Celebrating dedication to LGBTQ+ communities
After 20 years of awards ceremonies, Fondation Émergence is evolving with a brand-new recognition gala: the Gala Émergence.
Exceptional Honorees
Laurent-McCutcheon Award
This award is given to an individual or group that has made an outstanding contribution to advancing LGBTQ+ rights or combating homophobia and transphobia. This year’s recipient is Élise Gravel, a children’s book author and illustrator who explores diversity in all its forms—now facing censorship in certain U.S. states.
Janette-Bertrand Award
Recognizing a non-LGBTQ+ individual or organization for an exceptional contribution to the cause, this year’s award will go to the GrS Montréal surgical complex.
Coup de Cœur Award
This award highlights a remarkable act in the past year in the fight against homophobia and transphobia. The 2023 recipients are Mario Girard, a columnist at La Presse, and the documentary Le Dernier Placard – Vieillir gai, an original concept by Dany Turcotte.
Academic Tribute Award
Honoring an individual in academia for their dedication to teaching and research, this year’s award will go to Viviane Namaste, a full professor at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute at Concordia University.
Engagement Awards
These awards recognize three governors of Fondation Émergence, volunteers and advocates of the program Pour que vieillir soit gai : Jean Lalonde, Carole Normandin and Chloé Viau.
A new addition for the 2023 edition
To conclude this edition on a high note, a new award has been introduced at Gala Émergence: EDI+ Award, in partnership with the Conseil du Patronat du Québec (CPQ). This award recognizes an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiative within a company or organization that has fostered a more inclusive and respectful workplace for LGBTQ+ individuals.
This year’s finalists are Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Evol and BNP Paribas. The winner will be revealed during the gala.