Congratulations Steve Ahlquist!

I know of no journalist more deserving of accolades than my dear friend and colleague Steve Ahquist, who was honored by Rhode Island Pride last night for his impressive and extensive coverage of issues affecting the LGBT community.

Here’s a sampling of some of the posts he’s filed for RI Future over just the past two years that earned him this award.

• RI General Assembly still voting on marriage equality – July 9, 2015
• SCOTUS marriage equality decision celebrated in RI – June 27, 2015
• RI Pride is radicalized – June 22, 2015
• LGBT community protests Haven Brothers hate crime – May 4, 2015
• Rhode Island needs to repeal its RFRA – March 30, 2015
• Experts agree: Criminalizing HIV transmission a ‘backwards step’ – February 25, 2015
• Black and Pink sends holiday cards to LGBTQ prisoners – December 8, 2014
• Online hookup sites key to combating AIDS in RI – December 4, 2014
• Tobin, Stenhouse backpeddle on ‘thorny cultural issues’ – October 27, 2014
• SF archbishop’s decision to speak at anti-LGBT rally has RI roots – June 19, 2014
• Providence Renaissance Hotel lost its gay-friendly rating – May 19, 2014
• Is anti-gay therapist Dr. Cretella a therapist or not? – February 18, 2014
• Providence College postpones controversial LGBT lecturer – February 17, 2014
• Mass ‘hate groups’ focus attention elsewhere – November 12, 2013
• Hate groups not welcome – August 2, 2013
• Video: Marriage party at Providence City Hall – August 1, 2013
• Marriage equality is here! – July 31, 2013

Thanks for everything you do, Steve, for RI Future and for all the constituencies of Rhode Island and the world that are still fighting for the rights and privileges that you and me were born with. You are both a journalistic superhero, and a hero to me personally.