The self-sacrificing nature of Sunnie Rose Berger stands as an incredible testimony within the LGBT community of a woman whose shining compassion is a beacon of hope in a sea of fear and darkness.  Constantly giving of her time, her talents and her personal resources, her work to support organizations to support individuals living with HIV and AIDS inspires hope and encouragement for those seeking a happier, healthier and more productive life.  Almost a year before the doors of Shanti L.A. were regrettably closed, Sunnie Rose Berger and Ric Parish co-founded The Life Group LA.

Going as far to raise financial support by mortgaging her own home, their preparations and insight bridged important services to remaining Shanti Clients in addition to having already served more than 800 clients on their own.  Making a new home for positive growth opportunity she is currently serving as Executive Director of The Life Group L.A., she is deeply involved in the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Rodeo Association and developed Saddle Up L.A., the first ever AIDS Benefit Horseback Trail Ride.  Thank you, Sunnie Rose Berger, for the warm-hearted and personal embrace you provide to our community.

Ivy Bottini is a living legend.  Over the past 40 years, her purposeful dedication and activism has greatly contributed to the rights and equality of LGBT individuals across this country.  She was a founder of the first chapter of the National Organization for Women in 1966, led the take-over of the Statue of Liberty in 1970, founded AIDS Network (the first AIDS organization in Los Angeles) and founded the Los Angeles Lesbian/Gay Police Advisory Board. 

She currently serves as co-chair of the City of West Hollywood’s Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board, spearheads work in Partner Abuse, supports the annual Dyke March, lobbies for affordable LGBT senior housing, and continues fighting against Crystal Meth addiction.  Her relentless actions and motivational legacy speak towards the strength, Pride, and empowerment of our LGBT sisters and brothers.  It is only with the valued efforts of community pillars, like Ivy Bottini, that our contemporary culture can attribute the positive growth for our segment of the human rights movement.

Having overcome great personal challenges, Mikel is an individual who continually takes positive action towards building personal happiness in his own life and the lives of others.  With a strong political mind and outstanding personal dedication, he is a highly active member of the community and has been involved in numerous protests such as the AB 101 Marches, the 1993 Million-Man March, and the 2005 Same-Sex Marriage Rally.

Mikel continues to lead others to the call of action through example of his personal participation with multiple AIDS marathons, AID for AIDS, Hot and Dry, named title of “Mr. Oil Can Harry’s Leather 2007”, “Mr. Los Angeles Leather 2007” sponsored by the Los Angeles Leather Coalition and is current training for AIDS Lifecycle.  Above and beyond his outstanding service to the City Manager’s office for the City of West Hollywood, his longstanding and thoughtful efforts truly speak for the betterment of our community actively supported by this very special member who gives from his heart and asks from nothing in return.

Christopher Street West would like to recognize the numerous individuals who have given their passion and soul to this amazing cause.  “The Tweakers Project” is a film depicting real stories from real lives in an effort to motivate real change by bringing this silent addiction out of the closet.  Crystal Meth is a dangerous and life-threatening epidemic with a 90% relapse rate in the first year for those attempting to break from its hold.

The courageous and poignant detail to which this dedicated team captures the stories, testimonies and tragic loss of affected community and family members, is creating a dialogue for education and awareness.  This subject is being brought to the screen with distribution of this film to be provided at no cost to those who desperately need to see it.  No advice, no preaching and no judgement… just a hope that every person touched by Crystal Meth sees a light at the end of the tunnel.  Thank you Jimmy Palmieri, Sue Sexton, Yvette Sotelo and participating individuals for the sacrifice and courage it has taken to make this project a reality! 

Since its inception in 1988, when Duane Bremond and a group of friends gathered to enjoy a day “at the beach” on the 4th of July, “At The Beach” has become the nation’s largest recognized Black LGBT Pride Celebration.  The current festival draws over 20,000 attendees over a weeklong engagement with forty percent joining the festivities from out of state.  ATB is the only event in California to exclusively encourage unity through a pride celebration as a networking forum for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender individuals of African descent to increase awareness in areas such as health, civic, and community empowerment.

