YPAL is excited to announce our 2023 YPAL Award Winners! Meet Anthony Perry. Anthony was nominated by peers for connecting, engaging, and developing in our community and was recognized among more than 265 nominees.
Anthony J. Perry has been a Louisville resident since 2019 committed to the success and development of the metro Louisville area. Anthony is a graduate of the University of Louisville holding a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. Anthony exemplifies a Millennial queer advocate and plays a key role in driving acceptance, change, and the true celebration of diversity and the inclusion of marginalized people (chiefly Native, Black, Asian, and LGBTQ+ people) in our community. Anthony is an Okinawan and Black/African American, non-binary person (he/they) who tells everyone he can’t be misgendered nor offended by the accidental or intentional mis/use of pronouns. Rather than take offense, Anthony extends grace and takes the time to educate others.
Raised in the Black Pentecostal Holiness Church, the child of a pastor, Anthony served in various capacities including minister, auxiliary leader, and praise & worship leader, and had to decolonize their faith and reconcile with traditions and teachings that condemn and reject LGBTQ identities and teach Queer people to internalize self-hatred. He was told to “pray the gay away,” was threatened with exile from the family for his “choices,” and nearly succumbed to suicidal thoughts. Anthony harnessed this experience to grow stronger and become a mental health advocate and is an inspiring beacon of light and love for all in his orbit today.
Anthony joined the Republic Bank family in 2020 and is currently a Compliance Test Analyst and serves as the Communications Chair for the PRIDE Business Resource Group, Republic’s LGBTQ+ affinity group. As part of Republic’s community outreach, Anthony has served as a panelist on Louisville Youth Group’s (LYG’s) “Queer Spirituality” session and has volunteered and raised monies for the Human Rights Campaign, House of Ruth, VOICES of Kentuckiana, LYG, Louisville Pride, the Trevor Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and many more. They have actively supported DEI events with the Louisville Ballet, Louisville Youth Group, the Louisville Pride Foundation, the Beaux Arts Ball, and the Transgender Wellness Summit. Internally, Anthony successfully pushed for our Transgender Inclusive policy, the addition of client pronouns in Salesforce, and associate pronouns in Teams. They oversaw the installment of inclusive bathroom signage throughout the Bank’s footprint and the launch and promotion of our True Name Debit Card partnership with Mastercard.
He has peacefully protested police brutality, the oppression of Black people, the erasure of Queer and Trans people, and the hate towards Asian and Asian Americans and they actively engage our local, state, and federal officials on issues related to Black, Asian, and LGBTQ+ communities. Anthony recently completed YPAL’s Emerging Leaders Program and was recently featured in Louisville Business First’s inaugural Pride edition as one of twenty “People to Know: Pride” celebrating their contributions to the community. Anthony naturally wins others over with their charismatic energy, infectious smile, style, and thoughtful words. In the end, Anthony is an influential and unapologetic leader at Republic Bank and in our community – one who demonstrates a level of transparency and vulnerability not often seen in corporate America, all with the goal of informing others and driving for greater acceptance and equity.
Join us to celebrate Anthony and our 2023 YPAL Award winners on July 26! The 2023 YPAL Awards will be hosted at Louisville Slugger Field on July 26. Thank you to our 2023 YPAL Awards presenting sponsor Deloitte and our host Louisville Bats.
YPAL Members Only: Louisville Economic Development Focus Group
SOLD OUT - Network at Night
