My name is Jacob Duarte (he/him), Community Organizing and Power Building Specialist at The Center, and I’m excited to invite you to the 2026 Community Wall of Honor Induction Ceremony this Wednesday, September 23, from 6-8pm to celebrate our remarkable honorees!
Since 2004, The Center’s Community Wall of Honor has served as a permanent, visible reminder of the LGBTQ+ community members and allies who helped make San Diego a better place for us all. Founded by San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez (he/him), the Wall honors people who have made a lasting impact through activism, organizing, art, mentorship, caregiving, business, and countless other ways people show up for one another.
This year’s ceremony will take place in our newly improved auditorium, where we have just replaced the well-worn flooring! While new floors may seem like a simple facilities update, this floor carries a much bigger story about our community.
For years, our auditorium has been one of the beating hearts of The Center. It has hosted exercise classes, support groups, celebrations, gatherings, volunteer projects, and holiday meals. It has also served as a staging ground for our monthly food bank distributions, where pallets of food and supplies move through the building and volunteers work for hours to help ensure our neighbors have access to food resources.
That activity took a toll on the floor, but the wear also beautifully reflects many years of people coming together to serve, support, celebrate, organize, and care for one another. The history of our beloved auditorium makes it a fitting place to honor the people whose own dedication has helped build and sustain our LGBTQ+ community for decades.
As we gather to welcome this year’s extraordinary honorees, we are celebrating not only their individual legacies, but the generations of people who have made The Center and San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community what they are today. The auditorium has witnessed so much of that history. It is where our movement comes together, and where community becomes action, connection, and belonging. This week, we are excited that it will also be where we uplift our 2026 honorees, making them part of the rich history of this cherished community space.
You can read about this year’s honorees on our website.
We hope you’ll join us for our 2026 Community Wall of Honor Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, September 23, so we can honor the newest members of our Wall and celebrate the incredible people who have helped shape our shared history!
In community,
Jacob Duarte (he/him)
Community Organizing and Power Building Specialist