Governor Murphy to headline Garden State Equality’s third annual Equality Ball, Celebrating GSE’s 15th Anniversary

GSE extends access to sold-out event with new official after-party

ASBURY PARK, NJ — Garden State Equality will welcome Governor Phil Murphy as the featured special guest for its third annual Equality Ball this Friday, May 31, 2019. This year’s Equality Ball—a sold-out event hosted at The Asbury Lanes—marks the fifteenth anniversary of Garden State Equality’s founding. Thanks to record-support from pro-equality sponsors, this year’s Equality Ball is the most successful, high-earning event in the organization’s history.

Garden State Equality will honor numerous community advocates and present the Corporate Responsibility Award to PSEG for its investments in the LGBTQ community.

Additionally, Garden State Equality will recognize the 16-year-old student from Bergen Arts & Science Charter School—whose LGBTQ pride rainbow mural was recently erased after the school’s landlord, Holy Trinity Church, ordered the school to remove it—for her bravery and courage in standing up against student censorship and in support of LGBTQ-affirming schools.

GOVERNOR MURPHY HEADLINES THE EQUALITY BALL

“I’m thrilled that Governor Murphy will once again be attending The Equality Ball to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of Garden State Equality,” said Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of Garden State Equality. “In looking at all the historic work we’ve accomplished together—LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, the Babs Siperstein Law, and the first-in-the-nation Transgender Equality Task Force—it’s clear that New Jersey’s LGBTQ community has no better friend and ally than Governor Murphy.”

Since Garden State Equality’s founding, the organization has passed 222 pro-LGBTQ laws.

Under the previous administration, policy progress was slow. Since Governor Murphy took office, New Jersey has passed numerous ground-breaking legal protections for the LGBTQ community. Most recently, Governor Murphy announced that his administration would allow transgender troops to serve openly in the New Jersey National Guard in defiance of the Trump administration’s discriminatory military ban.

Governor Murphy will be joined in the audience by a number of elected officials including Congressman Frank Pallone, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, Senator Troy Singleton, Senator Declan O’Scanlan, as well as county and municipal officials.

PSEG TO RECEIVE CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AWARD

Additionally, PSEG will be presented with the Corporate Responsibility Award for its investment in the LGBTQ community and Garden State Equality’s ground-breaking safe schools program, Teach & Affirm, which reached over 400,000 students in New Jersey public schools in 2018. Because of PSEG’s support last year, Garden State Equality was able to hire a second Safe Schools Coordinator to expand the impact of its work. In 2019, additional funding will allow Garden State Equality to produce more hires to develop LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, which will be test piloted in select New Jersey public schools in the fall of 2019.

“PSEG’s commitment to LGBTQ youth has allowed Garden State Equality’s Teach & Affirm program to flourish beyond what we ever imagined,” said Ashley Chiappano, Safe Schools & Community Education Manager for Garden State Equality. “For years, PSEG has invested directly in the LGBTQ community and supported inclusive, affirming, and safe schools. PSEG is a leader in the energy field on issues of equality, and they prove that time and time again by lifting up their LGBTQ employees and putting corporate diversity at the forefront of their work.”

PRO-EQUALITY SPONSORS DRIVE HIGHEST EARNING EVENT IN GSE HISTORY

The Equality Ball is Garden State Equality’s premiere annual event and largest fundraiser of the year. All funds raised support Garden State Equality’s three primary community programs to create safe and affirming schools, expand LGBTQ-affirming healthcare, and protect LGBTQ older adults. Thanks to record support from pro-equality sponsors, this year’s Equality Ball is the most successful, high-earning event in the organization’s history.

The Equality Ball is presented by platinum sponsors iStar, Salt Hotels, The Asbury Lanes, and Asbury Ocean Club.

“Garden State Equality moved its headquarters to Asbury Park so we could be closer and more accessible to community members, but we never anticipated the outpouring of love and support from community partners like Salt Hotels when we got here,” said Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of Garden State Equality. “Because of their generosity year-after-year to host events such as The Equality Ball, Garden State Equality is stronger, more financially sound, and well-positioned to continue our critical policy and program work into the future.”

“For Salt Hotels, iStar, Asbury Lanes, and Asbury Ocean Club, it is truly an honor to support the remarkable work of Garden State Equality. As members of the Asbury Park community, it’s also our responsibility as good citizens,” said David Bowd, owner of Salt Hotels. “For the third year in a row, we’ve hosted The Equality Ball and this year it’s at no cost to Garden State Equality—which means every dollar raised will be invested directly into New Jersey’s LGBTQ community. We are thrilled that pro-equality businesses throughout the state stepped up to make this year’s event the highest-earning in Garden State Equality’s history.”

Platinum Sponsors – $50,000+

iStar

Salt Hotels

Asbury Lanes

Asbury Ocean Club

Gold Sponsors – $25,000+

PSEG

RWJ Barnabas Health

Silver Sponsors – $10,000+

Atlantic Health Systems

Horizon Blue Cross

Bronze Sponsors – $5,000+

A+E Networks

Brian Holland Legacy Foundation

First Energy Foundation — Jersey Central Power & Light

GSK

Hackensack Meridian Health

Harrison Blitzer Sports + Entertainment

Kivvit

M&T Bank

New Jersey State PBA

New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, Non-Commissioned Officers Association, and Superior Officers Association

NJ Resources

NJM Insurance Group

Novartis

Parano & Associates

Perry & Robert Halkitis

Sackman Enterprises of New Jersey

Team Golden, Arnone, & Hanlon

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

VNA Health Group

HONORING COMMUNITY ADVOCATES

During the exclusive event that kicks off Jersey Pride Weekend as well as Pride Month, Garden State Equality will honor several community members for their advocacy and contributions to equality in New Jersey.

Sgt. Major Jennifer Marie Long will receive the Inaugural Babs Siperstein Advocate Award for her relentless advocacy in support of transgender equality in New Jersey and fierce opposition to the Trump-Pence administration’s discriminatory and unconstituional ban on transgender service members in the military. Governor Phil Murphy will present the award.

Luisa Paster & Harriet Bernstein, who were pivotal in the fight for marriage equality, will receive the Garden State Courage Award for their fearlessness in standing up against discrimination in pursuit of the freedom to marry and their continued advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ older adults.

La’Nae Grant will receive the Community Advocate Award for her ground-breaking work to secure transgender healthcare protections for the city employees of East Orange and her continued advocacy for LGBTQ healthcare needs with RWJ Somerset’s PROUD Family Health Center.

Eli Pawlika, a youth hockey player and fourteen-year-old high school freshman, will receive the Youth Empowerment Award for promoting transgender equality, creating safe schools, and advocating for LGBTQ-inclusive youth sports. The New Jersey Devils will present the award.

“PRIDE WEEKEND PARTY” TO BE FIRST-EVER OFFICIAL AFTER-PARTY

While tickets are no longer available for the main event, Garden State Equality is inviting supporters and the public to attend its first-ever Pride Weekend Party, taking place immediately after The Equality Ball, at The Asbury Hotel. The official after-party event begins at 10:00 pm. Tickets are $35, and a cash bar will be available. Dress is festive attire. Tickets are available for purchase at www.GardenStateEquality.org/prideparty