San Diego Pride, Author at San Diego Pride

Author Archives: San Diego Pride

About San Diego Pride

San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.

Online Bullying
April 3, 2025 2:25 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

We love the internet. For many of us, especially as queer kids in the early 2010s, it was a refuge—a place to learn about ourselves, find community, and exist more freely. But while online anonymity can be liberating, it also enables bigotry and hate. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve seen or experienced it firsthand.

Online harassment is all too common, and one insidious form is the use of dog whistles—coded language that seems harmless but carries hidden bigotry. Like an actual dog whistle, these messages often go unnoticed by outsiders while signaling to those who share hateful ideologies. Dog whistles aren’t the only form of online harassment, but they can be especially hard to call out. Learn more about dog whistles.

While bad actors are responsible for spreading hate, it helps to know how to protect yourself and others:
- Keep identifying details private. You don’t have to hide who you are, but consider leaving out personal info like your last name, workplace, or city to avoid doxxing.
- Set your profiles to private. This gives you control over who follows you.
- Limit who can DM you. Adjust settings so only people you follow can message you.
- Avoid bad-faith debates. Some people ask questions to learn, but others “sealion” or “concern troll” to drain your energy. Save your time for real conversations.
- Use blocking and reporting tools. Even if enforcement is inconsistent, it’s still worth reporting harassment.
- Think before you share. Ask, Is this too personal? Not everyone needs to be in your business.
If online negativity starts to weigh on you, touch grass. Literally. It sounds cliché, but getting outside really helps. Even Björk has a tip for escaping doomscrolling: “Just go on a walk for an hour and come back and see how you feel.” Walking engages both sides of the brain, helping to reduce stress and regulate emotions. Bonus points if you call a friend while you do it.

Still feeling overwhelmed? You don’t have to handle it alone. PFLAG offers hotlines and warmlines with call and text options for support—no need to wait for a crisis. We’ve used these resources ourselves, and they truly help.

For all the hate online, remember—there is far more love. You are standing on the shoulders of giants, part of a long history of people who fought for your right to exist freely. One of those giants is Tracie Jada O’Brien, whose scholarship program has empowered countless trans folks to access education. We invite you to join us Friday, April 4, from 5-7 PM at the LGBT Center to connect with community for Trans Day of Empowerment. . The fight is far from over, but we honor those who came before us by taking care of ourselves—because we can’t carry on their legacy unless we put our own oxygen mask on first.

Franklin Younger (they/them)
Staff Accountant

Josh Moats (he/him)
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Prides Under Pressure. Power in Community – A Call to Rise
March 27, 2025 3:27 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Community,

It is a critical time for Pride organizations across the nation and around the world. From California to the Midwest and beyond, we’re hearing the same message: the slow erosion of our rights is not subtle—it’s strategic. Many Prides are at risk, with costs getting higher and some communities experiencing a loss of sponsors and support. We all need to remember when Pride is at risk, so is the power and visibility of our community.

But let’s be clear—we will not back down.

San Diego Pride, one of the oldest and largest Pride celebrations in the country, is actively preparing for a Pride Week that will uplift, inspire, and galvanize. We are creating space for protest and for celebration, for joy and for healing, for remembrance and for resistance. We are here for you—to march with, to fight beside, and to rise proudly in community with. We also want to thank our sponsors who for years have supported our community and many who will continue to do so for 2025.

Rooted in the power of Stonewall and shaped by decades of struggle and resilience, yes Pride has its moments with glitter, rainbows and joy. It is also truly about fighting for freedom, dignity, and our future. We have persisted through attacks on our rights before, and we will again—but only if we do it together.

As Prides across the globe face mounting political and financial pressure, some are being forced to scale back or even shut down. In this critical moment, it’s more important than ever to support the Prides that remain and the sponsors who support them. At San Diego Pride, we don’t take our place in this movement for granted. We’re proud to be a year-round community based volunteer driven organization—and we carry that responsibility with humility, knowing that what we build here helps inspire and sustain others around the world.

We are all watching the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric evolve into dangerous policies. We are seeing education censored, trans people targeted, bodily autonomy attacked, and families harmed. We cannot wait for these orders, bans and policies to become life changing. History has shown us time and again: silence will not save us. Comfort will not protect us. And waiting is not an option.

Now is your time to rally. To find joy with your friends, family, allies, and chosen family. It’s a time to remind the world that our pride is unbreakable and our power is unshakeable.

Make no mistake that Pride Week is for 2025. When you buy a ticket to the San Diego Pride Festival, you’re not just celebrating—you’re sustaining and you are supporting one of the oldest, largest and most community-driven Prides in the country. Your support helps fund our year-round programs, advocacy, and community-building efforts that empower LGBTQIA+ people every day.

San Diego Pride is a movement powered by you. Whether you’re an artist, a volunteer, a community partner, or a passionate supporter — there’s a place for you in this work.

Here’s how you can show up and make an impact:

Volunteer: Join the team that makes the magic happen behind the scenes.

Performer Applications Close Today! Don’t miss your chance to share your talent on one of our iconic Pride stages.

Donate: Your gift helps fund year-round programs, advocacy, and events that uplift and empower our LGBTQIA+ community.

Sponsor: Partner with San Diego Pride to support equity, visibility, and joy — and reach thousands of Pride-goers.

Act now and be part of something bigger — Get Involved. Because our Pride is unbreakable. Our power is unshakeable. And so are we.
The System Wasn’t Wasn’t Built for Us
March 20, 2025 4:16 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Healthcare is a basic human right—but for too many of us, it’s a source of anxiety, harm, and inequity.

From being misgendered or dismissed, to being denied care altogether, queer and trans people face barriers that make seeking medical attention not only frustrating—but dangerous. Studies show LGBTQIA+ individuals are less likely to be insured and more likely to experience discrimination from medical providers.

In fact, 15% of LGBTQIA+ Americans report postponing or avoiding medical treatment due to discrimination. LGBTQIA+ adults, particularly women, are more likely to face discrimination or unfair treatment in healthcare settings, leading to delays or avoidance of necessary care and nearly 1 in 3 transgender individuals reported being refused care or verbally harassed by a healthcare provider.

Because we are forced to navigate a healthcare system that was not built with us in mind, we know that advocacy doesn’t stop at the ballot box or the parade. It continues in the exam room, the therapy office, and the pharmacy. Despite this continued injustice, we reclaim our power in the questions we ask, the care we demand, and the community we build to ensure that none of us has to face it alone.

Here are some ways from The Center for Transgender Equality to advocate for yourself in a healthcare system that wasn’t designed with LGBTQIA people in mind.
- Bring a trusted friend or advocate to appointments
- Write down your symptoms and questions ahead of time
- Know your rights – you can request a different provider if you feel unsafe or disrespected
- Speak up, if and when you feel safe doing so – your voice matters
We also want to recognize the work of local LGBTQIA+ health organizations, providers, and clinics who are fighting to change the system every day.

With Pride and Solidarity,

San Diego Pride
Fill Your Cup with Expansive Love
February 13, 2025 1:14 pm Leave a Comment

As queer people, many of us don’t fit into mainstream ideas about relationships. Instead, we create our own support systems—choosing family, valuing friendships as deeply as romantic partners, and forming connections that go beyond traditional labels. For some, this includes consensual non-monogamy and polyamory, which offer different ways of sharing love and care.

Consensual non-monogamy and polyamory challenge the idea that love is limited or that giving love to multiple people somehow means divided love or intention. While monogamy works well for many, others find that polyamory or consensual non-monogamy allows them to form multiple meaningful relationships. Just as we care for many people in our lives—friends, family, lovers, community—some of us choose to build intimate connections with multiple partners, all while creating systems of support that fulfill our needs for connection.

Open and honest communication is the lifeblood of reciprocity. In non-monogamous relationships, thoughtfully communicating how we give and receive care is especially important. Clear communication, setting boundaries, and managing expectations are key to maintaining healthy connections of all kinds. Reflecting on how you and your loved ones express affection can help ensure that everyone’s needs are understood and met. A great way to learn more about how to care for a loved one is by discussing and exploring how we like to give and receive love. Showing up for your loved ones may include things like:
- Doing small, thoughtful acts—bringing a meal, running an errand, or helping with a tough task
- Making time for people who matter to you by planning time together and being there for emotional support
- Sharing words of appreciation, whether through messages, compliments, or even sending memes!
- Creating something meaningful—a card, a poem, a playlist, or a small gift to show you’re thinking of them
- Schedule check-ins regularly to discuss what is going well and what needs improvement in your relationship – having a dedicated time for this can relieve pressure and prevent built-up tension
Showing love takes effort, but the time and care we put into our relationships help them grow. This Valentine’s season, as we reflect on love, connection, and the expansive forms it can take, we invite you to take the opportunity to reflect on how you can expand and enrich the love you share—whether with partners, friends, family, or community. As Polysecure author Jessica Fern reminds us, “Attachment security isn’t about the number of partners we have; it’s about the quality of the connections we create.” No matter how many or what kind of meaningful relationships we have, what truly matters is the trust, communication, and care we invest into them.

What bonds are you ready to cultivate more deeply this year? How can you practice your ability to show love expansively?

With abundant love,

Lo Horst (they/she) & Franklin Younger (they/them)
Black History Month: Honoring the Legacy of Sir Lady Java
February 6, 2025 1:07 pm Leave a Comment

Howdy Pride Family,

For 2025 Black History Month, we want to share the story of Sir Lady Java, a Black trans woman who paved the way for not just our San Diego community, but the entire national LGBTQIA+ movement.

As we face an ongoing onslaught of anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and bad-faith legislation, it’s essential to remember that the rights and spaces we have today are the result of decades of struggle and resilience. Our progress has never been guaranteed, and it was made possible by people like Lady Java.

Sir Lady Java

Lady Java, born in New Orleans in the 1940s, was an entertainer and activist who became a central figure in the LGBTQIA+ community everywhere she went. As a performer, she captivated audiences, and challenged rule number 9 that targeted transgender performers. Lady Java fought for the inclusion and visibility of trans people at a time when the fight for queer rights was often narrowly focused. She was one of the first openly trans women to challenge discrimination in employment, medical care, and housing, laying the groundwork for the trans rights movement we continue today.

Her activism went beyond the stage—Lady Java advocated for trans rights at a time when they were rarely considered in the broader LGBTQIA+ conversation. She stood at the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality, making her work particularly groundbreaking for Black and trans communities in a time where white LGBT activists used their positionality to punch down and exert racist power over our Black and brown kin.

This photograph displays Sir Lady Java and Redd Foxx standing in front of other protestors, holding a sign which reads, “Java vs. Right to Work” in front of the Redd Foxx club.

Photo Credit: Digital Transgender Archive

We Must Remember our History

As the saying goes, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” While we’ve made strides in codifying LGBTQIA+ rights, many of the issues Lady Java fought against—discrimination, erasure, and marginalization—are still with us as the federal government seeks to strip transgender and gender nonconforming people of legal recognition and protection.

Our history is so important. Our (Black) queer and trans elders fought so that we could have the rights and visibility we do today. We cannot afford to forget their sacrifices in a society that does not see our history and culture as worth teaching.

Their stories are not just relics of the past—they’re a battle plan for the future. As we face the butchering of transgender legal protections, it’s crucial to look back at the courage of people like Lady Java, Stormé Delarverie, and Marsha P. Johnson to find inspiration for the path ahead.

As we honor Black History Month, let’s remember the legacy of Sir Lady Java and continue fighting for a future where our history is preserved, and our rights are protected.

Con Orgullo,

With Pride,

Esmeralda “Esmé” Quintero-Cubillan
Get Involved: Join San Diego Pride’s Community Building & Pride Planning Meetings
January 30, 2025 2:37 pm Leave a Comment

San Diego Pride is more than just a weekend celebration—it’s a year-round movement powered by dedicated volunteers and community members like you. Every month, we host a Community Building Workshop & Pride Planning Meeting, providing a space for our community to connect and volunteer leaders to plan upcoming events and initiatives. Our workshops provide valuable skill building for planning community events and advocating for change. These meetings are also an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about our organization, the work we do, and how to get involved.

With over 2,000 volunteers supporting San Diego Pride each year, we rely on passionate individuals to help us produce community events, including the San Diego Pride Parade and Festival, as well as educational and advocacy programs that uplift and serve the LGBTQIA+ community. Whether you’re interested in event production, accessibility, entertainment, or community outreach, there’s a place for you among 30+ volunteer departments that make Pride happen each year.

Join us at a Community Building Workshop & Pride Planning Meeting and you’ll meet like-minded individuals, connect with LGBTQIA+ community leaders, and find meaningful ways to contribute your skills and talents. Come be part of the Pride family and help us continue building a more inclusive and empowered community, all year long.

Join us at our next meeting:

Saturday, Feb 15, 2025
9:30 am – 12:30 pm
University Christian Church (3900 Cleveland Ave.)

Learn more at sdpride.org/volunteer

In unbreakable pride and unshakeable power,

Linda Glevy
(she/they)
Volunteer, Event, & Access Coordinator
Finding the Light
January 23, 2025 10:56 am Leave a Comment

Dear San Diego Pride Family,

The past few days have been emotionally heavy for many of us – filled with moments of anger, sadness, fear. These feelings are valid and speak to the challenges we face as a community. The safety, security, and basic human rights of trans, intersex and non binary individuals are in genuine danger as the White House seeks to erase their existence. This is the truth. Another truth is that they have tried to break us before, and we are unbreakable and will not disappear. Our community is not new to this. Even in the darkest of times, we find light in each other. And even in the darkest of times, we will never give up this fight.

The swift attacks that began on the first day of this new administration were no surprise. A broad coalition of local and national LGBTQIA+ and allied organizations were ready for this, and are immediately working to challenge actions that threaten our basic human rights, which include:
- targeting trans, non-binary, and intersex people – attempts to erase us, with implications for federal identity documents, incarcerated folks, federal resources and data collection, access to restrooms and single-sex spaces
- targeting immigrants, immigration processes, militarizing the border region, attempts to end constitutional birthright citizenship, limiting refugee and asylum processes
- targeting all DEI initiatives, including a threat of targeting corporate DEI programs
- rescinding prior executive orders prohibiting nondiscrimination in employment
  targeting environmental protections and existing work on the climate crisis
This onslaught is intended to dehumanize us and exhaust our resolve. To make us too afraid, too tired, too preoccupied to keep protecting our existing freedoms and keep fighting for our community’s total liberation.

It’s true that individually, we cannot fight these attacks. And it’s ALSO true that together – as a community and across movements – we can fight these attacks, and we can win.

Here’s what San Diego Pride is going to do moving forward:
- Organize our most defiantly, joyful pride, parade festival, and weeklong celebration yet. Join us July 2025.
- Advocate with our local officials to enshrine and enhance protections and resources for LGBTQIA+ folks – especially for transgender, non-binary, and intersex folks
- Invest in and creating spaces for queer and trans joy like our upcoming ARTONOMY Winter Art Show
- Uplift and share resources from our partner organizations, like this Trans Legal Survival Guide from Advocates for Trans Equality
We together, hand in hand, remain steadfast in our truth and reality that we have always been here, and we will always be here. And we remain unshakeable in our commitment that we will win. We will get to freedom. And we will take care of each other and ourselves as we go through these next four years and beyond.

In solidarity and unbreakable hope,

San Diego Pride
Our 2025 Theme Is…
January 17, 2025 9:55 am Leave a Comment

Pride is more than a moment—it’s a movement. In 2025, we invite you to invoke the undeniable spirit of Stonewall as we march forward with Unbreakable Pride and Unshakeable Power.

Rise with Pride and Claim your power.

Our theme embodies our strength, our solidarity, and our determination to keep thriving in a world that challenges us. It’s a declaration: we are here, we are united, and we are unbreakable.

Our collective power is – and has always been – deeply rooted in our ties to one another and we are sustained by the relationships and experiences that bind us. We draw strength from these connections so that we can face adversity with hope and resolve, and we continue pushing toward a world free of prejudice and bias. Our power is unshakeable.

No one moves alone. San Diego Pride is more than the festival and parade—it’s Pride 365. Your energy, your voice, and your joy fuel the arts, advocacy, community programs, and philanthropic efforts we sustain all year long. We are united not only by the strength of our community but also by the unwavering support of our allies.

No matter what challenges the coming months and years may bring, we will be here, fighting for liberation with you. In the face of uncertainty and fear, we are committed to strengthening the bonds that hold us together.

Join us for a year of Unbreakable Pride and Unshakeable Power.

Did you know?

San Diego Pride raises funds through festival ticket and beverage sales. These funds support our community philanthropy which has distributed more than $3.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

**Prices go up when headliners are announced.**
Reaffirming San Diego’s Commitment to Preserving and Protecting Human Rights
January 16, 2025 1:11 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

San Diego Pride stands united with leaders across our region in reaffirming our commitment to protect and uplift our LGBTQIA+ community. In the face of mounting challenges, our collective strength, resilience, and dedication to justice shine brighter than ever.

Yesterday, January 15, 2025, LGBTQIA+ organizations, elected officials, and allies across San Diego County came together in solidarity to declare in one voice: we are ready to meet any challenge.

Our community has a proud history of banding together in times of struggle and being there to support each other just as we did at Stonewall, during the AIDS crisis and right here in our own city with the first Pride March in 1974.

We band together again to ready for what lies ahead and face it hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder – we will gather and unite to protect the most marginalized in our community. We affirm our collective commitment to preserve basic Human Rights and to:
- Make choices about our own bodies
- Seek safety to find a better life for ourselves and our families
- Access gender affirming care
- Have the right to serve and;
- Have the right to go to school in a safe supportive environment.
San Diego Pride stands firm with our partners, allies, and community members. Together, we will rise to ensure that everyone can live authentically, thrive without fear, and create a world rooted in justice and equality.

With pride and solidarity,

Leane Marchese
she/her
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
2025: A Message of Common Strength and Unity
January 2, 2025 1:29 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

As we step into 2025, I remain hopeful, passionate and grateful to lead San Diego Pride. I am encouraged by the solidarity of our entire community to stand shoulder to shoulder to uphold the rights we have won in our not so distant past and now to fiercely protect those who are the most vulnerable and marginalized in our community.

We all must hear this call – we have all fought to be seen and loved for who we are, and had to work tirelessly to live our lives authentically and freely. This fight for authenticity is real for each one of us and is our common thread. These lived experiences we share cannot be taken for granted, rather I believe that these are the bonds that will hold us together through these challenging times and frankly do so with stunning solidarity.

Our common thread of adversity is unique and personal to each one of us and it reminds us of the profound power of our individuality while reinforcing the collective strength of our community. Across generations and identities, our shared experiences unite us in a vibrant, diverse, and resilient tapestry of connection and community. We need to draw closer and display courage, inclusivity, hope, and an unwavering commitment to each other.

As we look to the future, we must agree to continue to weave these threads tighter to support one another—our friends, our families, and, most importantly, the vulnerable and marginalized among us. In moments of uncertainty, these bonds remind us that we are never alone. Each of us contributes to something greater, and together, we are a force of love and light that outshines even the darkest of times.

San Diego Pride stands as a beacon of this unity. Hosting one of the world’s largest Pride celebrations in the world is a testament to our shared strength and resilience. This upcoming July 19th and 20^th we will gather together to proudly and joyfully host our San Diego Pride a community driven Pride – we are here for you, our community, our allies and each other. Our arms are open, and we stand hand in hand with you, supportive and strong.

We invite you to join us.

Join a community coalition, sign on as a volunteer, attend a Pride event or program and commit to purchasing a ticket for your San Diego Festival. Whatever way you step up in support or contributing please know that your participation strengthens our community and prepares us to meet the challenges ahead.

With the arrival of this new year, San Diego Pride reaffirms its commitment to uplifting and empowering our community. We are embarking on a Strategic Planning process to lay the groundwork for the next 50 years of Pride to fulfill our mission across our dynamic LGBTQIA community.

Our goal in this process is to have many voices at the table and find ways for those who want to share and provide feedback into this plan to be able to do so. More to come as we kick off the process this month. via survey and workshop and include that in the messaging multiple oppos to feedback on plan and implementation

Let 2025 be a year of connection, action, hope, and power. Let us celebrate the common threads that unite us, drawing strength from one another and building a future where every LGBTQIA+ individual can live authentically, with dignity, joy, and love.

In solidarity and with love,
Leane Marchese
Executive Director, San Diego Pride
Reflecting on a Year of Pride
December 26, 2024 3:29 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

As the year draws to a close, we look back on our historic 50th Anniversary year with joy and pride! We are proud of many ways that San Diego Pride was able to help the community come together. Here are some of our favorite moments of 2024!

1. 2024 marked four huge milestone anniversaries for San Diego Pride: 50 years since the first Pride march, in 1974 (and now the Parade is the largest single-day civic event in San Diego!)

30 years since incorporating as a 501(c)(3) organization, in 1994

20 years since the first Transgender Day of Empowerment, in 2004 (one of our fiscal sponsor programs, led by Tracie Jada O’Brien)

10 years since the first She Fest, in 2014

2.Vote with Pride Campaign 2024

This year, San Diego Pride launched an ambitious campaign to get out the vote. Pride ands its volunteers had thousands of conversations across San Diego County to mobilize nearly 2,000 voters and register 100 voters over 23 events.

3.Coming Out Monologues for National Coming Out Day

For the first time, Pride celebrated National Coming Out Day by hosting the Coming Out Monologues. In collaboration with Diversionary Theatre and Lambda Archives, we shared our coming out stories and reflected on the history of forced outings in San Diego and why civic engagement is more important now then ever.

4. Out At The Fair 2024

Pride loves to make things gay (one might say it is what we do best!), and we are proud to continue our partnership with Out At to do outreach at the San Diego County Fair. Together, we managed to connect with 200+ community members.

5. Entertainment Development Workshops

San Diego Pride, in partnership with Diversionary Theatre, hosted in-person 90-minute workshops to better prepare local artists for bookings locally and regionally. Over 20 LGBTQ+ BIPOC participants learned the basics of submitting an application, as well as tips on how to format and tailor their work for successful bookings and coaching from Diversionary Theatre with artist presentation and breathing techniques.

6. Educators & Library Workers as Community Grand Marshals of the San Diego Pride Parade

This year followed a troubling trend of increasing policy and interpersonal attacks against LGBTQIA+ youth – particularly, trans youth. Many of these attacks followed old playbooks of targeting schools, teachers, and access to inclusive and affirming information in libraries. And on the front lines defending against these attacks are LGBTQIA+ and allied educators and library workers. This year, we were elated to honor these educators and library workers as our 2024 Community Grand Marshals – and they showed up! We grouped these contingents of libraries, educator groups, and schools, and our community grand marshals stretched for almost an entire block on the Parade route.

7. San Diego Pride Founding Leadership Honored as Heroes of Pride

As we celebrated 50 years, San Diego Pride honored our organization’s Founding Leadership that lay the foundations of our organization and movement in San Diego with the 2024 Heroes of Pride Award. Specifically, we highlighted the leaders in those first couple years of San Diego Pride, in 1974 and 1975, the leadership of our 15/20 Committee in 1989, and the leadership that incorporated San Diego Pride as an independent 501(c)(3) organization. These visionary leaders have been integral in our ability to survive, thrive, and continue making history.

8. Espi Ouapou – From Youth Programs to Spirit of Stonewall Rally Stage

2024’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally included our first spoken-word poet – perhaps first-ever! Espi Ouapou, a phenomenal and award-winning poet, performed a stunning poem about identity and liberation from our Rally stage. Just a few years ago, Espi was a regular part of San Diego Pride’s youth programming, and we were absolutely thrilled to invite their powerful presence back into the Pride fold. (Bonus: a photo of them from the Rally is currently hanging in the Pride office as part of our Images of Pride show!)

9. Designation of Hillcrest LGBTQIA+ Cultural District

Alongside the leadership from our close partners, the Hillcrest Business Association, as well as many long-time LGBTQIA+ activists and business owners in Hillcrest, San Diego achieved a historic victory this year with the designation of Hillcrest as an LGBTQIA+ Cultural District. After collecting and providing hours of input and discussion, we are thrilled with the outcome of this designation by the City of San Diego, which we believe will help safeguard Hillcrest as an LGBTQIA+ neighborhood.

10. San Diego Pride Welcomes New Leadership

2024 was a year marked by change. With the support of our amazing team and volunteers we celebrated 50 years of San Diego Pride at the parade, festival and during our year-round programming. As we welcome our new Executive Director, Leane Marchese, we also welcome Marvens Pierre as our new Director of Events and Programs which will continue to take San Diego Pride into our next chapter beyond 50 years.

11. San Diego Pride Parade Broadcast LIVE- For the First Time

For the first time ever, CBS 8 broadcast the entirety of the San Diego Pride Parade LIVE. CBS 8 correspondents Marcella Lee, Carlo
Cecchetto and Evan Noorani hosted the parade from the heart of Hillcrest.

12. OUT at The Park with the San Diego Padres

OUT at the Park was back for another year as we watched the Padres take on the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Our LGBTQ Military Contingent presented the colors as the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Women’s Chorus, Padres staff, and San Diego Pride staff participated in the ceremonies.

13. Latine Pride + BIPOC Art Show

This year, San Diego’s Latine Pride took place during Hispanic Heritage Month in our exciting new venue, The Soap Factory! We were thrilled to host our celebration at this special location, which holds a significant place within our Latine community. The Soap Factory has played host to a diverse range of celebrations and important events, and we’re honored to add Latine Pride to its rich history. LGBTQ2S+ BIPOC artists also showcased their work in the San Diego Pride “Embracing Identity Through Art” exhibition. The show not only featured local LGBTQ2S+ artists, it provided a space for artists to share their unique experiences and stories.

14. Art of Pride- Festival Installations

Art of Pride elevated the San Diego Pride Festival space again this year with series of art installations in the event space.

15. Art of Pride Hosts Artist Development Workshops

Art of Pride offered a series of FREE workshops for emerging LGBTQIA+ artists in the beginning stages of their artistic career as a resource to empower and uplift through education. Attendees gained knowledge on topics such as grant writing, mural painting, the business side of being an artist. The workshops created learning space for the San Diego Pride community of artists open to learning and sharing their journey and lived experiences.

16. San Diego Pride Celebrated QTAPI Week

QTAPI Week serves as a bridge between Asian-American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AA & NHPI) Month in May and National Pride Month in June. This week celebrates the intersectional identities of those who are both LGBTQ and AA & NHPI. Often, the experiences and contributions of these individuals are not fully recognized within either the AA & NHPI or LGBTQ communities. QTAPI Week is dedicated to celebrating our community, uplifting our lived experiences, and building capacity for greater visibility and inclusion. QAPIMEDA hosted a series of events to celebrate and uplift the community

17. Youth Leadership Academy

Middle and high school-aged youth interested in learning, growing, and connecting with others in the LGBTQIA+ community joined us again this year for Youth Leadership Academy (YLA). This year participants enjoyed a transformative one-day workshop designed to empower and educate LGBTQ+ youth, their parents, caregivers, and educators. Through engaging discussions, outdoor activities, and team-building exercises, participants will gain valuable knowledge on LGBT history, youth advocacy, higher education, and civic engagement.

18. Disabled 2SLGBTQIA+ Coalition at the San Diego Pride Parade for the First Time

The Disabled 2SLGBTQIA+ Coalition joined the Pride Parade for the first time this year! Members gathered before to create signs and express their Disabled Pride! The Coalition has been involved in training opportunities and group volunteering throughout the year as well! Click here to learn more about the Disabled 2SLGBTQIA+ Coalition!

19. San Diego Pride Allstar Volunteers

Over 2,000 day-of volunteers and 100 lead volunteers made our Pride Week events and year-round programming a success! Volunteers are always the highlight of any event and are the foundation of our community! Thank you volunteers for an amazing year, and here’s to a new year full of more important work! Learn more about volunteering here.

20. Our Most Successful and Accessible GiveOUT Day Campaign to Date

As one of the most accessible Pride celebrations in the world, San Diego Pride holds Disability Justice as one of our guiding Pillars of Justice, reflecting our deep commitment to equity and inclusion. Accessibility is one of the most important aspects of Pride, as well as one of the most cost-intensive. This year’s GiveOUT Day campaign was our most successful GiveOUT fundraising campaign we’ve ever had – raising over $40,000 for San Diego Pride’s Accessibility programming including ASL interpretation, mobility infrastructure (mobility devices, ADA ramps, etc.), clear signage, sensory rest areas and more at our flagship Pride Week events, as well as throughout our year-round programs and events. This was possible thanks to the contributions of our generous community as well as the support of matching grants from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Duane Morris LLP, and Pride’s Accessibility Partner and Champion: Options for All.

21. Community Building Workshops

Our volunteer leaders and community members gathered monthly to build their skills and prepare for Pride! We covered topics from Emergency Preparedness to Accessibility to Trans Inclusion, and provided a space for our community to connect and plan for our events. We hope you can join us next year for our Community Building Workshops!

22. Continuing San Diego Pride’s Legacy as the Most Philanthropic Pride

As a community-based organization committed to fostering pride, equality, and respect for LGBTQIA+ communities locally, nationally, and globally, we are proud to root our work in a culture of abundance! It is thanks to the incredible outpouring of support, time and resources from our community that we continue to stand as the most philanthropic Pride organization in the world. In partnership with a diverse array of LGBTQIA+-serving programs around the world, we work toward a shared vision of a world free from prejudice and bias—that celebrates the broad spectrum of our LGBTQIA+ communities by advancing intersectional movements, reflected by our Pillars of Justice. This year’s Community Grants program proudly awarded more than $100,000 to impactful LGBTQIA+-serving programs, with the majority of funding going back to organizations local to San Diego County, and funding distributed across the country and the world. International grantees notably included organizations in East Africa, South America, Malaysia, Turkey, Mexico, and our first-ever grant awarded to the Caribbean! Learn more and support our grantees here.

23. The Pride 5 K

The Pride 5K, presented by Front Runners & Walkers San Diego, kicks off the Pride Parade each year with a vibrant blend of fun, fitness, and philanthropy. 2024’s 5K broke records with over 2,400 participants and $65,000 raised to support local LGBTQIA+ youth, benefiting San Diego Pride’s Youth Programs and the San Diego LGBT Community Center’s Youth Housing Project!

19. Artist Mural at San Diego Pride Office

Art of Pride, a program of San Diego Pride, was excited to announce an upcoming mural on the San Diego Pride building, a vibrant, powerful tribute to our LGBTQIA+ community. This mural, designed and painted by talented local queer artists, will celebrate the resilience, diversity, and strength of our community. To bring this vision to life, we are seeking community donations to raise $3,000 to cover essential project costs. Your donation, no matter the amount, will help us reach our goal and create a lasting symbol of Pride for all to enjoy! All donors’ names will be included on the commemorative plaque to be displayed on the San Diego Pride building to showcase the community coming together to support queer art! Make a year-end tax-deductible donation at this link.
Chosen Family
December 19, 2024 1:10 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

It’s that time of year and family gatherings can come with an extra layer of tension- perhaps fueled by Uncle Jared’s terribly misinformed opinions spilling out after a drink or two, or the silent weight of unspoken disagreements bubbling under the surface. It’s hard not to remain on edge, bracing for what might unfold.

For these reasons and a multitude of others, chosen family is often a lifeline for our community. They celebrate our successes, hold us through our struggles, and remind us of our worth when the world–or our biological kin–fall short. They show up, not because they have to, but because they choose to. They chose us back.

If any of this resonates with you, I’m here to tell you that you’re definitely not alone. As a non-binary person, I’ve navigated family dynamics carefully, trading hypervigilance for firm boundaries–or at least, attempting to. I’ve adapted how I approach family gatherings, here are some of my best tips:
- I don’t carpool with anyone so I can arrive and leave on my own terms.
- I set a time limit for the encounter (usually about 3 hours).
- If someone unintentionally misgenders me, I’ll politely correct them, but if it’s malicious–like being deadnamed or misgendered with the intent to harm–I won’t hesitate to leave.
- I also no longer go alone to family gatherings. Instead, I bring a member of my chosen family–someone who understands me and can help keep me grounded in love and support, and someone who I would do the same for.
You may know the phrase, “blood is thicker than water”, often used to insist that we prioritize biological relatives over all others. What many don’t realize is that this phrase has been shortened over time.The original version is:

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”

Isn’t it fascinating that the complete phrase turns the common interpretation on its head? It suggests that chosen bonds– those forged through love, loyalty, and shared purpose–can be as strong, or even stronger than the ties we inherit.

Regardless of the time of year, we deserve to feel safe, respected, and loved. If the family you started out with isn’t supportive, know that you’re not alone. There will always be people willing to go to bat for you—you just have to find them. Seek out your community, whether through local organizations, online spaces, or the friends who already feel like family.

You deserve connection, acceptance, and joy, not just during the holidays, but every day.

In solidarity and love,

Franklin Younger (they,them)

Staff Accountant
2024 Community Grants Announced
December 12, 2024 2:44 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

This winter season, as we reflect on the year behind us and set our sights on next year’s goals, we are thrilled to announce the approved grantees for this year’s San Diego Pride Community Grants program!

As a community-based organization committed to fostering pride, equality, and respect for LGBTQIA+ communities locally, nationally, and globally, we are proud to root our work in a culture of abundance. It is thanks to the incredible outpouring of support, time, and resources from our community during our flagship celebrations (buy your tickets for the raddest fundraiser in town, San Diego Pride 2025, now!), year-round programs, and fundraising efforts, we are able to make this impact. Your support of San Diego Pride allows us to meaningfully partner, collaborate, and empower a diverse array of LGBTQIA+-serving programs. Together, we work toward a shared vision of a world free from prejudice and bias—one that uplifts, sustains, and celebrates the broad spectrum of our LGBTQIA+, queer and trans communities by advancing intersectional movements, reflected by our Pillars of Justice.

We are especially grateful for the dedicated group of community members, representative of the priority demographics for this program, who lent their time, perspective, and expertise to review over 100 grant applications – our most competitive grants cycle to date!

This year, we are proud to award more than $100,000 to impactful LGBTQIA+-serving organizations, including:

Organizations from our Local community
- ataaxum Pomkwaan
- Colectivo Viva Vivo Binacional
- Lambda Archives of San Diego
- LGBTQ+ Rescue Alliance
- Rainbow Spaces
- San Diego Black Pride
- San Diego Met High School Foundation (GSA)
- Southern California Immigration Project
- The Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship Fund
- The Queer Sol Collective, Inc.
- Transgenero2000
- TransFamily Support Services
- TRANSFRONTERAS ORG
- VIDA (Shine Charity, Inc.)
Organizations from across the United States
- Mirror Memoirs, National
- Somos Familia, Oakland, CA
- Sam & Devorah Foundation for Trans Youth, New Jersey
- Salt Lake City Pride Inclusion Center for Community and Justice, Salt Lake City, UT
- SlowBirth Foundation, Inc., Chicago, IL
- Quest House Community Healing, San Francisco, CA
Organizations across the globe

Xuir Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

Casa Arcoiris LGBTQ+ Shelter, Tijuana, Mexico

Children Of the Sun Foundation Uganda Limited, Uganda

Community Action for Health & Development (CAHED), Kenya

Community Fest, Jamaica Pride, Jamaica

May 17th Association, Turkiye

Movimiento SOMOS, Venezuela

Pink Triangle Uganda, Uganda

SEED Malaysia T-Home, Malaysia

Visual Echoes for Human Rights Advocacy (VEHRA), Uganda

In the spirit of abundance, we invite you to learn more about these impactful organizations and consider joining us in support of their work. We know that our local, national, and international LGBTQIA+ movement is strongest when we are collaborative, mutually supportive, and organized. adrienne maree brown, in Emergent Strategy, reminds us “Organizing takes humility and selflessness and patience and rhythm while our ultimate goal of liberation will take many expert components … Our work is intersectional and multifaceted. Nature teaches us that our work has to be nuanced and steadfast. And more than anything, that we need each other—at our highest natural glory—in order to get free.”

It is with immense pride and gratitude that San Diego Pride stands as the most philanthropic Pride organization in the world, with more than $2.5 million granted since 1998. Thank you for being a part of that legacy this year, and in years to come.

With gratitude,

Lo Horst
they/she
Philanthropy Manager
Marvens Pierre
December 9, 2024 12:20 pm Leave a Comment

Marvens Pierre (he/they) is an events professional with a passion for creating meaningful
experiences that bring people together. Raised in eastern Massachusetts, Marvens comes with
years of experience in event planning and operations, with a focus on advancing equity,
diversity, and inclusion. He believes in fostering spaces where marginalized communities can
thrive, blending creativity and operational excellence to make it happen.

Prior to joining San Diego Pride, Marvens had the honor of producing complex and
transformative events nationwide through their role at BES (Build. Excel. Sustain), positively
impacting hundreds of educators and school communities. Since moving to San Diego in 2020,
he has supported diverse communities through roles at Barrio Logan College Institute, where
they elevated marketing, branding, and event coordination efforts, and at the University of San
Diego, where he developed sustainable programming focused on Black and LGBTQ+
populations.

In addition to their role at San Diego Pride, Marvens proudly serves as a board member for San
Diego Black Pride, leading events and communications efforts to further unify and advance the
local Black LGBTQ+ community.
Marvens holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Thought & Political Economy from the University of
Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in Education Leadership from the University of
San Diego. In his free time, you can find him traveling, cooking, dancing to house and R&B
music or spending time with his dog, Rosa.
Celebrating the Sober Community
December 5, 2024 10:43 am Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

High rates of substance use, misuse and abuse are well documented in the LGBTQIA+ community and our community is certainly no stranger to stress, harassment and traumatic experiences. The holidays can often amplify the challenges we face, but they also offer an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made, especially in sobriety.

I’ve been fortunate to make sober friends over the past couple of years and it has given me the opportunity to explore safe havens in sober spaces in Hillcrest, North Park, and South Park. It’s given me the opportunity to celebrate sobriety as a powerful acknowledgment of personal growth, resilience, and commitment to a healthier, more authentic life.

I’ve witnessed many sobriety milestones and whether it be days, months, or years, each represents hard work, self-awareness, and the support of a community or loved ones. Celebrating these achievements not only reinforces the progress made but also inspires others on their own journeys. Community- driven spaces such as The Kava Collective in Hillcrest on University Ave, provide space for sober folks to gather, offering tea, kava, and other nonalcoholic beverages. The space is highly eclectic and hosts regular meetings, fun events, and monthly rotating art shows.

Stepping Stone of San Diego, serves as one of the nation’s only alcohol and drug treatment programs specializing in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community. Stepping Stone has a proven track record in assisting people on the path to sobriety that has been helping save lives since 1976.
This organization offers many programs such as individualized treatment plans in Alcohol and other Drugs, Relapse Prevention, Sexual Health, as well as many other specialized programs.

Spaces like these are essential on the journey to recovery, serving as a reminder that community is here. As we celebrate the holidays, let us also celebrate the strength and resilience it takes to stay on the path of sobriety, remembering that no one has to face this journey alone.

Josh Moats
he/him
Marketing and Communications Specialist
San Diego Pride
Show your Pride this Giving Tuesday!
November 27, 2024 12:19 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

Pride is more than a moment—it’s a movement.

Our annual parade and festival are powerful moments of joy and connection vital to the wellbeing of our community. Yet, liberation is not achieved through celebration alone — it is sustained by action, advocacy, and education. At San Diego Pride, we’re proud to be a 365, year-round organization dedicated to fostering pride, equality, and respect for LGBTQIA+ communities locally, nationally, and globally.

Your support this Giving Tuesday ensures that together, we can continue to create change and build a brighter future for us all. ….and this year, every dollar of your donation goes twice as far—Tito’s Handmade Vodka will generously match all donations up to $10,000!

Your contribution to San Diego Pride this Giving Tuesday helps keep our Festival and Parade community-centered and accessible. At San Diego Pride, we believe building a stronger, more inclusive community happens when we all come together to give back. Together, we can ensure that every part of our diverse LGBTQIA+ family feels seen, supported, and celebrated.

Donate today to sustain San Diego Pride’s community-driven programming. Every dollar makes a difference—let’s give back, together.

With Pride,

Leane Marchese she/her/hers

Executive Director San Diego Pride
Giving Thanks to LGBTQIA+ Businesses
November 21, 2024 1:23 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

It’s been a rough couple of weeks. As the season of gratitude unfolds, I can’t help but reflect on the things for which I am truly grateful. As someone who has spent some time in significantly less liberated communities (looking at you Texas) I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that we are very fortunate to have San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community. Whether a Tuesday at Urban Mo’s for Spaghetti & Showtunes, a Sunday Funday At Gossip Grill, or a hankering for something sweet at Candy Pushers, our vibrant neighborhood and the queer-owned business that anchors it, has long been a sanctuary for authenticity, love, and belonging—a place where our queer family finds community.
Being a native San Diegan, occasionally I enjoy a walkabout through the fabulous gayborhood —trolling down university or cruising down 5th avenue to do a little shopping around town, or have a delicious meal. Hillcrest is filled with lively bars, various lifestyle boutiques, thrift stores, and delicious brunch spots. My personal favorite is Rosemary & Thyme located in the back of AWOL.

With the gift giving holidays on the horizon, Artist & Craftsman, Ace Hardware, and Humanity! tend to be on my list of stops when searching for gifts. Artist & Craftsman, home to any and all of your artist needs. From paint markers to canvases this artist hub has you covered. The Lifestyle boutique Humanity!, located off university avenue, offers fun gay apparel and everyone’s pride flag needs. Ace hardware also has a surprisingly yet delightful assortment of fun socks that your loved ones would get a kick out of.

These are just some of the many other businesses that help shape the community. I encourage you to remember to give thanks to the spaces who make our community special. Support the businesses that make our community strong, united, and proud.

Josh Moats (he/him)
Artist/ Graphic Designer
Marketing & Communications Specialist
San Diego Pride
Honoring our Veterans
November 7, 2024 3:56 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

As we reaffirm our commitment to community and each other, San Diego Pride honors the bravery and resilience of our LGBTQIA+ veterans. In 2011, San Diego became the first city in the nation to have a contingent specifically for service members and veterans in its annual Pride Parade. We continue our tradition of welcoming all members of the United States Armed Forces, members of allied forces, and family members to join the Pride Parade Military Contingent. San Diego Pride is not only a proud supporter of our Military LGBTQIA+ community but welcomes volunteers for our Medical Team for the Festival and Parade.

We extend our deepest gratitude to those who have served openly, embodying the spirit of Stonewall AND to those who have served without the freedom to present their full, authentic selves. Your courage defends the liberties of a nation that has not always afforded you the same.

On this Veterans Day Holiday, we honor your service, sacrifice and hope for a future where those who serve are fully embraced and celebrated. Thank you for your dedication and for inspiring us with your strength, duty and honor. No matter what the future holds for our community and our country, we will be here. Just as we always have been—resilient, determined, and PROUD.

In Pride,

San Diego Pride
Despair is a Privilege You Earn When You’ve Done All You Can
November 6, 2024 9:50 am Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

In moments like this, when many in our community are feeling exhaustion and despair, we are reminded of a comment from community organizer, Noun Abdelaziz, that “despair is a privilege you earn when you’ve done all you can. We have not yet earned that privilege.” This election result is painful, and it is a reminder that we, even more so today, have to unite together as one LGBTQIA community.

San Diego Pride reaffirms our commitment to the principles of equality, dignity, and respect for all people, particularly those within our own LGBTQIA+ community. While the election outcome has left many feeling concerned about the future, especially in light of the hate-filled rhetoric and policies that target trans and gender non-conforming individuals, we will remain resolute in our determination to protect and advance the rights of all LGBTQIA individuals.

Amidst the results that devastate us, we have wins that bring us hope. We have won protection for marriage equality here in California and also in Colorado. For the first time in US history, the US Senate will have two Black women serving at the same time. We also witnessed the election of the first openly transgender member of Congress, Sarah McBride of Delaware, which is a monumental step forward for our trans community with representation in our nation’s Capitol.

These wins matter and celebrating those wins matters.

Our work at San Diego Pride is more important now than ever. We stand in solidarity with those who feel vulnerable, and we pledge to continue fighting for a society where all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or background, can live with safety, equality, and pride.

The anticipated attacks on our LGBTQIA+ community, especially on our trans siblings, are terrifying and the conditions in which we will wage this fight are even more difficult. We must remember that our community has been in impossible conditions before and we have prevailed. We call upon generations of LGBTQIA+ ancestors and the resilience they taught us, and we move forward.

We also call upon allies, advocates, and organizations to unite and build a future where the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals are protected, and where love and acceptance triumph over hate and division. Together, we will rise above the challenges ahead, ensuring that our voices are heard and our rights are never taken for granted.

While we acknowledge that the political climate may shift, our values of diversity, respect, honesty and integrity and accountability are unwavering.

We will not back down. We will not mince words. We will not be silenced. We are San Diego Pride and we will always fight for equality and dignity together and in community.

In solidarity,

San Diego Pride
Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future
November 5, 2024 9:10 am Leave a Comment

HAPPY ELECTION DAY, Pride family!

Rolling into your inbox with a few last-minute notes for you as we reach the final day of the 2024 general election cycle.

WHERE TO VOTE – Vote Centers and Ballot Drop-Off Locations
In San Diego County, you may go to ANY Drop-Off Location to drop off your mail-in ballot and you may use ANY Vote Center to vote in-person.

Find your closest polling station using this link.
(PS: For a special Pride-flag-themed “I VOTED” sticker, head to The Center!)

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO – Voting While Trans
Poll workers should not question your ability to vote because your appearance does not conform to stereotypes associated with your legal name or gender marker listed on your ID. It is illegal for a poll worker to prevent you from voting. Know your rights at the polls!

Our friends at Advocates for Trans Equality have created a stellar resource to ensure that trans folks are able to cast their ballots, including information about what to bring, what to say if you encounter any issues, and receiving a provisional ballot if necessary: https://transformthevote.org/voting

WHAT TO DO If You Encounter Any Issues At The Polls:
Call the National Election Protection Hotline
- ENGLISH: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
- ESPANOL / ENGLISH: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
- ASIAN LANGUAGES / ENGLISH 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
- ARABIC / ENGLISH: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
VOTE YOUR FULL BALLOT
The ballot is LONG, but it is so important that you vote the whole ballot! From ballot measures to school board candidates, what you vote on may have a direct impact on your lives and the lives of your family, friends, and neighbors. Vote your values, and vote with Pride!
Check out San Diego Pride’s 2024 Voter Guide (EN & ES) for our positions on some statewide ballot measures, and learn more about the races and measures on your ballot on KPBS’s Voter Hub here.

COMMUNITY CARE AND SELF-CARE
This election season has been again marked by significant divisiveness and threats to derail our democratic processes. Our communities – trans folks, queer folks, immigrants, BIPOC folks, women – have yet again been targeted by attack ads and rhetoric that question our humanity and attempt to utilize our existence as a wedge issue to garner fear and win votes. These next few days of potentially delayed election results may cause some anxiety and fear for many of us.

The arc of history is long and bends toward justice… and being on that arc is not always easy. Check in on each other. Hold space for each other. Allow yourself to feel what you need to feel. Be gentle with yourself.

Need some in-person community? Join us and our friends at the San Diego LGBT Community Center for a post-election Community Gathering on Tues, Nov 12 from 6-7:30 pm – RSVP HERE.

WHAT’S NEXT
Whatever results this election brings, we know that our LGBTQIA+ communities will continue to fight for our rights, our dignity, and our liberation. Voting is only one part of our community’s struggle to be free. While we acknowledge that election results often create the conditions in which we continue to resist, the work that San Diego Pride does every day alongside our partners – empowering LGBTQIA+ people locally, nationally, and globally through arts, culture, education, and advocacy – will continue.

No matter what happens, we’ll continue to fight alongside you, and we’ll continue to create safe spaces for queer and trans celebration and joy as we keep moving toward liberation, united in belonging and abundantly queer.

In solidarity,

San Diego Pride
Reflect, Remember, and Reveal: Vote Your True Self
October 31, 2024 12:05 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

The fall season invites us into a time of reflection, remembrance, and transformation, marked by Halloween, Day of the Dead, Samhain, and All Saints Day. These celebrations call us to honor those who came before us and recognize the cycles of life, the spirit of harvest and shifting seasons. I feel these themes echoed, too, in the heightening energy of the imminent election and its power to shape our collective future.

This season, let’s use the spirit of transformation to reveal our truest selves and honor those who paved the way by standing up for the rights they fought for. Let’s cast our ballots with intention, demonstrating that our values aren’t just for show—they are real, lived, and worth fighting for.

Just as Halloween costumes and this season’s reflective spirit allow us to reveal hidden parts of ourselves, voting lets us act on our values, showing the world who we are and what matters most to us. Our vote is a chance to express our beliefs and create the future we envision. Much like choosing who to be each or who to honor through our spiritual practice, our ballots let us choose among leaders and policies that reflect our commitment to equality, justice, and progress.

Mark your calendar, prepare your ballot, and let’s make this season one of transformation, reflection, and action:

EDUCATE yourself and your community about impactful initiatives on the ballot. Reference San Diego Pride’s voter guide and KPBS’ voter hub for resources and helpful information.
VOTE The San Diego LGBT Community Center serves as a polling station Nov. 2nd – Nov. 5th. Find your closest polling station using this link.
TAKE ACTION Volunteer with San Diego Pride’s Civic Action team! This week, we have opportunities to phonebank, table, and canvas. Sign up here.

Whether I’m the first or hundredth person in your inbox today with this message, let this be your reminder that your voice matters. Every way you show up creates ripples in our community, strengthening and shaping the world we’re building together.

With gratitude,
Lo Horst (they/she)
Philanthropy Manager, San Diego Pride
San Diego Pride Building Mural Selected
October 17, 2024 12:31 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride Building Mural Selected

Art of Pride, a program of San Diego Pride, is excited to announce an upcoming mural on the San Diego Pride building, a vibrant, powerful tribute to our LGBTQIA+ community. Heartfelt gratitude for those who submitted for putting in the time and effort into creating their unique designs for this project.

After a thoughtful selection process, we are excited to announce the winning design is: “The Liberation Ball” by Blue Lotus and German Rojas!

This mural, designed and painted by talented local queer artists, will celebrate the resilience, diversity, and strength of our community. To bring this vision to life, we’re seeking community donations to raise $3,000 to cover essential project costs.

Artists Statement
“We aimed to create a mural that celebrates pride, liberation, diversity, joy, and local history, featuring key moments of San Diego’s LGBTQIA+ history. With the help of Lambda Archives, we sourced images from past Pride events to showcase the beauty of our diverse community.

By highlighting moments of joyful celebration and self-expression in the same space as resilience through pain, oppression, and discrimination, this mural symbolizes not only what our community has endured but also reminds us that we still have more work to do for our future existence. With the support of loved ones and the unified strength in our community, we are stronger than ever to oppose bigotry, ignorance, and injustices.”

“Nuestro objetivo era crear un mural que celebrara el orgullo, la liberación, la diversidad, la alegría y la historia local, presentando momentos clave de la historia LGBTQIA+ de San Diego. Con la ayuda de Lambda Archives, obtuvimos imágenes de eventos anteriores del Orgullo para mostrar la belleza de nuestra diversa comunidad.

Al resaltar momentos de celebración alegre y autoexpresión en el mismo espacio que la resiliencia a través del dolor, la opresión y la discriminación, este mural simboliza no solo lo que nuestra comunidad ha soportado sino que también nos recuerda que todavía tenemos más trabajo por hacer para nuestra existencia futura. Con el apoyo de nuestros seres queridos y la fuerza unificada de nuestra comunidad, somos más fuertes que nunca para oponernos a la intolerancia, la ignorancia y las injusticias.”
Celebrating Indigenous LGBTQIA2S+ History
October 10, 2024 11:11 am Leave a Comment
Usa Kasakabo Pride Family,

As we dive into 2SLGBTQIA+ Month, I want to share why Indigenous Peoples’ Day is important to me, and more broadly, Pride.

Far Away From Home

My family is from the Archipelago of Borikén (Puerto Rico), famous for reggaeton, rum, and for being the oldest colony in the world.

As a first-generation Boricua growing up in the diaspora, Columbus Day left a sour taste in my mouth. A reminder of 1493 and the violence, displacement, and genocide that my people, the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and around the globe, were (and continue to be) subjected to.

Especially now, it has been a painful year to watch Indigenous people globally being subjected to such violence. In this hurt, I am reminded that queer and trans Native joy is resilience and that we persist and resist for the seven generations after us as the seven generations before us. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a reminder that the fight continues and while we fight, we must find joy and solace in continuing our efforts.

Pride Is On Native Land

As we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, it’s important to recognize that LGBTQIA+ liberation is deeply intertwined with the struggles and histories of Indigenous communities. The land we occupy carries stories and legacies of generations of the Kumeyaay Nation.

Two-Spirit, an umbrella term coined in the 90’s speaks to Indigenous 3rd, 4th, and 5th genders. It is also no surprise that Indigiqueers have long served as cultural and environmental stewards. Putting their bodies on the line to defend their homelands, culture, and identities from settlers.

So reader, I ask you: how are you celebrating Indigenous people on occupied land? How do you uplift Indigenous people here at home and globally? And if you’re not sure, that’s okay! Consider starting by supporting our Community Partners below:

Uplifting Our Community Partners

In the spirit of solidarity, we want to highlight two incredible organizations that we hope our Pride family supports:

Queer Sol Collective engages communities on the land and introduces Indigenous methodologies that activate and restore the symbiotic relationships between the individual, the land, and the collective.

You can follow Queer Sol Collective here.

Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition works to bring awareness against sexual assault, domestic violence and murdered & missing within tribal communities in California and have been a community partner of Pride for several years.

You can donate to SHNWC here.

Indigiqueer Futures

Let’s commit to uplifting Indigenous voices, learning from their stories, and supporting the ongoing fight for justice and equality. Whether through engaging with community partners, participating in local events, or simply reflecting on our own connections to these histories, we can blaze forward a new path.

Lastly, let us pay honor to the queer, trans, and Two-Spirit Indigiqueers paving the way forward. I hope these leaders, artists, and activists bring some joy and Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

Erica Pinto (Kumeyaay) currently serves as Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village of California, one of the 13 tribes of the Kumeyaay Nation. Pinto was also a speaker at the 2024 Spirit of Stonewall Rally.

Victoria Cruz (Taíno/Boricua) is an activist, organizer, elder who fought alongside other Stonewall activists such as Marsha P. Johnson, Stormé DeLarverie, and Sylvia Rivera.

Tommy Pico (Kumeyaay) author, screenplay writer, and artist who has written for shows such as Rez Dogs.

Dane Figueroa Edidi (Nigerian/Afro-Taíno/Cuban) is a playwright, actor, and poet.

Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk) is the first LGBQTIA+ Congresswoman elected to the House of Representatives from Kansas.

With Pride,

Esmeralda “Esmé” Quintero-Cubillan

Vote with Pride Field Manager
Capturing the Images of Pride
September 26, 2024 11:30 am Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

Photography has played a crucial role in documenting our community’s history. In 1994, when digital photography was still relatively new, Executive Director Brenda Schumacher initiated the practice of documenting every aspect of Pride through photography. Her pioneering efforts, combined with contributions from board members and the community, helped ensure that images of the LGBTQ+ community were carefully preserved.

Those preservation efforts continue through organizations like the Lambda Archives of San Diego, where their photography collection is available online and free to the public. These images are proof that queer people have always been here.

Our Art of Pride committee has an open call out for this year’s Images of Pride photography exhibition. Images of Pride showcases photography taken by our community from this year’s Pride. This year, the committee has decided to accept photographs from previous San Diego Pride celebrations as a way to honor the 50th anniversary of the Parade and our theme, “Making History Now.”

The deadline to submit up to three pieces for the exhibition is this Monday, September 30. This is a great opportunity to revisit your personal photo collection, and see if there is a moment that you want to share with the rest of our community.

Queer people know all too well that visibility is one of the keys to impacting change. It is important to show the beauty, diversity, and joy that encompasses the San Diego Pride celebrations, past, present and future.

Joe Fejeran (he/him)
Community Programs Coordinator
Register to and Vote with Pride this November
September 12, 2024 1:10 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

National Voter Registration Day is more than just a date on the calendar—it’s a powerful reminder that we each carry the responsibility to protect our communities and our collective future.

For queer and trans people, and especially our Black, Indigenous, and people of color LGBTQIA+ folks, the right to vote must not be taken for granted. We now face an immense challenge that echoes the era of the Lavender Scare. It is more important than ever to make our voices heard at the ballot box. Voting is not just a civic duty—it’s an exclamation of one’s ideals and visions for our society.

Register to Vote: Securing Our Future

In recent years, we’ve seen a terrifying rise in hate crimes against LGBTQIA+ people and all of their intersections—from the hate crimes in Hillcrest to the ongoing crisis of murdered transgender women.

The political landscape continues to evolve, and the rights we’ve fought so hard for can be rolled back with the stroke of a pen. That’s why registering to vote is more than just a task—it’s a commitment to protecting our community’s future.

National Voter Registration Day serves as an important reminder to ensure every eligible person in our community is registered to vote. Whether in local elections or national races, the LGBTQIA+ community has a direct stake in who represents us and what policies are adopted. Issues like health care access, transgender rights, and racial justice are all at stake, and our votes are key to shaping those decisions.

If you’re not registered yet or if you’ve moved since the last time you voted, don’t worry—getting registered is quick and simple. Visit our Vote with Pride webpage or stop by one of San Diego Pride’s voter registration drives to make sure your registration is up to date. The deadline to register for the upcoming election is October 21*, so don’t wait! Even if you think you’re registered, take a moment to double-check your status—people often move or change names, which may require an update to your voter record.

Protip: California also has same-day (conditional) voter registration if you miss the Oct 21 deadline!

2. Volunteer with Pride: Help Get Out the Vote

Our work doesn’t end with registering ourselves and at San Diego Pride, we’re committed to get out the vote. We know that our community needs a seat at the table, we make a tangible difference in elections and our local material conditions. We’ve seen what happens when we don’t show up, and allow others to make choices on our behalf.

This election cycle, we’re calling on YOU to get involved and help us reach even more people. You can volunteer with San Diego Pride in several ways, from helping at voter registration drives to phone & text banking and canvassing. Together, we can amplify our message, mobilize our allies, and ensure our community’s voice is heard loud and clear at the polls.

Interested in volunteering? Sign up for a shift to help us get out the vote and sign up for our advocacy team. Every conversation, every door knock, and every phone call has the potential to inspire someone to vote for the very first time or even their 50th. Be part of the movement—volunteer with Vote with Pride today!

Together, We Rise

National Voter Registration Day is our moment to take a first step, and it starts with making sure we’re all registered and ready to vote. But it doesn’t stop there. We need your help to spread the word—talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, and encourage them to register as well. You can also sign up to volunteer with San Diego Pride and play a direct role in mobilizing our community.

Pride understands the power of solidarity and resilience. We owe our rights to generations of leaders that have prepared the path for us. Together, we can ensure their work is not in vain and we trailblaze forward towards liberation.

