Advocate of the Year Award: Steven Wang is a UW-Madison student whose dissertation focuses on LGBTQ+ health inequality. In 2020 he spearheaded a public humanities project, forming a coalition of LGBTQ+ community groups including OutReach, OPEN, Freedom, Inc., UW GSCC & Orgullo Latinx. The coalition work has publicized LGBTQ+ health inequality. He’s worked on the Mad Rainbow project and MBLGTACC. He is also involved with a hotline project for Chinese-speaking LGBTQ+ people.

Organization of the Year: Freedom, Inc. provides free, confidential services to low income Black and Southeast Asian women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people in the Madison area. The organization advocates for victims and survivors of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault. Freedom, Inc. also helps clients with housing assistance case management. Recent events hosted by the group include Get Out the Vote and Meet & Greet for Queer Black Folx and People of Color (POC). Freedom, Inc. will collaborate with OutReach in our virtual COVID-19 Resource Series “The Road Forward” and our new Queer/Trans Persons of Color support group in 2021.

Ally of the Year: Shiva Bidar-Sielaff is the Chief Diversity Officer at UW Health, and is also a City of Madison Common Council member. At UW Health Bidar-Sielaff has advocated for LGBTQ patients to ensure the company provides quality, culturally competent health care to our communities. As Madison City Council member Shiva has regularly advocated for LGBTQ+ community organizations. Bidar-Sielaff has spearheaded large UW Health grants to Madison community organizations including OutReach that are working with low income and marginalized communities to provide homeless services and other relief efforts. Bidar-Sielaff has made an impact on Madison through her work on the Madison Community Foundation Board, MATC Board, Latino Health Council of Dane County and more.  

Courage Award: Kayleb Hawj has been the Queer Justice Coordinator at Freedom, Inc. for the past four years. Kayleb was born and raised in Madison, their parents were Hmong refugees. Kayleb works with Southeast Asian boys on ending patriarchy and to increase the visibility of women, queer, and transgender leadership through photography and videography. Kayleb has supported local campaigns in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and documented their work through photography.