LAMBDA Human Rights Awards • Long Beach Post News

On Saturday, September 26th, the Long Beach Lambda Democratic Club honored outstanding leaders and members of the community who have demonstrated leadership, vision, and commitment to the mission of ensuring rights for the LGBT community and the community at large.

Mayor Bob Foster welcomed all of the guests to the event, and welcomed Assemblyman Pedro Nava to the City. Lambda’s highest honor, The Michael Lonergan Memorial Award was presented to Assemblyman Nava – who represents California’s 35th Assembly District – for his flawless record of supporting human rights. This year, Nava showed outstanding leadership in authoring HR 16, a resolution which calls on the United States Senate and the President of the United States to approve the Matthew Shepard Act. The Mathew Shepard Act will expand the landmark 1969 United States federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s real or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

Other awardees included: Jennifer C. Pizer, Senior counsel with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Los Angeles–based Western Regional Office, and Director of their national Marriage Project; St. Luke’s Episcopal Church will be honored with the Rob Kramme Memorial Award for their support of the community; The two openly LGBT Long Beach City Council members – Gerrie Schipske and Robert Garcia – were honored with Lambda’s Outstanding Woman and Outstanding Man Awards this year.

Receiving awards for community service : H. John Barry III, a Founding Board Member of Lambda Democratic Club and Larry Golubski, Event Chair of AIDS Walk Long Beach. The President’s Special Recognition Award was presented to Tom Crowe, the organizer of the marches and rallies following the passage of Proposition 8.

All photos by Yvette Marthell

Mayor Bob Foster and Assemblymember Pedro Nava