Sponsored by Absolut Vodka, the local GLAAD Host Committee presented a series of Thank GLAAD Its Friday events, organized to bring awareness of the GLAAD organization and educate the GLBT community about the work the non-profit does.  Planners also hoped that the special nights would increase the group’s membership and, according to Paul Backlund, GLAAD’s Membership Event Coordinator, that goal was accomplished.  “During the entire series we signed up 73 new members,” wrote Backlund in an email to members of the GLAAD Florida Leadership Council.

Backland attributed much of the success of the membership drive to the Council, a local group of supporters of the organization who worked together to encourage friends to attend the TGIF special nights at local nightclubs and bars.  “The Council did a great job getting people to the events and helped spread awareness about GLAAD,” Backlund said. 

Host venues included Georgie’s Alibi, Score Nightclub and, most recently, Rosie’s Bar & Grill.   Florida Council Members included George Aspros, Ron Brensky, Geo Bustamante, Klay Fennell, Tim Hennessey, Will Goldberg, Amber Hitt, Kevin Hopper, Maria Lescano, Joanne Lewis, Chris Kahle, Cara Millman, Maria Munoz, Hans Stahl, Joel Wilson, Hilton Wolman, & David L. Wylie. 

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a non-profit organization of GLBT activism which declares itself "dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation".

GLAAD was founded in 1985 in New York City in direct response to the inaccurate, defamatory and sensationalized coverage of the AIDS epidemic by the New York Post. GLAAD's influence soon spread to Los Angeles where organizers began working with the entertainment industry to change the way gay men and lesbians were portrayed on screen.

Since then, GLAAD has expanded its work to build relationships with and train media, community leaders, journalists, and activists, resulting in more favorable media representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives and issues.One of GLAAD's more visible programs is the annual GLAAD Media Awards, which honor individuals and projects in the mainstream media and entertainment industries for their fair, accurate, inclusive and favorable representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. The event is held in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco.

                                 Click Here to See More TGIF Photos by Geo Bustamante.