I was deeply honoured to be the inaugural recipient of the PRIDE Legacy
Award, given in the PINK Category: Sexuality (Sexual Health + HIV/AIDS Awareness), 2013. This evening it gives me great pleasure to present this award to one of our distinguished finalists.
The 3rd annual PRIDE Legacy Awards is a night to celebrate the legacy of
activism and volunteerism, which has shaped Vancouver’s LGBTQ2+
community. This award recognizes an individual whose work has promoted
sexual health.
This award continues to serve as a positive affirmation of my work. It is
gratifying to be recognized by the LGBTQ2+ community. I have lived
infected with HIV for 31 years and have created an increased HIV/AIDS
Awareness by volunteering my time to HIV/AIDS causes and events for 21
years.
As a previous finalist, I know the excitement and anticipation is building for
this evening’s finalists!
I’m excited! Are you excited?
The finalists are: Please stand when you hear your name.
Andrea Szewchuk:
Andrea Szewchuk is a family physician working in Vancouver. They
completed an MD at the University of Calgary in 2010 and a residency
in Family Medicine at the University of British Columbia in 2012. Since
that time, they have worked to provide gender-affirming care to trans*
and gender diverse community members through the VCH
Transgender Specialty Clinics, as well as working in primary care at
the St. Paul’s Hospital Immunodeficiency Clinic and the Pender
Community Health Clinic. Andrea is also a Centre Organizer and
doctor with the Catherine White Holman Wellness Centre, a
community based volunteer clinic providing low-barrier care by and for
the trans* community. Andrea is interested in community engagement
for those often excluded from medical systems and decision making,
and reducing barriers to accessing safe, appropriate medical care.
Andrea plays in the Double Rainbow Dodgeball league.
Hasan Abdessamad:
Dr. Hasan Abdessamad is an American and Canadian board-certified
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist based in Vancouver. Hasan is the
founder and first president of the Lebanese Medical Association for
Sexual Health (LebMASH), with a mission to advance health care for
LGBTQ2+ individuals and sexual/reproductive health in Lebanon.
LebMASH was behind homosexuality being reclassified as not an
illness in Lebanon in 2013 and provides grants for medical students to
research sexuality with no bias based on gender, sexual orientation or
gender identity. Hasan is a frequent presenter at the Health
Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality annual conference, where he
helped organize a plenary session on global LGBTQ2+ health. Hasan
is the founder of Raynbow, a media watchdog for LGBT equality in
Lebanon. Hasan is a co-founder and executive board member for the
Foundation of Hope that works to enhance the lives of LGBTQ2+
people and their families through financial support to Canadian NG.
Jody Jollimore:
Jody Jollimore has dedicated his academic, professional and political
lives to improving the health and well-being of queer men. Involved in
both civic and federal partisan politics, Jody has contributed to policy
initiatives including marriage equality, rights for sex workers and
student debt reform. Since moving to Vancouver a decade ago, he
has become known for coordinating harm reduction programs,
including a crystal meth outreach project, condom and lube
distribution and effective social marketing campaigns on the topics of
safer sex and STI testing. He fought to have Post-Exposure
Prophylaxis made available for consensual sex and drug use and
currently advocates for an HPV vaccination program for boys and
men. When completing his Masters in Public Policy, he chose the
topic of HIV risk among gay men in Vancouver. Since completion,
Jody has been able to implement three of the four policies studied in
his graduate degree. Currently, he is the principal knowledge user or
co-investigator on more than 10 studies about gay men’s health. He is
the co-author of several peer-reviewed publications, and regularly
speaks to local and national audiences about his work.
The envelope please.
The PRIDE Legacy Award in the PINK category goes to Jody Jollimore.
About The Vancouver PRIDE Society (VPS)
The Vancouver Pride Societybrings together members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two-Spirited and Queer community, their
friends, allies and supporters in celebration!
We represent the unique culture and spirit of our community by producing quality, inclusive events such as the Pride Parade and
Festival. vancouverpride.ca
