Tucson’s Daniel Hernandez Jr. will also speak

San Diego LGBT Pride welcomes Marianne Williamson, New York Times best-selling author and founder of the Peace Alliance and Project Angel Food in Los Angeles as the keynote speaker at next month’s Spirit of Stonewall rally keynote.

Tucson political activist Daniel Hernandez Jr., who came to the immediate aid of Congressmember Gabrielle Giffords after a gunman fired on her and 18 other people at a public appearance in Arizona in February, will join Williamson.

The rally will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, July 15, on the main festival stage at Marston Point in Balboa Park. The event officially kicks off Pride weekend, which features a mile-long parade at 11 a.m., July 16, and a two-day festival in the park, July 16 and 17.

Through The Peace Alliance, Williamson supports Congressional legislation to establish a United States Department of Peace. She is also the author of 10 books focusing on spiritual enlightenment, four of which landed on the New York Times’ bestsellers list.

Over the past several years, she has been featured in such films as “The Power of Forgiveness” and “Living Luminaries on the Serious Business of Happiness.”

Hernandez is a Tucson native and a political science major at the University of Arizona, where he serves as director on the Arizona Students’ Association’s board of directors advocating affordable and accessible education. He is also trained in nursing and phlebotomy, which he utilized to save Gifford’s life. Both President Obama and the national media have celebrated him as an American hero,’though humbly rejects the title.

His political activism extends to working on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and Gifford’s congressional campaign. He also helped direct the successful re-election of Arizona State Rep. Steve Farley, who currently serves as assistant minority leader in the Arizona State House. And over the past year he has become an active member on the City of Tucson Commission of LGBT issues.

For more information about San Diego Pride events, or to sign up for volunteer positions, call (619) 297-7683 or visit: SanDiegoPride.org.