Community Engagement
Community Engagement at The Center uses dynamic, proactive, and responsive strategies to engage the entire San Diego LGBTQ community with a priority to engage those not yet connected to The Center’s services or programs. We do this through representation at various community events, tours of Center facilities, serving as expert panelists, presenters, and trainers throughout the region, hosting Advisory Committees like the LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor Advisory Council and the Black LGBTQ Community Advisory Committee, creating original programming, and so much more. Community Engagement strives to share out about The Center’s services and programs to educate, excite, and bring people into The Center through whatever pathway feels good for them and to provide the services they need so that everyone feels welcomed, valued, and supported. The Center strives to create relationships with clients and community partners that enfold community members into our decision making, advocacy, and initiatives so that The Center is representative of our San Diego LGBTQ community.
If you are interested in partnering with or learning about The Center, please reach out to Director of Community Engagement & Equity, Helen Weldeghiorgis (she/her/hers) at hweldeghiorgis@thecentersd.org
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of The Center’s Community Engagement events and services are virtual. Please reach out to outreach@thecentersd.org or 619.692.2077 x106 for specific information during this time.
WALL OF HONOR
The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s Community Wall of Honor is one of the nation’s only LGBTQ community memorial displays dedicated to honoring and remembering important local LGBTQ community members. Located at The Center’s Centre Street location, The Community Wall of Honor was created in 2004 by Nicole Murray-Ramirez, The Imperial Court de San Diego, and The Center. The Wall recognizes and celebrates those San Diego LGBTQ community members and allies who have had a significant positive impact upon the San Diego LGBTQ community. The Community Wall of Honor is about remembering, honoring, and educating the community about that history. It is a visible and lasting way of reminding our community of those whose efforts have brought us to where we are today.
Venice “Lady Pepper” Price Brooks
Julia Legaspi
Connor Maddocks
Tracie Jada O’Brien
Teresa Oyos
Doug Snyder & Chris Shaw
Maureen Steiner
Andrea Villa
Bill Beck & David Huskey
Scott Carlson
Queen Eddie Conlon
Pat Cluchey
Scott Fulkerson
John Graham
Peggy Heathers
Christine Kehoe & Julie Warren
Susan Jester
Bob Lynn
Al Smithson
Fred Acheson
Larry Baza
Dr. Michael Clark
Phyllis Jackson
George Murphy
Frank Stiriti
Muriel Fisher
Herb King
Patrick McArron
Doug Moore
Maria Plascensia
Ron Umbaugh
Bridget Wilson
Albert Bell
Jim Cua
Jeri Dilno
Darl Edwards
Rev. David Farrell
Cynthia Lawrence-Wallace
Doug Scott
Thomas “Thom” Carey
John Ciaccio
Barbara Crusberg
John Eberly
Don Edmondson
Neil Good
Don Hauck
Tom Homann
Robert “Jess” Jessop
Clint Johnson
Corrine “Martie” Mackey
Gary Rees
Robert “Rob” Shepard
Dr. A. Brad Truax
Robert Walsh
Jerry White
Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridget Wilson LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor
The Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridget Wilson LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor recognizes LGBTQ veterans with ties to San Diego who served under anti-LGBTQ policies, preventing their ability to serve, and serve safety and openly. These veterans have taken the oath to serve our country and have done so honorably, and with distinction, acting as role models in advancing equality. The LGBT Veterans Wall commemorates these veterans’ lives in hopes that their courage, bravery and sacrifices will continue to inspire future generations.
