LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Point Foundation (Point) will present its Leadership Award to Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets. Collins is the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American pro sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL). Point is the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit.

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Collins will receive the award at the Point Foundation's Leadership Dinner on Friday, July 25 at the Revere Hotel in Boston. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who was Collin's college roommate at Stanford University, will present the award to Collins. The Leadership Dinner is part of Point Foundation's annual Scholar & Alumni Leadership Conference, held this year in Boston from July 24 – 27. The 2014 conference theme is "On the Freedom Trail to Full Equality."

"Leaders go where others fear to – they show the way – and that is what Jason Collins has done in being the first professional sports player to come out as a gay man," said Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and CEO of Point Foundation. "Collins is an inspiration to so many young LGBTQ athletes, and through his demonstration of courage and leadership he is an exemplary role model for Point Scholars. We are honored to be able to present him with the Point Leadership Award."

Point Scholars (current and alumni) from around the U.S. will be traveling to Boston for the Leadership Conference, where they will participate in sessions on career planning, communications and advocacy skills, and panel discussions on topics including LGBTQ history, and enjoy special tours of Boston. 

Through the generosity of donors and sponsors, Point is able to bring its intergenerational community of scholars, alumni, mentors, board members and trustees together for events such as the Leadership Conference. Sponsors of the 2014 Leadership Conference are Wells Fargo and Citi Community Development.   

Information on purchasing tickets to the July 25 Leadership Dinner will be online soon at www.pointfoundation.org/events. To enquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Claire Walsh at Claire@pointfoundation.org or call (212) 512-5339.

About Point Foundation: Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society. Since 2001, Point has invested more than $15 million in the education and support of Point Scholars. Point Foundation promotes change through scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership development, and community service training. Point will announce its 2014 Scholarship recipients in June. www.pointfoundation.org | facebook/pointfoundation | twitter/pointfoundation                                                                                                                                             

Media Contact:
Eugene Patron
Point Foundation
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