terms of the discipline that is reflected in community awards. people have done great things, and i want to especially single out someone who has given me a lot of support and a lot of vision for what the city needs, and that is your lifetime achievement community leader you are honoring today with a lifetime achievement award, and that is nearly brown, jr.. thank you for being here. [applause] if i may, in light of all the different organizational and community leaders you are honoring as grand marshals, and a big thanks to the board chair and all the other staff who has worked hard to put on a successful gay pride month of

activities. i also want to call up and willie brown for this certificate of honor for your lifetime worth of achievements. goo[applause] >> you deserve it. >> i spend about an -- i arrived early. it is on characteristic for me to get any place early, but i got here early because someone lied to me, and i went to visit with the mayor. he never said one word about this kind of honor, and i am thankful, and for those of you who have never touched me, i am right up there. [applause]

>> we got one more duty. you and i are going to present. we have done this every week. did you have done this four times more than i have, and that is to declare this to be lgbt and gay pride month in san francisco during good -- in san francisco. where is brandon? come on up. you have the two mayors presenting you this proclamation, as mayors do. [applause] congratulations on all your great work this month. >> thank you all for being

here, so the mayor has talked about what a great celebration this is this week, and i have to say this is one of buckner biggest events, and s me do one of the biggest events, and we have a couple of other celebrations. when we talk about the fabric of the people who have been a part of pride, we have people we would like to honor, so when i call your name, come up so we can honor you as well. i would like to start with the gilbert breaker -- gilbert baker pride award for kohlberg baker -- gilbert baker.

>> you have to stand up here. [applause] >> thank you. i would like to call up fish of christopher, who is a longtime advocate for lgbt community in uganda. , represent him. thank you, reverend. now i would like to bring up aclu representative for northern california, who has long served to protect and expand equal

rights for decades. [applause] and the individual community grown marshall award this evening is going to a versatile artist whose career as a choreographer and producer who began in 1981 right here in san francisco. welcome. [applause] next i would like to call another community grand marshal, who is a director of community outreach here in san francisco.

another community ron marshall, sister romano. \ [applause] she has been 25 years with the sisters. another grand marshal, olga. \ that she is the executive director of the chicana and latino commission. morningstar is a folk artist, a veteran, and community builder. the representative is coming up right here. [applause]

our final community grand marshal, mr. gary virginia. [applause] he is an activist and 25-year hiv survivor who is also one of the co-founders. [applause] >> who did i miss? i got all excited seeing all these people, i forgot brokoke. if you could come join us, brooke oliver. i am like, where is she?

is it, this is you. one moment while we pass these out. sister roma, olga, and morning star. thank you, and our final one, gary. ladies and gentlemen, this is the pride of san francisco. [applause]

mr. brown, they all want a picture with you, too. we do not want you sitting down. if >> thank you so much. this is everyone. for our celebration, we will have a performance by our stand, and i would invite everyone to stay and enjoy the reception i hope to see all of you and now throughout the week as we celebrate san francisco cried. -- san francisco pride. one moment. i am sorry. a brief moment.

>> it ain't over. it just started. we would love to hear frown some of our city officials. supervisors got wiener, please come up. and whac>> happy pride. they we are not done yet. we have some more program. and i just want to acknowledge our amazing imperial court. i just want to say our community is very diverse, and a lot of times we have disagreements, and it can be raucous at times, but

there is one time of year when we all come together in june, because we are one who community, and we have to be there for each other, so we will always do that. happy pride, everyone. >> i would like to welcome the treasurer. >> as the treasury tax collector, we bring in the revenue and that is used for aid funding 2 servers communities. i am proud of the work we do, but i am particularly proud to been an openly gay elected official. have a great pride. >> you represent, and i would like to welcome supervisor david campos. >> let me say that i am very

proud to be here in san francisco, but the thing about the lgbt community is we have to remember it is not just about rights and we are here. we have harvey milk statue you are looking over. he understood we are all connected. we have to fight for the quality of every person but lives in this world. and when it comes to civil rights, it matters to each one of us. by supervisor christina olague. >> i am very proud to be living

in san francisco. i know this year we will focus on global quality, but i think in order to attain those goals we have to try to achieve those goals locally. we have continued to struggle in making sure this city is open to folks from all kinds of economic are from. -- economic background. a lot of people escaped the midwest or even the central valley to get to san francisco for a place where they can treat common and i think it is good we are in a space where we can live openly and honestly. we are not corporate.

