Community Spirit
Howard & Patricia Fleischman Spirit Award
Brickroad Coffee
Nestled in the vibrant heart of Tempe, on Rural Road and the U.S. 60, Brick Road Coffee has indeed become the heart and soul of its community. Community is the foundation on which Brick Road Coffee is built, and they demonstrate this commitment in various impactful ways. Since opening in late 2021, co-owners and husbands Gabe Hagen and Jesse Shank have rapidly turned Brick Road Coffee into a beloved neighborhood gathering place. They are immensely proud that their coffee shop has become a sanctuary for many, offering a safe space for displaced and marginalized communities to enjoy their coffee without fear of judgment. By living authentically and encouraging others to do the same, they have created an inclusive environment where everyone can feel at home.
Kirk Baxter Spirit Award
RipplePHX
RipplePHX is a back-to-grass-roots project created for our LGBTQ+ community to address today’s HIV virus through impact-focused splashes of awareness, action, love, and celebrations of sexual expression. RipplePHX’s Team moves throughout the streets each week to empower our friends to create their own ripple by becoming informed, sharing the knowledge, and embracing at least one tool in the greater movement toward sexual health in our community.
Easley’s Spirit Award
Governor Hobbs
Born and raised in Arizona, Governor Hobbs has spent her life exemplifying hard work and public service. After putting herself through college at both NAU and ASU, she began her career as a social worker working with homeless youth and later helped run one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the country. After seeing her fellow Arizonans continue to struggle with little action from the government, Governor Hobbs decided to take matters into her own hands and run for office.
With over a decade of public service, Governor Hobbs sees her role in government as a continuation of her social work. In her first term, she has already moved the needle forward on some of our state’s most critical issues, including housing, water security, and economic development. Governor Hobbs approaches every situation and every challenge with a desire to make people’s lives better and give every Arizonan an opportunity to thrive.
BJ Bud and Mayor Phil Gordon Spirit Award
Marching 4 Vets
Co founders Thomas, a combat medic who knows the cost of carrying pain alone, and his husband Steve built this organization so no Veteran—especially LGBTQ+ Veterans—would ever have to wonder whether they matter. They do. Their service matters. Their identity matters. Their voice matters.
Marching4Vets shows the world that LGBTQ+ Veterans are here—resilient, proud, and deserving of every ounce of dignity and recognition. In every parade, every meeting, every shared moment, one truth echoes through the community with unwavering strength: No Veteran Battles Alone.
John Bircumshaw Spirit Award
Thomas Ballan-Duran
Thomas Ballan-Duran is an Army Veteran, Mental Health Nurse, and Nurse Manager living in Phoenix. He served as a Combat Medic from 2004 to 2013, including a deployment to Afghanistan.
Thomas and his husband, Steve, married on August 18, 2018, and co-founded Marching4Vets in December 2025. The nonprofit supports mental health recovery for LGBTQ+ Veterans and the broader Veteran community through compassionate outreach, community engagement, and safe, affirming social activities.
Linda Hoffman Spirit Award
Ted Kirby
Originally from Detroit, Ted Kirby began his journey as an LGBTQ+ community volunteer over 30 years ago. He spent a decade managing backstage operations for events in Michigan before relocating to Arizona and joining the Phoenix Pride team in 2004. Throughout his long-standing partnership with Phoenix Pride, Ted has been a consistent, vital presence at the annual Pride Festival. Over the years, his dedicated volunteer work has also supported the Rainbows Festival and Phoenix Pride pageants. In 2011, Ted began organizing inclusive LGBTQ+ roller-skating events for community members, allies, and families. In 2013, he established a fundraising partnership with Phoenix Pride, turning these popular community gatherings into dedicated events to benefit the Phoenix Pride Scholarship Fund and Community Foundation. Following the passing of his mother in 2019, who was an unwavering champion of his volunteer work, Phoenix Pride honored her legacy by establishing a scholarship fund in her name.
Danny Becht Spirit Award
Kevin Downs
Kevin Downs began volunteering with Phoenix Pride through Bank of America's community volunteer programs in 2022, stepping in at the last minute to support the Parade Team. What started as a one-time opportunity quickly evolved into a leadership role, and by the following year, he was helping co-manage the Phoenix Pride Parade. Since then, Kevin has served as Parade Manager, dedicating countless volunteer hours to planning and executing one of the largest and most visible celebrations of Pride in Arizona.
His involvement has provided opportunities to connect with diverse individuals and organizations that embody the values of inclusion, visibility, and equality that Pride represents. Kevin considers his volunteer work with Phoenix Pride to be one of the most rewarding experiences of his life and remains committed to helping strengthen and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community for years to come.
Tish Tanner Spirit Award
Rita DeMornay
Rita DeMornay, 27-year-old Indigenous trans woman of the Akimel O’otham Pee’posh (Gila River People) is a Professional Female Impersonator of the Phoenix Valley. She has been performing for 9 years across the state of Arizona. From the beginning of her career, she has had a mission to embrace her Indigenous heritage and showcase the beauty of all Native American people especially the Trans/ Two Spirit community. In 2025 she was nominated for the Dream Catcher Award presented by the Phoenix Indian Center for her lifetime commitment to serving the Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Rita also has taken interest in competing in pageantry/competitions, she is a former Miss Stacys 2024, Miss Desert Rose 2025, 1st alternate to Miss Gay AZ USofA Newcomer, Rising star cycle 4 winner and a Former Miss Phoenix Pride 2025. Rita continues to embrace her “Indigenous Bombshell beauty “all through Arizona and hopes to one day inspire younger generations of all backgrounds to do the same.
