The digital agency and the award-winning creator were pivotal to the development of Family Equality’s groundbreaking new resource and will be honored along with powerhouse designers, Jason Bolden and Adair Curtis
Los Angeles, CA — Family Equality, the nation’s leading organization for current and future LGBTQ+ families, is delighted to announce that author, podcaster, and musician Violet Augustine will be honored with the Murray/Reese Family Award for Bravery at LA Impact: A Night of Heroes at Paramount Studios on October 15. The organization will also honor Clockwork and its CEO, Nancy Lyons, with the inaugural Digital Impact award.
Violet, Nancy, and the whole Clockwork team join a star-studded program hosted by comedians Alec Mapa and Melissa Peterman and featuring performances by RuPaul Drag Race star, Nina West, comedian Dana Goldberg, The Voice semifinalist Rayshun Lamarr, DJ Asha, and more. Dan Bucatinsky, Taylor Emerson, Alec Mapa, Alvin McCray, Caitlin Penny, and Joseph Rivas serve as event chairs.
When the state of Texas began passing dangerous laws and policies attacking the health, safety, and well-being of trans youth, Violet Augustine made the near-impossible decision to leave her home-state in search of a more affirming community for her gender-nonconforming child, Isa. In her journey, she reached out to Family Equality for support and became the catalyst behind Path2FamilyEquality, the organization’s new digital resource.
“In a time of unprecedented turmoil for our families, Violet’s story reminds us of the power of parental love,” said Stacey Stevenson, CEO of Family Equality. “When we witnessed her bravery and determination, we knew we had to do something to ensure that other families like hers have the support they needed to create brighter futures for their children. We are thrilled to recognize her strength with the Murray/Reese Family Award for Bravery this October.”
Upon hearing from Violet, Family Equality connected with long-time partners and supporters, Clockwork. Led by CEO, LGBTQ+ parent, speaker, author, and Family Equality Board member, Nancy Lyons, the team poured their focus and creativity into creating a new resource to help families like Violet’s navigate this challenging moment.
“There are simply no words for how grateful we are to the whole Clockwork team for creating ingenious ways to leverage technology in support of our families,” said Stevenson. “Developing an entirely new digital tool from scratch in a matter of months is anything but easy—but because of the team at Clockwork, and the support of Nancy, countless families have the guidance and information they need in these moments of crisis.”
While working full-time and navigating the world of single parenthood, Violet creates fiction, essays, podcasts, and music that explore themes of gender, motherhood, the experience of being Cuban-American, raising a gender non-conforming child, creativity, and more. She’s won a number of awards and accolades including the Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award – Honorable Mention (2021) and Artist in Residency at the Sunset Art Studio in Dallas (2018) in addition to being featured on Imagen Latina Radio, Women of Milwaukee Hour at the Woodland Pattern Book Center, Redletter Reading Series, and the Educated Leading Lady Association. From the Cuban diaspora, she lives with her child in Los Angeles. Violet was one of eleven women chosen to advance to round two of Julie Pacino’s Keepers of the Inn short film competition. She is currently writing the screenplay. Learn more about Violet’s work at https://www.violetaugustine.com/.
For 20 years, Clockwork’s super, smart, inquisitive humans have shaped technology into the platforms and products that solve complex problems. Clockwork’s CEO, Nancy Lyons, has supported and worked with Family Equality for 13 years, currently serving on the Board and leading her team in the development of the Family Equality website and their new tool, Path2FamilyEquality. An LGBTQ+ parent, author, and speaker, Nancy has led employees and clients through thousands of business, team, and work culture challenges. As a digital veteran, she has witnessed the dramatic change technology brought to both businesses and people, and yet also sees people and companies struggling to figure out how to adapt. She speaks and writes about the crucial role work culture plays in delivering meaningful and effective results. Work culture — our feelings, behaviors, and interactions — is core to how we work. It’s a primary determinant of personal and professional success. Nancy has watched people go from being a victim of work to being the agent of work with simple shifts.
About LA IMPACT: A Night of Heroes
LA Impact: A Night Of Heroes will take place at Paramount Studios on October 15. With more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in states across the country in 2022, the event offers celebrities, supporters, and community luminaries, the opportunity to harness their collective powers in the fight for LGBTQ+ families. Past honorees have included Greg Berlanti, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry, Mayor Annise Parker, Glee, Modern Family, Transparent, Johnson & Johnson, and Target.
The 2022 LA Impact: Night of Heroes Event Chairs are Dan Bucatinsky, Taylor Emerson, Alec Mapa, Alvin McCray, Caitlin Penny, and Joseph Rivas. The event is produced by Amy Shomer.
Family Equality gratefully acknowledges the support of the following LA Impact sponsors: (Guardian Sponsor) Johnson & Johnson Care with Pride; (Defender Sponsor) The Murray/Reese Foundation; (Preserver Sponsors) AT&T, Cigna; (Event Sponsors) American Airlines, Amy Shomer & Associates, Bright Rentals, Chateau Gonzollo, DJ Asha, The Grand LA, Greenleaf Kitchen & Cocktails, Growing Generations, Nosotros Tequila, Rainbow Kids; (National Corporate Sponsors) Byran Cave Leighton Paisner, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, California Cryobank, CCS Fundraising, Charles Schwab, Clockwork, Fidelity Investments, Johnson & Johnson Care with Pride, Nederlander, Organon, Playbill, Target, Warner Bros. Discovery.
Learn more and purchase tickets at thelaimpact.com.
About Family Equality
Family Equality is creating a world where everyone can experience the love, safety, and belonging of family. As the leading national organization for current and future LGBTQ+ families, we work to ensure that everyone has the freedom to find, form, and sustain their families by advancing LGBTQ+ equality through advocacy, support, storytelling, and education. Learn more at familyequality.org.
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Press Contact
Tonya Agnew,
Chief Communications Officer/
(765) 490-4709
tagnew@familyequality.org