Equality Florida to Honor Aaron Huntsman and William “Lee” Jones at 2015 Equality Florida Key West Gala

 
 

unnamed-9

Equality Florida, the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, will present the Voice for Equality award to Aaron Huntsman and William “Lee” Jones at the 2015 Equality Florida Key West Gala.

The gala takes place on Saturday, March 28 at The Gardens Hotel.

Past recipients include Constance Gilbert, Jon Allen, Jimmy Weekley, Rudy Molinet, Judge David Audlin, Heather Carruthers, Wayne LaRue Smith and Daniel Skahen.

Aaron and Lee are plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to overturn Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage.  They made history on July 17, 2014 when Judge Luis Garcia ruled in their favor; the first judge to declare Florida’s ban on marriage equality unconstitutional.  Their case has been consolidated with one in Miami-Dade County, where Equality Florida Institute and six plaintiff couples are plaintiffs in a similar lawsuit to overturn the discriminatory ban.  The consolidated case is now pending in the Third District Court of Appeals in Miami.

“People from all corners of the State of Florida have been working to secure equal rights for the LGBT community,” remarked Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida. “Aaron and Lee have heroically stepped up as leaders in the fight for marriage equality, and in doing so have fittingly put Key West, a community known worldwide for celebrating diversity, at the center of this civil rights effort.”

Aaron and Lee are bartenders at Aqua Nightclub and 801 Bourbon Street respectively.  They met 11 years ago, and it was love at first sight.  They live in Key West with their dogs, Kira and Riddick.  Aaron and Lee have a huge following of friends and admirers who will celebrate with them as they receive this prestigious award.

“We have not fought this fight for marriage equality to garner praise or honors,” said Aaron. “Receiving Equality Florida’s highest honor validates that this journey we have undertaken will make a difference in the lives of so many others throughout the state,” he added.  Lee noted, “This is humbling and invigorating…all at the same time.”

The Equality Florida Key West Gala takes place at 6:30 pm on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at the beautiful Gardens Hotel, 526 Angela Street, Key West. For information on sponsorship, beginning at $500, please contact Equality Florida’s Key West Development Associate, Evie Evers Kling at [email protected].  There is no charge to attend the Gala, but attendees are welcome to make a donation to support Equality Florida’s important work.  Send your tax-deductible donation to Equality Florida Institute, P.O. Box 20786, Tampa, FL 33622-0786.  For further information, or to RSVP, go to www.eqfl.org/keywestgala .

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization in Florida dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.