EVENT PROGRAM
Cocktail Reception & Awards Presentation
October 26, 2024 | Riviera Resort
Schedule of Events
3:00 pm
Cocktail Reception
4:15 pm
Awards Program Beginss
5:15 pm
Dessert and Reception
Welcome
Dear Friends and Supporters,
I can hardly believe the words as I write them, but they’re the truth: This year, Equality California celebrates 25 years of fighting for a world that is safe, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. What’s more, it fills me with great pride to say that since 2009, I’ve been part of our organization’s journey to becoming the largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization in the nation.
When Equality California was founded, we had no idea that in just a few short years, we would be at the epicenter of one of our time’s great civil rights movements — the fight for marriage equality. While we took on that battle — and eventually won at the highest court in the land — we also continued to build our political and people power, passing the strongest civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ people in the country. With every year that passed, we continued to evolve, taking on all kinds of issues that impact our community, from immigration to gun violence prevention, protecting transgender youth to reducing health and economic disparities, and so much in between.
“While we have much to look back on & acknowledge fondly, we know the most important fights are those still to come.”
While we have much to look back on and acknowledge fondly, we know the most important fights are those still to come. Even with all we’ve achieved over the last quarter century, we’re seeing a disturbing escalation in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, and far-right extremists attempting to roll back our rights at the local level, in state legislatures, in Congress, and in the courts. Rest assured, we’ve got our eye on the challenges ahead; and though they will be myriad, I am confident we will rise to meet them, especially with your support.
This 25th anniversary year is a special one, so we will certainly take the time to reflect, and to honor the legacy we’ve created. The Equality Awards give us an incredible opportunity to recognize the work of community leaders, policymakers, and public figures advocating for the rights our community has fought to earn over generations, while at the same time continuing to raise critical funds for the work ahead..
Here’s to 25 years of remarkable strides, and to continuing the work for full, lived equality for all.
Thank you for being part of our journey for equality.
Until the work is done,
Tony Hoang, He/Him/His Executive Director
Program Update: Safe & Supportive Schools
Dear Friends,
As we celebrate Equality California’s 25th year, I find myself reflecting in particular on what we have accomplished in recent years. One milestone of which I am particularly proud is the upcoming publication of the third Safe and Supportive Schools Report card.
The report card grew out of a vision to make school district policies more transparent, garner insight into the challenges that districts face in creating safe school climates for LGBTQ+ students, and provide concrete tools for LGBTQ+ parents and students advocating to improve the daily experiences of LGBTQ+ students in classrooms and playgrounds across the state.
Since its initial launch, the project has become a critical tool for parent groups, queer student organizations, and teachers’ unions to push back against anti-LGBTQ+ school boards, create plans for working with collaborative administrators, and build awareness about student and teachers’ rights on campus.
“We are dedicated to fostering inclusive and affirming learning environments for all students, especially LGBTQ+ youth.”
This year, alongside the report card’s newest iteration, we are thrilled to announce a newly expanded resource center for educators and rainbow families. The Safe and Supportive Schools Resource Center is a cornerstone of our dedication to fostering inclusive and affirming learning environments for all students, especially LGBTQ+ youth. It serves as a central hub for our Safe and Supportive Schools Report Card, educator resources, and our efforts in combating forced outing and other policies that make schools less safe for LGBTQ+ and all students.
I hope you will take time to visit the resource center at schools.eqca.org, and that you will consider supporting our continued work in this area through your generosity at the LA Equality Awards tonight. You are our partners in the work, and we thank you for your commitment to our organization.
Until the work is done,
Erin Arendse, She/Her, They/Them Program Director
Honoring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi
VANGUARD LEADERSHIP AWARD
Nancy Pelosi served as the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives, having made history in 2007 when she was elected the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. She made history again in January 2019 when she regained her position second-in-line to the presidency – the first person to do so in more than six decades.
