The 2012 Emery Awards to Honor Dustin Lance Black, Time Warner

Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), the nation's oldest and largest LGBTQ youth service organization, will hold the 2012 Emery Awards honoring individuals and corporations that exemplify HMI's mission of providing a safe and supportive environment for all young people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

This year HMI is honoring Time Warner Inc. for the company's steadfast commitment to the youth of HMI and the LGBT community at-large, as well as Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning writer famous for his role in bringing the films "Milk" and "J. Edgar" to audiences around the globe. In addition, the documentary "Bully" will receive an Emery Award for its heartfelt depiction of the struggles of bullied teens. The film's creators will be in attendance to accept the award. Special guest Andy Bell of Erasure will also perform "A Little Respect" on the main stage at the event.

Anticipated attendees include HMI's Ambassadors Andy Bell of Erasure, Crystal Chappell of Days of Our Lives, Emmy Award-winning comedian Judy Gold, fashion icon Tim Gunn, actor, singer Cheyenne Jackson, actress Heather Matarazzo, rock legend Carole Pope, business mogul Kimora Lee Simmons, fashion stylist Robert Verdi and actor BD Wong.

Each year, HMI's Emery Awards honor those who exemplify the agency's mission of providing a safe and supportive environment in which to grow and thrive for all young people regardless of their sexual orientation or identity. HMI recognizes individuals and corporations during the annual Emery Awards who demonstrate outstanding leadership within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community and those who work to address some of the most critical issues affecting our youth, namely HIV/AIDS prevention, housing and homelessness support, education, health & wellness and hunger prevention.

HMI was founded in 1979 after local community activists, Emery S. Hetrick and A. Damien Martin read about a 15 year-old boy who was beaten and assaulted by fellow residents at a homeless shelter. The shelter responded by discharging the youth and blaming his sexual orientation for the attack. What began as the Institute for Protection of Lesbian and Gay Youth (IPLGY) was later renamed Hetrick-Martin Institute in honor of the founders after their deaths.  Over the past 33+ years, HMI has grown from serving a handful of individuals to providing comprehensive academic, cultural, career and health programming, as well as supportive services to nearly 2,500 LGBTQ youth annually from more than 350 zip codes.