2007 Awardees and Event Coverage

Choosing the Pioneers

In 2007, twenty-eight Community Pioneers join the two surviving pioneers previously recognized. Those recognized this year include one bisexual and one trans person, eleven African-Americans, two Latinos, and eleven women.

All were selected by their peers in the community. This spring, Rainbow History coordinated a nominating process amongst its members, advisory board members, and friends in community. More than 90 living individuals were nominated as pioneers. Those nominated were then put to a vote by the same constituency. Twenty-eight community Pioneers were selected to join Carl Rizzi and Donnell Robinson. Next year the same constituency, including the current Community Pioneers) will select still more men and women to join their ranks.

In the following pages, and in the temporary exhibit at Busboys and Poets, we invite you to meet and honor our Community Pioneers.

Without them, we wouldn’t have a community offering, as Just Us stated in 1975, ”a fuller gay life.”

The 2007 Community Pioneers are:

  • Sheila Alexander-Reid
  • A. Cornelius Baker
  • Christopher Bates
  • Joan E. Biren
  • Barret Brick
  • Earline Budd
  • Carlene Cheatem
  • Rev. Dr. Rainey Cheeks
  • Barbara Chinn
  • James "Juicy" Coleman
  • Dr. Richard DiGioia
  • Mary Farmer
  • Eva Freund
  • Leti Gomez
  • Jim Graham
  • Craig Howell
  • ABilly S. Jones-Hennin
  • Dr. Franklin E. Kameny
  • Paul Kuntzler
  • Patsy Lynch
  • Deacon Maccubbin
  • Ric Mendoza-Gleason
  • Don Michaels
  • Larry Stansbury
What is a "Community Pioneer?"
2007 Awardees and Event Coverage