From a Press Release
NEW YORK - A coalition of celebrities will gather on Monday to announce the launch of Uprising of Love, a social movement dedicated to supporting the Russian Freedom Fund, which works for long-term, systemic change in the status and treatment of Russia's LGBT community. Uprising of Love will officially launch on International Human Rights Day, Dec. 10.
At Monday's event, a private fundraiser for The Russia Freedom Fund, Uprising of Love co-founder Melissa Etheridge will preview her new song, "Uprising of Love," which honors and supports Russia's LGBT community. Other speakers include Anastasia Smirnova, coordinator of an LGBT Russian coalition, and Bruce Cohen, Academy Award-winning producer and co-founder of Uprising of Love.
Uprising of Love was founded by Melissa Etheridge, Linda Wallem, Dustin Lance Black, Bruce Cohen and Greg Propper to raise awareness of LGBT discrimination in Russia and raise funds to combat this practice. More than 50 celebrities are part of the coalition including Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, James Franco, Edward Norton, Jim Parsons, Julianne Moore, Chris Colfer, Sean Hayes and more. Visit http://uprisingoflove.org/
Involved are:
Melissa Etheridge, singer-songwriter, co-founder Uprising of Love;
Anastasia Smirnova, coordinator of LGBT Russian coalition;
Stephen Fry, actor, writer, activist
Stephen Schwartz, Academy & Grammy Award-winning Composer
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard ( D-HI )
Bruce Cohen, Academy Award-winning producer, co-founder Uprising of Love
About the Russia Freedom Fund
The Russian Freedom Fund is a U.S. tax-deductible vehicle for making financial contributions in support of the LGBT movement in Russia and efforts to combat discrimination and violence there based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 100% of all donations will be paid out as grants. This initiative responds to growing concerns about recent state-sponsored discrimination in Russia and expresses solidarity between the international LGBT community and allies, and the Russian LGBT movement.