Pelosi is the chief architect of generation-defining legislation under two Democratic administrations, including the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan. She led House Democrats for 20 years and previously served as House Democratic Whip. In 2013, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Seneca Falls, the birthplace of the American women’s rights movement. In 2024, she was awarded by President Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Pelosi has represented San Francisco in Congress for 37 years. Currently serving as Speaker Emerita of the House and as the Representative for California’s 11th Congressional District, she is fighting For The People to lower costs, grow paychecks and create jobs.
Under the Biden Administration, Speaker Pelosi led the design and passage of the life-saving American Rescue Plan. This law turned the tide of the pandemic: vaccinating hundreds of millions of Americans, delivering direct assistance to families, creating millions of new jobs, supporting frontline workers and returning children safely to schools. Pelosi engineered passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to strengthen roads, bridges, ports, water
Honoring
systems and broadband access across the country. Under her leadership, the House paved the way for historic laws to lower health care costs and combat the climate crisis with the Inflation Reduction Act and reinvigorate American manufacturing and innovation with the CHIPS and Science Act.
During the Obama presidency, Speaker Pelosi orchestrated passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act: which has guaranteed protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions, forbid insurers from discriminating against women, ended annual and lifetime limits on coverage, and expanded affordable insurance to tens of millions more Americans. Pelosi also delivered the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to rescue the nation from the depths of the financial crisis; the Dodd-Frank reforms to rein in big banks and strengthen consumer protections; and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to restore the ability to fight pay discrimination in court.
A champion on climate, Pelosi has passed key investments in clean energy, conservation and community resilience. A defender of democracy, she has spearheaded House efforts to protect voting rights, to impeach President Trump for violating his oath of office, and to create the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate January 6th. A force for full equality, she has led the fight to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” secure new protections against hate crimes and advance the watershed Equality Act. For decades, Pelosi has been a powerful voice for human rights in China and all around the world.
Additional key accomplishments signed into law during her four terms as Speaker include: landmark gun violence prevention measures; reform of the college financial aid system; expanding health care to eleven million American children; stronger ethics and transparency requirements in government; and more benefits for veterans and caregivers.
Pelosi comes from a strong family tradition of public service in Baltimore. Married to Paul Pelosi, she is a mother of five and grandmother of ten.
Honoring
DAP Health
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD
Since 1984, DAP Health has remained committed to its founding principles based on equitable access to health care. Guided by the voices and needs of the diverse communities it serves, the nonprofit has protected and expanded access to quality programs and services for people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, orientations, and socioeconomic statuses for more than 40 years.
DAP Health’s vision is a world where every person achieves their full potential. Its mission is to provide comprehensive health care and support services where all people are seen, heard, and affirmed. The nonprofit is internationally renowned for its unique, patient-centered, whole-person model of care.
Its nearly 1,000 employees serve more than 85,000 patients at a total of 25 fixed locations and eight mobile units across 240 urban and rural zip codes in Riverside and San Diego counties, from the Coachella Valley to the San Diego coast. The Southern California cities served include Anza, Borrego Springs, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, El Cajon, Escondido,
Indio, La Mesa, Nuevo, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, San Jacinto, Thermal, and Vista.
The medical services DAP Health provides include dentistry, family medicine, gender-affirming care, HIV/AIDS care, infectious disease care, LGBTQ+ care, mental health care, pediatrics, pharmacy services, primary care, radiology, recovery services, sexual wellness services (such as HIV testing, STI testing and treatment, PrEP and PEP, pregnancy testing, and birth control consultations — all free of charge), urgent care, and women’s health, including OB-GYN.
The social service programs DAP Health provides to eligible patients include a total of 141 units of onsite affordable housing (81 units for people with HIV/ AIDS at Vista Sunrise I, and 60 units for unhoused individuals and those suffering from chronic illness at Vista Sunrise II) at its Sunrise campus in Palm Springs, case management, home care, social support groups, employment assistance, food assistance, and transportation assistance.
For more information, please visit daphealth.org.