Vote with knowledge,

Vote with intention,

Vote with Pride,

Con Orgullo,

Esmeralda “Esmé” Quintero-Cubillan (They/She)

Vote with Pride Field Manager

Outreach & Organizing Coordinator

Celebrating the Vibrant Spirit of LGBTQ+ Latine Pride

September 5, 2024 2:12 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

This month, we’re focusing on Latine LGBTQ+ Pride and the importance of celebrating the unique experiences and identities within the community. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the diverse cultures and individuals that contribute to the rich tapestry of our society.

By recognizing Latine LGBTQ+ Pride, we acknowledge the intersectional challenges faced by Latine LGBTQ+ individuals and the resilience they demonstrate in the face of adversity. This is an opportunity to learn from one another, foster empathy, and become better allies, but also an invitation to celebrate our diverse and rich latine, chicanx, and afrolatine cultures.

By acknowledging and celebrating Latine LGBTQ+ Pride in this region, we can foster a greater understanding of the unique challenges faced by these individuals while also recognizing the resilience and strength of the community. This celebration is not only a way to support those within the LGBTQ+ community but also a means to promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding in a region where identities are constantly in flux.

This year, San Diego’s Latine Pride will take place on Saturday, September 21, from 12 to 6 pm at our exciting new venue, The Soap Factory! We’re thrilled to host our celebration at this special location, which holds a significant place within our Latine community. The Soap Factory has played host to a diverse range of celebrations and important events, and we’re honored to add Latine Pride to its rich history.

With a larger, more beautiful venue, we have plenty of room for everyone to come together and revel in our shared identities and experiences. This will be a space of community, joy, and celebration as we honor who we are and the diverse cultures that bring us together. Join us for a day filled with love, laughter, and unity as we commemorate San Diego’s Latine LGBTQ+ Pride!

Our collaborations with different LGBTQ+ community groups, vendors and performers is key to building community and unifying what sometimes can feel as isolated. Colectivo Viva Vivo is a group that has done so much for our LGBTQ+ latine community, they are an inclusive and diverse collective, focusing primarily on migrant populations, people living with HIV+, and high-risk transgender/non-binary communities.

We are also excited to have Lady Blanca as one of our hosts, she has a history of being present and vibrant within the community and making sure there is representation throughout our regional Latine community. Along with DJ Betty Bangs a queer Chicana artist from San Diego whose work celebrates body positivity, her lifestyle, and rich cultura. Betty is also a member of the Chicano Park Steering Committee and the San Diego Art of Pride Committee and brings all of herself with her music and spins, she’ll get everyone dancing and enjoying themselves.

There is so much to say on this celebration and the intersection of many of our identities that come together, a couple of our very own SD Pride staff have shared what this celebration means for them.

“Latine Pride is important because for so long, our communities have struggled with their pre-colonial past and how colonization has instilled a rampant homo and transphobia. Prior to colonization, our communities understood that LGBTQIA+ identities are a fundamental part of our communities. However, through religious expansion and westernization, ideas of Machismo and queerphobia took hold. We hold this hand in hand with perceptions that communities of color are inherently more queerphobic than their white and non-hispanic counterparts. Latine Pride spits in the face of such a notion and reminds us that Pride is not just for all of us, but it is made better when we bring our whole selves into Pride.”
– Esmé (they/she) – Organizing & Outreach Coordinator

“From the Chicanos and Chilangos to the Boricuas, and across the entire Latin American diaspora, we are Latine first. An inalienable piece of our identity that adds to and compliments our queerness, not detracts from it. Being Latine and Cuir in predominantly white spaces is frustrating at times. While Latine identity is multifaceted and complicated, we are united by experiences of marginalization by both cisgender heterosexual and transgender and queer identities.”
– Johnny (he/him) – Director of Finance & Operations

Latine LGBTQ+ individuals face a myriad of unique challenges that stem from the intersection of their Latine heritage and LGBTQ+ identities. One major obstacle is overcoming the prejudice that persists in many parts of society, which often makes it difficult for them to gain respect and express their individuality freely.

To better support and advocate for this community, we must actively work to amplify the voices and accomplishments of Latine LGBTQ+ individuals. By highlighting their achievements and contributions to our society, we can foster a greater understanding and appreciation for the value they bring to our diverse world. This will help to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for Latine LGBTQ+ people, as well as encourage open dialogue and allyship within our communities.

Personally, a child and teenager, I struggled to find a place where I could fully embrace and celebrate all aspects of my identity. That’s why I’m so excited about this celebration, where I can be surrounded by people who understand and share my experiences.

Together, we’ll revel in our shared heritage, the rhythms of our music, the flavors of our food, and the connections we form with individuals who make our community so vibrant and dynamic.

Please join me in celebrating the rich tapestry of our identities and the joy that comes from being fully embraced and understood!

In Pride,

Liliana Hueso
(she/they/ella)
Bilingual Programs Manager

Este mes nos centramos en el Orgullo Latine LGBTQ+ y en la importancia de celebrar las experiencias e identidades únicas de la comunidad. Dediquemos un momento a apreciar las diversas culturas e individuos que contribuyen al rico tapiz de nuestra sociedad.

Al reconocer el Orgullo Latine LGBTQ+, reconocemos los retos interseccionales a los que se enfrentan las personas LGBTQ+ latines, chicanx & afrolatines y la resistencia que demuestran ante la adversidad. Esta es una oportunidad para aprender unos de otros, fomentar la empatía y convertirse en mejores aliados, pero también una invitación a celebrar nuestras diversas y ricas culturas latines, chicanx y afrolatinas.

Al reconocer y celebrar el Orgullo Latine LGBTQ+ en esta región, podemos fomentar una mayor comprensión de los desafíos únicos a los que se enfrentan estas personas, al tiempo que reconocemos la resistencia y la fuerza de la comunidad. Esta celebración no es sólo una forma de apoyar a los miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ+, sino también un medio de promover el diálogo intercultural y la comprensión en una región donde las identidades están en constante cambio.

Este año, el Orgullo Latine de San Diego tendrá lugar el sábado 21 de septiembre, de 12.00 a 18.00 horas, en nuestro nuevo y emocionante local, The Soap Factory. Estamos encantados de celebrar nuestra fiesta en este lugar tan especial, que ocupa un lugar importante dentro de nuestra comunidad latina.The Soap Factory ha acogido una gran variedad de celebraciones y eventos importantes, y es un honor para nosotros añadir el Orgullo Latine a su repertorio histórico. Con un lugar más grande y hermoso, tenemos mucho espacio para que todes se reúnan y se deleiten en nuestras identidades y experiencias compartidas. Será un espacio de comunidad, alegría y celebración en el que honraremos lo que somos y las diversas culturas que nos unen. Únete a nosotros en un día lleno de amor, risas y unidad mientras conmemoramos el Orgullo Latine LGBTQ+ de San Diego. Nuestra colaboración con distintos grupos de la comunidad LGBTQ+, vendedores y artistas es clave para construir comunidad y unificar lo que a veces puede sentirse aislado. Colectivo Viva Vivo es un grupo que ha hecho mucho por nuestra comunidad latina LGBTQ+, son un colectivo inclusivo y diverso, centrándose principalmente en las poblaciones migrantes, las personas que viven con el VIH +, y de alto riesgo transgénero / comunidades no binarias.

También estamos muy contentos de tener a Lady Blanca como uno de nuestros anfitriones, ella cuenta con un historial de estar presente y vibrante dentro de la comunidad y asegurarse de que hay representación en toda nuestra comunidad latine regional. Junto con DJ Betty Bangs una artista Chicana queer de San Diego cuyo trabajo celebra la positividad del cuerpo, su estilo de vida y su rica cultura. Betty es también miembro del Chicano Park Steering Committee y del San Diego Art of Pride Committee y aporta todo de sí misma con su música y sus giros, hará que todos bailen y disfruten.

Hay mucho que decir sobre esta celebración y la intersección de muchas de nuestras identidades que se unen, un par de nuestro propio personal SD Pride han compartido lo que esta celebración significa para ellos.

“El Orgullo Latine es importante porque, durante mucho tiempo, nuestras comunidades han luchado contra su pasado precolonial y contra cómo la colonización les ha inculcado una homo y transfobia rampantes. Antes de la colonización, nuestras comunidades entendían que las identidades LGBTQIA+ son una parte fundamental de nuestras comunidades. Sin embargo, a través de la expansión religiosa y la occidentalización, las ideas del machismo y la queerfobia se afianzaron. Esto va de la mano de la percepción de que las comunidades de color son intrínsecamente más queerfóbicas que sus homólogas blancas y no hispanas. El Orgullo Latino escupe en la cara de tal noción y nos recuerda que el Orgullo no es sólo para todos nosotros, sino que se hace mejor cuando traemos todo nuestro ser al Orgullo. Desde los chicanos y chilangos hasta los boricuas, y a través de toda la diáspora latinoamericana, somos primero latinos. Una parte inalienable de nuestra identidad que se suma y complementa nuestra homosexualidad, no la desvirtúa. Ser latina y cuir en espacios predominantemente blancos es a veces frustrante. Aunque la identidad latina es polifacética y complicada, nos unen experiencias”
– Esmé (ello/ellas) – Coordinadora de Organización y Difusión

“Las personas LGBTQ+ latinas se enfrentan a un sinfín de retos únicos derivados de la intersección de su herencia latina y sus identidades LGBTQ+. Uno de los principales obstáculos es superar los prejuicios que persisten en muchas partes de la sociedad, lo que a menudo les dificulta ganarse el respeto y expresar libremente su individualidad.

Para apoyar y defender mejor a esta comunidad, debemos trabajar activamente para amplificar las voces y los logros de las personas LGBTQ+ latinas. Al destacar sus logros y contribuciones a nuestra sociedad, podemos fomentar una mayor comprensión y aprecio por el valor que aportan a nuestro mundo diverso. Esto contribuirá a crear un entorno más inclusivo y solidario para las personas LGBTQ+ latinas, así como a fomentar el diálogo abierto y el compañerismo dentro de nuestras comunidades.

Personalmente, de niña y adolescente, luché por encontrar un lugar donde pudiera abrazar y celebrar plenamente todos los aspectos de mi identidad. Por eso estoy tan entusiasmada con esta celebración, en la que podré rodearme de personas que comprenden y comparten mis experiencias.Juntos, nos deleitaremos con nuestro patrimonio común, los ritmos de nuestra música, los sabores de nuestra comida y las conexiones que establecemos con las personas que hacen que nuestra comunidad sea tan vibrante y dinámica. Acompáñenme a celebrar el rico tapiz de nuestras identidades y la alegría que supone ser plenamente acogidos y comprendidos.”
– Johnny (él/ella) – Director de Finanzas y Operaciones

En Orgullo,  Liliana Hueso(she/they/ella)Gerente Bilingüe de Programas

Liliana Hueso
(she/they/ella)
Gerente Bilingüe de Programas

2024 Volunteers of the Year
September 3, 2024 4:08 pm Leave a Comment
Thank you so much to all our volunteers who contributed to Pride Week 2024! We had our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party on Sunday, August 18th and had an amazing time celebrating you all! We are extremely grateful for everything you do during Pride Week and throughout the year! Please join us in congratulating our 2024 Volunteer Awardees! VIEW THE PHOTO ALBUM HERE!

Volunteers of the Year
Alex Thornton
Alyssa Salter
Christopher Villa
Courtenay Jensen
Deborah Riedinger
Elizabeth Benitez
Gray Morgan
Heather Jaffe
Jeanette Starpine
Juliana Collins
Kay Broussard
Kelsey Vaughn
Nhu Y Tran
Tanner Knorr
West Draper
Zaide Jurado

Volunteers of Pride Week
Drew Davis
Jenny Kingston
Jimmy Vasquez
Luis Castellanos
Willie Paine
Group – Illumina

Jeri Dilno Legacy Award
Connor Maddocks

Community Partner of the Year
Lambda Archives of San Diego

Year Anniversary Awards
See Below

Thank you so much for all the hard work you all put in all year long to make Pride Week and our Year-Round Programs a success!

See you next time!

Linda Glevy
[pronouns: she/they]
Volunteer, Event, and Access Coordinator

5 Year Anniversary
Adrian Aguilera
Albert Chao
Alex Lee
Alyssa Puente
Andrea Ramirez
Art Salyer
Beau Broughton
Beth Taylor
Brooke Torres
Carol Hardiman
Catherine Larsen
Cheryl Gibson
Cruz Llamas
Darren Reed
Derek Shackleton
Desiree Logan
Devynne Rose
Donna Bernardo
Efrain Gonzalez
Elijah Cohen-Mizrahi
Erik Bratt
Gini Mann-Deibert
Heather Morey
Howie Reál
James Riggins
Jane Gregson
Janely Ordorica
Jeanette Starpine
Jen Jordan
Jessica Ramirez
John Zombory
Jose Guerrero
Josue Alvarez

Juan Perez
Judd Garrett
Karrisa Lewis
Ken Kaufman
KevinLee
Kristin Bratt
Leland Ritter
Lisa Lorraine Taylor
Marisa Treadway
Mary Molina
Melissa Garrison
Melissa Velez
Michael Coleman
Mike Van Vugt
Miriam de Leon
Norman Moran
Oscar Montiel
Peter Vuong
Rebekah Morey
Rey De Garre
Rich Belmontez
Richard Quintero
Rosa Leon
Ryan King
Sam Gunsel
Shea Bishop
Stephanie Cadiero
Suyapa Castro-Compton
Syreeta Nolan
Tonja Alvis
Whitney Carter
Zachary Treadway

10 Year Anniversary
Alexa Bonilla
Carmen Inocencio
Crescent Alcid
Elisa Jackson
Hong Ho
Howie Reál
Jen Jow
Kendra Bible

Mary Molina
Matthew Vasquez
McKenzie Jackson
Myra Jurado
Nnenia-Marie Harmon
Rey DeGarre
Vince Meehan
Zaide Jurado

15 Year Anniversary
Beth Taylor
Christopher Chadelin
Nancy Cordero
Rick Cervantes
Rosa Leon
Tre Frost

20 Year Anniversary
Clarisa Robles
Connor Maddocks
Douglas Hotaling
John Keasler

25 Year Anniversary
Benny Cartwright
Cynthia Ramirez
Eric Sloniker

Kelly Hairgrove
Randy Pittman

30 Year Anniversary
Randi Dropkin

*If you don’t see your name listed above and believe it should be, please email [email protected]
Embracing a New Chapter: Excitement & Vision from Our New Executive Director
August 29, 2024 3:39 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

As I step into the role of Executive Director at San Diego Pride, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement, responsibility, and gratitude. This opportunity is not just a professional milestone; it is a deeply personal journey for me. San Diego Pride has long been a beacon of hope, celebration, and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community, and I am honored to be entrusted with the leadership of this impactful organization.

San Diego Pride is more than an annual celebration; it is a year-round force for good, dedicated to fostering inclusivity, equality, and justice for all. One of the aspects that excites me most about joining this organization is the vibrant and diverse community it represents. San Diego is home to a rich tapestry of cultures, identities, and experiences, all of which come together to create a unique and dynamic environment.

Outreach and connection with this community across our region (and beyond) is at the forefront for me as the new Executive Director for San Diego Pride. We are currently inviting YOU, our community members, to share your feedback and ideas for the 2025 Pride Festival. Please take some time to give us your ideas and what you would like to experience next year in our community-wide festival survey. The link is included below and will be live until September 13. This is just one of the ways we will seek your feedback as we begin strategic planning in the coming months. We will be providing multiple opportunities for you to help build the next evolution of San Diego Pride. Stay Tuned!

The work that has been done over the years by the dedicated staff, volunteers, and community members has laid a strong foundation that I am eager to build upon.
I am inspired by the resilience and strength of our community, and I am committed to ensuring that San Diego Pride remains a space where every voice is heard and valued.

As the new Executive Director, my vision for San Diego Pride is rooted in collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. I believe that together, we can continue to expand our reach and impact, within San Diego and beyond. I am particularly passionate about creating more opportunities for intersectional engagement, where the diverse experiences of our community members are recognized and celebrated. This includes strengthening our partnerships with other organizations, advocating for policies that protect and uplift our community, and ensuring that our events and programs are accessible and welcoming to all.

I look forward to working alongside each of you to continue the legacy of progress and to create new opportunities for growth and empowerment within our community. Please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] to volunteer, make a donation, become a sponsor, partner or just to say “hi”. I would love to hear from you!

In Pride,

Leane Marchese
[pronouns: she/hers]

Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Leane Marchese
August 26, 2024 10:38 am Leave a Comment
Pronouns: she/her/hers

About:

Leane Marchese is a seasoned non-profit leader with a deep-rooted commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and a passion for social change. A San Diego native, Leane has dedicated her career to fostering community engagement and building strategic partnerships that make a lasting impact. She has served on the San Diego Pride board and as a volunteer and frequently led LGBTQ+ and DEI initiatives throughout her career.

Most recently as the Founding Executive Director of Life Science Cares San Diego, Leane successfully united the Life Science Industry to address poverty and inequity, leading efforts to engage a broad network of volunteers, life science leaders, and non-profit partners. Her extensive experience also includes executive leadership roles at the YMCA of San Diego County and over a decade as the Executive Director of ElderHelp, where she led the effort to secure a collaborative grant for the “Aging as Ourselves” initiative, which supported LGBTQ+ older adults with long term care support.

Most recently, she volunteered at Palm Springs Pride and was thrilled to participate in She Fest for the first time as a volunteer this year. Leane holds a masters’ degree in Community Recreation and Leisure Studies from Clemson University and a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Tourism from California State University, Chico. She has also completed executive programs in non-profit management from Harvard Business School and holds a CFRE in fundraising. Her leadership is marked by her ability to launch, grow, and scale programs that impact the community while cultivating an inclusive and collaborative organizational culture and streamlined business operations.
San Diego Pride Welcomes Leane Marchese as New Executive Director
9:58 am Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is excited to announce that Leane Marchese (she/her) will serve as the organization’s new Executive Director. Leane, a San Diego native and accomplished non-profit leader, brings a deep commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and a passion for social change to her new role. With a career dedicated to fostering community engagement and building strategic partnerships, Leane is no stranger to San Diego Pride, having previously served on the Board from 2006-2008 and as an ongoing volunteer.

Leane expressed her enthusiasm for her new role, stating, “San Diego Pride is more than a celebration—it’s a powerful movement for visibility, acceptance, and change. My focus is to honor this legacy and ensure that Pride remains a beacon of strength, resilience, and celebration for future generations.”

Before joining San Diego Pride, Leane served as the Founding Executive Director of Life Science Cares San Diego, where she successfully united the Life Science Industry to address poverty and inequity. Her leadership has also extended to executive roles at the YMCA of San Diego County and ElderHelp, where she spent over a decade as Executive Director.

State Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins praised Leane’s appointment, emphasizing that her thoughtful and inclusive leadership comes at a crucial time for the LGBTQIA+ community.

The search for the new Executive Director was a community-driven process led by San Diego Pride’s Board of Directors, with support from Blair Search Partners and input from community members, volunteers, and key stakeholders.

San Diego Pride extends its deepest gratitude to Interim Co-Executive Directors Jen LaBarbera (they/them) and Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her) for their leadership during the transition. Both Jen and Sarafina will continue to serve San Diego Pride in their previous roles as Director of Education and Advocacy and Deputy Executive Director, respectively.

As San Diego Pride looks to the future, planning for next year’s celebrations is already underway. The organization will soon begin a strategic planning process that will include opportunities for community input and engagement with Leane Marchese as she steps into her new role.

Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting new chapter together.
Lez go, one last time- Gratitude from Interim Co-Executive Directors
August 22, 2024 9:30 am Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

It has been an honor to serve our community as Interim Co-Executive Directors during a pivotal time of transition for our organization. We are excited to share that after an extensive search process, we will announce San Diego Pride’s new Executive Director on Monday, August 26. At that time, we will both transition back into our prior roles (Sarafina as Deputy Executive Director and Jen as Director of Education & Advocacy). We couldn’t close this chapter without expressing our gratitude.

The reality is that LGBTQIA+ women and femmes are rarely recognized for their leadership abilities in our community, and when they are, it tends to be in times of crisis or transition. There’s a lot of repair work that needs to be done in these transitional times, which requires a lot of listening, learning, and an extension of grace to all involved. One of our prior newsletters was titled “When in doubt, find a dyke” – we’re grateful to have been the nonbinary lesbian and femme dyke who you trusted with this privilege and responsibility.

This was truly a labor of love for both of us. When we took on these roles last November, we did so out of a commitment to you, our community. It’s been joyful and challenging, smooth sailing and tumultuous, and – like our Pride celebrations have always been – full of both celebration and grief, often in the same breath.

We want to give a special thank you to our volunteers who kept the ship afloat, and to our staff colleagues who leaned in to support each other in large and small ways this past year. Our community partners, our Board, our donors, our sponsors, our attendees, and our fellow Pride organizers around the country and around the world have been indispensable in offering advice and support during these past 9 months.

“We couldn’t have done it without you” is overused, but a more accurate statement is: we wouldn’t have wanted to do this without any of you. Thank you for the support, for the challenges, and for the love, San Diego.

Also, though: we are not going anywhere, so see you out there and/or at the polls! (It’s Vote with Pride season, y’all!)

Stay tuned for our exciting announcement on Monday!

Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her) & Jen LaBarbera (they/them)
Interim Co-Executive Directors

PS: Extra special shoutouts to our partners who kept US afloat this year – thank you SO much to AD and Stacy for your love and support!
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth
August 15, 2024 10:07 am Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

As the new school year begins, I find myself reminiscing about the excitement and nervousness that come with returning to school. Reflecting on my own experiences, I recall how my family’s frequent moves—from city to city and even across countries—made navigating school and understanding my queer identity particularly challenging. Raised in two countries with different languages and cultural norms, finding support and a safe space to be my authentic self was not easy.

Thankfully, times have changed. I am hopeful that more LGBTQIA+ youth are coming out earlier, thanks to increased support at home, at school, or both. However, I recognize that for many LGBTQIA+ youth, this time of year can still be filled with stress and uncertainty. Despite progress in LGBTQIA+ acceptance, many young individuals continue to face bullying, erasure, discrimination, violence, and even threats of expulsion due to their identities. Based on the Trevor Project National Survey, more than half (54%) of transgender and nonbinary young people found their school to be gender-affirming, and those who did reported lower rates of attempting suicide. The support provided to LGBTQIA+ youth varies widely across districts, schools, classrooms, and among faculty, often leaving many feeling vulnerable and unsupported. However LGBTQIA+ young people who reported living in very accepting communities attempted suicide at less than half the rate of those who reported living in very unaccepting communities.

In California, the new AB 1955 SAFETY Act brings promising changes. This legislation mandates that the California Department of Education (CDE) develop resources and strategies to support LGBTQIA+ students and their families. It also prohibits retaliation or adverse actions against employees who support students’ rights or provide instruction consistent with state law and educational standards. Importantly, it prevents employees from being forced to disclose a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression without the student’s consent and nullifies any public school policy that requires such disclosure.

Despite these advancements, the SAFETY Act is being implemented amidst ongoing legal battles in Southern California. Here in East County, the Cajon Valley Union School District has removed LGBTQIA+ people from its sexual health curriculum, and just passed a “parental rights” policy on Tuesday of this week, in flagrant violation of state law. These lawsuits debate whether teachers should be required to inform parents if a student changes their gender identity, highlighting the tension between parents’ rights to be informed and students’ rights to privacy. The legal disputes are complex, and the final outcomes and applications of these laws remain uncertain.

I was able to make the most of my school experience by staying true to myself, and I believe you can too. Remember to stay authentic, embrace your style, and surround yourself with people who appreciate and support you as you are. Bring your own pronoun pins and fidget toys, and check out this fabulous zine for additional support and resources.

Liliana Hueso
Youth Programs Manager
She/They/Ella
Access to Sport is a Human Right
August 8, 2024 3:01 pm Leave a Comment

Dear Pride Family,

The last couple of weeks have been exhilarating watching the world’s most prolific athletes compete for glory and recognition at the highest level. And, it’s not lost on me that the Olympics began (in part) with the hope of fostering peace and collaboration among nations.

Citius, Altius, and Fortiusm, or, faster, higher, stronger continues to be a call for nations of the world to vye for precious metals. It’s fitting then, that the Paris Olympic games made history, with the highest participation rate ever recorded from LGBTQIA+ and female athletes.

These Olympic games have brought queer and trans visibility to the forefront, and with that, fake transphobic outrage targeting cisgender women of color such as Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. For all of the progress we have made, she is still fighting overt disinformation campaigns claiming she is transgender. (See this fact check from GLAAD, InterACT, and Athlete Ally. )

Khelif, who comes from the small village of ‘Aïn Mesbah in Northwest Algeria, is just one of countless women of color whose gender identity has been needlessly and unjustly scrutinized in the name of equity. These allegations are indicative of a broader trend in the fight for gender equality. Just as the tears of white women continue to be weaponized against Black, Indigenous, people of color. The transphobia and misogyny behind these allegations impacts all people, including cisgender women.

Here in California, AB 1266 (2013) attempts to safeguard all young athletes from these kinds of transphobic and misogynistic attacks; state law here requires public schools to allow students – whether cisgender, transgender, and/or intersex – to access sports teams in accordance with their gender identity. Despite this, school boards and school officials have often challenged the participation of certain girls in girls’ sports, echoing the rhetoric and transphobia across the country. We have to be vigilant in monitoring our local school boards for these violations of inclusion and state law.

Collegiate, professional/semi-pro, and recreational athletics policies are determined by other governing bodies, which can be subject to that same transphobic rhetoric and sometimes problematic sex verification and are able to be changed through advocacy.

As interACT Executive Director Erika Lorshbough stated: “All women should be able to participate in their sports free from discrimination and exclusion that is antithetical to the spirit of sport itself.”

Shiwali Patel, senior counsel at the National Women’s Law Center, categorized the current climate best, “It’s important to recognize that these discriminatory policies don’t enhance fairness in competition. Instead, they send a message of exclusion and reinforce dangerous stereotypes that harm all women.”

Indeed we see signs of hope as many local recreational sports leagues have explicitly inclusive policies. Like so many moment of meaningful progress, many of these policies are the result of folks advocating for equitable and inclusive policies around participation. While the fight for equity and inclusion is far from settled, I remain hopeful that the community voices and advocacy efforts will have the final say on comprehensive inclusion for LGBTQIA+ athletes at all levels.

While speaking about inclusion in sport, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that the sports world lost an incredible champion for inclusion, equity and representation this week. We join friends and family in mourning the loss of Billy Bean, Major League Baseball, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

In Pride,

Esme Quintero-Cubillan
they/she
Organizing & Outreach Coordinator

Joslyn Hatfield
she/her/hers
Director of Marketing Communications
Trans Pride/History Month: Celebrating Our Legacy
August 1, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

This year, San Diego Pride has been utilizing our weekly newsletter to “pass the mic” – often within our own Pride volunteer and staff teams and at times, to valued community partners. This week, we’re passing the mic to our friends at T-Spot, G.E.M, and Lambda Archives of San Diego, who are making history now. We’re looking forward to celebrating this upcoming month and supporting them in their plans for this work in 2025; we hope you join us!

————————

The T-Spot and G.E.M, in collaboration with Lambda Archives of San Diego, proudly declare August as Trans Pride/History Month. While the San Diego City Council has recently acknowledged this month, we have been preparing for this celebration and announcement since the start of the year.

Why August?

August is a month steeped in historical significance for the trans community. It marks the anniversary of the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria riot, a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history often overshadowed by the Stonewall riots. This event in San Francisco was a catalyst for broader LGBTQ+ activism and significantly impacted the treatment and perception of trans individuals in society. Recognizing August as Trans Pride/History Month allows us to highlight the resilience and contributions of our community throughout history.

Other Significant Events in August

Several key events occur in August that further underscore its importance:
- Transgender Flag Day: Celebrated on August 19th, this day honors the history and significance of the Transgender Pride Flag, created by Monica Helms on this day in 1999.
- Marsha P. Johnson’s Birthday: August 24th marks the birthday of Marsha P. Johnson, an iconic figure in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and a prominent participant in the Stonewall riots.
Our Journey

Since February, The T-Spot, G.E.M, and Lambda Archives of San Diego have been working on an initiative to declare August as Trans Pride/History Month. This initiative aims to honor the pivotal role the trans community plays in the fight for social justice and equality.

Upcoming Events in 2025

Although the first events will take place next year in August 2025, here’s a glimpse of what’s being planned:
- Educational Workshops: These will delve into the rich history of the trans community, highlighting key figures and milestones. Topics will include the history of trans activism, significant legal battles, and contributions of trans individuals to various fields.
- Community Gatherings: These events will oﬀer opportunities to connect with fellow advocates and allies, share stories, and build stronger networks. Activities will include panel discussions, storytelling sessions, and community-building initiatives.
- Pride Events: Joyful celebrations, including pride parades, parties, and cultural performances, will celebrate our identities. These events aim to create spaces where trans joy and resilience are front and center.
- Support Services: Resources and support tailored for the trans community will be available. This includes health workshops, mental health support sessions, and information on legal rights and services.
Get Involved

Together, we honor our past, celebrate our present, and look forward to a future of equality and acceptance. All members of the community, allies, and supporters are invited to join in making Trans Pride/History Month 2025 unforgettable. Here are some ways you can get involved:
- Participate in Events: Attend workshops, gatherings, and pride events to show your support and learn more about trans history and activism.
- Volunteer: Help organize and run events. Your support can make a big diﬀerence in the success of these celebrations.
- Spread the Word: Share information about Trans Pride/History Month with your networks to raise awareness and encourage participation.
- Support Trans Organizations: Donate to or volunteer with local trans advocacy groups to help sustain their vital work.
For more information, visit www.tspotsandiego.org or contact us at [email protected]. Stay tuned to T-Spot, G.E.M, and/or Lambda Archives of San Diego for updates and details on how you can participate and support.

In solidarity,
The T-Spot Team
THANK YOU for making history now!
July 31, 2024 11:51 am Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

THANK YOU! In a year marked by transitions, thousands of you showed up to celebrate queer joy and be in community together. Pride is a celebration and a protest at the same time. We have much more work to do in the coming months and years, and our joy is resistance. THANK YOU for showing up for each other!

Thank you for helping San Diego Pride celebrate our 50th Anniversary! As we remember the LGBTQIA+ community members who came before us, we can re-imagine what our own future could and should look like. History is alive, and we shape it every day through our collective action and individual choices. So we ask you again, how will you choose to make history?

San Diego Pride week may be over, but we will carry the spirit of the Stonewall and Compton’s Cafeteria protests with us, because Pride does not end in June OR July, and we demand to be part of the narrative.

Every voice matters, and every step forward is a victory. As we reflect on our beautiful Pride week together, let us recommit ourselves to the origins of Pride.

Let us celebrate with Pride,

Let us vote with Pride,

Let us live with Pride.

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera & Sarafina Scapicchio

P.S. If you enjoyed our celebration and love our year-round education and advocacy work, please consider becoming a sustaining donor to San Diego Pride. Donate here.
Welcome to Pride!
July 20, 2024 8:24 am Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In 1974, members of San Diego Pride’s founding leadership applied for a permit to march in the street. The application was denied, destroyed, and those organizers were told “You will be getting NO permit.” Our community persisted as 200 people decided to march whether or not they were allowed.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of that first march in San Diego, we look to honor our past victories, and recommit ourselves to the work ahead. We do this with the understanding that this work has been entrusted to us by the visionaries who have come before. We honor our future by ensuring opportunities for future generations to blaze their own trails and make their own history.

Our theme this year is “Making History Now” not just because of this milestone event. It is an invitation to be a part of the movement. History is not just what happened in the past, it is happening right before our eyes.

We invite you to reconnect with our collective Queer history. Learn from the past and bring those stories into the present.

We have been making history, because we have always been here. And we always will be.

Happy Pride, San Diego! We can’t wait to see you this weekend.

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera (they/them) & Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her)
Interim Co-Executive Directors
We Save Us
July 11, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

As we hurtle towards Pride week in San Diego, packed with events, meet-ups, mixers, protests and the gathering of friends, we are reminded of the true function and power of coming together in community, Pride, and queer joy.

In just a couple of months, Pride season will have passed and election season will be upon us. As we’ve seen in past years, the election will bring up heated conversations about our community members – targeting our gender expression, identity, and sexuality – which will reverberate through our TVs, our social media channels, at the water cooler, in public restrooms, and even on the playground. It will be then that the queer joy we’ve experienced during Pride, the friends and lovers we’ve connected with, the memories we’ve made with each other, and the social organizations we’ve become engaged with will be the most deeply needed. Queer joy and liberation are connected. We can’t keep fighting for liberation without the buoy of queer joy and the community that sustains us.

When the largest and most comprehensive survey on LGBTQ+ women who partner with women – a vision and dream of the late Urvashi Vaid – was released, the findings confirmed what many of us already know: while institutions often fail us, our queer friendships, family, and our allies save us. “LGBTQ+ women’s friendships are foundational to our health, well-being, and economic security. This largely ignored, crucial safety net deserves attention: The pressures on our friendships, given the level of violence and social and economic precarity we experience, is enormous… LGBTQ+ women’s friendships are perhaps our least appreciated and yet most impactful resource and refuge.”

We intentionally begin Pride Week in San Diego with She Fest – a FREE, volunteer-led program organized by 2SLGBTQIA+ women, non-binary people, and people who find community with these identities. For 10 years, they have held an intentionally trans-inclusive space for non-binary and women’s programming in our community offering music, workshops, small business and artisan vendors, and a space for people to connect to organizations that serve our community and each other. While the premise of the event is simple, this is critical community-building work that creates – through the process of its planning – an invaluable social support system for individuals in our community who are too often kept out of leadership. The skills the all-volunteer committee learns, the friendships they make with each other, the queer joy the event brings to the larger community, are all critical outcomes. These will pay dividends to our community when the Pride flags are tucked away and the negativity of the upcoming election cycle places LGBTQIA+ people in its crosshairs.

On a personal note for Jen, She Fest is the only LGBTQIA+ community event where they have never been misgendered. For Sarafina, it is the only community event where she was not treated as “ not queer enough” as a femme lesbian. These simple acknowledgments of the complexity of individual identities can be so powerful for people to experience. The great exhale you feel when you are in a space where you are understood and dare we say known.

We invite EVERYONE to join us at She Fest on Saturday – bring your dog (with booties for that hot asphalt!) for the return of the doggie fashion show, get connected to local LGBTQIA+ organizations, enjoy some phenomenal entertainment, and engage with all the activities that our brilliant She Fest committee has put together. Or help She Fest reach their goal of $10,000 in donations for their 10th anniversary!

We’ve got a long week of Pride events coming at ya, and we’re so excited to start this week with you in Hillcrest!
- She Fest: Saturday, July 13
- Light Up The Cathedral: Wednesday, July 17
- Spirit of Stonewall Rally: Friday, July 19
- Pride Block Party: Friday, July 19
- Pride 5k Run & Walk: Saturday, July 20
- Pride Parade: Saturday, July 20
- Pride Festival: Saturday-Sunday, July 20-21
In Solidarity,

Jen LaBarbera (they/them) & Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her)
Interim Co-Executive Directors
Top 50 for San Diego Pride 2024
July 5, 2024 5:00 pm Leave a Comment

There’s so much happening during Pride Week, so we’ve put together 50 things to know before you go! We’re combining celebration and liberation while we honor the folks who are Making History Now. There’s truly something for everyone!

Check out the full Top 50 list See you at Pride!

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera (they/them) & Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her)
Interim Co-Executive Directors
Pride is still protest
June 27, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

“What happens when the celebration is more well-known than the purpose of the celebration?” NCLR’s Imani Rupert-Gordon asked this question in her piece for The Advocate about Juneteenth and Pride last week, and it resonated deeply.

As Pride organizers, it’s our job to create that celebration every year, and that celebration is vital. We need these spaces of joy, these spaces to be so unapologetically ourselves, in order to shore ourselves up for what feels like a constant battle. And that unbridled queer and trans joy and unabashed embrace of our identities is itself its own form of resistance. And: Pride commemorates the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, when our community members fought back against state-sanctioned police brutality and sparked what is now the global Pride movement. Pride is a celebration, yes, and it is also protest – the purpose of this celebration is liberation.

We’ve seen a dramatic increase in anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and policy across the country, including here in San Diego, over the past few years. We have made progress that deserves to be celebrated, yes, and we still have a lot of work to do to achieve full pride, equality, and respect for all LGBTQIA+ people locally, nationally, and globally, and that work requires intentional reconnection to our roots as a movement for social justice and to our roots in throwing the first brick (*or penny, or punch, or shot glass – the stories vary!) at Stonewall 55 years ago. During San Diego Pride, we come together to reconnect to those roots at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally, where we get to honor the folks in our midst that are doing the work and come together to take action.

This year’s Keynote Speaker is Kierra Johnson(they/she), Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. I am lucky enough to have known Kierra since 2012, when we first met in reproductive justice organizing spaces. They are an absolutely brilliant leader who is able to beautifully combine passion with compassion and strategy with radically imaginative vision.

Chairwoman Erica Pinto of the Jamul Indian Village will offer an acknowledgment of the unceded Indigenous territories on which we celebrate. The Rally’s featured speakers include two folks who also happen to be members of groups receiving Spirit of Stonewall Awards this year. Ady Huertas (she/her) is a librarian (lesbrarian) at San Diego Public Library, will remind us what is at stake when LGBTQIA+ books are banned and challenged. Hon. Christine Kehoe (she/her), San Diego County’s first out LGBTQIA+ elected official and part of San Diego Pride’s Founding Leadership, will give remarks about the history (and future!) of San Diego’s LGBTQIA+ movement.

As an organization that prioritizes arts and culture as part of our movement, we’re so proud to also have some phenomenal artists and performers joining our Rally stage this year. Spoken word artist (and alum of our Pride Youth programs!) Espi Ouapou (pen name Espi Love) will perform a piece during our Rally, beautifully bringing together arts and advocacy. Performing artist ViRR will bring us the Black national anthem, Lift Ev’ry Voice And Sing, and Larissa Balzer from the San Diego Women’s Chorus and will join us to perform America The Beautiful while a group of LGBTQIA+ veterans present the colors in an all-veteran honor guard. And, of course, our Pride Youth Marching Band will help us kick off and close out the Rally, and will play while our partners at Fabulous Hillcrest raise the giant Pride flag over our gayborhood.

Our Pride celebrations began as a protest. Pride is still a protest, and our work is not yet done.

I hope you will join us as we rally together in action, in celebration of the progress we’ve made, in support of those who are making history now, in working toward liberation, and in radically imaginative vision for what we can build together.

In Solidarity,

Jen LaBarbera (they/them)
Interim Co-Executive Director
Juneteenth – Our Shared Commitment to Liberation
June 20, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In navigating the complexities of celebrating Juneteenth within a world still entangled in the remnants of its past, and amidst the hollow promises of progress adorned with the veneer of inclusivity, I, at the crossroads of my queerness, transness, and blackness, find myself all too familiar with this internal conflict. It’s a struggle often veiled behind amicable smiles and humor, serving as armor against the pervasive anti-blackness and censorship in white-dominated spaces. How, then, can I carve out a space that honors the legacy of my ancestors while embracing my full self?

For me, the answer lies in the solidarity and camaraderie found within communities that share a commitment to liberation. Juneteenth embodies the resilience of spirit, a testament to our refusal to be bound by the chains of oppression. It’s a day marked not just by historical significance but by the ongoing journey of liberation that reverberates through generations.

Let us use this time not only for reflection on the pains, struggles, and traumas of the past but also as a celebration of the resilience, joy, and lightness we’ve preserved and cultivated. Juneteenth serves as a beacon of hope, a reminder that our collective efforts continue to shape history and propel us towards a future where freedom and justice reign supreme. In this spirit, stand in hope an solidarity with our colleagues at San Diego Black Pride.

With Pride,

Shane James (they/them/theirs)
Programs Coordinator

San Diego Black Pride celebrates and honors our marginalized communities daily. We relegate our uniqueness to centering our Unity in Color, Joy, and Black Excellence.

Pride and Juneteenth celebrations not only honor our marginalized communities’ resistance while underscoring a troubling truth about how we show up in society: Historically the United States perpetuates the ongoing exacerbation of racism, transphobia, and queerphobia in the United States.

For most of us, Juneteenth was an annual block party that folks couldn’t wait to happen. Aunties, uncles, papas, and grandmas would cook their favorite food to share with the entire block. We set up the “good” BBQ grill, usually the big ole’ barrel grill. The kids frolicked and played games, and the grown folks had a competitive game of “Bid Wiz. Juneteenth means freedom, love, unity, validation, and more.

It also commemorates General Order No. 3. June 19, 1865—the day all people living in the United States, including the formerly enslaved, were officially granted freedom. We have come a long way but still have so much more to do, especially for our Black queer siblings and families.

SDBP thanks the community for embracing us. We forgive and love those who still do not fully accept us. We are still here; we are not going anywhere, period.

For SDBP, Juneteenth validates our history, freedom, choices, and love of self.

Black Excellence at its finest.

For more information about San Diego Black Pride, visit us at www.sandiegoblackpride.org
- Email us at [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering with us.
- LGBTQIA+ community members can connect with us by visiting here.
- LGBTQIA+ Allies, please like our Facebook page.
- Please donate to help fund future programming and our Damon J. Shearer Scholarship Fund.
- Follow us on Instagram
With gratitude and appreciation,

Your San Diego Black Pride
Light Up The Cathedral For Pride 🌈⛪
June 13, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

“Making History Now” is the theme for this year’s 50th anniversary of San Diego Pride and is a perfect description of Light Up The Cathedral For Pride. The Interfaith service has its roots in outreach, but it has become a beacon of hope, love in a celebration that features LGBTQIA+ affirming interfaith clergy, readings and faith-inspired music in the safe space of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. It is a unique official event and partnership with San Diego Pride that offers interfaith inclusivity with LGBTQIA+ community and faith leaders from throughout San Diego County. Light Up The Cathedral For Pride continues on “Making History Now”.

Nine years ago, the newly arrived Dean Penny Bridges had a vision for the Cathedral community that was a forward-thinking approach for outreach to the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride week in San Diego. Because the Pride Parade ends directly across the street from the church, and the two-day festival takes place only two blocks away, Dean Penny believed that lighting the exterior of the Cathedral edifice in rainbow colors would make a visual statement of support and affirmation to the thousands of people who pass by our location during the week. A generous donor caught her vision and in July 2015, the Cathedral was bathed in rainbow color, the first Cathedral anywhere in the USA to light up its entire facade for Pride. And so it started, with LGBTQIA+ community leaders and the congregation attending a blessing service outside in the Queen’s Courtyard. Many of our local elected officials attend annually.

By the third year, with the rise of the so-called Religious Freedom laws and the rise of Christian nationalism, San Diego Pride and St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral began to identify affirming and inclusive pro-LGBTQIA+ interfaith leaders to create an interfaith Light Up celebration. It is vital to counter the message of hate and bigotry from the religious right by uniting affirming and diverse interfaith leaders. The most powerful voices to speak out against religious bigotry are affirming inclusive faith leaders, whose common belief in God’s universal love for all human beings shines a bright light in the darkness. We now have over 100 affirming, inclusive interfaith congregations and clergy involved in San Diego Pride’s interfaith DevOUT program of education, advocacy and intersectional social justice activism. Light Up The Cathedral is the flagship event of organizing interfaith leaders around LGBTQ+ equality and gives affirming inclusive faith practices in San Diego County the opportunity to shine their lights!

In the most recent national polling, over 63% of LGBTQIA+ people identify a faith practice. Our community has had a difficult and oppressive history with the religious organizations of their youth, resulting in many wounded and hurting souls. Many LGBTQIA+ people are seeking a safe place to embrace their authentic spiritual self and have been afraid to enter a house of worship. Thanks to San Diego Pride’s visionary and courageous leadership, the community partnership with St. Paul’s Cathedral( a first of its kind anywhere in the USA) has enabled us to identify and bring together and organize over 100 affirming interfaith clergy. The Light Up The Cathedral program participants represent affirming diverse congregations of Christian, Jewish Rabbis, Priests, Universalists, Buddhists, and Humanists including our Episcopal Diocese Bishop Susan Brown Snook. It unites the interfaith leaders with our LGBTQIA+ community under one roof- singing, praying, worshiping and celebrating together our beloved status as children of God. It is an affirmational evening of inspirational music and reading, ending in a procession outside and the blessing of the Lights and our San Diego Pride week events.

Each year we highlight a ministry or faith organization that has shown exemplary work in and service to the fight for equality and dignity of LGBTQIA+ people. This year the “Light of PRIDE” award will be spotlighting the Buddhist Dharma Bum Temple and its founder Bodhi Cari Jeff Zlotnik. The program includes performances by the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, the San Diego Women’s Chorus, Soloist and Music Director Joey Pearson and a surprise musical performance! Please join us on July 17 at 7pm- whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome and beloved and free to be YOU at Light Up the Cathedral For Pride!

With Pride,

Susan Jester (she/her)
Licensed Lay Minister of Evangelism
St. Paul’s Cathedral

Susan Jester is a licensed lay minister at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral and the co-coordinator, with Bob Leyh of Light Up The Cathedral since it’s beginning. This year Joe Fejeran is the SD Pride co-coordinator.
How LGBTQIA+ Archives Help Us Remember
June 6, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Para los 49 ángeles que solo querían escuchar música, bailar, y estar con la familia elegida…que sus memoria sea una bendición.

On the night of June 11, 2016, my wife and I went to Uptown Tavern in Hillcrest with friends of ours, one of whom I learned that night used to be the General Manager of one of my favorite (now closed) gay bars, Bourbon Street. We danced, we laughed, we screamed jokes into each other’s ears over the throbbing soundtrack coming from the DJ booth until we cried with laughter. On our way home, we talked about how it was probably one of the best nights out that we had had in a while.

The next morning, shortly after waking up, my heart sank as I read an alert on my phone that described in painful detail a shooting that had taken place at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando leaving 49 people dead. The emotions that immediately followed were: panic and heartbreak. Panic knowing that my wife’s brother (who is also gay) lived in Orlando and was a patron of Pulse. Heartbreak trying to process that 49 people had been doing what we had been doing the night before and lost their lives in the process. Rage came not that much later – but it came. And the rage was very particularly centered around knowing that this wasn’t just a mass shooting – it was a mass shooting that targeted a queer space with 90% of the victims being Latinx – that were there doing what many of us do to have fun – to listen to music, to dance, and to gather with chosen family.

Many of us have an intimate understanding of the significance that gay bars have played and continue to play in our LGBTQIA+ community. They’ve been places where we find friends, lovers, and community. They provide a space for affirming identities and for sharing space with kindred spirits – even if they are strangers. Our bars have also been the sites where our community has gathered to address critical political issues including police harassment, racism, AIDS. Before Pulse, part of LGBTQ+ history has included other similarly anti-LGBTQ+ motivated attacks including: the arson attack of UpStairs Lounge (New Orleans 1973); a shooting at gay leather bar The Ramrod (Greenwich Village 1980); an arson attack on HappyLand gay bar (Bronx 1990); the bombing of lesbian bar Otherside Lounge (Atlanta 1997); a shooting at the Backstreet Cafe (Roanoke 2000); and an arson attack at Neighbours (Seattle 2013).

On the evening of June 12, 2016 without even 24 hours having gone by since the shooting took place, our community gathered en masse to show our solidarity with Orlando that included an impromptu candlelight vigil at the Pride flag in Hillcrest. With the help of the Hillcrest Business Association, Lambda Archives’ then-Head Archivist, Jen LaBarbera stepped up to ensure that we collected any signs or other ephemera from the event to preserve them at Lambda. One of those items was a poster left at the Pride flag in Hillcrest that evening, which came from the Monarch School – a public K-12 school that serves students who experience homelessness in San Diego County. The 10-foot long poster was hand-drawn, painted, and included personal messages to the victims – most of which came from children making it particularly emotionally resonant.

Part of our role as an LGBTQ+ community archive is to collect items that contextualize ourselves as individuals and as a community; in doing so, it helps to understand ourselves in the current moment and how intimately connected we are and how tragedies like the Pulse nightclub shooting impact all queer people, regardless of geographic location. Collecting and maintaining items from the Pride flagpole at the candlelight vigil for Pulse that night wasn’t simply a hollow act of “collecting stuff.” It was an intentional action focused on keeping our memory of those who were lost alive and captures how our local community showed up to remember them. By preserving this part of our history, we are able to create interconnected meaning between our individual lived experiences, the historical importance of gay bars as sites of organizing and resistance, and a tragedy that claimed the lives of 49 people that just wanted to listen to music, dance, and gather with their chosen family. May their memory be eternal.

Nicole Verdes (they/she)
Managing Director
Lambda Archives of San Diego
San Diego Pride 2024 Full Lineup!
June 3, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

We’re so excited to announce our full lineup of artists and entertainers for the 2024 San Diego Pride Festival!

The San Diego Pride festival is so much more than a party. We believe LGBTQIA+ artists have always been invaluable torchbearers for the LGBTQIA+ civil rights movements providing life-saving representation of our experiences that are still not widely found in public media. As the Director of Entertainment, it is an honor to give a platform to more than 120 LGBTQIA+ artists who grace our four entertainment zones each year to help thousands of community members celebrate the weekend.

This work provides an opportunity to honor the icons of the future, particularly BIPOC, women, and trans artists, while remembering those who have come before us. The stages of San Diego Pride serve as a vital platform to elevate artists in the exploration of their craft. Where else can you find the depth of queer talent on blissful display? Creating this space for Pride keeps me continuously busy and always stepping up the work as an ally, mentor, and friend to the community. Come celebrate our 50th anniversary under the rainbow skyline with us!

For a full list of events, visit sdpride.org/pride. For more information about accommodations, services, or if you have a general question regarding accessibility, please contact [email protected].

Tickets for the San Diego Pride Festival are currently on sale at sdpride.org/tickets. All proceeds from the festival and parade support San Diego Pride’s LGBTQIA-centered philanthropy and year-round arts, culture, education, and advocacy programs. Invite your friends on Facebook.

With Pride,

Gardenia Partridge (she/her)
Director of Entertainment
GiveOut to Support Pride Accessibility for ALL
May 30, 2024 9:38 am Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

At San Diego Pride, our vision for a world free of prejudice and bias is seen through our year-round work in partnership with the community to create spaces where everyone feels welcomed and valued. This work is rooted in inclusion, making sure every person gets to experience the joy of their fullness and the warm welcome of a loving community.

As LGBTQIA+ people, we know what it means to be ‘othered’ by heteronormative society. Where dominant culture laid out rules and expectations for how our lives are “supposed to be” from the day we were born, our existence, expression, our networks of love and support are creative in the face of dominant culture. We imagine and create – create to the point that the exquisite fanfare of worldwide Pride festivities shut down streets, shape life-changing moments, and create space for connection and self-expression that is uniquely, beautifully queer.

Yet, a large and vital part of our community is often not included in the Pride experience of creativity, connection, and celebration due to lack of accessibility considerations.

Statistics show that 1 in 4 LGBQ folx and 2 in 5 trans people live with a disability. Ensuring that all people, inclusive of disability status, is essential to the vision of an LGBTQIA+ community that welcomes all to this experience we all hold dear. As one of the most accessible Pride celebrations in the world, San Diego Pride holds Disability Justice as one of our guiding Pillars of Justice, reflecting our deep commitment to equity and inclusion. We work towards Disability Justice through accessibility programs by including ASL interpretation, mobility infrastructure (mobility devices, ADA ramps, etc.), clear signage, sensory rest areas and more at our flagship Pride events, as well as throughout our year-round programs and events. Over Pride week alone, San Diego Pride books over 170 hours of ASL interpretation, provides free scooters and wheelchairs, installs safety ramps throughout the festival, ADA compliant shuttles, and other accommodations to ensure that each member of our community can fully participate in and enjoy our festivities.

Accessibility is one of the most important aspects of Pride, as well as one of the most cost-intensive. That is why I am thrilled that for this GiveOUT Day, every donation is matched 2:1 up to $5,000 by our Accessibility Partner and Champion, Options For All, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, tripling the impact of your donation.

I invite each of us to contribute what we comfortably can towards creating the community we wish to see. By donating and spreading the word, you help welcome folks of all disability statuses to inclusive spaces, enhance our accessibility services, and ensure everyone has that cherished experience of belonging at Pride.

Donate now, and contribute towards our shared vision of Pride for ALL!

With gratitude,

Lo Horst (they/she)
Philanthropy Manager, San Diego Pride

P.S. Another opportunity to support: the San Diego Pride Festival is our organization’s largest fundraiser of the year! The proceeds from the festival not only fuel our year-round programs for youth empowerment, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, and leadership development, but is also shared out in the form of grants to LGBTQTIA+-serving programs around the world. Contribute to our mission of pride, equity, and respect worldwide by buying a ticket to Pride 2024 and join us in Making History Now!
Remembering those we lost on Memorial Day
May 23, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

When I was asked to contribute to the Memorial Day edition of this newsletter, I recognized that this is not the first piece written about fallen service members within our community and found it important to share what has already been so eloquently stated. Please take a moment to read what the Shepherd Express said in 2018 and what Seattle Pride said in 2021.

As a reminder, Memorial Day is a time for all of us to remember the service members we lost while serving our country. Just as we all have our ways of mourning, we also have our ways of remembering the fallen. A few of those ways are to place a flag at their gravesite, honor them with a formal service, or wear a bracelet of remembrance in their honor.

Our fallen LGTBQIA+ military members each had a story, as do our current LGTBQIA+ service members and LGTBQIA+ Veterans. They are stories of struggle, pain, joy, freedom, the list is endless. Some may have had the opportunity to tell their story, but many did not. I believe there is power in every one of our stories. When we each share our story, we can open hearts and minds, express emotions that have likely been bottled up for years, and hopefully start to heal. There was a chapter of my life where I proudly served my country as a closeted lesbian in the US Army during the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) era.

Under DADT my career was under constant threat. I had to perpetually look over my shoulder, living the double life that many of us have endured at some point in our LGTBQIA+ journey. At social work functions, while everyone spoke about their families and hetero partners, I would stay silent, or sometimes, if I was feeling brave, speak about my “roommate”. I had coworkers make up fake email addresses and tell me to turn myself in or risk being turned in because I was a disgrace to the uniform. I thought I could trust certain friends enough to let them into my world, only to lose them due to fear of being guilty by association. My wife (who is also an Army Veteran) and I had to send coded letters and care packages while she was deployed (she was my girlfriend at the time) to minimize exposure of our life together. I loved being in the Army, but the life of lies I had to live, under fear of being found out and losing my career became too much and I left after 12 years of service.

This is only a sample of what I endured and doesn’t compare to the violence that LGTBQIA+ service members of the past and present have experienced. While the transgender community can openly serve in the military since 2021, as the mother of a transgender daughter, I would fear for the safety of my daughter should she express a desire to join the military. The bond between service members, especially at this time of the year, and particularly in our community, is strong. Let’s leverage this bond as a catalyst to advocate for increased safety for those who want to serve their country as loudly and proudly as they desire.

This Memorial Day, we honor those military service members in and out of our community who died while serving our country. To those I never met, who gave the ultimate sacrifice, as well as to my fallen West Point classmates and to those fallen whom I had the honor to serve with; be thou at peace.

With Pride,

Melissa Malone-Montgomery (she/her)
San Diego Pride Board Co-Chair

VA Research Document: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/docs/FSTP-LGBT.pdf
Giving them hope and making history now
May 22, 2024 10:30 am Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In 1978, after he had made history as California’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk gave a speech that still resonates for me as one of his most memorable, and one I reach back to when I need to remember my “why.” It was a long speech, and Milk talked about the challenges facing our people around the country – challenges that sound awfully similar to the ones we face now about teachers and youth being out in schools, about losing our jobs because of who we are. But he didn’t end on those challenges – he ended with a call to hope: “I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living…You have got to give them hope.”

Today, on Harvey Milk Day, we celebrate the people here that help give us all hope for that better world, the people that are actively making history in the service of creating liberation and equality for LGBTQIA+ people locally, nationally, and globally. We present to you San Diego Pride’s 2024 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees:

Our 2024 Champion of Pride, Paris Quion (she/her), is a bright light in the San Diego community, and is known as a drag entertainer, businesswoman, activist, and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. She is tireless in her commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and unimpeachably principled in her advocacy. Paris is known best for being a career fundraiser, volunteer and for devoting her life, skills and resources to the betterment of the queer community with a focus on our youth and our most vulnerable community members. Learn more about Paris >>

Our 2024 Community Grand Marshal, our region’s LGBTQIA+ & Allied Educators and Library Workers, have faced challenges that are frighteningly similar to the fights that Harvey Milk fought back in the 1970s, and, like we did in the 70s, are winning, and standing strong for LGBTQIA+ youth and families to be able to be their whole selves in schools, staying vigilant against book bans and censorship of LGBTQIA+ materials in libraries, and creating safer spaces for all LGBTQIA+ people across our County. Learn more about our LGBTQIA+ & Allied Educators and Library Workers >>

Our Stonewall Service Award goes to the fairly new East County Queer & Trans Coalition, creating spaces for joy and celebration in East County while also fighting to make East County spaces – especially schools – safer for LGBTQIA+ folks. The EC QTs, as they’re known by many partners, have created social events, informational meetings, engaged in powerful and effective grassroots organizing, and are currently working to revive San Diego’s historic Dyke March. Learn more about ECQTCo >>

Jordan “Joho” Daniels (he/him) is this year’s recipient of the Community Service Award, recognizing his support and service to the LGBTQIA+ community since he moved ot the region in 2012. Jordan is a a Queer Black and Jewish creative, and uses his talents and skills to tell stories and engage the community through Fat, Black, and Queer intersectional lenses. Learn more about Jordan >>

This movement cannot be won without our allies, whether they’re at our side, behind us, or in front as protection. Dr. Jill Blumenthal (she/her) is this year’s Friend of Pride, in recognition of her fearless and fierce advocacy and work at UCSD Health to make gender-affirming care more accessible and culturally responsive. Learn more about Dr. Blumenthal >>

Making a comeback this year is our Inspirational Relationship Award, which goes to the iconic and powerful couple, Teresa Oyos (she/ella) and Rose Ruybal (she/ella). Teresa and Rose’s relationship has been deeply embedded in and rooted in service to the LGBTQIA+ community, especially the LGBTQIA+ Latine community. Learn more about Teresa & Rose >>

Our Stonewall Philanthropy Award this year goes to Qualcomm, a San Diego based corporation that has led the way in corporate philanthropy and stewardship. Qualcomm was one of the first large corporations marching in the San Diego Pride Parade, and has not only been a strong partner of ours for decades, but has also encouraged other corporations to invest in local LGBTQIA+ organizations. Learn more about Qualcomm >>

Patric Stillman (he/him) is the recipient of this year’s Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture Award. Patric has been a volunteer, activist, and artist for most of his life, and in 2014, he founded the Studio Door, a hub for local artists – particularly those from the LGBTQIA+ community – to showcase their work and forge meaningful connections. Learn more about Patric >>

The Light of Pride Award, given in conjunction with our partners at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral at our annual Light Up The Cathedral event, goes to Dharma Bum Temple, a true spiritual home for the LGBTQIA+ community to study and practice Buddhism, which includes significant service by, for, and with the LGBTQIA+ community. Learn more about Dharma Bum Temple >>

And lastly, our Hero of Pride Award goes to San Diego Pride’s Founding Leadership that lay the foundations of our organization and movement in San Diego. From the first march 50 years ago in 1974 to the first permitted march in 1975 to the tide-turning 15/20 committee in 1989 to the incorporation of the organization as a 501(c)(3) organization 30 years ago, in 1994, these leaders have been integral in our ability to survive, thrive, and continue making history now. Learn more about San Diego Pride’s Founding Leadership >>

Congratulations to these stellar awardees, and more importantly: THANK YOU to these folks above for giving us hope, and for making history with us all.

