One of the biggest draws of the NCLR Annual Conference is the wide array of substantive workshops, panel discussions, and meal events. Attendees also anticipate the numerous receptions and networking opportunities. This year was certainly no different, and perhaps the most popular party at Conference was the second annual LGBT and Allies Reception.
This year, thanks to the support of the Gill Foundation, the NCLR LGBT and Allies Reception honored NCLR Board Member Catherine Pino. As a member of the LGBT and Latino communities, Pino has dedicated her life to fighting for equality and fairness. Pino seeks to advance corporate, philanthropic, and legislative efforts that mirror her deep commitment to social justice and civil rights issues. A quick look at her biography and accomplishments explains why she received this distinction. Pino has served on the boards of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. She was also the first Latina board member and cochair of the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City, and now she currently serves on the Arcus Foundation board and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía, as well as the Gill Foundation’s President and CEO Tim Sweeney, introduced Pino and delivered impassioned speeches about the need for more collaboration between the two communities and how Pino’s work has embodied that philosophy. Pino’s family and her partner Ingrid Duran were in the audience.
After the program, attendees continued with their refreshments and networking, and that’s when the NCLR staff snapped photos of the veritable “Who’s Who” in the LGBT and Latino communities. Check out the slideshow below for more about this very important reception.