This month is my fifth year anniversary of living in Shady Pines, which I lovingly call my senior living complex. I feel like I’m one of the Golden Girls (I’m Blanche, of course, and my manager Carl is Sophia.) It’s a wonderful complex with really nice neighbors and I live with my very fat black kitty Nixon, who puts up with me.
Mayor’s race starts off with a bang!
It may be almost a year ’til the election, but the campaign is in full swing. State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher raised the most individual donations than anyone, $319,000. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has received the most elected official endorsements, including Mayor Jerry Sanders and former Congresswoman Lynn Schnez. City Councilman Carl DeMaio put in $273,000 of his own money but has received an impressive $271,000 in individual donations. Congressman Bob Filner, the only Democrat in the race so far, is doing good in recent early polls.
The openly gay Latino Democratic Speaker of the state Assembly, John Perez recently appointed Nathan Fletcher to chair a most coveted committee on jobs and small businesses.
A San Diego committee to oppose Carl DeMaio has formed entitled, “Too extreme for San Diego,” and a pro-marijuana committee has formed against Bonnie Dumanis.
Doug Case, the president of the GLBT Democratic Club, has endorsed Filner and NBC/Channel 39 will host the first mayoral debate next month, Sept. 17.
City Council redistricting map
Well, well, well it looks like for all the talk about a new Latino council district (No. 9) now that Kensington, Talmadge etc. will be in this district these residents vote in higher numbers than the Latino neighborhoods! Word is that Councilman Marti Emerald could run in the new Ninth District and in the future popular City Commissioner Robert Gleason (who will now live in the Ninth) could be a future candidate and with the sadly usual low Latino voter turnout Emerald and Gleason could easily be the future of the new 9th Council seat.
As for the new so-called “super-gay” 3rd District, it now includes powerful downtown San Diego with its big Republican and business money and influence. After the progressive Todd Gloria is termed out, look for moderate gay Republican Andrew Poat to easily become a frontrunner to succeed Gloria because of powerful downtown establishment support.
Hamilton, Toronto and D.C.
Three different cities, hotels and events, meetings etc. but the same steamy heat!
My Canadian host was mega businessman John Ribson, who heads up all the Wendy’s fast food restaurants in Canada! While waiting to return to the USA, John arranged a special VIP lounge pass at the Toronto airport. Guess who I was with? Rap superstar Snoop Dogg!
GLBT youth bullying is a serious problem everywhere. I had the honor of presenting an award to Canadian Jeremy Dias, who at the age of 17 took action against his high school district which did nothing while he was being continuously bullied. This young man won his discrimination lawsuit against his school and won one of Canada’s largest human rights settlements and used the money to establish a Canadian Youth organization.
Over 1 million people attended Toronto’s Gay Pride parade and festival. With Canada’s marriage equality and gays in the military, we could learn from our neighbors to the north. I was then off to Washington, D.C. where it was hot and muggy.
Multicultural Explosion: Aug. 13
This coming Saturday, you are all invited to celebrate our GLBT community’s rich ethnic diversity at the Multicultural Explosion at the Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with food, dancing, entertainment, fashion show and more. There will be celebrations with the African American, Latino and Asian Pacific Islander communities and everyone is invited, 18 years to 80!
Rob Benzon Foundation
For 11 years, the Rob Benzon Foundation has been quietly but steadily making a difference in San Diego and reaching out to those in need, including children. Named after the popular late manager of Flicks, Rob Benzon was a wonderful and positive human being with a great smile. His friends have been carrying on Rob’s positive and giving nature by helping many in need.
The foundation’s annual Pride weekend launch party has become the place to be and the kickoff to San Diego Pride. This year’s gala event at the historic Burnham House drew over 400 people including many movers and shakers. Even District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and the Union-Tribune’s No. 1 columnist Tom Blair stopped by. This A-list event raised thousands of dollars for the foundation and all the credit must go to their dedicated and hardworking board of directors.
Recently the foundation helped some of the Hillcrest fire victims and a 5-year-old boy with a brain tumor. The Rob Benzon Foundation is an unsung hero in our community and every year supports the Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner for AIDS and cancer patients and the homeless. For more info: robbenzonfoundation.org.
Stand with us
Recently I met with Monica Baver, a San Diego director of Stand With Us, a great organization which educates Americans about the country of Israel. They recently hosted an Israeli Army Sgt. Yossi Herzog for a speaking engagement co-sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League. To learn more about this wonderful group: standwithus.com.
CityBeat, Gonzalez to be honored
The board of governors of the Nicky Awards has announced the establishment of an annual Michael Portantino Outstanding Media Award and the first recipient will be CityBeat. Also the executive director of the AFL-CIO/Labor Council, Lorena Gonzalez will be honored.
The 36th annual Nicky Awards (the gay Academy Awards of San Diego) are set for Sunday Aug. 28.
Nicky voting online is now going on at nickyawards.com and the bar voting parties are this weekend! 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. Nicolemrsd@aol.com.