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera & Sarafina Scapicchio
Interim Co-Executive Directors
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia
May 16, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Discrimination against our community is an insidious thing. The words most commonly used to describe it, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, among others, share the same suffix “-phobia”, from the Greek “Phobos”, meaning “fear of.”

“I’m not afraid of them, that’s ridiculous.” A sentiment I heard echoed throughout my social landscape as a child. It was used often enough that it became a part of my own justification for those phobias that I too, was primed to have from a young age. But it isn’t true, is it? There is no hate not born of fear.

I’ve been plagued by a paradox, dear reader, for many years now. I call it “Ender’s Paradox”, after the character Ender Wiggin from Orson Scott Card’s award-winning 1985 science fiction novel Ender’s Game, unequivocally my favorite book of all time. This novel’s central message revolves around acceptance of beings that seem wholly foreign, trying to understand them, to push through the fear, and in doing so, to love them. Despite this, Orson Scott Card’s views on the LGBTQ+ community are strikingly at odds with the message that resonated so strongly with me and countless others. Card served on the board of directors for a group that stands against marriage equality: The National Organization for Marriage, and has made clear his opinions on our community on multiple occasions. So the paradox is as follows: how can someone hold this ideology on queerness that is uniquely toxic even amongst his peers, and write one of the most compelling arguments for acceptance and respect towards others within my lifetime? I don’t understand and perhaps I never will.

When I first read Ender’s Game as an eight-year-old, I was far too young to fully grasp its themes. But with each subsequent revisit, I was nevertheless imbued with a deep sense of empathy, one that challenged me to look deeper than the cliched remarks made by the people around me, to find the humanity within the remarker and the ones they’ve marked. I was told the classic “It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve”, during P.E. as a Freshman in high school during my first Transgender Day of Silence, 2008. At that juncture, I was one step out of the closet as a nonbinary, pansexual person, in the process of unlearning the phobias instilled in me. During drills on the football field, I heard heated debates about Prop 8 as I struggled to breathe through my nose, while the sweat on my face threatened to unstick the duct tape I’d adhered to my lips a few hours prior. I considered myself lucky that I wasn’t one of the ones whose tape was being forcibly removed by other students who had fun parroting quips they had heard from someone who must have thought themselves so damn funny. The two religious student groups on campus took a more organized approach, designating the following day as the “Day of Truth”.

The truth is, homophobes, biphobes, and transphobes are scared of us. They are scared of what our unbridled freedom means for the narrative they’ve been told, and how much time it would mean they have wasted investing in a cis/heteronormative worldview that is broken and restrictive for everyone involved, including themselves. Facing that truth is much too painful. It’s so much easier to seethe.

Ultimately, I’m scared too. I never thought that sixteen years later I would be reliving the days of Prop 8. But here we are, with the future of marriage equality hanging in the balance, not to mention the countless anti-trans bills that have been introduced this year alone.

The main difference between then and now is I have access to more resources than ever before. I am so incredibly fortunate to work for an organization that provides opportunities to develop and practice advocacy and activism, like our Advocacy Team and the annual Pride Power Summit that just wrapped up last weekend. The threats against our community are real, but so is our power when we come together. As we celebrate sexual and gender diversities on May 17 for International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, I plan to lean into that power that we have together.

With Pride,

Franklin Younger (they/them)
Staff Accountant
Checking in for Mental Health Awareness Month
May 9, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

If you are one of the LGBTQIA+ community members that the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey has been tracking since 2020, chances are that you may not be feeling that great. The data showed that LGBTQIA+ respondents reported higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms than non-LGBTQIA+ respondents across all age groups surveyed. Moreover, disparities were most pronounced in our young adults (ages 18 to 29). Sadly, this is not news to most of us.

While our LGBTQIA+ community has made significant strides towards achieving much-needed legal protections and dispelling social stigmas in the past few decades, mental health disparities continue to persist. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which serves not only to bring awareness to mental health issues, but also to help folks take actionable steps toward increased access to mental health and substance-use treatment care nationwide.  As a social worker, I encourage you to find the time to check-in with yourself this month and the people you love and seek out places to shore up your connection to the community.

As our country’s political discourse becomes increasingly polarized, all too often our LGBTQIA+ community members (especially our youth) are a favored wedge issue in public discourse. Polarized climates in schools, workplaces, and communities have left LGBTQIA+ people more vulnerable to higher rates of harassment and violence. These distinct and chronic stressors related to our sexual orientation and/or gender identity lead to minority stress. These experiences are especially amplified for our LGBTQIA+ community members who hold multiple marginalized identities and who must carefully navigate social racism alongside homophobia and/or transphobia, for example. Discrimination can result in long-term fear or lack of confidence in support systems and providers that are available which exacerbates minority stress.

However, we also know how incredibly resilient our very diverse LGBTQIA+ community has been.
Recent theories center on the “buffering effect” that connection to community can have on minority stress. This is not a new idea – bell hooks taught us long ago that “rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”

I found this to be true for myself when I navigated the loss of my father to COVID and simultaneously went through a painful divorce during the pandemic. In addition to seeing a LGBTQIA+-affirming therapist, volunteering with She Fest helped ground me through that difficult time. I knew that no matter what was going on in my life, I had a group of queer and nonbinary folks who would be happy to see me and a volunteer project that helped build my confidence and connection to my community.

If you are interested in building community and networks of social support with LGBTQIA+ folks, we invite you to join us as a volunteer at San Diego Pride, have breakfast with us at our monthly Community Building Workshops, attend Pride Power Summit this Saturday, check out the programming of She Fest (including their 2nd Annual Queer Speed Friending event on May 19th!) , our Latine Coalition, QAPIMEDA Coalition, Art of Pride, or the many other volunteer-led programs at San Diego Pride who are looking for folks just like you to get involved!

Together, let’s remove the stigma associated with asking for help and lean into community care this May!

With Pride,

Sarafina Scapicchio, MSW (she/her)
Interim Co-Executive Director
Exciting additions to our Festival lineup!
May 2, 2024 3:32 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

We are thrilled to announce some exciting additions to the lineup for San Diego Pride Festival July 20-21, 2024!

Did you know proceeds from ticket sales at the festival help fund the year-round programs and events of San Diego Pride? Or that the San Diego Pride Community Grants program has distributed over $3.5 million to LGBTQIA+-serving organizations locally, nationally and globally since 1994? That’s a different kind of pride! Tickets are on sale now at sdpride.org/festival!

Slayyyter, J. Worra, Tommy Genesis, Kaleena Zanders, Nymphia Wind and For the Girls Tour ft. Lady Camden, Bosco, and Daya Betty will appear at the annual festival and fundraising event for San Diego Pride.

SLAYYYTER: Chart-topping singer-songwriter Slayyyter joins the lineup bringing and it’s giving techno-inspired beats with a healthy dose of millennial nostalgia.

J. WORRA: Los Angeles- based DJ and producer Jamie Sitter, known as J. Worra, will bring star power and classic house infused with new school tech to the stage.

TOMMY GENESIS: Canadian artist Tommy Genesis will bring her sensual, rebellious flow to the stage while challenging traditional concepts of sex and sexuality.

KALEENA ZANDERS: Hot emerging artist Kaleena Zanders joins the lineup bringing a unique musical sound deeply rooted in pushing BIPOC and queer artists to the forefront.

NYMPHIA WIND: America’s next drag superstar and winner of Season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind, will join the lineup bringing their phenomenal lip sync talents and iconic costumes to the stage spreading a message of beauty and freedom.

FOR THE GIRLS TOUR FT. LADY CAMDEN, BOSCON ADN DAYA BETTY: RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 finalists Bosco, DayaBetty, and Lady Camden, For The Girls Tour brings fans a hilarious and campy world of drag, comedy, glamour, and dancing in a sapphic tribute to lesbian anthems of the 90s, 2000s.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you! Join us in this special 50th Anniversary year in Making History Now.

With Pride,

Gardenia Partridge (she/her/hers)
Entertainment Director
Biba!
April 25, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

I grew up on the island of Guam. I did not know what it meant to “be gay” until I started watching Will & Grace. And for many years, those characters would be the only examples of LGBTQIA+ culture that I could relate to.

We moved to the mainland when I was 15 years old, over 20 years ago. I spent the rest of high school and into college exploring my own queerness. All of the culture that I consumed in that time was overwhelmingly cis, white, and from an American context. The exploration of LGBTQIA+ culture while living in the mainland was its own form of assimilation. I was happy to adopt American queer cultural norms because I wanted so urgently to understand why I was the way that I was. I wanted permission to know that my desire was natural. I was afraid that the culture I was raised in would not give me an answer I wanted to hear.

Eventually, I felt that in order to come to terms with being gay, I had to separate from my CHamoru identity.

In October 2018, I went back to Guam for my childhood bestie’s wedding. On my layover in Honolulu, I realized that it was National Coming Out Day. Having come out since my last trip back, I posted on social media that I was so happy to be returning home out and proud.

For the first time in my life, I was back in the land of my ancestors as my full authentic self.

Since then, I have been on a journey to find a way to fully honor and inhabit my queerness and my heritage as a CHamoru person. I looked to local heroes like Larry T. Baza, who held both Chicano and CHamoru identities. Larry became co-chair of San Diego Pride committee in 1992 along with Vertez Burks, marking it the first time that two people of color ran the organization.

I discovered that Guam also has its own special place in LGBTQIA+ history. Benjamin Joseph “BJ” Cruz served as Chief Justice of the Guam Supreme Court from 1999-2001, becoming the first openly gay Chief Justice of any state court in the United States. In 2018, Joshua Tenorio, one of the founders of Equality Guam, became the first openly LGBTQIA+ person to be elected Lt. Governor in the U.S. too.

It’s also important to celebrate ourselves in community spaces. Earlier in April, local Lao organizer Dina Johnson coordinated the first LGBTQIA+ celebration of Thai, Lao, Cambodian New Year was held in San Diego (and perhaps the country), making history by creating an inclusive space for TLC queers to celebrate their traditions. There is no one way to be queer, to be an AAPI person. The beauty of our community comes from our diverse lived experiences.

Si yu’us ma’ase and Biba Pride!

Joe Fejeran (he/him)
Community Programs Coordinator

P.S. From May 26 to June 1, we will celebrate Queer, Trans Asian Pacific Islander Week (QTAPI) as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The QAPIMEDA coalition has some exciting events planned, so stay tuned for their official announcement. If you are interested in participating in or volunteering for QTAPI Week, email [email protected].
Volunteers- Making History Now and Then
April 18, 2024 1:29 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Our community has a history of coming together to support each other. I am always inspired when I learn a new piece of history of the volunteer spirit and solidarity that LGBTQIA+ folks have for each other and for other groups fighting for freedom from oppression. The lesbians who supported gay men during the HIV epidemic, organizing the San Diego Blood Sisters who donated blood directly to HIV/AIDS patients and volunteering to sit by their sides when their families and doctors rejected them. Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson’s efforts to house, support and fight for their community with their Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (STAR) organization. The first Pride organizers gave their time and energy to stand up for their rights and bring their community together. These examples and many more have had an immense impact on our history and movement, and are all volunteer-led.

Our community’s volunteers have had a large impact on my personal life as well. When I was first coming out, I didn’t have much of a community, and especially not much of one that I knew would support me wholeheartedly as a queer person. As I was exploring my newfound identity and trying to find my place in a community, I decided to go to She Fest in 2021. When I shyly walked up, not knowing what to expect, I immediately felt welcomed and at home. I surprisingly saw some familiar faces, received many (consensual) hugs, adorned myself with pronoun pins and swag, and left feeling joyful, connected, and free, all because of community members and volunteers giving their time to create that space. Later that year, I saw She Fest was looking for committee members and I again shyly jumped at the chance to join. Since then, I have found a place and people that I can be myself with and explore who I am. I have found lifelong friends and lifelong passions. I am so grateful for the volunteers and community leaders I now get to work with because of those welcoming and warm experiences I had when I was first discovering my queerness.

I know I am not the only one with a story like this, finding community in volunteering or at Pride events, or finally having a feeling of freedom and belonging due to an experience at an event or with a volunteer. Next week, April 21-27, 2024, is National Volunteer Appreciation Week and April is Global Volunteer Month. Take some time this month to reflect on the volunteers and community members that have impacted your life, and if you know a volunteer, thank them, write them a letter, share your stories of how volunteers have made your life better, or share your appreciation in any way that works best for you.

I am thinking about the volunteers at She Fest that made me feel at home. The volunteers that put on Light Up the Cathedral to make LGBTQ+ folks from all faith backgrounds feel welcome and supported. The volunteers and awardees at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally that impact our community through every day actions. The volunteers at the Pride Parade that organize over 300 contingents and ensure 300,000 attendees are safe and having fun celebrating our community. The 2,000 shifts covered by volunteers that help us put on the Pride Festival, from setting up to ensuring our event is accessible to supporting our artists to providing enriching workshops to cleaning up when it is all done. I am thinking of the volunteers that run our year-round programs and ensure our community is supported and welcomed in every aspect of their identity all year long.

I am so grateful for everyone that gives their time to support all the things that San Diego Pride does, as well as in our community at large. Thank you, volunteers!

With appreciation,
Linda Glevy
she/they
Volunteer, Event, and Access Coordinator
Join us for PPS!
April 11, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Our community is creating tangible safety, security, and equality here and now, even when we’re bombarded with stories of LGBTQIA+ hate. We’re able to do this work through community building and grassroots organizing.

I’m privileged to work in explicit organizing spaces, and I’m constantly motivated by the work my peers are doing here in San Diego. I wanted to share some examples of organizing efforts that fuel my belief in community power and our collective fight for justice.

Last year the concept of Pride and our ability to signal acceptance of LGBTQIA+ folks was challenged.

Several cities across San Diego challenged our ability to signal acceptance of LGBTQIA+ and attempted to ban Pride Flags. In the South Bay, Chula Vista Elementary School District initially voted with the intent to ban Pride Flags in all schools of the district. Community leaders including leaders at Rainbow Spaces, rallied public support against their action. The following School Board meeting resulted in the board reversing their decision. A similar instance in Carlsbad involved the city council, who failed to allow Pride Flags to be flown in May of last year. After strong community organizing, including an impassioned protest planned by North County LGBTQIA+ Resource Center, and impassioned testimonies at city council, Carlsbad ultimately voted to let the Pride Flag fly the following week.

Recently, activists in Sacramento worked with city council members to create and unanimously pass a resolution to become a sanctuary city for trans folks.

Lastly, we’re in collaborative efforts with community leaders and organizations to create a strategic coalition. We’re organizing to take action across SD School Boards to remind them of California’s robust LGBT+ protective policies, and rally support for our community when School Boards or other authorities violate our rights.

Grassroots organizing is everywhere, but we acknowledge that it can be challenging to identify the specific, transferable skills of organizing, and difficult to identify how to level up community building efforts, or apply strategy to plans for change. It can also feel intimidating to get involved.

That’s why we’re thrilled to host our second annual Pride Power Summit, a crucial initiative aimed at empowering LGBTQIA+ and equality-minded organizers in San Diego. Last year, we engaged over 40 attendees and more than dozen community leaders. Our attendees walked away feeling energized and confident in the transformative power of grassroots activism.

Our supporters believe in this work and are invested in the community. We are excited to announce that the 2024 Pride Power Summit is free for all registered attendees, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to attendance. Our carefully curated workshops are designed to address key areas of activism and advocacy. Here’s a glimpse of the what’s in store for our workshop tracks:

WORKSHOP 1:
- Vol Recruitment & Confirmation Drills
- Disability Justice: Making Your Actions Accessible
WORKSHOP 2:
- Campaign Action Basics
- Campaign Planning: Strategy & Tactics
WORKSHOP 3:
- Running a Successful Campaign Event (action or meeting)
- Training Your Volunteers
This conference is designed with every person in mind. It’s for the seasoned grassroots organizing professional, looking to incorporate an LGBTQIA+ lens into their work. It’s for the volunteer who’s participated in every election cycle since before they were able to register to vote. It’s for the high school students who want to advocate for themselves in front of school boards that are seeking to pass transphobic policies. It’s for the ally who wants to learn how to show up for their LGBTQIA+ loved ones beyond words of affirmation and take direct action.

But most of all, it’s for the anxious person who’s worried about the state of our democracy and the future of LGBTQIA+ rights in this country, and who doesn’t know where to begin. We got you.

You do not need to have experience in political efforts, you just need an interest in learning about justice centered actions, and a free Saturday on May 11.

We invite you to join us for the Pride Power Summit and become a part of the movement for lasting positive change. Together, we can create a more inclusive, equitable, and just world for everyone. Together, we can create history now.

With Pride,

Jen Hibberts(she/they)
Organizing & Outreach Coordinator
Two Decades of TDOE
April 4, 2024 3:03 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In 2024, the fight for trans liberation feels omnipresent, especially for those of us who identify as transgender and/or nonbinary. In the past few years alone, we’ve witnessed a disturbing surge in anti-trans legislation across the country. Records for the number of anti-trans bills introduced in state legislatures have been shattered year after year, with 2024 poised to continue this troubling trend. School boards have taken up the mantle, too, with harmful anti-trans policies, even here in San Diego County. This fight goes beyond policy and statehouses; the insidious rhetoric and fear-mongering campaigns that seek to erase trans and nonbinary existence from the public sphere have taken center stage, and are having truly devastating real-life impacts, as in the recent case of Nex Benedict, a trans non-binary Oklahoma teenager that died in February after being bullied and beaten. These are not abstract debates, these are matters of life and death.

And, to be clear, these are not new fights. As my friend and colleague David Vance noted during our Midday Edition panel on KPBS this week, the The echoes of past discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community are unmistakable. Similar fear tactics that were once wielded against gay men and lesbians are now being repurposed to target trans and nonbinary individuals. The specter of “but the children!,” once used to target gay men and lesbians, is once again invoked to justify denying trans and nonbinary youth access to gender-affirming healthcare, attacking their social support systems, banning books, and implementing discriminatory and harmful policies in schools.

But Transgender Day of Empowerment is not just about the adversity facing our community. This is about trans liberation and the data-informed and history-backed proof that we will get to freedom. We have fought very similar fights before, and we have won. We stand on the right side of history, bolstered by the courage of those who came before us and the determination of those who stand alongside us.

Two decades ago, Tracie Jada O’Brien founded Transgender Day of Empowerment here in San Diego as a beacon of hope and solidarity, bringing together trans elders and young people in a shared celebration of community. The scholarships awarded in Tracie’s name at the event symbolize not just financial support but a commitment to nurturing the future leaders of our community – this year’s 23 scholarships add to the grand total of 247 scholarships totaling $123,500.

As we celebrate Trans Day of Visibility and Trans Day of Empowerment, it’s important to focus not just on the hate we’re fighting against, but on the liberation and world we’re fighting for. Trans joy, brilliance, excellence, beauty, survival, thriving, the ability to be our whole selves and the safety to explore all the possibilities that our lives might hold – that is the future that we all deserve, and that is the reality that we are working toward, together.

We trans and nonbinary folks are resilient, yes – our elders like Tracie shine as examples of that every day. And we know that a safer and more free world is possible. It is also true that it is beyond exhausting to feel like our existence is called into question nearly every day, it is terrifying that increased visibility can also mean increased danger, and it is hard to keep fighting for the ability to be our whole selves. We can’t do this entirely on our own; we need our cisgender families, friends, colleagues, and neighbors to join us as we dream and create the safer future that we all deserve.

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera(they/them/)
Interim Co-Executive Director

A version of this piece was published in the Union-Tribune on Thursday, April 4.
Youth Art Show!
March 28, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

I have very recently become acquainted with the lives and works of Lesbian artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Painters, photographers, writers, poets, and bohemians whose voices have been relinquished to the shadows of history, their names and works largely forgotten or overlooked. Radclyffe Hall, Natalie Barney, Renée Vivien, Colette, the names go on and on.

I have never read The Well of Loneliness. Before this week, I had never seen the paintings of Romaine Brooks, whose portraits of women in masculine dress would have deeply resonated with a younger me. I wish that younger me could have seen these portraits, could have found myself in the suits and ties a century gone by, could have seen my reflection etched in 100-year-old paint.

The work of these trailblazing artists remains both defiant and daring and I wish they could have known how their bravery would be rediscovered and witnessed now, so many years later.

Just as these artists painted and wrote their truths in the face of violence and hostility, so too do our LGBTQ+ youth today. They are shaping the landscape of art and expression with their boldness and unwavering authenticity. This year, our Queer Youth Art Show embraces the theme “Making History Now,” inviting young artists to reflect on the legacy of those who came before them and to forge their own path forward.

As we prepare to showcase the talents of our young artists on April 6, let us also reflect on ourselves. Generations of queer people have endured a life devoid of representation, unseen and lacking connection to art and community. But, this history need not remain lost. Together, we have the power to rewrite history and ensure that the contributions of Queer artists are recognized and celebrated. We can make history now, one brushstroke and one story at a time.

With Pride,

Cris Sotomayor (they/them/elle)
Senior Manager of Programs

P.S. Speaking of writing and making our own history, we get ready to start April with the holidays of two powerhouse leaders of farmworker, labor, and social justice movements: Monday, April 1 is César Chávez Day, and Wednesday, April 10 is Dolores Huerta Day. These brilliant organizers created a legacy of coalition-building and fearless leadership in the face of brutal conditions and threats – a legacy that Dolores continues to foster, even at age 93! LGBTQIA+ justice IS worker justice, and we encourage you to learn more about César and Dolores:
- About Cesar Chavez
- Cesar Chavez Foundation
- About Dolores Huerta
- Watch Dolores (documentary – available via Kanopy with a valid public library account)
- Dolores Huerta Foundation
One great way to continue the organizing legacies of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta is to learn organizing and activism skills yourself – come join us at our second annual Pride Power Summit, where organizers and activists can learn and practice tangible organizing skills to increase the power of the LGBTQIA+ movement and community. Learn more and register here!
And the 2024 Headliners Are…
March 21, 2024 10:30 am Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

It’s been a decade since I joined the team at San Diego Pride supporting our fabulous entertainment. I will never forget the moment I knew this community was home for me. I joined San Diego Pride as a volunteer to create spaces for our community to dance and celebrate their authentic selves. Families and allies celebrating together are among my favorite memories of that first San Diego Pride weekend. The joy and acceptance I saw that first year from community members celebrating their first Pride together reassured me that this is the place where my heart and soul belong.

The San Diego Pride festival is so much more than a party. We believe LGBTQ artists have always been invaluable torchbearers for the LGBTQ civil rights movements providing life-saving representation of LGBTQ experiences that are still not widely found in public media. As the Director of Entertainment, it is an honor to give a platform to more than 300 LGBTQ+ artists who grace our four entertainment zones each year to help over 55,000 community members celebrate the weekend.

This work provides an opportunity to honor the icons of the future, particularly BIPOC, women, and trans artists, while remembering those who have come before us. The stages of San Diego Pride serve as a vital platform to elevate artists to explore their craft in the arms of their community. Where else can you find the depth of queer talent on blissful display? Creating this space for the community keeps me coming back.

The San Diego Pride Festival will feature three iconic headliners July 20-21. LGBTQ+ advocate, performer, producer and Broadway star, Todrick Hall will bring his prolific storytelling to the Stonewall stage. Multi-platinum rapper and singer Rico Nasty will bring her signature style combining rap with punk energy, industrial intensity, and just the right amount of heavy metal attitude. Grammy nominated American singer, drummer, and percussionist Sheila E. will round out the iconic lineup of headliners for this special anniversary year.

My tenure at San Diego Pride has been defined by collaboration and community. My most joyful moments almost always come from sharing my talents and knowledge. Yet, this community has been my greatest teacher. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing queer artists take the knowledge I share to new heights by owning their power as not only performers, but businesspeople. We invite you to join us in joyful celebration of the LGBTQ+ artists who are undeniably and unapologetically making history now.

With Pride,

Gardenia Partridge (she/her/hers)
Entertainment Director

Get your tickets today!
JOY IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR
March 14, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Around this time last year, San Diego was making news around the country, because of a so-called “controversy” perpetuated by right-wing media. A young girl cried wolf- calling against the right of a trans woman to use the women’s locker room. Right-wing media stirred itself up into a national frenzy that eventually led to heated protests and a dramatic Santee City Council meeting about who should and shouldn’t be allowed to use public locker rooms.

The initial news media didn’t name the transgender woman in question, but she came forward to address the mischaracterizations and stand up for her community. Christynne (Chrissy) Lili Wrene Wood came forward as the Black transgender woman in the locker room and invited supporters to stand up with her. At the time that her presence and identity were suddenly called into question, she had been taking that same YMCA aqua aerobics class for years.

Chrissy recently told her story –– in her own words, in the Union-Tribune. She reminded us of the weight of the anti-Blackness buried in this allegation and controversy, drawing a clear line between this incident – when the words of a young white girl questioned this Black woman’s right to be in the same locker room – to the events preceding the lynching of Emmett Till in 1955.

This not-so-distant history was on many of our minds, and as we’re making our history now, we’re also changing the story we tell about Black trans folks. This includes writing new endings about how we as a community show up for our Black siblings. In this case, Chrissy’s community showed up in force, led with love, strength and joy by Chrissy herself.

The image of Chrissy at the Santee City Council meeting will never leave me. She wore a colorful dress and bright makeup. She knew all eyes were on her that night. She was prepared and ready. The energy of the room was dynamic, and the chambers overflowed long before the meeting started.

About 80% of attendees that night supported Chrissy. We waved trans flags and held signs (handmade by her aqua-aerobic sisters) declaring our love for her. Chrissy’s speech was strong, bold, and deeply personal – and centered her joy and her community. She was brave and met that moment with a deep well of strength.

In the face of considerable hate and manufactured controversy, Chrissy maintained an unshakable strength and never lost her joy. She infused unwavering faith into the community rallied around her. In 2023, San Diego Pride presented her with the Spirit of Stonewall Champion of Pride Award for her indisputable status as an icon and a pillar in our community.

I think about Chrissy a lot as we move forward in our work, especially when it feels impossible. She recognized the fear and moved through it anyway. She continues to stand up not just for herself but for her entire trans community, especially our trans youth. She does all of it with an infectious level of joy and hope.

As we hit the midpoint of Women’s History Month, we invite you to join us in celebrating the women who are making history now with us. We have so many phenomenal trans and queer women in our community who transform the fear and hate they face into love, who create spaces for queer and trans joy and celebration. They stare down transphobia and racism and feel called to take action to protect not only themselves but their communities.

I don’t experience the same kind of weight and threats that Black queer folks, and especially Black queer trans women experience. As a white woman in organizing spaces, I know that the organizing and power building work that Black femmes do for the community is often unpaid, underappreciated, and co-opted by more visible white folks. That’s unfair.

That’s a part of the story we need to actively re-write and correct. I call on my fellow white folks and non Black people of color to actively appreciate the Black folks and Black women in your circles. Search for ways you can pick up some of the burden of fighting homophobia and transphobia.

One way you can do that is to support Trans Day of Empowerment (TDOE), an event and scholarship fundraiser formed by another powerful Black trans woman in San Diego, Tracie Jada O’Brien. Donate, attend, and share the word about Trans Day Of Empowerment, and do the same for other community efforts led by Black women.

Thank you, Chrissy, and thank you to all the trans, lesbian, bisexual, and queer Black women and women of color that are making history now.

With Pride,

Jen Hibberts (she/they)
Organizing & Outreach Coordinator
In case of an emergency, find a dyke.
March 7, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

I walked into Lestat’s on Park to find the unmistakable wit and wisdom of She Fest founder Kelcie Parra awaiting me. Fresh off my first year as a San Diego Pride Festival volunteer, I heard there was a squad of 2SLGBTQ+ women and non-binary people assembling to produce what would become one of my most cherished spaces.

Next thing I knew, I was dispatched to a North Park Community Association meeting to help explain why this one-day, community event, She Fest, was unlikely to devolve into a massive lesbian rager (such a pity). That day, and every day since, has been influenced by the magnificent strength of queer women.

We could use some of that big dyke energy for the challenging road ahead. It is not lost on me that there are those among us who may take issue with this word choice. But rest assured, the invocation of this word is intentional to honor a community of queer women who have defiantly reclaimed it from its hateful origins.

A decade after that fateful fall meeting, there is nothing I know with greater certainty than this, in case of emergency, find a dyke (thank you Indicatrust). Search your feelings, you know it’s true. Our history is filled with the kind of hope that could only be born from the strength of queer women.

We kick-off Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (tomorrow) celebrating the vital role of queer women and nonbinary people in our history making. Look no further than your own backyard to find the architects – often unsung – of modern queer history.

The Blood Sisters -of the AIDS epidemic, such as Peggy Heathers, Nicolette Ibarra, and Barbara Vick, responded at a time when doctors, scientists, and our government were still dismissing the growing public health crisis. The work of long time San Diego Pride volunteer leader & Board Co-Chair Phyllis Jackson is remarkable by any standard. Her service to others has impacted countless community members through education on HIV prevention, particularly among people of color and women.

Christine Kehoe not only became San Diego County’s first openly 2SLGBTQ+ elected official, her long history as a community leader includes her role as co-chair in the forming the Pride 15/20 committee. In Kehoe’s footsteps, California Senate President Pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins became both the first woman and first openly gay person ever to have held both of the Legislature’s top jobs.

Business owners and community leaders like Moe Girton continue to create spaces essential to not only queer women, but our community and economy. Devoted community leader, Tinesia Conwright launched a mentoring program (DETOUR) to increase the amount of college-educated girls of color with viable employment in STEAM careers. The legacy of our late foremother, Jeri Dilno will guide countless generations towards liberation.

The list goes on and generations of queer leaders are either waiting in the wings or will remain anonymous…quietly going about the work unsung, but irreplaceable.

I’m proud to follow in the footsteps of so many dykes and queer women who have been essential to the history of San Diego Pride. You can honor that long line of lesbian, bisexual, queer, and trans women making history at She Fest July 13, 2024. In celebration of the 10 Anniversary of this flagship we are raising $10,000. You can support this work by giving here.

So as you prepare for what lies ahead, remember this: In case of an emergency, find a dyke.

You’ll be glad you did.

With Pride,

Joslyn Hatfield (she/her/hers)
Director of Marketing & Communications
One EXTRA day to be GAY!
February 29, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Happy Leap Day! Thanks to math and science we’ve been given the gift of time: one extra day to be gay!

I’ve been reflecting on the idea of being “too extra.” This critique is often levied against queer people, particularly related to our expression of gender. As if passing as cis and straight is something to aspire to, when really it’s just choosing safety over authenticity.

On the other hand, queer people can also feel the pressure to be more extra. We think we need to accentuate the individual performance of our queerness to prove that we belong in the community.

This tension between feeling too much and still not enough is, in the words of Edward James Olmos as Abraham Quintanilla, exhausting.

I love Pride season because in those nine days (from She Fest through the Festival) we get to explore and play with those expressions AND be celebrated for it – with the support of community. We get the taste of freedom and liberation that is withheld from us the other 357 days of the year. Seeing queer people take up space is one of the reasons why I continue to do this work.

Pride is about taking up space. Whether it’s the over 300,000 people that attend the Parade, or the 21-acre Festival site, our community takes up literal, physical space. And, there is nothing our community cannot achieve when we come together in joy to oppose prejudice.

Pride is also about taking up intangible space. Sharing our stories reaches hearts and minds, affecting change. We use the fact that all eyes are on the global LGBTQ+ community in June to call attention to issues in our movement. And because San Diego is extra, we extend our celebrations into July.

Take this extra day as permission to BE extra gay, trans, Black, brown, or whoever you are. To be extra YOU.

But also know that you are enough. No matter what.

With Pride,

Joe Fejeran (he/him)
Community Programs Coordinator
Permission to Create 🎨🎙️🦄
February 22, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Every February, our Pride Youth Programs focus on highlighting and celebrating visual and performing arts. I absolutely love this time of year as it is an opportunity to see young people create and tap into some joy.

However, as an adult who works with youth, sometimes I find myself having to justify to other adults the importance of giving young people unrestricted access to arts education and experiences. Given the unceasing news of anti-LGBTQ+ violence targeted towards young people, particularly trans and nonbinary folks, I feel the need to share a couple of things with y’all.

I need you to know that the youngest members of our community are in pain. I need you to know that they need canvases, stages, and podiums through which they can release this pain. And through the creative process of expression, they can begin to heal.

I need you to know that they need community. I need you to know that they need us.

Whether we like it or not, we are bound together across generations by the freedoms that we have been denied. As a community, art has always been our boundless unifier. Art allows us to express ourselves authentically, to emote sincerely and without restriction. It is a tool for resistance and a salve for the fires of rage within us.

So I ask you, dear friend, to join us over the next few weeks as we give ourselves and each other permission to create. As we give our youth spaces to show up and teach us about themselves. We will kick off this Youth Art Season with Family Art Day on Saturday, February 24th. This space is for families of all ages-blood or chosen- to gather to create beautiful things, messy things, and true things. More than that, it is a space to perhaps witness each other in a moment of healing.

May your paintbrush never be dry,

Cris Sotomayor (they/them/elle)
Senior Manager of Programs
Foremother. Trailblazer. Legend.
February 15, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Last night, our community lost a trailblazer and legend. Today, we are left with the deepest of gratitude to Jeri Dilno, for her bravery and willingness to forge a path where often none existed. She was a home-grown activist who gave decades of her life to service and left a substantial legacy of liberation benefitting generations of LGBTQ community members

Jeri’s history-making legacy started in 1972 in Philadelphia where she organized the city’s first Pride festival bringing hundreds of people together in celebration and protest. When she later returned home to San Diego, Jeri served as the first female Executive Director of The San Diego LGBT Community Center (1975-1977), then named “The Gay Center,” and used her consensus-building skills to change the name to the “Lesbian and Gay Men’s Community Center.”. During her tenure, she helped to obtain the very first permit for the 1975 San Diego Pride march (1974 was unpermitted).

Yet, she didn’t see herself as a trailblazer – in response to a street naming honor in 2019, she said, “I don’t know that I did anything so spectacular. I was just doing what needed to be done at the given time.” But it was exactly that tenacity, bravery, humility, and showing up for the community that made her so spectacular. Jeri gave her time tirelessly to our LGBTQ community in many different ways over the years, including:
- The San Diego LGBT Community Center Executive Director (1975-1977)
- The San Diego LGBT Community Center Board of Directors (1978-1980)
- San Diego Democratic Club, President (1987-1991)
- Commission on the Status of Women- appointed by Mayor Maureen O’Connor (1986-1992)
- San Diego Pride Board of Directors (1989-1994, 2000-2006)
- Gay and Lesbian Times, Assistant Editor and Editor (1993-95)
- San Diego Pride Board of Directors Emeritus (2006-2024)
- San Diego Police Department’s Gay and Lesbian Advisory Committee (2021)
- San Diego Police Department Citizens Advisory Board on Police-Community Relations
- San Diego Pride’s 20th Anniversary Celebration of Stonewall – Coordinator and Grand Marshal
- Mentor to many LGBTQ community leaders and elected officials
Celebrating Jeri Dilno
Joint Statement from San Diego Pride and The San Diego LGBT Community Center:

Rarely does one person so profoundly impact the foundation, growth, and sustained progress of a movement the way that Jeri Dilno did. Her presence and influence are irreplaceable for not only the San Diego LGBT Community Center but San Diego Pride.

One of the many things we loved about Jeri was her storytelling — she had the best stories. We invite our community to celebrate her memory and activism with us as we collect quotes from friends, fellow activists, and the community members she mentored. We share our reflections and those of a few others below to begin to celebrate her legacy. With the deepest of gratitude, we say “Thank you, Jeri”.

California State Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins (39th District)
“The San Diego community lost one of its pillars with the passing of Jeri Dilno. For a half century, Jeri was an outspoken advocate and trailblazer for LGBTQ+ equality and women’s rights, serving in top leadership roles with organizations such as San Diego Pride, San Diego Democrats for Equality, and the San Diego LGBT Community Center. She will be remembered for her dedication and indomitable spirt, as well as her wit and wisdom. I will miss my dear friend, Jeri.”

Cara Dessert, CEO, San Diego LGBT Community Center
“Jeri Dilno was a lesbian icon, community shero, trailblazer, veteran, mentor, and friend, who touched the lives of countless people over her lifetime of activism and leadership and paved the way for generations of San Diego LGBTQ+ leaders, including myself. As the first female Executive Director of The Center and its first paid staff member, Jeri led The Center’s growth into a more robust social service community center and a beacon of hope and support for our community, opening our doors wider for more people to come and build community together. Jeri is part of a legacy of leaders who helped create one of the largest and most impactful LGBTQ+ organizations in the country. She fought for our rights and dignity with unparalleled determination and commitment that brought so many together and built real community power. Her legacy will live on in our hearts and history, and in the many people whose lives she touched. We are forever grateful for her courage, her compassion, and her lifetime of deep community leadership. Thank you, Jeri, you deserve to rest in power.”

Jen LaBarbera, Interim Co-Executive Director, San Diego Pride
“Jeri Dilno is who I want to be when I grow up. It was an honor to know her, to not just follow her footsteps but get to walk with her in this journey for a short time, to get to experience the joy of Jeri Storytime, and to have the honor of witnessing and being pulled into her legacy of liberation.”

Sarafina Scapicchio, Interim Co-Executive Director, San Diego Pride
“Jeri Dilno possessed the rare talent of being able to visualize and articulate the delta between what currently exists in the world, and what should be. Whether fighting against harmful legislation like the Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6) or working to re-establish San Diego Pride as a community-centered nonprofit organization that contributes back to the community financially, her passionate commitment to our collective freedom created a ripple effect that we all benefit from today. Thank you, Jeri, for your lifetime of work and for the fearlessness, honesty, and humor that you did it with. We are so grateful to you.”

San Diego Pride Board of Directors
“Pride brings people together and no one knew that better than Jeri Dilno. She was a community organizer, a leader, and a trailblazer. We are deeply grateful that her dedication to the LGBTQ+ community included over a decade of service on the San Diego Pride Board of Directors. As Board Emeriti, her guidance was deeply valued and her commitment to our mission remained unwavering. The history of San Diego Pride could not be written without her. The Board of Directors mourns her passing and will continue to celebrate her legacy.”

Joe Mayer, San Diego Pride Board Emeriti
“Jeri was truly a guiding hand for me during my tenure on the Pride Board. Whenever things got tumultuous, she always had a sense of calm to offer those around her. She would reassure us that we would get through, just as we had in the past.”

Doug Moore, San Diego Pride Board Emeriti
“Jeri and I were the oldest and served Pride almost from its beginning. As the members of the board changed we both felt that we were the historians, providing the why’s about how things were done. She provided me with a different perspective and I’ve counted on her. I am most thankful to have known her, and will fill the empty spot with many memories.”

Nicole Verdes, Managing Director, Lambda Archives of San Diego:
“San Diego has lost an incredible force with the passing of Jeri Dilno. Few individuals have left such an indelible mark on our LGBTQ+ community as Jeri. For somebody who had such a historically significant impact and who had personal friendships with people like Barbara Gittings and Frank Kameny, many of us here in San Diego will remember her as being brilliant, compassionate, a superb storyteller, and a friend. To say she will be missed is an understatement. Thank you, Jeri – for everything.”

We invite you to carry on her storytelling legacy with us: add your own memories and experiences and tag us on social media.
- San Diego Pride (Instagram, Facebook)
- The San Diego LGBT Community Center (Instagram, Facebook)
P.S. You can learn more about Jeri’s legacy here:
- Jeri Dilno (San Diego Pride)
- Jeri Dilno – Oral History, 2015 (Lambda Archives of San Diego)
- Inductee – Women’s Hall of Fame (2006)
- CBS8 Interview about SD Pride (2022)
A Legendary Diva, Celebrating Tracie Jada O’Brien
February 8, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

When we think of Pride we often invoke the images of our Stonewall forbears, people like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Stormé DeLarverie. However, it is vital for us to recognize those doing the work in our community right here in San Diego.

Tracie Jada O’Brien is a survivor, an advocate, a history-maker… an icon. She beat the odds as a Black, trans street kid at the crossroads of Turk and Taylor Streets in the notoriously rough Tenderloin neighborhood of 1970s San Francisco. She endured the loss of a generation of LGBTQ+ people to the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and she saw the rise and fall of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and DOMA in the 1990s — all before some of us were born.

In 2005, she participated in the first consultation forum for trans individuals with the Centers for Disease Control leading to greater representation for transgender people in policies and resources. By any measure, hers is a purpose-driven life.

Miss Tracie has worked tirelessly to become an outstanding role model within – and a staunch advocate for – the transgender community. In addition to her work expanding access to transgender health services through Family Health Centers, she founded San Diego’s Transgender Day of Empowerment and the Tracie Jada O’Brien Student Scholarship Program which awards scholarships to transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse students in higher educational programs from or residing in San Diego County.

In an interview with the University of Minnesota Tretter Transgender Oral History Project, she partially attributed her drive to her own feelings of disconnection and loneliness in her youth. “I am a woman of trans experience,” she said. “I was always trying to get to a place where I could feel ok.”

And, is there anything more relatable than wanting to feel OK?

In a world where 83% of transgender youth feel unsafe in school because of their gender identity, Miss Tracie is making history now by empowering transgender youth to become leaders, today and tomorrow.

This year we celebrate 20 years of the Transgender Day of Empowerment. We invite you to make some history of your own and support transgender youth by donating to the Tracie Jada O’Brien Student Scholarship Program and joining us for the Transgender Day of Empowerment.

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera
They/Them
Interim Co-Executive Director
A Black Life: Lived, Living, and Yet to Be Lived
February 1, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In a time of so much struggle and strife I must recenter, realign, and ask myself, “what calls me to this work? What keeps me engaged and committed ?” This is the self-reflection we find ourselves toying with in the midnight hour. With all this 6 ft tall (depending on the heel) dark skin nonbinary bearded finery and optimistic demeanor, you’d probably think to yourself “oh wow, Amber St. James is so confident and brave”.

Yes, that is true. But, more often than not, I find myself trying to navigate a world that sees me and decides I am not worthy— a world that continues to fight for legislation that would see me erased before it sees me free. In a world like this, it is easy to be brought to rage almost daily. This rage quelled by the fear of white supremacy, whiteness and anti-blackness ever-punishing Black folks for their emotions. This rage is quelled by seeing so many of our family and community attacked and taken from us.

In those moments of activation and rage, I have found my fire. I have found my calling to this work. I push back and show the world we are worthy. We can rewrite the story. We can take the driver’s seat with the power of the ancestors who led us here. This is why I am called to this transformative, life-saving work that allows us all to be the history makers now.

I’ve captured the hearts and minds of many (both on and off the stage). I make history now and the impact is felt on and off the stage. I can’t help but reflect on the many amazing Black queer brains that have come before me. Those history-makers who brought me to this precipice, like Bayard Rustin, Marsha P Johnson, and Stormé DeLarverie.

I think of our very own local Trans and Queer Icons like Tracie Jada O’Brien, or Vertez Burks, the amazing mind and one of the innovators behind the founding of San Diego’s Lesbians and Gays of African Descent United in 1989.

I reflect on the work of Vertez and the ways she created space and opportunity for folks of color (specifically Black folks) to engage in the parts of their identity that the world critiqued, shamed, and silenced. I am inspired and filled with hope as I find myself mirroring her legacy as a space creator and community leader… and fighter. It’s nothing new for black and brown folks to be an oppositional force pushing back against systems of oppression and systemic institutions of discrimination. Black lives and Black existence has, and continues, to move us all toward liberation.

With Pride,

Shane James/Amber St. James
They/Them/Theirs
Programs Coordinator
Statement: Resolve Humanitarian Crisis and Immediate Ceasefire
January 26, 2024 12:55 pm Comments Off on Statement: Resolve Humanitarian Crisis and Immediate Ceasefire
As a diverse community representing many intersectional identities, we unequivocally condemn antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric, and we are deeply alarmed by the rise in violent Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, and transphobia here in the US. San Diego Pride’s mission, vision, and Pillars of Justice call us to show up for justice and liberation.

It has been over 100 days, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate. San Diego Pride and our volunteer-led programs join the global community, including many of our partner and allied LGBTQIA+, feminist, and humanitarian organizations, in calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the safe return of all hostages, and swift resolution to the humanitarian crisis escalating for Palestinians in Gaza.

Take Action With Us:
- Write letters to and call your local and federal elected officials to call for a Ceasefire Today.
- Connect with Queer Crescent, a national LGBTQIA+ Muslim organization
- Connect with Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, a national Jews of color organization
- Pride organizations, Community Partner Organizations, and Community Leaders: Sign on to this statement here.
SIGNED BY:

Programs of San Diego Pride:
- Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition
- LGBTQIA+ Survivor Task Force
- Pride Military Department
- Pride Youth Coalition
- Queer APIMEDA Coalition
- San Diego LGBTQ+ Latine Coalition
- She Fest
Organizations:
- Center on Policy Initiatives
- Direct Action Drumline
- FilmOut San Diego
- IfNotNow San Diego
- Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition
- Lambda Archives of San Diego
- Mymicasa.org
- North County LGBTQ Resource Center
- Our Time To Act United
- Parent Voices San Diego
- The People’s Holistic Clinic
- PFLAG San Diego County
- Pride By the Beach
- Riverside Pride
- San Diego Black Birthworkers Collective
- San Diego Community Birth Center
- San Diego Original Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment
- San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
- Youth Will
Elected Officials:
- Councilmember Raul Ureña, City of Calexico
- Mayor Pro Tem Gilberto Manzanarez, City of Calexico
Community Leaders:
- Jack Beck, Executive Director of TurnOut
- Yvette Beltran
- Melinda Cooper
- Jonathan Foulk
- Simón Guzman
- Evan Johnson
- Arielle Kovacs
- Nicole Lillie
- Sparky Mitra
- Alex Scordato
- Kat Tessero
- Aidan Lin-Tostado
- Judith Vaughs, Community Organizer
- Rick-Arlo Yah Lira
Roe’s Anniversary and Finding Hope
January 25, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Monday marked an anniversary we aren’t celebrating. It would have been a celebration of 51 years of legal protection for many (not all) folks in the US to access essential healthcare, abortion. Instead it is a day of disappointment and reflection.

I’m devastated to see fundamental rights stripped from fellow Americans. I’m furious with the state governments who are risking the lives of pregnant people everyday. I’m disappointed in our healthcare systems that under-serve Black folks and poor folks and so many others throughout their lives, but particularly through pregnancy and childbirth.

I’m frustrated by the rhetoric labeling abortion access as a women’s issue. Reproductive Justice is for everyone. It’s for folks with the capacity for pregnancy and for folks who don’t have that capacity. To be clear: Reproductive Justice is LGBTQ+ Justice.

I’m also reflecting on positive memories surrounding the fall of Roe. Hear me out.

I reflect on the wins I’ve seen across the country when abortion is on the ballot. Americans have proven we overwhelmingly support abortion access; from Kansas to Ohio, to right here in California.

I remember the joy and excitement our community and volunteers felt when we canvassed during Pride’s Campaign to pass Prop 1— which enshrined our right to access abortion in the California state constitution. I remember the energy in Waterfront Park on June 24, 2022. We grieved together and cried together, and most importantly, we met the moment to take action together.

I wish we could look back on that day and know our work is done. But, I don’t need to tell you that the fight is just beginning. We’ve made progress in California, but we are far from a just and liberated society.

I’m not sure what this year will bring. But, I am sure that organizing works. Organizing is how we’ll be able to shift the power to the people and create sustainable change that won’t be repealed by changing faces on the Supreme Court.

I invite you to join our organizing efforts. In a few months, San Diego Pride will host our 2nd Annual Grassroots Organizing Conference:The Pride Power Summit, on Saturday May 11, 2024. We’re working to empower more activists in our communities with the skills and resources to make long lasting change.

We also welcome you to help us get out the vote with our Vote With Pride campaign for the March Primary election just around the corner. Or better yet, join our year round advocacy team fighting for LGBT+ justice across San Diego County, particularly in the School Boards where student rights are at risk.

Take time to grieve this week, there’s plenty to mourn. But, I encourage you to find hope in the folks making history now. Join them. Perhaps you’ll make some history of your own.

With Pride,

Jen Hibberts (she/they)
Outreach and Organizing Coordinator
Our 2024 theme is…
January 18, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In this election year, we find ourselves in the crosshairs of hate. Our community. Our families. Our children. Our partners and our siblings. Three weeks into 2024, there are 285 active anti-LGBTQIA+ bills in 35 states or territories. The sheer volume of attacks on our community are unprecedented, but the narrative is nothing new.

History is full of hard fought victories on the shoulders of LGBTQIA past leaders like Harvey Milk, Chris Kehoe, and Leslie Feinberg, revolutionaries like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, and artists like Stormé DeLarverie, RD Riccoboni, and Frida Kahlo. We have always been here, building, fighting and creating. We don’t have to look far to connect to our history. We are making it now.

In fact, some architects of our movement are still fighting with us today such as Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Tracie Jada O’Brien, and Cleve Jones. Other younger activists like Alok Vaid-Menon, Judy Vaughs, and Adrienne Maree Brown are committed to broadening the vision of what the future can be and have committed to moving us forward.

Like those leaders, we recognize that this moment calls upon us all to do what we can with what we have to build toward more liberation and justice, for ourselves and future generations. That is why we’ve chosen the 2024 theme to be:

We believe we can build on the legacy of those who came before while making history as we go. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first marches in San Diego, we look to honor our past victories, and recommit ourselves to the work ahead. We do this with the understanding that this work has been entrusted to us by the visionaries who have come before. We honor our future by ensuring opportunities for future generations to blaze their own trails and make their own history.

We invite you to join us in making history this year in whatever way you can.
- Join our advocacy team and help us fight back against anti-LGBTQIA+ hate
- Volunteer your time with one of San Diego Pride’s free year-round programs
- Support emerging LGBTQIA+ artists by attending the 2024 parade and festival
- Engage your workplace ERG to sponsor our events or volunteer as a group
Every day another LGBTQIA+ person can be their full self without fear is a day we make history. We look forward to making history with you!

With Pride,

Jen LaBarbera (they/them) & Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her)
Interim Co-Executive Directors
Bending the Arc
January 11, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

In January 1996, my family and a close friend embarked on a road trip from western New York to Atlanta for the 10th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade. My mom, a white woman dedicated to instilling activism and anti-racism in my brother and me, took us out of school for about a week for this impactful journey. Driving nearly 14 hours to be part of the event, little did I know then that it would become one of my roots as an organizer and activist.

What I didn’t know then was that the legacy we celebrated was significantly shaped by a Black gay man behind the scenes, Bayard Rustin. In 1996, I was unaware that Rustin, a close adviser to King, was the organizational genius behind the record-setting 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Dr. King delivered his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech. Despite facing exile or sidelining from the civil rights movement because of his sexual orientation, Rustin remained a masterful strategist. An unapologetic advocate, he later focused on the intersectional fight for LGBTQIA+ equality and racial justice until his death in 1987.

What I didn’t know then was that our travel companion, Dorothy, was the first Black lesbian I’d meet. Our immediate kinship, forged in part through long hours in a minivan and perhaps also that unknown-at-the-time common thread of queerness, tied us together. Our paths diverged, but the tapestry still echoes a familiar history as we both answered a call to advocate for social justice and LGBTQ+ affirmation. Dorothy would go on to found and lead an LGBTQ-affirming church, while I would be called to organizing and advocacy for social justice.

What I didn’t know then was that the version of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught in school was only one sanitized piece of his advocacy. The commonly taught aspects – his commitment to nonviolence, the “I Have A Dream” speech, his place in the civil rights movement – are vital, but so too is his commitment to economic justice, ending class exploitation, and his intersectional, inter-movement solidarity work in the Poor People’s Campaign. His firm opposition to war and militarism, along with his belief in radical, disruptive civil disobedience, complete the multifaceted legacy. As history unfolds, social justice movements and organizations, including Pride, continue to build upon his rich legacy.

As we celebrate the life, work, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr throughout this weekend and on Monday, I invite us all to truly honor his legacy and the Black queer greatness connected with him. I, for one, will continue to question what I think I know about MLK – I’ll re-read (or listen to) Letters from A Birmingham Jail and exploring his less commonly discussed contributions. If you have the day off from work, I invite you to join me in using that time to recommit to the movements that move you, or be of service to your community in a way that fills you. Join us on Sunday as we march with our partners, the Original Black Panther Party, in the Annual MLK Parade!

Dive into that history that we’ve been denied – learn more about Bayard Rustin from PBS, The Guardian, or watch the new biopic Rustin on Netflix. And save the date to brush up on your organizing skills at our upcoming Pride Power Summit (April 13!).

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” And: it doesn’t bend on its own. It’s up to us to make our own history, and to keep bending that arc toward justice.

In solidarity,

Jen LaBarbera
(pronouns: they/them)
Interim Co-Executive Director
Set Your Intentions
January 4, 2024 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

As I sit to write this I can hear the pitter-patter of rain dancing on the window and am reminded of my first year volunteering at San Diego Pride. I was taking tickets during a downpour at the festival in 2015 and eight years later I am beyond grateful to work with dedicated Pride volunteers every day. As we enter a new year, there is the opportunity to set intentions for the year and recommit to those things that matter to us and our community.

Connecting with my community and my legacy is my focus for this year. Thursday would have been my great-grandmother Lorraine’s 96th birthday. For decades she volunteered as a poll worker and supported the disability community. Her shining example instilled in my family, me, and countless others the importance of doing impactful work and meeting great people along the way.

The Mayo Clinic shares research that volunteering offers significant health benefits. These include: improving physical and mental health, providing a sense of purpose and valuable skills, and nurturing new and existing relationships.

Volunteering at San Diego Pride introduced me to much of my chosen family and lifelong friends – an experience that is not unique. I thank friends and leaders like thirty-year volunteer Cheli Mohamed and volunteer festival co-manager Randy Pittman, who is starting his 26th year of service. I thank the many thousands of volunteers across our five decade history whose work makes San Diego Pride what it is now. I hope to be like all of these amazing humans when I grow up.

San Diego Pride’s year-round work is made possible by thousands of volunteers. Volunteers lead our community programs like Art of Pride, She Fest, Pride Military Program, and QAPIMEDA. Volunteers engage in nearly 2,000 shifts during Pride week in support of the rally, parade, and festival. Volunteers support our education and advocacy efforts through our outreach, Civic Action Team, Vote with Pride, and Pride Power Summit programs. Nearly 150 volunteer leaders are committed to the work throughout the year and participate in our Pride Leadership Meetings planning our signature events and receiving impactful, intentional training. This work requires a diversity of skills, talents, and time and we invite you to join us.

As you set your intentions and goals for 2024 please consider volunteering at San Diego Pride. There are many ways to volunteer with Pride and we can’t wait to work with you soon! Visit sdpride.org/volunteer to learn more.

Happy New Year,

Mark D. Maddox
(pronouns: he/him)
Senior Director of Programs

P.S. If you don’t have the time or capacity to volunteer, consider supporting Pride as a sustaining donor of our year-round programming. Learn more and donate here.
Reflecting on a Year of Pride 🌈
December 28, 2023 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Community,

As we reflect on the past year, we are overwhelmed by the incredible impact we’ve made together, in both seen and unseen ways. What isn’t always seen, but continues to inspire us day after day is the strength, compassion, and generosity of our dedicated community, who never fail to come together in times of celebration and joy as well as times of need and support. It is because of our network of passionate staff, dedicated volunteer leadership, and all of you who lend your support by offering your time, resources, and talents that makes our work possible and meaningful.

Our annual year-in-review page seeks to shed light on the myriad ways the San Diego Pride community has united in arts, advocacy, education, and coalition-building over the past year.

Top 23 of ’23

Join us in celebrating the profound impact we’ve brought about together, continually centering the diverse voices and experiences of our local LGBTQ community throughout our year-round programming and in our flagship Parade and Festival spaces. As the largest civic event in the county, our festivities showcase over 200 local LGBTQ artists to tens of thousands of people each year, in addition to featuring dedicated areas for the Latinx, Black, Indigenous, Transgender and Nonbinary, Sober & Recovery, and Youth communities.

In addition, your support of the annual Pride Parade and festival fuels our year-round programs. 2023 saw the establishment of new, groundbreaking programs addressing our community needs. The newly formed Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition brings together disabled queer and trans folx to plan events, share resources, and advocate with each other. Our inaugural Pride Power Summit in March 2023, brought together 80 local community activists and aspiring grassroots organizers to share knowledge and build coalitions. Additionally, we launched our Transitional Age Youth internship program, providing meaningful work experience for LGBTQ youth aged 18-24, empowering them with mentorship and leadership opportunities in developing youth programming. We hosted the InterPride conference in October, bringing together Pride organizers around the world to exchange experiences and resources, building a stronger, more unified global LGBTQ movement.

Looking ahead to 2024, we acknowledge the challenges our community faces during this upcoming election year, where we anticipate targeted attacks on our trans and youth communities, in addition to further challenges to bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. Yet, we choose to approach these challenges as opportunities for unity and resilience. In adversity, our community consistently shows strength and solidarity, turning challenges into triumphs.

Stand with our LGBTQ movement by supporting our year-round initiatives with a tax-deductible donation before year-end. Donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, up to $10,000 through year-end, doubling the impact of your giving. Contribute to our journey toward a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant future for all.

Thank you for being the driving force behind San Diego Pride. Together, let’s continue into 2024 creating ripples of positive change that resonate throughout our local, national, and global LGBTQ community.

With Pride,
Lo Horst (they/she)
Philanthropy Manager
San Diego Pride

Make your Year-End Tax-Deductible Gift today!
Top 23 of 2023
December 27, 2023 3:23 pm Leave a Comment
We are proud of many ways that San Diego Pride was able to help the community come together this past year! Here are some of our favorite moments of 2023!

1. Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition
Our new Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition was created to provide a space for folks whose identities fall in the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Disabled. It is off to a great start with members meeting every two weeks on Zoom to connect, plan social events, and discuss advocacy and support resources. Members from the Coalition were able to share their experiences and knowledge on a workshop panel at InterPride in October! Click here to learn more about the Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition!

Photo of the Disabled Coalition

2. Pride’s Very First Pride Power Summit
As anti-LGBT rhetoric in public discourse increased, San Diego Pride respond by hosting our first annual Pride Power Summit, a skills-based training conference to empower LGBTQIA+ folks and allies with the skills to build our community’s capacity, tear down the walls of discrimination, and amplify the voices of those of us too often pushed to the sidelines. Diverse community leaders ran eight workshops, training community members on the fundamentals of grassroots organizing over the course of two days!

Two people wearing civic action team shirts at Balboa Park

3. InterPride
The InterPride General Meeting & World Conference came home to San Diego for the first time in 40 years in October, when we hosted 453 Pride organizers from around the world, representing 139 Prides from 32 countries around the world. Attendees were welcomed into 5 different receptions and showcases throughout the City that highlighted some of our close partners and local LGBTQIA+- and BIPOC-owned businesses. We even offered an Entertainment Showcase hosted at Diversionary Theatre with LGBTQIA+ performers that Pride organizers could book for their own Pride events. As part of the conference, Pride organizers chose from 59 workshops presented by 86 speakers and subject matter experts (38% of workshops were led or co-led by Pride staff, volunteers, or community partners!).

An InterPride sign resting on a podium at the Welcome Reception

4. 2023 Pride Community Grants Program
LGBTQ-serving organizations recieve less than 1% of overall charitable giving, and that is one of many reasons San Diego Pride is committed to being the most philanthropic Pride organization in the world! This year, San Diego Pride utilized revenue from our parade and festival to distribute $195,000 to 44 LGBTQ-serving nonprofit organizations. Of these, twenty-five were local San Diego organizations, ten served LGBTQ people across the US, and nine were international. We give funding priority to LGBTQ+ programs directed toward serving marginalized communities, including youth, people of color, transgender people, people living with HIV/AIDS, seniors, and women.

San Diego Pride posing and smiling behind a big check honoring the community grants

5. Youth Leadership Academy
Our annual Youth Leadership Academy brought together over 140 attendees for a day of learning and community. This inclusive yearly conference focuses on providing vital workshops for youth focusing on advocacy, LGBTQ+ social issues, and building resilience. This year’s program featured specialized tracks for transitional-aged youth and sessions for parents and educators supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Attendees of YLA can take the skills they learn into their own communities to be advocates for themselves and each other. A special thanks to San Diego City College for hosting the event.

Jen LaBarbera presenting a panel at YLA

6. 2023 Latine Pride
San Diego Pride’s LGBTQ+ Latine Coalition, hosted the third annual Latine Pride Celebration in September at Mujeres Brewhouse in Barrio Logan. This free, family-friendly event celebrated the rich diversity of talent, art, and culture within San Diego’s Latine community and featured ballet folklorico, salsa, international cuisine, and drag. The event underscored the strength and resilience of our vibrant Latine community and gave community members an inclusive space to celebrate their many identities.

Two drag queens smiling in front of a Latine-themed balloon arch at Latine Pride

7. 2023 QTAPI Week
Queer Trans Asian Pacific Islander week centers the queer and trans AAPI community during the week bridging Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Pride Month. In 2023, San Diego Pride’s Queer APIMEDA Coalition put on an entire week of events that included history lectures,making art, dancing, and socializing from Hillcrest to Convoy Street and made safe spaces accessible to queer API community members all across San Diego!

Members of QAPIMEDA smiling underneath a tree

8. 2023 Pride Parade Grand Marshals Drag Contingent
In 2023, of the over 650 anti-LGBTQ bills being tracked in 49 of our 50 states, 44 bills in 18 states targeted both our transgender community and drag queen performances. Right-wing militias and organized white supremacist groups began to show up even in San Diego for Drag Time story hour events. As a show of solidarity with our drag sibling, San Diego Pride honored our dedicated advocators fighters who have always been there to protect and slay by recognizing the Drag Community as a community Grand Marshall in the 2023 parade!

People at the parade holding up rainbow balloons that spell out “HOME”

9. 2023 Pride Festival
The Pride Festival is San Diego’s largest two-day event highlighting the best in LGBTQ entertainment. This year we had 202 performers across five stages, and 35 of them had never before appeared at a Pride festival. In keeping with the THRIVE theme, we added a Health & Wellness Resource Area coordinated by Family Health Centers of San Diego, a Zen Garden, and a Sensory Break Area.

A DJ performing for a full crowd on the Mundo Latino Stage

10. Art of Pride Emerging Artists Exhibit
On January 13th, Art of Pride held its first-ever Emerging Artists Exhibit Opening Reception. The exhibit was designed to highlight works from LGBTQ artists who were beginning their gallery experience or who have seldom shown their work in commercial galleries. Eight LGBTQ artists had their work on display during the exhibit.

Artist posing next to their art

11. Art of Pride – Mundo Latino Towers, Marigolds
In February 2023, Art of Pride issued a call for Queer Latine artists to submit concepts for art that was printed onto a 16’ x 5’ mural surface to be displayed in front of the Mundo Latino Stage at this year’s San Diego Pride Festival. Five pieces of art were selected, submitted by local Queer Latine artists Hervey Garcia, Betty Bangs and Crystal Castorena, and German Rojas.

The Latine section of the festival was adorned with exquisite marigold decorations, papel picado, a resource village, and a massive dance floor. The Latine Coalition at San Diego Pride dedicated significant effort to curate this showcase of heritage and pride, exemplifying a commitment to the celebration and representation of our diverse community.

The Mundo Latino stage beautifully decorated with pillars of art and strings of flowers.

12. Entertainment Development Workshops
San Diego Pride, in partnership with Diversionary Theatre, hosted three (3) in-person 90-minute workshops to better prepare local artists for bookings locally and regionally. Over 20 LGBTQ+ BIPOC participants learned the basics of submitting an application, as well as tips on how to format and tailor their work for successful bookings and coaching from Diversionary Theatre with artist presentation and breathing techniques.

Attendees of the entertainment workshop huddled together, smiling

13. David Archuleta’s first pride as an openly queer person
We had over 200 great LGBTQ+ artists performing at the Festival this year. A special mention goes to former American Idol finalist David Archuleta, as it was his first time attending a Pride festival as an openly gay man since he officially came out in 2021. From the Stonewall Stage, David talked about feeling welcomed by his “new community, new family.” It’s always someone’s first Pride, and we were glad he could spend it with us!

David Archuleta singing at the Pride Festival

14. TAY Intern Program
San Diego Pride proudly introduced a team of Transitional Aged Youth Interns this year, providing paid internships focused on essential workplace and life skills for college-aged individuals from diverse backgrounds. The TAY Program reflects Pride’s commitment to equity and inclusion. Together, TAY Interns played a key role in organizing major events and facilitating year-round programming, showcasing Pride’s dedication to a diverse and inclusive community.

San DIego Pride’s TAY Interns

15. Rapid Response

This year was a record breaking year for anti LGBTQ+ policies and actions across the country, including here in San Diego. School Boards, classrooms and city council meetings across the county were battlegrounds for LGBTQ rights. From Santee’s news grabbing efforts to limit Trans folks rights to use locker rooms, to Grossmont Union High School District canceling mental health services because of LGBTQ+ affirming practices. SD Pride worked to mobilize local citizens to attend and advocate for LGBTQ+ justice. We’ve mobilized over a hundred folks to over 15 local leadership meetings, and helped provide training and resources to several groups of activists and organizers working to serve our community.

We are planning to continue these efforts and mobilize folks across San Diego in the 2024 elections, to fight the expected escalation of anti LGBTQ+ issues that will come around election season. If you want to get involved with SD Pride’s advocacy efforts you can sign up to learn more here.

LGBTQIA supporters and advocates holding up pride flags

16. Donovan Pride
In alignment with San Diego Pride’s long commitment to criminal justice, we were afforded the opportunity to uplift and encourage our siblings within the carceral system with a pride celebration collaboration with Donovan Correctional Facility that left them feeling empowered and hopeful.

Organizers of Donovan Pride huddled and smiling together

17. Community Partners
In keeping with the THRIVE theme, we added a Health & Wellness Resource Area coordinated by Family Health Centers of San Diego, a Zen Garden, and a Sensory Break Area. We also expanded and reinvested in our returning community partner resource areas:TransTopia, Rainbow Native Village, Leather Realm, Recovery Village, and many more. We appreciate the collaboration of all our community partners to make our Festival for everyone!

A person posing in front of the Family Health Centers of San Diego booth at the festival

18. She Fest
She Fest celebrated its 9th year with plenty of year round programming for women and non-binary community members like queer speed friending parties, bonfires, “dykes on hikes’ ‘ events, and crafting meet-ups. The She Fest flagship event entertained over 6,000 people throughout the day with performances, workshops, crafts, and shopping with over 80 LGBTQ+ vendors and nonprofits! Best of all, all events were planned by our al-volunteer She Fest Planning Committee. Find out how you can get involved here.

She Fest Planning Committee and volunteers smiling underneath the She Fest blow up arch.

19. Keeping the Community Safe with Vax Clinics
Since the beginning of the pandemic, San Diego Pride is proud to have hosted multiple free vaccination clinics right in our North Park offices to help community members get their COVID-19 first shots, second shots, and the Bivalent booster shots! In 2023 we added flu shot and Monkey Pox vaccinations to the list of available offerings at our special vaccination clinic days! We even administered vaccines at the Pride festival through our partners at the County of Health and Human Services! Since 2020, hundreds of LGBTQ community members have come to our offices to receive their vaccinations from culturally competent providers that we partner with!

Nurses hard at work during a SD Pride Vax Clinic

20. 2023’s Out at the Park!
OUT at the Park was back for another year as we watched the Padres take on the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. A record-breaking 8,000 community members attended! Our very own LGBTQ Military Contingent presented the colors as the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Women’s Chorus, LGBTQ Elected Officials, Padres staff, and San Diego Pride staff sang the national anthem together.

OATP attendees smiling and holding a rainbow flag with the word “EQUALITY” on it

21. Soccer Pride Nights – SD Loyal & San Diego Wave
Our community was treated to TWO soccer pride nights in 2023 as we celebrated diversity in sports with both the San Diego Wave AND San Diego Loyal. San Diego Pride staff and volunteers joined thousands of cheering fans for both games that featured special performances, recognition of outstanding LGBTQ community members, and some really fun merch!

SD Pride leaders at a Loyals’ Game

22. 2023’s Pride 5k
Did you know that the Pride 5K is produced by volunteers from San Diego Pride’s long-time community partner Front Runners & Walkers San Diego and that all proceeds go to charity? This year’s record turnout of run registrants raised a whopping $50,000 that went directly to fund The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Program and San Diego Pride’s year-round Youth Programs! Thank you to all the volunteers at Front Runners & Walkers who put on such a joyous event that benefits our most vulnerable community members!

Volunteers for the 5k

23. Cheers to our 2023 Volunteers!
Every year, San Diego Pride relies on over 2,000 volunteers to help us plan and execute the Pride Festival, events, and programs. This year, our amazing volunteers helped as workshop captains at the Pride Power Summit, InterPride, and the Youth Leadership Academy, kept the Pride Parade and Festival running safely and smoothly, and assisted with language interpretation, among much more! We are so grateful for our volunteers and couldn’t do all we do without them! If you are a volunteer, give yourself a pat on the back, and if you aren’t, sign up here to get involved!

SD Pride volunteers helping prepare for the Parade
You are a Blessing
December 21, 2023 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Growing up on the island of Guam, I had a very Catholic upbringing. When I started to experience the stirrings of queer identity as a youth, I was afraid of it. I did not see how being gay would even fit in with Catholic teaching and CHamoru culture. I did not know of any (openly) LGBTQ+ people that I could look to as a role model — as an example of success.

My religious trauma is not one brought on by overly oppressive doctrine and hate, as is the experience of many LGBTQ+ people. Rather, I struggled with the existential thought that to live authentically as a queer person meant to live a life separate from my family, my cultural heritage, and ultimately the love of God.

Mass was a place where I felt a feeling of transcendent belonging. Most Sundays my family did not sit together in the congregation for mass because we were participating in the services. Unable to reconcile the Church’s teachings on LGBT people, I began to feel less welcome and stopped going.

I was relatively unfazed by the recent news about Pope Francis approving blessings for same-sex couples. This update from The Vatican is a bold step toward inclusion, and also not bold enough. Pope Francis has done more for LGBTQ+ people than any other pontiff before him, and yet upholds a doctrine that marriage is between a man and a woman. I am thinking of those queer Catholics, who will be grateful for this recognition from the Church, and that it gives them some hope. At the same time, it very explicitly does not seek to validate or change the status of same-sex unions. It’s a reminder to all of us of how tenuous and fragile marriage equality is in our country.

The latest document concerning same-sex couples from The Vatican discusses at length the concept of a “blessing.” The Church provides an abundance of scriptural justification for what does and does not constitute a blessing, while also acknowledging that “those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior to moral perfection.”

For me, the joy I have found in the LGBTQ+ community – both at large and in my close circle – has been the biggest blessing in my life. A blessing that I have received without justification or limitations. It is one of the reasons why Light Up the Cathedral is my favorite event during Pride Week, as affirming faith leaders gather together to celebrate the beauty of the LGBTQ+ community – something too many people don’t get to experience in the faith communities we grew up in.

As we gather to celebrate the holidays this weekend with our families, either ones we were born into or ones we chose, let us remember that our love is a blessing. The resilience of our community is a blessing.

Queer people everywhere are a blessing. You are a blessing.

With Pride,
Joe Fejeran (he/him)
Executive Projects Manager
Interim Co-Executive Directors
Lez go!
December 14, 2023 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

As two queer femmes – one cisgender and one non-binary – step into our new roles as Interim Co-Executive Directors, we wanted to take a pause to reflect on the strength of the many queer women leaders of San Diego Pride’s past who paved this path. Amazing women like Senator Christine Kehoe who formed the Pride 15/20 committee, or Vertez Burks who became part of the first duo of BIPOC leaders of the organization, or former executive directors Barbra Blake, Mandy Schultz, or Suanne Pauley who grew San Diego Pride in the 90s and early 2000s.

Many of these leaders stepped into their positions at a time when the organization was in a time of transition, and we take courage from their example as leaders. Some of these folks also led using a dual leadership model, which allows for a less hierarchical, more equitable, and more feminist approach. Vertez Burks, for example, co-led Pride with our beloved Larry Baza in the early 90s. Barbra Blake, too, credits volunteer leader Maryanne Travaglione as essentially a Co-Executive Director during her tenure.

The San Diego Pride offices are still buzzing in December with staff and volunteers working hard on plans for the coming year. Not only will it be a contentious election year with lots of organizing work to be done (register to vote here and save the date of Saturday, April 13th for our annual Pride Power Summit), but it will be a year celebrating many milestones for our community here in San Diego.

First, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tracie Jada O’Brien’s community-focused Transgender Day of Empowerment on Friday, April 5th. TDOE includes the Tracie Jada O’Brien Trans Student Scholarships, of which San Diego Pride is proud to be a fiscal sponsor.

Next comes the 10th anniversary of She Fest on Saturday, July 13th, which has grown from a single-day event to a twenty-plus person committee with year-round programming focused on women and non-binary community members.

Then, our Pride weekend festivities July 19th through the 21st, will mark the 50th anniversary of some of the first marches in San Diego AND the 30th anniversary of San Diego Pride becoming its own nonprofit organization. We look forward to uplifting the heroes in our community who have contributed so much to bring us to this point and recognizing the up-and-coming leaders who are still fighting for our rights on the frontlines today.

We invite the entire community to join us in this year’s milestone celebrations – whether you want to help us get out the vote, volunteer to help put on an event, or simply dance on a float as it rolls down down University Avenue, there is a place for everyone in our community in our upcoming celebrations. In fact, you can now:
- Buy a ticket to the Pride Festival here
  - (Each ticket purchase fuels our free year-round programming)
- Register for a Parade Contingent here
- Sign up to be a San Diego Pride Volunteer here
- Sign up to receive information on our year-round programming
- Donate to Trans Day of Empowerment here
However you participate this year, you’ll be engaging in building the legacy of San Diego Pride and assisting in fostering pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally. We are incredibly grateful and honored to do the work with you!

In solidarity,
Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her) & Jen LaBarbera (they/them)
Interim Co-Executive Directors
San Diego Pride’s Community Grant Awardees
2:04 pm Leave a Comment
SAN DIEGO, CA (December 14, 2023) – San Diego Pride continues its philanthropic legacy by awarding over $195,000 to forty different LGBTQ+-serving organizations across the globe.

“San Diego Pride, our events, and year-round programming are made possible by our 70 LGBTQ-serving nonprofit community partners, 117 sponsors, 575 entertainers, 1,966 volunteers, 55,000 Festival attendees, and 350,000 Parade attendees,” says Jen LaBarbera, Interim Co-Executive Director. “Through our annual Pride Community Grant initiative, we provide a measure of financial support to organizations that are doing critical work across vastly different types of programming – arts and culture, sports, legal, health, advocacy, and leadership development – Pride Community Grants are not only a way of giving back to the LGBTQ+ community locally, nationally, and globally – but it’s also part of our legacy at San Diego Pride.”

“We know that LGBTQ-serving organizations are chronically underfunded across the globe. Here in the US, LGBT-serving organizations receive less than 1% of all charitable giving. This is why San Diego Pride intentionally reinvests proceeds from our annual celebration to show the world that LGBTQ people can come together to support our own community’s health, well-being, and safety,” says Sarafina Scapicchio, Interim Co-Executive Director. “This year’s grants will fund vital LGBTQ-focused programming locally, nationally and globally for the most marginalized members of our community – from arts programming like concerts by the San Diego Women’s Chorus, to outreach services for HIV+ people in Mexico, to free lunches for for senior LGBTQ+ adults in Seattle, to housing for homeless transgender people in Malaysia. We are incredibly proud to be the most philanthropic pride celebration in the world.”

San Diego Pride works to return proceeds from the annual Pride week to the LGBTQ community through philanthropic giving, sponsorships, and event support. Since 1994, community contributions have totaled over $3 million dollars.

Learn more about our 2024 Pride Community Grantees here.

Media Contact:

Joslyn Hatfield
Director of Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
🌈🏳️‍⚧️A Legacy of Giving
December 7, 2023 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

Throughout the 1970s, grant-giving from the first LGBTQ+ foundations were directed to health-related LGBTQ+ non profit organizations that focused on counseling, alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation services. Spurred by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, financial support for our community in the 1980s shifted towards policy-oriented initiatives focused on supporting educational, advocacy and community building efforts to destigmatize HIV/AIDS and increase civil rights protections against discrimination and violence towards LGBTQ+ people in all sectors of society. Even still, funding to LGBTQ+-serving organizations throughout the 1980s was a novel concept – and not at all a priority of some of the largest charitable giving organizations at that time.

The greatest shift in foundations becoming a critical source of funding with the specific aim of raising visibility of LGBTQ+ issues in the philanthropic sector came in the 1990s with the establishment of the National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership – an effort that raised more than $9 million for LGBTQ+ causes between 1994 and 2005.

Locally, San Diego Pride was at the forefront of creating a model of fundraising that would not only support our own events and programs – but created an innovative plan to utilize funding raised through our annual Parade and Festival to be returned to the LGBTQ+ community.

We were/are so lucky to have had the vision and dedication to community brought forth by people like Christine Kehoe, Joseph Mayer, Barbra Blake, Tim Williams and Neil Good to develop and launch what would eventually become the first disbursement of Pride Community Grants in 1994.

Since that first year, San Diego Pride has distributed $3 million to LGBTQ+-serving organizations locally, nationally, and globally making it one of the most philanthropic Pride organizations in the world. These grants are not only important to organizations and communities that receive them – they are also part of the legacy of San Diego Pride that so many people have had a hand in crafting over the years.

This year, we will be distributing nearly $200,000 to 44 LGBTQ+-serving organizations of which 25 are local organizations, 10 are national, and 9 are international. What’s more, this year’s distribution of Pride Community Grants exceeds current statistics on grant-giving for transgender folks with 19% of funding going to trans-led organizations and 28% benefiting organizations that explicitly serve trans communities.

All 44 Pride Community Grantees vary widely in terms of mission, but they all align with the mission, vision, values of San Diego Pride. Here is a glimpse into the breadth, beauty, and diversity of some of our grantees this year – all of whom are first-time recipients of the Pride Community Grant:

The Queer SOL Collective, San Diego, California
Mission: A sanctuary for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. A place of safety, discovery, healing, celebration, integration, and wellness. A mission anchored in engaging communities on the land and introducing Indigenous methodologies that activate and restore the symbiotic relationships between the individual, the land, and the collective.

GenPride, Seattle, Washington
Mission: The mission of GenPride is to advocate for Seattle-King County older LGBTQIA+ adults’ unique needs through programs and services that cultivate well-being and belonging.

Sisters 4 Sisters, Montserrado, Liberia
Mission: Sisters 4 Sisters is a feminist women-led organization working to empower women and girls in Liberia by advocating for their rights, amplifying their voices, and promoting their inclusion.

Learn more about all of the Pride Community Grantees here.

With Pride,
Nicole Verdés
Pronouns: they/she
Grant Writer
195,000!
December 6, 2023 4:44 pm Leave a Comment
The 2024 Grant recipients are:

America’s Finest City Softball League

Black Knightz

Children of the Sun Foundation – Uganda

Corporación Stonewall (Pride Medellin)

Gay Men’s Spiritual Retreat

Generations with Pride

GLSEN San Diego

InterPride – Scholarship/Solidarity Fund

Lambda Archives of San Diego

Lambda Rising Soccer Club

LGBTQ Rescue Alliance

FilmOut San Diego

Fondo de Asistencia para el Sida A.C.

May 17 Association

Movimiento Somos Venezuela

Pacific Arts Movement

POZabilities

Proyecto Trans Latina

Queer Science Society of San Diego

Rainbow Spaces

Reading Pride Celebration

Riverside LGBTQ+ Pride

Sam & Devorah Foundation for Trans Youth

San Diego American Flag Football League

San Diego Met Foundation GSA

San Diego Women’s Chorus

Satrang

Sisters 4 Sisters Liberia

VIDA

Sisters of St. James Productions

South Bay Alliance Association

Special Delivery San Diego

T Home – SEED Malaysia

The Global Center

The LGBTQ+ & Allies Association Inc.

The Queer SOL Collective, Inc.

Tracie Jada O’Brien Scholarship/Transgender Day of Empowerment

Track-T

TransFamily Support Services

Transfronteras.org

Trikone

Voluminous Arts

Volunteer With Cheli
Let Communities Lead ❤️
November 30, 2023 4:30 pm Leave a Comment
Dear Pride Family,

As an elementary school kid in the 1990s beginning to recognize that I may “have a little sugar in the tank”, I can distinctly remember the sting of hearing, “You’ll get AIDS and die.” While I came of age after the height of the epidemic, I realized the importance of comprehensive healthcare and working to fight stigmas about HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ+ community, people like me.

The fight for healthcare equity, basic and vital resources, better accessibility, and recognition are not new to the LGBTQ+ community. The San Diego LGBTQ+ community has a broad and deep history of collaborative, grassroots support of people living with HIV/AIDS.

In 1983, grassroots community activists came together to organize at #1 Fifth Ave. In the same year, our lesbian community came together to form Blood Sisters. Susan Jester spearheaded the first San Diego Walk for Life (now called AIDS Walk), and Nicole Murray Ramirez organized a march to demand the city take action on HIV/AIDS. Drag entertainers hosted fundraisers at our bars. Our community organized, collaborated, fundraised, marched, and supported each other through the devastation.

In 1990, Mama’s Kitchen started to deliver groceries and meals to clients with AIDS. Prior to my role at San Diego Pride, I was the Director of Volunteers at Mama’s Kitchen and saw firsthand the positive health outcomes for not only clients with HIV but numerous other critical illnesses. Mama’s Kitchen is a shining example of expanding from their LGBTQ+ community leadership and grassroots activism origins to respond to the needs of today’s communities.

Tomorrow, December 1st, is the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day. Mama’s Kitchen is hosting the annual Tree of Life ceremony, to gather our community together to remember those lost to AIDS. I think often about the many queer people in that generation lost to the virus. What would they think of the work we have done and about the attacks on our community now? How would they engage in the movement? What history would they be making now had their government shown compassion?

My hope is that they are proud of what our movement has done – and is doing – to end new HIV infections. This comes from our continued support of community organizations that are leading the effort.

With Pride,
Mark D. Maddox
Pronouns: he/him
Director of Programs
Interim Leadership Press Release
11:35 am Leave a Comment
San Diego, Nov. 29, 2023 — San Diego Pride, a leading nonprofit organization in the LGBTQ+ community, is excited to unveil an innovative leadership approach with the appointment of Interim Co-Executive Directors to guide the organization through its transition period.

Sarafina Scapicchio (She/Her/Hers)

Sarafina Scapicchio has been on staff at San Diego Pride on and off since 2015, most recently serving as Deputy Executive Director. During that time she not only brought much needed funds to the organization, but also helped to grow and formalize the San Diego Pride Community Grant Program. She brings nearly two decades of expertise in philanthropy and nonprofit management within the LGBTQ+ community, and holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and a Master’s degree in Social Work. Beyond her professional work, Sarafina has volunteered on the planning committees of the Transgender Day of Empowerment and She Fest for many years and recently served as Membership Chair for Women Give San Diego, and as the Vice President of Inclusion on the Board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, San Diego Chapter. Her work in the community has been recognized by multiple awards including being named Mayor Todd Gloria’s Women of Distinction in 2021, the Barbara Blake Leadership Award, and the Toni Puente Equality Award.

Jen LaBarbera (They/Them)

Jen LaBarbera has been on staff at San Diego Pride since 2018, most recently serving as the Director of Education & Advocacy, where they direct the organization’s community partnerships, education & advocacy programs, civic engagement, and international diplomacy work. They are a passionate advocate for policy change, grassroots organizing, and community engagement. As a queer, mixed-race, neurodivergent, nonbinary femme survivor, Jen brings a wealth of experience as a political and community organizer and social justice movement leader. As part of their role at Pride, they also serve as the Vice President of Global Outreach at InterPride. In addition to their political and community organizing experience, Jen also has a MA in Library and Information Science and has worked as a librarian and archivist in Boston, Denver, and here in San Diego at Lambda Archives. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jen’s commitment to social justice and liberation is evident in their work, making them a key asset to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Co-Executive Director Model: A Vision for Continuity

Sarafina and Jen will jointly lead San Diego Pride during this interim period, each bringing unique strengths to the table. Sarafina will continue to lead the Philanthropy team, Operations/Finance team, and will add supervision of the Director of Entertainment. Jen will retain responsibilities for Education & Advocacy, and will oversee Programs and the Marketing Department. This collaborative approach ensures a seamless transition, reflecting San Diego Pride’s commitment to continuity and elevating the talents within the organization.

This co-leadership model not only reflects San Diego Pride’s commitment to continuity but also underscores the organization’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and empowered leadership structure.

Quotes

Melissa Malone-Montgomery, Board Co-Chair, shared, “We’d like to thank our staff, who proposed this co-leadership model. This innovative leadership approach will ensure strong organizational continuity while also recognizing the exceptional talent within our organization. As a Latina, I’m also happy to see us elevating diverse inputs from our team and community.”

Noah Lomax, Board Co-Chair, expressed, “We are thrilled to welcome Sarafina Scapicchio and Jen LaBarbera as our Interim Co-Executive Directors. Sarafina is a recognized non-profit expert whom I’ve had the privilege of serving alongside from the beginning of my board time. And anyone who has had the privilege of attending a training led by Jen knows they are an expert at education and advocacy. We congratulate them and are here to support them.”

Jen LaBarbera, Interim Co-Executive Director, said, “I am looking forward to supporting my colleagues and our incredible family of volunteers during this transition. As Interim Co-Executive Director, I am dedicated to working alongside Sarafina to ensure San Diego Pride remains a trusted community leader and partner in building toward LGBTQIA+ equality and liberation in our region.”

Sarafina Scapicchio, Interim Co-Executive Director, added “I am honored to serve as interim co-lead of f San Diego Pride with Jen. I will work to ensure our dedicated staff, our hard-working volunteers, and our beloved community partners remain at the forefront of everything we do and that San Diego Pride’s mission and values will remain our north star during this period of transition.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

Joe Fejeran

Executive Projects Manager

[email protected]

(619) 297-7683 ext. 113

For Board of Directors inquiries, please contact:

Noah Lomax

[email protected]

Co-Chair, San Diego Pride Board

Melissa Malone-Montgomery

[email protected]

Co-Chair, San Diego Pride Board
SHOW US YOUR GAY CARD
October 11, 2023 3:10 pm Leave a Comment

Local Business Discounts for InterPride Attendees

Support the LGBTQ & BIPOC small businesses that support our community! Show your “Gay Card” or your InterPride Credential at any of these businesses to receive the discounts and specials offered below.

AWOL Bar & Grill

Discount Offer: Happy Hour Pricing & 1 Free Shot

Bang Bang

Discount Offer: 10% Off Meal
- Limit 1 per check
- Valid 10/25 – 10/29 only
Crest Cafe

Discount Offer: 20% Off
- Limit one per table
Flicks

Discount Offer: 15% Off

Gene Lee Skin Clinic

Discount Offer: 20% Discount Off Any Service
- Available daily 6:30 am to 11:30 pm, by appointment only
Gossip Grill

Discount Offer: $8 Titos, Jameson, or 1800 Cocktails
- Drink special valid on Saturday, 10/28 only
- Daily Happy Hour from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
insideOUT

Discount Offer: 25% Off All Cocktails

Rich’s San Diego

Discount Offer:
- Wednesday, Oct 25- Show your Gay Card and skip the line! No cover
- Thursday, Oct 26- Show your Gay Card and skip the line! No cover
- Friday, 10/27- Halloween MASSIVE 20% off tickets on-line use promo code: interpride
- Saturday, 10/28- Halloween MASSIVE 20% off tickets on-line use promo code: interpride
- Advance online ticket gives you express VIP entry to Halloween MASSIVE Party, tickets sold at the door will receive 20% off with Gay Card but no VIP entry
- Sunday, Oct 29- Show your Gay Card and skip the line! No cover
Uptown Tavern

Discount Offer: 15% Off All Beverages

Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill

Discount Offer: 50% Off All Cocktails
303 Creative Supreme Court Decision
June 30, 2023 2:21 pm Leave a Comment
SAN DIEGO PRIDE DENOUNCES SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT FOSTERS DISCRIMINATION

Today, we find ourselves grappling with the Supreme Court’s decision that, albeit narrowly, has undercut longstanding non-discrimination laws, granting a business the right to refuse service to LGBTQ people. It is alarming that a pathway to legal discrimination against our community has been established, even if it is currently confined to “customized, expressive” services.

This ruling was not prompted by a real demand for the business owner’s services, but instead strategically orchestrated by a national anti-LGBTQ group. It’s crucial to remember that while the First Amendment is central to our democracy and society, it does not offer a license to businesses to discriminate.

Our nation’s highest Court should never be a platform for fostering discrimination, yet recent decisions, including the debilitating blow to affirmative action, reproductive justice, and LGBTQ rights, suggest a distressing trajectory. It appears this Court aims to dismantle policies designed to mitigate discrimination, and paradoxically, facilitate avenues for that very discrimination.

Marking the end of national Pride month, this decision is a stark reminder of why Pride remains critical. Born out of protest, Pride embodies our community’s ceaseless fight to exist openly, demanding dignity, respect, and acceptance.

While we are disheartened by this ruling, it strengthens our resolve. San Diego Pride will not retreat. We pledge to carry on the struggle for full equality and liberation of our community. We face adversity with defiance and hope, determined to create a world where love conquers discrimination and all of us can thrive.

Fernando Z. López
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

Join San Diego Pride in our advocacy efforts to protect marriage equality in California this Pride, and become part of our Civic Action Team as we continue to call on Congress to pass the Equality Act.
Pride Now More Than Ever
June 13, 2023 1:45 pm Leave a Comment
A Joint Statement from Pride Organizers

June 13, 2023 | We are under threat. Prides are under threat. The diverse dangers we are facing as an LGBTQ community and Pride organizers while differing in nature and intensity, share a common trait: they seek to undermine our love, our identity, our freedom, our safety, and our lives. It’s time we reaffirm the importance of Pride in our current sociopolitical climate, and call all our allies to action.

Pride events have always been about fighting back, building power, and creating a safe space where LGBTQ+ individuals can unabashedly celebrate who we are. Despite the progress we have made together, we are currently under siege. An alarming rise in legal disruptions and targeted intimidation by extremist groups at these events, across the United States, is making our celebratory gatherings feel less safe. The threats are becoming tangible, terrifying, and can no longer be ignored.

State laws have been weaponized against our people. The surge of over 700 anti-LGBTQ bills this year and the escalation of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, disproportionately targeting our trans siblings, are disturbing and devastatingly, not new. These legislative assaults are fostering an atmosphere that emboldens these threats to Pride events, organizers, and attendees which has forced the cancellation of some and increased violence against us in our daily lives.

The mental health repercussions for our community cannot be overstated. We already experience mental health struggles at higher rates, primarily due to stigma, discrimination, and bias. The wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation only exacerbates these struggles. Volunteers and staff who produce Prides are simultaneously the bullseye of the hate and responsible for community safety while personally coping with the onslaught which culminates in an overwhelming amount of mental and emotional labor for us and our teams.

Pride events are too often treated like political football, used by a variety of corporations and elected officials to advance their interests without consideration for the toll their actions take on our community. Fairweather friends for some and scapegoats for others. What we need is consistent support, not convenient exploitation.

The harsh reality of rising government fees, inflation, and economic downturn make it increasingly challenging for organizers to host Pride events in cities of all sizes. The call for Pride to remain financially accessible while navigating rising costs is a challenge made more difficult by the reality that insurance companies are pricing Pride events out of the market citing the very threat of attack that requires us to need protection. Our cities, states, and communities benefit from our civic, cultural, and economic impact. It’s past time for them to invest more in us than they charge.

Despite these mounting challenges, there are ways we can all contribute to keep Pride events alive and thriving:
- Show up at Pride events. Attendance is a form of support and a message of unity and acceptance.
- Donate your or your organizational resources to your local Pride.
- Volunteer your talent and time for your local Pride.
- Use your voice to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and issues, be it through voting, contacting elected officials, or peaceful protest.
- Utilize your platforms to raise awareness and rally support.
- Change corporate and government policy toward equitable and consistent investment.
- Educate yourself and others about the diverse issues facing our community.
Most importantly, in this moment of national crisis, our LGBTQ+ community, diverse as it is, must stand in solidarity. United, we can fight against those seeking to undo the gains we’ve made.

The struggle for acceptance and equality is ongoing. Reach out to organizations producing Pride events to understand how you can help. Let’s keep the spirit of Pride alive, let’s protect our safe spaces, and let’s fight for a world where we can all express our identities freely and safely. Now, more than ever, we must unite together in Pride.

With Pride,

Fernando Zweifach López
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

Suzanne Ford
Executive Director
San Francisco Pride

Sandra Pérez
Executive Director
NYC Pride

This joint statement is signed by 60 Pride organizations, and will be updated periodically. Click here to add your Pride organization.

Co-signers:
- USAP (United States Association of Prides)
- Aloha Maui Pride
- Atlanta Pride Committee
- Boise Pride Festival
- Brooklyn Pride, Inc.
- Boston Pride
- CAPI – Consolidated Association of Pride, Inc.
- Caribbean Equality Project
- Charlotte Pride
- Chicago Pride Fest
- Columbus IN Pride, Inc.
- Come Out With Pride, Inc. (Orlando, FL)
- Dallas Pride
- Druid City Pride
- El Paso Sun City Pride
- FAIRNY
- Flagstaff Pride
- Fort Wayne Pride
- GAY & SOBER
- Greater Palm Springs Pride
- Harlem Pride, Inc.
- Hastings NE PRIDE
- Huntsville Texas Pride (HTXP)
- Indy Pride
- International Disappear Fear Day
- Jersey City LGBTQ+ Pride Festival
- Kenosha Pride
- Kitsap Pride
- Las Vegas PRIDE
- LubbockPRIDE
- Muncie Pride Network
- Naper Pride
- New Hope Celebrates
- North County LGBTQ Resource Center/Pride by the Beach
- North Idaho Pride Alliance
- Northern Nevada Pride
- Ogden Pride
- Orange County LGBT+ Pride
- Out Boulder County
- Ozark Pride Inc
- Panhandle Pride, Inc.
- Phoenix Pride
- Pride Corpus Christi
- Pride Myrtle Beach
- Pride Northwest, Inc
- Ramona Pride
- Reading Pride Celebration
- Riverside LGBTQ+ Pride
- Sacramento LGBT Community Center & Sacramento Pride
- San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
- Siouxland Pride Alliance
- South Bay Alliance Association Incorporated
- South Bay PRIDE
- Spencer Pride, Inc.
- Stonewall Columbus
- TAMPA PRIDE
- Tristate Black Pride
- Tucson Pride, Inc.
- Memphis Union County Pride, Inc
United in Pride
June 12, 2023 9:00 am Leave a Comment
Solidarity with Prides and the LGBTQ+ Community

As leaders in our diverse communities, we stand united in condemning the growing threats against Pride events and the LGBTQ+ community at large. We are deeply concerned by the escalating attacks and disruptive activities perpetrated by anti-LGBTQ+ groups, including extremist factions such as the Proud Boys. These attempts to incite fear, spread disinformation, and sow division within our society are unacceptable.

We have seen a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and an alarming increase in public hostility towards our LGBTQ+ community, leading to fear of physical violence and harm. The ongoing attacks and threats have reached a point where our Pride celebrations, symbols of joy and unity, are now being targeted. This is an affront to our cherished American principles of equality, liberty, and justice.

We firmly believe that safety is a fundamental right, not a privilege. No ideological differences should culminate in life-or-death consequences. We pledge to work tirelessly to safeguard our LGBTQ+ community and Pride events.

We condemn these threats and stand unwavering in our support of the LGBTQ+ community. We will use our collective platforms to counteract the false narratives propagated about our community to foster a climate of understanding, tolerance, and acceptance.

We are not fair-weather friends of the LGBTQ+ community. We understand the importance of Pride for our LGBTQ+ community. These events are not mere celebrations, but potent symbols of defiance against hate, resilience against oppression, and an affirmation of existence. The vibrant Pride events planned for this year all across San Diego County will not be marred by hatred. They will remain shining beacons of diversity, love, and unity.

To all those spreading hate, we say this: We are not strangers to adversity. We have faced it before and we will face it again. Our LGBTQ+ community is resilient, born from the crucible of struggle, and hardened by a history of vibrant resistance and radical love. Your fear, hate, and violence cannot silence us. We are many, we are diverse, and we are powerful.

We call to action all our fellow leaders, community members, and allies. Let us stand in unity against fear, hate, and violence. Let us ensure the power of our intersectional solidarity leads to positive action. We are LGBTQ+ and allied leaders in business, faith, community, and elected office. Our collective strength is our best weapon in the face of adversity. Together, we can and will continue to Thrive! Now, more than ever, it’s time for Pride.

______________________________________________

This joint statement is signed by 90 organizations, institutions of faith, and businesses, as well as 88 community, faith, and elected leaders. The list will be updated periodically. Click here to add your organization to the list.

Community Organizations
1. San Diego Pride
2. ACLU – SDIC
3. ADL San Diego
4. Art of Pride
5. BikeSD
6. Center for Community Solutions
7. Change Begins With ME (Indivisible)
8. Circulate San Diego
9. City of San Diego LGBTQ+ Employee Alliance
10. Diversionary Theatre
11. Downtown San Diego Partnership
12. Equality California
13. FilmOut San Diego
14. GLSEN San Diego
15. Human Dignity Foundation
16. Jewish Family Service of San Diego
17. Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive
18. La Jolla Playhouse
19. Lambda Archives of San Diego
20. Lambda Rising Soccer Club
21. LEAD San Diego
22. LGBTQIA+ Survivor Task Force
23. Mama’s Kitchen
24. Meals on Wheels San Diego County
25. Modern Military Association of America
26. National LGBTQ Task Force
27. North County LGBTQ Resource Center
28. Our Time to Act United
29. Out Professionals
30. Pacific Arts Movement
31. PFLAG San Diego County
32. POZabilities
33. Pride Youth Coalition
34. Proyecto Trans Latina
35. Queer Asian Social Club
36. Racial Justice Coalition of San Diego
37. Regional Task Force on Homelessness
38. San Diego API Coalition
39. San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
40. San Diego Convention Center
41. San Diego Foundation
42. San Diego History Center
43. San Diego LGBTQ+ Latine Coalition
44. San Diego Pride Military Department
45. San Diego Public Library
46. San Diego Queer Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American Coalition (QAPIMEDA)
47. San Diego Regional Chamber
48. San Diego Women’s Chorus
49. Stepping Stone of San Diego
50. Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, Inc.
51. Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association
52. The Old Globe
53. The San Diego LGBT Community Center
54. TransFamily Support Services
55. TRANSFRONTERAS.ORG
56. Uptown Community Service Center
57. Volunteer with Cheli
58. World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024
Institutions of Faith
1. All Faith Center
2. American Baptist Churches USA Evergreen
3. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Encinitas
4. Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
5. Chavurah Shir Ha-Yam
6. Congregation Beth Am
7. Congregation Dor Hadash
8. Dharma Bum Temple
9. Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
10. First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
11. First United Methodist Church of San Diego
12. Kensington Community Church
13. Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego
14. Mission Hills United Church of Christ
15. Normal Heights United Church
16. Pioneer Ocean View UCC
17. St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
18. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, City Heights, San Diego
19. Summit UU Fellowship
20. Temple Emanu-El
21. Tifereth Israel Synagogue
22. University Christian Church
Company / Business
1. Better APC
2. Cultura
3. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps
4. KOA+ROY
5. OutAt Inc – Out at the Fair®
6. Red Ace Press
7. Red Door Interactive
8. Sum of Us Festival
9. The San Diego Union-Tribune
10. Waves, A Psychological Corporation
Elected and Appointed Officials
1. Congressman Scott Peters, 50th Congressional District
2. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, 51st Congressional District
3. State Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, State Senate District 39
4. State Senator Steve Padilla, California State Senate District 18
5. Assemblymember Chris Ward, California State Assembly District 78
6. Assemblymember Akilah Weber, California State Assembly District 79
7. Vice-Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 3
8. District Attorney Summer Stephan, County of San Diego
9. Jordan Marks, San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk
10. Nick Serrano, Vice Chair, San Diego County Water Authority
11. Mayor Todd Gloria, City of San Diego
12. City Attorney Mara Elliott, City of San Diego
13. Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, City of San Diego, District 9
14. Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, City of San Diego, District 3
15. Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, City of San Diego, District 2
16. Councilmember Kent Lee, City of San Diego, District 6
17. Councilmember Raul Campillo, City of San Diego, District 7
18. Hon. Andrea Beth Damsky, Division 2 Director, Helix Water District
19. Vice Mayor Colin Parent, City of La Mesa
20. Councilmember Patricia Dillard, City of La Mesa
21. Councilmember Jack Shu, City of La Mesa
22. Rimga Viskanta, San Dieguito Union High School Board President
23. Katrina Young, San Dieguito Union High School Board Member
24. General Manager Sandra Kerl, San Diego County Water Authority
25. CEO Sharon Cooney, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
26. California State Youth Commissioner & Youth Organizer Aidan Lin
Community Leaders
1. Ryan Bradley
2. nicole buruse
3. Benny Cartwright
4. Rick Cervantes
5. Ryn Corbeil
6. Kathleen Dang
7. Heather Dugdale
8. Susan Hartman
9. Haydee Juarez
10. Clay Kilpatrick
11. Heidi Knuff
12. TC Krentz
13. Nicole Kronick
14. Michael Lavach
15. Kevin Lee
16. Rabbi Avi Libman
17. Noah Lomax
18. Jimmy Lovett
19. Connor Maddocks
20. Mark D. Maddox
21. Joseph Mayer
22. Kevin Mayer
23. Emmanuelle McCall
24. Oleene Perera
25. Rip Rippetoe
26. Leah Shapiro
27. Angela Smiley
28. Evan Sorem
29. Russ Sperling
30. Kat Tessero
31. Shaun Randall Travers
32. Eden Tropp
33. Luke Vaughn
34. Nicole Verdes
Faith Leaders
1. Rev. Dr. Abigail Albert, All Faith Center
2. Reverend Dr. David Bahr, Mission Hills United Church of Christ
3. Reverend Mary Sue Brookshire, Pioneer Ocean View UCC
4. Bishop Susan Brown Snook, Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
5. Revered Daniel Brunner, American Baptist Churches USA Evergreen
6. Andrea Beth Damsky, Lay Cantorial Soloist, Chavurah Shir Ha-Yam
7. Reveren Brandon Duran, Kensington Community Church
8. Rabbi Matthew Earne, Congregation Beth Am
9. Canon for Mission Jason Evans, Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
10. Dr. Stephen Fitzgerald, Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego
11. Alan Hay, First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
12. Susan Jester, Lay Minister Evangelism, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
13. Pastor Molly Lorden, Normal Heights United Church
14. Rev. Dr. Michelle Kirby, Metropolitan Community Church
15. Reverend Daniel Koeshall, Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego
16. Rabbi David Kornberg, Congregation Beth Am
17. Priest-in-Charge Richard Lee, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, City Heights, San Diego
18. Senior Minister Caleb Lines, University Christian Church
19. The Rev. Canon Gwynn Lynch
20. Rabbi Devorah Marcus, Temple Emanu-El
21. Rabbi Mathew Marko, Tifereth Israel Synagogue
22. Rabbi Yael Ridberg, Congregation Dor Hadash
23. Rev. Trudy Robinson, First United Methodist Church of San Diego
24. Reverend Brent Ross, Normal Heights United Church
25. Rev. Justine Sullivan
26. Minister Sharon Wylie, Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
27. Pastor Laura Ziehl, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Encinitas
28. Jeffrey Zlotnik, Dharma Bum Temple
United in Pride
June 5, 2023 10:42 am Leave a Comment
SAN DIEGO, CA – June 5, 2023 – 159 organizations, institutions of faith, businesses, and community, faith, and elected leaders have come together to issue a joint statement expressing their unwavering support for Pride events and the LGBTQ+ community amidst a rising tide of threats and hostility.

In a powerful expression of unity, these diverse community leaders have condemned the growing threats against Pride events and the LGBTQ+ community, specifically from anti-LGBTQ+ groups and extremist factions. The statement highlights an alarming increase in public hostility and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, resulting in fear and concern over safety within the community.

The joint statement underlines the crucial importance of Pride events, not just as celebrations, but also as potent symbols of defiance against hate, resilience against oppression, and an affirmation of existence. The leaders also pledge to work tirelessly to safeguard the LGBTQ+ community and Pride events with a call to action for all leaders, community members, and allies, asking them to stand in unity against fear, hate, and violence.

The joint statement is signed by 80 organizations, institutions of faith, and businesses, as well as 79 community, faith, and elected leaders. To add your organization, click here.

United in Pride: Solidarity with Prides and the LGBTQ+ Community

As leaders in our diverse communities, we stand united in condemning the growing threats against Pride events and the LGBTQ+ community at large. We are deeply concerned by the escalating attacks and disruptive activities perpetrated by anti-LGBTQ+ groups, including extremist factions such as the Proud Boys. These attempts to incite fear, spread disinformation, and sow division within our society are unacceptable.

We have seen a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and an alarming increase in public hostility towards our LGBTQ+ community, leading to fear of physical violence and harm. The ongoing attacks and threats have reached a point where our Pride celebrations, symbols of joy and unity, are now being targeted. This is an affront to our cherished American principles of equality, liberty, and justice.

We firmly believe that safety is a fundamental right, not a privilege. No ideological differences should culminate in life-or-death consequences. We pledge to work tirelessly to safeguard our LGBTQ+ community and Pride events.

We condemn these threats and stand unwavering in our support of the LGBTQ+ community. We will use our collective platforms to counteract the false narratives propagated about our community to foster a climate of understanding, tolerance, and acceptance.

We are not fair-weather friends of the LGBTQ+ community. We understand the importance of Pride for our LGBTQ+ community. These events are not mere celebrations, but potent symbols of defiance against hate, resilience against oppression, and an affirmation of existence. The vibrant Pride events planned for this year all across San Diego County will not be marred by hatred. They will remain shining beacons of diversity, love, and unity.

To all those spreading hate, we say this: We are not strangers to adversity. We have faced it before and we will face it again. Our LGBTQ+ community is resilient, born from the crucible of struggle, and hardened by a history of vibrant resistance and radical love. Your fear, hate, and violence cannot silence us. We are many, we are diverse, and we are powerful.

We call to action all our fellow leaders, community members, and allies. Let us stand in unity against fear, hate, and violence. Let us ensure the power of our intersectional solidarity leads to positive action. We are LGBTQ+ and allied leaders in business, faith, community, and elected office. Our collective strength is our best weapon in the face of adversity. Together, we can and will continue to Thrive! Now, more than ever, it’s time for Pride.

SIGNED BY:

Community Organizations
1. San Diego Pride
2. ADL San Diego
3. Art of Pride
4. BikeSD
5. Center for Community Solutions
6. Change Begins With ME (Indivisible)
7. Circulate San Diego
8. City of San Diego LGBTQ+ Employee Alliance
9. Diversionary Theatre
10. Downtown San Diego Partnership
11. Equality California
12. FilmOut San Diego
13. GLSEN San Diego
14. Human Dignity Foundation
15. Jewish Family Service of San Diego
16. Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive
17. Lambda Archives of San Diego
18. Lambda Rising Soccer Club
19. LEAD San Diego
20. LGBTQIA+ Survivor Task Force
21. Mama’s Kitchen
22. Meals on Wheels San Diego County
23. Modern Military Association of America
24. National LGBTQ Task Force
25. North County LGBTQ Resource Center
26. Our Time to Act United
27. Out Professionals
28. Pacific Arts Movement
29. PFLAG San Diego County
30. POZabilities
31. Pride Youth Coalition
32. Proyecto Trans Latina
33. Queer Asian Social Club
34. Racial Justice Coalition of San Diego
35. Regional Task Force on Homelessness
36. San Diego API Coalition
37. San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
38. San Diego Convention Center
39. San Diego Foundation
40. San Diego History Center
41. San Diego LGBTQ+ Latine Coalition
42. San Diego Pride Military Department
43. San Diego Queer Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American Coalition (QAPIMEDA)
44. San Diego Regional Chamber
45. San Diego Women’s Chorus
46. Stepping Stone of San Diego
47. Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, Inc.
48. Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association
49. The Old Globe
50. The San Diego LGBT Community Center
51. TransFamily Support Services
52. Uptown Community Service Center
53. Volunteer with Cheli
54. World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024
Institutions of Faith
1. All Faith Center
2. American Baptist Churches USA Evergreen
3. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Encinitas
4. Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
5. Chavurah Shir Ha-Yam
6. Congregation Dor Hadash
7. Dharma Bum Temple
8. Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
9. First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
10. First United Methodist Church of San Diego
11. Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego
12. Normal Heights United Church
13. Pioneer Ocean View UCC
14. St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
15. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, City Heights, San Diego
16. Summit UU Fellowship
17. Temple Emanu-El
18. Tifereth Israel Synagogue
19. University Christian Church
Company / Business
1. Better APC
2. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps
3. KOA+ROY
4. OutAt Inc – Out at the Fair®
5. Red Ace Press
6. Sum of Us Festival
7. The San Diego Union-Tribune
8. Waves, A Psychological Corporation
Elected or Appointed Officials
1. Congressman Scott Peters, 50th Congressional District
2. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, 51st Congressional District
3. State Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, State Senate District 39
4. State Senator Steve Padilla, California State Senate District 18
5. Assemblymember Chris Ward, California State Assembly District 78
6. Assemblymember Akilah Weber, California State Assembly District 79
7. Vice-Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 3
8. District Attorney Summer Stephan, County of San Diego
9. Mayor Todd Gloria, City of San Diego
10. City Attorney Mara Elliott, City of San Diego
11. Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, City of San Diego, District 9
12. Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, City of San Diego, District 3
13. Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, City of San Diego, District 2
14. Councilmember Kent Lee, City of San Diego, District 6
15. Councilmember Raul Campillo, City of San Diego, District 7
16. Hon. Andrea Beth Damsky, Division 2 Director, Helix Water District
17. Vice Mayor Colin Parent, City of La Mesa
18. Councilmember Patricia Dillard, City of La Mesa
19. Councilmember Jack Shu, City of La Mesa
20. Chief Deputy Assessor Jordan Marks, San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk
21. General Manager Sandra Kerl, San Diego County Water Authority
22. CEO Sharon Cooney, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
23. California State Youth Commissioner & Youth Organizer Aidan Lin
Community Leaders
1. Ryan Bradley
2. nicole buruse
3. Benny Cartwright
4. Rick Cervantes
5. Ryn Corbeil
6. Kathleen Dang
7. Susan Hartman
8. Haydee Juarez
9. Clay Kilpatrick
10. Heidi Knuff
11. TC Krentz
12. Nicole Kronick
13. Michael Lavach
14. Kevin Lee
15. Noah Lomax
16. Jimmy Lovett
17. Connor Maddocks
18. Mark D. Maddox
19. Joseph Mayer
20. Kevin Mayer
21. Emmanuelle McCall
22. Oleene Perera
23. Rip Rippetoe
24. Leah Shapiro
25. Angela Smiley
26. Russ Sperling
27. Kat Tessero
28. Shaun Randall Travers
29. Eden Tropp
30. Luke Vaughn
31. Nicole Verdes
Faith Leaders
1. Rev. Dr. Abigail Albert, All Faith Center
2. Reverend Mary Sue Brookshire, Pioneer Ocean View UCC
3. Bishop Susan Brown Snook, Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
4. Revered Daniel Brunner, American Baptist Churches USA Evergreen
5. Andrea Beth Damsky, Lay Cantorial Soloist, Chavurah Shir Ha-Yam
6. Canon for Mission Jason Evans, Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
7. Dr. Stephen Fitzgerald, Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego
8. Alan Hay, First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
9. Susan Jester, Lay Minister Evangelism, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
10. Pastor Molly Lorden, Normal Heights United Church
11. Rev. Dr. Michelle Kirby, Metropolitan Community Church
12. Reverend Daniel Koeshall, Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego
13. Priest-in-Charge Richard Lee, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, City Heights, San Diego
14. Senior Minister Caleb Lines, University Christian Church
15. The Rev. Canon Gwynn Lynch
16. Rabbi Devorah Marcus, Temple Emanu-El
17. Rabbi Mathew Marko, Tifereth Israel Synagogue
18. Rabbi Yael Ridberg, Congregation Dor Hadash
19. Rev. Trudy Robinson, First United Methodist Church of San Diego
20. Reverend Brent Ross, Normal Heights United Church
21. Rev. Justine Sullivan
22. Minister Sharon Wylie, Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
23. Pastor Laura Ziehl, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Encinitas
24. Jeffrey Zlotnik, Dharma Bum Temple
JOINT STATEMENT
January 25, 2023 10:18 am Leave a Comment
United LGBTQIA+ Organizations Support All Transgender People Seeking to
Utilize Public Facilities

JOINT STATEMENT

As LGBTQIA+ organizations, we stand in solidarity with and support of Christynne Lili Wrene
Wood, and all transgender people seeking to utilize public facilities.

Transgender women are women. Period.

Transgender people in San Diego County deserve safe and inclusive spaces to live, work, and
play. All people deserve access to safe public shared spaces that treat them with dignity and
respect, free of harassment and discrimination. This includes locker rooms at community
organizations like the YMCA.

The YMCA of San Diego County is an inclusive community space, and their policies related to
facility usage are in line with state non-discrimination law and best practices for inclusive,
welcoming spaces for our LGBTQIA+ community.

This incident does not happen in a vacuum: we have witnessed this fear-based narrative for
decades and has escalated in the past few years to target our transgender community members
specifically, putting our transgender and non-binary siblings in the crosshairs of this intentional
polarization. So far in 2023, there have been over 150 anti-LGBTQ – mostly anti-transgender –
pieces of legislation introduced in state legislatures across the country. With the increase in this
rhetoric and transphobic legislation comes an increase in hate crimes and hate incidents against
our LGBTQIA+ community.

It is also important to recognize the racial implications of this incident – a white woman claiming
the mere sight of a Black woman’s body as threatening is a dangerous perpetuation of racism.
The reality of anti-Black racism in this country continues to be a pervasive and unavoidable
aspect of our American culture, and contributes to the consistent danger that Black people –
particularly Black transgender women – face every day. We are committed to ending racism,
anti-trans, and anti-LGBTQ bias and violence.

JOINT STATEMENT FROM:
The full list of organizations and institutions joining this statement can be found below.

SIGNED BY ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS:
1. ADL San Diego
2. Art of Pride
3. Diversionary Theatre
4. Equality California
5. FilmOut San Diego
6. GLSEN San Diego
7. Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center
8. Jewish Family Service of San Diego
9. Lambda Archives of San Diego
10. Lambda Rising Soccer
11. LGBTQ San Diego County News
12. North County LGBTQ Resource Center
13. Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest
14. PFLAG San Diego County
15. Proyecto Trans Latina
16. Queer Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American Coalition
17. San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
18. San Diego Community Birth Center
19. San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus
20. San Diego Original Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment
21. San Diego Pride
22. San Diego Pride Military Department
23. San Diego Pride Youth Programs
24. San Diego Women’s Chorus
25. SD LGBTQ+ Latine Coalition
26. She Fest San Diego
27. St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
28. Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, Inc.
29. The Gender Phluid Collective
30. The San Diego LGBT Community Center
31. TransFamily Support Services
Biden Signs Respect for Marriage Act Into Law
December 13, 2022 2:58 pm Leave a Comment
“Today is an inspiring victory for LGBTQ people as our right to marry the person we love is codified into federal law. This moment in our movement was made possible thanks to countless activists, organizers, and everyday people who fought for decades to ensure our LGBTQ families could have the same rights, protections, and responsibilities of marriage as every other American. Today, love has won.

As we have seen throughout US history, LGBTQ people and policies are all too frequently used by far-right extremists to drive voter turnout with hateful tactics and misinformation resulting in dangerous and deadly consequences. This year was no different.

As a hyper-polarized political climate has continued to divide the Nation, the bipartisan effort to enshrine marriage protections for LGBTQ couples and families should serve as a beacon of hope. A vast majority of Americans, 79%, regardless of party affiliation, believe that LGBTQ people deserve equal protection under the law.

After another deadly year for LGBTQ Americans, which also had the most anti-LGBTQ legislation in our history, this pivottable moment should remind us that there is more that unites us than divides us. That in the wake of hate, love will always rise.”

