Bronx Borough President Diaz & Allies Host 5th Annual LGBTQ Awards Ceremony

Continuing with the celebrations for Pride Month, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and allies hosted the Fifth Annual LGBTQ Pride Awards Ceremony this past Wednesday.

Bronx residents and those who work with the LGBTQ community gathered at Billy’s Sports Bar to network and to celebrate the night’s honorees. Executive Director of Sage, Michael Adams, and Executive Director of Bronx Pride, Peter Frank attended. Elected officials who attended were NYS Assemblymembers Luis Sepulveda and Mike Blake, NYC Council member Andy Cohen, and Anthony Perez, Executive Director of the Bronx Democratic County Committee.

Here are the honorees for the Fifth Annual LGBTQ Pride Awards Ceremony:

The John F. Wade Memorial Award was presented to NYC Councilman Danny Dromm. He has served on the NYC Council since 2009 and he chairs the NYC Council education committee. Before that, he was a teacher and a progressive community activist. He is founder of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee and is co-founder of the Queens Chapter of P-Flag as well as the Generation Q Youth Services Program in Astoria.

Marie Spivey received an award for her years of service to the LGBT communities of the Bronx. She a member of both the Rivers of Living Waters NY/NJ and In The Life Ministries, two dynamic and very active LGBT congregations. She is active in the Bronx Unity Democratic Club and is a leader in the Soundview Community Partnership.

Sasha Washington received her award as a transgender performer and activist. She has spent most of her life living in he Bronx who was a homeless when she was younger. Due to her experience, she focuses her advocacy on homeless youth. She volunteers at the gay and lesbian Anti-Violence Program, Housing Works, and Destination Tomorrow. She serves on the Church Council of St. John’s Lutheran Church and organizes the monthly Gospel Diva performances.

The 2015 Rainbow Ribbon Award was presented to Damon Jacobs. This award is presented by the Bronx Borough President in conjunction with the Connect to Protect Bronx Coalition. The award itself is given to recipients who have a history of providing culturally sensitive support to youth in the LGBTQ community in the Bronx. Damon has been working in HIV prevention education since 1991. He personally began using PrEParing in 2011 and his PrEParing for P.L.E.A.S.U.R.E. presentation has been seen throughout New York State.

Dr. Douglas Reich is Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center. He has been a very vocal ally of the transgender community and has worked closely with Kim Watson and Community Kinship Life (CK Life). He has been recognized by the Community Health Worker Network of NYC and was an honoree of the Hispanic Family Services.

Vanessa Victoria is an Ambassador and Founding member of The Transgender Women of Color Collective Collective. She is a member of the Human Rights-Diversity Committee and is part of their Transgender Engagement team. She currently works for the NYC Anti-Violence Project. She is a noted actress, having been in the cast of The Tans Women Theater Troupe, My Skin, and Joe’s Pub which was a very successful play and which was eventually made into a documentary film.

Eric Soto is a long time Bronx LGBT activist and founder of Boogie Down Pride. Over the years he has collaborated very effectively with many elected officials in obtaining funding for programs to better the lives of the Bronx LGBT community.  He has worked with individuals with drug use issues. Boogie Down Pride was founded in 2007 to address issues of homophobia and transphobia. He was one of the early coordinators of the Bronx BP and Allies LGBTQ event.