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| Gil Flores was recognized for his work as an educator on LGBT issues during two recent events, both of which featured an appearance by award-winning actress Blythe Danner. |
Gil Flores, assistant planning coordinator for the North Central Texas HIV Planning Council, was recently presented with the Planned Parenthood Educator Award for his work with LGBT sensitivity training and education programs.
Flores was recognized at two separate receptions that featured keynote speaker Blythe Danner, the award-winning actor, and M.C. Matrice Kirk, wife of former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk. Although three other people received awards from Planned Parenthood at those events, Flores was the only one recognized for his work with LGBT education programs.
Flores has spent the last 16-plus years conducting LGBT sensitivity training and education programs, and has presented those programs at a number of area colleges, including University of North Texas, Texas Christian University and Tarleton State University.
He has also led training and education sessions for public school teachers, health departments, businesses and public works divisions. He volunteers with the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, and is lead trainer on LGBT issues for the Dallas Police Academy and the Dallas Fire and Rescue Academy. That same training program was recently instituted in the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.
Flores graduated from UNT with a bachelor’s degree in music and a degree in education. Before going to work with the North Central Texas HIV Planning Council, he worked as an associate executive director with the Resource Center of Dallas.
It was during his 15 years with RCD that Flores helped develop that organization’s LGBT sensitivity training programs and developed his standing as one of the area’s leading educators on LGBT issues.
Flores is known for sensitivity and training programs that combine carefully researched data with anecdotal information in a non-threatening session of interaction, group activities, lecture time and a question-and-answer period. His training has been recognized by the Texas Department of State Health Services as an approved cultural diversity training program.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 20, 2009.