FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | October 7, 2011

NCLR Mourns the Loss of Longtime LGBT Leader and Visionary, Paula Ettelbrick

Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell

(San Francisco, CA, October 7, 2011)—Today, we mourn the loss of a fearless leader and visionary in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality—Paula Ettelbrick. She was 56.

Over the course of her career that spanned more than two decades, she worked for a number of organizations to further LGBT equality, including the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (serving as policy director from 1993-1994), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Empire State Pride Agenda, and the Stonewall Community Foundation.

Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq.:

"Paula was possessed of singular intelligence, integrity, ferocity and wit. She was also unfailingly generous and open-hearted. She will be missed as a tireless advocate of the most disenfranchised. But at this moment what I miss most is her passionate and inspiring friendship. We wish her family, especially Marianne, Suzanne, Adam, and Julia, much love and comfort at this very difficult time."

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.
www.nclrights.org.

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