Slain man's mom to help fight bigotry at city banquet

By Devona Walker
Staff Writer
NewsOK.com

Judy Shepard — the mother of Matthew Shepard, whose slaying 10 years ago sparked a movement within the gay community — will be in Oklahoma City on June 19 as part of a banquet sponsored by the Cimarron Alliance Foundation.

"Shepard's visit to Oklahoma is not coincidental. Ten years ago, her son was robbed and murdered only because he was gay. In December, a fellow Oklahoman was brutally murdered only because he was gay,” said Richard Ogden, chairman of the Cimarron Alliance Foundation.
"We should all have learned from Matthew's killing that climates of intolerance breed words of intolerance, which in turn breed actions of intolerance in the form of physical abuse, such as bullying, vandalism, assaults and even killings.”

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T.R. Knight Hosts A Celebration of “LOVE and PRIDE” In an Effort to Erase Hate

National Gay Pride Month Kicks-Off with Commitment Ceremony
June 4, 2008 at The Abbey in West Hollywood

West Hollywood, CA. - On June 4, 2008, T.R. Knight will join the Matthew Shepard Foundation to help kick off National Gay-Pride month with a symbolic dusk commitment ceremony at the famed West Hollywood hotspot, The Abbey.

At 8pm, couples from around the nation will “tie the knot” in an event officiated by the Mayor of West Hollywood and witnessed by Judy Shepard. Couples will be wearing the Matthew Shepard Erase Hate pendant courtesy of Love and Pride jewelry designer, Udi Behr. Love and Pride is the first online jewelry destination for people who believe in equality, diversity and tolerance for all. http://www.loveandpride.com/

Behr created the Erase Hate pendant for Judy Shepard, in memory of her son, Matthew Shepard, who was the victim of a brutal anti-gay hate crime in rural Wyoming ten years ago. His murder brought national attention to the issue of hate crime legislation and was a watershed moment in the fight for gay civil rights.

Behr remarks, “A public commitment ceremony is a great way to join together and strengthen our two messages; ‘Celebrating Love’ and ‘Erasing Hate.’” 100% of net proceeds from sales of the pendant assist the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

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VIDEO: Judy Shepard speaks at HRC's Houston Gala Dinner

One of the highlights of HRC's Houston Gala Dinner on April 12: the speech given by Judy Shepard, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. View the video below (12 minutes).