SAN DIEGO, Calif. – San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez has been elected as a national co-chair of the upcoming National March for Equality set for June 11 in Washington, D.C. Commissioner Ramirez, who has been a Latino gay activist now for almost half a century, holds the distinction of being the only gay activist…
Once again transgender Police Officer Christine Garcia has been subjected to hate, disrespect, insults and attacks by some militant radical members of our very own LGBT community. As many of you remember, Officer Garcia was barred from attending the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance because she was wearing her police uniform. Now for the recent…
This coming July will mark the 20th anniversary of Andrew Cunanan’s “killing spree” national rampage that ended with the killing of fashion designer and icon Gianni Versace. Cunanan committed suicide after murdering a total of five people in the cities of Minneapolis, Chicago and Miami. For weeks this story made world headlines that turned into…
Last year saw major controversy surrounding the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation (SDHDF), which resulted in the forced resignation of its controversial executive director. Soon, other board members resigned and three funds removed themselves and their finances from the SDHDF. I received calls from former and current board members who accused the former executive director…
This past weekend found me in San Francisco giving two speeches, one at the Design Center and the other at the Holiday Inn Civic Center. Of course I addressed the issues of the day; especially the president’s recent assault on transgender civil rights which I stated was an assault on all American civil rights. Part…
Recent polls show Mayor Kevin Faulconer behind Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsome in next year’s California governor’s race. That Faulconer, a Republican, is polling a strong second while expressing no interest in the race continues to have people urge him to run. While I believe our mayor would make an outstanding governor, I do believe it…
This coming Saturday Feb. 4, San Diego’s oldest LGBT organization will be celebrating its 45th anniversary of community service: The Imperial Court de San Diego. In 1972, LGBT San Diegans started to meet and discuss the starting of a local chapter of the International Imperial Court System, which was founded in 1965 in San Francisco…
Having advised and served the last seven mayors of San Diego, and two interim mayors, I have indeed heard many “State of the City” addresses by both Republican and Democratic office holders. The address last week by Mayor Kevin Faulconer was one of the most sincere and down to earth speeches by not a partisan…
This past Saturday, community activists and friends of Will X. Walters gathered at the Rainbow Flag monument in Hillcrest to remember the young activist who took his own life. Will’s recent case against the San Diego Police Department had gotten national attention, especially after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in his favor….
For five years now, young businessman Johan Engman has closed his restaurants (Fig Tree, Breakfast Republic, etc.), on Christmas Day to provide a complimentary gourmet dinner for military veterans through the Wounded Warrior Project. This wonderful event has grown so big that Engman, who has donated the bulk of the costs, needed some help and…
