The KPBS-Union Bank Local Heroes celebration at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla last week introduced a new cadre of human rights, public service and volunteer superstars to a packed house in the museum’s auditorium, with LGBT individuals well represented among the honorees.
Max Disposti, executive director of the ever-expanding North County LGBTQ Resource Center, was recognized for his work forwarding the causes of equality, health care and mental health for individuals, couples and families in the LGBT community of the greater Oceanside-Camp Pendleton area.
“I’m very honored and privileged to be here,” Disposti said. “I’m humbled by the level of commitment to the community that’s on this stage. We have so much work to do, and being among people who do so much in the overall community is impressive and humbling.”
Disposti said his organization fills a void that had long been tolerated in the North County region.
“There was such a need for a place and for the resources we, with the help of the board and the community in general, now offer for LGBTQ people in our area,” he said. “But there’s still so much more we need to do.”
Given North County LGBTQ Resource Center’s proximity to Camp Pendleton – one of the largest military bases in the country – and the demise of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Disposti feels a special obligation to provide a safe, comfortable and useful place for military members and their families to gather.
“The end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell didn’t open the floodgates of active-duty military into the Center,” he said. “But we’re working to provide more services to servicemembers, such as counseling. We already provide PTSD counseling and more.”
Disposti was honored along with the North County Center’s board chair, who also made the jaunt to La Jolla for the Local Heroes event, which was well attended by some of San Diego’s most illustrious socialites, activists and engaged citizens.
“I’m honored to be part of the KPBS and Union Bank Local Heroes Awards,” said board chair, Carolyn Bolton. “I’m in awe and inspired by the work that this group of people have done. It is very humbling to be a co-honoree with Max and Vinnie (Pompei) and all of the other folks you see on this stage.”
Bolton was one of the members of the North County Coalition who envisioned and helped to make real a brick-and-mortar resource center in the north coast region of San Diego County. She took the opportunity of being interviewed by the media during the event to recognize groups that were not on stage that night.
“I’m really proud of our gay-straight alliances in the schools for making a better place to learn for LGBTQ students,” she said.
Also on the slate of local LGBT heroes, was a name that would be recognizable to just about anyone who’s ever read a news article about anti-bullying campaigns and educational curricula.
“The one word that I can’t get out of my mind tonight is, ‘inspiring,’” said Vincent “Vinnie” Pompei, director of the Youth and Wellbeing Project at the Human Rights Campaign.
Pompei’s past work as chair and project director for the only national educator conference focused on LGBT youth, under the umbrella of the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCaL) at San Diego State University won national acclaim for its trailblazing efforts and inclusion of the White House as a partner. Pompei continues to bring national attention to the needs of LGBTQ youth.
“Sometimes you get a bad headline about yet another school that is not providing equity, inclusion and safety to LGBTQ students,” Pompei told San Diego LGBT Weekly.
“When that happens, it’s easy to be discouraged,” he said. “Then, you come to something like this and you understand … there’s an army out there, an army of great people working hard in many diverse communities to change the headlines to something more positive. I’m honored, humbled and inspired to be among these local heroes tonight.”
