Greater Palm Springs Pride announced today the recipients of its 2016 Pride Honors Awards. The prestigious Pride Honors are presented annually to individuals in order to recognize their efforts in raising awareness and furthering the causes of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and their allies. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on October 7, 2016, at the Hyatt Palm Springs.
Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to an advocate for women’s studies in higher education and champion of gender equality Dr. Diane Ross, community leader and LGBT rights advocate Randy Lowe, and actor, designer and female impersonator William Perez also known as Bijou. Acknowledged for supporting lesbians in crisis, the 2016 Advocate of the Year is The L Fund and founders Barbara Carpenter, Ruth Debra, Sharon Siegel, and Kate Ullman.
Recognizing that positive accomplishments of young LGBT leaders are vital to the success of the LGBT community as a whole, the Emerging Leaders Award is presented to transgender activist Paulina Angel. Kate Kendall, who has served as leader of the National Center for Lesbian Rights for twenty years and is committed to principles that promote human rights and social justice is the inaugural recipient of The George Zander Social Justice Award.
The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus will be honored as the Organization of the Year, and on the 30th Anniversary of Pride in the Coachella Valley, the former presidents of Palm Springs Pride will be recognized with the Spirit of Pride Award for advancing equality, promoting diversity and celebrating the strength and talent of the LGBT community. Those recognized posthumously include Bob Hoven, president 1986-1987, Dr. Barry Woods, chairman 1988, and Dr. Herb Lazenby, chairman 1989. Recipients include Greg Pettis, chairman 1990-91, Richard Black, president 1993-1996, C.J. Peno, president 1997-1998, James J. Suguitan, president 1999, and Jack Schloeder, president 2000-2010.
The 2016 Friend of Pride Award will be presented to business and community leaders who have stalwartly supported the LGBT community Barbara and Jerry Keller, and community leader and volunteer Jeff Hocker will be recognized with the Spirit of Stonewall Community Service Award. Author of Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son Lori Duron will be the 2016 Spirit of Stonewall Special Guest.
Grand Marshals for the 2016 Pride Parade will be announced in the weeks ahead.
PRIDE HONORS AWARDS October 7, 2016 (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
The prestigious Palm Springs Pride Honors Awards are presented annually to individuals to honor the work they have put into furthering the causes of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and their allies. The awards reception will take place October 7, 2016, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Hyatt Palm Springs located at 285 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. Tickets are available online at http://bit.ly/pshonors15. Proceeds from the reception will support the Pride organization’s efforts to foster Pride in and respect for the region’s LGBT communities.
ABOUT GREATER PALM SPRINGS PRIDE
Greater Palm Springs Pride (www.pspride.org) is a nonprofit community enhancement organization founded to promote the public education and awareness of individual rights and civil liberties of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and to promote the history, diversity and future prosperity of the Greater Palm Springs LGBT community. Palm Springs Pride has been a tireless advocate for equality and diversity since the first Coachella Valley Pride event was held in 1986.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization brings together the skills, talents and vision of our diverse community through its programs which include the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, Pride Honors Awards, OUT PSP a food and drink event, the Pride Parade, Pride Festival, the unique Pet Pride Parade, and the downtown Arenas Rd. Block Party.
For more information about Greater Palm Springs Pride, visit www.pspride.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/palmsprings.pride. The 2016 Palm Springs Pride Week is scheduled for November 1-6, 2016.