While Christopher Street West utilizes Los Angeles LGBT Pride as the largest gathering of the LGBT community in the country they applaud the remarkable efforts and impressive growth of ATB and the support they bring to the community.  Pride is something that brings everyone from everywhere together.  This special community award is presented in recognition of the desire to create a global presence of the Pride community through celebrations of varying levels and participation throughout the world.  Thank you, “At The Beach”, for your vision and important presence in our ever expanding community.

For almost 25 years, AIDS Project Los Angeles has been caring for people infected and families affected by this devastating disease.  They are a longstanding frontrunner providing unique care and services such as founding the APLA Dental Clinic for people with AIDS who were denied services by other dentists, the Necessities of Life Program that distributes more than 12,000 bags of groceries to clients each month.  They also provide other important resources including counseling, drug treatment, medical transportation, home health care, legal, insurance and public benefits issues.

Founding members Nancy Cole Sawaya, Matt Redman, Ervin Munro and Max Drew first gathered to provide a hotline from a single telephone to console an educate a frightened community.  Their efforts for prevention education, influence of public policy, and development of fundraising events has been legendary.  The participants of this legacy uphold an outstanding example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with focus and compassion.  Thank you, APLA, for the tremendous improvement you foster in people’s lives.

Constantly giving of himself, his time and his resources, Loren Ostrow utilizes his greatest gifts to contribute to the development of major community organizations.  He is a leader when called to action or humbly generates support for others in roles of developing leadership.  He is a giving contributor and works towards the entrusted success of diverse organizations like Kol Ami, the largest synagogue in Los Angeles, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Far beyond the actions and services implemented, he is a living example of courageous living.  He developed a successful career in law at a prestigious downtown law firm at a time when his courageous decision to live his professional life, as an openly gay man was groundbreaking.  A valuable soldier amongst the masses armed with personal strength, his noteworthy actions are an example from which others have been encouraged to embrace themselves and to be out in all aspects of their life.

Nancy Pelosi has represented California’s Eighth District in the House of Representatives since 1987 and on January 4, 2007 was elected Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.  She is the first woman to hold that position and ranks second in the line of presidential succession.  Long having been an advocate for human rights, Pelosi has a proven track record for increasing educational opportunity, protecting workers, promoting health care, and focusing on environment-related issues.  Her international efforts have fought to improve China’s human rights record by tying trade to increased human rights standards and supporting efforts to free the people of Tibet.

One of Pelosi’s first legislative victories was the creation of the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program.  She is a strong advocate and leader for LGBT issues and has also worked to accelerate development of an HIV vaccine, release the ban on gays and lesbians in the military, expand access to Medicaid for people living with HIV, increase funding for the Ryan White CARE Act, the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, and other programs vital to people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS.  The global community is truly appreciative of her impeccable integrity and pronounced regard for bettering human conditions.

Any entrepreneur will tell you, there are few things in life more difficult than starting your own business, let alone managing 26 successful years as Bob Tomasino achieved with the famous venue Oil Can Harry’s in Studio City.  To the great benefit of the community, Bob has focused his personal resources and professional energies into supporting the gay community.  He constantly opens the doors of his establishment to countless charities and deserving organizations that greatly benefit from his support.

His personal dedication can be seen through involvement with the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Golden State Gay Rodeo Association and Contestants, The Los Angeles Leather Coalition, Homestead Hospice House, and Tuesdays Child.  He has taken part in everything from walks, rides, and runs benefiting the fight against HIV and AIDS and breast cancer, to disaster relief drives.  Year after year his support for the largest gathering of the LGBT community in Southern California is gratefully appreciated with a beautifully decorated Country Dance Pavilion at the Los Angeles Pride festival.  Thank you, Bob, for the many years of outstanding personal and professional support you have given to the community.

With heartfelt support for issues surrounding the elderly, youth of all ages, transgender individuals, public safety, community involvement, and education, Samuel Borelli truly works to build communities.  Currently serving as the Operations Manager for Caring Companions, his tireless efforts to volunteer include serving on the West Hollywood Public Safety Commission, Transgender Task Force, the Sheriff’s Gay and Lesbian Conference Committee and over 15 years of developing youth empowerment programs such as GLSEN, Project 10, LifeWorks Mentoring, and The Trevor Project, where he was recently elected as Vice Chairman.