Mo Heart
DJ Tina Turntables
Special Guests
Senator
Barbara Boxer
Will Rollins
Hon. Geoff Kors
Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis
25th Anniversary & Event Co-Chairs
25 TH ANNIVERSARY STATEWIDE CO-CHAIRS
EVENT CO-CHAIRS
HONORARY CO-CHAIR
California State Controller Malia Cohen
California Senate Pro Tempore Emerita Toni Atkins
Hon. Jeffrey Bernstein
Hon. Barbara Boxer
Darrell L. Tucci
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond
US Senator, California Alex Padilla
Hon. Lisa Middleton
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA
Host Committee
Hon. Ron DeHarte
Hon. Leslie Katz
Hon. Geoff Kors
Hon. Abigail Medina
Hon. James G. Williamson
Carl Baker
Sue Burnside
Jason Chan
Sam & Ashan Leslie
Jacqueline Lopez
Doug Moreland
Drew Murphy
Jeffrey Norman
Christopher Panizzon
Herb K. Schultz
Woody Sides
Colin Wright
Equality California Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Scott Malzahn, President
Cecilia Cabello, Vice President
Drew Murphy, Secretary
Jason Anderson, Treasurer
Jason Chan, Governance Chair
Jane Natoli, PAC Chair
Joe Gregorich, At- Large Member
Hon. Leslie Katz, At-Large Member
Hon. Alex Randolph, At-Large Member
Hon. Bevan Dufty
Hon. Gabriel Quinto
Brenda Lorena Aguirre
Rachel Anderson
Aaron Avery
Carl Baker
Jerry Bloom
Tracey Broadman
Sue Burnside
Francisco Castillo
Jason Daniels
Sue Dunlap
Shirin Etessam
Janessa Goldbeck
Alicia Isaacs-Lee
Mandy Isaacs-Lee
Thomas Li
Adam Ma
Kate Maeder
John Marciano
Alfredo Pedroza
Liliana Perez
Jeff Riles
Yale Scott
Kasey Suffredini
Nancy Sutley
David J. Tsai
Darrell L. Tucci
Shawnda Westly
Equality California Institute Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Juan Camacho, President
Jeff Freitas, Vice President
Rabbi Barbara Zacky, Secretary
Laurie Hasencamp, Treasurer
Katherine Forster, Governance Chair
Mark Gonzalez, At-Large Member
Hon. Dan Arriola
Hon. Jeffrey Bernstein
Hon. Lena Gonzalez
Hon. Dallas Harris
Hon. Rafael Mandelman
Hon. Lisa Middleton
Hon. Stephanie Nguyen
Hon. Steve Padilla
David Ambroz
Robert Armenta
Alberto Bautista
Beth Collins
David Cruz
Ryan Harlow-Nakano
Alberto Nodal
Amy C. Quartarolo
Jirair Ratevosian
Amy Schneider
Laura Zagar
Board of Advisors
Susan McCabe, Co-Chair
Richard Poppen, Co-Chair
Hon. Betsy Butler
Hon. Nora Vargas
Hon. Ahmad Zahra
Daniel Allender
Holly Amaya
Eric Andresen
Eric Armstrong
Rami Bachour
Sapphire Blackwood
Nicholas Bloom
Dr. Diandra Bremond
Daniel Brownstone
Trevor Chandler
Tina Choi
Victor Christy
Randy Clark
Roberta Conroy
Ivan Dominguez
Patrick Driscoll
Emily Dysart
Trevan Fisher
Sandra Fluke
James Frost
Drexel Heard II
Dylan Jacobs
Conor Johnston
Matthew Kaiser
Shreya Key
Billie Lee
Luis Alejandro Liang
Tom Maddox
Jason McCoy
Dharia McGrew
Jesse Melgar
Mark Morales
John Musella
Will Nguyen
Christopher Panizzon
Laura Parra
Margaret Raven
Martha Sanchez
Herb Schultz
Dr. Priya Shah
Woody Sides
Natalie Sofer
Brandon Stansel
Erik Terreri
Stephanie Wade
Chris Wagner
of 10/07/24
Executive Director’s Council & Board President Emeritus
