For Immediate Release: October 24, 2005

Contact: press@dotout.org

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DotOUT to honor Dorchester Activist at

“DotOUT Nite Out” Event

DotOUT, Dorchester’s gay and lesbian political advocacy group, will honor Dorchester activist and long-time Dorchester Day Parade organizer, Ed Crowley, with a community service award in appreciation of his tireless promotion of and celebration of Dorchester’s diversity. This award is offered to Mr. Crowley, who, through his role as Adjutant for the Dorchester Day Parade, has helped organize an annual parade and honorary “Mayor of Dorchester” contest that truly reflects our neighborhood’s diverse groups.

“It might strike some as odd that a gay group is honoring a straight man from Fields Corner with its first award.” said Richard O’Mara, DotOUT steering committee member and lifelong Dorchester resident, “Not to us! Ed Crowley shares with us a commitment to our neighborhood and to Dorchester’s diversity and his efforts to include gays, lesbians among others in the parade and other Dorchester Day events, make him an easy choice.”

DotOUT’s members are active in political and civic associations in Dorchester, standing with their friends and neighbors each and every day to celebrate our neighborhood’s many strengths and to work together on quality of life issues to make the neighborhood even better. Ed Crowley is one of the many residents who stand with their gay and lesbian neighbors in Dorchester in the fight for fairness and equality.

“One of the things that makes Dorchester special is the diversity of people working together every day on many different issues” said Michele Gillen, co-founder of DotOUT, “People in Dorchester appreciate that our similarities far outweigh our differences and more important, most of our Dorchester neighbors, Ed Crowley among them, consider those differences to be one of our neighborhood’s greatest strengths” said Gillen”

“Ed Crowley is the kind of person who is motivated by doing the right thing,” said Daniel Cushing, DotOUT co-founder, “ That kind of leadership is what breaks down walls and builds community, and that’s why it is so fitting that DotOUT is honoring Ed Crowley, “ said Cushing.

The award will be presented at the “DotOUT NiteOUT” event on Thursday, November 10,from 7-10 at the Blarney Stone in Dorchester. All are welcome. Tickets are $25, and the proceeds will help defray the costs of running DotOUT.