The LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund was established at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona in 1999 through support from the National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership. The Fund addresses the chronic underfunding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender programs through philanthropy and endowment building.
The LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund supports innovative programs that provide safe, supportive, and in some cases lifesaving measures to our LGBTQ+ community in Southern Arizona.
Who We Serve Grants
The LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund connects donors with projects that benefit the LGBTQ+ community in Southern Arizona through annual competitive grant rounds.
Learn more at cfsaz.org/alliance
Order
of the evening
5:00 PM Doors Open
6:10 PM 10:00 PM 9:20 PM 7:20 PM
DJ Tito Suavecito
Program
Reveille Men’s Chorus
Grant Recipient Highlight
Doug Noffsinger Solidarity Award
Daniel Trujillo Upstart Change-Maker Award
Sylvia Mulka Legacy Change-Maker Award
Entertainment
Gigi and the Glow!
Celebration
DJ Tito Suavecito
Evening Concludes
Elevating A vibrant community
Thank you for coming together as a community to celebrate the spirit of unity, love, and support. Today we honor the legacy of our LGBTQ+ community and allies with a moving program that recognizes the voices in our community that have and are creating a legacy of love and mutual support.
Doug Noffsinger Solidarity Award
Adiba Nelson
We are proud to introduce an update to the Doug Noffsinger Straight Ally Award, now renamed the Doug Noffsinger Solidarity Award. This change honors the many allies in our community who support LGBTQ+ individuals, reflecting both the original spirit of the award and expanding its recognition to a broader group.
Adiba Nelson exemplifies thoughtful and impactful solidarity. While leading work on disability rights, Adiba opened doors for Tucson’s trans community and other LGBTQ+ groups and actively sought ways to support, elevate, and create needed spaces and opportunities where they previously did not exist. Her dedication serves as a model for us all, demonstrating how to act in the interest of multiple communities.
Alliance Fund Grant Recipient | Queer & Trans Football Club
Daniel Trujillo Upstart Change-Maker Award
Mya Figueroa
The Daniel Trujillo Upstart ChangeMaker Award is named after a passionate 17-year-old advocate to celebrate youth who are courageously stepping up to make a difference.
We are proud to present this year’s award to Mya Figueroa, a 15-year-old with a passion for performing arts and a strong commitment to advocating for transgender rights. Mya’s advocacy work began when she realized the power of educating others about transgender issues, particularly when she spoke to an Arizona Senator about the harmful effects of legislation targeting trans youth and was instrumental in the failure of this hateful legislation.
Sylvia Mulka Legacy Change-Maker Award
Dr. Russell Toomey
The LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund is proud to introduce the Sylvia Mulka Legacy Change-Maker Award, which honors the memory of a remarkable individual whose life was dedicated to education, community service, and advocacy in the LGBTQ+ community.
The inaugural Sylvia Mulka Legacy Change-Maker Award is being presented to Dr. Russ Toomey, a distinguished professor at the University of Arizona. Dr. Toomey is recognized for their groundbreaking research on the resilience of sexual and gender minority youth, as well as his unwavering commitment to advocating for transgender rights. Their work has significantly advanced our understanding of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and the system-level policies needed to support their well-being.
Performances By
Gigi and the Glow!
Gigi and the Glow are a high energy, fun dance music cover band, featuring all of your favorite dance hits from the 70’s and 80’s all the way to Y2K! Gigi’s stage presence, dance training, vocal talent, intricate costumes, infectious energy, and interaction with her audiences, and her cover band’s musical versatility captivates and is sure to entertain us all.
Reveille Men’s Chorus
Reveille is committed to a mission and vision that serves to promote acceptance of LGBTQI+ folx in a larger context through music and the talents of its members. Specifically, Reveille’s members all stand in unison in support of public health and inclusion. Reveille will be donating their talent and time at Q4G, while also raising awareness about Gayla choruses.
DJ Tito Suavecito
Community Collaborators
Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF)
Since 1997, SAAF has worked with our community to continue advancing health, well-being, and social justice for those living with HIV/AIDS, LGBTQI+ folx, and other communities in Arizona and beyond that have been historically undervalued. This Q4G, SAAF will be displaying the AIDS quilt collection - which memorializes those who have passed from HIV/AIDS.
Chinese Chorizo Project (CCP)
Through its revival of Tucson’s lost food, Chinese chorizo, the CCP is educating our community about the importance of understanding how each of our struggles is tied together and why we must stand together in solidarity - silenced and erased histories of LGBTQI+ people exist in the spaces in between in our collective. In the words of Audre Lorde, “There is no hierarchy of oppression.” Our struggles for liberation are interdependent on each other. Lucky for Q4G attendees, CCP is donating Chinese chorizo to Q4G to be served at the event. And vegans need not worry - it will be the plant-based (mushroom) version.
Special thank you to Hotel Congress and Roux Events for making this event possible!