Fernando Z. López

Executive Director

San Diego Pride
State of the Movement
December 8, 2022 7:23 pm Leave a Comment
There is quite a bit happening at the moment in the LGBTQ community that impacts our safety and our rights. It can seem a bit overwhelming so I’m going to try and break it down for us a bit.

Let’s start with the good stuff! The Respect for Marriage Act has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate with President Biden committing to sign it as early as next week! Sign up here to get information about San Diego’s local coordinated community celebration! The bill will ensure the federal government is required to recognize our marriages and grant us 1,138 federal rights and protections. It does not compel states to marry us, so should Obergefell be challenged up to this current makeup of an unsupportive U.S. Supreme Court and we lose, you will still be able to marry in states where it is legal and states will be required to recognize your marriage as long as it was legal where you wed.

That brings us to 303 Creative which just had oral arguments in front of the SCOTUS on Tuesday. In this case, anti-LGBTQ operatives are attempting to say that anti-discrimination laws are a violation of free speech. We saw this coming. It’s been a publicly known strategy on the far right to couple far-right judicial appointments and seemingly innocuous policies to challenge and chip away at LGBTQ rights, abortion access, and religious liberty, all in service to the rise of white nationalism.

This brings us to the Department of Homeland Security’s terrorism advisory bulletin that announced last week Americans motivated by violent ideologies pose a “persistent and lethal threat” to LGBTQ, Jewish, and migrant communities. That these ideologies are being spread online by bad actors foreign and domestic, so it’s not comforting that a report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee three weeks ago shared that DHS and the FBI are not adequately tracking or addressing domestic terrorism, specifically white supremacist violence.

It’s difficult to reflect on that knowing that hundreds of anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation in the US this year assisted in public anti-LGBTQ narratives that stoke fear and violence. Just this year, we know of well over 100 attacks on drag events, a series of threats, and attacks on US Prides, the shooting in Colorado Springs, and just this weekend a domestic terror attack on two power substations that appear to have been a way to prevent a local drag show from occurring.

With so much at stake it is important that we continue our work to invest in community organizing and leadership capacity building locally, nationally, and globally. In addition to Pride 2023 and our year-round education and advocacy programs, we will be adding year-round grassroots organizing efforts and a summit in the spring to train the next generation of activists. We’ll also be hosting the global InterPride Conference where we’ll bring together activists from across the globe to San Diego as we share in this international fight for LGBTQ liberation. The state of our movement is strong and while things might seem scary, nearly 80% of Americans now support equality protection under the law for LGBTQ people. We are not alone in this fight not just to survive but to thrive as we all pursue Justice with Joy.

With Love, Hope, and Pride,

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
ENDING AIDS
December 1, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
In the 80s, I remember in elementary school being bullied at recess by kids calling me gay and telling me that I was going to “get AIDS, die, and burn in hell for all eternity.” Many of us know all too well what this shame, fear, and stigma feel like. We are still fighting it.

Recently, mistakes in Mpox communication, reporting, vaccine production, and distribution felt reminiscent of the crimes against our community in the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Old wounds made raw by a new epidemic had us fighting the same battles again. What have we learned?

Globally, it is estimated that there are currently 38.4 million people living with HIV and that more than 40.1 million people have died from HIV/AIDS-related complications. This is why every December 1st, on World AIDS Day, we focus on the work that lies ahead, and take intentional time for ourselves to mourn and honor those we’ve lost along the way to the virus.

HIV/AIDS is not in the distant past. It is now. Even in our region, we lack adequate, equitable access to testing, treatment, prevention, and sexual health education. Many struggle navigating their veteran or civilian health care system, or lack insurance. Many younger people don’t understand the risk factors of intimacy without prophylaxis.

Ending the HIV pandemic looks like ending homophobia and transphobia, it means ending misogyny and rape culture. It looks like health care as a human right. It looks like age-appropriate, LGBTQ-inclusive, and consent-based sex education. It looks like freely available pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and syringe services programs (SSPs). It looks like the decriminalization of sex work and substance abuse. We have work to do.

In the months leading up to Pride every year, we contribute hundreds of Festival tickets to direct service providers to incentivize HIV testing for free tickets. At the Pride Festival, we typically have at least three mobile testing units on site where this year 691 were tested over the two-day event; those who tested positive were then connected to immediate services and care. Pride offers direct trainings, public education programs, safer sex education, and free HIV testing for LGBTQ youth, in an effort to educate about HIV. By awarding community grant funding for HIV/AIDS-related services, treatment, and prevention, San Diego Pride is committed to ending new transmissions, supporting those living with the virus, and fighting the fear, shame, and stigma that many associate with the virus.

Time and community resolve have given us new tools to fight and prevent HIV infections, and have helped us understand that undetectable means untransmittable. This has turned the virus from a death sentence to a chronic illness. The goal to get to zero new infections and ending stigma is a social, political, and economic battle, but one that we can win if we work together. Pride was born out of and exists in the sexual liberation movement. This World AIDS Day, December 1st, let’s join together to remember and honor the legacy of those lost to HIV by recommitting ourselves to this work, and together we can pursue Justice with Joy.

With Hope and Pride,

FZL
Grief and Gratitude
November 24, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Today is Thanksgiving. It can be hard to find gratitude in moments like this. We again find ourselves mourning our dead and fearful for our future. It’s okay to be raging mad. It’s perfectly valid to feel numb. It’s understandable if you’re afraid. There is no right way to feel after something as traumatic as the mass shooting in Colorado Spring’s Club Q. This is the goal of targeted terrorism. To wear us down.

We won’t go away quietly.

As we’ve learned that the shooter had a San Diego connection, we’ve also learned the hero, the person who stopped the shooter was an ally, veteran, and San Diegan.

We know how to fight back.

Throughout the exhausting few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, our community found innovative ways to stay connected and support each other. In 2022, we saw the return of our community’s safe spaces to full scale. Our LGBTQ owned bars, clubs, and restaurants welcomed us all back! Pride returned to full scale and record numbers! All of that was possible thanks to our community sticking by each other, volunteering, donating, learning new skills, and wielding our queer brilliance as resilience.

We will heal from this too. We will rise from this too. We will revel in the warmth of the family we find, keep, and choose. We will continue to fight for our right to live and love freely, without fear. We will always recover to pursue Justice with Joy. For that and more, I am forever grateful.

With Love, Hope, and Pride,

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Trans Day of Remembrance
November 17, 2022 3:11 pm Leave a Comment
Last year at San Diego County’s Leon L. Williams Human Relations Commission meeting, Commissioner Pastor Dennis Hodges referred to transgender people as “abominations.” What ensued afterward was months of anti-trans rhetoric at those meetings as the committee tried to reconcile that at least one of its members didn’t share the values of the committee. These had a huge emotional impact on our trans and LGBTQ members of the committee.

All year across San Diego and the country we have seen a rise in anti-trans online harassment, protests in school boards and youth-focused events, as our trans siblings were used as a political wedge issue this election season.

These political attacks create real harm and stoke violence.

A recent poll from the Trevor Project shows us that 85% of trans and nonbinary youth and 66% of all LGBTQ youth have stated that public discourse around anti-LGBTQ legislation has negatively impacted their mental health. The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health reported that 45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

2021 was the deadliest year on record for our transgender siblings, and 2022 has already seen 32 reported murders of our trans siblings.

We have to do better.

While so much progress has been made in the fight for broad LGBTQ protections here in California, it is important for our non-trans community to understand that legal protections for trans folks are further out of reach and the lived trans experience does not yet match the legislative goals our state has so far enshrined into law.

Our trans community siblings face higher rates of discrimination in the education system, employment, health care, direct service access, public accommodation, treatment by law enforcement, and more. Visibility and policy revisions alone aren’t the answer. As we reimagine our social systems we must understand the power that each of us has in our daily lives to stop trans-hate in its tracks and proactively engage in shaping a safer and more equitable world for our trans siblings.
San Diego’s Trans Day of Remembrance is this Sunday. I hope you will join us as we mourn and honor the lives and legacy of our trans siblings who were murdered this year. I also hope that you use that time, that day, to pause and reflect on the role that you play within your own schools, institutions of faith, government agencies, companies, small businesses, communities, social groups, sports teams, media outlets, arts and culture groups, friend circles, and families. From there you personally can make an impact toward ending transphobia, create a more equitable life for our trans siblings, save lives, and ensure all of us can live to pursue Justice with Joy.

With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
Thank You Veterans
November 10, 2022 2:33 pm Leave a Comment
One year ago, the USNS Harvey Milk launched into San Diego Bay marking the first time a military vessel was named for an openly LGBTQ civil rights leader. For many San Diegans who lived, served, and suffered through pre and post-Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell discrimination or the transgender ban, the moment carried a poignant weight knowing that the person being honored was murdered in 1978, and less than honorably discharged in 1955 because of his sexual orientation. We’ve come a long way in supporting our service members and veterans, but we still have a long way to go.

It’s no secret that military ports like San Diego quickly became hubs for the LGBTQ community since WWII as we found each other and chose to remain amongst found family rather than return to more rural communities that weren’t always as accepting. If we look back at San Diego’s LGBTQ history, we will find it hard to de-couple veterans from the evolution and progress our community has seen on a local and national scale.

Which veterans can we thank?

Jess Jessop who helped lead the local Gay Liberation Front, founded The Center, and helped to form Lambda Archives. Jeri Dilno who secured the first San Diego Pride Parade Permit in 1975, and presented on LGBTQ health issues to the American Nurses Association in 1975 – 1977. Community advocates who fought for our protections and built the capacity of our movement like Bridget Wilson and Ben Dillingham. Robert Lynn, who passed this year, who founded much of our region’s LGBTQ political strategy and the organization now known as the San Diego Equality Business Association. One of our current board members, Joanna Sansoterra, became the first active-duty service member in the country to receive approval from the DoD to wear her uniform in a Pride parade, setting off a chain of events that lead to sweeping approval for uniforms at Pride elevating LGBTQ veteran visibility nationally. Other local LGBTQ veterans of note include people like Autumn Sandeen, Kristin Beck, Evander Deocariza, Alberto Cortés, Ronnie Zerrer, and so many more.

On this Veterans Day, please don’t just take a moment to thank our veterans for their service to country and community, but consider for a moment the work we as a nation have yet to do to ensure their ongoing needs after their service and how you can play a role. Veterans and particularly LGBTQ and BIPOC veterans face greater hurdles to accessing employment, housing, health care, and mental health services. While some of these points of care are improving, that improvement is asymmetrical at best.

While some of the best ways to support our veterans and service members is to support peace and diplomacy, we also need to repair broken systems that have exploited and neglected marginalized communities. LGBTQ veterans have lifted up our movement and it is incumbent upon us to ensure we return the favor. So much of their work in our movement has allowed us to pursue Justice with Joy!

With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
Vote With Pride
November 4, 2022 10:14 am Leave a Comment
Election Day is almost here! Let there never be any doubt that every election matters. Your vote on every single elected official and issue from the top to the bottom of the ballot is vital and necessary. If we want the values of our community to be reflected in the policies that impact our lives, then we must commit ourselves to engaging in the voting process.

In order to address issues that systematically impact the LGBTQ community, particularly families and people of color, San Diego Pride is supporting four ballot measures this election cycle impacting our reproductive justice, education justice, and health justice. Please join us as we address abortion and birth control access, arts and music education, public health, and accessible and affordable childcare.

There is still time to engage!
- Join our nonpartisan Get out the Vote canvassing and text bank effort
- Turn in your ballot or vote in-person by Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022
  - Find a drop box to return your ballot
  - OR a Vote Center to vote in-person
- Get resources & info from our Vote with Pride program
- Learn about our positions and their intersection with the LGBTQ community
If we as a community want to leave a legacy of progress for our next generation, then we must educate ourselves on the issues, register to vote, volunteer our time to remind others to vote, return our ballots, show up to the polls, and take pride in voting. I hope you will join us in these voter engagement efforts in the final days leading up to one of the most important elections in our lifetime as we pursue Justice with Joy.

With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
The World is Coming!
October 27, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
I couldn’t be more proud to be writing to you from my family’s home state of Jalisco, Mexico, where the InterPride Conference and Annual General Meeting is finally back in person after three years. It’s also the first time the conference has been held in Latin America and in a Spanish speaking country. Next year, 2023, we’re bringing InterPride and a world of activists back to San Diego!

In 1981, just 12 years after the Stonewall Riots, San Diego Pride board member Doug Moore created a list of Pride organizers from around the country, and from that list in 1982 half a dozen Pride organizations met in Boston. In 1983, the second annual Pride Coordinator’s National Conference was held in San Diego as our movement’s activists and organizations made efforts to share strategies, resources, and best practices.

Over the years these early efforts grew into what is now called InterPride, a global organization that connects and uplifts LGBTQ activists and Pride organizers around the world, hosts an annual conference, oversees the WorldPride bid, and conducts research on the international Pride movement. In 2020 when Prides, as we knew them, came to a standstill, InterPride helped bring together organizers from 163 countries to produce the 27-hour virtual Global Pride celebration viewed by over 57 million people. Our staff and volunteers took an incredible leadership role in helping to make that possible.

With our international focus and partnership with the San Diego Diplomacy Council and the Department of State, we have met with 557 delegates from 137 countries around the world. In fact, over the last month we hosted fellows from Turkey and Thailand who are part of an international exchange program and are already doing inspiring LGBTQ justice work in their respective countries.
Registration, hotel bookings, and sponsorship opportunities are now open for InterPride 2023! There are even social passes available for folks who just want to come get to know our international guests without going to the entire conference. Volunteer opportunities will be announced as we approach the event next year. It’s an honor to be a small part of this LGBTQ global network-building legacy. I hope you will join us in some way next year as we bring a world of Pride to San Diego in pursuit of Justice with Joy!

With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremists Target Youth and Families
October 25, 2022 4:10 pm Leave a Comment
FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022
Media Contact: Erika Ramirez Lee, [email protected], (619) 297-7683

Right now, right here in San Diego LGBTQ+ youth, families, drag queens, organizations,
educators, schools, small businesses, and events are coming under attack by anti-LGBTQ+
extremists.

In California, LGBTQ+ youth are legally protected from discrimination. These legal and civil rights
are part of the foundation of ensuring Californians are safe, but we’re seeing – and our youth
and communities are experiencing – an ongoing escalation of cyberbullying, hate speech,
threats, and harassment against LGBTQ+ youth and the adults that support them. Recently, this
spike in harassment and threats has targeted local schools, school districts, libraries, drag
performers, small businesses, individual educators, parents, and even LGBTQ+ youth
themselves.^

Student clubs like GSAs and Rainbow Groups have been targeted in school districts like
Carlsbad, San Diego Unified, and Vista. Age-appropriate books that include and celebrate
LGBTQ+ people have been challenged and called to be banned in Solana Beach and Poway
school district libraries. Public libraries in the San Diego region and across the nation are also
experiencing an increasing number of challenges to materials. Small businesses in Hillcrest and
Chula Vista have been harassed and cyberbullied for having LGBTQ+ owners and holding
LGBTQ+-inclusive events. Classroom teachers that incorporate LGBTQ+-inclusive books and
content into their curriculum have been met with hostility and intimidation. Individual
educators and administrators have been targeted for following the law and supporting
transgender youth in their schools throughout the County. Drag performers are being harassed
and threatened for reading children’s books and performing Disney-themed shows. School
board meetings have become toxic spaces with vile, hateful speech from adults about LGBTQ+
people, often while LGBTQ+ youth are in the room waiting for their own chance to speak. Staff
at youth-serving organizations have received threats of violence. Healthcare providers have
been harassed and cyberbullied for simply providing medically necessary, life-saving care to
transgender people.

This is not new. This is not acceptable. This is not a locally grown phenomenon.

This is the same tired hateful rhetoric that has been used against the LGBTQ+ community for
decades, and it’s being weaponized by coordinated campaigns from national extremist
organizations. National organizations such as the Heritage Foundation are preying upon parents’
very real fears for their children’s safety to plant seeds of hate, bigotry, and discrimination.

Groups like these regularly seek out “wedge” issues with which they can drive communities
apart. These are the same groups that are targeting the strawman of “critical race theory” in
schools, and challenging books and curriculum that teaches the truth about the Holocaust and
the genocide of indigenous people. Antisemitism, nationalism, xenophobia, sexism, white supremacy, anti-Blackness, and racism go hand in hand with this recent wave of homophobia
and transphobia. We stand united because we are fighting the same fight.

These threats and rhetoric have a real impact, not only on the direct targets of their hate but on
LGBTQ+ youth as a whole. The Trevor Project and GLSEN monitor the mental health and school
climate for LGBTQ+ youth, and both organizations have found concerns about increases in the
well-being of our youth in their recent reports. GLSEN reported that homophobic and negative
remarks about gender expression from teachers and school staff increased from 2019 to 2021.
The Trevor Project reported that 45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide
in the past year.

In San Diego, our regional LGBTQ+ youth-serving organizations came together to collaborate
and work together in 2015, after a rash of LGBTQ+ teen suicides swept the County. The Youth
Services & Advocacy Committee is committed to supporting LGBTQ+ youth in order to keep
them safe – and alive. But we can’t do this alone.

We call on all San Diegans that truly care about the safety and well-being of all of our youth and
all of our neighbors to:
● Challenge anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric at your school board, library, on your social media feeds,
and at your dinner table.
● Hold local and national media accountable for their role in perpetuating this dangerous
and toxic rhetoric by anti-LGBTQ+ extremists.
● Support your local LGBTQ+ youth-serving organizations and LGBTQ+-owned and
-supportive small businesses.
● Know your rights as a parent, student, and educator
● Know and demand that your school implement the LGBTQ+ Youth Standards of Care

^ SEE ALSO: Press Release: Adults Bully School Boards & Target Kids in Anti-LGBTQ+ Culture War
(North County LGBTQ Resource Center, 10/19/22)

JOINT STATEMENT FROM:
The full list of 36 organizations and institutions and 14 elected/appointed officials joining this
statement can be found below.

SIGNED BY:

ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS:
● ADL San Diego
● Art of Pride
● Center for Community Solutions
● Diversionary Theatre
● Equality California
● FilmOut San Diego
● Free to Thrive
● GLSEN San Diego
● Jewish Family Service of San Diego
● Lambda Archives of San Diego
● Lambda Rising Soccer

● Lawyers Club of San Diego
● LGBTQ+ Employee Alliance, City of
San Diego
● Metropolitan Community Church of
San Diego
● North County LGBTQ Resource
Center
● PFLAG San Diego County
● Planned Parenthood of the Pacific
Southwest
● POZabilities
● Queer Asian Social Club
● Rainbow Spaces
● San Diego API Coalition
● San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
● San Diego Community Birth Center

● San Diego County Bar Association
● San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus
● San Diego Pride
● San Diego Pride Military Department
● San Diego Pride Youth

● San Diego Public Library
● San Diego QAPIMEDA (Queer Asian
Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi)
Coalition
● San Diego Women’s Chorus
● She Fest
● St. Paul’s Cathedral (Episcopal)
● Stepping Stone San Diego
● Sum of Us Festival
● The San Diego LGBT Community
Center
● Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law
Association
● TransFamily Support Services
● Volunteer with Cheli

ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS:
● Congressman Scott Peters, District 52
● Assemblymember Christopher M. Ward, Assembly District 78
● San Diego County Supervisor, Chair Nathan Fletcher, District 4
● San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, District 3
● City Attorney Mara W. Elliott
● City of San Diego District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell
● City of San Diego District 3 Councilmember Stephen Whitburn
● City of San Diego District 5 Councilmember Marni von Wilpert
● City of San Diego District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo
● City of San Diego Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, District 9
● Chula Vista Councilmember and Coastal Commissioner Stephen C. Padilla
● San Diego County Human Relations Commissioner Alex C. Villafuerte
● City of San Diego Human Relations Commissioner Kathie Moehlig
● City of San Diego Citizen’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner Susan Jester
Alert: Anti-LGBTQ Threats
October 20, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Our community needs to be on alert and our allies need to step up. Right now, right here in San Diego, LGBTQ youth, families, drag queens, our organizations, and events are coming under attack by anti-LGBTQ extremists. The way these conversations play out in the media, social media, classrooms, and school board meetings can not only impact the physical and mental health of our LGBTQ community and youth, but it puts our lives at risk.

Local schools, school districts, libraries, small businesses, as well as individual educators, parents, and drag queens have been subjected to cyberbullying, threats, and harassment that is part of a larger, nationally coordinated effort to attack our community. This anti-LGBTQ rhetoric escalates during an election cycle to stoke fear and drive anti-LGBTQ voter turnout while draining LGBTQ community time and resources. These are the same tired and hateful attacks that our community has been subjected to repeatedly throughout US history, and the harm they can cause is just as real as it has ever been.

The laws in the state of California protect our community, but they need to be enforced. Our parents and educators need to understand these laws and be supported by their school administration and school boards.

Our regional media needs to do a better job of understanding the depth of these issues, report on them accurately, and stop centering the narrative on anti-LGBTQ bigots who are seeking to harm our community and our youth. John Oliver did a wonderful job of outlining the national attacks on trans youth and what’s at stake.

In 2015, a rash of LGBTQ teen suicides in San Diego hit the media, and our regional LGBTQ youth-serving organizations realized we needed to work more collaboratively. The LGBTQ Youth Services & Advocacy Committee was formed under The Center’s Community Leadership Council, and we’ve been meeting monthly ever since. The group is currently working on addressing these issues jointly while centering and uplifting the individual work and needs of each region and unique situation. Keep an eye out for more calls to action in the coming weeks.

Here are some steps you can take right now:
- Know your rights as a parent, student, educator
- Know and implement LGBTQ+ Youth Standards of Care
- Call out bullying and harassment when you see it and feel safe enough to do so
- Support our businesses, drag queens, libraries, events, and organizations
- Apply to attend our Youth Leadership Academy on November 12, 2022
- Vote!
Today is Spirit Day. When Gilbert Baker designed the first Pride flag in 1978, he was intentional about the meaning behind each color. Purple symbolizes the spirit. In 2010, a surge of reported LGBTQ teen suicides related to anti-LGBTQ bullying inspired then-teenager Brittany McMillian to start Spirit Day. People everywhere are encouraged to wear purple on the third Thursday of October to show support for LGBTQ youth and demand an end to bullying during National Bullying Prevention Month.

Ending LGBTQ bullying and suicide is no small task. Each of us is responsible for ending the cycle of bullying and suicide. Each of us can confront bullies in our daily lives. Our legal protections, our future, and our youth require our active efforts to ensure their safety. It’s our job to stand on the front lines for youth today, so they may grow up, live full and healthy lives, and together we can pursue Justice with Joy.

With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
Your Choice!
October 13, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
The Dobbs Supreme Court decision ending Roe v Wade was an outrageous attack on basic human rights and the unweaving of the American freedoms enumerated through the Reconstruction Amendments. Abortion is healthcare. Choice is a right. Reproductive justice is LGBTQ justice. Our fights are inexorably connected. States across the country now threaten to imprison anyone seeking an abortion or providing health care.

Across our country, we are seeing violent attacks against the LGBTQ community, the murder of our trans siblings, and anti-LGBTQ legislation all on the rise. As courts and legislatures target our community, some legislation has proposed jail time for our community with laws that would separate children from their parents and put them in prison. Our country has gotten all too comfortable with this practice, which is why California is joining 18 other states in offering legal refugee to trans youth and the families displaced by criminalization.

It is absolutely unjust for the right to bodily autonomy to vary depending on the state you live in, who you are, or who you love. Reproductive justice must be applicable to all people, regardless of state lines. LGBTQ Americans must be allowed to exist freely and fairly without regard to where we live, work, or travel. It is beyond enraging to think anyone is being threatened with prison for seeking life-saving health care, but these are the extremist White Nationalist values that we are fighting.

California is set to again lead this fight, as our own out and proud Senate President pro tempore, Toni Atkins, along with our governor, and a coalition of legislators and providers have championed Prop 1 that will protect our right to choose. If passed, Prop 1 will amend our California Constitution to expressly include our fundamental individual right to have an abortion, and our choice to use or refuse contraceptives.

There is no reproductive justice without LGBTQ justice. There is no LGBTQ justice without reproductive justice. For these reasons, San Diego Pride is taking an official position and asking you all to vote Yes on Prop 1.

You can help us in this fight:
This election cycle we have seen how extremists are again using lies and fear tactics around LGBTQ people and reproductive choice to drive voter turnout from those who seek to harm us. Let’s show them that we aren’t going down without a fight. Our movements are connected. We must show up for each other in our moments of celebration and moments of need. That is how we pursue Justice with Joy!

With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
Making History
October 6, 2022 2:39 pm Leave a Comment
In my office hangs a copy of the oldest known San Diego Pride budget. We had a deficit of one dollar. 90% of our income came from button sales. The year was 1975, the first year to have a permitted Pride Parade, but not the first year of Pride in San Diego. I love having that piece of history hanging next to me as I work every day. It reminds me of the legacy gifted to us by the pioneers of our movement – those early struggles and successes of our community as it fought legal oppression, societal norms, and too often internally.

In 1970, students at SDSU, including architect of our regional movement Jess Jessop, founded the San Diego Chapter of the Gay Liberation Front and held early protests and “Gay-Ins” in solidarity with the national GLF movement, which conducted and coordinated solidarity events with first annual “Christopher Street Liberation Day March.”

San Diego “Gay-Ins” led by the GLF continued in 1971 and 73, but in 1972 regional LGBTQ activists and organizers saw the opportunity to do something more than a day in the park. The GLF of San Diego and over 20 other regional emerging LGBTQ organizations joined forces to produce the San Diego Southwestern Gay Conference, a time to coordinate and strategize.

Our regional organizations began to become more sophisticated. Jess Jessop and many in the GLF shifted their focus to establish the Gay Information Center hotline in 1973, which grew into our region’s LGBTQ Community Center. In 1974, the then-named Center for Social Services Center held a Stonewall Anniversary yard sale and potluck to raise funds for the growing LGBTQ Center. There are conflicting oral accounts of an impromptu unpermitted march that some credit as the first San Diego Pride where folks walked along the sidewalk. The conflicting accounts of the size of the marches might be because in 1974 there was a large and documented protest march against SDPD and May Company over their sting operations targeting gay men.

I find it important to honor that our movement did not yet have shared language to call these events “Pride” and that Stonewall anniversary events, Gay-ins, conferences, and marches were happening in San Diego before our first permitted Pride Parade in 1975 or nonprofit status in the 90s.

In 1981, the first national list of Pride organizers was created by San Diego Pride board member Doug Moore, and in 1982 a small Pride conference was conducted in Boston, followed in 1983 by a slightly larger Pride Coordinators National Conference held here in San Diego. This was the beginning of what would become InterPride, the international Pride membership body, and annual global conference.

Ad hoc committees would come together each year to produce Pride Parades and Rallies that eventually added a festival. In 1989, Christine Kehoe, Neil Good, and others in our community decided to take Pride in a more professional direction and San Diego Pride became the first Pride in the world to hire an Executive Director, Tim Williams. Together, after five years, they helped us become our own nonprofit in 1994, a year that marked the beginning of the Parade route and Festival location most people will find familiar.

Today, San Diego Pride is the most philanthropic Pride organization in the world, with robust year-round education and advocacy programs predominantly led by community volunteer leaders and supported by our volunteer board of directors and paid staff. Our organization and movement weren’t built by one person, one group, one nonprofit, or one leader. We have been manifested through the intentional will and labor of countless people across generations. Even now, our leadership is comprised of people in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. As I reflect on October being LGBTQ history month, my heart and gratitude to all those who carried us here and each of you who are taking us forward. Together we’ve made history, we are building our future, and we are pursuing Justice with Joy!

With Pride,

Fernando Zweifach López

Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs

Executive Director | San Diego Pride

P.S. Join us next Wednesday for an open house showcasing San Diego Pride’s year-round programs where you can learn more about them, and how to get involved and invest in our future.
Pride Gives Back!
September 29, 2022 2:36 pm Leave a Comment
In 1989 the leadership of San Diego Pride envisioned a model of organizing and fundraising that, in addition to supporting our own events and programs, could turn a profit to be returned to our community. We began giving out grants in 1994 and have since become one of the most philanthropic Prides in the world; we have given out over $3 million to LGBTQ-serving organizations locally, nationally, and globally.

COVID-19 and the temporary loss of in-person events devastated our ability to generate revenue from the annual Parade and Festival. Our volunteer-led model and solid financial planning gave us stability, allowed our programs to continue, and this year we were able to return to a full-scale Pride! Not only did you all return in record numbers to celebrate, we’re happy to announce that our community grant program is back and open for applications!

I truly can’t thank you all enough for investing in our organization, making donations, helping us find sponsors and grants, attending our events, and volunteering your time. By supporting San Diego Pride’s tentpole events and year-round programming you are ensuring we build capacity for our community and movement here at home and around the world. Our stability is here thanks to all of you and the foundational work and vision of folks like Christine Kehoe, Neil Good, Tim Williams, Larry Baza, Vertez Burks, Joseph Mayer, and so many more who wanted to ensure Pride was even more than an inspiring celebration, that together we can invest in our community’s ability to pursue Justice with Joy.

With Pride,
Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

P.S. You can support San Diego Pride’s year-round work by becoming a monthly sustaining donor. Learn more about our Ambassador of Pride program here.
Remember
September 22, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
I remember being teased for being gay when I was only in the 3rd grade. The words thrown at me from other kids telling me that the only future I had in front of me was one in which I contracted HIV, died of AIDS, and burned in hell for all eternity. That was over 30 years ago, and even today with better science, education, treatment, and prevention methods — we are all still combating those ignorant messages.

Some of the early public health mistakes and delays in MPX communication, reporting, vaccine production, and distribution have felt all too reminiscent of early crimes against the LGBTQ community in the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This led to justified collective rage, confusion, frustration, and fear, as we were handed yet another virus to battle.

Combating the HIV/AIDS virus for so many decades has instilled in us important public health lessons and a sense of collective responsibility that helped our community fight COVID-19 and MPX. LGBTQ people took to COVID vaccine at higher rates than non-LGBTQ people. With remarkable speed and ahead of official public health information being distributed, our LGBTQ community’s global network of advocates, activists, and sex workers used online tools to educate themselves about MPX and used their social media presence to educate one another without stigma.

Our fight to stop the spread of the HIV virus and find a cure isn’t over, but decades of work and research have brought us better tools for testing, treatment, education, and prevention. You too can be a part of these efforts by participating in the largest fundraiser for HIV/AIDS-related work in the region: AIDS Walk San Diego produced by our partners at The Center. I hope to see you there!

My heart and life are indebted to those brave enough to fight, to walk, and to share their personal stories in service of public education. Together we can unchain ourselves from fear and shame. HIV/AIDS impacts all of us whether we realize it or not, but we are not solely defined by it. We walk to remember those we lost. We walk to end AIDS and new HIV infections. We walk to end stigma so that together we can walk freely towards Justice with Joy.

With Pride,
Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Vote & Volunteer with Pride!
September 15, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Election Day will be here before you know it and signs are pointing to a record turnout! People all across the country realize what’s at stake in this election cycle and are getting involved in the movement. LGBTQ rights, abortion access, voting rights, environmental health, and so much more are on the line. Democracy is on the line.

It is a record year for anti-LGBTQ legislation, most of it targeting our trans siblings. A federal judge in Texas just ruled that HIV prevention medication violates religious freedom. A school board in Florida just voted against recognizing LGBTQ History Month. Earlier this year when the Supreme Court ended the protections of Roe v Wade, Justice Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion that contraception, marriage equality, and criminalization of the LGBTQ community were topics that should be up for debate.

Our community has no doubt that every election matters. Our vote on every single elected office and issue from the top to the bottom of the ballot is vital and necessary. If we want the values of our community to be reflected in the policies that impact our lives, then we must commit ourselves to engage in the voting process.

If we as a community want to leave a legacy of progress for our next generation, we must educate ourselves on the issues, register to vote, volunteer our time to remind others to vote, mail in our ballots, show up to the polls, and take pride in voting. You can do all of that with your San Diego Pride family by finding election-related information on our website and signing up to join us in our nonpartisan LGBTQ voter engagement efforts this year. We’d love to have you join us in an LGBTQ-supportive space as we help our community participate in the democratic process! It’s how together we can pursue Justice with Joy!

With Pride,

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

P.S. You can help our year-round community engagement and voter turnout efforts by becoming a monthly supporter of San Diego Pride.
Our Latin Pride!
September 8, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Just last year we lost a pillar in our community, Larry T. Baza. Larry first joined our board in 1990 and in 1992 became our organization’s first Latino co-chair. Alongside his counterpart, co-chair, Vertez Burks, it was the first time people of color led San Diego Pride.

One of the big changes Larry helped to bring was greater attention to diversity and inclusion, particularly around the arts. Soon a new multicultural stage was added to the Festival’s footprint, which by 2006 would become two distinct stages now called The Movement, which highlights Black music and culture, and Mundo Latino, which showcases the vibrancy of our region’s diverse Latinx community. This year, we’ve added the Pan-Asian Night Market centered on our Queen Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Easter, and Desi American community.

In the aftermath of the Pulse Massacre, our Latinx community wanted to create more intentional space and programming for one another. Having seen the success of the newly formed San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition which started in 2015, many of us started talking about creating something similar. Through an effort led by Nicole Murray-Ramirez, Carolina Ramos, Nick Serrano, and myself we began the San Diego County LGBTQ Latine Coalition in mid-2017 as we held a public forum to talk about what the future might look like for us.

Since that time the coalition has fostered binational relationships, worked to get out the vote, held educational forums, educated around safer sex practices, expanded outreach efforts to the LGBTQ Latine community around the region, and raised funds and held clothing drives to support Casa Arcoiris Albergue, a shelter in Tijuana for LGBTI+ migrants seeking asylum.

At our Festival, the Latine Coalition ensures the Mundo Latino area’s Latin Pride zone is built out with additional LGBTQ-Latine owned, led, or competent direct service and care, social groups, businesses, and delicious food! In 2021, when we weren’t yet able to have a Festival, the Latine Coalition hosted our first-ever Latin Pride event in Barrio Logan during Pride week at Mujeres Brew. Pride in Barrio Logan was such a hit, we did it again this year in addition to building out the main Festival! For those of us whose lives exist at the intersection of being Latin and LGBTQ, having this intentional space is so empowering, I think it’s here to stay.

I share all of this as we are just about to enter Latin Heritage month. You can support the Latinx Coalition by donating to their program, signing up for their e-mailing list, joining their Facebook Group, or following them on Instagram. We are also always looking for more volunteers and folks interested in leadership within the coalition as we continue to build out this program whose mission is to strengthen the educational, health, cultural, civic, political, and economic power of our LGBTQ Latine community. If you’re interested in doing more you can connect with our Bilingual Community Outreach Coordinator, Cris Sotomayor. As Pride’s first Latinx executive director, this program has a special place in my heart. Thank you for taking a moment to learn a little about our Latin history and programming. Your continued support will help pursue Justice with Joy.

Con Orgullo (With Pride),
Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
LGBTQ Student Debt
August 25, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
The difficulties we face as LGBTQ people start early in life. As young people, we might be met with discrimination and bias from our friends, family, faculty at school, and institutions of faith. These challenges can mean higher rates of absenteeism and diminished educational outcomes that can play out across a lifetime. We face these difficulties and higher rates of homelessness if we have unsupportive guardians or unemployment when met with unsupportive employers. All of these factors mean that far too many LGBTQ young people who hope to pursue higher education are starting off with compounding disadvantages including taking on a disproportionate amount of debt.

A 2021 study by William’s Institute and the Point Foundation showed that “more than a third (35.4%) of LGBTQ adults ages 18 to 40, an estimated 2.9 million adults, are holding more than $93.2 billion in federal student loans.” The same study demonstrated that LGBTQ adults are 37% more likely to have federal student debt than non-LGBTQ adults, and transgender adults are 61% more likely to hold this debt than cisgender LGBQ adults. For these reasons and more Biden’s debt relief plan is an LGBTQ equity issue.

To support our youth and generations to come, LGBTQ inclusive curriculum, public policy, and even pop culture have huge roles to play in ending systemic, societal, and structural barriers in education and improving lived outcomes. You also have a role to play. Whether that’s being a supportive guardian or education, connecting LGBTQ youth to supportive programming, or donating to programs that support our youth.

Personally, each year I work to raise funds for The Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship Fund, one of the first scholarship funds to focus on trans students.

However we chose to embrace the much-needed equity work for our LGBTQ community, we must remain focused and clear-eyed. Equity requires investment, whether public or personal. We can be grateful for the equity work being done and still know there is much further to go. Today, I am grateful to know that so many LGBTQ people are being supported, and it gives me hope that together we can continue working towards progress and Justice with Joy.

With Pride,

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Press Release – SAN DIEGO PRIDE AWARDED CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL “ART OF PRIDE” GRANT
August 24, 2022 3:14 pm Leave a Comment
SAN DIEGO, CA (August 24, 2022) – Art of Pride, a program of San Diego Pride, was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council, with grant awards for its Cycle A programming totaling more than $31 million across more than 1,100 grants supporting nonprofit organizations and units of government throughout the state. With support from the California Arts Council, San Diego Pride will build out its Art of Pride program and develop its biannual Art of Pride exhibits and Youth Art Show, which will include a mobile scavenger hunt!

“We are elated today to be able to say that, with this first round of funds, we are placing a historic amount of money into the very worthy hands of California’s arts and cultural workforce—and with more yet to come,” said California Arts Council Chair Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez. “We have long since understood the value of our artists in this state, and we are incredibly grateful to our Governor and our Legislature for their support and sharing in a like-minded vision for a California where all people flourish with access to and participation in the arts.”

Organizations were awarded grants across seven different program areas within Cycle A, focused on the CAC’s efforts to address geographic equity, enable autonomy and sustainability for smaller organizations, and grow the strength of local arts agencies and their partnerships.

“With funding from the California Arts Council, Art of Pride will be welcoming two exhibits that will create a space where diverse LGBTQ+ artists, poets, painters, photographers, and sculptors can share their craft with the community,” said Art of Pride Staff liaison, Nicole Verdés. “Our community-centered approach to programming and planning invites our local LGBTQ+ community to participate in our arts programming–not simply in a singular exhibit, but as part of a sustained community-focused collaboration. We’re thrilled to have the support of the California Arts Council as we continue to grow the Art of Pride program!”

To view a complete listing of all California Arts Council grantees by county, visit this link. For a complete listing of grantees by organization, go to this link.

Founded in 1974, San Diego Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. Learn more about Pride week events at SDPride.org.
Save Our Children
August 18, 2022 2:31 pm Leave a Comment
During McCarthyism and the Lavender Scare, the Briggs Initiative, Prop 8, and right now with record numbers of anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation popping up around the country, we are hearing the same tired, dangerous lies and misinformation being told about us as our community is again used as a political wedge. Can you tell it’s an election year?

Coupled with these political attacks are always messages meant to spin a false narrative about us and put us in harm’s way. “Save our children” or the newer “Ok, groomer,” they will say, and in turn violence increases.

The reality is many of these new political attacks target LGBTQ youth putting them at risk of violence and negatively impacting their mental health. While we live in California, the other hard reality too many often forget is that even here, LGBTQ youth are still born into unsupportive families which, as many of us know, can lead to trauma, lack of financial support, homelessness, and lower educational outcomes that all have long-lasting impacts across our lives.

So, how do we help here in San Diego?

Policy & Practices: As educators, administrators, guardians, and youth head back to school, I highly recommend using our LGBTQ+ Youth Standards of Care as a road map. It contains essential benchmarks and links to external resources to help us best serve our LGBTQ students.

LGBTQ Youth Connection: Even one supportive adult can save an LGBTQ young person’s life. At Pride, we have daily, weekly, and monthly programs in-person and virtually for LGBTQ youth. Our youth-led curriculum includes art, music, advocacy, and more in a fun and friendly environment. You can take a look at all of our programs and find links to our other LGBTQ youth-serving partner organizations here.

Capacity Building: This is the 10-year anniversary of the start of our Pride Youth Leadership Academy where junior high through high school-aged LGBTQ youth come to learn about their rights, resources, and leadership skills so they can be their own best advocate in their schools and communities. Over the last few years, we added a track for adults who may be parents, guardians, educators, and administrators and a track for transitional age youth (18-24).

Youth Leadership Academy is probably my favorite day of the year because while our youth are learning, they are also making new friendships and found family connections. There’s so much queer joy that day and at any of our youth programs. We have to break the cycle of LGBTQ youth being severed from the history, laws, and legacy we have all fought for. We must be intentional about how we connect our intergenerational movement to our youth, so we learn from them and respond to the new and emerging challenges they face. This is how our community and movement will continue to pursue Justice with Joy.

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Not Again
August 11, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
There is still a lot of justified collective rage, confusion, frustration, and fear, as we are handed yet another virus to battle. We are hearing from so many people who are afraid to leave their house, afraid to meet up with friends, afraid to hug, afraid to support LGBTQ-owned businesses, afraid of being outed at work, and afraid of the escalating anti-LGBTQ rhetoric that can lead to violence.

We are also hearing about the challenges people face accessing testing, treatment, and vaccines. The reality is we don’t yet have enough vaccines in this country to fully protect those who are most at risk, queer men and their sexual networks. It could be at least a year before we have access to enough vaccines to meet the current need, and that’s if things don’t get further out of hand.

How can we reduce fear and stop or slow the spread of Monkeypox without vaccines? Educating ourselves and each other with facts and making conscience choices to mitigate risks. Thankfully organizations like The San Diego LGBTQ Community Center and Equality California have created some helpful web pages with information. County of San Diego Health and Human Services is also hosting a Virtual Monkeypox Townhall today, Thursday, August 11 from 6-7 pm.

Monkeypox can be spread through:
- Direct contact with the infectious rash, lesions, or scabs
- Sexual/intimate contact
- Sharing towels, bedding, or unwashed clothing
- Respiratory secretions through prolonged face-to-face interactions
Additionally, queer men and our sexual networks can lower the number of sexual partners and increase the period between sexual partners to help slow the spread by giving time to assess if symptoms arise. The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) is usually 7-14 days but can range from 5-21 days. Our sexual partners deserve open and honest conversations about our sexual health, and that is only possible if we are educating ourselves and self-aware of our bodies.

Monkeypox isn’t the death sentence HIV/AIDS was in the 1980s. Monkeypox isn’t as transmissible as COVID-19. While the science is working to catch up with the new Monkeypox outbreaks, public education is struggling to catch up with the science. Our country is working to ramp up vaccine availability after the previous administration allowed over 20 Million doses to expire. There is much to do.

Preventing stigma starts with us. Compassion for our community needs to begin from within our community. It’s been inspiring to see so many LGBTQ advocates, activists, and sex workers meet the moment with authentic communication on social media about Monkeypox from our community to our community. We know how to take care of each other. Even when things are new and scary, we know how to pursue Justice with Joy.

With Hope and Pride,

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
What’s the Plan?
August 4, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
In my office hangs a copy of the oldest known San Diego Pride budget. We had a deficit of one dollar. 90% of our income came from button sales. The year was 1975, the first year to have a permitted Pride Parade, but not the first year of Pride in San Diego. I love having that piece of history hanging next to me as I work every day. It reminds me of the legacy gifted to us by the pioneers of our movement – those early struggles and successes of our community as it fought legal oppression, societal norms, and too often internally.

Ad hoc committees would come together each year to produce Pride Parades and Rallies that eventually added a festival. In 1989, Christine Kehoe, Neil Good, and others in our community decided to take Pride in a more professional direction and San Diego Pride became the first Pride in the world to hire an Executive Director, Tim Williams. Together they helped us become our own nonprofit in 1994, a year that marked the beginning of the Parade route and Festival location most people will find familiar.

In 2011 San Diego Pride hired our first Black Executive Director, Dwayne Crenshaw. The board, ED, and staff at the time shared a vision of utilizing the power of Pride’s visibility, economic strength, and volunteer base to turn the organization into a year-round education and advocacy organization. In 2016 the board and staff redoubled that commitment by creating a strategic plan that would guide our expansion and service to the community. In just the last 11 years we’ve quintupled the size of our staff, budget, and festival attendance. We’ve become the most philanthropic Pride in the world and have over 40 year-round programs with local, national, and international reach.

What’s next?

Throughout this year we have been soliciting feedback from community members, event attendees, volunteers, programs, nonprofit community partners, entertainers, sponsors, elected officials, government agencies, and anyone connected to the organization. We want to hear from you. If you haven’t yet completed our 2022 Strategic Plan Survey please do so before you go to sleep this Sunday, August 7, 2022. Over the next few months, we’ll evaluate all the feedback and data we’ve collected from the last year to help us map out the road ahead. It is truly an honor to be a small part of the continuum of this movement and organization and serve alongside so many driven and dedicated people. When I joined Pride over 11 years ago I couldn’t have imagined all that we would become, and I’m excited to envision who we will become in the future as we pursue Justice with Joy.

With Pride,
Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

Public Health Notice

Recent outbreaks of viral monkeypox disease require our community’s attention. Learn more about the signs, symptoms, prevention, and treatment here.

Printable flyers are available in the link above so you can help educate our community.

San Diego County now has a text update system to provide you with the latest Monkeypox information including vaccine availability.

Sign up by texting “COSD MONKEYPOX” to 468-311.
Monkeypox. Let’s Talk.
July 28, 2022 3:12 pm Leave a Comment
Ok. Let’s be frank. Our community did not need this right now. Our collective rage, confusion, frustration, and fear as we are handed yet another disease to battle is valid. Can we catch a break?! Some of the early mistakes in Monkeypox communication, reporting, vaccine production, and distribution have felt all too reminiscent of early crimes against our community in the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We all have so many questions and concerns. How do we address this public health issue with compassion and care in a sea of diverse opinions on what this is and how we even talk about it? We don’t live in a binary world, so I don’t know that there is one answer. I’m also not claiming to know all the answers. I too have questions.

Something I know to be clear is ahead of official public health information being distributed, our community’s global network of LGBTQ advocates, activists, and sex workers used online tools and their social media presence to educate one another allowing for information to travel faster and to the people who needed the information the most than ever before.

I also know that our allies and LGBTQ leadership in elected and appointed positions are fighting for us right now to get us on the right path to stopping the spread of the virus. In California Sen. Scott Wiener has called for a Monkeypox State of Emergency which would allow greater flexibility around testing, services, and vaccination.

Still, some of the outgoing communications have been misleading and problematic. A post on the San Diego County news site the week of San Diego Pride mistakenly stated that people who participate in “Pride festivities” were at risk. Many of us are rightfully enraged at the unneeded confusion, stigma, shame, and fear the media fallout caused. Transparently, ticket sales to the Pride Festival dropped 50% that day after a 20% increase trend and didn’t fully recover to even be flat with 2019. It caused so much confusion volunteers backed out of shifts, attendees didn’t come, and even cisgender heterosexual women were calling for vaccine appointments.

The truth is, Monkeypox is not purely an STI. How we message to the general public matters. The truth also is, 98% of the cases in a recent comprehensive study were documented in men who have sex with men, and that 95% of those transmissions documented occurred during sexual relations. Of these cases, the median number of sex partners in the last three months was five. It was not simply “Pride Festivities” where this virus spread. The data are showing that much of the spread occurred during raves, circuit parties, sex parties, and bath houses; and yes many of these happened during Pride weekends. These are all part of queer community and culture. Inside our community, we understand our own diversity. We know the difference between a Pride Parade and a circuit party that happens during Pride, and we celebrate both.

Sexual liberation is at the core of our movement and we can fight this public health issue in a way that is sex positive. Shame, fear, and stigma did not help us in the battle against HIV and they will not help us now. Testing, treatment, education, and most importantly vaccinations will.

At a moment in our movement where over one in eight LGBTQ people live in states where they can be denied medical treatment and legislators around the country are looking to recriminalize LGBTQ intimacy, the ways we meet each other with compassion, care, education, and the right tools to battle this new virus are more important than ever.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I know our community understands how to tend to one another, educate one another, and take public health matters seriously. That is the legacy of generations of LGBTQ activists, advocates, and allies who carried us through decades of systemic oppression. I am deeply grateful for the current compassionate and intentional collaboration efforts being done to support and center those most impacted by the Monkeypox virus. Our community is clearly ready to protect themselves and take the vaccine. It is imperative that we work together quickly, thoughtfully, and decisively if we hope to meet the needs of the moment and stop the virus in its tracks so that rather than living in fear, we can pursue Justice with Joy.

In Solidarity,

Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

Prevention (CDPH):
- Always talk to your sexual partner/s about any recent illness and be aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including on the genitals and anus
- Avoiding close contact, including sex, with people with symptoms like sores or rashes
- Practicing good hand hygiene
- People who become infected should isolate until their symptoms are improving or have gone away completely. Rash should always be well covered until completely healed.
- Using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (like a mask, gown, and gloves) when caring for others with symptoms
- Avoiding contact with infected materials contaminated with the virus
- Avoiding contact with infected animals
Symptoms (San Diego County Health):
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
More info:
- If you suspect you may have or were exposed to monkeypox, contact your primary care physician.
- Look for additional upcoming vaccination events by following San Diego County Health, San Diego Pride, and other LGBTQ-serving organizations
- CDC: 2022 U.S. Monkeypox Outbreak
- San Diego County Health: Monkeypox Virtual Town Hall (June 30)
- Formula for Vaccine Dose Allocation
- Monkeypox Town Hall
Thank you!
July 19, 2022 2:00 pm Leave a Comment

Wow! San Diego Pride was a homecoming brimming with emotion. Our LGBTQ community and allies worked together for over a year in what felt like the largest and most celebratory family reunion you could imagine.

The energy across all of our events was kinetic from start to finish. Beautifully diverse crowds of people from over 1,400 cities around the world filled San Diego with love and celebration.

I couldn’t be more proud of every staff member, volunteer, community partner, artist, and entertainer who made this epic return possible.

I have heard countless stories of people’s first Prides, more than ever before as so many had been held back for 3 years! I watched as people sobbed with relief and joy as the full impact and significance of our return struck them, struck me. I’m sure we all have transcendent moments of Pride we could share. Honoring those we’ve lost in the last two years and carrying their memory with us. Coming out for the first time. Finding love. Feeling safe. Feeling seen. Simply sharing space.

We don’t have Pride because we are free. We have Pride because we are not.

This Pride we were reminded that our celebration is justice, our joy is defiance, our love is insubordinate, and our revelry is a revolution.

That is why we have Pride.

This weekend our joy felt like justice as together we pursued Justice with Joy.

Thank you.

With Pride,

Fernando Zweifach López
Welcome Home
July 14, 2022 10:25 am Leave a Comment
What will Pride be like as we come together again? Three years dragged on and blinked by us since our last full-scale Pride marked by nearly two years of isolation and survival. All too many “first Prides” denied and delayed, desperate to burst free. Cresting over the horizon is the brilliant liberation of our dreams, closeted by pandemics and shame.

Growing shadows of hate have loomed and lingered far too long. It is why we have Pride.
We do not have Pride because we are free. We have Pride because we are not. Our community will not let fear, hate, and intimidation win. We will not shrink ourselves or return to the closets and prisons of our past.

Your kisses deserve sunshine. Your love deserves free air. Your clenched jaw deserves laughter. Your clasped hands deserve to openly embrace found family. Your body is beautiful and deserves to dance in daylight. Your pronouns are perfect and deserve affirmation.

Pride is a reminder that our celebration is justice. Our joy is defiance. Our love is insubordinate. Our revelry is resistance.

This Pride, we will unshackle our hearts and bodies from anyone’s expectations but our own. We will rise unapologetically to indulge in being radically only and absolutely who we know we truly are.

I invite you to bravely discard fear. Seize hope. Be free.

Whether you’ve been with us since Stonewall, or this is your first, welcome to Pride. Welcome home. Together, we will pursue Justice with Joy!

With Pride,

Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Top 30 of 2022
July 6, 2022 6:15 am Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is back in full swing! There’s so much to do during San Diego Pride Week that we’ve compiled a list of the top 30 things to do at Pride!

1. She Fest

She Fest delivers empowering and accessible programming and content that centers LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people. Our year-round efforts culminate in an annual flagship event that brings over 4,000 of our community members together to kick off San Diego’s Pride week in July.

Date & Time: Saturday, July 9, 2022, 12 pm – 6 pm
Location: Hillcrest Pride Flag, 1500 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103
Invite your friends on Facebook here.

2. Get Social

Take a photo, take a video, and share your community across all platforms. Don’t forget to hashtag #SDPride

Instagram: sandiegopride
Facebook: sandiegolgbtpride
Twitter: sandiegopride
Spotify: San Diego Pride
Youtube: San Diego Pride
Tik Tok: SanDiegoPride

3. No More 21+ Beverage Cages!!!

Thanks to a change in City policy, for the first time ever, we are all are able to roam free throughout the festival while enjoying our beverages and food with our friends and family of all ages!!! Enjoy the festival entire like the uncaged beauty you are!

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

4. The Movement

Shake what your mama gave ya! Listen to hip hop, rap, and R&B with your family & friends and dance the weekend away at The Movement’s celebration of Black LGBTQ culture!.

The movement stage is always packed and they keep the party going all weekend long!

5. Pan-Asian Night Market

Celebrate Pride at the Pan-Asian Night Market inside the San Diego Pride Festival. This area features food vendors from APIMEDA owned businesses showcasing a diverse array of cultures as well as resources and information for the LGBTQ Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi community. Make sure to visit their photo booth!

6. Get Tested

Know your status. Take the time to get tested. Knowing your status is a great preventative method of transmitting STIs.

There’s always free several STI testing sites at the festival, so make sure you get a chance to stop by and get tested.

7. Volunteer

It’s never too late to volunteer with San Diego Pride.

Some perks of volunteering include: getting a cool 2022 pink volunteer t-shirt, entering the festival for free, and having a blast serving the community you are a part of. Also, there’s a volunteer appreciation picnic after Pride is over!
Become a volunteer here.
8. Our Headliners

That’s right, y’all! Our headlining performers for San Diego Pride’s Stonewall are Ashnikko, Baby Tate, Daya, and Snow Tha Product

Don’t miss out on their Pride performances:

Saturday, July 16:
- Snow Tha Product, 8:00 pm – 8:45 pm
- Daya, 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday, July 17:
- Baby Tate, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Ashnikko, 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Learn more about the Stonewall stage lineup and schedule here.
9. Rock Your Pride

Get festive! Dress fun, crazy, fresh, and be free!

Celebrate pride and bring your Rainbow and glitter. Be authentically you and wear whatever brings you joy with no judgment. #JusticeWithJoy

10. Children’s Garden

Calling all LGBTQ families! The Pride Festival is a family-friendly event and we have a Children’s Garden space exclusively for kids!

Join the Children’s Garden in an afternoon filled with entertainment for all ages, arts and crafts, and even a Drag Queen Or Two!
Invite your friends on Facebook here!

11. Get your Tickets Online

Come out and enjoy the festival with all your buddies and friends! It makes your life so much easier to purchase tickets online.

You can avoid waiting in line and save time if you are buying your tickets the day of. Get your tickets today!
Purchase tickets here.

12. Military Contingent

The San Diego Pride Military Department is composed of active duty and veteran service members marching proudly in the parade!

Come out and celebrate the 10th Anniversary of military foks joining the parade. So show some love by cheering them on for everything they do, and keep an eye out for the Marine Corps Marching Band.
Learn more here.

13. Light Up The Cathedral

Kick off Pride with an Interfaith Pride Celebration. Connect with LGBT-affirming Faith Leaders and churches, synagogues, and temples as we come together to light up St. Paul’s Cathedral in rainbow colors.

Date & Time: Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Location: St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral (2728 Sixth Avenue).
Invite your friends on Facebook here.

14. Food Trucks and Drinks

You’re sure to work up an appetite with all the celebrating you’ll be doing, and Pride has you covered!

Stop by a food truck or any of our food vendors & fuel up all weekend! You can also drop into any of our beverage areas and enjoy a cool refreshing beverage!

15. Youth Zone

The Youth Zone is an area made by youth, exclusive for middle school and high school aged youth! Come in and get something to eat and drink, connect to resources and make new friends!

Let’s support our queer youth!

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

16. Art of Pride

Check out all that we have to offer with the Art Of Pride, Expressions of Pride: On the steps of San Diego Museum of Art June 24th.Which will include free admission to SDMA

Date & Time: Friday June 24, 2022, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Be sure to visit the Art of Pride zone during Pride Festival, July 16-17 for an art show and artistinal exhibitors.

17. Become a VIP!

Upgrade yourself by becoming a VIP!

VIPs get to hang out in the VIP lounge complete with catered food and hosted drinks, upgraded restroom facilities, and a separate VIP entrance!
Purchase VIP tickets here

18. Spirit Of Stonewall Rally

Join San Diego Pride at the 2022 Spirit of Stonewall rally which honors and commemorates those who have paved the way for our community, nationally and locally.

Celebrate our community with pride and see keynote speaker, and Senior Advisor to Jessica Stern, the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, Reggie Greer.

Date & Time: Friday, July 15, 2022, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Location: Hillcrest Pride Flag, 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

19. Pride Of Hillcrest Block Party

After the Spirit of Stonewall Rally, stay for the Hillcrest Block Party which is free and open to the public this year! Celebrate Pride under the Hillcrest Pride flag and dance the night away while enjoying amazing entertainers and drag performances.

Date & Time: Friday July 15, 2022 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Location: Hillcrest Pride Flag, 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
Buy tickets here.

20. Mundo Latino

¡El Pride Party Empieza! Ven a celebrar la diversidad de nuestra comunidad Latinx! ¡Tendremos DJs, Drag Queens, folklórico, comida, baile, vendedores, recursos comunitarios, y mucho mas.

¡Feliz Orgullo, amores! ¡Happy Pride!

21. Youth Marching Band

Make sure to watch out for the San Diego Pride Youth Marching band and cheer them on!

The Pride Youth Marching Band is composed of LGBTQIA youth from throughout the region and it’s always a crowd favorite.

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

22. Make A Sign

Speak your mind and make us a sign! Parade marchers and attendees are welcome to make signs for issues and topics that matter to them! #JusticeWithJoy

Show everyone that you’re a proud supporter of the LGBTQ community!

#LoveIsLove #ProudAlly

23. Pride 5K

Join Front Runners & Walkers San Diego and run the parade route before it begins! You can register till the day of, and share the experience with fellow community members in kicking off the annual Pride Parade.

Date & Time: Saturday, July 16, 2022, 8:00 am – 9:00 am

Location: Race start and Finish: University Ave at Centre St

Register for the run here.

24. Unite! Music Festival

Join UNITE! Music Festival for their 6th annual Music Festival. It will wow you with a diverse, international musical landscape spanning the electronic music spectrum from deep and progressive house & tribal to progressive trance & techno. At UNITE! Music Festival, they believe that music is the answer

Date & Time: Friday July 15, 2022, 10:00 pm – Monday July 18, 2022 9:00 am

Location: Multiple Locations

Get your tickets here!

25. Get there (Shuttle or Bike)

Get to Pride hassle free. Make it easy on yourself by finding other, less stressful options!