we are focusing on keeping seniors here. we have to do everything to make sure our young people can stay here if they choose. have a great week. gardnewright last not least, ple welcome dowan. >> i know i am joined by my colleague in bringing greetings from the u.s. house of representatives. for many years congresswoman pelosi had fought a year after year to fill the funding but was cut for hiv aids to san francisco. this year nearly and the board

of supervisors of to the plate and restore about funding, so thank you to them. i did want to read from her pride statement. during pride month we celebrate how far we have come in the plight or civil rights. we pledge to keep working to assure our nation lives up to the ideal of equality, heritage, and hogape. we passed a hate crime law and made a historic movement in research and prevention. president obama made it a policy to no longer defend the shameful events of marriage at. we have all witnessed history last month when the president of the united states spoke out in

favor of marriage rights for lgbt couples. goowe look forward to the day wn all are treated equally in the eyes of the law, but more must be done. we must keep up the search for the end to discrimination in the workplace, schools, the government, and our lives. we must protect all americans, regardless of sexual orientation. give we work for liberty and progress for lgbt americans and all americans. thank you. happy pride. >> thank you very much. at this white, san francisco pride could not say enough thank you -- at this point, san francisco pride could not say enough for this person. we always want to recognize him.

he is gilbert baker. we would like to thank thehim fr designing the first rainbow flag, and it is an international phenomenon with millions of people everywhere embracing it as the visibility action, and as a recipient of the founders award, he will always be serving as our honorary mistress of ceremonies at this celebration, but gilbert is amazing. congratulations. we would like to honor you. good >> thank you. 1978 was such a wonderful year. we have been gay community center where we made the first rainbow flag, and the gay ban,

and gay koretz, -- chorus, it was a magnificent expression of cultural power. and harvey milk was alive. jimmy carter was in the white house saying human rights are absolute and changing our policies in a war in south america. it was a thrilling time. go all the right messages were happening from all the right people. everything was going great, and we all laugh saying, and reagan will never be president. our work is not done, and it is going to be harder than ever. 1978 was pivotal. willie brown in 1974 was the first person to change the law so we could become citizens and not criminals.

all of that will go away if we do not stand and fight for the liberty, liberation, and freedom and we have. our enemies will fight just to the death, so our work is not done. it is like a rainbow. you cannot see the beginning. you cannot see the end. >> happy pride. then it is a real pleasure and an honor of being here. gwe will be targeting many

communications. the messages peace and safety for everyone. happy pride. thank you. >> we would like to call to the podium the chief. [applause] >> thank you very much. i know it is a little bit of a sad time. he brought the video to me, and then it happened. anti-bullying. it is only right she was honored on the floor by senator leno,

and sunday will be the last parade, and she will leave a legacy and it will carry on. >> i would like to bring to the podium two special folks who will be working hard this weekend making this happen. >> some of you guys already started celebrating. i also want to thank the mayor's office and everyone who made this happen.

we thank you for your help. we appreciate it. also, a special thanks. i also want to express my gratitude to the board members for all their work. please give a hand to all of them, and thank you to our grand marshal. all of your hard work, thank you 3 much. thank you. gooour theme is global equality,

and it is about justice and human rights. i hope you have a happy pride, and many more to come to regard thank you. -- many more to come. thank you. thank you, everybody. trucks lisa and i have the distinct pleasure of recognizing somebody with this award. teddy came in at a time when the organization was in financial ruin. this was in 1987. we imported him from london, and he helped construct a lot of what we enjoy in terms of stability, and many of you also know that two years ago and went through some of the toughest times it has experience to date,

and there was one person who really was fighting with the board and not behind the scenes to make sure that private continued to be viable, to move towards financial stability and to find a solution. this has been an unsung hero in our trials and tribulations of someone we are deeply indebted to for all of her work. many hours spent late nights, and someone who has earned the honor, and that person is with us today, so it is with the pleasure that we present the award for outstanding service to the lgbt pride movement. thank you so much.

>> it is a huge honor. it was really a team effort, and there were many people who were on this team, and thank you very much. thank you are much greater >> thank you. i will turn it over to our hostess of the moment. >> congratulations. i would like you to put your hands together for the lesbian and gay freedom dancband. they have been entertaining us all this year. goowe are going to wrap up. i hope you have a wonderful

evening. i hope his kicks off your pride week. have a great evening, ladies and gentleman here agai.

>> there are kids and families ever were. it is really an extraordinary playground. it has got a little something for everyone. it is aesthetically billion. it is completely accessible. you can see how excited people are for this playground. it is very special. >> on opening day in the brand- new helen diller playground at north park, children can be seen swinging, gliding, swinging, exploring, digging, hanging, jumping, and even making drumming sounds. this major renovation was possible with the generous donation of more than $1.5 million from the mercer fund in honor of san francisco bay area

philanthropist helen diller. together with the clean and safe neighborhood parks fund and the city's general fund. >> 4. 3. 2. 1. [applause] >> the playground is broken into three general areas. one for the preschool set, another for older children, and a sand area designed for kids of all ages. unlike the old playground, the new one is accessible to people with disabilities. this brand-new playground has several unique and exciting features. two slides, including one 45- foot super slide with an elevation change of nearly 30 feet. climbing ropes and walls, including one made of granite. 88 suspension bridge. recycling, traditional swing, plus a therapeutics win for children with disabilities, and even a sand garden with chines and drums.

>> it is a visionary $3.5 million world class playground in the heart of san francisco. this is just really a big, community win and a celebration for us all. >> to learn more about the helen diller playground in dolores park, go to sfrecpark.org.