LGBTQ+ community members and allies will gather together as the Gay Community Endowment Fund (GCEF) of the Akron Community Foundation celebrates 25 years of disbursing grants and scholarships supporting the Greater Akron LGBTQ+ community.
Founded in 2001, GCEF was created to provide grants and scholarships that advance the right to live safely, openly and authentically.
Recent grants supported a comprehensive STI/HIV testing and prevention education program;an all-day conference that empowers and educates middle and high school LGBTQ+ students and allies throughout Northeast Ohio; and emergency hotel accommodations and support services for LGBTQ+ people who are experiencing intimate partner violence.
On Friday, June 5, community members and leaders will celebrate this quarter-century of grantmaking at “exhALE: Advancing Lived Equality,” the fund’s 25th anniversary celebration.
In addition to hearty hors d’oeuvres and raffles for fabulous prize packages, guests will be treated to an inspiring program featuring remarks and a Q&A with activist Jim Obergefell. Obergefell will speak from his unique position as the named plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that made marriage equality the rule of law in the United States. Organizers hailed Obergefell as an “ideal voice” for this celebration.
“As a fund and as a community, we recognize that marriage equality remains at risk, and having Jim with us means a great deal,” said Adam Besenyodi, GCEF chair. “His lived experience, influence and courage allow him to amplify a message of inclusion and justice at a time when it is urgently needed.”
The program will also honor the founders of GCEF with the 2026 Paul Daum Award recognizing those who have demonstrated a significant commitment to LGBTQ+ causes. Daum was a founding donor of GCEF. At the time of his death in 2005, he was the longest serving active faculty member at The University of Akron, having taught theatre there for over 40 years.
“We’re excited to celebrate those who made the fund possible, those who continue to carry its mission forward and the many individuals and organizations who have benefited from GCEF’s grants and scholarships over the past 25 years,” said Besenyodi. 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- GCEF will host “exhALE: Advancing Lived Equality,” their 25th anniversary celebration on Friday, June 5 at House Three Thirty at 6pm. Ticket information can be found by clicking here.
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