Capital Pride Heroes
The Annual LGBT Celebration for the Washington, DC Metro Area
History. Vision. Legacy.
For more information, e-mail heroes@capitalpride.org.
2008 Capital Pride Heroes
Nominations for Capital Pride Heroes closed April 25.
Each year, as a part of the week-long celebration of Capital Pride, we honor a select group of people from the greater metropolitan area who enhance and support the lives of the local GLBT community by making the world a better place in which to live.
We value all nominations and welcome the opportunity to consider those individuals in your community, organization, or business, or of whom you are simply aware, who, through their dedication, support, and hard work, have improved the lives of members of the local GLBT community.
The 2008 Capital Pride Heroes will be announced here later in May.
2007 Capital Pride Heroes
The Capital Pride Planning Committee today announced six0[OP0 individuals who will be honored next month as Capital Pride Heroes for their extraordinary efforts to bring full equality to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. These heroes will be recognized in the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 9. A list of the 2007 honorees follows:
Sally Baird - Sally Baird became the first out lesbian elected to public office in the history of Virginia when she was elected to the Arlington County School Board in 2006. Prior to running for office, she had formed the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance Family, a group for families within AGLA. She also served on the AGLA board of directors.
Dana Beyer - Over the past six years, Dr. Dana Beyer has gone from being a closeted transgender woman to a leader of the national transgender movement. In 2006, she ran a viable and well-fought campaign to become the first ever openly transgender state legislator in the United States. Although she did not win, she broke down barriers simply through her effort.
Richard Madaleno - The first openly gay man elected to the Maryland state legislature, Rich Madaleno was elected to the House of Delegates in 2002. In 2006, he was elected to the State Senate. Prior to his election to the legislature, Senator Madaleno served on the board of directors of Free State Justice (now Equality Maryland) and played a crucial role in helping to pass Maryland's non-discrimination law.
Darlene Nipper - Darlene Nipper served as Director of the DC Office for GLBT Affairs from 2005-2007, where she became then-Mayor Anthony Williams's main representative to the city's GLBT community. She has also served in a volunteer or consulting capacity for several GLBT organizations, including the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, the Mautner Project and the Women in the Life Foundation.
Kevin Shipman - Kevin Shipman has been a voice of advocacy on GLBT substance abuse in DC government for more than 20 years. As a member of the Mayor's GLBT Advisory Committee, he has been an advisor to three DC mayors on substance abuse issues that affect our community. He also designed and implemented the first GLBT substance abuse treatment continuum funded by a state or local government.
Brian Watson - A very visible and vocal activist, Brian Watson currently serves as the director of programs for Transgender Health Empowerment, an organization that enhances the lives of transgender people in the DC area. He is also the current president of the DC Coalition of LGBT Men and Women, an organization he helped to revitalize in 2005.
Darlene Nipper, Sally Baird, Kevin Shipman, Richard Madaleno, Dana Beyer, and Brian Watson with Capital Pride Director Dave Mallory