San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride has announced results from the community nomination process for the 2006 Spirit of Stonewall Awards. This year's awards recognize individuals who contributed significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism and fundraising efforts.

The honorees will be presented their awards at the Spirit of Stonewall Awards Sunset Reception on Monday, July 24, at the W Hotel. Award recipients will also be acknowledged by riding in the Pride parade, which begins at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, July 29.

The 2006 award recipients are:

Champions of Pride (Sandra Usi Ramirez and Chris Shaw)

For the past six years Ramirez has been the lead facilitator for Transgender Group 2000, which meets on Fridays through The Center's Latino Services Program and provides its members vital information about transgender rights and myriad issues facing transgender Latinos who arrive here from other countries.

As a male-to-female transgender and native of Acapulco, Ramirez worked as an information and referral specialist for the former Binational AIDS Advocacy Project in San Diego, where she assisted transgender individuals from other nations seeking political asylum in the U.S. She was honored last year by the local transgender community with the 2005 Transgender Day Empowerment Award and is also a recipient of a community service award from Latino Pride and the Angel Award from Christie's Place for counseling services she provided to HIV clients.

Known for his unflinching support to LGBT political and social causes, Shaw is the proprietor of Hamburger Mary's and Baja Betty's and has given back to the community as much as $75,000 a year to such organizations as The Center, Stepping Stone, Ordinary Miracles and the Human Dignity Fund. He also coordinates the annual Mardi Gras in Hillcrest, which raises funds for the Greater San Diego Business Association's Charitable Foundation for LGBT youth scholarships.

Through his businesses, he has catered food for countless LGBT functions, including local gay rodeos, volunteer appreciation parties and fundraisers. In addition, he recently hosted fundraisers at Hamburger Mary's to provide local LGBT athletes taking part in this year's Gay Games in Chicago with their airfare and lodging costs.

Stonewall Service Award (The Diversionary Theatre and the San Diego County Employees Charitable Organization)

In its 20-year history, the Diversionary Theatre in University Heights has given San Diego theatergoers a rich menu of plays with LGBT themes that portray characters in both the historical and contemporary sense. The venue ranks as the third oldest company producing LGBT stage presentations in the country, and has framed a timeline of milestones and setbacks seen within the LGBT community over the years, with productions addressing everything from the AIDS epidemic and "gay cultural" to religious conflicts and "coming out." To date, it has presented nearly 100 productions in comedy, drama and musicals.

The San Diego County Employees Charitable Organization, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in August, has donated $20 million to non-profit organizations within the county since it was founded. For at least the past 20 years, it has bestowed funds to a number of LGBT organizations such as Mama's Kitchen, Fluff-n-Fold, The Center and Michelle's House in San Marcos, which provides housing for women with HIV/AIDS. The organization's annual donation fund is culled from nearly 4,200 county employees who take part in a payroll deduction program.

Friend of the Year (Bobbi Harwood)

Harwood has remained a cornerstone activist of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) for the past 26 years, having served as president from 2002 to 2006 as well as corresponding secretary, treasurer and membership chairperson. For the past several years she has managed PFLAG's booth at the Pride festival and has appeared at San Diego City Council meetings as a vocal supporter of Scouting for All. She is an active volunteer with Youth Pride, Mama's Kitchen, Monarch School and the Travelers Aid Airport Ambassador Program.

Community Service Awards (Shaun Travers and Ken St. Pierre)

A frontline representative of the bisexual community, and a past board member of Planned Parenthood and the San Diego LGBT Community Center Travers has served as the director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center at the University of California at San Diego since 2001. In addition to serving as an important voice for LGBTQI youth, he is also a frequent trainer and participant of university diversity forums.

For two years in a row, St. Pierre co-organized the dance party, Momentum on the Midway, to raise money for the Service members Legal Defense Network, which provides assistance to active-duty service members being discharged because of their sexual orientation. Ken has been an active opponent of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and a lobbying proponent of a replacement bill now sitting in the House of Representatives. His volunteerism includes serving on the LGBT Community Leadership Council and acting as a Big Brother.

San Diego LGBT Pride produces an annual, all-inclusive public celebration that provides a safe environment for the communities of San Diego. Since 1996 it has donated more than $1 million to various organizations within the LGBT community.

This year's celebration, titled: "Equal Rights! No Turning Back!" is scheduled for July 28-31. It will include a mile-long parade with giant balloons sponsored by businesses and organizations, a two-day festival with multiple performance stages and various arts events and Pride parties in the weeks prior.

For more information about upcoming events or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, call 619-297-7683 or visit the web site at: www.sdpride.org.

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