Friend of Pride Friend of Pride


The Friend of Pride Award recognizes an individual or couple, who does not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, but who has energetically supported the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.


Melisse Banwer Palm Springs Pride honors Melisse Banwer with the


Friend of Pride Award. Ms. Banwer has served as the


executive director of the Tolerance Education Center (TEC) since its doors opened in May of 2009. She is recognized as a valuable resource to communities impacted by hatred and bigotry. She was named Humanitarian of the Year by Palm Springs Black History Committee in 2015 and she’s a loyal ally providing a voice for the Transgender and Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay communities in Coachella Valley.


Under Branwer’s leadership, the TEC has welcomed and


embraced the LGBT community. The TEC celebrates LGBT Pride month each June, with guest lecturers, LGBT-themed movie screenings, dramatic presentations, and celebrations. LGBT issues are featured prominently in the TEC’s rotating exhibits; notable ones include The Men of the Pink Triangle, The Matthew Shepard Story, and LGBT in America.


Pride means eliminating adjectives once and for all:


You’re not my lesbian friend, you’re my friend. You’re not my gay neighbor, you’re my neighbor. Let’s take pride in who we are as one people and celebrate our


differences together. The TEC has proudly held events for or in partnership


with Equality California, Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Desert Stonewall Democrats, Desert Rose Playhouse, and the LGBT Center of the Desert. The TEC has provided a space for the annual Transgender L.A.T.E. Festival (Live Performance, Art, Transdender, Entertainment), educational events, and fundraising activities for the Transgender community.


Melisse is a southern California native and has called


Palm Springs home for seventeen years. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dogs and spending time with family and friends. She also considers herself somewhat of a food and wine expert (doesn’t everyone?)


WWW.PSPRIDE.ORG • FRIEND US ON FACEBOOK:FACEBOOK.COM/PALM SPRINGS.PRIDE


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