For her commitment to LGBTQ+ youth advocacy, BAGLY Executive Director Grace Sterling Stowell was honored by the Boston Celtics and the Massachusetts State Lottery as a Hero Among Us at the Celtics’ fifth annual LGBTQ Pride Night game, held on March 3.
Stowell has dedicated her 43-year career to the LGBTQ+ movement. Growing up as a gender nonconforming child in the 1960s, Stowell’s personal experiences of harassment, discrimination and violence served as a catalyst for her activism.
As the first and only executive director of BAGLY (Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth), Stowell leads community-based leadership development, health promotion, and social support programs for LGBTQ+ youth across Massachusetts. To date, her organization has served over 40,000 LGBTQ+ young people, helping them to be celebrated for who they are.
Since its establishment in 1997 by the Boston Celtics, The Heroes Among Us program has recognized outstanding individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to their communities. The award is presented at every Celtics home game and pays tribute to the heroic achievements of these outstanding citizens.
At the game, the National Anthem was performed by Krystofer Maison (he/they), a queer, nonbinary entertainer based in New York City. Trained in classical voice with theatrical roots, they have a recognizable tone and soaring range that produces a unique, dynamic vocal style.
At halftime, there was a special performance by Damian Carter and Haus of Snap featuring the Celtics Dancers. Haus of Snap is a group of LGBTQIA+ dancers whose goals is to show through dance that you can do anything you set your mind to! They are firm believers in using their platform to make a difference and show everyone out there to always stay true to who you are.
The Celtics Pride employee resource team welcomed invited guests from the Boston Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement for a special experience presented by TD Bank.
Before the game, Student leaders from Boston Public Schools’ GSAs (gender and sexualities alliances) participated in a roundtable discussion with nonprofit community leaders, administrators, and company leaders about how adults, schools and organizations can best support GSAs and LGBTQ+ youth. They enjoyed a meal provided by TD Bank, pack care kits benefiting the Trans Emergency Fund, received a Celtics HQ office tour to meet-and-greet staff, then headed over to TD Garden to watch team warm-ups, take a photo at center court, and enjoy the Celtics vs Nets game from Rafters.
— from Boston Celtics and Regan Communications Group press releases
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