Edie Windsor’s Annual Backyard BBQ Over Memorial Day Weekend To Support Hetrick Martin Institute, Live Out Loud, And The Trevor Project

BBQ season is officially upon us. For those that haven’t quite mastered the skill yet, luckily for you, you’re invited to a fabulous Memorial Day weekend gathering held in honor of LGBTQ pioneer, the late Edie Windsor, who was the lead plaintiff in the United States v. Windsor, a landmark legal success for the same-sex marriage movement in the United States.

Hosted by Judith Kasen-Windsor, Edie Windsor’s Annual Backyard BBQ will take place on Saturday, May 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. BBQ-goers will enjoy drinks, typical BBQ fare – including hamburgers and hotdogs, and music by DJ Karin Ward.

Proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to three organizations that support the work that Windsor advocated for throughout her lifetime: The Hetrick Martin Institute (HMI), Live Out Loud, and The Trevor Project.

“Edie was an outspoken advocate and everybody’s grandma. She came to HMI many, many times over the years and everyone who knew her still loves her. In the case of her wife, she continues to be a stalwart supporter of HMI and young people,” Thomas Krever, HMI Chief Executive Officer, told us. “She’s also frequently in our space, so we’re really honored and humbled to still carry on her legacy.”

HMI is the nation’s oldest and largest organization providing assistance and an array of services to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. “We know that she was incredibly proud of our work and incredibly proud of our young people and loved to spend lots of time with them. We’re very humbled to be a part of it and to carry on her wishes and work. She continues to inspire us every day,” Krever said.

While the mood at the Hamptons soiree will most certainly be jovial, the organizations’ life changing missions are becoming increasingly more essential, especially in this particular political climate. “Young people, it’s heartbreaking, are watching this [what’s going on on our national front] and they’re turning to adults for answers. We have such a responsibility to them and growing up in this country or coming new to this country, where our values, our morals have always been open arms, give us your tired and your weak, and those do not have, and they should have an expectation that their needs are met here, and it’s heartbreaking on so many levels,” Krever expressed. “So, we as a community have to be so much more vigilant and valiant in our efforts and contributing – because these are the next generation. They’re our next voters, citizens that are going to carry on our earth. We can’t let them down.”

Tickets begin at $75.

Hetrick Martin Institute “believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential” and seeks “to foster healthy youth development.” Live Out Loud’s mission is to “inspire and empower LGBTQ youth by connecting them with successful LGBTQ professionals in their community.” The Trevor Project provides “crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.”

Edie’s Backyard BBQ will take place at 761 North Sea Mecox Road in Southampton. For more information about HMI and the event, visit www.hmi.org. For more information about Live Out Loud, visit www.liveoutloud.info. For more information about The Trevor Project, visit www.thetrevorproject.org.