Daniel Hernandez, Armistead Maupin, community leaders among honored

Courtesy of Seattle Out and Proud

Seattle Out & Proud (SO&P), a leading non-profit organization that annually produces and promotes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride events and campaigns in the Greater Seattle area, is pleased to announce the Marshals of the 2011 Seattle Pride Parade.

The parade, one of the largest events by attendance in the Northwest, will take place on Sunday, June 26, starting at 11 a.m., along 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle. This year's theme is 'Be You. Be Proud. Express Yourself!'

Each year SO&P recognizes and honors community members, LGBT allies, groups, and organizations that have positively impacted our community by inviting them to serve as Marshals of our Seattle Pride Parade. Marshals consistently demonstrate commitment to the goals of human rights, equality, tolerance, engagement, empowerment, and a better understanding within the LGBT community of itself and in relation to the non-LGBT community.

SO&P is honored to announce here the Marshals of the 2011 Seattle Pride Parade (in alphabetical order):

George Bakan, editor in chief of Seattle Gay News and legendary Seattle activist. George championed innumerable LGBT causes, from the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' to the passage of an all-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the current fight for marriage equality.

Eric Gauthier, past president and current president emeritus of Seattle Out & Proud (SO&P). Eric has served the Seattle LGBT community for over 10 years and has put in over 14,000 hours of volunteer work. Eric continues to work with SO&P, Serving as an experienced resource for the new leadership of the organization.

GLSEN Washington State. A chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) based in Seattle, this education organization works all across the state of Washington creating safe schools for all LGBT people.

Daniel Hernandez, student at the University of Arizona and an aide to U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords. Daniel is credited for being the first to help and save Rep. Giffords' life after she was shot in January 2011 in Tucson, Arizona. Daniel, who is Gay and Hispanic, has been a model of reason and strength in the middle of heated discussions about immigration and bullying, and has become a particular hero for both groups.

Armistead Maupin, renowned American author and Vietnam veteran. Armistead is best known for his groundbreaking Tales of the City series and other bestselling novels. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Armistead served as a naval officer in the Mediterranean and with the River Patrol Force in Vietnam. He married his husband Christopher Turner in Vancouver, BC, in 2007. Armistead is a Seattle Pride Parade Marshal courtesy of Seattle PrideFest.

Egan Orion, director of Seattle PrideFest at Seattle Center. Egan is a Seattle and Northwest native who has been proudly serving the community by producing some of the largest LGBT events in the country. His company, One Degree Events, also produces an acoustic concert series called GreenNote and some of the most popular flash mobs in the world.

Seattle Storm's Ownership Group. The 2010 Champion Seattle Storm is one of six independently owned teams in the WNBA, the world's preeminent women's professional basketball league. Its ownership group, Force 10 Hoops LLC, is composed of three outstanding Seattle businesswomen and civic leaders (Dawn Trudeau, Lisa Brummel, and Ginny Gilder) who help the Storm play an active role in promoting literacy, health and fitness, support for women and girls, and youth basketball in local communities. For more information about the Marshals, the Seattle Pride Parade, and Seattle Out & Proud, please visit our website at www.seattlepride.org.

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