Equality Connecticut Establishes Two New Awards Honoring LGBTQ Trailblazers
Equality Connecticut (EqCT) has established new annual awards honoring the legacy of two of Connecticut’s most influential LGBTQ+ advocates, with the inaugural medals to be presented at the organization’s first Summer Party fundraiser on Sunday, August 30.
The Summer Party brings together supporters from across Connecticut to celebrate LGBTQ leadership while raising funds for Equality Connecticut’s advocacy and organizing work.
The statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organization will present the inaugural Shawn Lang Medal of Courage to Anthony Crisci, CEO of Circle Care Center, and the inaugural Jerimarie Liesgang Medal of Vision to Brianna Skowera, lead organizer of Middletown Pride.
“Connecticut’s LGBTQ+ movement was built by extraordinary people whose work transformed countless lives,” said Matt Blinstrubas, Executive Director of EqCT. “These awards ensure that Shawn’s and Jerimarie’s legacies continue to inspire new generations while recognizing the leaders who carry that work forward with courage and vision.”
The Shawn Lang Medal of Courage honors the late AIDS activist, who devoted her career to advocating for people living with HIV, LGBTQ+ people, survivors of domestic violence, individuals experiencing housing insecurity, and people struggling with substance use. The award recognizes individuals whose courage and compassion have expanded health, dignity, and opportunity for others.
Anthony Crisci has served as President & CEO of Circle Care Center since 2022. Under his leadership, Circle Care has grown into one of Connecticut’s largest providers of affordable, accessible, LGBTQ+-affirming and sex-positive primary and sexual healthcare. Previously, as the first paid Executive Director of Triangle Community Center, he helped build TCC into Connecticut’s largest LGBTQ+ community center.
“Anthony is a nationally recognized expert in HIV and LGBTQ+ healthcare,” said Blinstrubas. “He is also known for his integrity, kindness, quiet leadership, and his willingness to speak courageously with elected officials on behalf of the community, which makes him perfectly suited for this prize.”
“It’s an honor to be given this award, named in memory of Shawn Lang, a true hero in CT’s fight against the HIV epidemic. I believe everyone in our country should have access to affordable, convenient, and inclusive healthcare, regardless of their identity or socioeconomic status. Access to healthcare in our local communities continues to be degraded in various ways. When we provide healthcare to just one person, it improves the health of their community. We need to lift each other up, because that will lift up our entire community.”
The Jerimarie Liesgang Medal of Vision honors the pioneering transgender advocate widely regarded as the mother of Connecticut’s transgender rights movement. Liesgang founded multiple organizations advancing transgender equality and organized the state’s first Transgender Day of Remembrance before her death in 2020. The award recognizes visionary leadership that strengthens Connecticut’s LGBTQ+ community and expands equality for future generations.
Brianna (“Bree”) Skowera is a queer transgender woman, public servant, technologist, and LGBTQIA+ advocate from Middletown. She combines public service, community-building, and queer visibility in her roles as Chair of the City’s LGBTQIA+ Commission and a lead organizer of Middletown Pride. Bree has helped grow Middletown Pride into one of New England’s largest Pride celebrations and worked to make schools safer for LGBTQIA+ students.
“Bree, a fierce advocate, is consistently among the first to lend her voice at the State Capitol in support of equality and justice,” said Blinstrubas. “She is a movement-first activist, always quick to say that her achievements have been attained in community, and never alone.”
“Jerimarie Liesgang’s activism, passion, and clarity of principles transformed our community,” said Skowera. “She wasn’t a politician. She wasn’t a full time community organizer. She was a woman who rebuilt her professional career in the wake of discrimination, who was dedicated to her family, and then gave what she could of herself to others. I am honored to be mentioned in the same breath as a person who demonstrated that impactful activism can be a large part of our lives without being the entirety.”
Equality Connecticut’s first Summer Party will bring together community leaders, advocates, partners, and supporters for an afternoon of connection, celebration, and purpose. It will be held Sunday, August 30, from noon to 3 p.m. at The Pond House in West Hartford. Proceeds will support Equality Connecticut’s advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ+ people across the state. Tickets and more information are available at https://eqct.org/summerparty/
The Summer Party’s Presenting Sponsors are Anne Stanback & Charlotte Kinlock. Circle Care is a Platinum Sponsor. Community Sponsors include Colin Hosten, Chris Spiegelman & Charlie Scatamacchia and West Hartford Pride. Friends of Equality CT are the Cifuentes/Zarnoch Family, and Andrew & Isaac Mitchell-Namdar. The Summer Party’s print sponsor is WeHa Print.