LOS ANGELES – Point Foundation (Point) will honor producer and broadcast executive Michael Lombardo with the Point Impact Award at the organization’s annual Point Honors Los Angeles gala Oct. 1. Point presents its Impact Award to an individual who has made a significant impact on improving the lives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community.
During Lombardo’s decade-long tenure as President, Programming, for Home Box Office, the network launched some of its most successful series, including “True Blood,” “Game of Thrones,” “Girls,” “Veep,” and “Looking.” Lombardo, who first joined HBO in 1983, continues to develop creative projects for HBO as a producer.
“As someone in arts and entertainment, I am drawn to engaging stories about people. But not being able to get a college education because you’ve come out to family and friends as gay, lesbian, bi or trans, should not have to be part of anyone’s life story,” said Lombardo. “Thankfully Point Foundation makes it possible for LGBT young people to live a different story, one where they get their college degree and go on to become doctors, lawyers, filmmakers; whatever their ambition. It is a story of hope I’m honored to support.”
“Michael Lombardo, in his leadership role at HBO, has brought more realistic LGBTQ characters to TV in the last decade than anyone else. Many young people have grown up finding reflections of themselves in LGBTQ characters featured in the shows he has helped develop,” said Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation. “As an openly gay man who has earned the respect of everyone in his profession, Michael is an inspiration to Point Scholars and Alumni, and a good friend of Point.”
Past honorees recognized by Point include Jeffrey Tambor, Lena Dunham, Jonathan Groff, and other allies and members of the LGBTQ community. Additional celebrity participation for the October 1 Point Honors event will be announced in the coming weeks. Information about attending or supporting Point Honors is at www.pointfoundation.org/LAHonors.
Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer LGBTQ students of merit. Some of Point’s 84 current scholarship recipients and 244 alumni will be present at the event to share with the audience their inspiring stories about how they have overcome challenges to get their higher education degrees.
