Equality Forum

Equality Forum is the premiere annual global forum for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. Equality Forum began in 1993 as PrideFest Philadelphia, a different paradigm with 15 regional GLBT organizations presenting substantive programs over a weekend. In 1999 with 60 regional and national programs, the Board renamed the week of events to PrideFest America. For 2003, with global programming and Germany as its Featured Nation, Equality Forum was approved. Equality Forum is a non-profit corporation and an IRS designated 501 © (3) organization.

In 1999, the Board of Directors authorized producing biannually a documentary about the GLBT civil rights movement. The initial documentary, "Gay Pioneers" was about the first homosexual demonstrations, which occurred annually from 1965 to 1969 in Washington, New York and Philadelphia. These demonstrations preceded Stonewall. PBS award winning documentary film-maker Glenn Holsten was the Director. "Gay Pioneers" was premiered in 2001. It documents with on-camera interviews the pioneers together with archival footage from these seminal demonstrations.

Equality Forum selected JIM IN BOLD as the second biannual documentary. The film highlights the impact of homophobia in our culture and specifically on GLBT youth. JIM IN BOLD premiered at The Kimmel Center on May 2nd during Equality Forum 2003.