NWA Equality Night to Feature Emmy Award Winner Leslie Jordan

Photo Submitted

Leslie Jordan.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Leslie Jordan, an Emmy award-winning actor and playwright, will headline Northwest Arkansas Equality Night at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 in the Verizon Ballroom of the Arkansas Union. This event raises funds to support programs and resources for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community of Benton and Washington counties.

This year the Arkansas Alumni Association’s PRIDE Alumni Society is co-hosting Equality Night with the Northwest Arkansas Center for Equality, Arkansas’ largest nonprofit serving LGBTQ residents and advocating for full equality.

NWA Equality began hosting this annual event 10 years ago as a community celebration for LGBTQ people and allies that also raised critical dollars for important programs – from free HIV testing and peer support groups to the region’s annual Pride celebration. This year a share of the profits from Equality Night will go to the Arkansas Alumni Association for new scholarships for U of A students who are passionate about LGBTQ issues.

Leslie Jordan is known for his roles in “Will & Grace,” “Sordid Lives,” “American Horror Story,” “The Help” and “Designing Women.” He will perform his one-man show, “Straight Outta Chattanooga.”

A silent auction will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. outside the Verizon Ballroom, and a community presentation will precede Jordan’s performance.

Tickets are now available for $30-$50 on the NWA Equality website, www.nwaequality.org. The Arkansas Alumni Association is providing a limited number of seats to current University of Arkansas students for free. Students can pick up vouchers on a first-come, first-serve basis Nov. 1-8 at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House.

Equality Night is presented by Walmart and made possible by sponsorships. Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring the event and/or donating items for the silent auction should call Susan Hartman at 479.966.9014 or email info@nwaequality.org.

About NWW Center for Equality
The NWA Center for Equality is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which leads a grassroots support and advocacy movement working to achieve full equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community in Northwest Arkansas. More information is available at www.nwaequality.org.

About Arkansas Alumni Association: Often considered a first point-of-contact at the University of Arkansas, the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to connect alumni, friends and students to the University of Arkansas. The Association is housed in the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House which is strategically situated on campus across from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. For more information, visit www.arkansasalumni.org.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.