Ben Shallenberger, an employee at HRC and friend to many in the DC LGBT community was was recently diagnosed with Lymphoblastic Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.
Tonight, Ben's friends are hosting a fundraiser for him at Nellies, 900 U Street, NW, Washington, D.C. The event begins at 7:00 PM. The Facebook invitation is here.
Some background, courtesy of Trevor Thomas:
Over the years, Ben has made numerous contributions to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. He first crossed the radar of the Human Rights Campaign by winning a national video competition called "Film Your Issue." As Ben later explained, "I wrote a poem about the personal struggle with being gay and a Christian. I spoke from the heart about my experiences. The whole thing took under 4 hours, but the effects of it will last forever." You can watch the video here.Details:
When the battle for marriage equality was taking place here in the District, Ben offered testimony as a resident of Ward 5 in support of the The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009. In his words: "I’m not even involved in a relationship at this time. To be completely honest, I’ve never even been on a date. But I do know that someday, I will be ready to commit my life to someone, and I want the opportunity to get married in the eyes of God and the state."
Through his work at the Human Rights Campaign and his time and talents in the field of video editing, Ben's work has been seen by anyone who has ever visited HRC.org or attended an event. His favorite video included an interview with Darlene and Candy -- married in the District of Columbia, which can be seen here.
Now, it's time for all of us to show our support as he travels very soon to Texas for treatment.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Nellie's Sports Bar, 900 U Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
7:00 p.m. Cocktails
8:00 p.m. Program
$10 suggested donation / all proceeds will benefit Ben Shallenberger
