See below for details on important steps and official rules and regulations.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

• All nominations must be made by April 25, 2025 by 11:45 PM

• Committee Selection of Winner by May 25, 2025

• Winner Informed by May 31, 2025

• Winner to join the KPF Board as a VIP with a complimentary guest at the Kentuckiana Pride Festival on Saturday, June 21, 2025 for award presentation

Who Was Amirage Saling?

Amirage Saling, was a graduate of the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville. Amirage was an openly proud and publicly admitted transgender female. She was a source of knowledge, encouragement, and empowerment to other transgender persons in our community.

A fulltime medical case manager for the Kentucky Care Coordinator Program, Amirage worked helping those living with HIV. Her passion was with the young and newly diagnosed clients because she remembered her experience during her own HIV diagnoses on December 28, 1988. She received a call that morning that she was going to die and that no one would love her. Thirty years later, Amirage was educating clients against that same stigma that still exists today.

Amirage created support groups and food drives for clients in our community when none existed. Outside of work and graduate school, Amirage volunteered her time to many HIV related events, was a member of the Derby City Sisters, and was a consistent top fund raiser each year for the Louisville AIDS Walk.

In 2019 Amirage was recognized as the most outstanding student at the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville and was the FIRST transgender person to be the banner bearer for the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville’s graduation ceremonies. This historic award is one of many that Amirage received for her incredible work in service to others. 

One of Amirage's greatest claims to fame was her 30+ year career as a pageant winner and performer in clubs throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. Amirage won multiple titles in the Entertainer of the Year (EOY), Continental, and other pageant systems.

In addition to HIV, she was a survivor of cancer and a recovering addict. Amirage used her Iife experiences to understand and educate others. Amirage has been an inspiration to many people in the community. Through her example she is a person who gives us ALL hope and that through no matter what we may endure, we too will overcome those obstacles. Amirage was a living example of all that PRIDE represents – she took great satisfaction in her role as a leader in the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride was demonstrated in her efforts to educate, empower, and nurture those who have come after her. It is with these qualities and more that we celebrate Amirage who embodied what it means to be Gay, Transgender, HIV+, a recovering addict, and most importantly a person who gave back to her community on every level.

This is the purpose of the Amirage Commuity Service Award and why KPF wants to recognize OUR Heroes!

IMPORTANT - THIS STEP MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE COMPLETING THE APPLICATION!

Please send the KPF Community Service Award Committee a completed portfolio of your hero's story to info@kypride.com. The portfolio must include a letter of recommendation from someone other than your own in support of the nominee and nomination, a narrative that is no more than two pages highlighting the community hero. In no more than two pages, explain what makes this person special to the community, how your hero has made a difference, what benefits the community experiences as a result of their commitment, and why you would like to see them recognized at the 2025 Pride Festival. Finally, please include some form of documentation highlighting the community service: this can be in the form of photographs, videos, statements from those impacted, or some other form of documentation or proof illustrating the community service in action.

Information to Collect Before Submitting:

To expedite the process of applying, it is recommended to gather the following items before submitting your application to the Amirage Saling Community Service Award. Any Nominator that does not submit the required information prior to the application deadline will not have their nomination for their Hero considered.

• A letter of recommendation from someone other than yourself (the Nominator).

• A narrative of no more than two pages that expresses how this hero has made a difference and why you want to see them recognized at the 2025 Pride Festival.

• Documentation highlighting the community service in the form of photographs, videos, community impact statements, or some other documentation illustrating the service in action.

• Nominator’s Contact Information

  • First and Last Name

  • Mailing Address

  • Email Address

  • Contact Phone

  • Relationship to the Nominee

• Nominee’s Contact Information

  • First and Last Name

  • Mailing Address

  • Email Address

  • Contact Phone

Once you have the needed materials, please submit your package to info@kypride.com and click the Nomination Form button below to apply for your Hero’s recognition.

Official Rules and Regulations Governing the Amirage Saling Community Service Award:

(1)   The Nominator and the Nominee MUST be at least 18 years or older and is currently residing in the Greater Louisville area.

(2)   All applications, the nomination content, any non-copyrighted material submitted, and related information will become the property of the Kentuckiana Pride Foundation.

(3)   Nominators and Nominees grant the Kentuckiana Pride Foundation to use the names, image, and likeness for publicity and commercial purposes without further compensation unless prohibited by law.

(4)   No purchase is required for entry. All deadlines must be adhered to qualify for judging panel selection.

(5)   A judging panel will be assembled the Kentuckiana Pride Foundation to evaluate and select a qualifying candidate.

(6)   By participating in the contest, all parties agree to release Kentuckiana Pride Foundation and its affiliates, subsidiaries, employees, directors, officers, and agents from any and all liability, claims or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, ownership, possession, use, or misuse of any prize.

(7)   Employees, affiliates, directors, officers, or members of Kentuckiana Pride Foundation may nominate a nominee but themselves cannot be selected as a winner of this contest.

(8)   Kentuckiana Pride Foundation reserves and retains the full rights to change or terminate the contest and award at any time.

(9)   By entering, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and Regulations governing the contest and understand that the Kentuckiana Pride Foundation or their designees’ decisions are final.