Nominate Someone for the Award!
By nominating someone for the Sandy Brown Award, you are helping us make our community a more inclusive space. If we need more information, someone from Open Door Pride will contact you.
The Sandy Brown Award
More About the Award
The Sandy Brown Award celebrates people and organizations who have made Door County a more welcoming place for all to live and visit.
The award is given annually to a person or organization who has made significant contributions to LGBTQIA+ and allied communities throughout Door County.
Nominations for 2025 are open. Please consider nominees for 2025. It’s very empowering to honor those who have contributed to our community.
The History of the Award
The Sandy Brown Award was created in 2018 to honor community members who exemplify the mission of Open Door Pride.
Our first recipient Sandy Brown, created the Door County Chapter of National PFLAG in 1997. It seemed fitting to name the award after her.
The Artists Behind the Awards
Each year, a Door County artist designs and creates the physical award that is gifted to the Sandy Brown Award recipient.
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Past Recipients & Artists
We awarded the Sevastopol School SAGA + teachers Lynn Kotte + Melissa Malcore our 2023 Sandy Brown Award for supporting students LGBTQIA+ The award was created by artist Tony Staroska of Juddville Contemporary Clay, with additional art by Rebecca Carlton
We awarded the City of Sturgeon Bay with our 2022 Sandy Brown Award for their support of the LGBTQIA+ community. The award was created by artist Claudia Scimeca of Articipation.
A number of Write On programs have been presented specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. Write On is committed to presenting a diversity of voices and perspectives in all of their programs. Twenty-five percent of the writers awarded a residency in 2021 identify as queer and/or BIPOC. The percentage of presenters of color at their recent poetry conference was 90%. Write On recognizes the importance of providing a diversity of voices and backgrounds. We all have so much to gain when we listen to someone whose experience is different than ours.
Third Avenue Playhouse has included LGBTQ+ playwrights, stage readings and plays into its programming for years. The benefits are vast within a Community when through the beauty and safety of theater, LGBTQIA+ lives are presented.
In recognition of their direct impact within the school since its founding in September of 2016.
Our first recipient was Sandy Brown, who we believe embodies the spirit of equality and inclusivity that Open Door Pride wishes to convey in our community. Sandy Brown is the founder of the local PFLAG chapter and staunch supporter of our LGBTQ+ community. For over 25 years, Sandy has been a pillar and beacon for LGBTQ+ community members and their allies, and in recognition of her contributions, the award was named after her (2018 award artist Jeremy Popelka).
How to Nominate Someone for the Sandy Brown Award
Nominating someone in the community who supports the LGBTQIA+ and allied communities of Door County is as easy as a few clicks.
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