07/06/2026
On behalf of the Kentucky Black Pride Festival Committee, it is our great honor to announce that we have selected Mark Johnson as the recipient of the 2026 Kentucky Black Pride James Baldwin Community Activist Award. The award will be presented during our Community Awards & Day Party on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
We are deeply grateful for Mark’s many years of dedicated service to our community through his work with AVOL Kentucky, He retired from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department in 2013. He work for Kentucky Department of Public Health as a Program Coordinator for the Kentucky HIV/AIDS Program. He has been a champion and advocate for HIV/AIDS, Cultural Diversity and Health Equity for 30 years. Lexington-Fayette County Health Department as an HIV Specialist and a member of Bluegrass Black Pride, Inc.
Mark Johnson received his Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville and his Bachelors in Social Work degree from Morehead State University.
LaToya BaCall is Mark's alter ego. LaToya has been performing for about 30 years.
Other work:
- Aerobics Instructor for about 30 years in various gyms in Lexington, KY
- Assistant Wellness Director at William Wells Brown Community Center
- Community Health Outreach Worker with Volunteers of America
- HIV/AIDS Educator at Robert H. Williams Cultural Center
- Social Worker at Cabinet for Health and Family Services
The list goes on
The award presentation will take place on:
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Old North Bar
101 W. Loudon Ave., Suite 116
Lexington, KY 40508