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL
Hon. Ricardo Lara
Hon. Betty Yee
Dolores Huerta
Stuart Milk
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA BOARD PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Cary Davidson
Clarissa Filgioun
Andreas Meyer
Joyce Rowland
Luminaries Council
Hon. José Cisneros
Hon. Joe Dunn
Hon. Geoffrey Kors
Hon. James G. Williamson
Hon. Betty Yee
Diane Abbitt
William E. Adams
Lana Barnett
Dave Baron
Xavier Barrera
Marc Blakeman
Daniel R. Brownstone
Bob Burke
Betsy V. Butler
Pat A. Callahan
Mike Cavalluzzi
Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas
Randall Clark
Michael Colbruno
Josephine C. Cole
Paul A. Curtis
Jim A. DeLaHunt
William F. Delvac
Michael Dunn
John J. Duran
Lara E. Embry PhD
Ellen Evans
Carrie Farrell
Chris Frahm
Mariah T. Hanson
Laurette A. Healey
Rabbi Steven Jacobs
Deanna Johnston
Moez Kaba
Deb Kinney
Kirk P. Kleinschmidt
Ellen LaPointe
Sam Leslie
Lloyd E. Levine
Kathy Levinson
Eve Lubalin
Tom Maddox
Dennis H. Mangers
Marty Martinez
Steve W. Mele
Dr. Martin Mendelson
Phil Mercado
Nicole Murray-Ramirez
Bao Nguyen
Ron Oden
Lester Olmstead-Rose
Nico Opper
Jeff A. Orr
Scott R. Palermo
Philippe Phaneuf
Margret Raven
Rick Rivas
Dave Roberts
Donna Sachet
Richard S. Shaffran
Katherine Spillar
Jessica Stebbins Bina
Erik Terreri
Alan Uphold
Hillary Whittington
Greg Williamborg As of 10/7/24
Leadership Circle & Capitol Club Members
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
NATIONAL TRAILBLAZER
Rabbi Barbara Zacky
STATE INNOVATOR
Roberta Conroy
Frederick Noble
Tom Steyer & Kat Taylor
REGIONAL INFLUENCERS
Rosemary & Peter Casey
Seth Jacobson
Rich Poppen & Eric Lao
Laurie Hasencamp & Mike Lurey
Joyce Rowland
LOCAL LEADERS
Susan McCabe
David Benz
Tom Buttgenbach
Ruthann Chou
Glen Dake
Scott Malzahn & Caesar Herrera
Lori Stanford & Jennifer Hill
Travis Jackson
Herb Schultz & Stuart Leviton
Randy Clark & Tom Maddox
Jacqueline Thomas & DeeAnn McCoy
Andreas Meyer
John Monahan
Danielle Morris
Cary Davidson & Andrew Ogilvie
Dean Pitchford
Dr. Trevan Fischer & Lance Radford
Mark Stuart & Tim Rupe
Laura Zagar
CAPITOL CLUB ADVOCATES
Hon. Alex Randolph
Kevin Tilden & Dr. Philip Diamond
Kathy Levinson & Naomi Fine
Tyler Gregory
Donald Grether
Christopher Heritage
Michaeljohn Horne
Edward Hoffman & Andrew Karas
Mark Morales
Stephen Nathan
Jane Natoli
Beth Schroeder
Darrell Tucci
sempra.com
Southwest Airlines® is dedicated to the LGBTQ community.
At Southwest®, we take pride in our outreach and commitment to the LGBTQ community. We have community partnerships with a variety of local and national organizations who are dedicated to LGBTQ causes and initiatives. Southwest Airlines® congratulates Equality CA on 25 years of incredible impact and the honorees in Los Angeles!
Proud Supporter of Equality California
Proud Supporter of Equality California
TOGETHER, WE HAVE THE POWER TO KEEP THE FUTURE
We are proud to sponsor Equality California’s 2024 Equality Awards
CONGRATULATIONS TO TONIGHT’S HONOREES.
