Jose Rodriguez Honored as LGBTQ+ Champion

Columbus is lighting up City Hall to honor Jose Rodriguez, a decades-long LGBTQ+ advocate and community champion, with the Steve Shellabarger Illuminator Award. Retired after 30 years in public communications, Rodriguez’s true impact lies in his tireless volunteer work—serving boards like Stonewall Columbus and the Columbus AIDS Task Force, and now leading efforts at Planned Parenthood, Homeport, and Artway. His dedication to health equity, housing, and civic engagement continues even in retirement, following a 2025 Trailblazer Service Award. Joining past honorees like Mary Jo Hudson and Tom Grote, Rodriguez embodies the spirit of this award: relentless, impactful, and deeply rooted in making central Ohio more inclusive. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9e21072fa2e4deec