Mayor Riordan To Help Honor Esteemed Federal Judge With Lambda Liberty Award

(LOS ANGELES, October 15, 1997) -- Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the nation's leading lesbian and gay legal organization, honors recipients of its 5th Annual West Coast Liberty Awards on Thursday, October 16, including Judge William A. Norris of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Lambda's 5th Annual West Coast Liberty Awards will be held 6-9 p.m., Thursday, October 16, at the Center Green Theater, Pacific Design Center.

Mayor Richard Riordan will present Judge Norris a Lambda Liberty Award on the occasion of his retirement from the bench after 17 years of service. Judge Norris has distinguished himself among the federal judiciary as a forceful and courageous voice for legal recognition of equal rights for lesbians and gay men.

With his award acceptance, Judge Norris is expected to call upon President Clinton to renounce the military's discrimination against lesbian and gay service members under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," calling it "wrong and evil." (Advance copies of Judge Norris's speech are available upon request.)

Television actor Kathy Najimy will present a Liberty Award to actor Judith Light, who has been a powerful voice in the fight against AIDS and AIDS-related prejudice. Ms. Light has set a prominent example of commitment to the fight commencing at a time when such action was hardly fashionable in the entertainment industry. She has immeasurably improved the lives of many people living with HIV and AIDS around the country.

State Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Sheila Kuehl will present a Liberty Award to Dr. Dee Mosbacher, Frances Reid, and Dr. Sylvia Rhue, the creative forces behind the documentary film, "All God's Children." This extraordinary film examines the relationship between the church and sexuality within the African-American community. These honorees have made a historic contribution to the movement for civil rights and equality across lines of race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Bruce Vilanch, noted entertainment figure and comedy scribe extraordinaire, will emcee the evening.

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