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May 6, 2009
San Francisco, CA – 6 May 2009 – The San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee announced today that their Board of Directors selected William Beasley as the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal, the event’s top honor, at their May 5 meeting. The Board also selected two Individual Community Grand Marshals at the same meeting. Joe Hawkins of Club Rimshot was the recipient of one of individual honors. Acceptance of the honor by the second individual is still pending as the time of this writing. The Board each year may select up to three Individual Community Grand Marshals and still has the option of selecting an additional Community Grand Marshal prior to June 8 if they so choose. Pride’s Electoral College, which is composed of former Grand Marshals, selected marriage activist couple Molly McKay and Davina Kotulski as their choice for Community Grand Marshal. The Electoral College nominates and selects one Individual Community Grand Marshal each year. Executive Director Lindsey Jones stated, “Our first group of Grand Marshals represent community leaders whose work ranges from the civil rights lunch counter sit-ins of the 1960s to the battle against Proposition 8. These individuals’ contributions are emblematic of this year’s event theme, ‘In Order To Form A More Perfect Union…,’ through the work they have given to improving the quality of life for LGBT people. With the Day of Decision still looming, it is imperative that we honor and celebrate community leaders like our Grand Marshals who have been on the ground, working tirelessly on behalf of the LGBT community.” San Francisco Pride’s Grand Marshals are the public emissaries of Pride. They represent a mix of individuals that have made significant contributions to the LGBT community. With the help of community input, Pride selects these individuals as Grand Marshals in order to honor the work they have put into furthering the causes of LGBT people. Pride’s membership will select one Individual Community Grand Marshal at their May General Planning Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 12. Members of the public are invited to attend and observe. A list of membership meetings for 2009 can be found at sfpride.org. #####
##### For Further Information Please Contact:
Brendan Behan
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