I’d like to extend my sincere congratulations to Gloria Johnson on being selected as the Gay & Lesbian Times “Person of the Year”! I’d also say thank you to the GLT for acknowledging a person in our community that has contributed for many decades to numerous causes and civil rights issues.

I recall when I first met Gloria Johnson back in about 1987. I was still relatively new to San Diego and a young clinic manager for Womancare Clinic in Hillcrest. Gloria had already served as the San Diego Democratic Club’s President—in the second year of the Club’s 34 year history. She’d already worked hard on the campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment in California in the late seventies and early 80’s. She’d been President of the San Diego County Chapter of NOW for a few years and then had been Co-Chair along with Benita Berkson, and even today continues her active role with NOW, serving as the Vice President of Political Action of California NOW. She has been the Chair of the California Democratic Party LGBT Caucus. Gloria has been a delegate to Democratic Conventions, State Conventions and she’s worked on numerous campaigns including Dede Alpert, Christine Kehoe and Donna Frye, as well as candidates most of us might only recall from recent history books.

Gloria had participated in the Coalition for Reproductive Choice (CRC) rallies, dinners, and forums and still attends the dinners annually in support of the “Make a Difference Fund” to support low-income women who need abortion services (including those women who actively serve in our military for our Country but are denied coverage for abortion care).

I recall the years of the “Take Back the Night” rallies in support of women victims of rape where we took the message citywide and onto some college campuses. And, of course, Gloria was on hand when The Center and Womancare Clinic undertook to do the first Lesbian Health Clinic as part of the Pride Festival in 1991-93. She’d pushed to have safe sex information and education as part of the NOW Conference in San Diego a few years prior. I’d add here that all of these activities were just her VOLUNTEER efforts. Gloria had a long and successful career at the County as a social worker.

Gloria is a nationally-recognized activist; in fact, she made the Advocate’s top 400 U.S. gay leaders in 1984. When the foremothers of feminism and lesbian rights come to town – Gloria Steinem, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, and quite a few notable others – you wouldn’t be surprised to see them having lunch with Gloria ahead of whatever they were scheduled to do in San Diego. Gloria has certainly been central in my learning and becoming a community activist and leader in San Diego for the last 20 years and no doubt has played that role for many other women of all ages in our community. Due to Gloria’s leadership, work and commitment to equality and social justice, Gloria has been installed on the Wall of Honor at our own LGBT Community Center.

Gloria, I’m grateful to you for your mentorship and your willingness to do the hard work these past many decades. I’m proud to call you my friend! Congratulations!