Celebrating LGBT Equality Rights on the Global Stage

NGLCC Board member Steven Wozencraft; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; NGLCC President Justin Nelson; and Royal Asscher of America President Lita Asscher

Last Monday night, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Board member Steve Wozencraft, his partner John Evans, and NGLCC co-founder and president Justin Nelson joined a select group of LGBT and allied leaders and philanthropists for a special evening honoring U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sir Elton John and their work on global LGBT equality issues.

Wozencraft and Evans played a central role in the event presented by HRC and the Elton John AIDS Foundation; the elegant gala dinner's main purpose was to bring awareness to the Secretary's Global Equality Fund.

The Fund, announced by Secretary Clinton in Geneva at the United Nations Human Rights Council in December 2011, was created to support programs that advance the human rights of LGBT persons around the world. NGLCC leaders, including Wozencraft, Nelson, and NGLCC Co-Founder and CEO Chance Mitchell, were present in Geneva when Secretary Clinton gave her now historic speech on global LGBT rights, stating "Human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights, once and for all."

"It was an honor to be with Secretary Clinton, Sir Elton John, and so many committed individuals here in DC this week who are helping to make the vision a reality," said Nelson. 

The Fund and its message will play an important role in the NGLCC's work to help empower LGBT people around the globe through economics. "As the largest LGBT business advocacy voice in the world, NGLCC will continue to grow throughout Latin America, Europe, and eventually Asia," said Nelson.

Learn more about the upcoming September 2012 NGLCC Trade Mission to Colombia and how we will be bringing LGBT business to the region.