Group to Honor Teaneck LGBT Rights Activist

Steven Goldstein, a Teaneck resident who founded Garden State Equality, will be honored Saturday for his civil rights activism and work on behalf of bullied students, according to a news release. 

Goldstein, now associate chancellor of external relations at Rutgers University, will be among the honorees at the National Stop the Violence Alliance Inc. gala in Mount Laurel. The event will also recognize civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and Rosa Parks. 

“Steven Goldstein is an inspiration to millions of people who owe him their strides in civil rights, and to thousands of students in New Jersey who are safer today because of his work.” Stephne' R. Coney, founder of National Stop the Violence, said in the release. “Rutgers-Newark is lucky to have him.” 

Goldstein was the "driving force" behind the state's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, passed in response to the suicide of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, the release said. The law has been hailed as the nation's strongest anti-bulling measure. 

As chief executive officer and founder of Garden State Equality, Goldstein's organization won the enactment of 213 LGBT rights laws across the state, local and national levels, the release said. 

He was also featured in the 2008 award-wining documentary "Freeheld" about GSE's effort to win equal treatment for a dying police officer denied the ability to giver her partner her death benefits, according to the release. 

Goldstein joined Rutgers in January.