Last weekend LGBT Royalty and friends from all over the United States, Canada and Mexico gathered in Portland, Ore. for a historic event: the 50th Anniversary of the International Imperial Court System (ICS), which now has chapters in over 68 cities in these great nations.
The elegant Governor’s Ballroom of the Sentinel Hotel hosted the “Golden Jubilee State Dinner and Gala” which drew such VIPS as: the Reverend Troy Perry (founder of the Metropolitan Community Church); Dennis and Judy Shepard (founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation): Cleve Jones (founder of the Names Project and the AIDS Quilt); the Honorable Toni Atkins (speaker, California State Assembly); the Honorable Michael Connolly (Legislative Assembly, Canada); Stuart Milk (founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation); and Dustin Lance Black (Academy Award winner for the movie Milk); and many other elected officials and LGBT leaders from throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico.
The Imperial Court System (I like to call it the gay Shriners or Elks of the Americas) was founded in 1965 by World War II veteran Jose Julio Sarria, who in 1961 became the first openly gay candidate to run for public office. Jose died in 2013 at the age of 91, and had named me “heir and successor” as the “titular head of state” and next year will mark the 10th anniversary of my assuming the role and the “throne.” Soon after her death, I established the “International Jose Julio Sarria Scholarship” and announced a $90,000 endowment for this international LGBT student scholarship program at the gala.
I had the honor of presiding over this historic event, and I was equally honored that 31 San Diegans travelled to Portland for this “State Dinner.” Among them were: Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, Councilman Todd Gloria, City Commissioner Robert Gleason (chair, Regional Port Authority); City Commissioner Bruce Abrams (chair, International Foreign Affairs Commission); Benjamin F. Dillingham (County Veterans Board); Sherman Mendoza (owner, The Caliph) Big Mike Phillips (president, Board of Directors of the Imperial Court de San Diego); Tom Dickerson (Emperor XL and former Mr. San Diego Leather); Mikie Too and Toni Saunders (Emperor and Empress XLII of the Imperial Court de San Diego) Empress V Morgana; Empress VII Jimmy Mountain; Empress XXV Roxie Bleu; Empress XLI Pearl; Empress XXXIII Lala Too; Empress XXXVIII Regina Styles and many other LGBT San Diegans, including Russell Roybal, now the deputy director of the N.L.G.B.T.Q. Task Force in Washington, D.C.
Of the many official sponsors of the International Imperial Court’s 50th Anniversary Gala was the historic Stonewall Inn for New York City!
El Centro and Oceanside
LGBT Californians are indeed living all over the Golden State and recently I attended two events in the cities of El Centro, and Oceanside.
The new “Imperial County Valley LGBT Resource Center” opened its doors for LGBT citizens of Imperial County and I had the honor of being asked to be a part of the ribbon cutting ceremony, and emcee the official event. Imperial County is about 90 percent Latino and there are no gay bars there, but certainly a very large and united LGBT community as this event brought forth a large crowd, including local government officials.
San Diego Pride’s very own Fernando Lopez (an El Centro native) was a keynote speaker and gave a rousing speech. It was so great to see this community come together and open their own LGBT Center. Congratulations to Rose Diaz, Eve Murguia and the entire board of directors.
I have been coming to Oceanside since the 1970s and have seen the struggles to organize the LGBT community … not anymore! North County has become a very well-organized and visible LGBT community and this year I traveled up there to help celebrate their annual Pride Festival, which for the second year was held in downtown Oceanside and attracts thousands. I had the honor to introduce Speaker of the State Assembly Toni Atkins who gave the keynote address.
Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood is one of the best public servants in North County and he told me recently he suffered two strokes, but is doing better. You’re the best mayor and thank you for your support of the LGBT community.
Creating Change Conference in San Diego?
The National L.G.B.T.Q. Task Force’s annual Creating Change Conference for LGBT activists, leaders and organizers has been drawing over 4,000 attendees these past two years and it may return to San Diego. (We hosted its 10th anniversary.) A local committee has formed to lobby the Task Force to bring this national LGBT conference of thousands back to San Diego in 2018, 2019 or 2020. Next year’s 28th annual conference will be held in Chicago.
Kurt Cunningham Celebration of Life
The Kurt Cunningham Celebration of Life will be held at The Center Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, visit facebook.com/events/996645700397968
