(This article was originally published HERE in SDGLN media partner Gay San Diego.)

This year’s fourth annual national educator conference focused on LGBTQIA youth may have been packed with celebrity honorees, but it was the 600 educators, school counselors and national LGBT leaders in attendance that were the real heroes of the weekend.

SAN DIEGO -- Yossi Herzog, who served as an openly gay member of the Israeli Defense Force, will speak at PFLAG San Diego's general meeting today at 7 pm.

Herzog is currently touring the United States on behalf of StandWithUs, an education organization that is dedicated to informing the public about Israel and to combating extremism and anti-Semitism.

Lambda Legal has been selected by GuideStar USA’s Philanthropedia as the top-ranked nonprofit group standing up for LGBT equality.

Experts working in the LGBT sector were asked to recommend up to four nonprofits making significant contributions in LGBT equality and support on the national level and up to three nonprofits making a significant contribution at the state and local levels.

SAN DIEGO – October is a special month for the LGBT community, with a number of observances that include LGBT History Month, Spirit Day, the anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, and National Coming Out Day (NCOD), which is being celebrated today locally and across the nation.

From local college campuses to a Google Hangout created for NCOD, LGBT people across the nation will encourage others to come out, be themselves, and raise greater awareness of the challenges that the community faces.