For many of us, becoming moms means barely having time to get the laundry done, much less help establish a grassroots LGBT organization in a foreign country, assist them in passing a LGBT-inclusive national antidiscrimination law, and set up “a vibrant and active” LGBT community where none existed.
That’s exactly what Mindy R. Michels and Melissa E. Schraibman did, however, and the U.S. State Department has honored them for it. The women are two of this year’s six winners of the Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Overseas.
Schraibman, a U.S. Foreign Service employee, and her partner Michels helped a small group of activists in the Albanian capitol Tirana to establish the Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination (Aleanca Kunder Diskriminimit LGBT). They helped the group draft the legislation that became the non-discrimination law, organized both strategy sessions and social events, and, according to Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW), created “a social and activist network that transformed the lives of the people it reached.” Their accomplishments, said, AAFSW, “showcase what volunteer service can achieve on behalf of transformative diplomacy.”
Creating change seems to be a family affair as well. Michels told me in an e-mail, “We’re moms to our crazy, wonderful, adorable 5-year-old boy, who had as much fun with the Albanian gay revolution as we did . . . and who was absolutely beloved by the Albanian gay activists.”
I have more details in a piece over at Change.org. As I said there, we should not only congratulate Schraibman and Michels, but also the State Department for recognizing their efforts. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been one of the strongest LGBT supporters in a senior government role—but it’s good to see her support extends to grassroots efforts like this as well as larger policy changes and diplomatic actions.
(Thanks to Liza of Liza Was Here for the tip.)