Bike to the parade and festival and leave your bike securely with the bike corral. There’s also a free parking lot complete with a free shuttle to get you to the parade and festival safely!

Learn more here

26. Know your History

Drop by the LGBTQ History area hosted by Lambda Archives to learn about all the amazing things they do to collect, preserve, and share the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in San Diego, Northern Baja California and the Imperial County region.

Learn more here

27. Senior Pride

Our senior leadership ensures that there’s intentional spaces for our LGBTQ elders to enjoy Pride! Watch the parade in our reserved senior seating, cool off at our Senior Cool Zone locations in the festival, and enjoy free entrance into the festival as well as a complimentary senior breakfast on Sunday in the festival!

Learn more here

28. Trans Village

Come and enjoy a TRANSTASTIC area curated by and for our wonderful trans community. Get connected to trans inclusive and uplifting resources.

29. Athletes Alley

Come get involved and join one of the many LGBTQIA+ sport leagues by exploring our athletes alley where you can be connected to queer affirming and inclusive sports groups within San Diego region.

30. Pride Merch

Get your San Diego Pride merchandise! We’ve got pins, tanks, and so much more exclusively at the festival. So you better make sure to stop by and snatch up your official pride swag daaahling.

Bonus! 18+ at The Leather Realm

The Leather Realm is open to anyone over the age of 18 to provide visibility and awareness of the BDSM, leather, and fetish communities.

Available in the Leather Realm are live demonstrations, workshops, and community organizations in place to help further the education of these communities.

Invite your friends on Facebook here
An Open Letter to Health, Education, Corporate, Government & Other Policy Leaders
March 10, 2022 12:41 pm Leave a Comment
March 9, 2022

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have just released the NIH-commissioned expert consensus study report on how to collect data on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status across domains that include clinical settings, population surveys, and administrative forms. This report also highlights future research directions for continuing to advance measurement of these important variables, particularly for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex populations. We, the undersigned organizations, applaud this report and stand unified in declaring that now is the time to begin to routinely collect, analyze, and report these data to help understand the needs and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQI+) people.

Data collection is a necessary precursor to addressing persistent discrimination and inequities. Denied routine data collection, LGBTQI+ and allied communities have attempted to combat discrimination without critically needed tools. Health, education, civil rights, anti-violence, economic justice, and social services progress are all reliant on data. The systemic lack of LGBTQI+ data collection has forced many community organizations to launch their own research initiatives, among them: The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health, GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey, National Center for Trans Equality National Trans Discrimination Survey, and National LGBTQ Cancer Network’s Out Cancer Survey. Yet while these data are heavily relied upon by other organizations, they do not carry the same scientific weight as nationally representative studies; instead, they provide wrenching insights into systemic discrimination and inequities without the heft needed to drive larger policy change and solutions-based funding.

Two major pieces of information are important to know about LGBTQI+ communities now. First, Gallup’s recent announcement shows the number of people identifying as LGBTQ is rising more rapidly than at any known time in U.S. history. Second, these growing LGBTQI communities are under massive attack from a bevy of anti-LGBT legislation across the country. As just two examples, in recent weeks this is exemplified by the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida and the Texas governor’s efforts to equate gender-affirming medical care with child abuse.

These initiatives are allowed to flourish not simply because of the people who propose them but also by the many policymakers and other decision-makers who contribute to a culture of invisibility and increased vulnerability by routinely ignoring the importance of data collection on the needs and experiences of LGBTQI+ communities.

This new report from the National Academies contributes to the growing consensus that data collection on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status is necessary to further inclusion and equity. As more organizations and government entities collect these data as a standard practice, this resource provides an opportunity for each organization to rise to the occasion. Now more than ever, we ask every organization that cares about LGBTQI+ communities to do four things:
1. Visibly affirm to LGBTQI+ communities and people with multiple marginalized identities that they are welcome and that you are an ally;
2. Provide internal infrastructure, trainings, and resources to assure this welcome is real;
3. Ensure that questions about sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status are asked alongside other demographic identifiers; and
4. Analyze and share resultant data whenever feasible, with special emphasis on with various intersections of identities (i.e, disability and sexual orientation, race and gender identity, etc).
We appreciate your consideration of the significant findings from this report and our four requests. Working together, we can make tremendous progress on the data collection front, which in turn can help LGBTQI+ communities to gain needed respect, programs, and resources.
Honoring Out Athletes
February 3, 2022 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
LGBTQI exclusion from athletic spaces starts at a young age as misogynistic, homophobic, and transphobic environments cultivate bullying and harassment that forces aspiring LGBTQI athletes into the closet or out of sports entirely. Too many of our stories have been erased leaving LGBTQI athletes invisible and vulnerable, but athletes like openly gay Black baseball player and inventor of the high five, Glenn Burke, have always been in sports. Billie Jean King, Billy Bean, Renée Richards, Liz Carmouche, Greg Louganis, and many other high-profile LGBTQ athletes have San Diego roots.

In 2020, the entire San Diego Loyal Soccer Club walked off the field forfeiting their game after their openly gay player, Collin Martin, was subjected to an anti-gay slur and no action was taken against the offending player. Collin and the Loyal’s were just recognized with the United Soccer League’s Impact Player of the Year and Community Engagement awards for their outreach and public education efforts around LGBTQI inclusion. I never could have imagined anything like that when I was younger.

Meanwhile, transgender athletes like San Diegans Paulo Batista and Sam Moehlig are also inspiring out activists, carving a wider path for others to follow. Their pioneering presence in athletic spaces is ever more important as anti-LGBTQI extremists have found their latest targets: transgender athletes. 42 pieces of legislation targeting transgender youth in sports have been entered into legislative bodies across the country so far this year.

We fight these bills and bias through voter engagement, public education, and visibility. Here in San Diego, OUT at the Park started in the ’90s with just a handful of LGBTQI Padres fans buying tickets together and bravely waving rainbow flags. This year, thanks to the work of many over the decades, including openly gay MLB vice president and former Padres player, Billy Bean, we’re expecting around 8,000 prideful fans to join us in May!Athletes in San Diego from any of the 19 LGBTQI recreational sports groups create positive spaces for community building, fundraise for charities, and drive positive visibility for our community. Whether you’re a fan or an athlete, thank you for being a part of expanding access for our community and being a part of our pursuit of Justice with Joy!

With Pride,

Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride
Rally to Joy
January 28, 2022 8:18 am Leave a Comment
The first time I went to San Diego Pride’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally was in 2000. It was only a few weeks before that I had been homeless and living in my car. I was from the rural border town of El Centro which had a very anti-LGBTQ climate. There was no Pride. No LGBTQ community. Back then I didn’t know what Pride was. I didn’t know what acceptance felt like. I did know LGBTQ people had events called Pride and I knew it was in Hillcrest. I headed that way.

I stumbled upon a large group of people standing in front of The Center facing a woman speaking from the front patio, and for the first time in my life I heard the words “gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender” said with pride on a loudspeaker with pride and joy instead of as a slur or behind a whispered hand. As I listened to the speakers talk of justice and a better future, I was filled with kinetic inspiration. For the first time, I wasn’t alone. I found community. I found hope.

The Spirit on Stonewall Rally has been held every year since the first permitted Pride in 1975. Each year, speakers educate us, inspire us, and dare us to not only envision what justice lies over the horizon but to work for it. Barbara Gittings, George Raya, Lavern Cox, George Takei, Toni Atkins, Todd Gloria, Margaret Cho, Larry Baza, and so many others have been a part of that legacy.

Each year, we celebrate local community members and organizations who dedicate their lives to LGBTQ justice and joy. Jess Jessop, Brad Truax, Jeri Dilno, Wilson Cruz, Tracie Jada O’Brien, Carolina Ramos, Chris Shaw, Dwayne Crenshaw, and Benny Cartwright are just a few of the 340 LGBTQ leaders who were awarded for their movement-building efforts.

Who inspires you? Who brings you joy? Who guides you to justice?

Nominate them today.

The Spirit of Stonewall Rally is a time for us to honor our origins, celebrate those who are leading the way, and call us all to action around some of our movement’s most pressing issues. This year we will face critical elections and a barrage of anti-LGBTQ legislation all across the country, each of which will impact our community’s pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Who is standing in their way? Who is holding the line? After 22 years, the rally still is my personal favorite part of Pride weekend. It calls me home, lifts my heart, and helps me remember what we’re fighting for. Will you join us and be a part of helping our community pursue Justice with Joy?

With Pride,

Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

P.S. Nominate your inspiration here.
HEALING AND SAFER COMMUNITIES – COMMUNITY UPDATE, January 2022
January 21, 2022 8:59 am Leave a Comment
Our Healing & Safer Communities committee was formed in 2020 following our announcement and plan regarding the relationship of law enforcement and San Diego Pride. The Committee is currently made up of 15 Black, Indigenous, API, Latinx, and white LGBTQ community members and leaders.

Recognizing that the conversation was far bigger and more nuanced than simply whether law enforcement agencies march as a contingent the parade – and recognizing that San Diego Pride often ended up being asked to “build bridges” for many of these conversations – the announcement and plan referenced above identified specific steps toward “healing and safer communities,” including the formation of the H&SC committee and the beginning of phased conversations – beginning with Black LGBTQ community members, then bringing in non-Black POC LGBTQ community, then white LGBTQ community members and leaders. As we continue to move forward, these conversations will also open up to broader dialogue among LGBTQ folks – centering, again, Black LGBTQ folks – and law enforcement agencies. Currently, there are 15 Committee Members in the Healing & Safer Communities Committee.

Update – January 2022

The H&SC Committee has spent the past year and a half conducting one-on-one conversations with LGBTQ community members, collecting responses on a community survey of LGBTQ folks, and ultimately compiling a draft document of policy recommendations for San Diego Pride as an organization, elected officials as policymakers, and law enforcement agencies (see below).

By the numbers:
- 80 1-on-1 interviews conducted by committee members
- 80 1-on-1 interviews conducted by executive director
- 244 online survey responses collected from LGBTQ community members
- 561 individuals signed up to support the initial proposal
- 71 local LGBTQ and allied organizations signing on to support our initial proposal
Of course, the committee did not compile these recommendations in a vacuum. We regularly consulted the studies and reports listed on the Safer Communities Resources page, and have also been connected with partners doing racial justice and police accountability work in the City of San Diego: e.g. engaging with the call-in campaigns of San Diegans for Justice as they help to ensure the implementation of the new independent Commission on Police Practices and promoting the PrOTECT ordinance with the Coalition on Police Accountability & Transparency (CPAT). This document is a living draft that at this time, has not been codified by our Board, and is a useful place to start when talking with community, electeds, LGBTQ liaisons at law enforcement agencies, and law enforcement agency leadership.

On October 1, 2021, we held a briefing for policymakers, legislators, and law enforcement agencies to offer an update on the H&SC work and to discuss the draft of policy recommendations. In total, 22 people attended, including local elected officials and/or their staff and some representatives from local law enforcement agencies.

We welcome community review and feedback on this living document of policy recommendations. You can review the document here.

Please send feedback and/or suggestions to us at [email protected]

The next steps for this Committee will be to meet with LGBTQ liaisons of local law enforcement agencies to present these recommendations and to continue this conversation along the path of healing and building truly safer communities. The Healing & Safer Communities Committee and San Diego Pride staff members will also be participating in and helping to guide curriculum for the upcoming LGBTQ Law Enforcement Summit in June 2022. (More info to come.)
InterPride 2023
November 23, 2021 2:36 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Awarded International LGBTQ Pride Conference in 2023

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (November 22, 2021) — San Diego Pride has secured the bid to host the InterPride General Meeting & World Conference in 2023 bringing together hundreds of Pride organizers from across the globe.

InterPride is the international Pride membership organization founded in 1982 by a handful of Pride organizers including San Diegan Doug Moore who began to compile a list of global Pride organizers in 1981.

”I am really happy and proud to hear that San Diego will be hosting InterPride here again, 40 years after we hosted the 2nd conference,” said San Diego Pride board emeritus Doug Moore. “I never thought those first conferences would create an organization involving the whole world. Congratulations San Diego Pride!”

InterPride member organizations typically meet in person every year during Regional Conferences and the General Meeting & World Conference (GM&WC), though the COVID-19 pandemic has required the organization to host the conference virtually in 2020 and 2021. InterPride also owns and awards the licence for the “WorldPride” brand, the international flagship Pride event. These events are hosted by an InterPride member organization who are confirmed through a membership vote, and a vote conducted over the last week awarded San Diego Pride the bid to host in 2023 marking forty years since the conference was last in San Diego.

San Diego Pride hosted the largest CAPI Regional Pride Conference on record in early 2020 with 276 people from 45 cities representing over 50 LGBTQ serving organizations from throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

“Pride has never just been about parades or parties, Pride is about finding and building our strength and safety in numbers. Here at home and across the globe, Pride is both a celebration and movement to push back against systemic legal oppression and social injustice. It is by our collective action we are able to create space for justice with joy, and we are honored to bring that world of meaningful work to our beautiful City.”

“Over the last 9 years, it has been our honor to work alongside San Diego Pride as we connected them with 517 international leaders from 134 countries around the world in hopes of driving positive change through new global relationships. As San Diego Pride brings a world of leaders to our City, we look forward to strengthening our partnership in service to the global LGBTQ community and citizen diplomacy,” said San Diego Diplomacy Council executive director Heidi Knuff.

San Diego’s InterPride Conference is scheduled for October 25 – 29, 2023, and will include local and world leaders, workshops, plenaries, speeches, performances, receptions, and a gala. The conference will also highlight Hillcrest, the heart of San Diego’s LGBTQ community. Having the busiest border crossing in the Western Hemisphere, the conference will also showcase our region’s binational collaboration with Tijuana, Mexico. San Diego Pride will also highlight our 365 model of education, advocacy, community organizing, and philanthropy which is mostly funded by the annual Parade and Festival.

About San Diego Pride

Founded in 1974, San Diego Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally. Learn more at www.sdpride.org.

About InterPride

Founded in 1981, InterPride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Empowering Pride Organizations Worldwide. Learn more at www.interpride.org
Giving Tuesday – Stories of Impact
November 19, 2021 3:14 pm Leave a Comment
Stories from our community.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Being a part of San Diego Pride means tying a part of our identities to this work, and our volunteers understand this best, choosing to give their time freely.

Connor Maddocks (he/him), has been a volunteer since 2004 and shared with us:

Pride has been a huge part of my life for so many years, I don’t know what I’d do without it. When people say it’s a Pride Family, it’s true, you meet so many amazing folks through being a volunteer, and I continue to meet new people that become friends. It’s a community that helps each other out.
The Pride volunteer shirt tells everyone you’re proud to be part of this organization. When we recruit folks, our identity as LGBTQ+ people is rooted in this act of volunteering. We don’t want people to just volunteer, we want to keep them around, we want to empower them to move up in the Stairway to Leadership and keep them as part of the family.
I am so grateful to be part of the Pride family. I’ve gotten much more back than I’ve ever given. It’s been so good for my soul to be surrounded by kind and generous people. I hope I can continue to give back. Having year-round programming lets people outside of our community get to know us in a way that they might not during the Parade and Festival.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

One of our newer volunteers, Derrick Fuqua (he/him), shares what being part of our Pride Family is like.

After moving here in Spring 2019, I stumbled into the Pride office and was excited to find a place to volunteer, after being involved in various LGBT organizations for many years in the South, and in some spaces, either being seen as ‘too Black’ and others ‘not Black enough,” because I’m biracial.
I am thankful that San Diego Pride has given me a community that accepts me, regardless of who I walk into the door with. Be it walking around as an ally at She Fest, or volunteering at booths with Pride, I have always felt welcomed for all that I am.

Derrick Fuqua (he/him)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Content Warning* – LGBTQ Violence

Randy Pittman (he/him) has been volunteering with San Diego Pride since 1998. Randy served in the Navy during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a policy that forced gay, lesbian, and bisexual military service members to hide their sexuality, and he shared how Pride impacted him during that time.

When I was in the Navy and stationed in Japan, a young airman was murdered by one of his shipmates for being gay. I held this experience in, as the murderer was allowed to continue his duty, while I knew that someone like me had been murdered by him.
When I moved to San Diego, a supervisor invited me to the San Diego Pride parade. When I got there, I broke down crying because of the hurt I had experienced and held in. The fear of being scared to be true to myself was released as I saw people celebrating. I walked down the parade and into the festival, where I saw someone with a volunteer shirt. This was in 1997 and they told me to come back to volunteer next year, so I did.”
As a volunteer, and as an LGBTQ person, I want to be a beacon of change. I want to make sure those who are struggling with their identities have a place. Give them a sense of belonging.

Randy, in the center, holding a “PRIDE” fan.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Figuring ourselves out can be confusing, especially if we don’t often have exposure to other folks like us. Jax Elton (he/they), one of our Youth Ambassadors, tells us his story of how they came to be part of San Diego Pride:

I attended the 2019 Youth Leadership Academy (a day-long academy that includes historic context, LGBTQ resource education, organizing skills, and team-building activities) which was an eight hour plus day with queer kids. I didn’t know I was like them until I was there and after an hour or two at YLA, I asked to change my name badge to Jax.
Someone told me, “You’re in a space with queer youth, we all understand figuring ourselves out.”
My entire experience (with San Diego Pride) has taught me so much about myself, LGBTQ+ education, and getting to experience life with other queer kids.

San Diego Pride recognizes that our identities are non-conforming to the rest of society, but the programming reminds us that it’s a good thing for us, to be able to help our communities from intersecting identities. The world tends to see being part of the LGBTQ+ community as a bad quality and San Diego Pride as an organization works to normalize our identity and make community for us as individuals.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

On this #GivingTuesday, consider donating to San Diego Pride, to continue offering opportunities for our LGBTQ+ community to grow as volunteer leaders and have spaces to be their authentic selves.

Donate at mightycause.com/sdpride/
OUT AT THE PARK CELEBRATES RETURN OF LGBTQ NIGHT WITH PADRES, THIS FRIDAY
August 19, 2021 11:17 am Leave a Comment
OUT at the Park, an annual San Diego Pride tradition, returns this Friday when the Padres take on the Philadelphia Phillies. After cancelling 2020’s OUT at the Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are proud to announce the event is completely sold out, with over 6,000 Pride fans ready to celebrate – the largest attendance in our nearly 30-year history of OUT at the Park.

OUT at the Park ticket holders will enjoy a seat in the OUT at the Park section, an official San Diego Padres & Pride commemorative hat, and access to the pre-game VIP space in Park at the Park. $5 of each ticket sale goes back to San Diego Pride’s year-round education and advocacy programs.

Guests will also enjoy the pre-game, family-friendly “Tailgate Party” happy hour event from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (food and drinks not included). The event is in conjunction with CocktailFest and features Black Gay DJ Pur Flo.

“Over the years the Padres have demonstrated their commitment to active allyship in support of the LGBTQ community. Whether it was becoming the first MLB stadium to offer multi-stall gender neutral restrooms for fans, supporting our trans youth who will throw out the first pitch, and so much more; their intentional partnership sends a clear message that LGBTQ people are welcome and belong in athletic spaces,” said Fernando López, executive director, San Diego Pride.

“The Padres relationship with San Diego Pride continues to set an example for MLB, our fans, and all of professional sports,” said Billy Bean, VP & Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. “Their year-round engagement and collaboration is what a partnership is all about. As a former Padre, it brings me great joy to watch the OUT at the Park event and inclusive message grow. It is going to be an amazing night at Petco Park!”

“It’s always a huge honor to be asked to perform the Anthem on my home turf!,” said San Diegan and America’s Got Talent Finalist Brian Justin Crum. “Can’t wait to share the special moment with everyone at OUT at the Park!”

###

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is as follows: Fostering pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org
Spirit of Stonewall Rally Keynote Speaker
August 12, 2021 12:05 pm Leave a Comment
Marcus Bush

Marcus Bush is a proud Father of 2, community activist, and the first openly-LGBTQ councilmember elected in National City, CA.

Marcus grew up in National City and earned his Bachelor of Arts in City Planning from San Diego State University and Master’s in Real Estate Development from Portland State University. Marcus has served in numerous leadership roles in National City including serving on the Civil Service Commission, Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce, President of Rotary Club, and Planning Commission, where he became the youngest Chair in the City’s history at 26.

Marcus has over a decade of experiencing of community activism and work, including working with labor in opposing Prop 8 and supporting the Manchester Grand Hyatt Boycott; working as an urban planner in both the private and public sectors on environmental, transportation, and land use issues; and serving as a Policy Advisor for Councilmember Georgette Gomez, the first openly-queer Latina to serve as Council President for the City of San Diego. Currently, Marcus works as a Project Manager at the MAAC Project, developing affordable housing.

In 2020, Marcus was elected to City Council in his hometown of National City and made history as the first Afro-Latino, first Millennial, and first openly bisexual elected in San Diego County (along with San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chula Vista Elementary School District Trustee Kate Bishop).

Website: https://www.nationalcityca.gov

Facebook: @marcusbushnc

Instagram: @marcusbushnc

Twitter: @MarcusBush_NC

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Marketing Team
12:05 pm Leave a Comment
Alex Villafuerte

Alex Villafuerte (he/him/his) served as the Marketing and Communications Manager at San Diego Pride from 2016 – 2021, working with Marketing and Communications professionals and volunteers to amplify the message of San Diego’s LGBTQ community.

In the five years at San Diego Pride, Alex has spearheaded a number of new programs and events including the Youth Art Show. With several other LGBTQ Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and Desi folks, Alex helped in the creation of the San Diego Queer APIMEDA Coalition in 2018 with the goal of creating a safe and welcoming space designed to foster meaningful discussions and capacity for those living at that intersection.

In 2020, with the help of Pacific Arts Movement Executive Director Kent Lee, Alex helped organize a joint statement with over 70+ API-serving organizations denouncing the xenophobia, racism, and increasing acts of violence towards Asian and Pacific Islander communities. From that response and collaboration organizations and their members worked together during the pandemic to form the San Diego API Coalition whose mission is to facilitate conversations with API communities and advocate for representation by amplifying and cultivating leadership, acting as a hub for API organizations to collaborate, and building a more inclusive and equitable San Diego. Alex currently serves as the co-chair of the coalition. Currently, Alex is also the Director of Communications and Membership for the Asian Business Association San Diego.

In addition to these roles, Alex also serves in the ABC 10News Community Advisory Board, Public Relations Society of America San Diego/Imperial County Diversity Advisory Board, and Social Media Team for InterPride and World Pride. During Alex’s free time, he enjoys spending time with his niece and nephew and staying active with some of his favorite hobbies including yoga, rock climbing, snowboarding, hiking, and surfing (terribly).
Spirit of Stonewall Speaker: Paulo Batista
12:05 pm Leave a Comment
Paulo Batista

Paulo’s outstanding customer service and leadership skills have spanned many different industries, nationwide, from fitness to security to cosmetology, the arts, education and retail. He is now a Target property manager. A 36-year old transgender male, Paulo is a 12 -year fitness athlete and body builder, Paulo trains in the gym as a competitive bodybuilder and has competed in numerous competitions. His passion lies in helping others understand fitness and advocating in simplicity. He also serves as a mentor for trans youth and a fierce transgender activist.

Website: https://transfamilysos.org/

Facebook: TransFamily Support Services

Instagram: @transfamilysos

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Spirit of Stonewall Speaker: Wendy Schlater
12:05 pm Leave a Comment
Wendy Schlater

Wendy Schlater is a 2 Spirit dual citizen of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians and the U.S. In March 2019, Wendy was elected Vice Chairwoman for her Tribe, her third term as an elected tribal leader. Wendy also serves as Program Director of La Jolla’s Avellaka Program addressing safety for Native women on her Reservation. In this capacity, she organized the La Jolla Native Women’s Advisory Committee to host the first annual Inter-Tribal Sexual Assault Awareness Walk in 2010, which continues today traveling from reservation to reservation. One of Wendy’s passions is to assert and utilize tribal sovereignty to bring much needed services to her people.

Wendy is also a member of the San Diego County Sexual Assault Response Team Committee and a Tribal Subcommittee member of the Violence Against Women Act Committee. Wendy is a founding Board member of a non-profit tribal coalition, the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition and the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, for which she currently serves as NIWRC’s Board of Directors’ Treasurer. NIWRC is a national tribal nonprofit dedicated to restoring tribal sovereignty to increase Native women’s safety. Throughout her career, she has advocated for Native LGBTQ/2Spirit youth and adults, tribal youth, health, education, land, environmental issues and safety for Native women, developing innovative ways to create Tribal responses and programs respective of her people’s customs and traditions.

Website: NIWRC.org

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Spirit of Stonewall Speaker: Erica Pinto
12:04 pm Leave a Comment
Erica Pinto

Erica M. Pinto currently serves as Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village of California, one of the 13 tribes of the Kumeyaay Nation who trace their roots back over 12,000 years in San Diego County, California. Her extensive executive experience gives her a sophisticated grasp on even the most complex aspects of tribal governance.

Ms. Pinto has been involved with the JIV Tribal Council since 1997, becoming a Council Member at the age of 21. Serving for more than 23 years on the Council, she was appointed Vice Chair of the Tribal Council in 2008. In 2015, she was the first woman elected Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village, an honor she proudly holds today.

Since becoming Chairwoman, Ms. Pinto has lead JIV through significant economic progress on their path to self-reliance. In April 2016, JIV signed an agreement with San Diego County that cleared the way for a world-class gaming facility to be constructed on their reservation. In August 2016, along with the Tribal Council amended the 1999 compact with California. In October 2016, Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego opened, creating nearly 1,000 permanent jobs for members of the Tribe and the surrounding region. As part of the Tribe’s commitment to self-reliance she was instrumental in negotiating and representing the Tribe with its local agreements that will provide more than $100 million public benefit and safety for the residents of San Diego County. She continues working to expand the Tribe’s land base and increase economic opportunities.

Ms. Pinto is committed to giving back to her community and to future generations of Tribal members. She is co-founder of the Acorn to Oaks tribal program, which organizes activities focused on culture,

youth development, health and fitness, and technology – all designed to help prevent drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, as well as to promote education and family togetherness. She hopes to build pride in future tribal leaders, so they respect their native heritage.

Ms. Pinto’s leadership extends well beyond the JIV. She serves as Vice-President on the board of the Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association. She is Chairwoman of the Board of the Southern Indian Health Council. She sits on the Transportation Committee at SANDAG and is Co-chair of the Interagency Technical Working Group on Tribal Transportation Issues as well as Chairwoman of the Native American Advisory Committee (NAAC). In 2015, she received the Women in Leadership award from the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, in 2020 she received the Warrior Award from the American Indian Chamber of Commerce and was a 2020 Honoree by Discovery Magazine and San Diego International Film Festival as one the Power Women in San Diego.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Ms. Pinto grew up with her three brothers on the Jamul Indian Village reservation and Viejas reservation, where she witnessed the hardships on her people. Her mother, who has been active in Tribal government for several decades, instilled in her the importance of respecting our ancestors and giving back to the Tribe, lessons she carries with her to this day.

Website: jamulindianvillage.com

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Allison Smith
July 13, 2021 10:50 am Leave a Comment
Allison Smith

Allison Smith is a gifted vocalist who has shared the stages with many of Southern California’s most talented musicians. As a San Diego native, she was raised up by the musical theater/show choir community and traveled the states competing. Fresh out of high school, Allison took the opportunity to work with Republic of Music, a band of many talented musicians she still works with now, including Kori Gillis.
A contestant on American Idol in 2011, Allison’s voice and original music is telling her own story. An amalgamation of all the best things Rock, Blues, Country, & Pop have to offer, Allison is taking the world by storm through her vocal prowess and fresh musical take on these tried and true forms.

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
PRIDE ANNOUNCES WEEKEND EVENTS
June 3, 2021 12:10 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride announced today the full lineup of events for 2021 San Diego Pride week July 10–18. Over 20 in-person and virtual events will help our LGBTQ community celebrate Pride all across San Diego County with this year’s theme, Resilient.

San Diego Pride’s board, staff, and year-round program volunteer leaders worked with community partners, sponsors, and small businesses to create unique Pride celebrations that honor the breadth of diversity with options that feel joyful and safe.

For all event details: www.sdpride.org/pride

San Diego Pride Executive Director, Fernando Z. López: “This Pride will be different, but we will still gather, march, rally, mourn, and celebrate. Some of us will feel safe enough to join crowds, some will celebrate with close friends and family at home, and some will tune in from around the world. Pride started as a riot against police violence. Pride is a protest, a celebration, a gasp for air. Pride is our resilient unshackled vibrance gathered, pursuing justice with joy. However you choose to celebrate Pride with us this year, thank you. Your strength, bravery, and fearless queer brilliance carried you and us to brighter days. It is each of you who makes us collectively resilient.”

Viejas Tribal Chairman, John Christman: “Viejas is proud to partner with and support essential community organizations like San Diego LGBT Pride. For years, Pride has provided invaluable services to the San Diego LGBT community, even more so during the recent pandemic. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Pride as its title sponsor for 2021 and to support all of the community services and programs Pride provides.”

San Diego Pride Director of Philanthropy, Sarafina Scapicchio: “We are so grateful for this year’s sponsors who have intentionally invested in this year’s Pride celebration and our organizations so that our staff and volunteers can continue to provide 30+ year-round programs and events for our LGBTQ community during this on-going pandemic. We are especially thankful to the Viejas Band Of Kumeyaay Indians who are long-time sponsors and who stepped up to become our Presenting Sponsors this year.”

Hillcrest Business Association Executive Director, Ben Nicholls: “The Hillcrest business community is extremely excited to welcome folks back to the neighborhood to celebrate Pride in all its forms this July! There are so many exciting events, and so many ways to support Pride and Hillcrest businesses.”

insideOUT General Manager, Paris Quion: As we move forward from challenging times, be proud that we, like many times before, are moving forward together. An inclusive, united, strong, and proud community. We can make it through anything. Happy Pride!”

Event Details:

Pride at the Park: Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 2:00 PM
Viejas Casino & Resort – 5000 Willows Rd., Alpine, CA 91901

Pride: Together Again – Art Exhibition: Friday, July 9, 2021 – 6:00 PM
San Diego Pride – 3620 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104

She Fest: July 10, 2021 – 1:00 PM
Hillcrest Pride Flag – 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Resilient Community March: Sunday, July 11, 2021 – 11:00 AM
Balboa Park – Upas Street & 6th Avenue

Light Up the Cathedral: 7pm, July 14, 2021 – 7:00 PM
St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral – 2728 Sixth AveSan Diego, CA 92103

True Colors Revue: Thursday, July 15, 2021 – Sunday, July 18, 2021 – 7:00 PM
InsideOUT – 1642 University Ave #100, San Diego, CA 92103

Spirit of Stonewall Rally: July 16, 2021 – 6:00 PM
Hillcrest Pride Flag – 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Virtual Pride 5K: Friday, July 16 – Monday, July 19, 2021

Pride Block Party: Friday, July 16 – Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 2:00 PM
Hillcrest Pride Flag – 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Pride Live: July 17, 2021 – 9:00 PM
Online streaming on Facebook and YouTube

Pride Youth Picnic: Saturday, July 17, 2021- 11:00 AM
Pioneer Park, Mission Hills – 1521 Washington Place Mission Hills

San Diego Black Pride: July 17, 2021 – 12:00 PM
Solamar Hotel – 435 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Latinx at Mujeres Brew House: Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 3:00 PM
Mujeres Brew – 1986 Julian Ave, San Diego, CA 92113

Pride Military Pool Party: Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 2:00 PM
Viejas Resort Allure Pool – 5000 Willows Rd, Alpine, CA 91901

Pride at The Hive: Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 4:00 PM
The Hive – 4428 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111

Pride Senior Coffee: Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 9:30 AM
CoffeeNTalk – 1080 University Ave H105, San Diego, CA 92103

Pride at Deja Brew: Sunday, July 18, 2021 – 11:00 AM
Deja Brew – 2528 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

Pride Family Gathering: Sunday, July 18, 2021 – 9:30 AM
San Diego Youth Services – 3845 Spring Dr, Spring Valley, CA 91977

San Diego Loyal – OUT at Event: Saturday, July 24, 2021 – 7:30 PM
Torero Stadium – 5959 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110
PRIDE ANNOUNCES SPIRIT OF STONEWALL AWARDEES
May 27, 2021 12:46 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is proud to announce the 2021 recipients of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. Pride annually accepts nominations from the community to recognize individuals, organizations, and groups who have contributed significantly to the LGBTQ community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts. Awardees will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally and during our Pride Live 2021 livestream event.

This year’s recipients include:
Champion of Pride – Dwayne Crenshaw
Community Grand Marshal – Moe Girton
Stonewall Service Award – San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
Inspirational Relationship – Jamie Arangure & Frannya Tuchman
Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture Award – Matt Morrow
Stonewall Philanthropy Award – The Burgess Family
Community Service – Ana Laura
Light of Pride – Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition
Friend of Pride – County of San Diego Board of Supervisor Chair Nathan Fletcher

This year’s awards include the inaugural Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture Award. The award is named after San Diego Pride’s first Latino co-chair, the late Larry T. Baza. Larry was known as an LGBTQ, art, and intersectional human rights advocate and activist. Baza was a mentor to countless people across generations. Our community lost Larry to COVID-19 earlier this year.

“Since Pride’s first permitted march in 1975, we honor the origins of our movement at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally. Our annual rally weaves together our intergenerational intersectional movement by honoring those who are leading the way and calling our community to action,” said Pride Executive Director Fernando López. “Our LGBTQ community is under attack across this country. Honoring our heroes and connecting ourselves to our history, reminds us all that we are still not equal under the law and drives us to pursue justice with joy.”

The annual Spirit of Stonewall Rally kicks off Pride weekend on Friday, July 16 at 6:00 PM at The Hillcrest Pride Flag (1500 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92103) and commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969, when the LGBTQ community fought back against state-sanctioned police violence and discrimination. Hosted by the Hillcrest Business Association and held in conjunction with the annual Pride of Hillcrest Block Party, this year’s rally will be a scaled back, in-person event and streamed online.

Additional San Diego Pride 2021 details will be announced in June.
Give OUT Day Toolkit
11:34 am Leave a Comment
Let your friends and family know that you’re raising funds for San Diego Pride!

Share these messages on your social media profiles to encourage your friends and family members to donate for Give OUT Day!

Tip:
Don’t hesitate to tag your friends in your post to make sure they see it! If you want, you can add one of these graphics to your post. If you are posting on Instagram, consider posting a video explaining why your friends should give to your campaign. Instead of including the fundraiser link in your post, add it to your Instagram bio, and tell your friends to go there to give.

Social Media Posts
Copy #1
This Give OUT Day, I’m raising $ for San Diego Pride & it would mean a lot to me if you joined me. Engaging in Pride’s programs has connected me to community, found family, and allowed me to be more out and proud. If you can, donate here: www.sdpride.org/giveoutday

Copy #2
For Give OUT Day, I’m raising $ for San Diego Pride. Volunteering with Pride’s programs & events has taught me how to be a leader & how to engage with community on a deeper level. If you can, join me and donate here: www.sdpride.org/giveoutday

Copy #3
Help me celebrate Pride by donating to San Diego Pride’s events and community programs this Give OUT Day! Join me in supporting LGBTQ programs all year long by donating here: www.sdpride.org/giveoutday

Donate Link
www.sdpride.org/giveoutday

Social Media Graphics

Social Media Handles
Facebook: @SanDiegoPride
Twitter: @SanDiegoPride
Instagram: @SanDiegoPride
Friend of Pride
11:33 am Leave a Comment
Friend of Pride: An individual who does not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, but who has stalwartly supported the LGBTQ community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

Nathan Fletcher

Nathan Fletcher is the Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Chair Fletcher is a proud ally to the LGBTQIA+ community and uses his platform as an elected leader to advocate for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ people. While serving in the California State Assembly in 2010, he delivered an impassioned address in support of ending the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and cast a vote to match his speech. During his first year on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2019, Chair Fletcher initiated Shine Bright with Pride in partnership with the County’s LGBT & Allies Employee Resource Group, a celebratory event to kick off Pride Season. He also led a sizable contingent in that year’s parade — honoring the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots — that marched along the parade route with devout enthusiasm for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Also in 2019, Chair Fletcher joined County employees to fly the Pride Flag at the County offices in Kearny Mesa for National Coming Out Day; and in 2020 they flew the Pride Flag high above the County Administration Center (CAC) for the first time. Chair Fletcher also championed the CAC being lit up for Transgender Day of Remembrance and Visibility and coordinated with the San Diego Convention Center to illuminate the Sails Pavillion in pink, blue and white too. Notably, Chair Fletcher was thrilled to have been a part of LGBTQIA+ history in San Diego as the officiant of the first same-sex ceremony to take place in County Chambers. And most recently, to prevent bias and prejudice for all, Chair Fletcher proposed and executed the creation of the County’s current Human Relations Commission and Office of Equity and Racial Justice.

Nathan will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Stonewall Service Award
11:27 am Leave a Comment
Stonewall Service: A group or organization which may or may not identify as LGBTQ but which has stalwartly supported the LGBTQ community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition

The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition is a 501(c)3 organization and is the only Black LGBTQ nonprofit in San Diego. Established in 2015 by a group of Black Queer individuals who noticed both a lack of resources and an absence of a central united space for Black LGBTQ life, the Coalition was established to help provide that space to #ExistBlackly.

Our mission is to build a united front of diverse Black LGBTQ community members for our social, political and economic advancement by forming a central hub for San Diego Black LGBTQ Life. We serve to meet the needs of the community by sharing resources, participating in events, groups, and social events that support a “strong, sustained and connected” Black LGBTQ community.

Over the last year, we have expanded to include creating a resource list of Mental health providers and organizations that serve the Black LGBTQ community. We fostered San Diego’s first Emergency Black Transgender Fund for Transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming individuals who need emergency assistance with housing, food, and access to their gender affirmation care. We are launching our Damon J. Shearer Academic Scholarship Fund to help support Black LGBTQ students receive their education. We started a Transformative Justice Skills Building Group and begun providing anti-Black racism and LGBTQ trainings to partners and other organizations committed to doing the work to establish equity and justice. During the pandemic, we interacted with partners to host events, our Zoom Townhall, our Virtual Engagement Forums and began filming our Black LGBTQ Lives of San Diego documentary to be unleased this summer, even acquiring non-profit status. As we start to see the other side, we have resumed in-person events, helping San Diego Pride with vaccinations to the community and returning to provide a space to bring the Black LGBTQ community together again.

The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Community Service Award
11:25 am Leave a Comment
Community Service: An individual who is recognized as an up-and-coming leader within the LGBTQ community or whose contribution to the community in the past year was of particular significance.

Ana Laura Martinez

Ana Laura Martínez (she/her/ella) was raised in Tijuana and San Diego. Coming from a working-class and immigrant household, she is committed to fighting injustices for her community and family.

While a student at UC San Diego, she was involved in organizing for educational equity, immigration rights, labor, and anti-racist campus measures. She received her undergraduate degrees in Ethnic Studies and History from UCSD and is working on her Master’s degree in Latin American Studies.

As a student, Ana Laura has organized with SEIU-Good Jobs L.A. through the UCLA Labor Center, AFSCME 3299, and UAW 2865, working with various unions in fighting for economic justice. She also worked at UCSD as a teaching assistant, grounding her teaching philosophy on critical thinking, empowering

students to read the world differently, and inciting commitment to social justice outside of the classroom.

She currently works at the Center on Policy Initiative, where she leads the worker justice priorities with partners to ensure worker protections, and manages the Students for Economic Justice (SEJ) Summer Fellowship, a program that aims to build the pipeline of organizers in San Diego to create systemic change.

Outside of her work she has been involved in mutual aid, reproductive justice, and LGBTQIA+ advocacy and organizing. These spaces have been intentional in naming the systems of oppression, uplifting the systemic changes needed for communities to thrive, and creating spaces of learning. Ana Laura is guided by the values of solidarity, of centering Black, People of Color, people with disabilities, trans, nonbinary, queer folks, and deeply believing that another world where all folks are free is possible.

Ana Laura will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Inspirational Relationship
11:21 am Leave a Comment
Inspirational Relationship: Any friendship, familial bond, or intimate relationship whose love, strength, work, and commitment to LGBTQ equality embodies the humanity of our community.

Frannya Tuchman & Jamie Arangure

Jamie Arangure & Frannya Tuchman are a dynamic duo of Latina women (and best friends) who currently serve as Directors of Proyecto Trans Latina. Through their inspirational friendship they have co-created safe spaces like support groups where Latinx trans women can find resources and advocacy for many years. They have recently celebrated the opening of a physical office space Proyecto Trans Latina which aims to provide legal assistance, professional development, and health support to San Diego’s transgender community.

They can often be found helping transgender women file their name change paperwork, passport paperwork, and update their birth certificates. Moreover, their famous posole dinners, game nights, and social events add a vital spirit of “familia” for community members without the support of their own families. Beyond their direct service to the community, they have also begun to advocate on a large scale. They have been instrumental in organizing a convening of TransLatina leaders from across the US to hold crucial dialogues on systematic issues impacting transgender women including immigration, HIV, and employment discrimination and find viable solutions for improving the standard of living of their local transgender Latinx community members. San Diego Pride is thrilled to recognize them both as our “Inspirational Relationship” this year!

Frannya & Jamie will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Champion of Pride Award
11:17 am Leave a Comment
Champion of Pride | Dwayne Crenshaw

Champion of Pride: An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBTQ community over an extended period of years with consideration to service to San Diego Pride.

Dwayne Crenshaw

Dwayne is a native San Diegan and lifelong resident of southeastern San Diego. His deep knowledge of San Diego’s neighborhoods and his community activism, which began at the age of thirteen, are invaluable in his role as a nonprofit and community leader. As President & CEO of The Humanity Movement, Dwayne Crenshaw is responsible for the organization’s effective management and operation on a day-to-day basis and leads the teams policy development and advocacy work.

He previously served as CEO and Co-Founder of RISE San Diego from 2014 to 2020, as the executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride from 2011 to 2013 and the Coalition of Neighborhood Councils from 2005 to 2009, where he advanced issues of community development and social justice. From 2000 to 2004, he promoted resident ownership of neighborhood change in southeastern San Diego as the director of community ownership at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation. San Diego Metropolitan Magazine has named Dwayne Crenshaw as one of “San Diego’s Smartest Young Professionals – 40 under 40.”

Prior to his roles in nonprofit management, Dwayne Crenshaw had eight years of government experience as an aide to state and local elected officials, including former California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. Dwayne Crenshaw began his public service career as one of eighteen James M. Unruh Assembly Fellows who are chosen from hundreds of applicants each year to serve in the California state capitol. Dwayne Crenshaw’s community service has included membership with the Southeast Rotary Club and participation on boards for San Diego State; Lincoln, High Tech and Hoover High Schools; the San Diego Union-Tribune; UC San Diego’s Chancellor; the San Diego Community College District; San Diego’s Chief of Police; The Committed Collective; Harmonium, Inc; Torrey Pines Bank; and, Encanto Neighborhoods Community Planning Group.

He graduated from San Diego State University in 1994 where he majored in elementary education and was elected student body president of the 35,000-student campus. While working in the state capitol, he completed the coursework for a master’s in government from California State University, Sacramento. In 2011, he received his juris doctorate from California Western School of Law, where he twice earned the highly-coveted Distinguished Advocate recognition.

Dwayne Crenshaw resides in the Encanto community of southeastern San Diego. He is a proud dog dad and the active uncle of five nieces, four nephews, and two great-nieces and enjoys regular dinners with his entire immediate family at his parent’s home.

Dwayne will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture Award
11:08 am Leave a Comment
Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture Award – Matt Morrow

Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture Award: (Inaugural) A visual or performing artist or organization who elevates the LGBTQ community in service of education, advocacy, visibility, justice, and joy. This award is in honor of the legacy of Larry T. Baza.

Matt Morrow

Since joining the organization in 2014, Matt has helped to grow Diversionary Theatre’s operating budget by 100%. Under their leadership the theatre has been nominated for 29 San Diego Critics Circle Awards, winning two Outstanding New Play Awards in 2017 and 2019. Alongside Diversionary’s Board of Trustees, Matt led the Securing Our Future campaign, a $2.5 million renovation project for the theatre’s home in University Heights, slated to reopen early Fall 2021.

Notable productions Matt has directed and/or produced with Diversionary include the 20th Anniversary production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Winner, 2019 Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, SDCC Award), Miranda Rose Hall’s The Hour of Great Mercy (Winner, 2019 Best New Play, SDCC Award), the World Premiere of Gordon Leary and Julia Meinwald’s musical The Loneliest Girl in the World, Georgette Kelly’s Ballast (Winner, 2017 Best New Play, SDCC Award), Justin Huertas’ Lizard Boy The Musical (Winner, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical).

Prior to joining Diversionary Theatre, Matt was the Associate Artistic Director of City Theatre Company, a LORT theatre in Pittsburgh. With City she developed and directed the World Premiere of Tami Dixon’s South Side Stories (Pittsburgh Post Gazette & Tribune Review’s Top Ten of 2012, and Post Gazette’s Performer of the Year).

Matt was a Creative Catalyst Fellow with The San Diego Foundation and La Jolla Playhouse. She has developed new work with The Sundance Theatre Institute, The Old Globe, The Banff Centre, Center Theatre Group, American Conservatory Theater, Lincoln Center, PlayPenn, and Page 73 Productions. She served as The John Wells Professor of Directing at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama (Graduate & Undergraduate Directing programs), and is currently adjunct Professor of Directing for UCSD’s Graduate Directing program. She holds a BFA in Directing from Carnegie Mellon University.

Matt will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Community Grand Marshal
11:04 am Leave a Comment
Community Grand Marshal: An individual or group that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBTQ community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

Moe Girton

Moe Girton started her career in 2000, where she started as a door girl/security and bar back at The Flame; eventually working her way up to Bartender and Manager. She also was named Miss Gay San Diego in 2003. The Flame sold in 2004, and she transitioned to be a part of the opening team with Baja Betty’s. Over the years, she grew within the company and eventually opened up the World Famous Women’s Bar Gossip Grill, becoming a partner in the MO’s Universe Restaurant Group and a pillar for the community. Highly accredited, Gossip has gone forward and achieved new heights, winning the Nicky Award for Bar of the year in 2019, the first time for a Women’s Bar. She is passionate about putting values first and continues to provide a safe space for Women & the LGBTQ+ Community. This is her chosen family and tribe.

Moe has received 6 Nicky awards including Business Woman of the Year in 2017 and has been featured in numerous documentaries and magazines including OUT, The Advocate, and Curve Magazine. She competed in a reality show called Barmageddon, where she came out on top as the winner. Moe believes in the importance of giving back, being an activist, and standing up for what you believe in. She has always been an active member of her community and has used her platform to help raise awareness and money for a variety of nonprofits and fundraisers; donating and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.

12 years and a few more restaurants later, Moe, along with her business partners, are now opening another Female Forward space; Barrel & Board, a next-level Restaurant & Bar. Moe and the MO’s Universe family has teamed up with organizations such as The Center, San Diego Pride, HRC, and Red Dress Project to provide funds, time, space, and, of course, FUN for our community.

Website: www.gossipgrill.com
Facebook: Gossipgrill
Instagram: @Gossipgrill

Moe will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.
Stonewall Philanthropy
10:49 am Leave a Comment
Stonewall Philanthropy Award- The Burgess Family

Stonewall Philanthropy: A group, organization, or individual which may or may not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, but which has diligently raised funds to support the LGBTQ community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

Burgess Family

The Burgess Family exemplifies the spirit of the Philanthropy Award because the entire family has given generously of their time, talent, and treasure in some way to support San Diego Pride’s youth programs over the last few years. Shelley and Dave are award-winning educators whose highly respected work focuses on building leadership capacity of teachers and motivating hard-to-reach students.

Together, they run Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. a company which has authored the New York Times Best-Selling “Teach Like A Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator.” Throughout their careers they have been positive change makers and allies to the LGBTQ community publishing books such as “Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices” and “It’s Okay to say They: Tips for Educator Allies of Transgender and Nonbinary Students.” Their enthusiastic support of San Diego Pride’s Youth programming was inspired by their child’s Fin’s positive engagement and has allowed San Diego Pride to grow the programs available to LGBTQ youth and even sustain virtual programs through the extended pandemic. Their child Fin Burgess (he/they) has worked their way up to become a Youth Ambassador with San Diego Pride and helped so many LGBTQ youth feel safe and validated their identity in their leadership role. Fin has given countless hours of support to youth through the COVID-19 pandemic that are just coming out, facing unsupportive and sometimes abusive family members, or just struggling with school as a Peer Outreach team member.

Moreover, their willingness to openly share their family’s story of love, acceptance, and togetherness with our community through interviews and live streams over the past few years has enabled other families to learn and become more understanding of the struggles of their own LGBTQ children.

The Burgess Family will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Light of Pride
10:46 am Leave a Comment
Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition

Light of Pride: Presented by St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral and San Diego Pride, the Light of Pride award seeks to recognize religious and community organizations that have made significant contributions to the LGBT Community.

Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition

The Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, a non-profit, nongovernmental tribal coalition has been providing services and advocacy for women and 2SLGBTQ people. Giving voice to the marginalized and believing that love should not hurt, the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition brings awareness against sexual assault and domestic violence in San Diego Indian Country. Their focus is to assist in the essential change needed to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault by working to improve systemic and community responses to Native American women, their families, and their community.

Native Relatives from the Indian reservations of Rincon, Pauma, Mesa Grande, Santa Ysabel, La Jolla, San Pasqual, Los Coyotes, Pala, and Inaja/Cosmit, Cahuilla, Soboba, San Manuel, Morongo, Torres Martinez, Jamul Indian Village, make-up their membership

We honor our ancestors by advocating for their families by promoting safety and a traditional non-violent lifestyle. Working towards empowering our relatives with the tools for independence, courage, and a strong direction to make healthy life choices for Themselves and their families. Additionally, the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition values and honors the traditions of the Two-Spirit LGBTQ indigenous people.

The Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition offers the following services: Kiicha shelter, crisis intervention, safety planning, emergency food and clothing, and training and education for professionals and the community.

You can learn more about the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition at strongheartednativewomen.org

The Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 16, 2021. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the event here.
Pierce Fulton
May 6, 2021 1:50 pm Leave a Comment
In 2015, San Diego Pride invited American DJ and record producer Pierce Fulton to join our lineup at the San Diego Pride Festival. A great ally to the community, Pierce and friends had a great set that closed out Saturday night which included one of our most iconic and widely used pictures to date.

Pierce Fulton holding up a Pride flag at the 2015 San Diego Pride Festival

Pierce went on to join us for a second year at the 2016 Pride Festival always ready to support the LGBTQ and San Diego community.
In 2020, Pierce joined us again but this time virtually to send a message of Pride and hope to our community as we reimagined what Pride looked like in a pandemic. He also recounted his time at San Diego Pride.

Pierce Fulton’s 2020 Pride message

On Monday, May 3, 2021, Pierce’s brother Griff let the community know that we lost Pierce following a tragic struggle with his mental health. The San Diego Pride team extends our most heartfelt and deepest condolences to Pierce Fulton’s family and friends.

“Pierce Fulton is part of our San Diego Pride Family and I’m so grateful for the time we spent together celebrating Pride through music. His memory will live on through his music. My heart goes out to his family and friends during this difficult time.” – San Diego Pride Entertainment Director Gardenia Partridge

Pierce Fulton and Gardenia Partridge at the 2016 Pride Festival

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please know that you’re not alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support.
• For youth: Trevor Project – 866-488-7386 (lifeline) or Text START to 678-678
• For trans folks, by trans folks: Trans Lifeline – 877-565-8860
• For everyone: Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 800-273-8255
Statement Regarding the Derek Chauvin Guilty Verdicts
April 20, 2021 2:55 pm Leave a Comment
Today’s guilty verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020 is an important step in the fight for racial justice. We are grateful that some justice has been served for George Floyd and his family. We honor and uplift the legacy of movement building work that led to this moment, and are hopeful that today’s verdict signifies a shift for our nation that we may all build upon. San Diego Pride stands in solidarity with our Black community, friends, and families as we continue this fight for true justice and safety for all people.

To be clear, this verdict does not bring back George Floyd. Nor does it bring back Daunte Wright, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, or any of the Black folks that have been killed by police.

This country’s promise of liberty and justice for all has not yet been met. Black and brown folks in the United States deserve so much more than our current system provides. San Diego Pride remains committed to engaging in the work to end discrimination and systemic injustice locally, nationally, and globally.
Transgender Day of Empowerment Toolkit
April 1, 2021 12:53 pm Leave a Comment
- Shareable Graphic
Share the watch link:
- Facebook
- YouTube
Suggested social media copy:
Feel free to edit for your organization’s brand voice and tone. For questions, email [email protected]

General long form (Instagram & Facebook)
I’m celebrating transgender excellence on Friday, April 2 at 6PM for the San Diego Transgender Day of Empowerment livestream which includes the announcement of the 7th Annual Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship Fund recipients. Join me by watching the livestream and donate to next year’s fund here: www.sdpride.org/tdoe

General short form (Twitter)
I’m celebrating transgender excellence on Friday, April 2 at 6PM for the San Diego Transgender Day of Empowerment livestream. Join me by watching the livestream and donate to next year’s fund here: www.sdpride.org/tdoe
San Diego Pride Announces 2021 Adaptations
March 30, 2021 1:37 pm Leave a Comment

After months of planning and consideration, San Diego Pride recognizes that in 2021 there is still no certain path to safely produce Pride events at the same immense scale we did prior to the pandemic. Instead, San Diego Pride will host a virtual streaming Pride Live event that can be viewed safely from home and will also produce a number of smaller, COVID-19 compliant, and scalable in-person satellite events across San Diego County to allow us the ability to adapt to the changing state of public health guidance while allowing our community to participate in the ways they feel most supported and safe.

San Diego Pride’s staff and year-round program volunteer leaders will team up with our community partners, sponsors, and small businesses to produce or promote unique Pride celebrations in COVID-19 compliant venues. These live streaming and in-person events will celebrate San Diego’s many distinct LGBTQ communities in ways that uplift diverse cultural identities and experiences.

“I appreciate the care that San Diego Pride is taking to ensure the safety of our LGBTQ community for this year’s Pride celebration. While I am filled with hope that we are making progress against the COVID-19 pandemic, we must still take the necessary precautions to protect one another. It was my pleasure to participate in last year’s virtual Pride event, and I look forward to celebrating with you all again, in the safest way we can,” said Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins

“I appreciate San Diego Pride’s resiliency and adaptability in this moment. It is a testament to the strength of our LGBTQ+ community that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, we can still find ways to be proud and celebrate each other,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “San Diego Pride is doing exactly that as they work to honor our annual celebration in ways that are safe and meaningful.”

For decades, San Diego Pride has brought together hundreds of thousands of people to celebrate, mourn, and protest while raising millions of dollars to support the LGBTQ community locally, nationally, and globally. In 2020, COVID-19 stripped away funding and completely changed the way San Diego Pride served our community. Our community could not meet in person, yet Pride virtually reached more than 700,000 people, more people than ever before.

“I applaud San Diego Pride for their diligent and thoughtful efforts to create a virtual gathering space for the community while also standing by for health guidance on public gatherings,” said San Diego City Council President Dr. Jen Campbell. “Whether online or in person, I hope you will participate in San Diego Pride 2021!”

San Diego Pride and our partners have been in constant communication with local, state, and federal elected offices and public health officials who have helped us make the determination that while the state of allowance for public gatherings, COVID-19 guidance, and infection rates are improving with vaccine rollouts, there is much about the future that is still uncertain. This measured approach to reopening allows us and our over 500 partner groups, companies, and institutions to adjust to the changing guidelines and public health status in ways that feel best and safest to them while still celebrating Pride.

“San Diego Pride is a pillar of the community and continues to advance equality and dignity for all LGBTQ people,” said California State Assemblymember Chris Ward. “I applaud San Diego Pride for taking steps in prioritizing the health and safety of San Diegans and our entire region. I’m looking forward to this year’s virtual event as well as attending in-person Prides in the future.”

Pride Event Details:
The details such as time, location, capacity, and entertainment content for Pride 2021’s limited-capacity in-person events will be announced the first week of June. If public health guidance allows, capacity at these events may increase as the date of each event approaches.

She Fest: July 10, 2021
Annual LGBTQ+ woman-centered event that celebrates and supports the talents and contributions of women.

Light Up the Cathedral: 7pm, July 14, 2021
Annual LGBTQ Interfaith Celebration in partnership with St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral.

Spirit of Stonewall Rally: 6pm, July 16, 2021
Annual Rally honoring our movement’s origins, celebrating those who are leading the way, and calling our community to action around some of our most pressing issues.

Virtual Pride 5K: Date Range TBA
Annual Run/Walk hosted by San Diego Front Runners & Walkers raising funds for San Diego Pride and the Sunburst Youth Housing Project.

Pride Live: July 17, 2021
Our second virtual Pride celebration showcasing our community organizations, volunteers, leaders, elected officials, businesses, and entertainers that make Pride possible every year.

Pride Community Events: July 17-18, 2021
Smaller, diverse in-person community Pride celebrations spread across San Diego County.

“I support Pride’s difficult decision to modify this year’s festival in the interest of public safety. I know how much our community, myself included, look forward to it every year. I am excited for next year when we can all gather together in-person again; there will be even more to celebrate,” said Nathan Fletcher, Chair, Board of Supervisors, County of San Diego.

“I am forever grateful to each and every volunteer, donor, staff and board member, elected official, community member, small business, and sponsor who not only stayed with us but actually leaned in and stepped up their support during the most challenging and traumatic years in generations. It is each of them, each of you, who lifts up our community and makes Pride possible. Your individual strength, brilliantly diverse creativity, and unstoppable drive keep our community and our movement resilient,” said Fernando Z. López, Executive Director. “San Diego Pride, each of us, and all of humanity need to heal from the toll COVID-19 has taken on all of us. That will take time. While I know that this year’s Pride events may again look different, next year’s Pride will be a massive unforgettable celebration.”
Hate Crime in Oceanside
January 27, 2021 12:08 pm Leave a Comment
Press Release sent on behalf of: North County LGBTQ Resource Center

Hate Crime in Oceanside

While enjoying a meal at a local Oceanside restaurant on November 24, 2020, a 41-year-old, openly gay man was stabbed three times in a violent attack that nearly killed him. The attacker was unknown to the victim and the attack itself was entirely unprovoked. The victim, “Geremias Martin” was simply enjoying a meal with his friends- another gay man and a transgender woman- and none of them had any exchange of any kind with the attacker preceding the attack, and the attacker did not steal or rob the victim. The only apparent motive was hatred of LGBTQ+ people.

Upon reviewing closed circuit camera footage of the attack, Oceanside Police were able to identify the attacker, and he was someone previously known to them. Based on the evidence available, witness accounts, and the severity of the attack, charges of Attempted Murder were filed, but the suspect subsequently fled the country and has not yet been apprehended.

