The Sacramento LGBT Community Center’s annual Pride Awards Gala recognizes individuals and organizations whose compassion, generosity and community service create a safer, more welcoming, collaborative, and just community. Award recipients demonstrate their pride through both their work and in the way they live their lives every day.
“The leaders in our community deserve to be celebrated, especially after all the work they continue to provide during these difficult times,” said David Heitstuman, CEO of the Center. “I look forward to presenting their awards Friday evening as part of our virtual Pride Awards Gala.”
Due to the risk of COVID-19, this year’s Pride Awards took place entirely online. The Center utilized its online platform Friday evening to recognize other bold leaders in the community. This year, the Center selected Kevin McAllister, Robynne Rose-Haymer as 2020 Pride Awards recipients, and Charlene Jones and Tim Kamermayer from the Stonewall Foundation of Greater Sacramento.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected to receive the Sacramento LGBT Community Center’s 2020 Pride Award! As a teen, I benefited from the Center’s innovative, supportive, and high-quality services as a participant in the youth group, so I know the incredible impact the Center has on individuals and the community,” said Kevin McAllister, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels. “Thank you so much for this honor!”
Kevin McAllister, a Bay Area native, has developed and managed organizations on the frontlines of serving vulnerable populations for over 20 years. Currently, Kevin is the Executive Director of Meals on Wheels by ACC, which serves more than 2,000 older adults in their homes and at 20 All Seasons Café sites throughout Sacramento County. He has served as the Executive Director of the California Coalition for Youth, which provides critical support to California’s runaway and homeless youth.
As the former Executive Director of Rainbow Community Center, Kevin secured a large grant from the California Office of Emergency Services to start Contra Costa County’s first emergency housing program for LGBTQ youth victims of crime who experienced homelessness. Kevin received his B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University, Sacramento, and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from National University.
“It is with great pleasure that I have been selected to receive the Sacramento LGBT Community Center’s 2020 Pride Award. I am humbled and appreciative of the recognition,” stated Robynne Rose-Haymer, M.A. Ed., Executive Director, Wind Youth Services. “The team at Wind Youth Services is dedicated to helping youth live self-determined lives and it is in no small part due to them that my work is deserving of this honor.”
Robynne’s continuing passion is helping young people obtain the education and skills they need to pursue their goals. Robynne began her career as an ‘on the ground practitioner ‘ working directly with low income families and communities of color on health & well-being and education issues. As a graduate of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program (NELP- Class VI), Robynne took her leadership skills to the next level by strengthening her boardsmanship and program management skills. In 2018 she graduated with a master’s in Organizational Learning and Effectiveness and started the journey for a doctorate at the University of the Pacific.
Of all her accomplishments, her greatest is being a proud parent of three successful children. Her oldest daughter is a graduate of Pepperdine University and Teach for America, her middle daughter is a magna cum laude graduate of Loyola Marymount University, and her youngest child is completing his education with Los Rios Community Colleges.
In Charlene’s decades of activism, Charlene has sought to bring people affected by policy to the table across a range of community and public agencies. With an M.A. in education, she facilitated training early on to bring voices of people with disabilities to policymaking decisions. Involvement in nonprofit programs and boards widened her work as election cycles drew her into various campaigns.
Charlene and Sam Catalano co-founded the Stonewall Foundation of Greater Sacramento to build a pipeline of leadership opportunities for LGBTQ+ young adults, instituting scholarships at CSUS and Los Rios Community College District. Charlene also teamed with filmmaker Dawn Deason – 3D Media Solutions, to capture the far-reaching contributions of LGBTQ+ Sacramentans in the Lavender Library-sponsored history series: Legends of Courage.
Tim is currently serving as the Senior Legislative Affairs Representative for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) – which manages over 80% of the state’s energy consumption. Prior to working on energy, Tim managed and led lobbying efforts at SEIU Local 1000 on issues relating to health care, labor, pensions, state budget, automation, education, and criminal justice. Tim has been fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ community for over a decade.
As a founding Boardmember and Vice Chair for two terms at the Stonewall Foundation of Greater Sacramento, Tim focused on creating new opportunities for LGBTQ youth in Sacramento. The foundation also partners with the Center to fund high school internships through the city’s Thousand Strong Initiative. The Foundation focuses on cultivating leadership through educational partnerships with LGBTQ individuals, educators, government officials, and social justice communities to empower the next wave of LGBTQ leaders.
The night of amazing LGBTQ+ advocates can be watched on YouTube. The Sacramento LGBT Community Center can be supported by making a donation to their emergency fund at saccenter.org/donate.