SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
2009 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Pride Scholarship Fund
Joshua Judd is currently a 19 year old freshman with a 4.0 GPA at Arizona State University. He is the first generation to attend college in his family. Joshua works part-time as a stage hand at the Tempe Center for the Arts. He is the Co-Director of the ASU LGBTQ Coalition, an Advisory Board Member for genderWHAT?!, and a member of the Anti-Defamation League.
Laine Evans Nelson is a 21 year old theater major at Arizona State University. He has a 4.0 GPA. Laine is in the Men's chorus, and has been involved in ASU's LGBTQ Coalition and the Human Rights Campaign. In 2008, Laine was nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan acting award in the regional American College Theater for his role as the lead in ASU's production of "Don Coyote." While Laine sees himself on Broadway one day he also has aspirations in the fields of education and social work.
Jessica Jarrel is currently enrolled at Paradise Valley Community College and has a 3.0 GPA. Her plan is to transfer to Arizona State University when she is a junior, and ultimately go on to medical school. Jessica is the President/Co-founder of the gay/straight alliance at PVCC and was the President of BCHS STAND UP (Students taking action negating diversity for universal peace).
Terry Tyrone Jones was an honor roll and international bachelorette student at Ironwood High School in Glendale. He is currently the President of the Ironwood Gay-Straight Alliance, a Unitown (promotes diversity, tolerance, and respect) counselor, and a board member of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN). In the fall of 2009, he plans to double major in justice studies and journalism at Arizona State University.
Tayler James McDonald is a 20 year old student at Paradise Valley Community College. He is President of the P.R.I.D.E. (People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality). This year, among other activities, Tayler has participated in GLSEN's National Day of Silence, and the Phoenix Pride Parade committee. By all accounts, Tayler will only be satisfied when there is no longer a need for organizations to fight against GLBTQ discrimination!
Community Scholarship Fund
The fund is designed to allow any individual/organization/business / foundation to create a scholarship based on the goals of that specific individual, organization, business or foundation. The first award under this fund was awarded in January 2009.Outreach Scholarship Fund
Three Outreach Scholarships were awarded in 2009.Two annual scholarships to Consolidated Association of Prides, Inc. (CAPI) and Interpride assist regional / international Prides from regions/countries with less resources to meet with their peers at annual conventions.
The third annual Outreach Scholarship was awarded for the first time in 2009 to a country struggling with basic LGBT rights to attend and speak to our Celebration and participate in the Parade as a Grand Marshal.
Tijuana, Mexico
This was the first year of a newly-created annual tradition by Phoenix Pride to invite Pride representatives from a country struggling with basic LGBT rights to attend and speak to our Celebration attendees and participate in the Parade as a Grand Marshal.
We truly believe that such cross-cultural exchanges will serve to enrich both organizations and our communities, as well as to inspire our common battles for recognition and civil rights.
The first Pride March for human rights by the LGBT community in Tijuana, Mexico was held in 1995. In 2004, an organization named Fondo de Asistencia Para el SIDA A.C. was created to coordinate the LGBT community of Tijuana with the planning and execution of the annual Tijuana Pride March. Since that date, the organization has expanded to assist in the production of annual Pride March events in both Mexicali and Ensenada.
The organization was founded by Lorenzo Herrera in 2004. Lorenzo has been a leader in the activism for the LGBT community in Mexico for nearly 25 years. He has been a spokesperson in Mexico and US about the needs for human rights for the LGBT community of Mexico and his home city of Tijuana.
Lorenzo has partnered with Dr David Oliva Jimenez, a medical professional associate. They have worked together to develop programs to focus the organization on working with the health care industry in Tijuana and other neighboring town and cities to provide health services and testing to the HIV/AIDS community. They have provided over 500,000 condoms to the local gay bars and establishments in the state of Baja California and provided thousand of free tests to the Tijuana gay community.