Message from Tim Sweeney
Tim Sweeny began his public gay activism in 1977 in California where he helped defeat a ballot measure that would have banned gay people from teaching. Thirty-three years later, it’s a time of great hope for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. 2010 saw the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, allied organizations like the American Society for Aging embracing equality in incredible new ways, a dramatic increase nationally in support for the freedom to marry, and a major expansion in protections for LGBT people, even in historically conservative areas like Utah. The Gill Foundation’s 2010 Annual Report provides a snapshot of the moment we’re in. You see an emphasis on funding for allies who are recognizing our common values and the need to combine forces, you see a continued emphasis on state and local funding to take advantage of immediate opportunities to improve the lives of LGBT people everywhere, a continuing commitment to our home state of Colorado, and, finally, this incredible opportunity we have to work with an Administration in Washington that is beginning to walk the talk on including LGBT people in all programs, policies, and funding. We have a lot of work in front of us. We must persist in our demands, be bold in our vision, be generous, and be very open to new hearts and minds joining our movement for equality.