In situations where a violent crime has been perpetrated against a person, a fund, managed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, is available to support that victim of crime while they recover. This fund is designed to assist victims with things like medical costs, relocation expenses, mental health services, and loss of income, among other things. Unfortunately, the reality is that accessing the funds and services, especially when one is a recent victim or is still recovering from injuries received in a criminal attack, is slow, tedious, and full of red tape.

Nearly 2 months have passed since this violent hate crime occurred and “GM” is still left unable to work, in need of physical and emotional support, and at risk of becoming homeless at no fault of his own.

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center denounces this hate crime and attack and stands in solidarity with “GM” to make sure justice is done and the attacker is found and held accountable for their crimes. The Center has stepped in to support “GM” with essential needs like rent, food, and emotional support services, but our resources are limited. The nature of “GM’s” injuries mean he won’t be able to return to work for months. He has no family to lean on during his recovery and the risk of homelessness is significant.

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center is now speaking publicly about this crime. While initially respecting OPD’s request for silence regarding this incident (to avoid any potential interference with their investigation), after two months of official silence we now feel the community of Oceanside and its citizens need to be made aware that hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community continue to occur, and we need to condemn them together and insist that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center calls upon the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to promptly assist “GM” through the Victims Assistance Program with funds to assist with medical care, housing, transportation and other vital needs to make sure that “GM” can be properly cared for and heal without losing of his home.

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center also calls upon the San Diego County District Attorney to file this attack as a Hate Crime. The evidence of the case is clear- this crime was a hateful attack against a member of our community. While the law requires “intent by a perpetrator to show or vocalize the reason for an attack,” even with the absence of these acts, the reality of the attack is clear. Unfortunately, too often, law enforcement and the justice department use the lack of clear hate speech during the commission of a crime as a reason NOT to file hate crime charges, resulting in lower sentences and an overall loss of trust in the criminal justice system for victims and the community at large. Therefore, we also encourage legislators to eliminate this loophole in the law with clear, simple language that removes some of the discretion that allows obvious hate crimes to be diminished by those charged with protecting all of us.

Lastly, the North County LGBT Resource Center is sharing and supporting the GoFundMe that Geremias M. has created to quickly provide relief.
Pride to Distribute $10,000 in Groceries and Gifts
December 16, 2020 3:27 pm Leave a Comment
SAN DIEGO, CA (December 16, 2020) – Thanks to a generous donation from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and a Nourishing Neighbors grant from the Albertsons Companies Foundation, San Diego Pride will be distributing over $10,000 in groceries and gifts to LGBTQ community members in need.

Distribution will take place at the San Diego Pride office located in North Park (3620 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104) on Saturday, December 19, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

A call to pre-register was sent to LGBTQ community members in early December with a portion of the grocery gift bags reserved for LGBTQ seniors.

“Through seemingly impossible circumstances LGBTQ San Diegans and our allies continue to work together to meet the challenges of our time,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director, Fernando Z López. “With COVID rates dramatically on the rise and hope resting clearly on the horizon, every little bit we can do to support each other through to the other side of this pandemic will be critical to long term stability of our community and movement.”

“We are so proud to be able to make a second round of grocery relief to LGBTQ community members who have been negatively impacted by this on-going pandemic,” said San Diego Pride Director of Philanthropy Sarafina Scapicchio. Even in this difficult year, when we were unable to bring the community together in-person, our LGBTQ community has proven we can still take care of each other. Whether it is distributing groceries, masks and PPE, or scholarships or just connecting virtually, San Diego Pride’s staff and volunteers will continue to be of service.”

Despite operating at a loss in 2020, San Diego Pride was able to continue its philanthropic giving this year by distributing $56,500 in direct aid with the help of sponsors, grants, and community donations.

San Diego Pride works to return proceeds from the annual Pride week to the LGBTQ community through philanthropic giving, sponsorships, and event support. Since 1994, community contributions have well exceeded 3 million dollars.

Media Contacts:

Alex Villafuerte, Marketing & Communications Manager, [email protected]

Media Kit: https://sdpride.org/mediakit/

###

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is as follows: Fostering pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org
Top 20 of 2020
12:45 pm Leave a Comment
The full impacts and implications of everything we have collectively endured in 2020 will be felt for years to come. Our 2020 theme, Together We Rise, was intended to remind us all that in a world that can often feel divided, our community is stronger together. I know that, together, we answered that call.

Through seemingly impossible circumstances our organization, community, and movement, met the challenges of our time. With hope resting clearly on the horizon, I invite you to take a look at all we accomplished together through our collective queer excellence, innovation, and resilience.

1. CAPI
We kicked off the year by hosting over 276 people from 45 cities representing over 50 LGBTQ serving organizations from throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada for the annual Pride conference, CAPI! Organizers shared resources and best practices, while forging new friendships and partnerships to further the movement.

San Diego CAPI 2020 Attendees

2. COVID-19 Response
Our community is no stranger to being resourceful and banding together in times of crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic is no different. We saw LGBTQ resiliency shine through as our staff and volunteers answered the call to provide masks to LGBTQ seniors, grocery relief to employees from LGBTQ owned businesses, and brought all our programs to virtual spaces. We also created a COVID-19 resource page with specific LGBTQ competent health, civic, and community resources.

Former San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez delivering masks to North Park Seniors Apartment

3. Denouncing xenophobia
Our San Diego Queer APIMEDA Coalition led the charge and put out a joint statement with over 80 local Asian Pacific Islander organizations denouncing xenophobia, racism, and increasing acts of violence towards API communities. This united front led to many milestones within the API community including Human Relation Commission appointments and the creation of the San Diego API Coalition which acts as a hub for API Organizations to collaborate and connect.

CBS8 Recap of the API Press Conference following the release of the joint statement.

4. Going virtual
To keep our community connected and safe, we moved all of our events and programming into virtual spaces including San Diego Pride weekend where we highlighted our amazing community and told their stories. Throughout the year we spoke to community leaders, LGBTQ artists, and elected officials to discuss important topics that matter to our community. We even played bingo and hosted a resume workshop. Rewatch 2020 livestreams here. In 2020, Pride’s virtual programming reached over 750,000 viewers!

Vibe with Pride: Mila Jam

5. Healing & Safety
In June, San Diego Pride released a plan to chart a course forward to better address the public safety needs of our LGBTQ community and to hold law enforcement agencies accountable for bias in policing that disproportionately harms our transgender, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community members. We honor the progress that has been made, and recognize that some in our community have been left behind. Learn more about our Path to Healing & Safer Communities plan which intentionally centers BIPOC LGBTQ San Diegans. Please take our LGBTQ+ Healing & Safer Communities Survey to help inform this critical work.

Call to Action! Make your voice heard by taking our survey.

6. San Diego LGBTQ LatinX Coalition
The San Diego LGBTQ Latinx Coalition increased their efforts to create intentional virtual space for Latinx community members to stay connected, create new friends, and advocate for their community. They also commemorated the Pulse Orlando Shooting by setting up an altar at the Pride office and held a virtual event where Latinx community leaders read the names of those we lost & discuss how that event has affected them personally.

7. Global Pride
The Pride movement was hit hard by the pandemic with almost every Pride celebration being cancelled worldwide. Pride organizers got together and spent months creating Global Pride, a 27-hour virtual celebration. San Diego Pride lent staff resources to assist with entertainment, marketing, and outreach. Global Pride took place on June 27, reaching a worldwide audience of 57,050,978 viewers in at least 163 countries, making it the largest LGBTQ event to-date.

Recap of Global Pride 2020 by Todrick Hall

8. Title VII – Local & National
On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 that existing federal law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. San Diego Pride staff and volunteers assisted with the local and national coordinated responses to this historic ruling built on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and had speakers at both events. The virtual national and local rallies can still be viewed online. While our community still does not have full equal protection under the law and you can learn more about our work on the Equality Act here.

National #DecisionDay Rally

9. Queer the Census / Get Out the Vote
San Diego Pride worked hard to make sure every eligible LGBTQ and allied voter was counted in the census and made their voices heard by voting in 2020! With the help of our Civic Engagement Coordinator, Pride made nearly 60,000 voter outreach attempts turning out thousands of LGBTQ supporters out to the polls. Stay up to date on our voting efforts here.

10. She Fest
Our LGBTQ womxn-led She Fest committee kept their programs going with events like virtual meet-ups, comedy hours, and, as always, kicked off Pride week with their annual event. Over 21,000 folks tuned in making it the most attended She Fest! Shortly after, the She Fest committee also joined forces with other women-centered organizations to put on SQ:UAD!

Watch She Fest here!

11. Interfaith Organizing
Members of the DevOUT Coalition started the year by having an online roundtable discussion titled Reconciling Faith & Queer Identities where DevOUT Co-Chair Brandan Robertson was joined by LGBTQ interfaith leaders. Our annual Light Up the Cathedral event with St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral focused on the intersections of the LGBTQ community and the fight to end anti-Black racism and violence. Watch the full event below!

12. Spirit of Stonewall Rally
The Spirit of Stonewall Rally is a time to recognize and honor leaders who are working hard to preserve our gains and meet the many challenges still facing our community. This year we had the opportunity to reimagine how we told these stories and created the Spirit of Stonewall series; an online discussion where we heard from each Spirit of Stonewall awardee to learn what drives their activism. The rally was still held on the Friday before Pride weekend where we continued to honor our awardees, heard from inspiring speakers including Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber, and raised the Pride flag over Hillcrest.

Watch the full rally here.

13. Making Healthy Strides
This year we had two runs that folks could take part in virtually; the Pride 5K and the national Pride Stride. Front Runners and Walkers of San Diego kept with tradition and held the annual Pride 5K during Pride week all while raising money for San Diego Pride and the San Diego LGBT Community Center. In October, as part of National Coming Out Day, Prides throughout the United States hosted Pride Stride! Both runs came with great running swag so participants can sport their swag all year long!

Team Options for All participating in Pride Stride 2020

14. Pride Live 2020
After months of planning, we debuted Pride Live 2020 on Saturday, July 18, 2020. The 7-hour live event, featured historic stories of resilience, local LGBTQ groups from grassroots activists to employee ERGS, and talented queer excellence ranging from local to international performing artists right into your living rooms. Watched by over 300,000 people, Pride Live 2020 showcased the many facets of our community that bring us Pride and are worth celebrating. Catch a few of the segments below!

Local drag queen, community leader, and business woman Paris Sukomi Max performs during Pride Live

Community leader and businessman Chris Shaw shares a story of resilience during Pride Live 2020

15. MeTooLGBTQ
Originally held in May, the #MeTooLGBTQ Conference was postponed until October so that the committee could strategize and move the program to virtual spaces. The third annual #MeTooLGBTQ Conference was able to reach more community members and service providers and featured keynote speaker Jaden Fields of Mirror Memoirs, an art as advocacy workshop, a youth track, and more! Follow them on Instagram to stay up-to-date on upcoming 2021 plans.

16. Youth Leaders
Our youth leaders started 2020 by traveling to Dallas for Creating Change where they led a workshop on how to create youth-led programming and led that same workshop at our CAPI Conference. When the pandemic forced schools to close, many LGBTQ and questioning students were stuck at home and in possibly unsupportive households, so our youth leaders created more opportunities for students to connect with Pride Youth Power Hours being available during the school week and the Pride Youth Collective happening every second Saturday of the month. Our annual Youth Leadership Academy was virtual this year, adding a parent/caregiver track for the first time. Our keynote speaker was YouTube celebrity and transgender activist, Miles McKenna, and every YLA attendee was gifted a copy of McKenna’s new book! Stay up to date on our youth programs here.

17. Transgender Excellence
Although we weren’t able to have the annual in-person Transgender Day of Empowerment event, founder Tracie Jada O’Brien was still able to honor transgender excellence through the virtual San Diego Transgender Day of Empowerment Honors. In addition, the hard-working Trans Day of Empowerment committee raised enough funds to award 33 Tracie Jada O’Brien Trans Student Scholarships to deserving trans students. Want to help out next year’s cohort of scholars? Donate here!

Watch San Diego Transgender of Empowerment Honors here!

18. Drag Queen Pumpkins
With the loss of Halloween community events, we put out an open call for Drag Queen Pumpkins as part of a spooky contest! Folks submitted their best drag queen pumpkins and community members voted on which gourd-geous pumpkin got to take home the crown. We’re looking forward to making this an annual tradition!

Check out these gorgeous drag queen pumpkins!

19. Volunteers Get It Done!
What makes Pride special is that it is built by and for our community and 2020 would not have been possible without volunteers donating their time, talent, and treasure to the organization. This year we created the Pride Ambassador program as a way for community members, small businesses, and employee resource groups to support our year-round education and advocacy programs. Learn more about the ambassador program here and register as a volunteer here.

Congratulations to our 2020 Volunteers of the Year!

20. Culture of Philanthropy
In a typical year, profits from our Pride Festival are turned into a Community Grants. Since 1994 we’ve given out over $3 Million to LGBTQ serving organizations making us the most philanthropic Pride in the world. Despite not having our biggest fundraiser of the year and operating at a loss in 2020, San Diego Pride was still able to continue our philanthropic giving this year by distributing $56,500 in direct aid to local LGBTQ community members with the help of volunteers, staff, board, sponsors, grants, and community donations. Our theme for 2020 was Together We Rise and we know that as a community we answered that call, showed our resilience, and sustained our culture of philanthropy.

2020 Grocery Relief Fund: Thank you essential workers!

Without our biggest fundraising event of the year, the only way we can continue this meaningful work is with support from our community. Please join us by participating in our culture of philanthropy and consider making an end of year gift or becoming a sustaining monthly support of Pride here. Thank you for all of your support and another meaningful year of Pride.
A Pathway to Healing & Safety
December 10, 2020 10:31 am Leave a Comment
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the elevated movement for Black lives, we all engaged more deeply at this moment in our nation’s history to examine our unique organizational practices and policies with the goal of centering the lives of BIPOC people.

We all recognize that the incredible progress in our LGBTQ movement has also been uneven and that BIPOC people have been left out of many advances in formal equality. We see this in poverty rates, access to education, housing, health care, HIV, and suicide rates. Our BIPOC siblings have long been calling on LGBTQ+ organizations and leaders to do more to address the white supremacy and anti-Black racism that form the basis of so many systems of power. This includes enacting policies regarding law enforcement that these communities have long advocated for.

While these relationships are reexamined, for regional LGBTQ organizations like the North County LGBTQ Center and San Diego Pride, our direct partnerships and cultural competency training with law enforcement agencies continue as a harm reduction strategy for LGBTQ folks who both work within and who find themselves interacting with law enforcement agencies.

The principles of transformative justice call on us to believe in individuals’ abilities to transform and to hold people accountable for the harm that has been done. The data is indisputable: law enforcement agencies have harmed our Black and brown LGBTQ+ siblings and have also harmed our LGBTQ+ siblings with disabilities. In fulfilling our organizational mission related to addressing injustice and bias, we must hold these agencies and ourselves accountable.

Our recent decisions, long advocated for by many LGBTQ+ BIPOC folks both within and outside of our organizations, are vital steps in the continuum of holding these agencies accountable and represent years of dialogue and thoughtful action.

Our accountability work does not stop at any of our LGBTQ organizations’ decisions or statements. We are in a movement, a continuum. We acknowledge that addressing and dismantling white supremacy and anti-Black racism, principles that still form the basis of the United States, is not easy. It is not comfortable. It is also not optional.

We call on our community to join us in this reflective and active work to dismantle white supremacy and anti-Black racism in all its forms and thank you for your compassion as we undertake this challenging journey together. Our goal is to heal and build safer communities for all. We hope you will join us in that work. Together We Rise.

In Solidarity,

Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride

P.S. Please take a few minutes to complete our Healing and Safer Communities Survey to help Pride identify policy reform recommendations and understand the best path forward for our organization’s relationships with law enforcement agencies.
Healing and Safer Communities – Community Update, November 23, 2020
November 23, 2020 2:21 pm Leave a Comment
In the proposal and plan we released in June, we outlined 4 steps. Step 1 has been completed, and the remaining 3 steps are in progress:

Step 1
Law enforcement agencies will no longer have contingents in the San Diego Pride Parade or booths in our Pride Festival. This may be reassessed after the completion of Step 4. Completed, June 2020

Step 2
The City of San Diego will recognize the San Diego Pride Parade as a free speech event and no longer bill the organization for road closures and safety. Proposed to Mayor in June 2020, not adopted by City or Mayor.

Step 3 (page 7)
The adoption of the #8CantWait campaign’s policies for law enforcement has made quick progress with City policymakers, with additional thanks to community members and partners that have also called for reform in police practices. Reforms that have been adopted this year include: 1) ban chokeholds and strangleholds, 2) require de-escalation, 3) duty to intervene, and 4) requiring the reporting of use of force. The final reform called for in the #8CantWait campaign is a ban on shooting at moving vehicles; while SDPD has adopted a new policy on this practice that takes a step in the right direction, it fails to meet the standards of the policy called for by #8CantWait. (Citation: Police Use of Force Project)

Additionally, San Diego Pride has continued and renewed our focus on advocacy around police accountability.
San Diego Pride joined the Coalition on Police Accountability & Transparency (CPAT) as a supporter in calling for the Police Accountability Now package, which includes passage of the P.R.O.T.E.C.T. Policy by City Council (“Preventing Over-Policing Through Equitable Community Treatment”). PROTECT would ban consent searches and stops and end pretext traffic stops. When the PROTECT Policy comes before the City Council later this year, San Diego Pride and our supporters will join CPAT in voicing our support for the policy.

As part of this advocacy, for the first time in years San Diego Pride has taken positions on three ballot measures in the November 2020 election, including a support position for Measure B, Establishing an Independent Commission on Police Practices. In November, voters overwhelmingly approved this measure by almost 3:1. San Diego Pride will be monitoring the implementation of this commission, and will continue to engage in this process where appropriate as this commission is formed.

Step 4
Finally, we are currently in the first phase of Step 4, and have invited five committee members to join us to guide these conversations, all members and leaders of the Black LGBTQ+ community: Charlie Brown, Sakeenah Gallardo, Rickie Brown, Dwayne Crenshaw, and Jeremy Wells. Members of this committee represent both themselves and two community organizations: the San Diego Black LGBTQ+ Coalition and The Humanity Movement. Action items within phase 1 that are underway or coming soon:
1. Our community survey will solicit feedback from all members of the community – Black, Indigenous, people of color, and white folx.
2. These five committee members will be reaching out to other Black LGBTQ+ community members and leaders to conduct in-depth one-on-one interviews to collect data about the experiences of Black LGBTQ+ community members and Black LGBTQ+ visions for the future of safer communities in San Diego.
The data collected from both the community survey and the one-on-one interviews will guide our future conversations and will help this committee to establish goals and ideal paths forward. It is important to note that all identified goals or paths forward will be in consultation with and guided by the Healing & Safer Communities Committee.

We look forward to sharing progress with you as we go forward, and as we launch our community survey and one-on-one interviews with community leaders.

We always welcome additional feedback. You may reach members of the committee and the committee’s staff liaison at [email protected].
Stories of Impact
1:13 pm Leave a Comment

For #GivingTuesday, we are highlighting 4 of our coalitions with Stories of Impact and how our coalitions have impacted the people they serve & how they impact programming for Womxn, People of Color and people with disabilities! We are one of the only LGBTQ+ pride organization in the United States with year-round programs that connect, empower, and organize the most underserved LGBTQ+ community members who live at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.

These are their stories:

Latinx Coalition Story of Impact

“Being the only out queer person in my family, the Latinx Coalition has given me the love and space to grow as an individual, and as a member of our community. They’ve introduced me to a group of kind, passionate, and dedicated folx who believe in each other, and who remind me of the beauty that exists within each and everyone of us.” – Gerardo Gurrola Jr (he/him/his), Latinx Coalition. Help Gerardo in his journey to make Latinx a space to grow by donating here: www.bit.ly/GTlatinx

She Fest Story of Impact

“I’m passionate about my community coming together supporting one another with Love and Unity…. I wanted to network and connect with the gay community. And then stay connected and grow with them.” -Trish Tucker (She Fest) You can donate to help keep Trish connected to the community here: www.bit.ly/GTshefest

QAPIMEDA Story of Impact

“Before I found San Diego Pride’s programs I was feeling isolated, lost, and that I didn’t have real community connection. Through the Queer APIMEDA Coalition I found family and friends that shared my experiences and celebrated my identity, something I thought I’d never find. I now have a strong sense of belonging that empowers me to create inclusive spaces for others like myself so that together we can build community, advocate for our own justice, and just have a space where being our full and authentic selves is not only welcomed but encouraged.” -Christian Quiambao (he/him/his) QAPIMEDA. You can donate to help Christian advocate for other people feeling isolated here: www.bit.ly/GTqapimeda

Accessibility Story of Impact

“I was motivated to become a part of the She Fest family because we share a major value–the conviction that we should strive through intentional planning to ensure that all community members can access and enjoy community spaces and events, whether in-person or online. I run Accessibility for San Diego Pride, She Fest and San Diego Trans Pride.” – Melissa Colibri. You can donate to help keep Accessibility free to its members by donating here: www.bit.ly/GTAccessibility1
May her memory be a Revolution
September 21, 2020 5:19 pm Leave a Comment
Rest in peace. Rest in power. These are the words that may have been immediately called to mind upon hearing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on Friday, September 18th.

However, in Jewish tradition – in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s tradition – the offering of words is more along the lines of “may her memory be a blessing.” Upon hearing of her passing on Friday, to pay homage to her iconic legacy, many Jewish feminists offered up this alternative: “may her memory be a revolution.” In addition, Ginsburg passed on Rosh Hashanah – in Jewish tradition, one that dies on the new year is considered a tzaddik, a “person of great righteousness.”

It is devastating that we cannot mourn this legendary justice, this person of great righteousness, with solely a reminiscence of her incredible life. We must pair our mourning with immediate calls to action, looking forward to the next fight on the horizon. And, somehow, it also makes sense: this woman was dubbed Notorious RBG for a reason – for her fearlessness, for her scathing and brilliant dissents, for her unwillingness to back down from a fight.

We who live at the intersections of multiple identities and lived realities – as women, as trans folks, as non-binary folks, as Black and Indigenous and People of Color, as immigrants, as people with disabilities, as survivors, as LGBTQ+ folks – have become good at alchemizing pain into power, at transforming our grief into a fierce drive toward justice. Ruth Bader Ginsburg did this, as well. For her, this fueled her drive toward justice that began in her insistence on her place as a lawyer, ran through her time as a legal advocate for equal rights at the ACLU, and her 27 years as a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Now is the time for the next generation to keep fighting for equity – and to bring an even stronger intersectional approach to the fight. In Ruth’s honor, we must also keep going. Keep fighting. Keep alchemizing our pain into power, together.

We’re just 42 days away from Election Day 2020. We’re 15 days from your mail-in ballot heading to your California mailbox. Your vote matters — and our votes have real consequences for justice and equality.
When asked about a meaningful life, Ruth Bader Ginsburg responded, “One lives not just for oneself but for one’s community.” We are lucky to have an organized and engaged LGBTQIA community here in San Diego. We live for each other. We fight for each other. We live fearlessly. We live notoriously.

May her memory be a revolution.

Together We Rise,

The Womxn of Pride
#MeTooLGBTQ Toolkit
August 24, 2020 5:15 pm Leave a Comment
Hashtags on Social Media
- #MeTooLGBTQ
- #MeTooLGBTQ2020
- #MeTooLGBTQvirtual
Social Media Tips
- Let your friends and family know that you’re supporting the MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference by sharing the messages in this toolkit on your social media profiles.
- Take a look at our MeTooLGBTQ-related graphics here or below and download whatever you need.
- We have plenty of pre-written text in this toolkit you can copy or use as inspiration to write your own message.
- Search the #MeTooLGBTQ hashtag for examples of what others have posted and get creative.
Messages
- Registration is open for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference. Join us on Oct. 15-17 to increase culturally competent services in San Diego County for victims/survivors of sexual violence who identify as LGBTQ. More info here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- On Oct. 15-17, I invite you to join me in attending the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference. This year’s theme focuses on resiliency and thriving, centering intersectional identities and approaches. The 2020 conference will filter its content through the dual lenses of anti-racism/racial justice and working with trauma during a pandemic. More info here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Join me on Oct. 15-17 for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference. This three-day conference is the only one of its kind in the country outside of higher education, and is the first step in a long-term solution, aiming to bridge the gaps between the LGBTQIA+ communities and spaces of healing and care for sexual violence and relationship violence. Learn more here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, approximately 4 out of 10 gay men (40.2%) and half of bisexual men (47.4%) have experienced sexual violence besides rape at some point in their lives, compared to 1 in 5 heterosexual men (20.8%). On Oct. 15-17, join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference which is the first step in a long-term solution, aiming to bridge the gaps between the LGBTQIA+ communities and spaces of healing and care for sexual and relationship violence. Learn more here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, a large majority (61%) of bisexual women and 44% of lesbians have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of heterosexual women. On Oct. 15-17, join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference which is the first step in a long-term solution, aiming to bridge the gaps between the LGBTQIA+ communities and spaces of healing and care for sexual and relationship violence. Learn more here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, 47% of our transgender siblings experience sexual assault in their lifetime, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has identified gender nonconformity as a risk factor for childhood sexual abuse or rape. On Oct. 15-17, join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference which is the first step in a long-term solution, aiming to bridge the gaps between the LGBTQIA+ communities and spaces of healing and care for sexual and relationship violence. Learn more here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
Tweets

All of the text in the tweets below are under 280 characters. Perfect for tweeting!
- Registration is open for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference. Join us on Oct. 15-17 to increase culturally competent services in San Diego County for victims/survivors of sexual violence who identify as LGBTQ. More info here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Join us for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference on Oct. 15-17. Register here: www.sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Join me on Oct. 15-17 for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference. This 3 day conference is the first step in a long-term solution, aiming to bridge gaps between LGBTQIA+ communities and spaces of healing for sexual and relationship violence. Learn more here: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- On Oct. 15-17, join me in attending the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference. This year’s theme focuses on resiliency and thriving, centering intersectional identities and approaches. Content will be filtered through an anti-racism/racial justice. More Info: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, approx. half of bisexual men have experienced sexual violence in their lives, compared to 1 in 5 heterosexual men. Join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference and learn about bridging gaps in spaces of healing and LGBTQIA+ communities. Info: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, approx. 4 in 10 gay men have experienced sexual violence in their lives, compared to 1 in 5 heterosexual men. Join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference and learn about bridging gaps in spaces of healing and LGBTQIA+ communities. More Info: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, 47% of our transgender siblings experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference and learn about bridging gaps in spaces of healing and LGBTQIA+ communities. Info: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- The American Academy of Pediatrics has identified gender nonconformity as a risk factor for childhood sexual abuse or rape. Join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference and learn about bridging gaps in spaces of healing and LGBTQIA+ communities: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, 61% of bisexual women have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of heterosexual women. Join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference to learn about bridging the gaps in LGBTQIA+ communities: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
- Nationwide, 44% of lesbians have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of heterosexual women. Join me for the #MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference to learn about bridging the gaps in LGBTQIA+ communities: sdpride.org/metoolgbtq
Facebook
- Checkout the MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference Facebook event page and click ‘Going’: http://bit.ly/metoolgbtq
- While on the MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference Facebook event page (bit.ly/metoolgbtq), invite your friends and community members who might be interested in attending.
- On your timeline, share one of our pre-written messages or create your own!
- Take a look at all of our #MeTooLGBTQ graphics and feel free to share to your timeline.
- For graphics and more click here or see below.
Instagram
- Share one of our pre-written messages or create your own about why you are attending the MeTooLGBTQ Virtual Conference.
- Since Instagram is focused on sharing images, definitely checkout our #MeTooLGBTQ graphics and share to your profile.
- For graphics and more click here or see below.
Social Media Stories
- We didn’t forget about Instagram and Facebook stories!
- We’ve put together an array of graphics perfectly tailored to fit the dimensions for stories. Check those out here.
- Take a look at the graphics and share one (or more) to your story. Add stickers, gifs, and more to make it your own!
Questions?
- For graphics and more click here or see below.
Host a Watch Party
July 8, 2020 2:34 pm Leave a Comment
Host a #SDPride Watch Party

While we can’t gather in large groups, we can still connect with our community! Hosting a watch party is a great opportunity to engage with your community while you enjoy the virtual event.

Health & Safety First!

If you do choose to gather in-person, follow all public health guidance in your region. If you or a family or household member are at a heightened risk, please take care of yourself and your community by choosing to engage with us virtually!

Prep Checklist For Your Watch Party:

What time does the events start?
- She Fest: 10:30 AM PDT
- Light Up the Cathedral: 7:00 PM PDT
- Spirit of Stonewall Rally: 6:00 PM PDT
- Pride Live 2020: 10:00 AM PDT
How can I watch?
Creating a virtual party!
There are so many ways to create an online party so you can watch Pride Live 2020 while feeling connected to your friends and family! Here are some suggestions.
- Group text – SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, etc
- Zoom
- Google Meet
- Facebook Messenger
- Facebook Messenger Rooms (video chat)
Check Your Technology!
Make sure your internet, computer, TV, projector are all working smoothly. Test your setup the day before if possible.

Have refreshments ready
We all know that snacks and beverages are a key component of all celebrations, and being in a pandemic is no different. Prep your mocktails, cocktails, and snack trays!

Invite your friends to join you
Post on social media, send one-on-one messages to friends and family to watch with you. Check out details and scheduling on our website at www.sdpride.org/pride

Connect with the community during Pride Live!
Use the hashtag: #SDPride or #TogetherWeRise on social media! Post photos of your watch party (even if it’s a party of one!) and tag us. See the Social Media Toolkit here.

Social Media Handles:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram: @sandiegopride
Toolkit
July 7, 2020 11:28 am Leave a Comment
We need your help to promote San Diego Pride Live. Here’s our Toolkit to find all the graphics you’ll need to let your fans and followers know you’ll be part of this year’s festivities! Be sure to let them know the following:

Use the hashtag: #SDPride or #TogetherWeRise
Tag San Diego Pride!
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @SanDiegoPride

Example Copy #1
Pride Live 2020 is on Saturday, July 18! Join me to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ community as #TogetherWeRise. Tune in at sdpride.org.

Example Copy #2
Join us online at Pride Live 2020 as we celebrate #SDPride and hear from some of our favorite LGBTQ organizations, community members, elected officials, and entertainers. Tune in at sdpride.org. #TogetherWeRise

Example Copy #3
We’re on Pride Live 2020! Tune in and watch us as we come together to celebrate and honor our LGBTQ community! Tune in and find more information at sdpride.org. #TogetherWeRise

Click here for downloadable assets.

Commercials:
Facebook: One-minute | 30-seconds | 15-seconds
YouTube: One-minute | 30-seconds | 15-seconds

Other ways to promote:
- Become a Pride Ambassador
- Update your Facebook profile picture – Search “San Diego Pride”
- Host a watch party
- Buy a VIP Pride Pack
- Purchase Pride swag
WATCHING SAFELY
9:42 am Leave a Comment
Some of our Pride Family will be watching in places where being LGBTQ is criminalized or in homes where they’re not fully accepted. We’ve put together this guidance to help you watch as safely as possible.

Watching Pride Live 2020
- Use a safe browser such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla, or Safari
- Make sure your browser is updated
- Use a VPN to hide your IP address such as Proton, Windscribe, HideMe or NordVPN
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi.
- You don’t need to sign-in / log-in to watch Global Pride 2020 on our website or on our YouTube page.
After watching Pride Live 2020
- Clear your history
- Clear your web browser cache and cookies
Engaging with Pride Live 2020 on social media
- San Diego Pride will have a team of moderators day-of to make sure our online spaces are as safe as possible for our community
- San Diego Pride will never ask for your legal name or your password
- If being outed is a concern for you, change your profile setting to private. You could also consider not using LGBTQ mentions and visuals from your bio
- Make sure your identity is concealed, and you are not using a username that refers to your legal name or to a nickname that may identify you
- Don’t agree to friend requests from people you don’t know on social media networks – people are not always who they say they are
In case of a social media anti-LGBTQ cyber attack
- Do not engage with trolls; report them
- Do NOT click on uninvited or suspicious links you receive in comments or in your inbox (DM). Some links could download a virus or collect your information. Verify links with senders you know. Ignore and delete links from senders you don’t know, or who don’t respond to you.
- Delete suspicious links from comments to protect your followers from inadvertently clicking on them.
- Ensure you have up-to-date antivirus and firewall protection.
- If the trolling intensifies, change your profile setting to private. You could also consider deactivating comments on posts.
- Remain calm and polite no matter what. Do not fall for provocation.
- Screenshot and record the trolls’ actions and messages. Report them repeatedly if necessary.
- Be responsible. Do not share information that you are not sure is correct. Imprecise information creates panic. Panic makes us more vulnerable to aggression.
Here is a list of all our social media accounts. Be aware of impostors and fake accounts!
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanDiegoPride/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandiegopride/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sandiegopride
Tune in and learn more about San Diego Pride here.
Kierra Johnson
July 6, 2020 6:16 pm Leave a Comment

Kierra Johnson

Kierra Johnson has a wealth of experience in program development, youth leadership and reproductive justice. Recognized as a national expert, Johnson has testified in front of the U.S. House of Representatives and has increased visibility of reproductive justice through her appearances in Newsweek, The New York Times, Fox News, Feministing.com and National Public Radio.

Johnson previously served on the National LGBTQ Task Force’s board of directors and on its National Action Council and has keynoted at the organization’s annual Creating Change Conference. Johnson leaves a ten-year tenure as Executive Director at URGE, where she oversaw an organization-wide rebrand, expanded programs, strengthened the model for engaging young people in action and quadrupled the size of the organization. Prior to becoming URGE’s Executive Director, Johnson was the organization’s Development Director and Field Director. She has served on the boards of Groundswell, Center for Community Change and at the Women’s Information Network (WIN). Johnson has been recognized for her leadership with awards including the Young Women of Achievement Award for WIN in 2002, the Women of Vision Award for the Ms. Foundation for Women in 2013, and Washingtonian Magazine’s Most Influential Washingtonians Under 40 in 2009.

When appointed as the Task Force’s Deputy Executive Director in September 2017, Kierra Johnson said, “Dignity, liberation, joy, freedom, love and resistance are just a few of the words that I associate with the National LGBTQ Task Force. As a bisexual woman I am no stranger to being made invisible, advised to tone down, or trained in the art of the code switch. As a queer southern mom, it is no surprise why I would be drawn to an organization that touts the tagline ‘Be You.’ In these cultural and political times, it is an act of resistance to live out loud and to lead and love with our full identities. I am excited to join the Task Force as the Deputy Executive Director. I welcome the opportunity to think strategically with a powerful team of leaders and be in service to those who are working to ensure that LGBTQ people – especially the most targeted among us – not only survive but thrive. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and dive in to continue the ongoing and creative work of the Task Force to change hearts and minds, behavior and policies so that justice is no longer a vision but a reality for all!”

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Meredith Vezina & Ellen Holzman
5:55 pm Leave a Comment

Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman

Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman have been married for 27 years.

Meredith first became active in San Diego’s LGBTQ community in the 1980s as a volunteer at Lambda Archives. In 1993, Meredith became the first paid director of the gay and lesbian chamber of commerce. In the mid-1990s Ellen and Meredith were on the steering committee of the Alley Cat Ball, an annual AIDS fundraiser produced by the business association.

In 1994, Ellen and Meredith started a small business that kept them wholely engaged until 2014, when they joined the organizing committee for San Diego’s first trans pride march.

Since then, they have been involved with many events in San Diego and online, including: creating Trans Narratives, a Facebook page dedicated to trans visibility; producing videos for Lambda Archives on the local transgender community and filming LGBT events for the archives; researching San Diego transgender history; insisting on inclusion of local transgender history in the city of San Diego’s LGBT historical documentation; providing transgender history for Lillian Faderman’s exhibition on LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs at the San Diego History Center; producing a political debate focused on LGBTQ issues. In 2018, they began supporting LGBTQ immigrants seeking asylum in the United States.

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Shirley Weber
3:47 pm Leave a Comment

Shirley Weber

Assembly member Shirley Nash Weber was elected in November of 2012 to represent California’s 79th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, LaMesa, Lemon Grove, National City and San Diego.

Dr. Weber chairs the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Public Safety and the California Legislative Black Caucus. She also serves as a member of the Assembly Standing Committees on Education, Higher Education, Elections, Budget, and Banking and Finance. Moreover, Assembly member Weber currently Chairs the Select Committee on Campus Climate, which was created to examine and mitigate hate crimes on California’s college and university campuses. The committee also explored student hunger, sexual assaults, homelessness, and freedom of expression. She formerly chaired the Select Committee on Higher Education in San Diego County, which explored the need for an additional higher education facility in San Diego and ways to improve the quality, affordability and equal access of higher education in the region.

In addition to these educational endeavors, in 2013, Assembly member Weber was appointed by then-Speaker John Pérez to serve as the California State Assembly’s representative on the National Education Commission of the States (ECS). The ECS is a nation-wide, non-partisan, interstate group approved by Congress in 1965 to help states develop effective policy and practices for public education by providing data, research, analysis, and leadership.

In August 2019, Assembly member Weber introduced and passed a historical piece of legislation AB 392 known as the California Act to Save Lives.

Prior to being elected to the Assembly, Dr. Weber served as the mayor’s appointee and Chair on the Citizens’ Equal Opportunity Commission. She has also served on the Board of the NAACP, YWCA, YMCA Scholarship Committee, Battered Women Services, United Way, San Diego Consortium and Private Industry Council, and many more. From 2004-2006, Dr. Weber was President of the National Council for Black Studies, the premier professional organization of scholars in the discipline of Black, Africana and/or African American Studies.

Assembly Member Weber has lived in the 79th Assembly District for over 30 years. She was a faculty member and chair of the Department of Africana Studies at San Diego State University for over four decades. Deeply committed to education, she served for eight years as school board member and president at San Diego City Schools. As an Assembly member, she has translated her commitment to education and social justice into her ambitious legislative agenda, including bills on K-12 education reform, civil rights, public safety, food insecurity, protections for person with disabilities, and voting rights.

From 2005-2006, Dr. Weber hosted a popular weekly radio program entitled, “It’s a New Day with Dr. Shirley Weber,” on KURS AM 1040. The program was broadcast live throughout San Diego and internationally over the internet. In 2006, she aired her program live from Johannesburg, South Africa, sharing her students’ perspectives and those of local South Africans. Dr. Weber has received hundreds of awards, including several Legislator of the Year awards. She has lectured extensively across the U.S., Caribbean and Africa.

Assembly Member Weber is the mother of two children. She has two Grandsons and a Granddaughter, and is the widow of the late Honorable Daniel Weber, a California state judge.

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here
Kori Gillis
3:38 pm Leave a Comment
Kori Gillis

Kori Richard Gillis comes from a musical family and grew up in East Chicago, IN. After joining the US Navy during the era of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, he auditioned and secured a position as a lead vocalist for the US Navy Band. Kori performed in over 30 countries around the world, connecting with audiences through the power of music.

After his military career, Kori moved to San Diego, CA and continued his work as an entertainer around Southern California. In addition to performing as the lead male vocalist with the entertainment company, Republic of Music, Kori also volunteered his time as a member of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus. Since 2013, Kori has performed with SDGMC in countless shows and performances, spreading the message of love and using his voice to add to a group that is dedicated to being a dynamic force for social change.

Currently, Kori continues to perform with SDGMC and has also started the production company KoGee’s Soul Reprise (KSR) where he performs with other artists in the LGBTQ community in “Soul Of A Decade”, a show that unifies and connects audiences through the power of soul music.

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Laurie Coskey
12:56 pm Leave a Comment
Laurie Coskey

As a Jewish child, Rabbi Laurie Coskey remembers her mother and father giving of themselves in the community — trying to create a more just world. Today she is an accomplished community leader with over 30 years of experience developing and directing programs to positively impact the lives of San Diego residents.

She came to San Diego as a newly ordained Rabbi in the mid-1980s and began officiating at same-sex commitment ceremonies at a time when the laws lagged far behind justice. Rabbi Laurie has utilized her position as a leader and clergy to promote some of the most important civil rights issues of our time, particularly around the gains, and sadly the losses, of San Diego’s LGBTQIA community. This activism earned her the much cherished Friend of Pride award in 2010. She has passionately advocated for Workers’, Immigrants’, Women’s and LGBTQIA rights, as well as for Racial Equality. As a veteran organizer, together with coalitions of committed individuals and groups, she has utilized some of the most creative and strategic means of turning the lights on to injustice.

Today Rabbi Laurie continues her urban ministry dedicated to diminishing poverty in San Diego through workforce development as the Executive Director of San Diego Continuing Education Foundation. This position with the San Diego Community College District follows her long time service as Executive Director of the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice of San Diego County and President of the United Way of San Diego County.

She is an active member of Rotary 33 and has enjoyed giving back to the community through board leadership including the Union Tribune Community Advisory Board and the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. Rabbi Laurie completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University. Thereafter, she was among the early trailblazers of women in the clergy and was ordained as a rabbi at Hebrew Union College. She then earned her doctorate in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego. She is the proud mother of two grown sons blazing their own trails toward social justice and partner to Beth Kransberger.

Rabbi Laurie believes that in every arena, as individuals and organizations, we must lift our voices for justice, dignity, equity and inclusion for all people and use our collective voices to influence policy makers and decision makers to act justly.

Learn more about our other Spirit of Stonewall Speakers here.
Day of Decision
June 16, 2020 5:06 pm Leave a Comment
With the Day of Decision behind us what’s next?

3 Things to Do:
- Learn about the EQUALITY ACT
- Register to VOTE and VOTE
- Complete your CENSUS
- Share YOUR story!
Equality Act: The Equality Act is a bill that would provide explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across key areas of life including: employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service. Learn more and support here.

Register to Vote: Voting and volunteering to get out the vote are powerful tools that can make positive change. Voting is critical to enact lasting and beneficial changes to social policy.

Complete the Census: Our communities benefits the most when everyone is counted in the Census. The responses ensure our communities get their fair share of the more than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs.

Share Your Story: Now more than ever, it’s important to share personal stories. Storytelling is critical to advance our movement. LGBTQ people who experienced discrimination, take to social media to share your story. Go live or record a testimonial to make your voice heard!

IT’S ALL CONNECTED

Learning about the Equality Act, voting, and sharing your narrative are all CRUCIAL to creating change in our community and are all interconnected. Our stories shape the legislation, our duty to inform others impact legislation, and our stories help inform how we and others vote.

Use these social media squares to let your followers know that the work isn’t over. Share your story!
Statement: George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and Anti-Racism
June 4, 2020 5:22 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride declares our opposition to the state-sanctioned violence, murder, and terror being perpetrated by law enforcement agencies across the country. This state-sanctioned violence and brutality against Black and brown communities has a history that dates back to the country’s first colonizers and shares the same roots as the violence and brutality that the LGBTQ+ community fought back against at Stonewall in 1969. Then, the Stonewall riots – led by Black and brown transgender folks, butch lesbians, street kids, drag queens, gay men, bisexual folks, and gender non-conforming folks of all genders and sexual orientations – sparked a fire in the LGBTQ+ movement and became the annual marker of what we now know as Pride month. Now, the protests and uprising led by Black folks across the country is rekindling a growing fire among all people who believe that Black Lives Matter and who oppose state-sanctioned police violence.

We condemn the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis. We condemn the killing of Tony McDade, a Black transgender man, by police officers in Tallahassee, FL. We condemn the killing of Ahmaud Arbery by white vigilantes while jogging in south Georgia. We condemn the killing of Breonna Taylor by law enforcement officers in Louisville, KY. We condemn the attempted weaponization of police force against Christian Cooper, a Black gay man, by a white woman in New York City. We condemn the unnecessary escalation and aggression by police departments, Sheriff’s departments, military agencies, and ICE, especially that which has been blatantly on display across the country since George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis sparked a tinder box of protest.

San Diego Pride stands in solidarity with the Black community, including the Black members of our own staff, Board, and volunteers. We are part of the Black community, and the Black community is part of the LGBTQ+ community. Our struggles are intertwined and inextricable. As an organization, we recognize and acknowledge that all lives cannot matter until Black lives matter.

We also recognize that the United States is a country that was built on racialized violence, from the genocide of indigenous populations to slavery. This legacy takes time and significant work to undo, and nonprofit organizations committed to social justice are not immured from this American legacy and culture. As organizations, we must commit to doing that work of exploring, addressing, and undoing our own internalized anti-Black racism. San Diego Pride commits to working within our organization, with our Black partner organizations, and with all of our community partner organizations to do this deep and difficult work. Any culture that permits this level of aggression and brutality, especially in an institution with the power and responsibility of enforcing laws, must end.

San Diego Pride’s own past as an organization includes harm done to communities of color, including but not limited to threatening violence and police involvement against Black and non-Black people of color. We apologize for the actions of the past. The current leadership is committed to carving a better path forward with and for the Black community. This path toward a more visible and deepened anti-racist organizational culture includes, but is not limited to, internal accountability and the implementation of transformative justice processes for and with Pride staff, board, and volunteers, and continued and expanded anti-racism training for all staff, board, and volunteers. We also welcome and re-commit to engaging with community accountability and transformative justice processes developed in partnership with the Black LGBTQ+ community.

We recognize, also, that this is difficult and deep work that requires multiple approaches. For years, San Diego Pride has engaged in, and will continue to require, the harm-reduction work of training law enforcement officers on LGBTQ+ cultural competency and maintaining relationships based on accountability and mutual respect. Maintaining these relationships will focus on keeping our Black and brown community safe from violence, including violence from law enforcement. We have also done the work to lobby and advocate for meaningful police and criminal justice reform in the system that disproportionately criminalizes and punishes Black and brown LGBTQ folks. We will continue to do that work and look for new opportunities to create change — while acknowledging that policy change is only a harm-reduction strategy. Meaningful change must come from the end of the anti-Black racist culture that allows state-sanctioned violence against Black and brown bodies; not just within San Diego’s law enforcement community, but in all law enforcement agencies around the country and in society at large.

That requires a culture shift. San Diego Pride again calls on City and County leaders – including the Mayor, City Council, County Board of Supervisors, Police Chiefs, and Sheriff – to begin by enacting the real, tangible policy proposals that have come from anti-violence advocates in the United States to address biased policing. We call on these City and County leaders to join in the national call for true reform of how we conceptualize and use policing in our cities and counties; we must shift our collective focus and financial support away from criminalizing our communities and toward providing the necessary health and social support systems that our communities need.

While we will continue to support harm-reduction policies and procedures that call for reform within law enforcement agencies, this true change must come at the cultural level. The current culture within law enforcement and across America is untenable and incompatible with valuing Black and brown lives.

In solidarity,

San Diego Pride
San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition

This statement was drafted by San Diego Pride’s Black staff and board to center their voices and experiences. It is supported by both organizations.
Light of Pride Award
June 3, 2020 2:33 pm Leave a Comment
Light of Pride: an individual or religious organization that is recognized for their persistent and sustained support of the San Diego LGBT Community and that are making significant contributions to the LGBT Community through their time, actions, talents and dedication.

Reverend Dr. J Lee Hill Jr

Pastor, preacher, scholar, cultural critic, public theologian, social justice activist, husband and father are just a few words that describe the life, work and ministry of the Reverend Doctor J. Lee Hill, Jr., who believes in exploring ministry at the intersection of the spiritual and social, the secular and sacred.

Dr. Hill has been involved in ministry for more than fifteen years, and is a licensed and ordained Baptist minister with full standing in both the Alliance of Baptists and the United Church of Christ. He has served, for nearly 20 years, in a variety of ministerial capacities in Virginia, North Carolina, and New York City before moving to San Diego to serve as the Senior Pastor of the Christian Fellowship Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) in Emerald Hills.

In 2017, as Senior Pastor at the Christian Fellowship Congregational Church, Dr. Hill lead the efforts to have Christian Fellowship Congregational Church become an open, affirming, and accessible to all church, welcoming persons who are differently-abled, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender into full participation, leadership and ministry of our growing congregation.

Dr. Hill attended Florida A&M and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrative Studies from George Mason. He earned the Master of Divinity degree with honors from Wake Forest, and the Doctor of Ministry from Emory University. Additionally, Dr. Hill has studied at the Howard University School of Divinity and the Princeton Theological Seminary.

Dr. Hill also leads the San Diego Interfaith Justice Coalition, a moral movement grounded in faith and social justice, committed to shared values to create a San Diego County where all people can achieve their full potential in an environment of harmony, safety, equality, and justice. He served as the Past President of the San Diego County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and was the Past Co-President of the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice in San Diego.

Civically Dr. Hill is active in the San Diego community as a lifetime member of the NAACP and a Life-Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and serves as the Chaplain of the Zeta Sigma Lambda chapter of the fraternity, that sponsors San Diego’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade.

Dr. Hill is a native of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is married to the former Christie N. Love of San Diego who in addition to being a wife and mother is the Deputy Director of Policy for the San Diego ACLU. Together Dr. and Mrs. Hill share their home and lives with their young sons.

Dr. Hill will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.
Community Service Award
2:08 pm Leave a Comment
Community Service: An individual who is recognized as an up-and-coming leader within the community or whose contribution to the community in the past year was of particular significance.

Damon J. Shearer

Damon J. Shearer has never considered himself an activist, despite his many accomplishments. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and his journey in civil engagement and activism began when he was a participant in the Detroit Summer Youth Program. Under the tutelage of the late civil rights leader Grace Lee Boggs, Damon learned that everyone has the power to be an agent for change, even with the smallest of actions. Damon took this lesson with him into adulthood.

At Calvin College, he co-founded Unlearn Week, a series of lectures and workshops educating students on anti-racist practices and on challenging institutional racism. While living in Japan, he openly advocated for the destigmatization of same sex marriage and HIV/AIDS statuses and led a LGBTQIA+ peer support group called the Rainbow Club.

Upon moving to San Diego, Damon spent his first few months standing in front of Target stores, Trader Joe’s stores, and other establishments, educating and advocating for the repeal of Prop 8 with the grassroots organization, Canvass for a Cause. His work as a theatre teacher and arts educator has been focused on bringing theatre to communities of color, incarcerated populations, and youth throughout San Diego county.

Like many others, Damon joined the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition in search of a connection with other Queer Black folks. In 2018, Damon was elected president of the coalition, and this year marks his second term in that office. Under his leadership, the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition has flourished into a hub for Queer Black life in San Diego and a fierce advocate for the Black LGBTQIA+ community.

Damon will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.
We’ll also have a conversation with Damon that will be livestreamed on our Facebook, YouTube, and website. Learn more about our livestreamed content here.
Friend of Pride Award
1:57 pm Leave a Comment

Friend of Pride: An individual who does not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, but who has stalwartly supported the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

David & Jessica Mier

Since moving to the Uptown community, David and Jessica Mier have been dedicated to supporting San Diego’s diverse LGBTQ+ community in an effort to make a more inclusive environment for all San Diegans.

As the District Director for Congresswoman Susan Davis, Jessica oversees all district staff activities and is responsible for ensuring timely delivery of constituent services and community outreach, while also leading the local implementation of policy strategies, and among other things, advising the Congresswoman on LGBTQ+ issues. Jessica was recently honored by Nicole Murray-Ramirez (Empress Nicole the Great, The Queen Mother of the Americas) and The International Imperial Court for her efforts in facilitating the first-ever U.S. history wreath-laying ceremony for the openly gay revolutionary war hero, Baron Friedrich von Steuben. Jessica’s many years working for federal officials have included a long history of commitment to advocating for LGBTQ+ causes, including advocacy work for LGBTQ migrants and ensuring equal rights for members in the armed services.

David Mier is the Director of Community Affairs for UC San Diego Health and is responsible for the health system’s community benefit activities. Since joining in 2011, David has been instrumental to the success of the health system’s LGBTQ+ internal- and external-facing initiatives, including its annual Hillcrest Medical Center Pride Month building lighting, inviting dignitaries and the community to join in the health system’s commitment to health care equality. David also manages the health system’s annual support of the Pride Parade and Festival, last year drawing close to 300 of its clinical and research faculty, staff, and students. David serves on the health system’s LGBTQ+ Health Leaders advisory committee, working with physician leaders towards establishing a multispecialty transgender clinic.

While certainly proud of their other personal and professional accolades and community involvement, the Miers are most proud of their volunteer work honoring our Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities by advocating for fair, equitable, and inclusive policies and practices. Both are active members of the Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol (where Jessica is the secretary), members of MANA de San Diego (where David is a board member), and both are actively involved with the Hillcrest Town Council.

Jessica and David live in Mission Hills with their always-fabulous cat, Lady Kitty Bumpkin.

David & Jessica will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.
We’ll also have a conversation with David & Jessica that will be livestreamed on our Facebook, YouTube, and website. Learn more about our livestreamed content here.
Champion of Pride Award
1:49 pm Leave a Comment
Champion of Pride: An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years with consideration to service to San Diego Pride.

Bixby Marino-Kibbee

Bixby Marino-Kibbee is a queer, non-binary trans person and a licensed clinical social worker. They are the Program Director for the Center for Gender-Affirming Care at Rady Children’s Hospital. They have also worked in mental healthcare for the past fifteen years. Bixby was born and raised in San Diego but spent ten years living and working on the East Coast in Virginia and in Boston before moving back to San Diego in 2011. As a mental health clinician, Bixby has worked with individuals across the lifespan in a variety of settings.

Bixby spent five years working with youth and families impacted by systems of care, including child welfare and juvenile probation through community-based wraparound services before joining the San Diego LGBT Community Center as the Director of Behavioral Health Services in 2015. At The Center, Bixby led a team of clinicians providing outpatient therapy to LGBTQIA people and to individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS. Through this role, Bixby focused on addressing the needs of trans and non-binary youth and adults, including increasing access to gender-affirming mental health services, helping transgender and non-binary individuals navigate healthcare systems and decreasing gatekeeping. Bixby is currently a member of the Board of Directors for The San Diego LGBT Community Center.

In 2019, Bixby joined Rady Children’s Hospital as the first program director for the Center for Gender-Affirming Care. In this role, Bixby has worked to expand services including the opening of a new multidisciplinary clinic, providing a continuum of care for trans and non-binary youth and young adults and implementing a gender-affirming training program across the health care system. Bixby’s areas of clinical interests include reducing health disparities and ensuring that all transgender and non-binary people have access to healthcare that is safe and affirming, regardless of geographic location and/or financial resources.

Bixby lives in North County with their partner, child, and dog.

Bixby will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.
We’ll also have a conversation with Bixby that will be livestreamed on our Facebook, YouTube, and website. Learn more about our livestreamed content here.
Stonewall Philanthropy Award
1:32 pm Leave a Comment

Stonewall Philanthropy Award: A group or organization which may or may not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, but which has diligently raised funds to support the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

John Ealy

John Ealy is the owner of a restaurant group that includes a local San Diego restaurant in Mission Hills, Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar. A large part of his intention with opening Harley Gray was to be a bigger participant and influence in the community and particularly in the LGBTQ community of which he is a proud member. Philanthropy and giving back have been a part of his personal and business life from the beginning when he opened his first restaurant at the age of 24.

For 20 years he has been an active member and advocate of The Trevor Project, almost from its inception. He has served on the Board of Development and has hosted large fundraising events at the restaurant/nightclub that he owned downtown. He has marched with the Trevor Project in Los Angeles Pride, San Diego Pride, and New York Pride for years, and he has attended the organization’s annual gala in Los Angeles for 21 consecutive years.

Locally, he has been a continuous participant of the Rob Benzon Foundation and is a proud sponsor and donor for the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, the Thanksgiving Feast at the Center, and Tantrums & Tiaras. His business has sponsored its own San Diego Flag Football team, the Harley Grayhounds and has been a very proud, annual participant in Dining Out for Life and the San Diego AIDS Walk. Ealy was awarded the annual Red Hot Heroes Leadership Award by the Mission Hills Business Improvement District (MHBID) for co-founding and hosting the annual dinner and fundraiser that benefited the MHBID and the San Diego Fire Department’s Fire station 8 in Mission Hills.

With pride, he initiated an annual donation of over 40 Padres tickets for Out of the Park and for the Gay Youth department at the Center. Last year, he matched a single-day donation for up to $10,000 to hire staff members for and to help the Center in rewarding ways. Recently in the face of the pandemic, Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar donated meals to the entire ER department at Scripps Hospital and to local industry workers in the community.

John Ealy will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.

We’ll also have a conversation with John Ealy that will be livestreamed on our Facebook, YouTube, and website. Learn more about our livestreamed content here.
Stonewall Service Award
1:19 pm Leave a Comment

Stonewall Service Award: A group or organization which may or may not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, but which has stalwartly supported the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

Casa Arcoíris

Casa Arcoíris formally opened its shelter for LGBT+ migrants in February 2019, after several months of supporting and housing the large numbers of migrants arriving to Tijuana en masse during a migratory crisis that grabbed international headlines and completely inundated Tijuana’s social services. A committed team of local activists and a strong network of binational organizations have been key to ensuring that Casa Arcoíris residents receive not only housing, but also psychological support, medical attention, social services and comprehensive legal services from LGBT+ professionals.

Since the opening of Casa Arcoíris, the nature of crisis has been changing constantly, and, as we are all experiencing now with COVID-19, continues to do so. However, one thing remains constant: the numbers and the needs of LGBT+ migrants whose lives are in danger and seek humanitarian protection are growing.

Casa Arcoíris’ work will not be done while the border stands. But what many in this divided region often forget is that the border does so much more than prohibit some from moving across; it also completely reshapes our imagining of the world and how relationships, both personal and institutional, happen across it. We are grateful that many have resisted this sinister and sometimes subtle power of borders and that they extended genuine solidarity across it. Nonetheless, it is clear to those working for LGBT+ and migrant’s rights on this side of the wall that there is still much work to do to connect the struggles between those in Tijuana and San Diego.

While there have been many challenges, those of us working at Casa Arcoíris see its formation and continued success as testimony to the power of grassroots LGBT+ activists to create long-standing, binational solidarity projects, even in the face of repression and crisis on an international scale. The support of countless individuals, organizations, and foundations have made it possible for Casa Arcoíris to continue this crucial work, and to have this work recognized through the Spirit of Stonewall Award is a great honor. We hope it is a sign of growth of the regional LGBT+ community’s commitment to international solidarity.

Please consider contributing or sharing within your networks the work that Casa Arcoíris is doing, and consider supporting an LGBT+ asylum seeker during their process of building a new, safer life in the United States.

Casa Arcoíris will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.

We’ll also have a conversation with Casa Arcoíris that will be livestreamed on our Facebook, YouTube, and website. Learn more about our livestreamed content here.
Inspirational Relationship Award
12:40 pm Leave a Comment

Inspirational Relationship: A friendship, familial bond, or intimate relationship whose love, strength, work, and commitment to LGBTQ equality embodies the humanity of our community.

