie event honors Hampton Roads area "legends" for their role in advance the cause of LGBT rights and equality.  This year's individual honorees are  Honorable Ralph Northam, Lt. Governor of Virginia and his wife,  Pam Northam.  The organizational honoree is Hampton Roads Pride which through its sponsorship of "Out in the Park" in the past and this year's amazing PrideFest has done much to increase the visibility of the LGBT community in a positive way.  Here are details from Equality Virginia's webpage:

Lt. Governor Ralph Northam and Mrs. Pam Northam have been longtime advocates for Virginia’s LGBT community.  For the Lt. Governor, as a pediatric neurologist first, and for Mrs. Northam, as an educator, their compassion for all people and families shines brightly both in their personal and professional lives.  As a state senator from 2008 to 2013, the Lt. Governor supported policies that promote LGBT equality; he scored a 100 percent in Equality Virginia’s 2012 and 2013 legislative scorecards.  When elected as Lt. Governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2013, both he and Mrs. Northam  continued to advocate for marriage equality and workplace fairness.

Lt. Governor Ralph Northam and Mrs. Pam Northam believe that nobody should be discriminated against for their sexual orientation or gender identity, and have been vocal in their support of LGBT equality in Hampton Roads and beyond.  Their efforts for making Virginia a more welcoming and supportive place to live is inspiring and their warmth and humanity contagious.

Hampton Roads Pride has successfully put the Hampton Roads LGBT community and the issue of equality front and center in the civic consciousness. Its marquee event, PrideFest, has moved to Norfolk’s Town Point Park, expanding its reach to thousands of new people and gaining countless additional LGBT allies and advocates.  Hampton Roads Pride is also the only such organization in the United States to put on a Boat Parade, underlining the connections with the maritime history of Virginia’s port cities.