Jason Collins to be honored at LA Gay & Lesbian Center 42nd anniversary gala Nov. 9

Jason Collins, who played 12 seasons for the NBA before coming out as a gay man last April, will be honored with one of the first Vanguard Awards at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s 42nd Anniversary Gala on Nov. 2.

This is a great choice because Collins really is a pioneer who showed tremendous courage in coming out the way he did with a cover story in Sports Illustrated.

It will be even more inspiring if the 34-year-old athlete, who is a free agent right now, gets picked up by a team as he had the previous seasons.

Netflix and Xiaogang Wei, founder of China’s first AIDS Walk, will also be honored with first Vanguard Awards.

I’m a big fan of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and all that it does. For more than 40 years, it has served LGBT people with services ranging from LGBT specialty care to cultural arts programs; from housing homeless youth to hosting life-enriching programs for seniors. Learn more at lagaycenter.org.