On Saturday, Feb. 12, Staff Sergeant Eric Alva will be speaking in Shriver Hall about his involvement with the Humans Rights Campaign (HRC) and especially his work in getting “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repealed.
A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Alva has been a prominent spokesperson for the HRC since 2007.
He was an influential advocate for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a law which allowed gay and lesbian soldiers to serve in the military only if they were “in the closet.”
Alva raised awareness through public appearances and media interviews about this issue and the stresses of serving in the military while this law was still in effect. Alva also met with various congressional leaders to garner their support in the repeal of this law.
On Dec. 22, 2010, his efforts were rewarded as he was able to stand behind President Obama when he signed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” into effect.
This event runs from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Come prepared with questions for the Q&A session after his speech.
Admission is free and open to the general public.
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