"Very few people have done more to advance equality than Michael, and I'm lucky to call him a good friend,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “To Michael, LGBT equality isn't just something you vote for or a principle you bring to the workplace, it's a personal value that you live out every day. In fact, it was his incredible family--Michael, his husband Sonny, and their two children--who played a role in inspiring Vice President Joe Biden to announce his support for marriage equality in 2012. Michael couldn't be more deserving of this award, and HRC couldn't be more excited to celebrate his contributions.”

As President of Programming at Home Box Office, Michael Lombardo oversees all of HBO’s and Cinemax’s original programming, including such critically acclaimed series as Game of Thrones, True Blood, Veep, The Newsroom, Girls, Boardwalk Empire, and original films like The Case Against 8 and The Normal Heart. Michael has been a longtime advocate for the LGBT community, and his personal and professional contributions have been felt across the country. He has helped bring the issues surrounding LGBT equality into homes across America, and HRC is proud to recognize him with this year’s HRC Visibility Award.

As previously announced, Golden Globe award winner Shonda Rhimes, the creative force behind hugely successful shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How To Get Away With Murder, will also be honored with this year’s “Ally for Equality Award.”

The HRC Los Angeles Gala Dinner, which is expected to draw over 1,000 guests, will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2015, at the JW Marriott LA Live with receptions starting at 5:00 PM.  

All media planning to attend MUST pre-register by Tuesday, March 10.  To request media credentials, please contact Stephen Peters at stephen.peters@hrc.org. Only members of the media who have been credentialed for this event will be allowed entrance. Further press logistics and coverage details will be forthcoming to credentialed media.

More information is available at http://www.hrcladinner.com/

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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