More than 150 people gathered at The Center to celebrate this year’s inductees into the LGBT Community Wall of Honor on Aug. 18. This year added seven more to its already large number of community heroes.

“These are the giants we look to for inspiration,” Center board chair Todd Gloria said. “We are celebrating stories.”

San Diego’s LGBT Wall of Honor is the only memorial of its kind. The annual event, founded in 2004 by City Commissioner Nicole M. Ramirez, is a landmark commemorative display that recognizes and celebrates San Diego GLBT community members who have had a significant positive impact on the San Diego GLBT community through leadership and commitment.

“Why am I so passionate about preserving our heroes?” Ramirez asked. “Because of the days when my birthday card stack became ‘our sympathy’ cards.”

Ramirez said the Wall of Honor is about a life of sacrifice and about commemorating the people who paved the way. He maintained that the wall is only the beginning, and the community should continue to fight for the dedication of public works to GLBT heroes as well as funding for the community archives.

“A community that forgets where it came from,” Ramirez said, “really doesn’t know where it’s going.”

Councilmember Toni Atkins and state Senator Christine Kehoe presented this year’s inductees. The first recipient was Muriel Fisher. Fisher can be remembered for her artistic vision as well as her dedication to political community events. She used recycled junk to create amazing pieces of art which represented the empowerment of women and the equality of all. According to her biography, she also performed and created sets for the Beautiful Lesbian Thespians theater group. Fisher remained active in both artistic and political communities until her death last year at age 85.

The second newcomer was R. Herb King. U.S. veteran and MIT graduate, King used his veteran status to battle for the rights of gay and lesbian service members. He was co-founder of the North County Gay Association, a noted Democratic Party fund-raiser and a featured columnist in local GLBT publications until his death in 2001. The Wall of Honor Committee noted that King’s activism was only dwarfed by his spirit and sense of humor.

Maria Plasencia was also welcomed to the wall. Plasencia was active in the women’s movement, the Democratic Party and the GLBT community before her untimely death last year at the age of 46. She was a decorated member of the San Diego Democratic Club and fought for the election of many GLBT candidates.

“She is one of the reasons I am up here today,” Atkins said.

The next inaugurate was Ron Umbaugh. Umbaugh was the owner of the Crypt and several associated companies until his death in 1990. He was active in the San Diego business community and founded the Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA). The GSDBA began as a 21-member group and has now grown to more than 750 members.

Patrick Terence McArron was celebrated for his advocacy inside the GLBT Catholic community. McArron spearheaded the GLBT Catholic reconciliation movement. He has spent three decades educating church leaders and the community about what he says is the equal message within Catholicism.

The story of Doug Moore was introduced to the wall as one of Pride. Moore has dedicated his life to the preservation and continuation of the Pride festival. He is a leader not only here in San Diego but all around the nation, his wall biography says. Moore helped create the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Pride, which later became InterPride, the International Association of LGBT Pride Coordinators.

The final inductee was Bridget Wilson. Wilson is a lawyer and activist for GLBT rights in San Diego and nationally. She marched in some of the earliest Pride parades, was an active Center volunteer and sat on the board of the AIDS Foundation. Wilson uses her legal expertise to create awareness and fight for GLBT rights.