El Bisarra, USN
Barbara Jean Crusberg, USMC (deceased)
Lynn Pender, USN
Jose Rivera III, USN
Tristan Sotomayor, USN
Eugene Burkard, USAF
Lee Lozano-Osier, USN
Jackson Redmond, USA
Gary Wayne Rees, USN (deceased)
Wallace Bruce Shank, Jr., USAF
Ruby Sola, USN
Frank Stiriti, USN
Eva Belanger, USAF
Courtland Hirschi, USMC (deceased)
Alva Smithson, USN
Norman Braxton, USN
James “Clay” Kilpatrick, USMC
Robert G. Wheeler, USAF
Thomas Carpenter, USMC
George Robert Pedrick, USN
Will Williams, USN
James Cassidy, USN
James Seal, USAF
Robert Bettinger, USA
Nic Herrera, USA
John Lockhart, USN
Justin Brent, USA
Zander Keig, USCG
Craig Alan Morgan, USN
Wayne Elias Dietz Jr., USN
Robert John Leyh, USN
Roger Greenseth, USA
Judith Litzenberger, USN
Joanna (Gasca) Sansoterra, USAF
Scott P. Lawry, USN
Allen R. Schindler, Jr, USN
Dennis E. Howard, USN
Edwin O. Lohr, USAF
Jeff Underwood, USN
Arthur J. Kelleher, USN
Sean R. Redmond, USAF
Craig A. Wilgenbusch, USN
William E. Kelly, USAF
Sean M. Sala, USN
Veronica Zerrer, USA
Mitchel Eugene Cantrell, USA
Camille Emily Davidson, USAF
Gordon K. Wahl, USAF
Diane M. “Semo” Cimochowicz, USN
Jackie K. Jackson, USN
Donna F. Walker, USN
Alberto Cortes, USN
Lester Lefkowitz, USA
Phyllis A. Daugherty, USAF
Trent Lozano-Osier, USN
Dennis Michael Fiordaliso, USN
John Carlos Keasler, USA
Thomas Joseph Seguine, USN
Robert Hall “Jess” Jessop, USN
Robert A. Lehman, USMC
Frank Stefano, USN
Donna F. Walker, USN
Alberto Cortés, USN
Lester Lefkowitz, USA
Phyllis A. Daugherty, USAF
Jacque Atkinson, USMC
Ben Gomez, USN
Joseph Christopher Rocha, USN
John Banvard, USAA
Kathleen A. Hansen, USN
Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, USMC
Kristen Beck, USN
April F. Heinze, USN
Evelyn Lynn Thomas, USMC
Stewart Bornhoft, USA
Morgan M. Hurley, USN
Autumn Violet Sandeen, USN
Carlita “Lee” Durand, USAF
Gerard Nadeau, USAA
Shaun A. Flak, USMC
Stephen Peters, USMC
Sean Redmond, USAF (Ret), Advisory Council Co-Chair
Veronica Zerrer, Major, USA (Ret), Advisory Council Co-Chair
Alberto R. Cortés, PN2, USN
Morgan M. Hurley, ITC, USN/USNR (Ret)
Clay Kilpatrick, Sergeant, USMC
Tristan Sotomayor, AM2, USN
Frank Stefano, CDR, USNR (Ret)
THE CENTER STAFF LIAISONS
Rebekah Hook-Held
Chief Public Affairs & Civic Engagement Officer
She, Her, Hers
619.692.2077 x103
rhookheld@thecentersd.org
Helen Weldeghiorgis
Director of Community Engagement & Equity
She, Her, Hers
619.692.2077 x106
hweldeghiorgis@thecentersd.org
Benjamin F. Dillingham, III
Benjamin F. Dillingham, III served as a member of the Marine Corps Association, the United States Armor Association and the Navy League. He was a decorated combat veteran (Vietnam) of the United States Marine Corps, where he attained the rank of Captain and received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and Army Commendation Medal. Among his many community awards, he was named the LGBT Veteran of the Year in 2007. He was a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard University Business School. Dillingham passed away Nov. 16, 2017. Visit the Benjamin F. Dillingham, III Memorial Page on Facebook.
Bridget Wilson
Bridget Wilson is a veteran of the enlisted ranks of the U.S. Army Reserve. She served as a judge advocate with the California State Military Reserve from 1999-2009 and has been a consulting counsel for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network since 1994. Ms. Wilson is a member of American Veterans for Equal Rights, the National Guard Association of California and AmVets. She has taught Military Justice as an adjunct faculty member at Thomas Jefferson School of Law (2007).
NOMINATIONS
To nominate a veteran for the Wall of Honor, view the candidate criteria here.
Applications are now live for nominees of the 2021 induction ceremony. Applications are due Saturday, July 31, 2021. Click here to apply.