A community for change

Last night my fiancé and I joined friends, colleagues and many new faces at Intersections First Annual Intersector Awards Gala. It was strange to see the event fly by so quickly knowing the months of planning, late night meetings, emails, and tireless dedication of all those involved in executing such a mighty project—including all those at Elizabeth Rose Consulting and the staff, board, volunteers and other friends of Intersections International. In addition to honoring three outstanding and diverse leaders the evening offered a glimpse into some of the intersections of social justice that our organization works. As we woke up to some of today’ headlines, we were reminded of many of these same issues.

Today a suicide car bomber in Iraq killed two American soldiers, at least three Iraqis and injured many others following a local tribal dispute north of Baghdad. In Washington, we discovered that the remains of fallen war heroes at Arlington National Cemetery have been grossly mishandled, and worst the depth of the issue is still largely unknown. We see religious leaders in America playing right into harmful stereotypes about LGBT persons. In Europe, political leaders are doing the same towards Muslims spewing anti-Islamic rhetoric. The list can go on, but the point is simple: there is a lot of bad things happening around us, and yet it is often said that the pulse of the world comes from those who are whiling to do something about it.

Over 200 people came together at the Intersector Awards Celebration and gave time, money, and in many other ways to show their support of Intersections work and its mission to tackle many of these important issues. Intersections is a part of the broader Collegiate Church Corporation—the oldest corporation in North America dating back to 1628—which describes itself much like the typical New Yorker: intellectual, progressive, witty and vibrant. Last night was a unique glimpse into a community who live these very ideals. We are inclusive of all persons no matter their race, class, faith, gender, orientation, etc.. We problem solve creatively to rectify differences. And we hope that these efforts can help make a positive difference in our world.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the celebration in person and in spirit, and we hope to see you at the next awards celebration!