Queer Northshore announces First Annual Iris Awards, honoring outstanding service to the LGBTQ+ community
St. Tammany Parish, LA, June 15, 2024 - This year, at Queer Northshore’s Official PRIDE Party held at Twin Steeples Creative Arts Center in Ponchatoula on Saturday, June 15th from 5pm-8pm, Queer Northshore introduced the first annual Iris Awards, recognizing members of the community who have gone above and beyond to support the LGBTQ+ population on the Northshore.
Iris Award recipients have dedicated time, energy and resources on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community in one or more of the following ways:
Amplifying the LGBTQ+ community to increase our visibility
Educating the LGBTQ+ community with relevant and empowering information
Defending the LGBTQ+ community from destructive legislation and hate groups
Advocating for the LGBTQ+ equality and representation
As this is the inaugural year of the Iris Awards, the honorees have been selected by Queer Northshore’s Co-directors, Mel Manuel and Jeremy JF Thompson. They determined who would be honored this year by reviewing which individuals have played a key role in either paving the way for the existence of Queer Northshore and/or in helping Queer Northshore achieve its mission of promoting LGBTQ+ visibility, community, and acceptance in Louisiana’s Northshore Region.
2024 Iris Award Honorees
Queer Northshore honored 7 individuals with an Iris Award this year, including the the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to state office in Louisiana, Commissioner Davante Lewis, and American Library Association President, Emily Drabinski.
In Greek mythology, Iris is the messenger of the gods and is personified as a rainbow, denoting the mark she leaves across the sky. The IRIS Award itself is a 6" x 5" hexagon - printed on 3/4" plexiglass.
About the Honorees
Emily Drabinski
Shortly after the formation of Queer Northshore she became a lightning rod of conservative hate for her anti-censorship, anti-capitalism and pro-LGBTQ activism. It might have seemed like a long shot for a Marxist lesbian to be elected President of the American Library Association but she achieved the impossible. For her efforts to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in our libraries and libraries across the country, we honor her with this Iris Award.
Davante Lewis
As the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to state office in Louisiana, Commissioner Davante Lewis paved the way for other LGBTQ+ activists in our community to become politically engaged, run for office, and serve as representatives within our state party. We’re proud to say that the Louisiana State Democratic Party now includes 3 LGBTQ+ members on the Executive Committee, 6 LGBTQ+ Delegates to the Democratic National Convention, and 17 LGBTQ+ state members overall. For his trailblazing work as an elected official representing and advocating for our community, we honor him with this Iris Award.
Leyla Hekmatdoost
As Democratic Party representative, Leyla fights for queer equity. In her capacity as an Executive Director, she creates space for LGBTQ+ artists and musicians. She’s captured thousands of photos of LGBTQ+ events, bringing this bright and colorful community to life. She hosts our much needed Peer Support group, and helps lead our organization with compassion, intelligence and heart. For her efforts to create safe LGBTQ+ spaces and make our community more visible, we honor her with this award.
Sarah Cook
Sarah is always working hard behind the scenes. She never seeks the limelight but she definitely deserves it. They’ve led LGBTQ groups at their place of employment for years, fought against censorship on the Northshore since the book banning movement started, and they regularly support QNS with their time, skills and resources. For her efforts to defend queer and trans voices, and to make space for the LGBTQ+ community, we honor them with this Iris Award.
Buddy Spell
Buddy is a no bullshit kind of guy with a heart of gold. Him and his wife have been a formidable force in St Tammany for decades, fighting against injustice and tyranny. He’s kept more than one Queer Northshore member from prison, and we keep his number on speed dial. He has consistently been there when our community needed him most to offer advice or legal services, often pro bono. For his efforts to aid us in this capacity, we honor him with this Iris Award.
Rustin Loyd-Roberts
Rustin is the definition of a quiet hero. His calm demeanor and soft approach enabled him to single-handedly prevent certain destructive anti-LGBTQ+ bills from passing in our state, and as a DSCC member, he is already drafting resolutions and organizing a caucus to protect and empower the LGBTQ+ community across Louisiana. When Rustin reaches out to people, they listen. For his efforts to advocate on behalf of all of us, we honor him with this Iris Award.
Joan Simon
Joan inspired us to get involved with local and state politics… something we swore we’d never do but are glad to be doing now. We’ve never known anyone to so tirelessly serve as an activist and advocate, whether she’s curating outstanding guest speakers in her own home, speaking at Library board and city council meetings in defense of queer and trans voices in our libraries, or posting in dozens of Facebook groups to rally the troops to send emails and make calls to combat destructive legislation. For her service to and love for this community, we honor her with this Iris Award.
Media Inquiries:
Mel Inari Manuel & Jeremy JF Thompson
Founders/Directors, Queer Northshore
(504) 258-2882
ABOUT QUEER NORTHSHORE: Queer Northshore is a volunteer-directed 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in January 2022 with a mission to promote LGBTQ+ visibility, community and acceptance through programing and events in the Northshore region of Southeast Louisiana. Learn more about Queer Northshore.