GLAAD to honor Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed

New York, NY – GLAAD, the world’s LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today announced that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed will be honored at GLAAD Atlanta on October 26. GLAAD Atlanta is a celebration of national and local leaders accelerating LGBTQ acceptance and will be hosted by local radio personality Melissa Carter with a special performance by Grammy award-nominated and Dove Award-winning country artist Ty Herndon.

“Mayor Reed has time and again shown his stalwart support for the LGBTQ community, both in Atlanta and across the nation,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President & CEO. “By taking a firm stand against discrimination, he has sent a clear message of acceptance and set a powerful example for city leaders around the country.”

Mayor Reed will receive the Local Hero Award, which is given to an individual who has had an important impact on the local LGBTQ community.

Currently serving in his second term, Mayor Reed has worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and protection of LGBTQ Atlantans. He was an outspoken opponent of Georgia’s House Bill 757, a so-called ‘religious liberty’ bill, which would have allowed for the discrimination of LGBTQ people. Earlier this year, Mayor Reed called out the “terrible harm” and “irreparable damage” that the bill would cause to the reputation and economy of Atlanta, Georgia, and the entire southeast region if passed. When North Carolina passed what Mayor Reed called “discriminatory and unnecessary” anti-LGBTQ legislation, he again took a stand and banned nonessential travel to that state. To ensure that myriad voices are heard on the Atlanta Citizen Review Board, which provides an independent forum to address complaints with city departments, Mayor Reed appointed transgender advocate Tracee McDaniel to bring an “important perspective and lifetime of experience” to the board. In the wake of the Orlando tragedy, he also met with 35 leaders and business owners from the Atlanta LGBTQ community to discuss public safety concerns and how to work together to ensure the wellbeing of LGBTQ Atlantans.

Since taking office, Mayor Reed has re-opened all of Atlanta’s recreations centers as safe havens for young people, successfully initiated a series of sweeping reforms to address the city’s unfunded pension liability, and substantially increased the city’s cash reserves. He has received numerous accolades since taking office including being named one of the top ten most influential African-Americans in the nation by The Root and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. Prior to his election, Mayor Reed established a track record of leadership during his 11 years as a member of the Georgia General Assembly. He was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1998 and served two terms. From 2002 to 2009, he served in the Georgia State Senate, where he was Vice Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Additional highlights at GLAAD Atlanta will include a video appearance by CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden host James Corden.

GLAAD Atlanta is made possible by generous support from presenting partners Delta Air Lines and Ketel One Vodka, as well as major partners Coca-Cola and Wells Fargo, official partners UPS, Atlantic American, and Gray, and community partner Georgia Power.

For more information, visit glaad.org/atlanta.