HRC News Release

Monday, August 3, 1998


VICE PRESIDENT GORE TO BE FEATURED SPEAKER AT HRC
NATIONAL DINNER SEPTEMBER 19

 Poet Dr. Maya Angelou And Rock Star Melissa Etheridge And Her Partner,
 Actress/Model Julie Cypher To Address National Dinner

WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign announced today that Vice President Gore will attend HRC's Second Annual National Dinner as a featured speakerand to receive the HRC National Leadership Award.

        "We are very excited and honored that Vice President Gore will
attend our National Dinner.  The Vice President has a long record of
advocating equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans.  The  Vice
President's presence reaffirms his commitment to battling discrimination
and demonstrates his willingness stand up for what is right," said HRC
executive director Elizabeth Birch.

        The Second Annual National Dinner will take place on September 19,
at the Washington, DC Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.  In addition to Vice
President Gore, the black-tie gala will feature world-renowned poet Dr.
Maya Angelou. HRC will also present its first National Family Civil Rights
Award to rocker Melissa Etheridge and her partner, producer Julie Cypher.
Last year, President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker.

        OutVote '98, HRC's second national political convention, will take
place the same weekend as the National Dinner,  Sept. 17-20. OutVote '98
will help mobilize the vote for fairness and equality and teach members of
our community and our allies the campaign skills necessary to have an
impact in the November elections.  The event will also give activists the
opportunity to network and form working alliances with the community's
brightest leaders from around the nation. OutVote '98 is expected to draw
1,000 lesbian and gay activists to Washington.  Like the National Dinner,
the political convention will also take place at the Washington, DC
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

        OutVote 98' will offer a top-notch line-up of speakers including:
Rev. Jesse Jackson, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Assistant to the
President Virginia Apuzzo, White House AIDS Policy Director Sandra Thurman, Representatives Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), and Connie Morella (R-Md.), Seattle City Council member Tina Podlodowski, BettyDeGeneres, and Jon and Michael Galluccio and other prominent national leaders.

        The weekend will begin early for dedicated activists, who are
invited to Washington on Thursday, Sept. 17, to lobby their senators and
members of Congress. "We encourage everyone who can spare the time to come to Washington that day and visit their elected representatives," says
Winnie Stachelberg, HRC's political director. "Get in touch with us and
we'll help you coordinate these visits and provide whatever background
materials you might need to talk to your congress people about the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act, hate crimes, lesbian health, HIV and
AIDS or other subjects."                Travel-On is HRC's official travel
agency for the weekend. We urge you to make your airline reservations
through them.  And for the latest updates on OutVote '98 and the Second
Annual National Dinner, visit the HRC web site at http://www.hrc.org

        Box Office Tickets, to purchase tickets:  1-800-494-8497
        Travel-On, for travel arrangements:       1-800-333-1225 or
        301-495-5990, account #410

        The Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country, effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support, and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest, and safe at
home, at work, and in the community.