The Heroes Among Us
There are countless people living among us who perform courageous and selfless acts with little or no gain for themselves, and often at great personal sacrifice. We at PrideFest asked you to nominate a “hero” from Seattle’s LGBT and allied community, and we’re happy to announce that the four winners are:
content courtesy of 'mo Magazine
Prizes for our heroes provided by: tidbit bistro, Flowers on 15th, Ajaxx63, Victrola Cafe, and the W Seattle. (see full package)
Aidan Key
 For more than 10 years, organizer, educator, and longtime activist Aidan Key has worked to increase understanding and awareness of gender identity and expression. Aidan has produced and directed nine national conferences and developed numerous community-based workshops.
Aidan founded Gender Odyssey in 2001. In 2006, he co-founded Gender Spectrum, which now produces both Gender Odyssey and Gender Spectrum Family conferences. Gender Spectrum Education and Training has taken Aidan into many arenas — from kindergarten classes to boardrooms — where he assists schools in creating gender-variant curriculum.
On being named a “Hero,” Aidan has this to say:
There are incredible, ground-breaking activists who have come before me, and who make my path look like a cake-walk. There are trans children coming after me that desperately need the world to be a safer place. When I need back up, I need only think of any single one of them to know what needs to be done — and that is to keep changing the world one step at a time. When I can’t do it for me, I do it for them.
Amy Balliett
 Amy Balliett may have yet to see her 30th birthday, but the impact she’s making in California and Seattle belie her young age.
When the voters of California passed Proposition 8, and changed that state’s constitution to allow for only opposite-sex marriage, Amy reacted by creating Join the Impact. Within a week of the election, the group had organized protest rallies and marches in more than 400 cities in every state of the country, and in 10 countries around the world. The National Day of Protest was held on November 15, 2008. Reportedly, hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets.
Very recently, The Advocate magazine named Amy one of the most influential out people in their “Forty Under 40” issue. In the interview, Amy says, “There will always be a need for education and outreach, and that’s what I’ll always be doing.”
On being named a “Hero,” Amy has this to say:
I’m fighting for the right to hold my wife’s hand confidently anywhere in this country and not have to justify to anyone who she is and what she means to me. Ultimately, I want equal protections under the law first, but for those protections to actually be respected and upheld, we need societal acceptance along with it.
Charlene Strong
 Charlene Strong lost her partner, Kate Flemming, after a tragic flooding incident in Seattle in late 2006, and was nearly barred from seeing Flemming in her last moments of life. Strong’s heart-wrenching testimony about the hospital ordeal helped prompt Washington state to pass domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples.
Charlene went on to co-produce For My Wife, a documentary film about Kate’s death, and about the work Charlene has done for Washington state marriage equality. See more about Charlene and For My Wife at www.ForMyWife.info.
On being named a “Hero,” Charlene has this to say:
I would love to impress you with some amazing story of victory over evil, but I don’t have one. I only have my own inward battle and I guess in some ways I have found victory in not giving up. I don’t know why I think I have what it takes to fight, but as long as I can continue to give my time, my energy and my passion I will be fighting the greatest battle in my heart.
Kyler Powell
 When the call to action came from Join the Impact creators, Kyler Powell answered. Despite having no previous experience organizing a march and rally, Kyler took the role of event director for the local protests against California’s Proposition 8.
The 21-year-old student at Seattle Central Community College secured the required permits, started a Facebook group to gather other outraged Seattleites, and garnered support from local organizations like Equal Rights Washington.
Conservative estimates for the November 15 event claim 6,000 people in attendance; others claim the number closer to 10,000. Everyone agrees the event was a success, raised awareness and created urgency around the issue of marriage equality in California and around the country.
On being named a “Hero,” Kyler has this to say:
I think it’s important to continue to fight for equal recognition for the LGBT community and the end to homophobia. And I’d like to add that none of us act alone in our efforts. My boyfriend is always standing by to keep me tame; and there is excellent leadership in the LGBT community: Ed Murray, Connie Watts, Thomas Pitchford, and Louise Chernin. They all have been excellent sounding-boards and supporters.
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