2015 Be the Change Honorees Chris Cozad & Gloria McCauley Chris Cozad and Gloria McCauley have shared their leadership with the Columbus LGBT community for 33 years. The Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) has been the primary focus of their work for 20 years. Both began volunteering for Gay Pride in the 1980’s! Their activism began early in the AIDS epidemic, spearheading a local chapter of Blood Sisters, dedicated to encouraging lesbians to give blood for gay men who couldn’t. McCauley was the producer of Columbus’ Take Back the Night for 10 years. Cozad remains the producer of the Ohio Lesbian Festival. Cozad served on the Board of Stonewall Union for 13 years, and served as President for 3 terms, chairing Pride for 10 years and oversaw the creation of the first street festival. McCauley worked at Stonewall for 6 years, coordinating an anti-violence project that eventually launched BRAVO. Both have served the City of Columbus well. Cozad sits on the Community Relations Commission and serves as the cabinet liaison for LGBT community to Mayor Michael Coleman and has been involved in the passage of numerous pieces of legislation that provide protections for LGBT people. McCauley has served on a number of city commissions and has been providing training for Columbus Police cadets since 1993. Cozad operates Alternative Auto Care a women owned auto shop founded in 1986. They have 2 adult daughters, Caelen and LeaBeth, as well as opening their home to and raising a number of displaced homeless LGBT youth.
Rashida Davison Rashida Davison is a Black Trans/genderqueer artist and activist hailing from Rocky Mount, NC and currently residing in Columbus OH. While in Columbus, they have been involved in advocacy for Transgender people of color through leadership in SHADES Buckeye Chapter, Equality Ohio, TransOhio and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. While in the position of Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at TransOhio, Rashida helped to organize Ohio’s first Transgender Safety Summit, Northeast Ohio Transgender Job Fair and advocated for respectful representation of the Trans community in local media. Rashida is a freelance filmmaker and photographer focusing on uplifting the voices and experiences of Trans and Gender non-conforming people of color. One of their works is the “Not One More” Transgender Awareness Video. They organized the #Cbus2Ferguson solidarity movement. Rashida was honored as one of Columbus Alive’s People to Watch in 2014 and in 2015 as one of the Trans100, a list created to celebrate work being done in, by and for the Transgender community across the United States.
Dan Good
J. Daniel Good, Ph.D. (Dan Good) is the Superintendent of Columbus City Schools, Ohio’s largest school district, located in the state’s capital city. He was appointed to the position by the Columbus City Schools Board of Education on June 26, 2013, and began his duties on July 1, 2013. He oversees a school district with more than 50,000 students and 8,300 employees, located in 116 schools, covering an area of 221 square miles. Prior to his service in Columbus City Schools, Dr. Good was the Superintendent/CEO of Westerville City Schools, in Westerville, Ohio, and the former Superintendent/ CEO of Wooster City Schools, in Wooster, Ohio. He also held key leadership positions within the Ohio Department Education, and has been a both a principal and teacher. Dr. Good earned his Doctorate of Philosophy Degree in Education Theory and Practice from The Ohio State University, a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early and Middle Childhood Education, from The Ohio State University. 2015 PRIDE GUIDE | 31