Jacques Agbobly
Jacques Agbobly
Jacques Agbobly, a 16-year-old gay Chicago resident, has won a Youth Courage Award from the Colin Higgins Foundation, according to a group statement. Since 2000, the group has bestowed 50 of these awards to LGBT individuals and their supporters.

Born in the West African nation of Togo, Agbobly immigrated to the United States with his family when he was nine years old. They moved to Chicago to seek HIV/AIDS treatment for a family member and better education for him and his siblings.

Bullied for his skin color, accent and sexual orientation, Agbobly used those experiences as the basis for an anti-bullying public service announcement he produced in the eighth grade. He also is an ambassador for National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Agbobly currently attends high school on full scholarship at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. As an award winner, he receives a $10,000 grant and an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles Pride and the Creating Change conference hosted by the Task Force.

The foundation was named after the screenwriter of Harold and Maude, who also wrote and directed 9 to 5 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The awards recognize extraordinary personal leadership and advocacy on behalf of LGBT youth.

To read the statement, click here.