Press Releases

The 25^th Annual HRC Atlanta Gala Dinner and Auction to be held on Saturday, May 5, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Centennial Ballroom

ATLANTA – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and members of the HRC Atlanta Gala and Steering Committees today announced that Sean Hayes will receive the HRC Visibility Award at the 25^th Annual HRC Atlanta Gala Dinner and Auction to be held on Saturday, May 5, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. This award is given to an LBGT member of our community who brings positive and wide-spread visibility to our cause. These attributes align with HRC’s mission of creating a country that inspires andengages all Americans to work toward ending discrimination against LGBT citizens and realizing a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
Hayes became a household name in 1998, when he landed the coveted role of Jack on “Will & Grace.” His portrayal garnered him an Emmy Award (along with six nominations), four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and received seven Golden Globe nominations. Hayes’ other notable television projects include well received guest roles on "Scrubs" and "30 Rock" as well as “Martin & Lewis” a television film that starred Sean as Jerry Lewis for which he earned a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
 
Sean, who received critical acclaim for his roles in theater, television and film, quickly gained fame as the sarcastic and hilarious, Jack McFarland, on NBC’s “Will & Grace.”  In addition to working successfully and simultaneously in theater, film and television, Hayes has also added producing to his repertoire. He and his production company are the executive producers of the SAG Award nomitated show “Hot in Cleveland,” a scripted comedy for TV Land starring Betty White, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves and Valerie Bertinelli. Sean’s company also produces “Grimm,” a dark yet fantastical cop drama which takes place in a world where Grimm’s Fairy Tale inspired characters exist.  Sean can currently be seen in the popular comedy reboot, The Three Stooges. Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Sean will star as Larry alongside Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe and Will Sasso as Curly. The film is currently in theaters and Sean has received rave reviews for his depiction of Larry. 
 
In addition to Sean Hayes’s honor, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin will serve as the keynote. This year, the Congresswoman is a candidate for U.S. Senate, and if successful she will be the first woman to represent Wisconsin in the Senate, and the first openly gay Senator in the country. Additionally, the HRC Atlanta Gala and Steering Committees are proud to announce the evening’s local honorees. The 2012 Leon Allen and Winston Johnson Community Leadership Award will be presented to the Reverend Phillip Thomason. Rev Thomason is the Minister of Outreach and Pastoral Care at Saint Mark United Methodist Church on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. This year’s recipient of the Dan Bradley Humanitarian Award will be presented to The Health Initiative.The Health Initiative is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Georgia’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community through education, support, advocacy, and access to care.
 
More than 1,000 people are expected to attend the event held at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Hotel, which is chaired by Kaitlin Porter and Matthew Garrett. For more information on the event, including ticket information, please visit www.atlantahrcdinner.org.  
 
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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