Title: San Francisco Pride Announces 2021 Community Grand Marshals and Awardees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — 07 May 2021
Author: Astrid Kane

San Francisco Pride Announces 2021 Community Grand Marshals and Awardees

These awardees highlight the organization’s commitment to diversity and resilience.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Board of Directors of San Francisco Pride are thrilled to announce the full slate of 2021 Community Grand Marshals and Awardees, chosen by the organization’s membership, the general public, and by the Board itself.

San Francisco Pride is excited to showcase the years of work and dedication that have made these activists such leaders in the Bay Area’s LGBTQ+ communities. This year’s six honorees — four individual Community Grand Marshals, one organizational Community Grand Marshal, plus an additional recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award — will enjoy a prominent role at this year’s festivities. In a departure from past years, the organization has chosen to break new ground with a series of limited, in-person events throughout the month of June and beyond.

Perhaps most significantly, the pre-show at the previously unveiled SF Pride Movie Night at Oracle Park (Friday and Saturday, June 11-12) will include video tributes to their years of tireless advocacy on behalf of the Bay Area’s LGBTQ+ communities. Additionally, this event strengthens the longstanding ties between San Francisco Pride and Frameline — the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival — as well as with Giants Enterprises.

Second, as announced in March, San Francisco Pride has chosen to forgo a Parade and Celebration on the last weekend of June, as had been typical of every year through 2019. Further, SF Pride opted not to produce a largely online or virtual event similar to 2020’s festivities. However, Pride staff have embarked upon a new initiative (SF Pride 365) designed to bring fresh content to the Bay Area’s LGBTQ+ communities every week. Highlighting the work of various individuals and nonprofit organizations, staff will add to the encomiums of this year’s awardees with in-depth profiles on episodes of SF Pride’s podcast (The Queerness) and in video conversations (Inside Pride).

Third and finally, in keeping with the extension of Pride’s spirit throughout the calendar year, commemorations of National Coming Out Day in October will include an in-person awards ceremony honoring 2021’s Community Grand Marshals and awardees.

“This year is obviously different from all other years, but one crucial feature remains the same, and that is our commitment to celebrating the hard work and achievements of LGBTQ+ people and organizations,” says Fred Lopez, SF Pride’s Executive Director. “Above all, Pride 2021 is by and for locals, and our Grand Marshals reflect this. Our theme this year, chosen by our membership, is ‘All in This Together,’ and this group of incredible activists and leaders embody that spirit perfectly.”

“I’m particularly excited that the public chose ‘The Twins,’ Melonie and Melorra Green, by a margin of several hundred votes,” says Board President Carolyn Wysinger. “We’re working closely with the African American Art & Culture Complex on a Solidarity Rally on the eve of Juneteenth, so it’s only fitting that SF Pride should bestow this honor on two Black women who have made AAACC the powerhouse that it is.”

2021 SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHALS

Public Choice, Individual
Melonie and Melorra Green
Co-Executive Directors of the African American Art & Culture Complex (jointly awarded)

Public Choice, Organization
The Oakland LGBTQ+ Community Center

SF Pride Members’ Choice
Akira Jackson
Executive Director, TAJA’s Coalition

SF Pride Board of Directors’ Choices
Clair Farley
Executive Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives and Senior Advisor to Mayor London Breed

Nicole SantaMaria
Executive Director, El/La Para TransLatinas

SF PRIDE 2021 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Morey Riordan
Founding Director, Transgender Strategy Center

For full bios and headshots, see sfpride.org/grand-marshals

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE
The San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded to produce the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade. The mission of the organization is to educate the world on LGBTQ issues, as well as commemorate the heritage, celebrate the culture, and liberate the people of all LGBTQ communities. A world leader in the Pride movement, San Francisco Pride is also a grant-giving organization through its Community Partners Program. Since 1997, San Francisco Pride has granted over $3 million dollars in proceeds to local nonprofit LGBTQIA organizations and organizations working on issues related to HIV/AIDS, cancer, homelessness, housing rights, and animal welfare. 

About San Francisco Pride

The San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded to produce the SF Pride Celebration and Parade. The mission of the organization is to educate the world on LGBTQ+ issues, as well as commemorate the heritage, celebrate the culture and liberate the people of all LGBTQ+ communities. A world leader in the Pride movement, SF Pride is also a grant-giving organization through its Community Partners Program. Since 1997, SF Pride has granted over $3 million dollars in proceeds to local non-profit LGBTQ+ organizations and organizations working on issues related to HIV/AIDS, cancer, homelessness, housing rights and animal welfare.

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