SA Pride Awards for Parade Participants and Activists

Pride San Antonio presented its Pride Bigger Than Texas Awards to parade participants and community activists on Sunday, July 24 at Club Essence.

The Pride SA Festival and Parade were held on July 2 and attracted thousands from the community to the Main Avenue Strip.

Lauryn Farris (left) winner of the Vela Award with Autumn Summers

This year’s recipient of the Pride SA’s Vela Award is transgender activist Lauryn Farris, who said, “A big thank you to Pride Bigger Than Texas for recognizing me this evening with the Vela award. A really big surprise and honor, and something that touched me deeply.”

The Vela Award, named for Pride SA founder Carlos Vela, is given annually to a community member who is “paving the way and blazing a trail for the San Antonio LGBT community and securing a place at the table for everyone to live their truth regardless of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.”

The Sister Love Summers Award for Volunteerism went to Matthew “Big Daddy” Flores. The award was presented to Flores by Autumn Summers for whom the honor is named.

Awards were given to participants in the annual Pride Bigger Than Texas Parade.

“This was the longest and most diverse parade we’ve ever had,” Pride SA board secretary James Poindexter told Out In SA. “We had more creative entries, more lighted entries, as well as groups with more defined character. We expanded the parade awards this year to recognize some of those aspects.”

Following are awards presented to parade participants.

Walking-Marching Unit
First place: San Antonio Street and Dance Company.
Second place: Diablos Out Sports
Third place: USAA

The Pegasus Bar float. (Photo by Julián P. Ledezma)

Floats & Motorized Vehicles
First place: Pegasus Bar
Second place: Visions by Flavio
Third Place: Austin Pride

Civic Supporters
First place: City Councilman Roberto Carlos Trevino
Second place: County Commissioner Tommy Calvert
Third place: Javier Salazar for Sheriff Campaign