Lexington's Stanley N. Griffith is first recipient of the Robert B. and Joan H. Parker Compassionate Action Award

Positioned between two highly-anticipated Dance Now Boston NYC performances is a free celebration SNAP•CRACKLE•BANG! Saturday June 17 at 7:30 pm hosted by The Bang Group. The evening will showcase David Parker’s vision, now in its 4th season, to foster a choreographic bridge between Boston and New York. It also inaugurates a new tradition with the presentation of the first “Robert B. and Joan H. Parker Compassionate Action Award”. Dance Now Boston NYC weekend returns to Cambridge's The Dance Complex June 16 - 18. For Snap•Crackle•BANG! celebration information, visit www.thebanggroup.com;

Through the award, Parker seeks to honor his parents’ legacy as politically motivated philanthropists who combined a love of dance and theater with a passion for social justice in their charitable works. The first award will honor Stanley N. Griffith. According to Parker, “Stan has been a champion for civil and LGBTQ rights, fair and affordable housing and efforts that raise up the human spirit. My parents loved and admired him for his steadfast commitment to our greater good, and his continued efforts make him well deserving of this recognition in their memory.

Our Honoree Stanley N. Griffith, Social Justice Activist

Stan Griffith has been standing up and speaking out since the early 1960’s when he participated in civil rights, anti-war and peace protests and led civil liberties demonstrations against the House Un-American Activities Committee. While a college student he led the protest at Brown University demanding the board divest from Chase Manhattan and its South Africa holdings during the shameful period of apartheid.

As a professional, Stan practiced law for 33 years in the area of financial services; and in 2008, after more than 20 years at Fidelity Investments; he retired and became a full-time volunteer activist devoted to changing the world and making a difference.

He has been passionate about the missions of many organizations and causes – ACLU of Massachusetts, Mass. Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in Dorchester, U.U. Urban Ministry in Roxbury, MassEquality and more. For over 15 years, he has served as a volunteer in lawyer voter protection efforts to protect the rights of students, minorities and elderly to vote in state and federal elections.

But it was Stan’s work with Greater Boston PFLAG for more than 10 years that brought him together with Joan and Bob Parker. They found common ground as parents of LGBTQ children and they soon discovered their mutual passion for creating a safer, more welcoming world for not only their children but for other young people and their families struggling to understand and accept one another.

Joan Parker was truly Stan’s muse – her strategic thinking and mentoring was pivotal as he grew into a seasoned nonprofit leader and fearless fundraiser.

As we strive to keep the legacy of Bob and Joan’s activism and philanthropy alive it is most fitting that Stan Griffith be the first recipient of the Robert B. and Joan H. Parker Compassionate Action Award.

Stan lives with his wife Ann Schauffler in Lexington, MA. He has two children, two stepchildren and three grandchildren.