Dr. Lydia HuertaSilver City, NM — Dr. Lydia Huerta, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Cultural Studies at WNMU, is the recipient of the first annual Ally Award presented by PFLAG Silver City. Dr. Huerta is the co-founder of The Center for Gender Equity and Social Justice.

"I am honored and humbled by this award," Huerta said. The award was presented to her on April 16 at The Center by members of PFLAG Silver City.

"Dr. Huerta is the epitome of an ally to the LGBTQ community," said Lauren Dazey, a graduate student at WNMU. "She made me realize how important allies are in the struggle of marginalized people to gain recognition and acceptance." Jill Smith, logistics coordinator at The Center, asserted, "Dr. Huerta has been a huge supporter of LGBTQ+ issues. She has helped facilitate Silver City Pride and stepped out to bring transformative programming to WNMU and the surrounding community."

In early 2019, PFLAG Silver City will again accept nominations from the public for this annual award.
Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy. For more, call 575-590-8797 or go to www.pflagsilver.org.