KALAMAZOO—The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) will discuss their religion and faith program during the Pride Brunch, held annually during Kalamazoo Pride weekend, with proceeds going to support the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center (KGLRC).
Dr. Sharon Groves, Director of the Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign, will speak at the event that begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Cityscape (125 S. Kalamazoo Mall), delivering a presentation on engaging all faith traditions in a deeper dialogue on questions of fairness and equality for LGBT Americans.
Tickets are $35 and include brunch, Saturday admission to Kalamazoo Pride 2014 and entry in hourly Pride Raffles. Tickets can be purchased at the KGLRC in advance or at the door. Reservations are requested at [email protected], or by phone at (269) 349-4234.
“We are tremendously excited to have participants in Kalamazoo Pride who are advancing equality at a national level,” states Jay Maddock, Program Director for the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center. “In particular, the involvement of Dr. Sharon Groves and the Human Rights Campaign supports the actions that local faith leaders have taken toward full inclusion of the public and religious lives of LGBT community members.”
The Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign is working to create a world where nobody is forced to choose between who they are or who they love and what they believe. Through her work, Groves engages extensively with religious leaders nationwide to advance dialogues around faith and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.
She has guided the mobilization of faith organizers in statewide advocacy work, including marriage efforts in Oregon, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland and Washington State. Groves has also overseen the development of many training tools and resources for advocacy efforts as well as efforts to increase understanding of LGBT family and friends from a faith perspective.
“The Pride Brunch has become one of our most sought-after tickets of the year, and we have changed venues to accommodate the growing interest in this event,” Maddock says. “This is the first year that the HRC has participated in Kalamazoo Pride, and the KGLRC is extremely pleased to welcome them.”
Kalamazoo Pride 2014 is June 13 and 14 at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place in downtown Kalamazoo.