Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, to attend special local screening

of film “Legalize Gay”

 LGBT ally Ben Cohen will return to Atlanta on June 11th for a special screening of the film “Legalize Gay” as part of the 2012 Stonewall Month activities, sponsored by the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, The Atlanta Pride Committee, and Out On Film.

 Ben Cohen is an England Rugby World Cup champion and among the world’s greatest athletes. He ranks second in all-time scoring for England and first among straight professional athletes to focus his philanthropic efforts for the benefit of the LGBT community. Among the subjects in director Christopher Hines’ award-winning film, Cohen will be present for an interactive Q and A after the screening scheduled to take place June 11th at 7:30 p.m. at the Midtown Art Cinema.

“The Times They Are A-Changin” sang Bob Dylan at the height of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Indeed, the same could be said today for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. After years of struggle, public opinion is finally moving in favor of LGBT equality and a new generation is pushing forward that change, backed by a growing chorus of straight allies. Christopher Hines’ film looks at the new generation of activists – among them: Ben Cohen, who has established the anti-bullying StandUp Foundation in Atlanta; Spelman University’s Jeshawna Wholley, who set up the first Pride event at the University and was later invited to meet President Barack Obama; and Danny Hernandez, the intern credited for saving the life of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

 “Legalize Gay” had its world premiere at last year’s Out On Film festival before traveling to film festivals and campuses across the country. The June 11th Atlanta screening of “Legalize Gay” is a fundraiser for The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, The Atlanta Pride Committee, and Out On Film. Tickets to the screening and panel discussion are $15 and go on sale starting at 3 PM on May 16th at http://legalizegayatlanta.eventbrite.com and will also be available at the door (pending availability).

 The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, Inc.

The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, Inc. is the world’s first foundation dedicated to raising awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it. We stand up against bullying regardless of to whom it happens. Because lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are often targeted by bullies, we give particular attention to this community. We include removing homophobia from sports as central to our mission. For more information, go to www.standupfoundation.com.

 The Atlanta Pride Committee

Atlanta Pride Committee annually hosts the largest LGBT Pride event in the Southeast in addition to a month long slate of Stonewall events. For more information, go to www.atlantapride.org.

 Out On Film

Out On Film is one of the country’s oldest LGBT film festivals, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. For more information, go to www.outonfilm.org.

 Atlanta Pride Committee Board Chair, Glen Paul Freedman said of the newly publishedschedule, “We’ve hosted Stonewall Week for several years and wanted to branch out to include more events and more community partners in the hopes of reaching more members of our community, which lead to the creation of our most extensive and diverse list of Stonewall offerings thus far, lasting far longer than just a week!”

 These events are a collection of collaborationswith various organizations and a way to showcase some of the outstanding work being done on behalf of the LGBT movement in Atlanta and across Georgia.

 Freedman stated, “We are excited to feature our sister organization, Augusta Pride, as they celebrate their third festival. They have done an amazing amount of work in such a short time and we are delighted tofeature their event and encourage folks to make the trip to Augusta to enjoy the fruits of their labor!”

 The Atlanta Pride is confident that there is something of interest to everyone with the robust schedule of events they have to offer.  A full schedule is attached.  More events are being added, so please check the Atlanta Pride website for the latest additions and updates!

About Atlanta Pride: The main purpose of the APC is to promote unity, visibility and self-esteem among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons and to promote a positive image in the Atlanta area and throughout the Southeastern United States through community activities and services.

 The main mission of the APC is to provide lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons with cultural and educational programs and activities which enhance mental and physical health, provide social support, and foster an awareness of the past and present contributions of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons, through community activities and services, including an annual Pride event.

PRIDE 2012- STONEWALL EVENTS

June 5

June 11

June 12

June 15

June 16

June 19

June 20

June 22

June 23

June 29

June 30

July 1 – Bonus Event

–

The number of Grand Marshals selected for the 2012 parade is dependent upon the number of nominations received. A volunteer group from the Atlanta Pride Committee will comprise the selection committee. If you know of a qualified candidate who deserves to be honored as a Grand Marshal this year, please download the nomination application form, which can be found on the Atlanta Pride website at: www.AtlantaPride.org

Once you have completed the form, you can return it via email or fax to Buck Cooke, Managing Director, at: buck@atlantapride.org or 866.766.9104. You can also mail the form to the Atlanta Pride office at: 1530 DeKalb Ave., NE, Suite A, Atlanta, GA 30303. Be sure you submit the completed form early, to ensure that your nominee is considered for inclusion!

About Atlanta Pride:

The main purpose of the APC is to promote unity, visibility and selfesteem among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons and to promote a positive image in the Atlanta area and throughout the Southeastern United States through community activities and services.  The main mission of the APC is to provide lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons with cultural and educational programs and activities which enhance mental and physical health, provide social support, and foster an awareness of the past and present contributions of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons, through community activities and services, including an annual Pride event.

Media Contact:

Q&A Events

Sheila Merritt

smerritt@QandAEvents.com

404.762.5665 x302

Atlanta Pride Committee Board Chair, Glen Paul Freedman said, “We are excited to
announce the 2012 Festival dates to allow the entire community ample planning time for
this wonderful event here in Atlanta.” Freedman continued, “Piedmont Park is such a
beautiful setting, the Atlanta Pride Committee is thrilled to continue our relationship with
this convenient and appealing locale.”

The Atlanta Pride Festival is currently the largest event in the United State to coincide
with National Coming Out Day, which is observed on October 11th. Other established
community events that take place around the same timeframe include The Health
Initiative’s Garden Party, Out on Film and the Atlanta AIDS Walk.
Leading up to The Atlanta Pride Festival, APC will be organizing events and activities
throughout 2012 to build enthusiasm for the festival, including special events during the
month of June to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Additionally, the partnership with the Georgia Aquarium, for the Kickoff Party, will continue as a part of
the 2012 Pride celebrations. A full schedule of programming and parties is still being
developed for Atlanta Pride Week. For updates and information about events
throughout the year, please visit www.AtlantaPride.org.
Applications are now open for parade participants as well as market vendors. For the
past several years, both of these sold out – so interested parties are strongly
encouraged to submit their application and payments early to ensure their inclusion!

Further information is available at www.AtlantaPride.org.

APC Board Chair, Glen Paul Freedman said of the development, “We are thrilled and excited to welcome Buck Cooke to the Atlanta Pride Committee staff as our Interim Event Manager.” Freedman continued, “Buck brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our organization for operations and event planning from his work experiences at Georgia Tech and Emory University.” Cooke has also served as an APC volunteer for many years, most recently as the Entertainment Committee Co-Chair.  The Atlanta Pride Committee will conduct an open search for a new Executive Director.

About Atlanta Pride:

The main purpose of the APC is to promote unity, visibility and selfesteem among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons and to promote a positive image in the Atlanta area and throughout the Southeastern United States through community activities and services.  The main mission of the APC is to provide lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons with cultural and educational programs and activities which enhance mental and physical health, provide social support, and foster an awareness of the past and present contributions of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons, through community activities and services, including an annual Pride event.