COLAGE is excited to announce the winners of the 2008 Lee Dubin Memorial Scholarship Program

2008 Scholarship Awardees

ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES Lee Dubin Memorial Scholarship Internship Program

Courtney Faria grew up on Cape Cod with lesbian moms and recently began her first year at Smith College. After many years as a youth in the COLAGE program at Family Week Provincetown, this summer Courtney was a facilitator for Camp COLAGE. She is a skilled volleyball player and as a high school junior wrote an article for the Human Rights Campaign about the experience of confronting her teammates about using LGBT slurs. Courtney has also lobbied her elected officials, attended marriage equality rallies, spoken on COLAGE Youth Panels, and collected signatures for causes she believes in.

Brianna Buhr is a junior at Edgewood College in Madison, WI where she studies music, theater and ethnic studies. Growing up with lesbian mothers fueled her commitment to addressing homophobia and working for social justice. She was an active leader in the Gay Straight Alliance clubs in both her middle and high schools and presented at regional GSA leadership conferences in Wisconsin. She also participated in Proud Theater- a youth run theater group and has been a canvasser for Fair Wisconsin.

Abigale Sauerbrey is a student of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. She is a volunteer with Rainbow Families of MN and a frequent public speaker about her experiences having two lesbian moms and two gay dads. She shares, "I am blessed to have four amazing parents who love me and have taught me so much about life."

Caroline Cox Orrell is a new freshman at the University of Chicago who has a strong background in activism and social justice organizing. In addition to being a leader at her school's GSA she as on the board of directors of GLSEN Boston and active with COLAGE Boston. As a member of the COLAGE Speak OUT program, Caroline has done countless interviews and wrote an article for Time Magazine about her experience of having lesbian mothers. Recent accomplishments include earning a Point Foundation award and acting as a member of the COLAGE Crew staff during Provincetown Family Week this summer.

2008 Honorable Mentions

Daniel Pologe grew up in Milwaukee, WI with two moms. He has been a volunteer with Fair Wisconsin, the Brothers of Kwanzaa and Peace Camp. He is an outspoken advocate for families like his and hopes to continue his activism as a student at Clark University in MA.

Nekia Franklin is a pre-med student at the University of Oklahoma. Her mother, who was a lesbian, passed away from a liver disease when Nekia was younger. She called the scholarship from COLAGE, "the most meaningful of all my scholarships because it speaks about my uniqueness of which I am proud."

Chevelle Youngblood is a native Hawaiian who grew up with her lesbian mothers. She hopes to study graphic design in college as part of her efforts to educate the public about the experience of indigenous Hawaiian people.

Congratulations to all of our deserving recipients and many thanks to our volunteer selection committee!

For information about the 2009 COLAGE Scholarship Program, please check back in the future. Applications are usually made available in January with applications being due in late April.