Five young artists were honored in the inaugural Give ’Em Hope Awards, a program created by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) and the National Queer Arts Center to encourage art that inspires hope. The winners announcement, shared on SFGMC TV on May 3, 2021, celebrated artists ages 15 to 17 and their work.
Inspired by Harvey Milk’s pioneering “Hope” speech, the awards were established to support young artists under the age of 25 from underserved and diverse communities. The inaugural program offered five awards of $1,500 each to support artistic projects centered on hope, welcoming work across performing arts, visual arts, literature, and film.
Meet the 2021 winners
- Savannah Martinez (16) — “All The Things I’ve Left Behind”
- Lauryn Williams (16) — “Cranes In The Sky”
- Lynn Nguyen (16) — “Hopeful Future”
- Qamar Saitovski (17) — “Darling”
- Tiya Birru (15) — “See Our Humanity”
The program grew out of an inaugural donation from Chorus singing member David Falzone and his family to create a special projects fund. At a time when the pandemic had closed the National Queer Arts Center to in-person gatherings, the awards offered a way to support young artists and share their work through SFGMC TV.
Hope has been central to SFGMC’s mission since its founding in 1978. The Give ’Em Hope Awards carried that commitment forward by encouraging a new generation of artists to express their perspectives and imagine a hopeful future.
Congratulations to all five winners, and thank you to every student who submitted a piece. Watch the 2021 winners announcement on SFGMC TV to celebrate their work.
