LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Point Foundation
(Point) will present its Point Inspiration Award to the
award-winning animation studio LAIKA. The award recognizes a
trailblazer who has taken a leadership role as an advocate of the
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.
Point Foundation is the nation's largest scholarship-granting
organization for LGBTQ students of merit.
For more information and tickets, please visit
pointfoundation.org/HonorsLA19.
Fueled by the vision of its President & CEO Travis Knight, the animation studio LAIKA has
contributed significantly to LGBTQ representation in animation.
LAIKA made history in 2012 with the film "ParaNorman," featuring
the first ever openly gay character in an American animated
feature. LAIKA's four films "Coraline," "ParaNorman," "The
Boxtrolls," and "Kubo and the Two Strings" were all nominated for
the Academy Award for Outstanding Animated Feature. "Kubo and the
Two Strings" received an additional Oscar nomination for Visual
Effects and also won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film.
LAIKA's most recent film, "Missing Link," was released in April of
this year.
"We are constantly impressed with how LAIKA, under Travis Knight's leadership, effortlessly
includes LGBTQ narratives in their films in a way that reflects our
world as it genuinely exists, with the LGBTQ community rightfully
and respectfully included," said Jorge
Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
of Point Foundation. "Our scholarship recipients and LGBTQ youth
everywhere benefit from LAIKA's brilliant example, demonstrating
that one does not have to sacrifice critical acclaim and commercial
success in order to be inclusive."
For the first time ever, each of the 16 new Point Scholars
selected for the 2019 scholarship will be in attendance at the
event, in addition to some of Point's 85 current scholarship
recipients and 380 alumni, to share their inspiring stories about
how they have overcome challenges to get their higher education
degrees. Comedian and writer Rhea
Butcher will host the festive evening, which features a
special performance by Debbie
Gibson. Additional celebrity attendees include
Theo Germaine,
Rahne Jones, Kiran Deol, Pete
Nowalk, Blair Imani,
and Tracie Thoms. Past
recipients of the Point Inspiration Award include HBO, Focus
Features, Johnson and Johnson, Estee
Lauder and Time Warner.
Presenting Sponsors: Hilton, Wells Fargo
Premier Sponsor: Cadillac
National Media Sponsor: OUT
Local Media Sponsor: LA Blade
Friends of Point: J.Crew, Shelter PR
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. Point Foundation
promotes change through scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership
development, and community service training.
www.pointfoundation.org | #PointHonors
Media Contact:
Jessica
Rozycki, Point Foundation,
(914) 776-4163, jessica@pointfoundation.org
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/laika-to-receive-prestigious-lgbtq-community-award-in-support-of-lgbtq-students-300935064.html
SOURCE Point Foundation