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 Randolph 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.
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.
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 Kendell, 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.