Trailblazer Awards
The Trailblazer Award is given each year to someone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to be of service to the New Orleans area LGBTQ+ community, especially if those services benefitted LGBTQ+ people age 50 and older.
2024 Trailblazer Award:
Kenneth J. Mitchell
Kenneth J. Mitchell was born, raised, and educated in New Orleans, and he became an activist soon after coming out in the mid 1970s. He volunteered at New Orleans’ first gay community center (Gay Services Center), and became the first president of the local chapter of Dignity, a support group for gay Catholics. Later, with a group of other social workers, he helped start a coming out support group to help people who were struggling with the unpredictable coming out process. He helped found the Louisiana Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus (LAGPAC), Louisiana’s first political action committee devoted to empowering the LGBTQ+ community politically. Later, he helped found the Langston/Jones Society, which aimed to increase the involvement of people of color in LAGPAC. When HIV/AIDS began impacting the community, he worked at the NO/AIDS Task Force, now known as CrescentCare. Initially, he was a volunteer HIV testing counselor, and eventually became a contract therapist for people who tested positive. He also worked with the Hate Crimes Project, helping those victimized by homophobic and racist acts. In 1987, he attended “The Great March” on Washington, a massive protest for LGBTQ+ civil rights. He also helped found Men of Color New Orleans, an organization serving gay men of color in the greater New Orleans area. Part of that organization was a group called ManTalk, a discussion group for men that remains active to this day. More recently, Kenn served on the steering committee that created NOAGE, and he served on the NOAGE board of directors for several years. Kenn’s service to our community over the last five decades is deeply appreciated, and NOAGE is very pleased for the opportunity to honor him as the Trailblazer that he is.
2023: Frank Perez
After a career in academia as an English Professor, Frank Perez turned his attention to LGBT+ history, a subject about which he remains passionate. In 2008 he began researching New Orleans LGBT+ history and has since then made a mark writing about that often neglected history. He has authored several…
2023: Willie Mackie
A native New Orleanian, Willie Mackie, Jr. was born November 21, 1963. He graduated from Warren Easton High School in 1982, where he served as class president. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Law from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. While there, he pledged the Alpha…
2022: Misti Gaither
Misti Gaither is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. For many years, she has given her time, talents, and energy to various local LGBTQ+ related nonprofits, raising countless dollars for organizations like NOAGE, Big Easy Animal Rescue, PFLAG New Orleans, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, Crescent Care,…
2019: Jody Gates & Marilyn McConnell
Marilyn and Jody met more than 40 years ago at work, the doctor/nurse thing you know. Time passed, busy with work, training, and living in the closet. Then we decided that we needed a “gay” vacation so we went to P’town, staying at a Holiday Inn so no one would…
2018: Julie Thomson and Joe A. Melcher
Julie Thompson has been active in PFLAG for 25 years. A Regional Director for PFLAG National, Julie oversaw PFLAG chapters in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas from 2008-2012. She has served as Secretary, Vice-President, President, and co-president of PFLAG New Orleans. She has also served on the PFLAG Scholarship Committee…
2017: Liz Simon
Liz Simon describes herself as “a redheaded Cajun who has become a dyed-in-the-wool New Orleanian!” Liz came here in 1967 for college, fell in love with New Orleans, and has never left. Liz’s serious political activism for social Rights and social justice was first aimed at feminist issues in the…
2016: Roberts Batson
With the Pride Tourism Network and the Gay Heritage Tour, Emmy nominee Roberts Batson draws upon his wide experience as writer, performer, tour guide, teacher, political strategist, and community activist For over thirty, years, he has worked to build a strong LGBT community. In the 70s, he provided the leadership…
Past Trailblazer Award Recipients
2023 Trailblazer Award
Frank Perez
After a career in academia as an English Professor, Frank Perez turned his attention to LGBT+ history, a subject about which he remains passionate. In 2008 he began researching New…
2023 Trailblazer Award
Willie Mackie
A native New Orleanian, Willie Mackie, Jr. was born November 21, 1963. He graduated from Warren Easton High School in 1982, where he served as class president. He received his…
2022 Trailblazer Award
Misti Gaither
Misti Gaither is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. For many years, she has given her time, talents, and energy to various local LGBTQ+ related nonprofits, raising countless…
2019 Trailblazer Award
Jody Gates & Marilyn McConnell
Marilyn and Jody met more than 40 years ago at work, the doctor/nurse thing you know. Time passed, busy with work, training, and living in the closet. Then we decided…
2018 Trailblazer Award
Julie Thomson and Joe A. Melcher
Julie Thompson has been active in PFLAG for 25 years. A Regional Director for PFLAG National, Julie oversaw PFLAG chapters in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas from 2008-2012. She has…
2016 Trailblazer Award
Roberts Batson
With the Pride Tourism Network and the Gay Heritage Tour, Emmy nominee Roberts Batson draws upon his wide experience as writer, performer, tour guide, teacher, political strategist, and community activist…
Community Impact Awards
Community Impact Award winners are chosen by the Board of Directors for their outstanding service to our community.
2024 Community Impact Award:
Jeffrey Mayeux, Vanessa Carr Kennedy, and Paribe Meyer
The 2024 NOAGE Community Impact Awards winners are Jeffrey Mayeux, Vanessa Carr Kennedy, and Paribe Meyer. These amazing individuals, in their roles as grand marshals of the Southern Decadence Parade, have hosted dozens of fundraiser events in 2024, and all funds raised (after parade expenses) benefit both NOAGE and the cost of replacing the UpStairs Lounge memorial plaque. They have made an incredible impact on the local LGBTQ+ community, and we appreciate them very much.
Past Community Impact Award Recipients
2023 Community Impact Award
Nicole DuBois, Jimmy Gale, and Monica Synclaire-Kennedy
The 2023 NOAGE Community Impact Awards winners are Nicole DuBois Jimmy Gale, and Monica Synclaire-Kennedy. These amazing individuals, in their roles as grand marshals of the Southern Decadence Parade, have…
2022 Community Impact Award
Noel Twilbeck
Noel Twilbeck served for many years as the Chief Executive Officer of CrescentCare (formerly known as NO/AIDS Task Force) in New Orleans LA. He began as a volunteer with the…
2019 Community Impact Award
Jason Tudor
Jason moved to New Orleans from his hometown of Pineville, Louisiana in 1998 to attend Loyola University New Orleans. After graduating from Loyola, Jason lived and worked in Fairfield County,…
2017 Community Impact Award
Rip and Marsha Naquin
Rip and Marsha Naquin-Delain were the first same-sex couple to register (in 1993) as domestic partners in New Orleans, and they were legally married in New York in 2013. Over…