California Legislative LGBT Caucus Celebrates Pride Month and Honors Outstanding LGBT Individuals

June 19, 2017

SACRAMENTO — The California Legislative LGBT Caucus celebrated June 2017 as Pride Month with the adoption of House Resolution 41 during Assembly Floor Session and Senate Resolution 46 during Senate Floor Session today. As part of the ceremony, the Caucus honored 10 LGBT individuals and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus in appreciation of their outstanding accomplishments, leadership and activism to help advance equality for the LGBT community. This summer is the 15 year anniversary of the Caucus’s formation and the 48th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which helped launch the LGBT civil rights movement.

“The people we are honoring today have dedicated their lives to achieving equality for the LGBT community,” said Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley), Chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus. “It is an honor to recognize such a remarkable group of advocates whose hard work and determination are an inspiration to us all.”

“This month the California Legislative LGBT Caucus is proud to recognize all of the individuals across our country who have had the courage to come out to their families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We can’t forget that LGBT equality is also about the struggle for human rights for immigrants, women and working people around the world. Today we celebrate LGBT individuals whose fight for tolerance in the workplace and in our community have made our collective lives better,” said Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), Vice-Chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus.

HONOREES:

  • Mikayla Connell, Police Officer at the San Francisco Police Department
  • Robert Gleason, President and Chief Executive Officer of Evans Hotels
  • Roma Pauline Guy, Activist and Founder of San Francisco Women’s Building
  • Joel Flatow, Chief of West Coast Operations and Artist & Industry Relations for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
  • Daniel Jimenez, Activist and Volunteer at the San Joaquin Pride Center
  • Ken Jones, Activist and Member of the  BART Police Department Citizen Review Board
  • Michaela Mendelsohn, Pollo West Corp & Mi Pollo, Inc.
  • Russell Roybal, Deputy Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
  • Brian Reagan, Manager of Pulse Night Club and survivor of Orlando, FL shooting
  • Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California
  • Chris Verdugo and Dr. Tim Seelig on behalf of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus

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About the California Legislative LGBT Caucus: Originally formed in 2002, the Caucus serves as a forum for the California Legislature to discuss issues that affect LGBT Californians and to further the goal of equality and justice for all residents in the State. Comprising both Senators and Assemblymembers, current Caucus members include: Chair Evan Low, Vice Chair Ricardo Lara, Senators Toni G. Atkins, Cathleen Galgiani, and Scott Wiener, and Assemblymembers Susan Talamantes Eggman, Sabrina Cervantes, and Todd Gloria. The Caucus’ formation made California the first state in the country to recognize an official caucus of openly-LGBT state legislators. Website: http://lgbtcaucus.legislature.ca.gov