“By recognizing all of our Grand Marshals, Pride is honoring the community leaders and activists who have been in the trenches fighting for LGBT rights,” stated Executive Director Amy André.  “Because their work is ongoing and in light of our fortieth anniversary, we thought it would be a powerful form of recognition to bring back our honorees who have been such an instrumental part of Pride throughout the years.”

San Francisco Pride’s Grand Marshals are the public emissaries of Pride.  They represent a mix of individuals and one organization that have made significant contributions to the LGBT community.  With the help of community input, Pride selects these groups and individuals as Grand Marshals in order to honor the work they have put into furthering the causes of LGBT people.

San Francisco Pride recognizes community leaders and one infamous detractor in the following categories: Individual Community Grand Marshals, Organizational Community Grand Marshal, Celebrity Grand Marshals, and the Pink Brick recipient.

The Pink Brick is an annual 'award' given each year to a person or institution whose actions are deemed to have caused significant harm to the LGBT community.  Each year, the Pride Celebration Committee organizes a Pink Brick Booth at the Celebration on Civic Center Plaza to gather signed statements to be sent to the annual Pink Brick recipient.

The Pride Committee also announced plans to allow community members to nominate and vote for this year’s Organizational Grand Marshal and Pink Brick recipient. 

Nominations for both categories will be made at Pride’s March membership meeting, which will take place on Tuesday, March 9 starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Pride office, located at 1841 Market Street.  The entrance to the office building is located around the corner from the Market Street address at 30 Pearl Street.  Those attending the meeting must arrive prior to 7:15 p.m. to be given access into the building.

The vote on nominees will be made at the April membership meeting, which will take place on Tuesday, April 13 at 7:00 p.m. also at the Pride office.  Membership in the organization is not required to vote for the Organizational Grand Marshal and Pink Brick categories.