#AlwaysOutFront Awards
Annually, the community and our allies come together to celebrate our progress and recognize the accomplishments of those who advance the movement for justice and equality.
The 2023 #AlwaysOutFront Awards were given at our Winter Gala event on February 11, 2023.
#AlwaysOUTFrontAwards 2023 Honorees
RETAIL AWARD
DRUE Salon
TERRY KUSESKE EDUCATION AWARD
The Kalamazoo Promise
DR. CHARLES WARFIELD ADVOCACY AWARD
Demetrius Wolverton
ADVOCACY AWARD
Garrie Smith
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Erin Knott
KALAMAZOO PRIDE AWARD
This year, OutFront’s team wanted an opportunity to award individuals for their commitment to Kalamazoo Pride. Kalamazoo Pride would not happen without the 100s of volunteers who put their heart and soul into this amazing event, which by the way is the second largest pride in Michigan. This year, we awarded two recipients:
KAT CLEVELAND: Without Kathleen Cleveland (better known as Kat) we would not be able to operate the financial side of Kalamazoo PRIDE.
REGAN HANLEY: Few people give more of their time to our local LGBTQ+ community than Regan. In fact, we would be hard-pressed to find an OutFront event that Regan did not attend.
About the Awards
Prior Year Honorees
The way that we honor those who have made significant contributions to the work of LGBTQ+ equality has evolved over the years. As our outreach in the community expanded and our work with allies grew, it became increasingly important to find meaningful ways to recognize and celebrate those who advanced OutFront’s mission.
Our first award was given posthumously in 2009 to former Kalamazoo City Commissioner Terry Kuseske. The number of awards increased along with the scope of OutFront’s community engagement. In recent years, awards were given at OutFront’s Winter Gala - a festive event often held at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic presented an opportunity for us to reimagine our approach and create a new way for the entire community to participate.
The 2022 #AlwaysOutFront Awards ceremony, sponsored by Stryker, was broadcast on Friday, April 8, 2022.
In 2021, the awards were renamed the #AlwaysOutFront Awards as a way to reflect our name and our understanding that to be ‘out front’ means to be honest. To be visible. To lead. There are so many in our community whose quiet leadership and dedication go unnoticed or unacknowledged - but their resilience and perseverance keep the march toward equity and social justice moving forward. By crowdsourcing nominations, these awards have become an honor that is given - not just by an organization - but by the LGBTQ+ and allied communities that we serve and support.
Please reach out to us with any comments or questions.
2023
DRUE Salon
The Kalamazoo Promise
Demetrius Wolverton
Garrie Smith
Erin Knott
2022
Dr. Heather Dannison
Dell Darnell
Jennifer Gruel
John Kreider
2021
Chris Boger
Kaleb Burpee
CoCoMarie
Megan Maddock
Cheri Stolzner
2020
Delta Hotels
Dr. Susan Freeman
The Honorable Bobby Hopewell
Sara Jacobs
Christopher Terkos
2019
Miller Canfield
Kyle Hibbard
Elvira Ruiz
Dr. Codie Stone
2018
River Artz-Iffland
Dr. Cheryl Dickson
Emily Joye McGaughy
State Farm
Dave Watt
2017
Bell’s Brewery
Anna Cushman
Kelly Doyle
Jay Kaplan
Denise Miller
2016
Christine Babcock
Jill Hermann-Wilmarth
Michelle Johnson
Terry Johnston
Marty Marlett
Shannon Sykes
2016
Christine Babcock
Jill Hermann-Wilmarth
Michelle Johnson
Terry Johnston
Marty Marlett
Shannon Sykes
2015
Maggie Adams
Megan Anderson
Amy Hunter
Rev. Ruth Moerdyk
PNC Bank
April Winsborrow
2014
Charley Bowers
Patricia Carlin
David Feaster
Jon Hoadley
Kellogg Pride Alliance
Rev. Beth McLaren
2012
Joe & Nancy Calme
Tammy Collins
Susan Horowitz & Jan Stevenson
Jen Hsu
Nicole Ogrin
Triangle Mentorship Program Mentors
2011
Dr. Cathryn Bailey
John & Lisa Burchett
Metro Nightclub
2011 Pride Steering Committee
2010
Jim Knox
2009
Terry Kuseske (posthumous)