Brandon Packer Spirit Award
Heli “AB” Valdez
Heli Valdez, also known as A.B. Valdez, is a community leader, performer, and advocate who has proudly called Arizona home for more than 20 years. Passionate about music from an early age and inspired by a family of singers, Heli has spent more than 15 years performing at community events, festivals, and celebrations throughout the Phoenix Valley. Through music, he brings people together, creates meaningful connections, and celebrates the diversity of his community. Beyond the stage, Heli is dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ community through his work with Ripple Phoenix, a nonprofit organization that provides free HIV prevention, education, and support services.
In 2025, Heli run for the title of Mister Phoenix Pride. Today, Heli remains committed to serving his community & continues to use his voice and his platform to support, uplift, and give back to the community he proudly represents.
Scholarships
Coniqa Herndandez
Coniqa Hernandez is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a social work student at Arizona State University, where she is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Her passion for helping others comes from a deep desire to create spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and empowered to be themselves.
After earning her BSW, Coniqa plans to continue directly into an MSW program with the goal of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and therapist. Receiving the Phoenix Pride Scholarship is deeply meaningful to Coniqa. It represents not only support for her education, but also encouragement to continue turning her passion into a career dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ youth know that they are worthy of support, acceptance, and opportunity.
Erick Tanchez
Erick “E” is a Program Coordinator in Student Life & Leadership and the Multicultural Office at Mesa Community College. E is a first-generation college student, community organizer, and proud Queer Xicano born and raised in Phoenix. His lived experiences have shaped his passion for building inclusive spaces, advocating for equity, and creating opportunities for students and communities to thrive.
His commitment to community, activism, and civic engagement began in high school and has continued through more than a decade of work in higher education and community leadership. Rooted in the values of community, advocacy, and empowerment, E continues to work toward creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and valued. He hopes to continue this work as a future Licensed Clinical Social Worker, supporting individuals and communities through healing, growth, and meaningful change.
Kamryn Smith
Kamrynn Smith is a class of 2024 Valedictorian from Youngker High School. While in High-school, Kamrynn participated in various Varsity sports, such as volleyball and track, the National Honor Society, and various volunteer events while working a job where she got to spend summers with the K-8 graders in her community. Kamrynn is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences with Honors Emphasis at the University of Houston. After obtaining her bachelor’s, Kamrynn aspires to gain her MD/PhD and become a physician-scientist; She wants to focus on researching the root causes of health disparities in underserved communities and populations, like the LGBTQ+ community, and have the opportunity to apply what she learns to the communities that need it most.
Kayla Clancy
Kayla Clancy is a registered nurse in Arizona. She currently works as a Forensic Nurse Examiner in Maricopa County and in the inpatient hospital setting. She has volunteered with non-profit harm reduction organizations like Sonoran Prevention Works and Southwest Recovery Alliance. All these experiences motivated her to pursue further education to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
Nemanja Demic
Nemanja Demic (they/them) is in their final year of the Master of Counseling program at Arizona State University. They are a clinical intern at Find Your Shine, a private practice specializing in trauma, OCD, and anxiety. Before entering the field of counseling, Nemanja served as an elementary school educator and non-profit professional. Across their experiences, Nemanja has worked to uplift queer voices, including cultivating queer children's literature for elementary school libraries, conducting research with trans and nonbinary communities, and training in modifying therapy modalities to serve LGBTQ+ clients better. In their spare time, Nemanja enjoys reading sci-fi and fantasy, cooking Serbian cuisine, and biking throughout the city.
Ona Wang
Ona Wang is an Anthropology PhD student at Arizona State University, researching restorative justice, peacebuilding, conflict, and cooperation. Ona is a restorative justice practitioner and community organizer.
Community Choice Award Recipients
- Cheers to You – Kristian Haben – Pat O’s Bunkhouse
Recognizes a beloved bartender, server, or bar staff member who goes above and beyond to create a welcoming and affirming experience for the LGBTQ+ community. - Beats of the Community – DJ Ghost Effect
Celebrates a DJ who keeps the energy high and the community dancing with inclusive beats and unforgettable vibes. - Star of the Show – Espressa Grande
Honors a local performer—drag or burlesque artist, comedian, musician, etc.—who captivates, uplifts, and represents the spirit of Pride through their craft. - Sing it Loud – Pat O’s Bunkhouse
Shines a spotlight on the best karaoke night or venue where the community finds their voice and sings with pride. - Rainbow Happy Hour – Pat O’s Bunkhouse
Cheers to the most cherished LGBTQ+-friendly spot to unwind, connect, and sip during golden hour. - Brunch Eggs-travaganza – Royale Kitcken + Cocktails
Celebrates the go-to brunch destination serving fierce food, fabulous drinks, and a welcoming vibe. - Cups & Community – Copper Star Coffee
Recognizes a caffeine haven where community members gather, recharge, and feel embraced. - The Art of Pride – The Pemberton Phx
Highlights a venue, event, or experience that enriches Phoenix’s LGBTQ+ community through art, history, or cultural expression. - Paws with Pride – Bark If You’re Dirty – Phoenix
Celebrates a pet-friendly place—park, shop, or groomer—that brings LGBTQ+ pet parents and their fur babies joy. - The Team Spirit – Arizona Gay Rodeo Association
Recognizes a favorite LGBTQ+-inclusive sports team, league, or spectator event that brings community together through fitness and fun. - Community Cravings – Phoenix Coqui
Honors a restaurant that serves up more than just food—it serves love, inclusion, and community with every dish.
