Honolulu, Hawai‘i: The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i (ACLU of Hawai‘i) is excited to announce the inaugural launch of a student scholarship program made possible by the Tom Humphreys and Allan Wang Civil Rights Fund. The fund will provide financial support to two local students with innovative, creative project proposals aimed at furthering the civil rights and civil liberties of LGBTQ+ people in Hawai‘i.
The fund was established on November 8, 2011 by Allan Wang in memory of his late husband Tom Humphreys, scientist, businessman and professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. With Wang by his side, Humphreys was a proud board member and supporter of the ACLU of Hawai‘i and steadfast activist for civil rights here in Hawai‘i. He played a pivotal role in the legalization of same-sex marriage, which occurred the year before his death.
The Tom Humphreys and Allan Wang Civil Rights Fund will grant two cash gifts, each for $3,900, to two local students—one in high school aged 16 to 18 and another in college or graduate school aged 19 to 24—meant to be used toward a proposed project idea. Project ideas can be categorized into one of four categories: advocacy, arts, education/journalism and technology.
The application deadline for this grant is November 20, 2019. A judging committee curated by the ACLU of Hawai‘i will choose the awardees. Awardees will be notified in December 2019 and announced shortly thereafter.
Allan Wang said: “I’m grateful to create an opportunity that will continue Tom’s legacy in passionately fighting for civil rights and pass the torch he carried tirelessly onto posterity. I look forward to seeing what inventive ideas the students come up with and seeing them come to life.”
ACLU of Hawai‘i Executive Director Joshua Wisch said: “We’re honored to be entrusted with this generous gift left by Allan in Tom’s memory. Allan and Tom fought together to protect the civil rights of people in Hawai‘i—especially the LGBTQ+ community. This legacy gift will give the next generation of young student activists the opportunity to continue their work in new and exciting ways.”
For more information, please visit: www.acluhi.org/THAWCRF.