Lt. Governor Patty Judge today announced that the seventh and final recipient of the One Iowa Award will be One Iowa, the state’s largest LGBT civil rights organization. (This statewide diversity award is unrelated to the grassroots organization.)
“I created the One Iowa Award to highlight individuals and organizations that are helping to eliminate intolerance and prejudice in our society, and bring our state together,” Lt. Governor Judge said. “Few groups are doing that work as effectively as One Iowa. For more than five years, this group has made tremendous strides in making our state a more welcoming and inviting place for all, including LGBT Iowans. They have been a great partner in the Culver/Judge Administration’s efforts to make our state a better place for everyone, and I am proud to honor their work with the final One Iowa Award.”
Since it was created in 2005, One Iowa has grown into the state’s leading advocate for LGBT Iowans. With 30,000 members, One Iowa has proven itself effective not only in achieving common-sense public policy changes, but also in changing the hearts and minds of Iowans. The organization helped create a climate that saw forward progress in the march for LGBT rights in recent years, including the passage of an expanded civil rights code to include LGBT Iowans and safe schools legislation establishing anti-bullying policies in schools. Since the Supreme Court’s unanimous Varnum ruling establishing marriage equality in Iowa in April 2009, One Iowa has been leading the charge to educate Iowans about the about the positive impact LGBT families have on our communities and our state, as well as working with the Iowa Legislature to keep discrimination out of our constitution.
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Complete article at Iowa Politics : http://bit.ly/hcq2WW
