"LIFETIMEACHIEVEMENTAWARDMargaret ChoThe Morris Kight Lifetime Achievement Award, first given in 2003, recognizes an individual whose lifetime of work has left a lasting major imprint on the LGBT community.What is a lifetime? Is it the length of timethat you are on this earth? The amount oftime you spend at work? The volume ofexperience that you gain? The scope ofwhat you accomplish? Or is it all of them? Margaret Cho is a young 42 and still going strong.She has a volume of life experience, a catalogue ofwork that stands on its own and has accomplishedmore than others twice her age. "Laughing in the faceof adversity is a great distraction from the fear of notknowing what it may bring," said Cho.Margaret Cho is a comedian, activist and humanitari-an bringing laughter to the world, and especially theLGBT community as she advocates for acceptance andequality. The granddaughter of a Methodist ministerwho ran an orphanage in Seoul during the Korean War,the daughter of a mother who refused an arrangedmarriage and a father who writes Korean joke books,Cho's unique background is enhanced with the factthat she was raised in San Francisco during the '70s.Her childhood experience "was a really confusing,enlightening, wonderful time", Cho said. However,growing up different made Cho race towards adult-hood and she found solace in comedy. "I grew up in this very repressed environment,I just wanted to be rebellious, and I wanted totalk about all the things that I do and be veryhonest about it."By the age of 14, Margaret began writingstandup comedy and at 16 began perform-ing professionally. It was not long beforeher professional career took off and shewon the opportunity to open for JerrySeinfeld. Cho moved to LosAngeles in the early '90s and wasintroduced to late night byArsenio Hall and given a primetime special by Bob Hope.While still in her 20's, Chobecame nationally known. Margaret Cho is a quadruple threat! She can sing,dance, act, and she is funny. With so much talent onemay recognize that her purpose is to entertain but sheis so much more than an entertainer. Recently, Margaret Cho was on Dancing with theStars, during a time when the LGBT community need-ed a voice spreaking to the numerous young gay sui-cides. "I am very proud to have been able to wear agay pride dress on a show that is so conservative,"she said. "It is a wonderful thing to have every oneremember me . that I took time to acknowledge peo-ple who matter to me. I wanted to send an urgentmessage to gay teenagers to make them feel includedand loved. That dress was my statement to themabout pride."Margaret Cho has been an outspoken advocate andactivist for equality within the LGBT community.When asked what she sees as her purpose in thegreater LGBT community, Cho said, "I want to fightfor equality, to make sure we have equal rights andproper representation in our society. I also want to bethere to help the younger generation and be a goodmentor for them. LGBT youth need our support andour wisdom. Also, I want to make sure we all have agood time!"And when Pride Magazine asked Margaret Chowhat PRIDE means to her, she said, "I have beenattending gay pride celebrations for much of my life,and they have grown and changed so much. It's soincredible to witness and I am grateful to have been apart of something that is so profound-celebratingourselves, loving ourselves, being proud of ourselves.It means so much." For all that she has accomplished, and all that shewill continue to do, Christopher Street West is honoredto present Margaret Cho with the 2011 Morris KightLifetime Achievement Award." This is such a tremen-dous honor," Cho said. "I am so excited about this.This is my community, my home and I am very proudof how far we have come in our journey."This is such a tremendous honor, I am so excited about this. This is my community, my home and Iam very proud of how far we have come in our journey."41

An iconic experience - a dark bar, cold beer, a pool table,and people in leather - this is just another night at theEAGLE LA. A place where all are welcome to come and celebratetheir sexuality, and to meet others doing the same; theEAGLE LA creates an atmosphere where anyone can cele-brate life. A good night out with friends can be so much more,when you patronize places that support and give back toour community. "The EAGLE LA is a central location for the Los AngelesLeather community; also it is a home for the young, andyoung at heart, to feel accepted. They attract a cross sec-tion of the community," said Durk Dehner, co-founder andpresident of Tom of Finland Foundation. Reopening in 2006, the EAGLE LA had been a serioussupporter of many causes, including Los Angeles LeatherCoalition (LALC), APLA, Being Alive, Aid for AIDS, TrevorProject, Children's Hospital LA, Tom of FinlandFoundation, Tweakers Project, Camp Laurel and the LazyBear Fund."Knowing the depth of need in [our] community it is anhonor to be able to serve the community in which I live,"said Hunter Fox, general manager of the EAGLE LA. For all the EAGLE LA, their staff and owners do for thecommunity in which they all reside, they have receivednumerous and varied awards. Some highlights are TheRainbow Key Award from the City of West Hollywood,Southland Honors Business of the Year 2007, and Pantheonof Leather Business of the Year 2007. "The location has always been a popular bar, but it wasthe current ownership that has taken it to the next level,making it a community gathering place that is always will-ing to help," Dehner said. The EAGLE LA has successfully created a location formultiple generations, sub-cultures and organizations tomix and mingle, connecting and creating bonds. It is across generational meeting place; a place for old Leatherhands to mix with those just exploring what it is all about;and always looking at how to help the community. "We enjoy hosting fundraisers for groups and organiza-tions," said Charlie Matula, Eagle LA owner. For their continued support of the community, andalways being open to everyone, Christopher Street Westproudly awards the 2011 Sheldon Andelson Award to theEAGLE LA.SHELDON ANDELSON AWARDEagle LAThe Sheldon Andelson Award recognizes and an individual or business that exempli-fies non-discriminatory support (financial and otherwise) to the LGBT community.This award is named for Sheldon Andelson, Bank of Los Angeles founder and one ofthe founders of the Gay and Lesbian Community Service Center.