Well, mark your calendars for Tuesday, Feb. 12 as it is time for another crazy and fun Hillcrest Mardi Gras that promises to be bigger than ever! Bill Hardt Productions which brings you the super-popular annual Zoo Party is the new producer and you all better be ready for a really big wild blowout!
Together with more than 3,000 activists in Atlanta!
Yes, I was in attendance at the 25th annual Creating Changeconference, sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) this past weekend in Atlanta, Ga.
More than 3,000 GLBT activists and leaders showed up for one of the biggest conferences ever … including more than 26 GLBT activists from Communist China and Taiwan.
This gathering of so many fellow activists absolutely would give anyone a wonder shot in the arm and re-energize your activist blood cells!
It was so great running into so many people I’ve worked with since the 1970s! Stuart Milk and Lt. Dan Choi helped me man our International Court System and Harvey Milk Foundation booth in the exhibit area. It was nice bumping into and talking to Georgia state Rep. Simone Bell whose partner Jane Morrison was recently elected a state court judge (now this is a real power couple); County Commissioner Joan Garner, Anthony Aragon (top aide to the mayor of Denver); Terry Stone (national director of Center Link); Sara Beth Brooks– now living in Sacramento; Dr. David Kilmnick, director of the New York Center; Shawn Shao, president of the China Rainbow Network;Randy Stephens, director of the Orlando, Fla. Center and friends I have worked with in the past five “GLBT Marches on Washington!”
It was a great gathering and one conference I’ll never forget. A special thank you to my “son” Russell Roybal (deputy director of the NGLTF) who rolled out the red carpet for Stuart Milk and I.
The next Creating Change national conference will be in 2014 in Houston, Texas and in 2015 in Denver, Colo. I’ll be heading to Seattle next week.
Will the 3rd Council seat remain gay?
Now comes word that yet another straight candidate is looking at a possible candidacy for the 3rd City Council seat in 2016. This seat has been held by a GLBT councilmember for more than 20-years, just like the 4th District has been by an African American and the 8th District by a Latino.
Unless we GLBT voters rally behind one strong gay candidate we could lose this seat and for the first time not be at the “table” at our city government.
Last time around our community was split between two gay candidates with only token candidates that happened to be straight.
In 2016 this looks like it will not be the same as the straight candidates being mentioned are strong and viable in their own right.
This is why so many GLBT leaders, activists and businesspeople are now getting behind and committing to 3rd Council District frontrunner Stephen Whitburn who has already bagged many of Todd Gloria’s top supporters and donors.
Thank you Community Housing Works
Recently, I attended a meeting with officials from the Community Housing Works who are working on a GLBT senior housing project!
Our community’s seniors are some of the most isolated and ignored people around. We need to be more supportive and nicer to our GLBT seniors and elders.
I am blessed to have so many friends that are from different generations and being an activist keeps me busy with a ton of people from all walks of life.
But so many of my fellow GLBT seniors are not so lucky; many of you out there ignore and dismiss our seniors and don’t even smile or converse with them. You act like they’re invisible!
Why not try to be nicer to our GLBT seniors as we are all going to get old. A big thank you to Susan Reynolds and all the good and hardworking people at Community Housing Works.
The Pet Palace is the best!
Those of us who have pets … well, they’re like our children in so many ways. I’ve had my beautiful big black cat (with green eyes) for more than 15-years (a gift from Atty. Rick Kerman).
My cat is named Nixon (yes, after the president). He is my roommate at my senior living apartment complex in Hillcrest that I call Shady Pines. We pet owners don’t trust turning our children over to just anybody so when I say something is the best you know I mean it. My poor Nixon caught some fleas (probably from me) and was going crazy so I took him to Pet Palace (3827 Ray Street) in North Park.
Popular owner Cesar Medina is fabulous and his store is a totally full grooming service and pet supplies headquarters for all your dogs and cats with the best prices in town.
I dropped my Nixon off and hours later picked him up and he was just purring away with happiness.
They do everything at Pet Palace from teeth cleaning to nail trims, flea cleaning, baths etc., etc.
Thank you Pet Palace for making my Nixon feel like a real queen! For more information: 619-291-6565 or thepetpalace@aol.com
Big Mike’s birthday raises more than $4,000
One of San Diego’s most cherished local landmarks … yes Big Mike Phillips celebrated another birthday this past Sunday at award-winning Wang’s and a huge crowd showed up for great food and fab entertainment (Chad Michaels who is Cher … period). Mayor Bob Filner stopped by and presented Big Mike with the City’s very first “Neighborhood Heroes” award!
State Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins also came by as did City Council President Todd Gloria, who proclaimed it “Big Mike Day” in Hillcrest/North Park. Schoolboard Vice President Kevin Beiser also turned out to wish him the best.
As usual Big Mike turned his birthday bash into a fundraiser which this year benefitted the Harvey Milk Foundation with more than $4,000 being raised!
Who doesn’t love Big Mike? He has one of the biggest hearts in town.
Will Candi Samples become empress XLI?
Yes, this Saturday night, Feb. 2 at the Marriott Mission Valley Hotel at 8 p.m. will be the 41st annual Coronation Gala of the Imperial Court de San Diego and you are all invited!
Popular personality Candi Samples (manager Revivals store) is a candidate for empress and she needs your vote to win.
It will be a fun night of pageantry and wild entertainment with GLBT royalty from all over the USA, Mexico and Canada. Tickets are $45 and $65 at the door. 619-300-1232.
Nicole Murray Ramirez has been an award-winning columnist since 1973, and a Latino and gay activist for well over 40 years. He is currently a city commissioner and has served the last five mayors of San Diego. He is also a national board member of the Harvey Milk Foundation and chairman of the International Court Council of the USA, Canada and Mexico. Nicolemrsandiego@aol.com
