Hilton San Diego Bayfront
One Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
About The LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch
Join us for this extraordinary gathering that brings together fierce leaders, dedicated allies, and changemakers who are lighting the way forward for the LGBTQ+ community.
More than a fundraiser, this is a powerful statement of joy, unity, and pride. Together, we’ll celebrate each other and honor our 2026 Luminaries whose courage and activism inspire us all to speak louder and shine brighter.
Our community is more powerful when we come together, and we can’t wait to see you.
Questions? Email us at partner@thecentersd.org.
2026 Luminaries
Luminary Leadership Award: Fabiola Bagula
As Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, Dr. Fabiola Bagula (she/her) has made belonging and acceptance a non-negotiable value for LGBTQ+ students. She has consistently supported LGBTQ-affirming policies and created a culture of acceptance, while also recognizing that schools play a vital role in connecting youth and families to the care and resources they need to thrive.
The first Latina superintendent of SDUSD and only the third woman in the role, Dr. Bagula leads with empathy, courage, and a deep commitment to inclusion. She understands that strong partnerships between schools and community organizations like The Center help create critical networks of support for youth and families in our region. Through her leadership, advocacy for LGBTQ+ students, and commitment to affirming services, she continues to strengthen the systems of care that uplift our next generation. It is this bold, compassionate leadership that makes her deserving of our Luminary Leadership Award.
Luminary Catalyst Award: Dining Out For Life San Diego Participating Locations
This year marks 20 years of Dining Out For Life® San Diego, a joyful community fundraiser that unites local restaurants, bars, cafés, and diners. For two decades, participating locations have opened their doors to both support The Center’s mission and create welcoming spaces where community members, youth, families, local leaders, business owners, and allies can come together with a shared purpose.
Some locations have been with us from the very beginning, while others joined along the way or participated for the first time this year. No matter how long they have been involved, every participating location has helped foster spaces where people feel connected and part of something larger than themselves.
Our Dining Out For Life® San Diego partners remind us that community is built through our willingness to show up for one another. By bringing people together across neighborhoods and generations, they help strengthen the fabric of our region and create opportunities for belonging. It is this powerful ability to unite our community that has earned these participating locations the Luminary Catalyst Award.
Luminary Icon Award: Toni Atkins
Toni Atkins (she/her) represents the power of advocacy rooted in love for community. As the first out lesbian to serve as both Speaker of the California Assembly and President Pro Tempore of the California Senate, Toni has spent her career fighting for dignity, equality, and protections for LGBTQ+ Californians.
Through landmark legislation supporting transgender and nonbinary people, including the Gender Recognition Act and the Name and Dignity Act, Toni has shown that caring for community means fighting unapologetically for people’s humanity. For her groundbreaking leadership that blazed a trail for others to follow and her profound commitment to uplifting the LGBTQ+ community, we are so proud to honor Toni Atkins as the recipient of the Luminary Icon Award this year.
2026 Sponsors
