For information on applying, see Scholarship Application. To donate, see Contribute to the Fund

• The Mary Anne Adams Award: Adams serves as ZAMI's Executive Director and is the founder of the Audre Lorde Scholarship Fund. In 1999, she founded Sister Outsider, a multi-cultured Atlanta based organization, with a focus on lesbians and aging issues. Adams is also the founder and moderator of Sister Outsider ll, an Internet list serve for black lesbians. In 2000, Adams founded Madam Productions as a way to foster community through musical and literary expression. This year, Adams founded Drum Sista, a drumming circle for lesbians of color. A native of Oxford, Mississippi ,she recently received a graduate degree in social work and has spent the last two years working on progressive grass-roots issues such as predatory lending and the living wage campaign. Adams makes her home in Decatur, Georgia.

• The Kelley D. Alexander Award: A native of Wisconsin, Alexander studied English Literature and Philosophy at Beloit College. She is the founder and publisher of InnerLight Publishing, whose mission is to take on sublime projects that move, encourage, and inspire by way of a unique ability to bring inner-visions into physical form. The company publishes works by both emerging and previously published authors and last year published a collection of essays by author Carol Gee entitled The Venus Chronicles. Recently, Alexander, teamed with poet Nikky Finney to publish her third collection of poetry entitled, The World is Round, to be published in January 2003. Alexander also works as a Senior Manager for a telecommunications firm and lives in Decatur, Georgia.

• The Edith E. Biggers Award: Dr. Biggers is a public health physician who delivers compassionate and state- of- the- art medical care to indigent, uninsured, underserved, and substance using HIV positive patients with an emphasis on maximizing self-empowerment through education. Since 1993, she has been a frequent voice on the speaker's circuit encouraging patients to develop strategies for taking charge of their lives, increasing adherence with antiretroviral therapies, negotiating with partners and disclosing HIV status. Dr. Biggers, a native of Atlanta, Georgia received her medical degree from Emory University, her masters in Library Science from Atlanta University and her Bachelors in Music from Smith College. In her spare time, Dr. Biggers practices karate and takes color photographs of big city skylines.

• The Sheryl Burke Award: Burke is a Personal Injury Attorney who operates her own law practices based in Georgia and California. Burke, a native of Los Angeles, California is a graduate of St. Louis University Law School and is a member of the National and Georgia Trial Lawyers' Association. Burke makes her home in Atlanta and is involved in supporting many local organizations including camps, scholarship funds, churches and educational groups. Burke writes and reads poetry in her spare time.

• The Cherie Caldwell Award: Caldwell is an expert in the supervision and management of employee relations, training and development, with more than 15 years of human resource management experience. She has served as the Director of Human Resources for Southern Company Energy Marketing L.P. and Nationwide Credit, Inc., as well as Senior Manager of Human Resources with Kraft Foods. Caldwell is currently employed as the Director of Human Resources for a flight attendant group of 19,000 employees. She is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the Human Rights Campaign and currently serves on the Diversity sub-committee.

• The Ruth C. Ellis Award: Ellis was born July 23, 1899 in Springfield, Illinois and is the subject of a one hour documentary by filmmaker Yvonne Welbon: Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100. Ellis resided in Detroit, Michigan until her death in 2000 and was highly respected as one of the oldest known "out" African-American lesbians.

  Wendy Belkin, was so empowered by Ellis' life story that she pledged a five year commitment to funding Ellis' award. She is an Ohio native and amateur astronomer who lives in Decatur, Georgia and for over 15 years has operated her own business as a Tax Attorney and CPA.

• The Joan P. Garner Award: Garner is the first Executive Director of the Atlanta -based Southern Partners Fund, whose mission is to fund and build the capacity of community-based organizations and leaders committed to advancing social, economic and environmental justice across an 11-state region in the rural south. Garner, a native of Washington, D.C., has a long history of involvement in social change philanthropy and is one of the authors of "Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change."

• The Sha' Mendon Award: Mendon, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, received a degree in Business Administration from Austin Peay University with a focus on marketing. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for an Atlanta IT firm. Mendon is the founder of Kings Crossing Publishing and recently published "Body Language" by C.C. Carter and "Resurrection: A Collection of Work" by Robin G. White. Mendon is committed to developing a well informed next generation of writers, by supporting new and young writers through education about the writing and publishing industry. Mendon is a board member of the Zuna Institute: A National Black Lesbian Advocacy Organization.

• The Sherry Turner Award: Dr. Sherry Turner is a developmental psychologist whose research and teaching focus on the socialization of African- American women and girls. As an activist, Dr. Turner is committed to fighting against racism, sexism, homophobia, and all forms of oppression. As an artist, she depicts positive images of African- American women and girls and explores themes of self- acceptance, community, and spirituality. As an administrator, she is committed to ensuring that institutions of higher education are just and equitable environments for all. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Turner currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

• The Tony Daniels Community Ally Award: Anthony C. Daniels (1965 - 1998), was one of Atlanta's most powerful organizers and activists. Daniels was a founder of In The Life Atlanta, Inc., of ADODI Muse, Inc., and of the Black Lesbian & Gay Poets Society. A long-time AIDS survivor, he was a vocal and passionate advocate for the rights and freedom of people living with HIV, poor people, women, and people of color across a broad spectrum. This scholarship is funded by ADODI Muse, Inc: A Gay Negro Ensemble, the black gay male performance poets' collective. Muse members, Duncan E. Teague, Malik M.L. Williams and Anthony Antoine specifically recognize Daniels' work to build bridges across diverse communities.

• The Keiron Williams Hero Award is awarded to a gay or lesbian student who otherwise meets all the criteria of the Audre Lorde Scholarship Fund. In particular, this scholarship is intended for a man or woman who is actively working as an organizer/ activist in marginalized communities. (Preference will be given to a student who has experienced significant medical hardship.)

• The Marlon Riggs Social Justice Award is awarded to a gay or lesbian student who otherwise meets all the criteria of the Audre Lorde Scholarship Fund. Specifically, this scholarship is intended for a man or woman who traverses many different communities, is an outspoken advocate for the rights of the oppressed and works tirelessly on social justice issues.

• The Ronald Moore Humanitarian Award is awarded to a gay or lesbian student who otherwise meets all the criteria of the Audre Lorde Scholarship Fund. Specifically, this scholarship is intended for a man or woman who works on reducing homophobia in the African American community and racism in the gay/lesbian/bisexua /transgender community.

  Ronald Moore is currently the Diversity Manager for the Corporate Functions group of Hewlett Packard. This is a global group of over 13,000 infrastructure employees. Most recently he was the Human Resources Manger for Hewlett Packard’s Consumer Business Organization’s Latin America Operation in Atlanta. In his 22 years with HP, Moore has lived in Sunnyvale, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Hoboken, New Jersey; and Chicago, Illinois. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Moore received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications , a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master in Labor and Industrial Relations, all from Michigan State University. Moore is committed to the Atlanta area and a firm believer that you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.