I attended the swearing-in ceremony of our city’s 36th mayor, Kevin Faulconer, this past Monday morning. The main theme of his speech was that we are all in this together. Our new mayor does not see our city as nine council districts or neighborhoods, but as “One San Diego”. He broke with tradition and held his swearing-in ceremony in Southeast San Diego, the major home of our African American community – a historic first for a mayor of San Diego. At various times during his speech, Mayor Faulconer spoke in fluent Spanish. He spoke with much passion and compassion about our city’s homeless problem. “No man, woman or child should ever have to sleep on the street, it’s not right. It’s not part of our values.” Interestingly, former Mayor Bob Filner did not mention the GLBT community in his inaugural speech but Mayor Faulconer did. Our new mayor talked about affordable housing and expanding after-school programs. Kevin Faulconer truly loves our city and wants it to be the best it can be and will most certainly be a mayor for all San Diegans.
His new staff includes a very smart Latino gay man, Rich Reyes (who worked for Council President Gloria) who is well qualified and hails from Washington, D.C. The mayor’s chief of staff is handsome “new dad” Stephen Puetz who I got to know during the election as he was Kevin’s campaign manager. Stephen gets that San Diego is changing and celebrates our city and state’s ever changing diversity.
The three new deputy chiefs of staff are Jaymie Bradford (one smart cookie), Matt Awbrey (a really nice guy and devoted public servant) and Felipe Monroig the proud Latino ex-director of the County Taxpayer’s Association.
I also attended Monday night’s Inauguration Gala at the Port Pavilion at the Broadway Pier. What a great event with outstanding food and the very best entertainment including the Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego. And let me tell you, the absolutely diverse crowd truly felt on this evening like “One San Diego” with Democrats, Republicans and Independents all wishing our new mayor the very best. By the way our new first lady of San Diego, Katherine Faulconer is definitely one of the most beautiful, classy, kind and best dressed first lady’s our city has ever seen!
Todd Gloria … the best is yet to come!
Last Friday night’s celebration and tribute at our new beautiful city library for outgoing Interim Mayor Todd Gloria was packed with our city’s top movers and shakers, civic and community leaders. It was a room full of sincere love and respect for a young man who led our city out of the darkness.
Almost a decade ago I approached Todd Gloria about running for public office and believe it or not, he wasn’t sure about it and had some doubts. I as usual just kept on talking! When I first started mentioning Todd for the Third City Council seat in my column some GLBT elected officials and leaders actually tried to talk me out of supporting him as many in our community (the powers to be) were looking at another candidate who they had already anointed. The rest is history as they say and now, for friends and family like me we are so prideful because we saw something in Todd that he at times didn’t know he possessed – leadership, compassion and a true devoted love of people and public service. Former Mayor Jerry Sanders once said of Todd that he was a future senator or governor.
Now everyone agrees in San Diego that for Todd Gloria, the best is yet to come!
Stampp Corbin, this is not Chicago!
Many of you have been asking me when I am going to respond to some of my publisher’s negative attacks on me for supporting Kevin Falconer. Well I feel sorry for Stampp Corbin as he is from Chicago where there is a Democratic Party machine which everyone blindly marches behind. Stampp and others long for the return of the “Boss Daley” era when everyone did what they were told.
Interestingly, it is I, Nicole Murray Ramirez who got a Republican mayor and sheriff to appoint him to a commission and county board. I also got him the votes to be the president of the Greater San Diego Business Association Charitable Foundation.
I have never called myself a Latino or gay leader as others have or wrote. I consider myself a Latino gay activist who happens to have gotten more GLB T citizens of color appointed to commissions and boards both in city and county government, like Mr. Stampp Corbin, than anyone these last four decades. Stampp, you have written more negative commentary’s than positive. I know Chicago politics are about ugly, nasty and shady, but we in San Diego try our best to keep things as clean as possible.
All I have to say to you Stampp Corbin is … can you repeat after me: Mayor Kevin Faulconer! Oh yes, and thank you for employing this old queen as it helps pay my senior living apartment rent. Love you! Mean it!
PUBLISHER’S NOTE:
Dear Nicole,
I was the one who put you on Presidential Candidate Barack Obama’s National LGBT Leadership Council in 2007. That was long before you “helped” me get on the above boards.
Nicole Murray Ramirez has been an award-winning columnist since 1973, and a Latino and gay activist for more than 45 years. He is currently a city commissioner and has served the last seven 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
I always think its tacky when an “employee” or anyone else associated with a publication argues or tries to “one up” their co workers. Boo hiss Stampp on this one Stamp