Mariah Hanson and Judge Vaughn R Walker (Ret) are to receive the Legacy and Vanguard Awards respectively at this year’s 5th Annual Center Stage Gala to be presented by Eisenhower Medical Center, and held on Friday, November 7, 2014, announced Randy Lowe, Chairman of the Board, today.
Hanson, Founder & Producer of The Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, is being honored in recognition of her exceptional work on behalf of creating a lasting impact on LGBT people living in the Coachella Valley, said Lowe. For the past 24 years, Hanson has produced The Dinah, the largest lesbian event in the world and the original version of the modern Dinah Shore Weekend festivities. As a voice to be reckoned with, Hanson has not only turned the event into a life-changing experience for myriads of women who come from all over the world to attend the festivities, but also into a trendsetting hotspot that entertainment industry insiders watch and jockey to book their artist’s performances.
More than just an event promoter extraordinaire, Hanson is first and foremost an avant-garde business entrepreneur who, in the span of two decades, has created an unsurpassed cultural and social phenomenon and built an impressive empire, from a small, one-night event with 1,500 participants to a five day event with some 15,000-plus attendees and major corporate sponsors under her belt.
Judge Vaughn R Walker (Ret) is being honored for his courageous leadership on behalf of LGBT people, said Mike Thompson, Executive Director of The Center. From 1990 to 2011, Walker served as a United States District Judge in northern California.
During his distinguished career, Judge Walker presided over a number of notable lawsuits. These include Apple Computer, Inc. v Microsoft Corporation, involving the copyrights to the graphical user features of the computer desktop; United States v Oracle Corporation, involving the acquisition of PeopleSoft Corporation; In re Terrorist Surveillance Cases, involving federal government wiretapping for national security purposes; and numerous patent, antitrust, securities and other complex business disputes. He is perhaps best known for his ruling on Hollingsworth v. Perry. The case was a federal-constitutional challenge to California Proposition 8, a voter initiative constitutional amendment that eliminated the right of same sex couples to marry, a right which had previously been granted after the California Supreme Court found that Proposition 22 was unconstitutional. On August 4, 2010, Walker ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional “under both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses” and prohibited its enforcement.
Judge Walker was named to the bench by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H W Bush and was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 21, 1989, on unanimous consent; he received his commission on November 27, 1989. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan (1966) and Stanford Law School (1970). After clerking for Judge Robert J Kelleher of the United States District Court in Los Angeles (1971–72), he practiced in San Francisco at Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro, now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.
Center Stage will open with a Reception & Silent Auction at 5:30 PM, followed by a sit-down Dinner and Entertainment at 7 PM, hosted by the quick witted Kate Clinton and concert by the nationally recognized singing string quartet Well-Strung. “This will be a sold-out event,” said Thompson. It’s definitely going to be one of the highlights of the Coachella Valley social season, and a fun kick-off to Palm Springs Pride.”
“We are thrilled to honor these two remarkable individuals, and have such incredible talent come and support The Center,” said Thompson. “The support for this line-up and the work of The Center is overwhelming. We are thrilled to have Eisenhower Medical Center return as our Presenting Sponsor. Eisenhower’s commitment to health and wellness is evidenced in their programmatic partnership with The Center, which launches this Fall with new and expanded offerings. They truly provide healthcare as it should be.”
Martin Massiello, Eisenhower COO, is this year’s Honorary Chair, and Honorary Vice-Chairs are Gary D. Hall, Wells Fargo Senior Vice-President, and David Hood & George Sellers, all of whom are sponsors of the event. Other sponsors as of press time include Palm Springs Pride, Grace Helen Spearman Charitable Foundation, The NestEggg Group, Randy Lowe, Burke Rix Communications, City of Palm Springs, Rivieria Palm Springs, Streetbar, Joe Giarrusso & Charlie Paglia, WBB+McCormack, Desert AIDS Project, Reaction Marketing, O’Kane & McKee LLP, Ginny Peacock & Michelle Madison- HOM Sotheby’s International Realty, LuLu California Bistro, Trick Dog Films, and Family Hospice Care. Media Sponsors include The Standard Magazine, California Woman 411, Coachella Valley Independent, CoachellaValleyNews.com, Desert Daily Guide, Desert Outlook, Gay Desert Guide, Frontiers Media, LIVE Magazine, and Nicholas Snow Live.
For more information or to purchase a ticket, call 760-416-7790 or go to www.thecenterps.org/events/centerstage.
The mission of The Center is to enrich the lives of the LGBT community. A thriving, community-based organization, The Center provides a safe and supportive environment for members to enjoy health, wellness, educational and social programs, where people of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. The Center advances its mission through senior programming, a clinical counseling and internship program, a weekly food bank, youth suicide prevention and support, extensive social and recreational offerings, a David Bohnett cyber center, growing volunteer program and periodic special events in the community.
