Morgan Stanley executives Day Pye and Stephanie Small welcome local GLBT activists and leaders to first annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Update for Broward County. (Photo courtesy of Morgan Stanley)
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By DONALD CAVANAUGH
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Fort Lauderdale Morgan Stanley office, in conjunction with Lambda Legal, presented the first annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Update for Broward County earlier this month.
Held in a private dining room at the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas on March 6, more than 80 local activists and supporters gathered for lunch and to hear and discuss issues impacting the GLBT community locally and nationally.
“This is the first time we’re doing this,” said openly gay Morgan Stanley investment executive Dan Pye, who markets to the GLBT community. “Morgan Stanley has made a major commitment to supporting us in Fort Lauderdale and we expect this event will grow from year to year.”
A dozen local and national service agencies including Equality Florida, the Human Rights Campaign, Red and Blue, Safe Schools South Florida, and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force sent representatives to provide an update on their individual areas of focus. The brief presentations from each group were well received and elicited positive responses from the audience, according to Pye.
Prior to the luncheon, approximately 15 local attorneys attended a Lambda Legal continuing education program. Underwritten by Morgan Stanley, the program provided training on legal issues facing the GLBT community locally and nationally at a time when various pieces of legislation are coming before state and federal lawmakers and the courts.
“This is an exciting opportunity to bring people up to date on issues that may affect them personally,” said Judi O’Kelley, regional director for Lambda Legal Southern Regional Office, based in Atlanta. “We’re thrilled to be part of making history in Fort Lauderdale.”
O’Kelley was joined in hosting the event by Lambda Legal’s Southern events director, Rick Hill, along with Morgan Stanley executives Steve Freeman and Craig Norton. Also from Morgan Stanley were Pye’s colleagues Antonio Seminario and Stephanie Small.
People invited as local community leaders and activists to hear and discuss issues impacting the LGBT community locally and nationally and the positive impact that particular organization are having.
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