Proud Supporter of Equality California
Proud Supporter of Equality California
Proud Supporter of Equality California
Proud Supporter of Equality California
Proud Supporter of Equality California
Proud Supporter of Equality California
SILVER SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
Event Sponsors
LEADERSHIP SPONSORS
AT&T
Sempra Energy
Southwest,
Official Airline Sponsor
STATEWIDE SPONSORS
California Apartment Association
California Realtors Association
Comcast Edison
Kaiser Permanente
La Crema, Official Wine Sponsor
Reed & Davidson
Sutter Health
Uber, Official Rideshare Partner
United Airlines
25 TH ANNIVERSARY
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Walmart
SILVER SPONSORS
AEG
DAP Health
Desert Care Network
Lynn Greer
Live Nation
Morel Ink
BRONZE SPONSORS
Calpine
City of Palm Springs
Planned Parenthood of the Pacific
Southwest
UDW
Visit Greater Palm Springs
CRYSTAL SPONSORS
Katherine Buckland
Lynn Hammond Andrew Lynsky
EQUALITY DEFENDER SPONSOR
●Assemblymember Greg Wallis
MEDIA SPONSORS
Equality California Staff & Producers
Thank you!
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA STAFF
Tony Hoang, Executive Director
Tom Temprano, Managing Director of External Affairs
Erin Arendse, Programs Director
Theresa Carlisle, Director of Human Resources and Administration
Shay Franco-Clausen, Political Director
Sarah T. Morrow Chwe, Development Director
Valerie Ploumpis, National Policy Director
Craig Pulsipher, Legislative Director
Jorge Reyes Salinas, Communications Director
Stacy Triolo, Chief Financial Officer
Victor “Veejay” Atilano, Associate Program Director
Joel Gemino, Associate Program Director
Jesse Reed, Associate Director of Creative & Marketing
Melissa Stone, Associate Director of Events & Sponsorships
Rick-Arlo Yah Lira, Associate Director of Donor Relations
Wendy Anguiano, Program Manager
Aldo Macias Arellano, Executive Manager and Board Liaison
Beatriz Baez, Program Manager
Michelle Castillo, Administration Manager
Jorge Diaz, Program Manager
Eric Hernandez Barraza, Program Manager
Alexandria Hughes, Grants Manager
Jasmine Pantoja-Vila, Communications Manager
Shane M. Stahl, Communications Manager
Bianca Sy, Events Manager
Samuel Turley, Public & Civic Engagement Manager
Arie Abija, Events Associate
Andrew Giang, Senior Program Associate
Julz Goff, Senior Program Associate
Kiera Kaiser, Senior Program Associate
Kae Hodge, Senior Program Associate
Abby Lawlor, Senior Program Associate
Nicholas Phillips, Grants Associate - Programs
Adrielle Welch-Brooks, Senior Associate of Database Operations
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT PRODUCERS AT:
Equality Awards Venue & Hotel Partners
Equality California’s Membership Programs
Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization. We are California’s only LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working at all levels of government. For 25 years, our mission has been to defend and improve the rights, health, and political representation of LGBTQ+ people in California & across the nation.
Fulfilling this mission would not be possible without the leadership and support we receive from our members. By becoming a member, you can directly impact the lives of countless individuals by fueling our fight for equality.
Equality California offers three core membership programs: our Leadership Circle, Capitol Club, and our planned giving program, the Equality Society. All three of these programs provide foundational support and enable our work from the classroom to congress. Benefits of these membership programs can include:
ɖ Recognition on materials including on our website and Annual Report
ɖ Special members discounts at events across the state including our Equality Awards
ɖ Insider updates via private quarterly Town Halls and newsletters
ɖ Invitations to private events with EQCA leadership and legislators
To learn more about our membership programs, or to join today, please visit www.eqca.org/membership/ or email donorrelations@eqca.org.
2025 Equality Awards Schedule
OUR 2025 EQUALITY
AWARDS*
Sacramento Equality Awards: Early Spring 2025
San Francisco Equality Awards: Spring 2025
San Diego Equality Awards: Friday, May 30, 2025 6-10pm @ Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Silver State Equality Awards: Fall 2025
Los Angeles Equality Awards: Fall 2025
Palm Springs Equality Awards: Fall 2025
*The full series of 2025 Equality Awards will be announced later this year. If you are interested in getting involved with the 2025 Equality Awards Host Committees please contact events@eqca.org.
