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Philly Here I come

I am off to Philadelphia today! Yes, it is the city of Brotherly love. But I don’t have a brother.

This week in Philadelphia is the Equality Forum.  This is a great organization run by my good friend Malcolm Lazin. He is a truly exceptional person and leader.  He is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Equality Forum. He is a former federal prosecutor, served as a litigator, as a Commission for the state of Pennsylvania and has been a real estate developer, developing the first projects on Philadelphia’s Waterfront and a producer of movies.

 For the uninitiated the National Equality Forum  is in essence Philadelphia’s Gay Pride Celebration-but it is not what you think. It is not a parade or protest march or dance festival (although the arts are always a part of the celebrations and there are dances!)  The National Equality Forum is a Global GLBT gathering.

Equality Forum sponsors a week of thinking and gathering. It sponsors several panels throughout the week and also picks a country to highlight as well.  The panels range from legal workshops, GLBT rights workshops, history, the arts, lots of political panels and more!  I will be speaking on Wednesday night at the National History Panel at the Arts Bank Theatre at 8:30 pm.  Gov. Ed Rendell will be in conversation that week and well as several GLBT appointees to the Obama Administration. There is an International Equality Gala Dinner that will honor David Boies and Ted Olsen who are the attorneys in the Federal Case about Proposition 8 in California and its legalities. 

It is always a great week with lots of learning and thinking.   Thank you Malcolm for inviting me again to be a part of this great event.