Recognizing Local Heroes
Spotlight on Success luncheon, awards celebrate collaboration between LGBT Arizonans and allies
By Liz Massey - Oct. 9, 2014
Along-desired dream of equal collaboration between LGBT Arizonans and their allies has come true for Angela Hughey, cofounder and president of the interactive web and events organization ONE Community.
ONE Community is hosting its fourth annual Spotlight on Success Local Hero Awards ceremony, luncheon and business expo Oct. 17 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
“We included this event in our original business model,” Hughey said. “Six years ago, we said, ‘someday this room will be half allies,’ and now we are here.”
Honorees are selected based on their pro-LGBT advocacy work in the Valley throughout the year. Hughey added that she was particularly proud that six of the 12 individuals being honored (see sidebar for complete list) were straight allies.
Selections proved particularly challenging this year, she said, as many individuals and organizations rose to challenge the proposed anti-gay “religious freedom” bill, Senate Bill 1062.
“(During SB 1062) everyone of all cultures came out and said ‘this is not the Arizona we want,’” she said. “We still have work to do, but it’s now much easier than it was six, three or even one year ago.”
The luncheon will showcase a video overview of ONE Community’s activities this year and include keynote speakers and a networking break to encourage attendees to get to know each other.
Additionally, the luncheon will be preceded by a business expo and followed by a cocktail reception, both of which are free and open to the public.
With a projected attendance of 600, Hughey called this a “can’t-miss” event, because it offers the opportunity to meet so many of the Valley’s top LGBT and allied leaders in one setting.
While Arizona has not yet reached Hughey’s ultimate vision of success, “a state that respects and protects all its residents,” she said the event is a good place to celebrate the progress made this year.
“We are assimilating into the conversation about what it means to be an Arizonan, and that’s exactly where we deserve to be,” she said. e
VITAL STATISTICS
ONE Community
Spotlight on Success Awards Luncheon
11:30 a.m. Oct. 17 (Business Expo: 9:30-11 a.m.)
Sheraton Downtown Phoenix Hotel
340 N. 3rd St., Phoenix.
Tickets: $100
Meet The Local Heroes
Bill Orovan, principal, Echo Magazine
Brendan Mahoney, general counsel, HBI International and former senior advisor to Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton
Bob Jacobson, principal, Jacobson Solutions
Charles Cobbs and Rosa Inchausti,
City of Tempe
Cicely Rocha-Miller, principal, Life Design Event Planning
Deanna Dunnuck, agent, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Dr. Rick Averitte, founder, Affiliated Dermatology
Helen Burland, principal, Burland Jewelry
Katharine Halpin, principal, The Halpin Companies
Ray Calderon, Mayo Clinic
Stephanie Clark, business development manager, PTS Multimedia
Steven Zylstra, president and CEO, The Arizona Technology Council
The honoree for this year’s Change Agent award, presented by PetSmart, is Scott Koehler from FASTSIGNS on Central Avenue.
Source: ONE Community
“The Arizona Technology Council is dedicated to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion, fairness and equality. We understand that if Arizona wants to compete for top talent, we must have diverse and inclusive workplaces. That’s why the Council signed the UNITY Pledge, led the effort to veto SB 1062 and advocates for LGBT equality in our 2014 Public Policy Guide. Receiving this award is an honor and I’m personally grateful for the great work that ONE Community is doing to foster an environment of non-discrimination.”
~Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council
“Receiving this recognition for my work and determination is something I was very overwhelmed with when ONE Community told me. … I will continue to celebrate the milestones that we overcome together and I am very thankful and feel extremely honored to be a part of the powerful group of individuals that surround this movement and work much harder than I.”
~Cicely Rocha-Miller, principal, Life Design Event Planning