The Snoqualmie Valley YMCA/Community Center will honor Greg Jamiel, founder and leader of SnoValley Pride, with the 2025 Hero Everyday Award on Saturday, October 18, at 10:15 AM. The ceremony, held at the Y’s Snoqualmie location, is open to the public and will celebrate Jamiel’s role in creating spaces of connection and inclusion across the Valley.
Jamiel said the recognition is not his alone but belongs to the people who have built SnoValley Pride alongside him. “This honor means so much to me because it represents not just my efforts, but the collective heart of our community,” he said. “Snovalley Pride was born out of a simple but powerful desire to make sure everyone in the Snoqualmie Valley feels seen, safe, and celebrated. To be recognized by the YMCA, an organization rooted in these values of inclusion and service, feels like a full-circle moment.”
At the heart of that mission are events that bring people together in joyful, welcoming ways. Jamiel pointed to the group’s annual Pride Picnic as a defining example. “It’s a day that perfectly embodies what Snovalley Pride is all about: community, connection, and pure joy,” he said. “I’ll never forget one young person telling me it was the first time they’d ever felt comfortable being themselves in public here in the Valley. That moment stopped me in my tracks. It reminded me that what we’re building isn’t just an event…it’s belonging, it’s healing, and it’s proof that even one safe space can change the course of someone’s life.”
The work is not without challenges. “Some of our biggest challenges right now are securing sustained funding and growing in a way that builds a strong, lasting foundation for the future,” Jamiel said. Plans are underway for a new volunteer program, the expansion of the Board of Directors, and ongoing efforts to strengthen financial support through grants and partnerships.
For Jamiel, the values the YMCA cited in selecting him for the award: respect, caring, honesty, and responsibility, are also the foundation of Sno Valley Pride. “Those core values are truly at the heart of everything we do at Snovalley Pride,” he said. “We’re a people-centered organization, dedicated to making life better, safer, and more joyful for everyone in our community. The YMCA’s core values, respect, caring, honesty, and responsibility, are the same values we strive to embody in every event, every partnership, and every interaction.”
He added, “Right now, our broader community is facing a lot of fear and uncertainty, and these values have never been more important. They guide how we show up for one another…with compassion, integrity, and the courage to speak out when we see injustice.”
Some of his favorite moments come from the annual Sparkle Party fundraiser, a winter gathering filled with music, dancing, and glitter. “Everywhere you look, people are shining… dancing, laughing, and simply celebrating life together. It’s such a magical reminder of what community can feel like when joy and authenticity take center stage.”
The YMCA’s Executive Director, Diana Reul, said honoring Jamiel felt like a natural choice. “Greg’s work has created space for belonging, dignity, and celebration,” she said. “We are thrilled to honor him for the difference he makes every single day in the lives of others.”
For Jamiel, the recognition is less about the award itself than the promise of what comes next. “My personal goal is for every 2SLGBTQ+ person, along with our allies, to feel safe, valued, and at home here in the Snoqualmie Valley,” he said. “We are incredibly fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful places in Washington, and our diversity is an essential part of what makes it so vibrant and alive.”
Community members are invited to attend the celebration at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA/Community Center, located at 35018 SE Ridge Street in Snoqualmie, where the award will be presented at 10:25 AM.
Comments
Congratulations! Great to see people working to make this valley a better place to live for everyone!