My name is Jacob Duarte (he/him), the Community Organizing and Power Building Specialist at The Center, and I am honored to announce that we are accepting nominations for our 2026 LGBTQ+ Community Wall of Honor, which are due by July 31.
Since 2004, The Center’s Community Wall of Honor has stood as one of the only displays in the nation dedicated to honoring and remembering important LGBTQ+ community members. Founded by Nicole Murray-Ramirez, the Wall lives at our Main Center on Centre Street as a permanent, visible reminder of the people whose work has uplifted and supported our LGBTQ+ community.
The Wall recognizes San Diego LGBTQ+ community members and allies who have had a significant, positive, and lasting impact on local LGBTQ+ life through activism, organizing, art, mentorship, business, caregiving, or simply showing up for others when it mattered most. It’s not about titles, fame, or résumés. It’s about honoring our history and the people who have shaped our community, so that the people who did the work are never forgotten by the generations who come after them.
In a moment when LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under attack, recognizing our community members is a radical act of resistance and pride. Now is your chance to be part of that history by nominating someone for the Wall!
Every name added to the Wall is a story about an impactful person who built a space where there wasn’t one before. Walking past it is a chance to be reminded that progress has names attached to it, and that San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community exists in its current form because people chose to show up, again and again, to care for their community.
Nominations are open now through July 31, 2026.
Anyone in the community can submit a nomination. The nomination includes a short personal statement about why you’re nominating your nominee, basic information about the nominee, a biography telling their story, and three letters of support from people who can speak to the real, tangible impact they’ve had. More information about the wall and the nomination process are available on The Center’s website.
Submitting a nomination is a simple but powerful act that helps ensure that our history is not only preserved, but told fully and truthfully. It is a way of saying that someone’s contributions mattered, that their legacy deserves to be seen, and that their story belongs as part of our collective narrative.
Is there someone in your life—a friend, an elder, a colleague, a local leader, or an organizer—whose contributions deserve to be remembered? Now is the time to put their name forward.
Your nomination is a special way to honor them and our community’s history, and we can’t wait to review all the incredible nominations!
In community,
Jacob Duarte (he/him)
Community Organizing and Power Building Specialist