The Atlanta Pride Committee announced the grand marshals for the 2010 Pride Parade today via a press release. Some 120 honorees will represent three categories (40 in each category) symbolizing Atlanta Pride’s 40 years.

The three categories are Legislative, Education and Community.

“As much as this is an opportunity to honor selected individuals, it is also an opportunity to provide our patrons a visual of how expansive our movement really is, and to see that there are a vast number of people working on their behalf,” said JP Sheffield, Atlanta Pride Executive Director, in the press release.

Atlanta Pride announces 2010 grand marshals

“Compiling a list of 120 grand marshals was no small task, but we feel like the people selected are a great representation of our city and state. Even though it meant releasing these names later than usual, the end product is worth the wait. What we’ve done is effectively create a march within the parade.”

2010 also marks the first year that straight allies will carry the title “grand marshal” which has traditionally gone to members of the LGBTQ community. Straight allies were previously “honorary marshals.”

Legislative 40

Hon. Alex Wan
Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan
Hon. Brian Bates
Hon. Cathy Woolard
Ed Stansell
Gil Robinson
Jamie Ensley
Jamie Roberts
Jeff Cleghorn
Jerry Gonzalez
Commissioner Joan Garner
Julianna Illari
Rep. Karla Drenner
Kathleen Womack
Rep. Kathy Ashe
Ken Britt
Kyle Williams
Hon. Lance Rhodes
Larry Pellegrini 
Lawrie Demorest
Linda Lowe
Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver
Rep. Mike Jacobs
Monica Helms
Sen. Nan Orrock
Rep. Pat Gardner
Rep. Pedro Marin
Rep. Simone Bell
Tim Cairl
Sen. Vincent Fort
Elizabeth Johnston
Harry Knox
Judy Colbs
Hon. Kathie deNobriga
Rep. Tyrone Brooks
Hon. Michelle Bruce
Paul Horning
Rep. Stephanie Benfield
Susan Saleska Hamilton

Posthumous

Kay Young

Education 40

Maru Gonzalez, M.Ed
Anneliese A. Singh, PhD, LPC
Mr. Jesse McNulty, M.Ed
Dr. Corey W. Johnson
Jeannie Senter (MS, PT)
Dale Merkle (PhD)
Dr. Shannon J. Miller
Jillian Ford
Austin Laufersweiler
Irma Starr Ph.D
Jonah Berkowitz, Ed.S.
Lenore Katz
Bob Hill
Emily Graybill, Ed.S.
Holiday Simmons
Jessica “Jetta” Allen
Susana Edith Soto
Matt LeBrun
Alex Oxford
Emily Reed
Derrick Martin
Billiee Pendleton-Parker
JD Woodward
Michael Brian Law
Joel Kadish
Ellen Manuel, M.Ed., NCC
Tim DeLoach, M.Ed
Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz, Ms.Ed.
Abby Drue
Ken Jackson
Hollande Levinson
Krista Hilton, M.Ed
Cat Morillas
Terence McPhaul, M.A., N.S.A.C.
Shelley Rose
Gabriel Haggray
Jennifer Miracle
Yancey Gulley

Community 40

Atlanta Pride is still in the process of compiling its list of grand marshals representing the “Community” category. Once Atlanta Pride releases the finalized list, we’ll post those on our website. In the meantime, Atlanta Pride has announced the posthumous honorees.

Posthumous Honorees:

Robert Eads (Southern Comfort/Died after being refused medical treatment because he was trans)
Greg Barrett  (APC)
Billy Jones  (1960’s Atlanta Drag Queen)
Charlie St. John  (Journalist, Organized first Pride March)
Lloyd E. Russell (Activist/Community Endowment)
Thelma Natalie Troia  (Founder, Armorettes)
Michael Hardwick (Bowers V. Hardwick)