Kurt Cunningham, Wilson Cruz to be honored by Human Dignity Foundation

The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation announced Wednesday the honorees of the Richard Geyser Community Leadership Award and the Lincoln Aston Public Service Award. The honorees are Kurt Cunningham (posthumous) and Wilson Cruz. The awards will take place at their upcoming Aston-Brooks Gala on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Cunningham was a community activist who dedicated much of his adult life toward the betterment of the San Diego LGBTQ and HIV communities. Throughout his career, he worked closely with Imperial Court de San Diego, Trevor Project and The Center, with his most recent post being the LGBT Outreach Liaison for Mental Health America (MHA) of San Diego County. In this position, he advocated for mental health sensitivity and workplace/school trainings to create safe spaces for LGBTQ employees and students. Additionally, he had stepped up to the task of co-producing the 2016 Y.E.S. San Diego LGBTQ youth conference, a project supported, through grants and fiscal agency, SDHDF. Nicole Murray Ramirez will accept on behalf of Cunningham.

Cruz has most recently been seen as “Kenji Gomez-Rejon” on FOX television’s ensemble drama, “The Red Band Society,” starring Oscar winner, Octavia Spencer. Early in his career, Cruz won the hearts of audiences playing “Rickie Vasquez” on “My So Called Life.” It was the first openly gay teenager role to air on network primetime television. He has continued to earn fans and critical acclaim on television, film and stage.

“The individuals we will honor at our upcoming event embody the mission of the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation,” said John L. Brown, executive director, SDHDF. “Their work and dedication to equality, tolerance, wellness, well-being and human dignity transcends the LGBTQ communities, striving to bridge understanding throughout San Diego and beyond.”

Each of the awards carries a $5,000 grant from The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation to the LGBT/HIV charity chosen by the award recipient or their designate. The charities selected will be announced at the Aston-Brooks Awards Gala on Nov. 7.

The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation’s second annual fundraiser is a black-tie event where guests will enjoy a hosted cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, cabaret show, live VIP entertainment featuring Andrea McArdle and the awards ceremony. McArdle rocketed to stardom as Broadway’s original “Annie,” for which she was the youngest performer ever nominated for the Tony® Award for Best Actress in a Musical, winning both the Theatre World and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards for her performance.

On Broadway, McArdle originated the roles of “Ashley” in “Starlight Express” and “Margy” in “State Fair” and was seen as “Belle” in “Beauty and the Beast” and as “Fantine” in “Les Miserables.” On tour she starred in “Jerry’s Girls,” “Les Miserables” as “Eponine,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Cabaret” and “Peter Pan.” Andrea has performed in concert halls from Carnegie Hall to the best showrooms in Las Vegas to the MET Opera House and The White House.

Proceeds benefit the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, one of the nation’s largest LGBT Community Foundations benefiting San Diego’s LGBT community for nearly 20 years. To date in 2015, the foundation has given more than $750,000 to 50 organizations and is embarking on an ambitious fundraising initiative to transforming their newly acquired property at 4545 Park Blvd. into the San Diego LGBT Cultural and Performing Arts Center. The venue, which is home to Diversionary Theatre and San Diego Lambda Archives, will build community by offering a variety of programs delivering quality entertainment, educational opportunities and memorable moments that engage and inspire audiences, honor LGBT culture and history, respect diversity, nurture collaboration and drive economic vitality.