Assemblyman Pedro Nava, who represents California’s 35th Assembly District, will receive Lambda’s highest honor: the Michael Lonergan Memorial Award. Elected in 2004, Nava has a flawless record of supporting human rights. This year, Nava showed outstanding leadership in authoring HR 16, a resolution which calls on the United States Senate and the President of the United States to approve the Matthew Shepard Act. The Mathew Shepard Act will expand the landmark 1969 United States federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s real or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

The Franklin Cook Memorial Award will be given to Jennifer C. Pizer, Senior counsel with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Los Angeles–based Western Regional Office, and Director of their national Marriage Project. Pizer served as co-counsel in the intensive marriage equality litigation in both Washington State and California, which led to the historic In re Marriage Cases victory in May 2008, and co-counsel in Strauss v. Horton, the LGBT community’s challenge to Proposition 8, the November 2008 ballot measure that was intended to amend California’s Constitution to eliminate same sex couples’ right to marry.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church will be honored with the Rob Kramme Memorial Award for their support of the community. Our two openly LGBT Long Beach City Council members: Gerrie Schipske and Robert Garcia – will be honored with Lambda’s Outstanding Woman and Outstanding Man Awards this year. H. John Barry III, a Founding Board Member of Lambda Democratic Club,will receive the Paul Self Lambda Service Award. Larry Golubski, Event Chair of AIDS Walk Long Beach, will receive the Donald Snow Memorial Award.

This year’s President’s Special Recognition Award will be given to Tom Crowe, a grass roots organizer who conceived of and organized the marches following the passage of Proposition 8.

The Long Beach Lambda Democratic Club started in late 1977 in response to the Briggs Initiative, an anti-gay initiative intended to bar gay and lesbian teachers from the classroom. Over the years, the club’s work in campaigns made its endorsement a sought-after asset as a proponent of human and civil rights for all minorities and an advocate for progressive issues.

The event will be held in the Queen’s Salon aboard the historic Queen Mary. Tickets are $100.00 each or $950 for a ten seat table.

Contact: LBLambdaDems@gmail.com