As part of Nickelodeon's ongoing commitment to encourage young people to take positive action in their communities, the network today announced Zachary Mallory of Kansas City, Mo., as its October HALO Effect award recipient. Selected for his work as a gay rights youth activist, Mallory will be featured in a short on-air profile airing on TeenNick and highlighted on TeenNick.com throughout the month. In addition, HALO Effect will award a $5,000 grant to The Trevor Project, a charity chosen by Mallory.
HALO Effect is a year-round initiative that recognizes one deserving teen every month for their work to help and lead others (HALO) in their community. The initiative was first announced by Nick Cannon, creator, host and executive producer of the annual HALO Awards, during the live broadcast in November 2013. This month marks the tenth HALO Effect award that
Nickelodeon has distributed.
Mallory, 18, has already overcome many challenges, including coming out as gay at the age of 14 and enduring bullying, discrimination and threats due to his status as a LGBTQIA youth. After surviving those struggles and an attempted suicide, Mallory dedicated himself to becoming a youth activist for gay rights and a peer mentor with The Trevor Project, an organization that provides crisis and suicide prevention to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people.
As part of his activism, Mallory helped form a branch of the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) group at his school in Independence, Mo., creating a friendlier and more inclusive environment at his high school for LGBTQIA students. He also participated in this year's Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) rally in Washington, D.C., which promoted the passage of the Safe School Improvement Act, and attended the "Born Brave" youth retreat at Camp Hi-Rock which was hosted by Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation.
Mallory remains active in his community as the Youth Outreach Intern for PerformOutKC, the only LGBTQIA Performing Arts group in the Kansas City metro area, and he continues to work with organizations such as LIKEME Lighthouse, a community center for LGBT people in Kansas City, and the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project.
To nominate someone and for more details about HALO Effect, visit:
http://www.teennick.com/shows/halo-awards/.
Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 19 consecutive years.
Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).
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