The San Diego Democratic Club (SDDC) honored two past SDDC presidents, a congressmember, a journalist, a former executive director and a chamber of commerce for their contributions to fighting for GLBT equality at its annual Freedom Awards at The Art Institute in Balboa Park on Saturday, Aug. 22.

“It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to the 2009 Freedom Awards. Tonight, we celebrate and pay tribute to five individuals and one organization for their contributions to the fight for LGBT equality,” said SDDC President Larry Baza. “Let us be inspired and reinvigorated by [them].”

Andrea Villa, former SDDC president (2007-2008) received the J. Douglas Scott Political Action Award, which is awarded to an SDDC club member who is politically active in the GLBT community and the Democratic Party.

Villa was co-chair of the San Diego “No on 8” campaign in 2008 and has served on the board of the San Diego LGBT Community Center since 2004.

“It is difficult for me to fully express my gratitude. I am deeply honored to be acknowledged by individuals whom I extraordinarily respect,” Villa said. “The work is never easy. The work needs us. The work means our future. I am dedicated to continuing it with all of you.”

The SDDC honored Ashley Walker with the Gloria Steinem Communications Award, which is presented to an individual or organization working to educate the public about GLBT community needs.

Walker was honored for her work as executive director of the San Diego Human Relations Commission (SDHRC), where she has fought for the rights of immigrants, GLBT people and people of color.

City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez accepted the award on Walker’s behalf, since Walker was not able to attend.

The Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA) received the Eleanor Roosevelt Community Service Award, which is presented to an individual or organization that has served the GLBT community through participation in other organizations.

The GSDBA, San Diego’s LGBT community’s supportive chamber of commerce, received the award for its outreach to business chambers and organizations.

“We are deeply honored to receive this award,” said GSDBA Board Chair Jon Borgeson. “We want to especially acknowledge the role that [former GSDBA Chief Executive] Joyce Marieb has played in building this organization and reaching out to so many people in the community.”

Journalist Mark Gabrish Conlan received the R. Steven Pope Volunteerism Award, which is presented to an SDCC member who engages in “outstanding volunteerism” within the GLBT community and the club.

Conlan has reported on SDDC events and issues for decades and has written for publications including Gayzette, Update and Zenger’s Newsmagazine, which he has edited and published since 1994.

Taking a break from reporting on the event, Conlan accepted the award.

This reminds “me of the old adage that says ‘most of life is just showing up.’ And what I’ve been doing is showing up and showing up and showing up,” Conlan said. “This just shows that if you do your job and honor your commitments, you get acknowledged.”

The SDDC awarded Congressmember Bob Filner with the A. Brad Truax Human Rights Award, which is presented to an individual who has made major contributions toward advancement of GLBT rights.

Filner has sponsored several GLBT-focused bills recently, including HR3017, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2009 and S909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

“I remember when this lady here, Toni Atkins, was the acting mayor of San Diego. The second largest city in the county, Chula Vista, had a gay mayor. We have a gay district attorney. This is San Diego?” Filner said. “We’ve come a long way, and the San Diego Democratic Club has led that, and we really have a lot to thank you for.”

Jess Durfee, past SDDC president (2001-2004), received the President’s Award, which is selected by the current SDDC president and honors an individual the president admires.

Durfee has worked on the local, state and national level of the Democratic Party. He has been the chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party since 2004.

“Thank you for this honor. The club has always been my home,” Durfee said. “No matter whatever aspects of the party that I’m involved in, I will always come back to this group for your support and for your assistance.”

Durfee introduced Steve Hildebrand, deputy campaign manager for President Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, as the event’s keynote speaker.

Durfee said Hildebrand was “the guy Obama listens to on gay issues.”

“I want to reassure to you that [Obama’s] not listening enough,” Hildebrand said.

“I believe in him [Obama] from my heart, and I want him to succeed and do great things for this country. But all of us need to put pressure on him and put pressure on Congress to do the right thing,” he said.

Hildebrand said the Democratic Party is failing to bring change to America because of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of about 50 Democratic congressmembers who are conservative leaning.

“The American people put us [the Democrats] in power because we told them that we would get things done,” Hildebrand said. “And they’re going to take it away as fast as they gave it to us because these people are standing in the way of progress.”

Hildebrand also spoke about his work with the Courage Campaign, where he sat on a research panel to create a “roadmap” to marriage equality in California. Part of the roadmap was to determine which year – 2010 or 2012 – would be “winnable” to overturn Proposition 8, the State ban against same-sex marriage, with another ballot referendum. The committee concluded that either year would be doable but recommended 2010.

“This is our moment. This is the time to demand equality. If you lead with confidence, you can win it in 2010,” Hildebrand said. “Do not be afraid of it. And do not put our rights on hold any more.”