George Takei, Star Trek's 'Mr. Sulu' to Embark on 'Equality Trek'
HRC via BBSNews 2006-03-29 -- WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign announced today that George Takei, Star Trek's Mr. Sulu, will embark on a nation wide speaking tour through six cities, speaking about his life as a gay Japanese American, and encouraging others to share their stories. Takei will also serve as a spokesman for HRC's Coming Out Project throughout the tour and beyond. Takei made international headlines last fall when he announced to the press that he and his partner Brad Altman have been together for nearly twenty years.
"For 40 years, George Takei has beamed into living rooms through the television sets of generations of Americans. His unique role in pop culture history will help him reach new audiences with messages of understanding," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "We are tremendously excited to officially and publicly welcome George and his partner Brad into the Human Rights Campaign family."
As a child, George Takei and his family were held in American Internment camps during World War Two because of their Japanese ancestry - even though George and his mother were born on American soil and his father came to the U.S. as a child. Takei will speak on the tour about the ways that his life has been touched by both discrimination and by the healing that takes place when prejudice is replaced with understanding and open communication.
"In my own life, I have felt the discrimination that used to separate Japanese Americans from the rest of the country melt away," said Takei. "I believe that by sharing our stories GLBT Americans can break down the walls that separate us and help build a more understanding and truly diverse nation for us all."
Takei has been increasingly in the public eye speaking on GLBT issues since coming out in the press, and will appear on NBC's "Will & Grace," this Thursday, March 30th.
The national speaking tour is set to kick off on April 10th. The dates and locations of the tour are:
Two additional dates in Phoenix and Denver will be announced shortly.
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