Mortensen Award 2023

Why is it important to nominate Affirmation Members and Leaders for the Mortensen Award?

Within every organization, there are folks whose leadership skills and commitment to serving others combine to make a real difference in the lives of others and the mission of the organization. Affirmation has such individuals; we want to recognize and honor them. The Mortensen Award is the highest award that a person can receive in Affirmation. This award is named after its first recipient Paul Mortensen to honor his inextinguishable service as one of the founders of Affirmation.

This award reflects immense leadership and dedication to upholding the values and missions of Affirmation in all areas of life, exemplifying what it means to be an Affirmation Community Member and Leader. Affirmation has such individuals; we want to recognize and honor them and need your support to make that possible. We call upon all members and supporters of Affirmation to nominate worthy candidates for this award for 2023.

Who can find a nomination for Mortensen Award?

The criteria for selecting a nominee is as follows:

1. Someone who has demonstrated outstanding leadership & service,
2. A member of Affirmation dedicated to its goals and working to achieve those goals,
3. A person making a difference in the lives of others,
4. An individual who is a self-starter and a motivator of others.

Think about the people you know working within Affirmation who have impressed or inspired you, and nominate them for this award.

What does the Morgentsen Award Committee want to know about the person I want to nominate?

To make this process easier and more uniform, we have designed a series of questions you can complete that will guide you in providing the type of information to determine the 2023 winner of the Mortensen Award. In addition, we encourage you to submit any other information or stories that show the true character of your nominee.

The questions:

1. How has the nominee demonstrated leadership?
2. What service has the nominee performed for Affirmation or the greater LDS community?
3. How has the nominee made a difference in the lives of others?
4. Who does the nominee motivate or serve as an example for, especially within the Affirmation or LDS community?
5. How long has the nominee been involved with Affirmation (approximate list dates)?
6. How has the nominee been involved with Affirmation? List cities, countries, chapters, Affinity groups, and other services this person provided to LGBTQ folks in our organization.

Don't just answer the questions – provide a whole story. Please write in your own words what is unique about this person and what they have done to deserve these nominations.

Who will decide the winner?

A committee of past recipients of this award will make the selection. Since Affirmation is a worldwide community and exists in many forms, and we communicate on various platforms, we have yet to get to know every member or accomplice personally, so please be as detailed as you can. The person must be a member of Affirmation to be eligible for nomination.

How can I submit my nomination?

1. Click the button on the screen and fill out a Google form in your preferred language. Or click here
2. Email a letter to: [email protected]
3. Via US mail to: Olin Thomas, 69 Fendall Ave, Alexandria, VA 22304.
4. Text or Call: +1 (703) 864-5527

Please note that Olin Thomas, Chair of the Mortensen Award Committee, resides in the Eastern time zone.

A friendly reminder :

We ask that you not send copies of your letter to anyone else within Affirmation or publish it in any way. It is a pleasant surprise at the conference for people to hear of their nomination, and the committee would like to make a selection based on the facts rather than a media blitz. However, you are welcome to share this call for nominations with everyone in Affirmation including on social media platforms.

Please submit nominations promptly by June 19, 2023.

The nominees will be recognized, and the award winner will be announced during our International Conference July 21st - 23rd, in Provo, Utah.