County Commissioners

After many months of work in the community and with county officials, SAVE Dade rejoiced when the Domestic Partners & Family Health Coverage Ordinance, passed into law by the Miami-Dade County Commission on May 20, 2008 in a historic 8 to 4 vote. Voting in favor of the ordinance were Commissioners Bruno A. Barreiro, Chair, Audrey M. Edmonson, Carlos A. Gimenez, Sally A. Heyman, Barbara J. Jordan, Dennis C. Moss, Katy Sorenson, and Rebeca Sosa and signed by Mayor Carlos A. Alvarez.  Because of the leadership of these elected officials Miami-Dade County now provides much needed basic rights to domestic partners.

Heddy Peña, former Executive Director of SAVE Dade
Heddy Peña will be honored for her role in securing passage of the Domestic Partners & Family Health Coverage Ordinance in 2008 and her many years of service to the LGBT community.  Heddy Peña started her involvement with SAVE Dade as a volunteer in 1997, going on to become the co-chair of the historic and successful "No to Discrimination" campaign to protect the county Human Rights Ordinance from repeal in 2002.  Subsequently, under her leadership as Executive Director, SAVE Dade achieved many successes, including the passage of a domestic partner registry, gender identity discrimination protection and a procurement ordinance in Miami Beach, and inclusion of gender identity in the anti-discrimination provisions of the City of Miami Bill of Rights.

UM for Equality
Despite the disappointing passage of Amendment 2 to the Florida Constitution last year, some good things did emerge from the campaign against the Amendment.  There was a groundswell in community activism, exemplified by UM for Equality, a new student group at the University of Miami.  University of Miami students did an incredible job of organizing against Amendment 2, fielding dozens of phone banks, going door to door, and fielding 75 students on Election Day to talk to voters at the polls.  UM for Equality led this effort on campus in partnership with SAVE Dade.  UM for Equality has continued its leadership after the November election, partnering with SAVE Dade and other student groups around the state to help defeat an anti-gay charter amendment on the ballot in Gainesville.

*SAVE Foundation
** Both SAVE Foundation and SAVE Dade, Inc.

Event Sponsor

George Lindemann	Lewis Gordon & Paul Kress