| PHOTO: ANA PINES
A Sweet Affair
| PHOTO: ANA PINES
Being Alive San Diego HIV/AIDS Services held their fundraising event, A Sweet Affair, Jan. 30 at the Joyce Beers Community Center. There were plenty of desserts from 10 different bakeries. The Baklava King was selected for the people’s choice award. We’re not surprised after sampling a few. The judges’ choice award went to the Opera Cafe and Patisserie. Barefoot Wine provided wine and champagne. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence did a great job selling raffle tickets for various prizes such as salon visits, a toolbox and restaurant vouchers.
Being Alive San Diego was founded in 1989 by HIV+ individuals who volunteered their time to support and empower the HIV/AIDS affected community. In 2007, the organization adopted an action plan utilizing four integrated strategies which includes health and wellness promotion, early intervention, education and prevention, adherence and medication support and life skills education and support. To learn more about Being Alive San Diego, visit www.beingalivesd.com.
San Diego Black Film Festival
Established in 2002, this is one of the largest film festivals in the country featuring the best in African American and African Diaspora films. The festival screened more than 100 films from LGBT, foreign/African diaspora to shorts and music videos.
We watched Melvin & Jean (An American Story), Comrade Sunshine, The Super-Duper Shorts Package which included Alone at Midnight, Turnipseed, Chapter One, Stakes, The Time Lord, and Got The Music In Me which included Still Jammin, Jesse Belvin and True Delta.
San Diego Black Film Festival | PHOTO: ANA PINES We really enjoyed the Got The Music In Me showcase. The featured documentary and shorts gave us a glimpse of the birth of Kansas City jazz, the life of 1950s soul singer Jesse Belvin and the roots of blues passing from one generation to the next. It also made us want to know more about Jesse Belvin who died with his wife in a head-on collision at Hope, Ark. They had just performed in Little Rock or rather tried to perform as the first concert played before an integrated audience was disrupted by violence and racism. Check out this year’s Black Film Festival Awardees at sdbff.com/index.html
Lunar New Year Tet Festival
We celebrated Tết or Vietnamese New Year at the Tết Festival in Qualcomm Feb. 1. We each received a lucky coin with our ticket entry. It was a three-day celebration that included a lion dance, live performances, pageant contests and fashion shows. Elevé, a pop girl group from San Diego, performed several cover songs including “Drunk in Love” and “Birthday Cake.”
Tết or Hội xuân (spring festival) is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year. It is the Vietnamese version of the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated by many East Asian countries. This festival celebrates the union of nature, humans, culture, the living and the dead.
It’s celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar. The years are represented by 12 zodiac animals: rat, buffalo, tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. These animals rotate through 12-year periods. Each animal has different strengths and weaknesses that they are believed to pass on to any person born in their year. This is the Year of the Horse. The festival was sponsored by Little Saigon San Diego, a foundation that promotes the rich heritage of the ethnic communities, ensures that people are fully represented as equals and are able to fully exercise their democratic rights. For more information: littlesaigonsandiego.org
The San Diego Roller Derby | PHOTO: ANA PINES Rollin’ Ninjas versus Roller Rebel Alliance
San Diego Roller Derby had their inaugural home team season opener at Skateworld. Patrons were encouraged to wear purple/black to cheer for the Rollin’ Ninjas and blue/silver for the Roller Rebel Alliance. The pre-bout featured the Junior League, San Diego Cadettes. Donations were also collected for their monthly charity, Urban Street Angels, an organization that reaches out to homeless youth.
Congrats to the MVP’s of that night. Rollin’ Ninjas, Krayla Ward (Mistress Doom) and for the Roller Rebel Alliance, Taffy Lowery. If you have a need for speed you’ll want to check them out at their next event at facebook.com/SanDiegoRollerDerby
