CHICAGO, IL 2004-- Kate Clinton, one of America's foremost political comics is the recipient of the 2004 Stonewall Award -- the national $25,000, no-strings-attached grant that recognizes individuals or groups who have made a significant contribution to the gay and lesbian community. The award was announced today by Allen Schuh, president of the Anderson Prize Foundation which has awarded over $1 million to 40 Stonewall Awards winners since 1991.

"Kate Clinton is a brilliant Writer and performer whose positive energy, sharp insights and community service have helped the gay and lesbian community both.understand itself better and become more visible in the broader society," noted Allen Schuh. "The Foundation is proud to recognize the efforts she has made to create a stronger gay and lesbian movement."

The Anderson Prize Foundation was established in 1991 by the late Paul Anderson of Chicago, shortly before his death of AIDS-related illness. Allen Schuh, an attorney, was Anderson's partner for 13 years and joined Paul in establishing the Foundation to recognize and reward those who have contributed significantly the the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community. The awards are made without regard to sexual orientation, race, age, ethnic origin, or gender. Past winners have included nationally prominent GLBT rights leaders, local activists both straight and gay, artists and organizers.

Kate Clinton is a critically acclaimed political comic and writer whose performance career spans more more that 23 years. Clinton started performing in 1981, when politically edgy and out-of-the-closet comedy was neither found or welcome in mainstream comedy clubs, television or in media. Working through a community-based network of lesbian-feminist producers, folk and women's music festivals and progressive coffeehouses, Kate toured the country building both an audience and an emerging proud and identifiable lesbian community. As the GLBT community turned more of its attention to the twin challenges of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the anti-gay Right wing in the late 1980's, Kate's comedy and audience also changed to address these emerging issues. Today she ranks among the top ten political comics in the country, with an intelligent and original style that brings her before more that 100.000 people each year.

Kate Clinton has released seven audio CDs, including the 2004 release; The Marrying Kind; Read These Lips (200l)' Comedy You Can Dance To (l999) and Babes in Joyland (1996). She is author of the award-winning book, Don't Get Me Started (Ballantine Books, 1998). The audio companion to the book was named "one of the best Audio books by Publisher's Weekly. Clinton is a regular columnist for two national publications, the 95-year old, Wisconsin-based monthly, the Progressive and the national GLBT newsmagazine, The Advocate. Clinton is a former high school English teacher. She is a graduate and Colgate University (MA) and Le Moyne Collige (BA).

Kate is a sought-after performer whose national concert tours routinely sell out. She continues to perform in venues from church basements to small clubs to prestigious halls of several thousand people. In 2004, she will be opening in some cities for rock star Melissa Etheridge on her Lucky Tour. Kate is an accomplished is an accomplished comic actor who has appeared on Broadway in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (in 2001 as the narrator) and The Vagina Monologues (2002). She appeared in the film, The Secret Lives of Dentists (2003), and is one of the four comedians featured in the 2003 Documentary, Laughing Matters. Kate's satire and commentary are sought after by diverse print and broadcast media, and she has brought her humor to CNN, MSNBC, Good Morning America, Oxygen, Comedy Central., the Toyota Comedy Festival, Montreal Comedy Festival, the Marshall's Women in Comedy Festival, as well as to major talk and public radio shows around to country.

Kate's political commitment is reflected in her work and in the time she donates to feminist, gay, and progressive organizations. Clinton helped emcee the 1987 and 1993 Marches on Washington for GLBT Rights; the 1993 Gay and Lesbian Inaugural Ball at the Clinton inauguration; anti-war benefits and demonstrations from 2002-2003; and the 2004 March for Woman's Lives in Washington. She contributes significant amounts of time and resources to strengthen GLBT organizations all over the country.

"In making this award, we are recognizing not just Kate's phenomonal talent, but her dedication to the GLBT community. She has given thousands of hours of community service, performed for free at hundreds of fund raising benefits, dinners, shows, and marches and raised literally millions of dollars for groups like Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the New York City GLBT Center, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, to name just a few," said Schuh.