Leon Allen & Winston Johnson Community Leadership Award

2012 Award Winner: Rev. Phillip Thomason

Rev. Phillip Thomason is presently Minister of Outreach and Pastoral care at Saint Mark United Methodist church on Peachtree Street in Atlanta and will receive the Leon Allen and Winston Johnson Community Leadership Award. He has led the work of Saint Marks and, with his colleagues, ensured love and support for those who have no place to worship God, for those who are homeless and HIV+ that need medical care and for those, because of their sexuality and gender identity, have been disenfranchised from the church.

Biography:

Rev. Phillip Thomason was born in Bristol, Tennessee, but has spent much of his life in the Atlanta area.  He has an undergraduate degree from Emory University and completed his MSW in Social Work from Georgia State University.  After completing his undergraduate degree he taught school working with the mentally chalenged and ultimately becoming the head of Social Services at The Cerebral Palsy Center of Atlanta.  He is a graduate of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with a Masters of Divinity.  He is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and served numerous local congregations before returning to Emory University to complete his residency in Clinical Pastoral Education.    He worked at Emory Hospital Midtown (Crawford Long Hospital) on the radiation/oncology unit and ultimately at Emory University Hospital which encompassed Wesley Woods Geriatric Center, the oncology/radiation unit and Egleston Hospital for Children. 

He is presently Minister of Outreach and Pastoral care at Saint Mark United Methodist church on Peachtree Street in Atlanta.  He came to Saint Mark in 1990 and worked along side Dr. Mike Cordele as the doors of Saint Mark were opened to all.  It all began with handing out a simple cup of water to those passing by in the Atlanta Pride Parade and from there becoming one of the first main line denominations in the city to welcome the GLBTQ community.  Rev. Thomason has actively participated in the outreach and missions of the church as he and his colleagues have continued to provide care, love and support for those who have no place to worship God, for those who are homeless and HIV+ that need medical care and for those, because of their sexuality and gender identity have been disenfranchised from the church.
 
Phillip has been actively involved in numerous non-profit organizations that benefit our city.  He has served as chair of Trinity Community Ministries, an outreach to the poor of Atlanta, served as board member and chair of Atlanta Interfaith Aids Network and board member Aids Alliance for Faith and Health, Board member Project Open Hand, Sisters by Choice, an organization to bring breast care to the poor women not only here in the city but also to areas in need of medical care in our state.  He most recently was asked to serve on President Obama’s task force on GLBTQ issues and the churches role in HIV prevention.

About the Award and its Namesakes

The Leon Allen and Winston Johnson Community Leadership Award is named for two longtime leaders of the Atlanta LGBT Community.

Leon Allen and Winston Johnson were two of the original committee members for the first two HRC dinners in Atlanta, beginning in 1988. As longtime civic rights activists, they became close friends with Coretta Scott King, and helped her use her high public profile to advocate for the rights of LGBT persons. Because of their efforts, Mrs. King became the keynote speaker at the HRC dinner in New York City in 1986, and one of the communities' strongest allies for the rest of her days.

Leon and Winston were together for 42 years until Leon's death from Parkinson's disease in February 2006, two weeks after Mrs. King's passing.

The Human Rights Campaign Atlanta Steering Committee presents this award each year to the individual or group who offers distinguished service and leadership for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. This award recognizes the outstanding efforts of those who dedicate not only substantial time and energy, but also spirit and whole-hearted commitment to advance the fight for our civil rights. Appreciating our current leadership will foster others to follow in their footsteps.

Past Award Recipients

2011 - Paul Plate
2010 - Vandy Beth Glenn
2009 - Office Dani Lee Harris
2008 - Frank Bragg, Metrotainment Café's
2007 - Kathy Kelly
2006 - Melissa Carter, Q100
2005 - Nan Grogan Orrock, Representative GA House
2004 - Eric and Nancy Edmondson
2003 - Dr. Jesse Peel, MD
2002 - Kecia Cunningham, Decatur City Commissioner
2001 - Dr. Linda McGehee
2000 - Cathy Woolard, Atlanta City Councilmember
1999 - ACLU & Lambda Legal Defense and Educ. Fund
1998 - Brooke Glaefke
1997 - Aida Rentas
1996 - Cherry Spencer-Stark
1995 - Cobb Citizens Coalition and Olympics Out of Cobb
1994 - Mary Davis, Atlanta City Councilmember
1993 - Linda Bryant and Sherry Emory
1992 - Judith Colbs and Joan Garner
1991 - LEGAL
1990 - Southern Voice
1989 - The Metropolitan Council of Gay/Lesbian Orgs
1988 - The Atlanta March on Washington Committee