SAN DIEGO -- As part of the fifth annual San Diego Remembers Matthew Shepard vigil and celebration held last week, a photo project held during the event encouraged participants to think about the stereotypes that might hold them back in their daily lives.

SDGLN media partner Gay San Diego published a full page spread of some of the photos in its edition today, which were taken by local photographer and activist Cali Griebel.

(Editor's note: SDGLN Staff Writer Ben Cartwright organized the first San Diego Remembers Matthew Shepard event with Rick Cervantes in 2008. Here, he shares about what led them to create the event, which will mark its fifth year tonight.)

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Remembers is gearing up to plan its fifth annual remembrance of Matthew Shepard, the young gay man who was killed in 1998 because he was gay.

The group began organizing the yearly march and vigil in 2008 to mark the 10th anniversary of Shepard's death out of concern that the horrendous crime was slipping from the public's memory. Organizers hope that by remembering Shepard and others who have been victim of hate violence, community members will be inspired to get involved with organizations and initiatives to stand up against hate.

This month The Advocate is celebrating its founding in 1967 and its editors decided it could not do so without also honoring the heroes for LGBT rights they've covered for those 45 years.

Identifying one honoree per year, here is the cumulative list broken up into three parts.

The Advocate's LGBT Hall of Fame: Part I