Local rights advocate dies

By Charles Edwards

Atlanta, GA – A local equal rights advocate who gained recognition during Georgia's same sex marriage debate died Monday.

Allen Thornell died from complications from a stroke.

WABE's Charles Edwards reports
Jeff Graham is executive director of Georgia Equality. The group is a voice for the state's lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community. But back in the 1990s, Graham was with the AIDS Survival Project. He remembers attending an event.

GRAHAM: " and someone told me there was a young man who really seemed to know a lot about politics and advocacy and I should get to know him."

The young man was Allen Thornell. The two met and talked politics for hours. It helped grow Thornell's roots as a local advocate. Graham recalls Thornell's dedication to studying the people its politics that shaped Atlanta.

GRAHAM: "All of this was like back when he was 24,25 years old. So, it was really nice to see someone who was so young and so passionate about these politics back then."

That passion would continue and reach a height in 2004. That's when Georgia joined many states in considering a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. Enough lawmakers voted for the referendum but not without a fight led by Thornell who at that time headed Georgia Equality. The measure originally failed in the State House and Graham credits Thrornell's lobbying skills.

GRAHAM: "It was Allen's leadership that almost won the battle for us in Georgia. That's when so many people recognized that he had such great skills at being able to navigate the political process within the legislature."

Before starting the PR firm Talking Heads Media, Beth Cope saw Thornell's ability first hand. Cope was also a lobbyist.

COPE: "Those who know Allen well know that his heavy lifting took place behind the scenes. He was not one to seek out public recognition and took the most delight in the work that he did that no one ever knew about."

Cope says one example is Thornell's work in lobbing for Georgia's hate crimes bill. Cope says Thornell never took on easy tasks whether it was fighting for workers' rights or for women in poverty.

COPE: "I don't know who Allen would be if he wasn't the person who had everyone's back on this planet and that is exactly who is was."

Cope says he was also someone with an infectous laugh. Allen Thornell was 38 years old. His funeral service is Thursday afternoon at Saint Marks United Methodist Church.