San Diego LGBT Pride has named Robert H. Gleason as this year’s Champion of Pride for his devoted involvement in fund-raising, the arts and numerous political activities that focus on the GLBT community’s quest for equal rights. The award is given annually to individuals or couples who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the GLBT community or who have made exceptional contributions over an extended period of time.

Gleason is a founder of the San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council, which helps more than 40 organizations in the GLBT and allied communities advance their goals and services. He is a former chair of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, serving on its board since 2001, and is a board member for the national Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, of which he also serves as secretary and chair of its nominating committee.

On the political level, he has been an active member of GLBT advisory boards for San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy and Congressmember Bob Filner (D-Calif.). In 2008, he received the Spirit of Justice Award from Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego for his fund-raising work on the “No on 8” campaign.

A mover and shaker in the arts scene, Gleason recently rejoined the board of directors of the Old Globe Theatre after previously serving the maximum term. During his prior tenure, he served six years on its executive committee; was vice chair for the theater’s fund-raising efforts for three years; and co-chaired the organization’s record-setting gala in 2006. He is currently a commissioner for San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture and serves as the chair of its advocacy committee.

Gleason lives in Kensington with his husband Marc Matys and their two young children. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in economics from Princeton University and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law. Outside of his vast involvement in arts and community affairs, he works as chief financial officer and general counsel for Evans Hotels, which owns and operates hotels in San Diego, including The Lodge at Torrey Pines and the Bahia and Catamaran resorts on Mission Bay.

The award will be presented at a ceremony on July 13, and Gleason will be celebrated in the annual Pride parade, scheduled for 11 a.m., July 18. Each year, the community nominates individuals and groups for the prestigious Pride awards that are presented in four categories: Individual Community Service; Group or Organization Service to the Community; Champion of Pride; and Friend of the Year.

San Diego LGBT Pride is a community enhancement organization that fosters pride in and respect for all GLBT communities, locally and globally. For 35 years, San Diego Pride has been a tireless advocate for equality and diversity. This year’s Pride celebration theme is: Stonewall 2:0 – Activism for Equality. For information about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, call 619-297-7683 or visit www.sandiegopride.org.

Scouting For All awarded City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez the Scouting For All Fran Crawford Volunteer of the Year Rainbow Award on April 15. The award was presented to Murray-Ramirez at the Imperial Court de San Diego’s general meeting held at The San Diego LGBT Community Center.

Scouting For All is a nonprofit organization made up of scouts, adult leaders and concerned individuals outside of scouting dedicated to ending the discrimination of the Boy Scouts of America towards GLBT youth and adults.

Scouting For All established the Fran Crawford Volunteer of the Year Rainbow Award to recognize the courage, commitment, and compassion of one volunteer, standing against up against the Boy Scouts of America, which denies membership to openly GLBT people. The Award is named after Fran Crawford, the first award recipient, whose life epitomized the organization’s vision on standing up against injustice and embracing diversity.

San Diego Human Dignity Foundation (SDHDF), San Diego’s GLBT Community Foundation, announced the creation of a Book of Life, which will be publicly unveiled at a ceremony during SDHDF’s annual Gala at Anthology on Saturday, May 16.

In the Jewish faith, The Book of Life symbolizes promises from one generation to the next to ensure the strength and vibrancy of the community. Drawing upon their traditions, values and life experiences, signers share their hopes and dreams for the future.

SDHDF seeks to institute this tradition as a powerful expression of our commitment to strengthening our GLBT community over the long term. SDHDF has invited the members of the Legacy Society to sign SDHDF’s Book of Life. (Members join the Legacy Society when they name SDHDF as a beneficiary in their estate plans.) When Legacy Society members submit their personal statements and sign SDHDF’s Book of Life, they are saying, “I believe in San Diego’s GLBT community. I want to perpetuate my commitment beyond my lifetime.”

Each entry in the Legacy Society Book of Life is a personal commitment made by one generation to the next to secure the future of our GLBT community. Entries submitted by SDHDF’s Legacy Society members will appear on SDHDF’s Web site, and each of these statements will be collected in a ceremonial Book of Life that will be unveiled on May 16 as part of SDHDF’s annual Gala celebration. At this Saturday’s, May 16 ceremony, Legacy Society members who are present will be asked to publicly sign the Book of Life. These Book of Life entries will serve as a permanent testimony to each member’s devotion to San Diego’s GLBT community.

Tony Freeman, SDHDF’s executive director, shared his excitement about launching the Book of Life: “We believe SDHDF will be the first GLBT community foundation in history to embrace this Book of Life tradition. Especially in these troubling times, I think the May 16 ceremony will be very moving.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.mylgbtfoundation.org.

A large-scale “Walk for Equality” in San Diego is planned for late April of 2010, to raise awareness and generate action for equal rights on a local, national and global level. The event, which is expected to attract thousands of participants of all ages, races and backgrounds, will benefit San Diego LGBT Pride and a host of other local organizations committed to securing dignity and equal rights for all people.

“San Diego Pride has been a tireless advocate for equality and diversity since 1974,” noted Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride. “We have made profound progress toward social and political equality, although our community is still subject to discrimination, persecution and hostility. The Equality Walk will help us continue that progress by both raising funds for vital community programs, and by increasing our visibility as part of San Diego’s population.”

Funds raised from the massive event will benefit Pride and directly assist other organizations that are committed to the fight for equality. San Diego Pride will select beneficiaries afterwards that focus on a range of human-rights issues such as marriage equality, homophobic bullying in schools and abuse and forced homelessness of GLBT youth.

Two courses will be determined for the walk (5 and 10 kilometers), which will take roughly one to three hours to complete. Participants will not be required to raise a minimum amount of money, “but we will encourage everyone to set a fund-raising goal for equality and do their best to achieve it,” deHarte added.

Walk for Equality will include celebrity guests, musical performances and an Equality Pavilion. Starting this June, walkers can pre-register on the Walk for Equality Web site (www.walk4equality.org) and will receive a T-shirt for participating. In addition, participants will be eligible for several incentive awards.

San Diego LGBT Pride is a nonprofit volunteer-supported human-rights organization. Its mission is to foster pride and respect for GLBT communities locally and globally. In its efforts to raise awareness for civil rights, the organization’s programs include the annual Pride parade, ranking as the largest civic event in San Diego, a two-day festival, plus a rainbow flag-raising program and an upcoming county-wide Equality Torch Relay, scheduled for June 6.

For more information regarding San Diego Pride programs and civil rights activities, call 619-297-7683 or visit www.sandiegopride.org.