Each year, the Arlington-Alexandria Gay & Lesbian Alliance (AGLA) presents Equality Awards to individuals in recognition of their record of working to improve LGBTQ equality. This year the AGLA Board voted unanimously to honor TJ Flavell and Alexandria Commission on HIV/Aids with the 2018 AGLA Equality Awards.
TJ Flavell has a long history of serving as a leader in the local LGBTQ community. In addition to having served as AGLA’s president for two terms (in 2012 and 2016), Flavell currently serves on the Human Rights Campaign’s Greater Washington, DC Steering Committee and leads Go Gay DC - Metro DC's LGBTQ Community Hub. Flavell previously served as president of PEN - Metro DC’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce and president of the Alexandria Gay & Lesbian Community Association.
For the nearly 30 years, Flavell’s career has focused on transforming education through the use of technology. In addition to working for Achieve, Inc., a nonprofit focused on college and career readiness, he served as manager of the National School Boards Association's Technology Leadership Network, a consortium of tech-savvy school districts. He also worked for the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Academy for Educational Development's LearnLink project, and Public Broadcasting Service.
Flavell is a past a Presidential Fellow and Phi Beta Kappa graduate (bachelor's in history) of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., and is a native of Grand Marais, Minn. on the north shore of Lake Superior. He was selected for the Washington Semester in American Government at American University, and studied at The George Washington University and Marymount University. He began his career interning at the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, a U.S. senator's office, and at the Minnesota Association of Commerce and Industry. He also worked for KTCA/Twin Cities Public Television.
The Alexandria Commission on HIV/Aids advises Alexandria City Council in the formulation and implementation of public policy on the treatment of HIV/AIDS and prevention of the spread of the disease, promotes citizen participation in the formulation of such policy, provides the council and the public with current information regarding HIV/AIDS,. The commission regularly promotes educational programs on awareness, treatment and prevention. The commission meets on the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Approximately three to five hours per month are required of commission members.
The commission continues to build relationships within the community from nonprofit organizations like Safe Space NOVA and Moms Demand Action, to the Arlington-Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Association, Inova Juniper/Gay Men’s Health Collaborative, the Alexandria Commission on Women, the George Washington University School of Public Health, members of the faith community, and others to encourage a full and honest discussion of the challenges that still remain; notably, those that discourage individuals from being tested, from connecting to care and from remaining connected to care. Additionally, ACOHA established an ad hoc community to study and conduct analysis of what data exist to identify any trends across the city.
The 2018 AGLA Equality Awards will be presented during AGLA's annual meeting/holiday party on Saturday, Dec. 8, 6-9 p.m., at Alexandria Hilton Garden Inn, 1620 Prince St., Alexandria.
For more information about the AGLA Equality Awards, visit AGLA.org or contact AGLA President Bruce Hightower at president@agla.org.