. On May 14, over l,000 community and business leaders who support equality and justice for all will gather at the 14th Annual Harvey Milk Breakfast. The event will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center from 8:30 a.m – 11 a.m. and all are encouraged to attend. The breakfast honors the memory of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, and his inspiring legacy in the struggle to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. The local event is designed to strengthen coalitions among the many diverse community organizations that work toward equality in the Coachella Valley. In the fourteen years that the breakfast has been presented, nearly 3,250 youth and 10,000 adults have been inspired by featured speakers, including civil rights champion Dolores Huerta, Holly Near, Nicole Murray Ramirez, Stuart Milk, Cleve Jones, California State Assemblymember Mark Leno, Judge Vaughn Walker, founder of the National Black Justice Coalition Mandy Carter, and others. This year’s event will honor nationally recognized advocate Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the tragic 2016 mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub. Activists Judy and Dennis Shepard, who launched the Matthew Shepard Foundation after losing their son to an antigay hate crime, will receive the Harvey B. Milk Legacy Award. The event is produced by Greater Palm Springs Pride and would not be possible without support from generous sponsors including the City of Palm Springs, Grace Helen Spearman Foundation, Barton CPA, VRON - Vacation Rentals Owners and Neighbors, Wintec Energy, Club 541, CCBC Resort and Runway, Center for Spiritual Living Palm Springs, DAP Health, Desert Care Network, FARM, Heritage Legal and PC and Pacaso. For tickets and information, visit www.HarveyMilk.us. www.DesertHealthNews.com May/June 2026 Desert Events The Valley's Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 21 Honoree Brandon Wolf Honorees Dennis and Judy Shepard www.wlfdesert.org NATALIA T. GONZALEZ WLF Spirit of Excellence Award Celebrating 25 Years DR. KELLY MAY-VOLLMAR Helene Galen Excellence in Ed. Award Learn aÊout event sponsorship at Community Sponsors Honoring extraordinary women leaders making an impact in the valley and scholarship awards to future leaders Presenting Event Sponsor Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, Rancho Mirage Friday, May 8 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Emceed byLaurilie Jackson Associate Professor of Media Production News Anchor Leadership Sponsors KAREN DEVINE Mary T. Roche Award WLF 25 ANNIVERSARY PAST PRESIDENTS th RECOGNITION AWARD 14th Annual Harvey Milk Breakfast Compliments of Greater Palm Springs Pride Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley (WLF) wraps up its 2025-26 season with a festive celebration commemorating the organization’s twenty-fifth anniversary. On Friday, May 8, the 13th annual Women Who Rule Awards Luncheon and Scholarship Fundraiser will celebrate this silver jubilee while honoring community leaders and 2026 Young Women Leader scholarship recipients. WLF’s signature event returns to the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage and is proudly presented by SBEMP Attorneys LLP. The tradition of honoring individuals whose leadership, service and dedication have made a significant impact throughout the Coachella Valley continues. This year’s honorees include: Karen Devine, recipient of the Mary T. Roche Community Leadership Award, in recognition for her unwavering commitment to raising awareness for our valley’s fentanyl crisis; Dr. Kelly May-Vollmar, for her role advancing innovation in education; and Natalia T. Gonzalez, recipient of the WLF Spirit of Excellence Award, for her leadership and dedication to student achievement and advancement throughout Riverside County. Scholarships will also be presented to high school seniors who have successfully completed the sixmonth Young Women Leaders educational program. Throughout the year, these bright young stars attend member-led classes on subjects from finance to etiquette and have opportunities to learn from WLF mentors. Since 2001, WLF has awarded over $800,000 in scholarships to the valley’s next generation of women leaders. This year’s event will also pay tribute to past WLF presidents whose contributions, vision and leadership helped shape the organization. Leadership and Community Sponsors include: Blanke Schein Wealth Management, Blissful Release Now, BrainTune TMS, City of Palm Springs, Desert Care Network, Desert Healthcare District and Foundation, DesertCore Landscaping, Desert Oasis Healthcare, Jenell VanDenBos and Assoc. Realtor, Morgan Stanley - Deborah Tryon Financial Advisor, OneFuture CV, One Valley Foundation, Palm Springs Nissan, Proper Solutions and Staffing, Solowitz and Associates, Wildest Restaurant + Bar, KESQ News Channel 3 andDesert Health News. As the 2025-26 season comes to a close, summer “Happy 2 Hours” returns on the first Thursday in June, July and August for casual and cool gatherings. Membership is not required and all are welcome to attend. For Women Who Rule tickets and additional information, please visit www.wlfdesert.org. Donations are graciously accepted for WLF’s Young Women Leaders scholarship program. To get involved, please contact info@wlfdesert.org. Women Leaders Forum Celebrating 25 years of empowerment By Eleanor Oliver-Edmonds Current President Elle Oliver-Edmonds and past President Jenell Vandenbos with WLF Founder Mary T. Roche Past Young Women Leaders scholarship recipients
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