(Photo by Mario Sanchez Prada; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

On May 12 the Columbia-Howard County chapter of PFLAG awarded its annual scholarship to Kaaliyah McDowell, a student at Arundel High School. “We gave her the award because she ran her high school’s GSA and was an organizer of an LGBTQ Youth and Allies Conference in Anne Arundel County,” said Heath Goisovich, a member of the chapter’s scholarship committee. “The conference had several speakers speaking on a variety of topics, that again, she helped organize all the while being involved in the GSA, keeping her grades up and being involved with several other school clubs.”

Her mother Kim was on hand to witness the $2,000 check presented by Del. Terri Hill (D-12) whose district includes parts of Howard and Baltimore counties.

PFLAG Columbia-Howard County awards an annual educational scholarship to a promising recipient who has contributed to the advancement or betterment of the LGBTQ community.

In addition, the chapter paid tribute to two prominent people in LGBT history: Gilbert Baker, the inventor of the rainbow flag and Harry Hay, an early gay activist who founded the Mattachine Society.

For more information about PFLAG-Howard County, visit pflagmd.org.