The Wall of Honor induction ceremony at The Center on Friday, June 25, brought out approximately 150 people to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of 16 of San Diego’s longtime GLBT community activists, including several founders of The Center, the first African American Empress of the Imperial Court de San Diego, the founder of Update and the city’s second openly gay city council candidate.

Assemblymember Christine Kehoe, who knew 14 of the 16 individuals being inducted, gave an emotional keynote address after opening remarks from Center Board Chair Robert Gleason and Imperial Court President Linda Childers.

On hand to present medals to surviving family and friends of each honoree were representatives from the San Diego Democratic Club, the Imperial Court, numerous HIV/AIDS and GLBT-outreach organizations as well as politicians including Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Kehoe, the media and other longtime activists.

City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, who developed the idea for the Wall of Honor, was unable to attend. Special thanks went to Murray Ramirez and the other members of the Wall of Honor Committee – Jeri Dilno, Ben Dillingham, Judi Schaim, Shawn Ingram, Delores Jacobs and Sharon Parker – as well as to Dillingham and the Imperial Court for funding the project.