Do you have an emergency kit?

Commentary: Conversations with Nicole

BY NICOLE MURRAY RAMIREZ

The facts are that a major earthquake will, sooner or later, occur in California according to all the experts. Also the FBI and Homeland Security have in the past named San Diego as one of the top cities for a possible terrorist attack.

San Diego is right next to the Mexican border and has one of the largest military complexes in the United States.

Do you have an emergency kit? A first aid kit? Even a flashlight and radio? You can buy emergency kits at Ace Hardware, Target, etc.

I urge you to get one today. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

More than 900 Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast tickets sold!

The Friday, May 24 annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast at the Hilton by the Bay will certainly be sold out as usual with 900 tickets already having been sold!

Gov. Barbara Richards and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black will be honored and Mayor Bob Filner and his first lady Bronwyn Ingram will be the special emcees. Stuart Milk of the Harvey Milk Foundation will be in town and for the first time a Navy Honor Guard will present the national anthem along with the award-winning San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus.

There have been Harvey Milk Breakfasts in San Francisco, Palm Springs and all over California but San Diego was the first and still is the biggest!

So get your tickets/tables today, before it is too late. Call The LGBT Center for more information 619-692-2077.

Royale Gala raises $8,000

The annual Royale Ball and Investiture of the members of the 41^st reign of the Imperial Court de San Diego held at The Center raised more than $8,000 for the ongoing programs of the Imperial Court.

Congratulations to Blue Montana the outgoing prince who is a leader in the transgender community and Mama Cass, who is a long time fundraiser and popular personality in the Filipino community.

‘The People’s Empress’ Candi Samples invested her new court members and Allan Spyere, president of the board of directors, presented a financial grant to Border Angels and announced that the Court would be official financial sponsors of the children’s gardens of both North County Pride and South Bay Pride. The Imperial Court will also, once again, co-sponsor the annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast.

The Imperial Court de San Diego is an all-volunteer organization and is a chapter within the International Court System which was founded in 1965 and has chapters in more than 68 cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Mayor Bob Filner and his first lady Bronwyn Ingram stopped by and commended the Court members and GLBT community for the recent successful 10^th annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt. The president of the San Diego City Council, Todd Gloria presented an official proclamation naming it “Imperial Court Day.”

Congratulations to the new prince and princess royale, Mikie Lochner and Jaeda Reign. For more information visit impcourt.org or call 619-300-1232.

Dillingham Fund provides funeral costs

The Ben F. Dillingham III Community Grant was established in 2000. Did you know it has provided the last dignity in the lives and memory of dozens of GLBT San Diegans, families and friends who could not even afford this last dignity?

This past Thursday night I stopped by The Center for a memorial service in honor of a young man who died of AIDS. The Dillingham Fund provided his cremation and has done so for many of our brothers and sisters, some whose families had refused to help and abandoned them and others who could not afford this cost.

Thank you for your continued support of this fund. Almost all of the cases are referred by The LGBT Center.

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta: May 4

The Latino community continues to grow in our state and city and coming up Saturday, May 4 at The Center will be one of the biggest fiestas. Carlos Silva and Friends annual Cinco de Mayo event at Numbers (3811 Park Blvd.) with a Mr., Miss and Ms. Cinco de Mayo contest, entertainment and traditional buffet.

Everyone is invited. For further information: 619-540-8727 or grinsil@yahoo.com.

See you all at Numbers May 4 … Olé!

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 six 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