Spotlight on Humphrey Honoree: Joe Solmonese

On May 12, the civil and human rights community will honor Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Joe Solmonese with its highest honor, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award, for his work fighting for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.

Since he became president of HRC in 2005, Solmonese has helped build the organization into one of the nation’s most powerful progressive lobbying organizations, shifting public opinion around LGBT Americans and their rights. He played a critical role in the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009, the first federal civil rights enforcement statute that explicitly protects LGBT Americans, and the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in 2010.

In addition, as HRC president, Solmonese sits on the Executive Committee of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Prior to HRC, Solmonese served as the CEO of EMILY’s List, a political action committee (PAC) that works to help elect pro-choice women candidates to office.

Solmonese is a native of Massachusetts and graduated from Boston University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications.

Visit our Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award Dinner page for more information on tickets, sponsorship, and the honorees.