The Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce (DRLGBTCC) will host the COLOURS Pride Awards Gala on Thurs., June 9 at Motor City Casino Hotel located at 2901 Grand River Ave. in Detroit. The VIP reception, which is sponsored by DTE Foundation, begins at 6 p.m. followed by general admission at 6:30 p.m. The gala will feature a keynote address by Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow, and will culminate with a presentation of five awards.
“This gala will highlight the barriers many marginalized communities face in business and corporate America, while also celebrating the leaders and corporations that are laying a strong foundation of inclusivity,” said Kevin Heard, Founder and Board President of the DRLGBTCC. “In the end, the establishment of this grant program will help LGBTQ businesses upgrade systems, improve marketing, provide much needed technical assistance and access to LGBT-business certification.”
The awards honorees include:
Equity Champion of the Year – Keyra Cokley is the BuyDetroit Associate Director. She developed the procurement portal and program called BuyDetroit. Cokely also has facilitated more than $873 million in contracting opportunities through large-scale development projects with Detroit-based contractors and assisted with $81 million dollars going towards 236 Detroit businesses that received grants from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Small Business of the Year – AaDya Security provides smart, simple, affordable and effective cybersecurity software solutions for small and midsize businesses. AaDya Security announced the close of a $3.1M funding round. The funding will support the launch of Judy 3.0, a streamlined version of the company’s all-in-one cybersecurity platform, and will allow AaDya to expand its product, sales, and marketing teams to accelerate customer growth and service increasing market demand. AaDya Security is a certified LGBTBE® and a proud member of the DRLGBTCC.
Corporation of the Year – Detroit Pistons welcomes everyone into their buildings, has supportive allies and LGBTQ+ representation on staff and in leadership. A strategic partner with the Shop313 program, which gets LGBT-owned brands online with e-commerce stores. They don’t only host the LGBTQ pride night, but elevate the trans community during Transgender Day of Visibility. They also focus on training by hosting several LGBTQ+ inclusion trainings throughout the year to ensure their staff is up-to-date on the ever evolving language and understanding of the community.
Allan D Gilmour Award for Outstanding Leadership in Inclusion – As the former Executive Director of the Ruth Ellis Center who served for nine years, Jerry Peterson launched and implemented a unique partnership with a local health system to establish an integrated behavioral and primary health care center to address the serious health disparities experienced by Black and Brown LGBTQ young people experiencing oppression and other barriers to wellbeing in Detroit/Wayne County, Michigan. Under his leadership, a 43-unit permanent supportive house project was built to meet the unique housing needs of LGTBQ+ young people 18 to 25 with a special focus on the lived experience of trans women of color.
Employee Resource Group (ERG) of the Year Finalists are Pride Allys – Ally Financial, Pride ERG – Flagstar Bank, Prism – Slalom Consulting. These ERGs went head-to-head in a weeks’ worth of public voting. With over 1,400 votes casted, the winner will be announced during the gala. The public chose the best answer to the following question: What was your ERG’s biggest accomplishment in 2021 in 280 character or less.
Some event sponsors include: DTE Foundation, PNC Bank, Ford Motor Company, Detroit Pistons, and Flagstar Bank.
Tickets to the COLOURS Pride Award Gala are $150 per person and available until noon on June 6. For more information, updates and a complete list of event speakers and sponsors, visit http://detroitlgbtchamber.com/prideawards
About the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce, founded in 2013, mission is to provide access and value to a network of diverse small business members and corporate partners by creating a business-friendly climate, activating the region with development opportunities for growth, and increasing the number of LGBT certified businesses throughout the state. For more info, visit www.detroitlgbtchamber.com.
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