My name is Karina Piu (she/her), Senior Policy and Advocacy Analyst at The Center and the liaison for the Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridget Wilson LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor (VWoH) Advisory Committee. I am excited to invite you to our annual LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor Induction Ceremony on Thursday, November 6, from 6-8pm in The Center’s Auditorium, where we will induct 10 remarkable LGBTQ+ veterans!
The Center will welcome Colonel Bree Fram (she/her) as our keynote speaker at this year’s VWoH ceremony. Colonel Fram is a U.S. military officer, astronautical engineer, author, and transgender rights activist. She has served for 23 years, becoming the highest-ranking transgender officer and the first to achieve the title of colonel in the U.S. armed forces. Fram led the United States Department of the Air Force’s LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team and served as president of the military transgender advocacy nonprofit organization SPARTA Pride from 2021 to 2023. Due to the Trump administration’s trans military ban, Colonel Fram is currently on administrative leave awaiting separation. She will join us to share her powerful story and words of inspiration.
The LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor was founded by City and County Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez (he/him), with the generous support of veterans Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridget Wilson. Since its inception in 2011, we have recognized more than 120 LGBTQ+ veterans with ties to the San Diego region, including many who served under anti-LGBTQ policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT). Some service members who were outed or came out under these harmful policies received an “other than honorable” discharge from the military, rendering them ineligible for crucial benefits and resources.
Despite DADT being repealed in 2011, we are once again seeing a rise in anti-LGBTQ policies in the U.S. military and beyond. Since January 2025, the Trump administration has reinstated its ban on trans individuals in the military, stripping qualified and experienced trans service members of their ability to serve and leaving many of them without access to stable employment, permanent housing, reliable healthcare, and supportive services that were promised to them by the federal government for their military service. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force has denied early retirement options and retirement benefits to trans service members.
As we face renewed political attacks against our community, the LGBT VWoH Induction Ceremony is an essential space where we can come together to combat anti-LGBTQ narratives, celebrate our community, and recognize the courage, service, and dignity of our LGBTQ+ veterans.
This year, we are honored to recognize 10 remarkable individuals who have served our country and the San Diego LGBTQ+ community. Our annual induction ceremony takes place on the Thursday before Veterans Day to uplift our LGBTQ+ veterans. Each honoree is an exemplary community role models, and in recognizing their unwavering dedication, we hope that their courage and bravery continue to inspire future generations to lead and serve with honor.
We welcome our entire community to come celebrate our LGBTQ+ veterans at the 2025 LGBT VWoH Induction Ceremony on the Thursday, November 6, from 6-8pm hat The Center. The program will include performances by the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus and San Diego’s Women’s Chorus, a celebration of military colors, a keynote speech from Colonal Bree Fram, and the announcement of this year’s inductees, along with the recipient of the inaugural Jeri Dilno Continuing Leadership Award. This evening promises to be a celebration of the incredible accomplishments and service of our dedicated LGBTQ+ veterans, as well as an act of visibility, resistance, and community building in the face of discrimination. You can RSVP on our website.
We hope to see you there as we recognize the contributions of our LGBTQ+ Veteran Wall of Honor inductees!
In community,
Karina Piu (she/her)
Senior Policy and Advocacy Analyst
P.S. Apply to the 2026 LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor
The Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridget Wilson LGBT VWoH Advisory Council welcomes nominations throughout the year. Because gathering the necessary documents for the application can be time-consuming, we encourage veterans to apply early so our Advisory Council and Center staff have more time to assist you. This is especially true for nominees who are people of color; 28% of service members discharged under DADT were people of color, yet they are not always proportionately represented in our nominee pool. We are seeking to increase the number of nominees who are people of color in the upcoming year. Our team is ready to help, so please send any inquiries to veteranswall@thecentersd.org and we will share more about the process.