It is difficult to put into words how lucky our community is to have the voice and direction of this amazing man.  In the words of West Hollywood Council Member, Abbe Land, “Sam's enthusiastic commitment to serving the community shines through in every aspect of his life… he is an incredibly friendly, good-natured person who always looks for ways to serve.”  He inspires us all to hold our selves to a higher standard of professionalism and deeper personal involvement.  Sam constantly lends a voice to disenfranchised generations and motivates the development of organizations to coexist with the greatest strategic impact on initiating real change for the community and cross partnering between organizations.  The outstanding efforts from people like Samuel Borelli are what bind the coherent progress of our movement with tangible benefits appreciated by a cooperative community.

Introduced to The Leather Lifestyle in 1989, Mistress Cyan is a community leader making a realistic difference in this world.  Within the national BDSM and Leather Community, she is known for her charity, dedication, as well as her skills with whips and a Singletail.  For the last seven years, her annual Thanksgiving and Christmas Slave Auctions have raised thousands of dollars in food, supplies, toys, blankets and cash for the needy.  In 2005, more than 32,000 people were fed as a result of her efforts.

Other fundraising include raising money for AIDS and breast cancer research, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, children’s cancer research, and the Los Angeles Leather Coalition.  She is the founder and organizer of DomCon LA and DomCon Atlanta and the owner/operator of Sanctuary in Los Angeles.  Her meaningful work has extended down to the individual lives on whom she has a positive impact – such as raising burial costs for a woman’s mother who had no insurance, or funds to purchase a prosthetic leg for a woman who lost her leg in an auto accident.  Thank you, Mistress Cyan, for the inclusive charity work and positive difference you make.

Celebrating their Twenty-year Anniversary, Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Task Force (APAIT) is a recognized leader among HIV/AIDS service providers that courageously brings unique programming needs to members of a usually hidden, underserved population in Southern California.  As the largest and most comprehensive Asian and Pacific Islander (API) AIDS Service Organization in Southern California they served approximately 10,000 individuals last year as an innovative leader in the fight against AIDS.

Providing a continuum of health and social services, community leadership and advocacy to the Southern California region, APAIT carries through their mission to positively affect the quality of life for Asians and Pacific Islander living with, or at-risk for HIV/AIDS.  Culturally and linguistically appropriate for API communities they initiate leading examples for prevention and healing by bringing issues to the forefront and breaking down cultural barriers through appropriate public awareness and education.  Efforts to build community support are witnessed in their pioneering efforts to support women’s programming such as the Coalition to Abolish Sexual Trafficking, Asian Pacific Women’s Center, and Women Alive!

Following an illustrious basketball career, including an induction into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, Amaechi was named national spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign’s Coming Out Project.  He is the first NBA sports figure to have “come out” himself in his recent New York Times Best Seller book entitled Man in the Middle.  After retirement from basketball in 2004, his legacy has only continued serving the international community through empowering youth programs with the creation and development of Strategic Elite Performance, International Development through Sports, FIBA Europe Youth Commission, and England Basketball.

In direct accord with Christopher Street West’s support of upcoming generations and uniting LGBT and non-LGBT humanity alike, his work for sociological and psychological development is now exemplified with the brave recognition of his own identity.  He has risen above myriad reactions from athletes and the media as an articulate example of one who can stand up for himself to the benefit of a world-wide community.  Christopher Street West asks the community to join us in welcoming this amazing individual with a consistent reputation for achieving greatness by maximizing personal potential and groundbreaking efforts to promote positive public perception, the actions of John Amaechi exemplify the core mission of CSW to advocate for equality and acceptance by celebrating our diverse community.

Welcome to the gayest of gay ghettoes, West Laguna Beach, a trendy
neighborhood with its own time zone. This is where Rick and Steve make their
fabulously decorated double-income-no-children home. That is until Rick's
lifelong friend, Kirsten, asks him to be the father of her child. The only
catch is, Kirsten's wife, Dana, and Rick's husband are avowed mortal
enemies.  They bicker and bite and cheat and assassinate character and
occasionally attempt manslaughter. But the ugly, bitter truth about domestic
bliss never looked so cute.

Based on the hit short film by Allan Q. Brocka, Rick & Steve features the
voices of Alan Cumming, Margaret Cho, Wilson Cruz, and Peter Paige.

Premieres July 10th.  Only on LOGO.