As she prepares to step down from Congress after nearly 40 years representing San Francisco, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will be feted at the Castro Theatre later this month, as the honoree of this year's Legends Awards, hosted by The Academy.
In two months, Nancy Pelosi will pass the torch to Scott Wiener as the representative of California's 11th District in Congress. Pelosi has served as SF's congresswoman since 1987, when it was the 5th District, and through her tenure it has also been known as the 8th and the 12th District, before becoming the 11th in 2023.
Pelosi has also been the most powerful woman in elected office during her two stints as Speaker of the House. And in addition to helping bring billions of dollars in federal money for projects in the city, Pelosi has advocated for SF voters in an often hostile Congress, advocated for people with HIV/AIDS during the height of the AIDS crisis, served as one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act, and has fought gallantly against the deepening fascism of President Trump.
On November 22, Pelosi will be the honoree of the 2026 Legends Awards, an event that is hosted annually by the LGBTQ+ social club The Academy and whose previous honorees include Cleve Jones and Sister Roma. The event will be held for the first time at the Castro Theatre, and tickets are still available here.
"This is really our opportunity to say thank you to the people who have spent their lives making San Francisco San Francisco," says Paul Miller, co-founder of The Academy.
The Legends Award will be presented this year by Zac Posen, fashion designer and current creative director of Gap Inc., and co-hosted by Sister Roma.
Joining Pelosi as community award recipients will be former state Senator Mark Leno, Gael Lala-Chávez, Angel Adeyoha, Bill Pung, and Dennis Ziebell.
The event also features musical entertainment by Eduardo González-Maldonado and Leanne Borghesi, as well as a choir and some promised surprises as well.
General admission tickets (mezzanine seating) are $73.50, while VIP orchestra seating is $120 plus fees. There is also an option to buy a table for four in the front orchestra for $400 plus fees.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit True North, a new nonprofit organization that supports young people by providing social connections and experiences as they enter the queer community.
