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Palm Springs Human Rights Commission presents Community Service Awards
Riverside County Feb 14, 2023
Palm Springs City Hall. | Photo courtesy of Joe Wolf/Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
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The Palm Springs Human Rights Commission on Monday honored six individuals and one organization with Community Service Awards for their contributions to promote and protect human rights.
The awards were presented to Bettye Cotton, Tori St. Johns, Dan Gore, Jase Nagaia, Gary Moline, Brett Clein and the Palm Springs and Desert Communities PFLAG chapter in the council chamber at City Hall, according to Palm Springs Communications Director Amy Blaisdell.
The commission honored the individuals and organization “for outstanding contributions promoting and protecting human rights, social progress, better standards of life and equality for all individuals,” Blaisdell said.
For nearly 20 years, Cotton has volunteered as a greeter at the American Legion Post in Palm Springs and will be recognized for promoting human rights throughout the Coachella Valley, according to Blaisdell. She has reached out to and positively impacted — through her kindness, grace, humor and love — active-duty military members and veterans.
Johns was recognized after three decades of supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ youth in the Coachella Valley, co-founding the Gay Associated Youth, and facilitating the Rainbow Youth Summit, Pride Prom, Palm Springs Pride Youth Zone and other leadership trainings, Blaisdell said. She’s been involved in forming the Gay, Straight Alliance clubs in the Coachella Valley, including five high schools within the Desert Sands Unified School District.
Oscar’s Palm Springs owner Gore was recognized after hosting annual Christmas Cheer feasts, in which 100 free breakfasts were distributed to community members experiencing housing and food insecurity, according to Blaisdell. Gore wakes up at 6 a.m. Christmas mornings to spread the word about the free breakfast, which is served by over 40 volunteers as KGAY 106.5 provides an on-site emcee and music.
Nagaia, who founded Endeavor, was recognized for providing free low-impact fitness classes to remove barriers of income and who aims to promote an inclusive and welcoming fitness environment to help people focus on their health, Blaisdell said. He started the group fitness class in 2021, after he saw the impact that COVID-19 had on communities of color with health disparities.
Klein was recognized after over 30 years of working beside business and community leaders, volunteers and service groups, according to Blaisdell. He was the president of the HIV and Aging Research Project in Palm Springs, served on the Dining Out for Life International board, coordinated an annual dining fundraiser benefiting community-based organizations that serve people with HIV, was involved with the AIDS/Life Cycle, is an advocate for biking safety in the city and has served on the Palm Springs Sustainability Commission.
Moline was recognized for forming the Palm Springs Desert Winds Freedom Band in 2021, Blaisdell said. It was created after he realized that there was a Gay Men’s Chorus but no Gay Band, so Moline started recruiting and subsequently formed the band which grew into an inclusive full-fledged symphonic concert band, jazz band, marching band and several small ensembles.
The PFLAG Palm Springs and Desert Communities chapter, which was founded by George and Jacquie Spencer in 1991, was recognized for supporting, educating and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families, Blaisdell said.
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