My name is Ian Johnson (he/him), Senior Director of Development at The Center, and I’m thrilled to share the incredible leaders we will be honoring at our LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch on June 13, 2025!

The Center’s LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch is a celebration of joy, power, and unity as we honor the courageous leaders and allies who are illuminating the path for our LGBTQ+ community. This event is a powerful act of defiance and hope in a time when attempts to dim our light have only made us shine brighter.

Together, we’ll uplift our Luminaries whose courage, vision, and activism remind us that we each have the power to spark change, and when we come together, our community is unstoppable.

Introducing Our 2025 Luminaries

Luminary Hero Award: SPARTA Pride

SPARTA Pride is a dynamic advocacy organization led by and for transgender military service members and veterans.

With courage and foresight, they defend the dignity, honor, and rights of trans service members across the country. Despite renewed efforts from the federal government to strip trans service members of resources, recognition, and careers, SPARTA Pride has stood firm, offering essential peer support and mutual aid and proactively educating military commanders, lawmakers, and the public.

SPARTA Pride not only addresses the gaps left by a failing system, but they courageously innovate from within, risking vulnerability by being unapologetically visible and promoting inclusivity within the military. Having fought during the first trans military ban, they now return to lead again at this critical moment in history. Their resilience and determination in the face of adversity and the risks they take are nothing short of heroic. We are proud to honor their revolutionary spirit.

Luminary Leadership Award: Congresswoman Sara Jacobs

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (she/her) is a true advocate for our community, choosing action over silence, passionately defending LGBTQ+ rights in Congress, supporting transgender service members, fighting against discrimination, and embodying courage. As Vice Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force, she has used her powerful influence to advocate for our community and continues to ignite hope in our fight for equality.

Luminary Catalyst Award: SDG&E

SDG&E and their staff exemplify allyship in action. As an organization, SDG&E leads by example, backing their values with financial support and meaningful action that have lasting impact.

They consistently reaffirm their commitment to inclusion and belonging, create an LGBTQ-affirming workplace, and fund vital LGBTQ+ initiatives. Their dedication to our shared mission has made them a bold corporate influencer, demonstrating how one organization’s LGBTQ-affirming values can set the standard for others to follow, sparking transformational support for our community.

Beyond their corporate influence, SDG&E’s staff actively support LGBTQ+ events and initiatives, from serving on The Center’s Board of Directors to over 60 employees marching in the San Diego Pride Parade last year—many as allies and some as members of our community. This includes the 100+ members of their LGBTQIA+ employee resource group, True Colors. SDG&E and their staff exemplify what it means to be a community ally, bringing visibility and support to the LGBTQ+ community through consistent action and unwavering commitment to their values.

Luminary Icon Award: Sandra Ramirez & Lizbeth Pineda

For 25 years, Sandra Ramirez (she/her/ella) and Lizbeth Pineda (she/her/ella) have been trailblazers in love, advocacy, and empowerment for San Diego’s immigrant transgender community. Through their pioneering grassroots organization, Transgénero 2000, they have established a safe, welcoming, Spanish-speaking space at The Center for trans immigrants navigating both their identities and a new country.

Their network of care and advocacy has been a vital lifeline, offering support groups and assistance with HIV prevention services, political asylum, legal name changes, and healthcare access. These iconic Luminaries exemplify the power of community leadership, demonstrating how they can fuel incredible transformation, fostering new generations of leaders to keep the flame of activism burning brightly.

Be Part of This Historic Celebration

Join us in honoring our brilliant Luminaries at the 2025 LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch. More than just a fundraising event, this is your opportunity to join bold leaders in a movement to ignite our collective power.

Bring your friends, coworkers, family, chosen family, and allies to one of San Diego’s most inspiring National Pride Month events, and directly support The Center’s critical programs and services.

Purchase your tickets at thecentersd.org/lgbtq or email partner@thecentersd.org.

I hope you will meet us in this extraordinary moment to uplift and inspire one another. When we ignite our power together, we fuel a fire that cannot be extinguished

With anticipation,

Ian Johnson (he/him)
Senior Director of Development