Hillcrest Mardi Gras 2013
Dear Editor,
Recently The Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) board announced in SDGLN and Gay San Diego that they would not participate in the production of this year’s Mardi Gras celebration event. For the past 10 years, this event has been a joint effort on behalf of the HBA and the GSDBA Charitable Foundation to raise money for LGBT and LGBT-friendly college students needing financial assistance in pursuit of their education goals.
The Mardi Gras event is the one and only fundraising event in our community whose purpose is to raise funds for LGBT college students. While we were shocked and disappointed about this decision and public announcement from the HBA, we do not intend to let our LGBT students down and the GSDBA Charitable Foundation board will be moving forward with the event as planned to ensure the Scholarship Fund continues its mission.
The Mardi Gras fundraiser, which is the only event produced by the GSDBA Foundation, has become an annual event that our community enjoys and the financial aid from the funds raised have benefited more than 120 college students.
Mardi Gras has raised more than $125,000 in the past 10 years, all of which has been awarded to LGBT students. The financial aid provided through the proceeds of this event has changed lives and moved LGBT careers forward. One outstanding example recipient of one of our scholarships is City Council President Todd Gloria, who has stated publicly many times how much the GSDBA Charitable Foundation helped him realize his educational dreams. The LGBT community is now the beneficiaries of Gloria’s achievements and work on our behalf.
To put the GSDBA Foundation Scholarship fund in perspective it is appropriate, as we move forward, to share the history of this event, the intent of the founders and those who have been working hard each year to produce and make it a success. The original concept of the event was created by Scott Crowder and formatted and organized under the leadership of Matt Ramon, Chris Shaw and Warren Simon. The GSDBA Foundation is NOT a part of the GSDBA and was a separate group of people, some of whom did belong to the GSDBA, created to produce this event, in partnership with the Hillcrest Business Association for the single and sole purpose of raising money for scholarships for LGBT college students.
We want to thank Matt Ramon, who has demonstrated consistent and steady leadership in organizing and producing this event for 10 years, as well as Chris Shaw and his staff, without whom none of this would be possible. We are looking forward to continuing our relationship and cooperation with Chris Shaw, Matt Ramon and their fine staff.
In addition to the GSDBA Foundation Board and the Scholarship Fund’s commitment to helping LGBT students, Mardi Gras brings many people in our community together, allowing a diverse group of individuals to be involved through volunteering their time, business participation, as well as personal and financial support to make the event a financial and popular success.
We want to thank the HBA for the last 10 years of partnership and support in producing this event. Various staff and members of the HBA have contributed significantly to the success of the event during the years and their participation will be missed.
However, we do want to reassure the LGBT community that this event will continue forward to help many more students in their educational pursuits.
Please join us Tuesday, Feb. 12 for another fantastic and fun evening of music, food and beverages. We encourage you to buy your tickets early and invite all your friends, as they do go quickly.
We promise that this year’s Mardi Gras will be the best ever!
SUSAN JESTER AND BIG MIKE
GSDBA Charitable Foundation
