The Melissa Chapman Award
For individual effort affecting social Change

Melissa Chapman found state policy regarding sex designation on Colorado driver’s licenses to be unacceptable.  She had applied for her new driver’s license, and found she could not change the sex without having completed surgery.  Working with the DMV and then State Attorney General Gale Norton, she single-handedly achieved what no one else even thought to try.

 The policy was repealed later and then in 2006 Kelley winters and BJ Kamagaki went back to the DMV and were instrumental in reestablishing a policy and were winners of this award  in 2007.

Each year the Melissa Chapman Award is presented to an individual whose efforts have resulted in positive social change affecting the transgender community.  The 2010 award was presented to TYFA CEO Kim Pearson for her work with transgender children and their families.

Past winners have included:

2002 Jessie Shafer

2004 Dr. Stanley Biber

2005 Dr. Deb-Ann Thomson

2006 Louise Young- Raytheon

2007 Kelly Winters & BJ Kamigaki

2008 Pamela Bennett

2009 Evelyn  Lindemuth