Joyce Marieb, Ph.D. and Linda Barufaldi, D.C.

Joyce and Linda were born a block and a half from each other in a small town in Western Massachusetts. While friends, their eight year age difference kept them in different circles until they were both graduate students in theology/philosophy in Boston. By then, their ages made much less difference, and they fell in love.

Both had worked separately and continued to work together politically regarding civil rights, the peace movement, Second Wave feminism, LGBTQ issues, poverty, electoral politics, anti-racism education, and environmental, and immigration issues. They have never met a fight for justice they didn’t like.

Soon after moving to San Diego, they opened the Amazon Sweet Shop, a political activism cell masquerading as an ice cream store (although the ice cream was delicious and healthy as well). Eventually, Linda became a chiropractor and practiced in Hillcrest for nearly 20 years, then worked at The San Diego LGBT Center. Joyce served on the Stepping Stone Board during the period of the capital campaign and the building of the new, recovery home. She then became CEO of GSDBA, the gay and lesbian chamber of commerce and, in ten years, built the organization both in membership and in financial stability. In her view, economic growth and civil rights go hand in hand. “Money is power, and power used for the good results in equality.”

They were married in 2008 and are currently enjoying their 48th year of relationship. Since retiring, they have continued to support the community financially and by demonstrating, phone banking, and communicating with elected officials to advocate for justice for all, especially for the underserved. With Dr. Jennifer Rycenga, Linda edited The Mary Daly Reader, published by NYU Press, an anthology of the work of groundbreaking feminist philosopher who had been her friend and mentor.

They feel very lucky to have a happy relationship and a shared commitment to action based on their common values.

Joyce and Linda will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the awardees, and the virtual event here.

We’ll also have a conversation with Joyce and Linda that will be livestreamed on our Facebook, YouTube, and website. Learn more about our livestreamed content here.
GIVE OUT DAY TOOLKIT
May 31, 2020 3:08 pm Leave a Comment
Let your friends and family know that you’re raising funds for

Share these messages on your social media profiles to encourage your friends and family members to donate on Giving Tuesday!

Tip
Don’t hesitate to tag your friends in your post to make sure they see it! If you want, you can add one of these graphics to your post. If you are posting on Instagram, consider posting a video explaining why your friends should give to your campaign. Instead of including the fundraiser link in your post, add it to your Instagram bio, and tell your friends to go there to give.

Social Media Posts
Copy #1
For Pride month I’m raising $ for San Diego Pride & it’d mean a lot to me if you joined me. Engaging in Pride’s events has connected me to community, found family, and allowed me to be more out and proud. If you can, donate here: www.bit.ly/giveoutdaysd

Copy #2
For Pride month I’m raising $ for San Diego Pride & it’d mean a lot to me if you joined me. Volunteering with Pride has connected me to community & has made an impact on me as a leader. If you can, donate here: www.bit.ly/giveoutdaysd

Copy #3
Help me celebrate Pride month by donating to San Diego Pride’s events and community programs so we can support LGBTQ folks all year long! My favorite program is [FILL IN] and I’d love it if you’d join me at their next event. If you can, donate here: www.bit.ly/giveoutdaysd

Donate Link
www.sdpride.org/giveoutday

Social Media Handles
Facebook: @SanDiegoPride
Twitter: @SanDiegoPride
Instagram: @SanDiegoPride
My First Day – Podcast
May 6, 2020 7:36 pm Leave a Comment

On May 6, 2020 our Executive Director Fernando Z. López was featured on the podcast, My First Day. My First Day is a KPBS Explore series that explores these important days through people who came to San Diego from elsewhere, and now call it home. Produced and hosted by Andrew Bracken.

Listen to the full podcast here.
GIVING TUESDAY SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT
May 2, 2020 4:02 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is joining #GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.

You can help San Diego Pride this #givingtuesday as we support programming for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities! We are one of the ONLY LGBTQ+ Pride organization in the United States with year-round programs that connect, empower, and organize the most underserved LGBTQ+ community members who live at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.

This year, we are highlighting FOUR of our 30+ year-round programs that need your support to continue their community engagement work. A gift of any size will help, but we are asking our community members to contribute $40 or more.

Facebook
Copy #1
Join me in helping San Diego Pride this #GivingTuesday as we support programming for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities. If you would like to help keep San Diego Pride’s programs free and accessible to our community, consider making a donation here: sdpride.org/givingtuesday

Copy #2
Support San Diego Pride’s year-round programs by joining our #GivingTuesday campaign! A $40 donation will help keep programming free for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities. Donate here: sdpride.org/givingtuesday

Instagram
Copy #1
Join me in helping San Diego Pride this #GivingTuesday as we support programming for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities. If you would like to help keep San Diego Pride’s programs free and accessible to our community, consider making a donation at the link in Pride’s bio under Giving Tuesday.

Copy #2
Support San Diego Pride’s year-round programs by joining our #GivingTuesday campaign! A $40 donation will help keep programming free for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities. You can donate at the link in Pride’s bio under Giving Tuesday.

Twitter
Copy #1
Join me in helping @SanDiegoPride this #GivingTuesday as we support programming for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities. If you would like to help keep San Diego Pride’s programs free & accessible to our community, consider making a donation here: sdpride.org/givingtuesday

Copy #2
Support San Diego Pride’s year-round programs by joining our #GivingTuesday campaign! A $40 donation will help keep programming free for Womxn, People of Color, and people with disabilities. Donate here: sdpride.org/givingtuesday

Donate Link
www.sdpride.org/givingtuesday

Social Media Handles
Facebook: @SanDiegoPride
Twitter: @SanDiegoPride
Instagram: @SanDiegoPride

Social Media Images
Instagram & Facebook Story Templates
Pride Status Update
April 16, 2020 7:59 am Leave a Comment
April 16, 2020

SAN DIEGO PRIDE CANCELS ALL IN-PERSON MASS GATHERING EVENTS IN JULY

After weeks of thoughtful consideration, today, San Diego Pride’s Board of Directors and staff announced that all in-person gatherings scheduled for July 2020 will not take place as planned. The health and safety of all must come first and foremost. Given the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale events such as Pride Parades and Festivals are simply not possible and pose too much of a risk to public health and safety.

“This pandemic has impacted all of us. We have had to change how we live our lives and Pride is no different,” said Sue Hartman, Board Co-Chair. “This was not an easy decision, but everyone’s health and safety are paramount. Rest assured, our community will find ways to celebrate Pride together again.”

“We encourage everyone not to see this decision as a setback, but a step forward – this is what we must do so that we can come together sooner rather than later. It is in that vein that we encourage everyone to stay home per local and state guidelines, to check in on one another during this time, and remember that we are all in this together,” said Nick Serrano, Board Co-Chair.

For decades San Diego Pride has brought hundreds of thousands of people together to celebrate, mourn, and protest while raising millions of dollars to support the LGBTQ community locally, nationally, and globally. The commitment of San Diego Pride’s board, staff, volunteers, and community partners is to continue that legacy of work in ways that are virtual and safe until we can be together again. These additional adaptations to programming will be rolled out in the coming weeks and months.

“We recognize how deeply meaningful Pride is to our community. Pride brings us together in times of protest and times of celebration. Pride helps connect us to community and our found family. Pride gives us access to life-saving direct services and provides grant funding to our local and global LGBTQ community,” said Fernando Z. López, Executive Director. “In San Diego, we are privileged to have a Pride organization that does that meaningful education, organizing, advocacy, and philanthropic work all year long, not just one weekend a year. Our programs have continued on in virtual space and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.”

“Pride is not canceled. In-person mass gatherings are canceled. Nothing can strip away our pride. Nothing can deny us the pride our community has built inside ourselves, our community, or the broader world. We will still find ways to raise our Pride flags, celebrate the vibrancy of our community, and bring to light the issues that our movement still faces,” López added.

San Diego Pride, as a founding member of InterPride, is taking a strong leadership position in support of Global Pride, a 24-hour international, virtual event happening on June 27 that promises to bring together Pride organizations from around the globe to share messages of hope for our movement. Additionally, as we have moved all of our programs to virtual spaces, we are currently investigating ways those safe and remote options will allow us to celebrate Pride and to continue to bring to light the issues that still impact our community and our movement. We will update the community as those plans take shape.

Quotes from Elected Officials
“San Diego Pride’s mission has always been to bring our community together and now more than ever they continue to do so even while we must be physically apart,” said Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “Today’s decision was not made lightly and with the best interest of the health of everyone in mind. This year’s theme for Pride perfectly expresses how we will get through this: by coming together, supporting our fellow San Diegans, and rising to the challenge before us just as we have done so many times before. Together we will rise, San Diego.”
Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, City of San Diego

“San Diego Pride is one of the most anticipated events of the year, and I always enjoy the opportunity to celebrate such a diverse and resilient community. I am sad that I will not be able to participate in this year’s events, however, I agree with the decision to cancel large in-person gatherings for this year’s Pride Festival. July may feel like it is a long way away, but I believe that this is the best move for the health and safety of our LGBTQ+ community and allies. I encourage everyone to participate in their virtual celebrations, and remember that love will always prevail.”
Congresswoman Susan A. Davis, California 53rd Congressional District, United States House of Representatives

“For hundreds of thousands of San Diegans and visitors that long anticipate this annual celebration, I have no doubt there will be some heartache and disappointment, but I fully stand by San Diego Pride’s decision to put the health and safety of our community first. It is in our collective best interest. While we won’t be able to march and celebrate in person, I hope we can find creative ways to continue to uplift the LGBTQ community especially during these unprecedented times.”
Senate President pro Tempore, Toni G. Atkins, State of California

“I want to commend the board and staff of San Diego Pride for making this tough, but necessary decision during these times and prioritizing the health and safety of our community. We must remember that our pride as a community is not restricted to one particular month or weekend, but rather something we should carry with us always. While this year’s celebration may not take place, we should still celebrate within ourselves who we are and how far we’ve come. Together, we will get through this tough time and I have every confidence that together we will be able to celebrate again.”
Assemblymember Todd Gloria, State of California, 78th Assembly District

“For decades, San Diego Pride has formed the cornerstone of our community, fostering a spirit of inclusion, equality and respect for all San Diegans. While we may not be physically gathering together to celebrate this year’s Pride, we stand united in our solidarity and commitment to celebrating our resilient LGBTQ+ community.”
Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, County of San Diego Board of Supervisors District 4

“San Diego Pride has always advocated for and supported the health and wellbeing of our LGBTQ+ community. I support Pride’s decision and commend them for staying true to their values and aligning with recommendations from public health experts. We are San Diego Pride, we are resilient, and we will be together again to celebrate when it’s safe for all.”
Councilmember Chris Ward, San Diego City Council District 3

“Hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors look forward to San Diego Pride. This event is not just a festival and parade — it’s a place for us to celebrate each other for who we are, one beautiful diverse community. The decision to cancel the event in 2020 is a painful one for me and so many others. But it’s the right decision, to keep everyone safe and healthy. I fully support San Diego Pride and its thousands of volunteers at this difficult time and am grateful for everything they to do support our LGBTQ+ community.”
Council President Georgette Gómez, San Diego City Council District 9

“In an effort to protect our community from the spread of CoVid19, I support San Diego Pride’s decision to cancel the mass gathering portions of the PRIDE Celebration for July 2020. While this may have been a difficult decision, they have made the correct decision. The LGBTQ community is no stranger to difficulty. We will soon overcome this, just as we have in the past, and together we will rise up to celebrate all that we have accomplished.”
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, MD, San Diego City Council District 2

“While I am sad to learn that we will not be able to host our celebration of love and acceptance at San Diego Pride this year, I fully stand behind the decision of the board to cancel the in-person mass gatherings that have been part of Pride for many years. As a survivor of COVID-19, I can attest to the importance of continuing to abide by the orders of our public health officials to protect and save as many lives as possible.”
Councilmember Stephen C. Padilla, Chula Vista City Council District 3

Learn more about Global Pride here.
Hot Air Balloons!
April 1, 2020 9:10 am Leave a Comment

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

In keeping true to our Pride 2020 theme, Together We Rise, San Diego Pride is elated to set new heights by announcing the addition of hot air balloons to our Pride Parade. We’re taking ‘parade floats’ seriously this year as for 2020 all of our awardees, elected officials, contingents, and community organizations take to the sky as we work to uplift our community. It’s 100% safe!

We’re not blowing hot air when we say we’re the only Pride that’s doing this! As part of a massive national undertaking, volunteers around the country are securing hundreds of hot air balloons to help us meet this tall order. From the start of the Parade to the finish line at the Festival we will fill the San Diego streets and skies with much needed color and joy.

But wait there’s more! Along the Parade route special senior and accessible hot air balloon viewing stations and review stands will be made available free of cost. We’ll be raising the bar at the festival by having aerial performers and artists sing, dance, and entertain from the soaring heights of our hot air balloons.

With everything happening this year, we really wanted to bring something special to Pride that would raise people’s spirits and help their hearts take flight. 2020 has really knocked us down a lot this year, but at Pride, Together We Rise.

This year’s Pride brought to you by binoculars. Binoculars, you’re gonna need them.
Volunteer with Mama’s Kitchen
March 13, 2020 5:29 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is following the State of California, Count and City of San Diego COVID-19 guidelines to postpone events for the remainder of March. That said, we know that our community can rise to the occasion during a public health crisis to serve those most in need.

At this moment one of our most valuable community partners, Mama’s Kitchen is asking for support. They will remain open and operational delivering medically tailored meals throughout San Diego County. Their services are as critical as ever during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

If you are available, healthy, and not on the list of vulnerable populations, please help Mama’s Kitchen as they work to feed and support some of our most vulnerable and immunocompromised community members by volunteering to deliver meals and sharing this call-to-action with friends and family.

Mama’s Kitchen has scheduled four 30-minute volunteer orientations in the coming two weeks.These sessions will happen in a covered, outdoor setting at 3960 Home Avenue, San Diego, CA 92105 at the following times.
- March 16 @ 10:00 am
- March 18 @ 5:00 pm
- March 23 @ 10:00 am
- March 26 @ 4:00 pm
If you have questions, you may contact Mark Maddox, Mama’s Kitchen’s Director of Volunteer Engagement at 619.233-6262 or at [email protected]. More information is available here.
Top 19 of 2019
December 19, 2019 1:45 pm Leave a Comment
2019 brought our community a great many challenges to overcome and painful moments from which we are still healing. Through it all the brilliance, resilience, and love our community has to offer shone through.

I hope you take a moment to look back at some of our year’s highlights as they were all made possible by your time, investment, and belief in our organization and community.

Thank you for being part of our Legacy of Liberation.

1. Build OUT
We started 2019 with our second year of partnering with Habitat for Humanity San Diego to build homes & community! This county-wide effort engages different parts of San Diego and helps kick off our year of volunteer opportunities happening at Pride. There’s still time to join us for 2020’s Build OUT!

Build OUT 2019 with PFLAG San Diego

2. #MeTooLGBTQ
In April, we hosted our second annual #MeTooLGBTQ conference which is designed to increase culturally competent services in San Diego county for victims/survivors of sexual violence who identify as LGBTQ. Although sexual violence is a difficult topic, this conference serves as the first step in a long-term solution and is a healing day for many. Next year’s #MeTooLGBTQ conference will be held on May 2.

#MeTooLGBTQ Conference

3. Latinx Coalition
The San Diego LGBTQ Latinx Coalition continued to grow in 2019 by hosting monthly get togethers, having meetings, marching in the parade, hosting the Latinx area at the festival, and capping off their year with a very successful Migrant Posada raising over $1,500 for Casa Albergue Arcoiris!

4. Queer APIMEDA Coalition
In their first full year, the Queer Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi, American Coalition hosted some great events! They partnered with the San Diego Asian Film Festival to present two Queer APIMEDA films, “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” and “Straight Up“, hosted meet ups, marched in the Pride parade, had a book talk led by R. Zamora Linmark, and hosted San Diego Pride’s very first night market.

QAPIMEDA Coalition with R. Zamora Linmark

5. POC Coalitions
The people-of-color coalitions of San Diego all worked together during the festival and created a fun POC passport that allowed participants to learn about each coalition and then enter to win some amazing prizes, including a Sony TV! During Pride month, the Queer APIMEDA Coalition, the San Diego LGBTQ Latinx Coalition, and the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition hosted a mixer.

Pride Month POC Mixer

6. Youth Empowerment
In 2019, our youth programs continued to grow! Our youth met every Friday and on a monthly basis for Lunch Bunch to create and lead their own programming. This year we had the Youth Art Show in March. The Youth Leadership Academy was hosted at the San Diego History Center. In addition, a number of youth went on various field trips including one to Sacramento for LGBTQ Advocacy Day and one to the Imperial Valley to network with other queer youth. The San Diego Youth Marching Band continues to be a Pride Parade favorite. It placed 2nd in the Best Musical Contingent category. And our youth program coordinator helped coordinate a GSA-led contingent in the parade. Over 3,000 youth of all ages were granted free entrance into the Pride Festival. The San Diego Queer Youth Chorus was created in 2019 under the leadership of Artistic Director Lindsey Deaton. They’ll be performing with Jason Mraz in 2020!

2019 Youth Leadership Academy hosted at the San Diego History Center

7. Interfaith
The DevOUT interfaith coalition continued to organize communities of faith for LGBTQ justice and inclusive faith-based programming. Community activities included Light up the Cathedral, a Pride interfaith workshop during Pride week, marching in the parade as open and affirming people of faith, and hosting a series of workshops at the Pride Festival. Additionally, DevOUT rallied behind the Chula Vista Public Library and their Drag Queen Story Hour in a show of support.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral – Light Up the Cathedral

8. San Diego Public Library
San Diego Pride had a blast coordinating the volunteers for the San Diego City Public Library book pass as they transferred books from the old Mission Hills Library to the new Mission Hills / Hillcrest library in January! The San Diego City Public Library also joined us at the 2019 Pride Festival where they hosted a Lit Cafe full of library resources and handed out their special edition Pride Unicorn library card!

San Diego Public Library in the San Diego Pride Parade

9. LGBTQ Sports
2019 was a big year for LGBTQ sports! San Diego Legion, San Diego Fleet, San Diego Gulls, and the San Diego Padres all hosted nights celebrating their LGBTQ fans! The San Diego Padres also celebrated their 50th anniversary with a special edition Stonewall 50 / Padres 50 hat!

(L:R) Carlsbad City Council Member Cori Schumacer, Encinitas City Council Member Joe Mosca, San Diego City Council Member Chris Ward, San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando Z. López, San Diego City Council Member Georgette Gómez, California Assembly Member Todd Gloria, San Diego City Council Member Jen Campbell

10. International Advocacy
Part of our mission is to foster pride, equality, and respect for our international LGBTQ siblings. In partnership with the San Diego Diplomacy Council, we met LGBTQ delegates from around the globe throughout the year to talk about LGBTQ rights and issues on a global scale & have hosted 498 delegates from 134 countries in total. Pride staff members also flew to Athens, Greece where they meet with over 400 people representing 145 prides from 42 countries for the annual InterPride conference!

San Diego Pride World Forum hosted at the San Diego History Center

11. She Fest
The She Fest team hosted a number of events throughout the year from speed dating, bingo, L Word Trivia Night, and more! This year’s She Fest featured an amazing lineup of LGBTQ performers, a dog fashion show, and was the largest She Fest ever! Save the date and invite friends to next year’s She Fest here!

She Fest 2019 Recap

12. Military & Trans Servicemembers
In a year when the Trump Administration consistently attacked the trans community through harmful shifts in policy, San Diego Pride’s Military Department stepped up to support their siblings. At the Spirit of Stonewall Rally, the national anthem was sung by Mila Jam as a group of all-transgender veteran honor guard presented the colors. At the parade, California Army National Guard Major General Matthew Beevers was recognized as the Military Grand Marshal for his work to champion the rights of our trans community members and to defy Trump’s despicable policies. A group of trans servicemembers led the military contingent and a four-ship F15 flyover from Cal Guard’s Fresno 144th Fighter Wing was conducted in honor of our transgender servicemembers who bravely serve this country every day. Hear from our Executive Director and Navy Operations Specialist Sean Sala about how the military department began here then learn more about how you can support the San Diego Pride military department here.

Transgender Troops: Leading From the Front. Military Contingent in the San Diego Pride Parade

13. Stonewall Generation
Our theme this year was Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation. We took this year to honor our Stonewall Generation for all they’ve done for the community. They were honored at the rally and parade as our community grand marshals. In addition, at the festival, our Stonewall Generation enjoyed free and discounted admission as well as a free brunch on Sunday! Later in the year, our very own Jeri Dilno was honored with an honorary street renaming for her years of advocacy and leadership.

14. Parades
If our parade wasn’t enough, San Diego Pride team and volunteers marched in a number of parades this year to continue to be out and proud members of our community. We marched in the MLK Holiday Parade, Palm Springs Pride Parade, Veterans Parade, and Toyland Parade! Join us for next year’s MLK Holiday Parade in January.

San Diego Pride at the Toyland Parade

15. Queer Headliners
For Stonewall 50, we had a number of LGBTQ artists join us as we celebrated and honored the last 50 years. The Mundo Latino stage was headlined by Snow Tha Product. The Movement stage was headlined by Mykki Blanco, and the Stonewall stage had two headliners: King Princess and Melissa Etheridge. Other notable acts included Greyson Chance, Aquaria, Kim Chi, TT the Artist, Sateen, and more!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Melissa Etheridge (@melissa_etheridge)

16. Equality Act
Days before Pride weekend, community leaders, including San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, gathered in Balboa Park to voice their support for the Equality Act.

17. Grant giving
Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation and the 2019 Pride celebrations led to our most successful Pride ever! San Diego Pride strives to return proceeds from the celebration to the community, and this year we’ve given out $210,000 in community grants! Our grand total this year for charitable giving was $340,000. With that total, Pride has donated over 3.3 million dollars since it began its charitable giving in 1994.

18. Trans Power
In 2019, trans people, especially trans women of color, continued to be murdered at an alarming rate (as highlighted in our executive director’s op-ed). We took time to honor and remember our siblings at the rally, at the parade, and during the Trans Day of Remembrance vigil by holding up their images, names, and the ages they were taken from us. We also took time to uplift trans excellence during Trans Day of Empowerment by sponsoring the Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Scholarship fund. In 2019, the all volunteer committee for Trans Day of Empowerment was proud to award 22 scholarships to deserving trans students across San Diego whose collective GPA was 3.5.

San Diego Trans Coalition Contingent in the 2019 San Diego Pride Parade

19. Highest Attendance Ever!
Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation was the most attended Pride we’ve seen. From the rally to the festival, our community came out to celebrate the last 50 years, to honor our Stonewall generation, and to celebrate with our community in the daylight as proud and out people.

300-foot Rainbow Flag at the San Diego Pride Parade

As we continue to honor our collective legacy of liberation and commit to the work ahead, we hope you will join us again next year as together we rise.
Over $340,000 granted to LGBTQ Organizations from San Diego Pride
December 12, 2019 9:30 am Leave a Comment
2019 San Diego Pride Festival

San Diego, California (December 12, 2019) — Following their most successful Pride event to date, San Diego Pride is pleased to announce their 2019 charitable giving will exceed a quarter of a million dollars. These funds will be distributed to 61 LGBTQ-serving organizations across the globe.

San Diego Pride works to return proceeds from the annual Pride week to the LGBTQ community through philanthropic giving, sponsorships, and event support. Since 1994, community contributions have well exceeded 3 million dollars.

“San Diego Pride, our events, and year-round programming are made possible by our 70 LGBTQ-serving nonprofit community partners, 117 sponsors, 575 entertainers, 1,966 volunteers, 55,000 Festival attendees, and 350,000 Parade attendees,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando López. “It is a thing of beauty to be a part of so many people working collectively to highlight the LGBTQ community’s vital resources, rich history, and innovative talent. I love that we are able to join in celebration, as we pursue justice with joy, and reinvest proceeds into the health and happiness of our LGBTQ community.”

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the theme for San Diego Pride 2019 was Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation as the organization honored the Stonewall generation, their activism, and what the community has gained through their efforts. The San Diego Pride Festival that generates these philanthropic funds is built on the shoulders of hundreds of LGBTQ activists and artists including the iconic Melissa Etheridge and breakout star King Princess who continue to help us all celebrate and honor the LGBTQ community.

“We know that LGBTQ-serving organizations are chronically underfunded across the globe. This is why San Diego Pride intentionally reinvests proceeds from our annual celebration to show the world that LGBTQ people can come together to support our own community’s health, well-being, and safety,” said San Diego Pride’s Director of Philanthropy Sarafina Scapicchio. “This year’s grants will fund vital LGBTQ-focused programming locally, nationally and globally for the most marginalized members of our community – from services for LGBTQ seniors here in San Diego to a drop-in center for LGBTQ youth in Ohio to housing for homeless trans women in Malaysia. We are incredibly proud to be the most philanthropic pride celebration in the world.”

The 2019 Grant recipients are:

Being Alive San Diego HIV/AIDS Services, Bilitis Resource Center Foundation (Sofia, Bulgaria), BlacQ Space (San Diego, CA), Breakthrough Workshop Theatre (San Diego, CA), Building Blocks (Las Vegas, CA), Center for Community Solutions (San Diego, CA), Children of the Sun Foundation (Wakiso, Uganda), Colors+(Fairview Park, OH), County of San Diego LGBTQ&A Employee Resource Group, Creating Kin (San Diego, CA), Diversionary Theatre (San Diego, CA), Fondo de Asistencia para el SIDA AC (Tijuana, Mexico), Fraternity House, Inc. (San Diego, CA), Free to Thrive (San Diego, CA), GLSEN San Diego, Greater San Diego Business Association Chartiable Foundation, Imperial Court de San Diego, Interfaith Shelter Network of San Diego, Interpride – Scholarship Foundation, Interpride Solidarity Fund, Lambda Archives of San Diego, LGBTQ Center of Riverside County, Live and Let Live Alano Club (San Diego, CA), Mama’s Kitchen (San Diego, CA), Media Arts Center San Diego, FilmOut San Diego, Minority Humanitarian Foundation (San Diego, CA), Missiongathering Christian Church (San Diego, CA), North County LGBTQ Resource Center (San Diego, CA), Pacific Arts Movement (San Diego, CA), Paducah LGBT Welcome Center (Paducah, KY), PFLAG San Diego County, Pink Triangle (Uganda), POZabilities (San Diego, CA), QLatinx (Orlando, FL), Quatrefoil Library (Minneapolis, MN), RISE San Diego, San Diego American Flag Football League, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Historical Society, San Diego Trans Pride, San Diego Unified Council of PTAs, San Diego Women’s Chorus, Pakistan Trans Pride (Punjab, Pakistan), Seed Foundation (Southeast Asia), South Bay Alliance Association Inc.(San Diego, CA), Special Delivery San Diego, Stepping Stone San Diego, Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol (San Diego, CA), Strength for the Journey (San Diego, CA), The Gender Phluid Collective (San Diego, CA), The LGBTQ Center (South Bend, IN), Transgender Military Support Project (San Diego, CA), The Recovery Ride (San Diego, CA), The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition (San Diego, CA), The San Diego LGBT Community Center, TransFamily Support Services (San Diego, CA), Transgender Day of Empowerment & Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship Fund (San Diego, CA)

Tickets are now on sale for the 2020 Pride Festival, held July 18 and July 19, 2020 in Balboa Park. Purchase tickets here: www.sdpride.org
MeToo LGBTQ 2019
December 6, 2019 5:38 pm Leave a Comment

Attendees will learn about the severity and frequency of sexual assault and sex trafficking in LGBTQ communities, how to normalize SA/DV conversations, identify sexual violence warning signs, trauma-informed strategies to support survivors, crisis intervention methods, and more. Full curriculum below.

For Providers: $40*
For Students: $15*
For Community Members: $0 – $15

Registration for providers and students includes 5.0 CE’s for LMFT, LCSW, LEP, and LPCCs*

Crisis-intervention-trained staff will be on hand to help anyone who needs immediate support.

Costs are low or free to keep this education accessible. Please consider a larger contribution as all funds received are directly used to put on this conference.

2019 Schedule (5.0 CEs)
- 9:00 am: Registration & light breakfast
- 9:30 am : Welcoming remarks (15 min)
- 9:45 am: First Session (1 hr 30 min) 1.5 CEs/CEUs
  - Sexual Violence in LGBQ+ Communities: Why should your services address sexual assault trauma?
  - Neurobiology of Trauma
- 11:15 am: Break (15 min)
- 11:30 am: Survivor Panel (1 hr)
- 12:30 pm: Lunch (45 min)
- 1:15 pm: Keynote Address (30 min) 0.5 CEs/CEUs
- 1:45 pm: Second Session (1 hr 30 min) 1.5 CEs/CEUs
  - Sexual Violence and the Trans and Nonbinary Community
  - Building Strength and Resiliency
- 3:15 pm: Break (15 min)
- 3:30 pm: Third Session (1 hr 30 min) 1.5 CEs/CEUs
  - Survivor Advocacy: Interactions With Legal, Law Enforcement, and Government Support Systems
  - Empowering Survivors & Community Through Trauma Informed Care and Bystander Intervention
- 5:00 pm: Closing Plenary & feedback forms (30 min)
- 5:30 pm: End of Day
Partnering Organizations:
The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Center for Community Solutions, Gender Equity Center, San Diego Pride, North County Lifeline

*CEs provided for LMFTs, LCSW, LPCC, LEP through North County Lifeline at no cost.
2019 Pride Parade Awards
October 17, 2019 1:43 pm Leave a Comment
We’re excited to announce the award recipients for 2019. Congratulations to all the winners!

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Alaska Airlines

Baltazar Hernandez Aztec Dancers

Cheer San Diego Extreme

Dr. Bronner’s

Falck Mobile Health

Family Health Centers of San Diego

Harrah’s Resort Southern California

Hyatt’s of San Diego

Mama’s Kitchen

MISTR

Peacock Nails

Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest

POZabilites

Pride Youth Marching Band

Qualcomm

Queen Yasmine Injury Law

Rich’s

San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition

San Diego Communithy College District

San Diego Loyal Soccer Club

San Diego Satanists

San Diego Wave FC

San Ysidro Health

Saulho

St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral

Stepping Stone

The Monarch School Project

UCSD LGBT Resource Center

Urban Street Angels

Voices for Children

Best Faith-Based Contingent
1. University Christian Church
2. St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
3. Pacific Beach United Methodist Church
Best HIV / AIDS Awareness Contingent
1. AIDS Lifecycle
2. Mama’s Kitchen
3. Stepping Stone
Best Health & Wellness Contingent
1. Blue Shield
2. UCSD Health
3. San Ysidro Health
Best Youth / Student Contingent
1. San Diego LGBT Community Center
2. Alliance of Affirming Parents & Family
3. San Diego Community Colleges
Best Musical Contingent
1. UCSD LGBT Resource Center
2. Pride Youth Marching Band
3. Astroglide
Best Non-Profit Contingent
1. Lawyers Club of San Diego
2. Pug Rescue
3. Cheer San Diego
Best San Diego Small Business
1. Rich’s Nightclub
2. Amarin Thai
3. Redwing Bar & Grill
Best Corporate Ally Contingent
1. Apple
2. Harrah’s Resort Southern California
3. Alaska Airlines
Contingent with the Best Use of 2019 Pride Theme (Marching)
1. San Diego City Library
2. Sycuan Casino & Resort
3. San Diego Trans Coalition
Contingent with the Best Use of 2019 Pride Theme (Float)
1. Macy’s
2. Qualcomm
3. San Diego Youth Services
Grand Marshal Award

The La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians – Rainbow of Truth Circle

Recipients were honored on October 10 at The Hotel del Coronado.

Awardee San Diego City Library with parade team and Nicole Murray-Ramirez
Interfaith Leaders Voice Support for Chula Vista Library’s Drag Queen Story Hour
September 4, 2019 4:41 pm Leave a Comment
Interfaith leaders stand in solidarity with the City of Chula Vista, the Chula Vista Public Library, and Chula Vista Councilmember Stephen Padilla as they continue their plans to host the Drag Queen Story Hour happening on Tuesday, September 10 at the Chula Vista Public Library Civic Center Branch.

The nationally known hate group “MassResistance” with ties to anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, and white supremacist activists and values have been actively protesting the Chula Vista Public Library and attempting to have the event canceled.

DevOUT, an interfaith coalition of San Diego Pride, and over 70 interfaith community leaders and faith groups throughout San Diego County including the First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista and Unitarian Universalists of the South Bay signed on to a letter offering support and commending the City of Chula Vista’s efforts to promote inclusion, equality, and love through their programming.

“Our commitment to our communities is to create inclusive environments that honor the wholeness of all people,” said Reverend Tania Marquez of Unitarian Universalists of the South Bay. “I commend the work of the City of Chula Vista library for their commitment to create inclusive and LGBTQ+ affirming programming. All genders and all gender expressions are whole and holy.”

In addition to the scheduled drag queen story hour, community members are congregating at the library for a “love demonstration” as a way for supporters to come together and peacefully demonstrate love and acceptance.

Interfaith leaders stand in solidarity with the City of Chula Vista, the Chula Vista Public Library, and Chula Vista Councilmember Stephen Padilla as they continue their plans to host the Drag Queen Story Hour happening on Tuesday, September 10 at the Chula Vista Public Library Civic Center Branch.

The nationally known hate group “MassResistance” with ties to anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, and white supremacist activists and values have been actively protesting the Chula Vista Public Library and attempting to have the event canceled.

DevOUT, an interfaith coalition of San Diego Pride, and over 70 interfaith community leaders and faith groups throughout San Diego County including the First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista and Unitarian Universalists of the South Bay signed on to a letter offering support and commending the City of Chula Vista’s efforts to promote inclusion, equality, and love through their programming.

“Our commitment to our communities is to create inclusive environments that honor the wholeness of all people,” said Reverend Tania Marquez of Unitarian Universalists of the South Bay. “I commend the work of the City of Chula Vista library for their commitment to create inclusive and LGBTQ+ affirming programming. All genders and all gender expressions are whole and holy.”
In addition to the scheduled drag queen story hour, community members are congregating at the library for a “love demonstration” as a way for supporters to come together and peacefully demonstrate love and acceptance.

List of Interfaith Community Leaders and Faith Group supporters
Taylor Binney, First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
Leslie Bunker, First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
Alan Hay, First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
Reverend Tania Marquez, First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, South Bay
Rev. Dr. Brian Parcel, First United Methodist Church of Chula Vista
Reverend Brandan Robertson, Missiongathering Christian Church (DevOUT Co-Chair)
Minister Anna Runion, Pilgrim United Church of Christ (DevOUT Co-Chair)
The Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
Commissioner Susan Jester, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
Reverend Bailey Brawner, Mission Hills United Methodist Church
The Very Reverend Penny Bridges, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
Reverend Mary Brookshire, Pioneer Ocean View United Church of Christ
Rabbi Laurie Coskey Ed.D, Chavurah Kol Haneshamah
Reverend Amanda Dohring, Vista La Mesa Christian Church
Reverend Nancy Fowler, Missiongathering Christian Church
Vicar Courtney Geibert, Christ Lutheran Church
Reverend Julie Germain, Vista La Mesa Christian Church
Pastor Wendy Holland, Missiongathering Christian Church
Reverend William Hurd
Reverend Katherine Katsanis-Semel, Metropolitan Community Church
Reverend Michael Kinnamon, Vista La Mesa Christian Church
The Rev. Dr. Richard Lee, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Reverend Caleb Lines, University Christian Church
Rabbi Devorah Marcus, Temple Emanu-El of San Diego
Reverend Jeff Martinhauk, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
Reverend Gary Matson Sr, Missiongathering Christian Church
Reverend Cheri Metier, Interfaith Worker Justice of San Diego County
Reverend Kathleen Moehlig, Unity
Father Michael Nicosia, Ecumenical Catholic Communion
Reverend Kathleen Owens, First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego
Reverend Bob Rhodes, Pacific Beach United Methodist Church
Pastor Sandy Roberts, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Reverend Doctor Steven Shepard, University Christian Church
Reverend Sharon Wylie, Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Rachel Adams, The Rock Church
Abby Algarin, Missiongathering Christian Church
Ms. Susan Bourrillion, University Christian Church
Crystal Canez, Kensington Community Church
Martha Casillas
Sandy Chase, Lutheran
Andrea Beth Damsky, Chavurah Shir Ha-Yam
Emmanuel De Guzman, Missiongathering Christian Church
Jeri Edwards, Missiongathering Christian Church
Jenniet Galvan
Michelle Gorman, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Poway
Mrs. Nakeedra Haskell, Pilgrim United Church of Christ
Blake Jones, Cathedral of Saint John the Divine
Mario Juarez
Nadia Kean-Ayub, Catholic, Chula Vista, CA
Dr. Carole Kennedy, University Christian Church
Alex Kip, Oceanside Sanctuary
Dr. Robin Knauerhase, Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance
Don Lewis, Missiongathering Christian Church
Phyllis Lovato, Missiongathering Christian Church
Miriam Marquez, Missiongathering Christian Church
Amanda Martin, Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Andy Mathews, Pioneer Ocean View United Church of Christ
Jorge Mendoza, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
Jeff Michaelson, University Christian Church
Michael Middleton, Missiongathering Christian Church
Michelle Million, Sojourn Grace Collective
Camille Pederson, Pioneer Ocean View United Church of Christ
Vanessa Quartuccio, Missiongathering Christian Church
Mr. Jovy Quevedo, Missiongathering Christian Church
Mykel Resino, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
Marshela Salgado, University Christian Church
Art Serrano, Missiongathering Christian Church
Cheryl Starbuck, Missiongathering Christian Church
Dr. Jason Steidl, St. Paul the Apostle Church
Sam Trego, Missiongathering Christian Church
Diana Trepesowsky, Missiongathering Christian Church
Mr. Terry Vaughn, Missiongathering Christian Church
Haley Wilson
Larry Wiltjer, Missiongathering Christian Church
Sarah Zuniga, Disciples Divinity House, The University of Chicago
Light of Pride Award
July 2, 2019 5:45 pm Leave a Comment
Jewish Family Service of San Diego has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Light of Pride Award and will be presented with the award at the 5th Annual Light up the Cathedral Interfaith Pride Celebration hosted by St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in partnership with San Diego Pride on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at the Light up the Cathedral, Pride Interfaith Celebration at 7:00 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral.

San Diego Pride and St. Paul’s Cathedral seeks to recognize religious, spiritual, and service organizations that serve as role models for affirmation and service to the San Diego LGBTQ community and strive to make the San Diego a better place for our community.

Jewish Family Services of San Diego has been making a difference in people’s lives since 1918. Since it’s founding, JFSSD efforts have been dedicated to welcoming new immigrants—those who came from the other side of the country, and those who are seeking refuge in the United States for the first time and need a place to sleep and a warm meal.
JFSSD has been on the forefront in San Diego to raise awareness of social injustice, speak on behalf of justice, celebrate diversity, and impel action in building a better future for all San Diegans, including the LGBTQ community. Today, JFS has grown into a premier human services agency in San Diego, touching the lives of more than 32,000 people a year. With a focus on uplifting individuals and families and supporting aging with dignity, JFSSD helps people of all ages and faith backgrounds build stable, secure, and connected lives.

With a century of experience in San Diego, JFSSD remains committed to believing in people. At every age. And every stage of life. JFSSD is committed to meeting people where they are—and providing the compassionate services that have helped generations of people move forward.

During this past year, as we have seen a rise in antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ violence, San Diego Pride is proud to stand with JFSSD and even prouder to present JFSSD with the 2019 Light of Pride award We salute their courage to act and strength to persevere.
Pride of Hillcrest Block Party 2019
June 18, 2019 6:14 pm Leave a Comment
Pride Block Party – Meet The Drag Race Stars

Get ready to kick off San Diego Pride as The Hillcrest Business Association, in partnership with San Diego Pride, announces the annual Pride of Hillcrest Block Party 2019.

This event is presented by San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU), Miller/Coors and Effen Vodka. The Pride of Hillcrest Block Party takes place on Friday, July 12, 2019.

Join thousands of people as they come out to Pride Plaza in celebration of this year’s Block Party theme, “Free to be you,” which speaks to the many of San Diegans who work and play in one of the country’s most recognized LGBT communities. People all across the U.S. will be making their way to Hillcrest for this free event which precedes the Stonewall Rally.

This year the Stonewall Rally commemorates 50 years of LGBT activism, heritage, and protest which paved the way for some of the freedoms the LGBT community enjoys today. But the fight is far from over and every year the Stonewall Rally honors those in the community who have made a difference and forged positive change for future generations to come.

Leave work early for happy hour at 2 pm and then grab your seats for this historic Stonewall Rally.

The Pride Block Party is a free event thanks to the generosity of people who have made contributions at functions throughout the year.

In order to keep the event at no cost for attendees, donations can be made HERE. Remember: “Make a donation to keep Pride Block Party Free!” When people donate towards the party or

purchase a VIP ticket, they help make the Hillcrest Pride Block Party free for everyone including youth!

This year the celebrity lineup is the best it has ever been with Drag Race megastars Kameron Michaels, Plastique Tiara, Chad Michaels, Morgan McMichaels, and Mayhem Miller.

WHEN: Pride of Hillcrest Block Party 2019 is on Friday, July 12, from 2 pm until 11 pm

DONATIONS: Tiers of contributions in order to keep the event free can be found HERE. You can also purchase VIP and meet-and-greet options. WHERE: It will take place at Pride Plaza, under the Hillcrest Pride Flag: Normal Street, between University and Harvey Milk. Both southbound lane and northbound lanes of Normal Street will be closed to vehicular traffic.
Life of Daniel Carl Schaefer II
June 13, 2019 12:35 pm Leave a Comment
Life of Daniel Carl Schaefer II

Daniel Carl Schaefer II was born on June 3, 1944 in San Jose, CA. His parents were Josephine La Vern Schaefer and Daniel Carl Schaefer, and he was their only child. Dan grew up in theSaratoga, Los Gatos, and Monte Sereno area of California and graduated from San Jose High School on June 14, 1962.

Dan worked at Capitol Records in L.A. for a few years where he met the love of his life Kent Manthrone. Dan also worked as an assistant office manager for a law firm and as a financial manager for the Los Angeles International Film Festival until they merged with AFI.

In 1987, Dan and Kent moved to San Diego. Dan switched careers and became a successful travel agent for three decades. This allowed him and his life-partner, Kent (who predeceased him), to take many cruises and land trips to various parts of the world.

Also in 1987, Dan & Kent began volunteering with San Diego LGBT Pride and began their long, devoted volunteer commitment as safety and parade volunteers, and as ticket sales coordinators in early 1990. Dan & Kent were also long-standing members of the Fellowship of Older Gays. Also around this time Dan & Kent started volunteering with the Parade of Lights and became members of the Chula Vista Yacht Club. Dan later became the Treasurer on the Board of the Parade of Lights.

On May 10, 2011, Jerry Sanders, Mayor of the City of San Diego, honored Dan by proclaiming May 10, 2011 Dan Schaefer Day in recognition of the contributions Dan had made to the City of San Diego’s LGBT community and commended him for his more than 24 years of volunteer service.

In 2003, Dan became a member of Christ Church Unity and volunteered in many ways including being an usher and greeter for 15 years.

“Dapper” Dan was seldom seen without one of his signature hats that was always matched to the rest of his outfit. Dan was a man of many interests; he loved the opera and musicals, movies in general and the classic black and white movies on TCM in particular. His greatest love was being around people and enjoying food, chocolate cake, and conversation with friends. Dan was a loving and caring person, a good friend, and he will be greatly missed!
San Diego Pride to Kick Off Pride Weekend By Honoring Its Origins With The Spirit of Stonewall Rally
June 11, 2019 10:52 am Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride weekend begins with the Spirit of Stonewall Rally at The Hillcrest Pride Flag on Friday, July 12, 6 – 7 p.m. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a moment in history in which the LGBTQ community fought back against police brutality and legal oppression. To commemorate the anniversary, the theme for San Diego Pride 2019 is Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation. San Diego Pride will take this year to honor and reflect on the Stonewall generation, their activism and what the community has gained through their efforts.

“This Pride we will highlight the Stonewall generation, their activism, and all that our community has gained through their efforts, as we challenge ourselves to reflect on our own role in that legacy, and how, if we approach our own individual legacies with intention, we can build on their successes to leave a better world for those who come next,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando Z. López.

This year’s award recipients include:

Community Grand Marshal – Stonewall Generation
Champion of Pride – LaRue Fields
Stonewall Service Award – San Diego History Center
Inspirational Couple – Ricardo Gallego and Dr. Orlando Espin
Friend of Pride – Reverend Penny Bridges
Stonewall Philanthropy Award – Blue Shield of California

The United States flag and our colorguard will be presented by transgender veterans and servicemembers as the National Anthem is sung by black American transgender singer and songwriter Mila Jam.

The rally will also host San Diego LGBT Community Center CEO Cara Dessert speaking about immigration and asylum as an LGBTQ issue; Director of The Center for Gender-Affirming Care at Rady Children’s Hospital Bixby Marino-Kibbee discussing support for our trans youth and community, and CEO and Co-Founder of Rise San Diego Dwayne Crenshaw highlighting the progress our community has made and the work ahead of us such as passing the Equality Act.

2019 Spirit of Stonewall Speakers

The rally will be closed out by the San Diego Youth Marching band performing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as the rainbow flag is raised over Hillcrest. Afterwards, San Diego Pride and Fabulous Hillcrest present the Pride Block Party, which is free and open to the public.

The Spirit of Stonewall Rally is free and open to the public. The San Diego Pride Parade begins Saturday, July 13 at 10 a.m. at the Hillcrest Pride Flag and is free to attend. Find more information about the parade at www.sdpride.org/parade.

The Pride Festival is held Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14 at Marston Pt. in Balboa Park. For more information and tickets visit www.sdpride.org/festival. All proceeds from the festival and parade support San Diego Pride’s LGBTQ-centered philanthropy and year-round education and advocacy programs.

San Diego Pride was formed in 1974 as a sponsored program of The Center for Social Services which produced the first Lesbian and Gay Parade in San Diego in 1975 to celebrate the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion on New York’s Christopher Street. San Diego Pride was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1994.
Ricardo Gallego and Orlando Espín
9:31 am Leave a Comment
Inspirational Couple – Ricardo Gallego and Dr. Orlando Espin

Ricardo Gallego and Orlando Espín have been together 26 years, and were civilly married in California in 2008. They are very proud of their affirming, supportive families and friends. They are also the proud fathers of several canine sons. Ricardo has been very much involved in the San Diego LGBTQ community since 1999. A trained counselor, he worked for Bienestar Human Services, and then began working at the San Diego LGBT Community Center in 2004, and has been director of the Center’s Latinoax Services department for the past four years. More recently, he led the Center’s efforts to serve the many LGBTQ refugees arriving at our local border, and continues to work with several local immigrant-rights organizations.

Orlando has been professor at the University of San Diego since 1991, after serving on the faculty of the University of Florida. A much published academic author specialized in the study of “popular religions” (non-institutional forms of religions), he was among the first in his field to write and speak on LGBTQ rights and realities, and has encouraged others to do so. Orlando was co-founder and co-chair of the Latinoax Roundtable, a program of Berkeley’s Center for LGBTQ Studies in Religion. He continues to lecture locally, nationally and internationally on Latinoax LGBTQ persons, families and religions.
Blue Shield of California
9:30 am Leave a Comment
Stonewall Philanthropy Award – Blue Shield of California

As a mission-driven, nonprofit health plan celebrating its 80th year anniversary, Blue Shield of California is committed to diversity and equality for all. We couldn’t be prouder to recognize, celebrate and invest in our LGBTQ+ employees, members and community at large.

In addition to being Presenting Sponsor of the San Diego Pride Parade, we’ve actively supported numerous LGBTQ+ organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, the SF AIDS Foundation, Out & Equal and PFLAG to name a few. Our belief in the importance of celebrating diversity extends to how we do business by consciously including a diverse supplier base. In 2019, we were recognized by the Golden Gate Business Association as one of the Top 10 Insurers for championing the inclusion of the LGBT Business Enterprises as part of the California Insurance Commissioners Diversity Initiative.

Diversity and inclusion is a key cornerstone to building a great place to work, and prioritized at all levels of our company. We actively recruit for new talent at LGBTQ+ career events. For the third consecutive year, we are humbled to have achieved a perfect 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, recognizing us as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”

Blue Shield of California’s mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality health care at an affordable price. We’re committed to those seeking affirming and nondiscriminatory health care and resources within the LGBTQ+ community, and cover a range of preventive services and screenings for our members that identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. For those seeking gender reassignment we do not exclude benefits.

We recognize our shared humanity, which we proudly reflect in our new ad campaign. Being able to live our values through work is what Blue Shield of California Stands for. It’s what makes us proud to be Blue.
Very Reverend Penny Bridges
9:30 am Leave a Comment
Friend of Pride – Reverend Penny Bridges

The Very Reverend Penny Bridges has served as Dean, or senior pastor, of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral since 2014. During her seminary years at Yale Divinity School she worked at a transitional residential program for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and the first funeral she conducted was for a man who died of AIDS and was disowned by his family.

Penny puts her heart and soul into developing a community where all are welcome and where those wounded by their religious experience can find healing. At St. Paul’s, leadership, both lay and ordained, is open to all orientations and gender identities. In 2015, Penny initiated the installation of multicolored lights around the cathedral. Today the interfaith “Light up the Cathedral for Pride” service is an official event of the Pride festival.
In 2016 Penny led the effort to install gender-neutral, completely accessible bathrooms at the Cathedral, and she was instrumental in organizing an interfaith, pan-Latinx memorial service for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

Other activities include membership of the San Diego AIDS Memorial Task Force, sponsorship of the Interfaith Shelter Workshop for LGBTQ; offering blessings at events including three Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfasts, four Imperial Court de San Diego Coronations, the Pride Parade, and the Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner; leadership of the Interfaith Leaders Parade lead group Lighting the Cathedral for Trans Pride; and her role as spiritual advisor to the Imperial Court’s Queen Mother of the Americas, Empress Nicole the Great.

Penny is deeply grateful for the many gifts that our LGBTQ citizens bring to St. Paul’s and the wider faith community. She currently has a dream of raising funds to purchase niches in the cathedral columbarium to house the ashes of LGBT individuals whose families have never claimed them. Penny is proud to be known as a stalwart ally of the community.
San Diego History Center
9:30 am Leave a Comment
Stonewall Service Award – San Diego History Center

The San Diego History Center, in the heart of Balboa Park, is the catalyst for the preservation and promotion of the history of the San Diego region. The History Center is committed to telling the histories of everyone in our community, including those who have been excluded from textbooks, or those traditionally left out of the historical narrative. In July 2018 we debuted the exhibition LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs, in partnership with Lambda Archives of San Diego. This ground-breaking exhibition runs through January 2020 and is curated by Lillian Faderman, noted LGBTQ+ author and scholar. LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs examines how this community has faced, fought, and continues to fight against persecution and intolerance with the goal of equality for all LGBTQ+ people.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, the companion exhibit Legendary Drag Queens of San Diego shines the spotlight on the performance art of drag in San Diego and its critical role in support for LGBTQ+ causes and philanthropy.

The San Diego History Center also honors San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community and Toni Atkins, State Senate President pro Tempore and Christine Kehoe, former California State Senator as the 2019 “Makers of San Diego History.” This award honors those communities and individuals who have “Made History in their Own Time.”

The San Diego History Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate, seeks to engage audiences of all ages in connecting the past to the present and setting the stage for where our community is headed in the future. The organization was founded as the San Diego Historical Society in 1928 and today is the place where San Diego visitors and residents can discover, discuss, and determine why history matters for our region today. SDHC also serves as a gathering space where community members can dialogue and learn from each other. Through our exhibits, programs, workshops, and trainings, San Diegans learn from the past, engage with the present, and forge clearer pathways for the future.
Bixby Marino-Kibbee
9:30 am Leave a Comment
Director of The Center for Gender-Affirming Care at Rady Children’s Hospital Bix Marino-Kibbee

Bixby Marino-Kibbee [they/them/theirs] is a non-binary, transmasculine, queer mental health professional. They have worked in the fields of social services and mental healthcare since 2005, providing LGBTQIA-affirming care to youth and adults, and their families. Bix was born and raised in San Diego but spent years living and working on the east coast in Virginia and Boston before moving back to San Diego in 2011. As a mental health clinician, Bix has worked with individuals across the lifespan including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults and their families in a variety of settings including residential treatment, outpatient therapy, community-based wraparound services, and more recently within a large healthcare system.

Bix spent five years working with youth and families impacted by systems of care including child welfare and juvenile probation through wraparound services before joining the San Diego LGBT Community Center as the Director of Behavioral Health Services in 2015. At The Center, Bix led a team of twelve clinicians providing outpatient individual, couples, and family therapy to LGBTQIA and HIV/AIDS-impacted individuals. Through this role, Bix focused on addressing the needs of transgender and non-binary youth and adults, including increasing access to gender-affirming mental health services, helping transgender and non-binary individuals navigate healthcare systems and decreasing gatekeeping.

In 2019, Bix joined Rady Children’s Hospital as the director of the Center for Gender-Affirming Care. In this role, Bix is tasked with expanding services to include a new stand-alone multidisciplinary clinic, providing a continuum of care for transgender and non-binary children, adolescents and young adults, and implementing training across the health care system. Bix has a passion for reducing health disparities and ensuring that all transgender and non-binary people have access to healthcare that is safe, affirming, and accessible regardless of geographic location and access to financial resources.
Caroline (Cara) Dessert, Esq.
9:30 am Leave a Comment
San Diego LGBT Community Center CEO Cara Dessert

Caroline (Cara) Dessert, Esq. is the Chief Executive Officer of The San Diego LGBT Community Center. Prior to being named CEO, she served as the organization’s Chief Development and Community Engagement Officer.

A queer Latina, Dessert is an attorney and non-profit executive with 15 years in social justice leadership.

Dessert was previously the executive director of Immigration Equality, a national organization focused on LGBT immigrant rights. She worked closely with the Obama Administration, as well as local, state and national organizations working at the intersection of LGBT and immigrant rights.

She served in the California Department of Justice in the Office of the Attorney General as a Deputy Attorney General in the Public Rights Division, where she also worked with then-California Attorney General (now U.S. Senator) Kamala Harris’ executive team.

Dessert has deep roots in the San Diego area. A native of El Centro, she previously served as The Center’s public policy and community organizing coordinator, and as San Diego’s field director for the No on 8/Equality for All campaign. She also worked for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.

She completed her JD at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law, where she was the editor-in-chief of the Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review and earned degree specializations from the Epstein Public Interest Law and Policy and Critical Race Studies programs. She earned her BA at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD).

Dessert is married to Lisa Valenzuela.
LaRue Fields
9:29 am Leave a Comment
Champion of Pride – LaRue Fields

LaRue Fields is the Senior Program Coordinator & Services Navigator for the San Diego LGBT Community Center. In this role she is responsible for creating a safe and welcoming environment for LGBT seniors and providing access to important resources and referrals regarding health care, social services, and community activities. Her responsibilities also include increasing senior community connections and involvement, reducing isolation and providing case management to seniors on issues of housing, health care, finances, and other matters associated with aging. While in San Diego, LaRue has held positions with the San Diego LGBT Community Center, and Senior Community Centers (now known as Serving Seniors) and the Salvation Army.

Prior to coming to San Diego, LaRue was the Head Women’s Basketball Coach & Health/Physical Education Instructor at Morgan State University, a Historically Black University in Baltimore Maryland and the first African-American female Head Coach at the University of Minnesota. While in Minneapolis, Minnesota, LaRue also worked for the Minneapolis Urban League and the Minneapolis NAACP as part of their senior management teams.

LaRue is a Bayard Rustin Civil Rights Award winner (2015) and serves on the AIS (Aging & Independence Services) Senior Advisory Council as 1st Vice-Chair. She has also been recognized for her outstanding work with the LGBT Senior Community by Dave Roberts (Supervisor, Third District), Senator Marty Block, Assembly members Toni Akins, Todd Gloria and Shirley Weber as well as Councilmember Chris Ward.

LaRue is the daughter of the late Norman and Gertrude Fields and have four siblings two of whom live in California with the other two residing in her home state of South Carolina.

LaRue is a tireless worker and advocate who has dedicated her life to helping others especially LGBT seniors and low income people of color.
Dwayne Crenshaw
9:29 am Leave a Comment
Dwayne Crenshaw

Dwayne is a native San Diegan and lifelong resident of southeastern San Diego. His deep knowledge of San Diego’s neighborhoods and his community activism, which began at the age of thirteen, are invaluable in his role as a nonprofit and community leader. As President & CEO of The Humanity Movement, Dwayne Crenshaw is responsible for the organization’s effective management and operation on a day-to-day basis and leads the teams policy development and advocacy work.

He previously served as CEO and Co-Founder of RISE San Diego from 2014 to 2020, as the executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride from 2011 to 2013 and the Coalition of Neighborhood Councils from 2005 to 2009, where he advanced issues of community development and social justice. From 2000 to 2004, he promoted resident ownership of neighborhood change in southeastern San Diego as the director of community ownership at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation. San Diego Metropolitan Magazine has named Dwayne Crenshaw as one of “San Diego’s Smartest Young Professionals – 40 under 40.”

Prior to his roles in nonprofit management, Dwayne Crenshaw had eight years of government experience as an aide to state and local elected officials, including former California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. Dwayne Crenshaw began his public service career as one of eighteen James M. Unruh Assembly Fellows who are chosen from hundreds of applicants each year to serve in the California state capitol. Dwayne Crenshaw’s community service has included membership with the Southeast Rotary Club and participation on boards for San Diego State; Lincoln, High Tech and Hoover High Schools; the San Diego Union-Tribune; UC San Diego’s Chancellor; the San Diego Community College District; San Diego’s Chief of Police; The Committed Collective; Harmonium, Inc; Torrey Pines Bank; and, Encanto Neighborhoods Community Planning Group.

He graduated from San Diego State University in 1994 where he majored in elementary education and was elected student body president of the 35,000-student campus. While working in the state capitol, he completed the coursework for a master’s in government from California State University, Sacramento. In 2011, he received his juris doctorate from California Western School of Law, where he twice earned the highly-coveted Distinguished Advocate recognition.

Dwayne Crenshaw resides in the Encanto community of southeastern San Diego. He is a proud dog dad and the active uncle of five nieces, four nephews, and two great-nieces and enjoys regular dinners with his entire immediate family at his parent’s home.
Solidarity with Chabad
April 29, 2019 4:16 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride and the DevOUT Interfaith Coalition are deeply grieved by yet another act of terrorism targeting our community. We stand united against all acts of hate-motivated violence: whether that affects LGBTQ people in Orlando, a mosque in New Zealand, black churches around the country, a church in Sri Lanka on Easter, or a synagogue on the last day of Passover. No one should be gunned down for what they believe, where they worship, the color of their skin, or who they love. The LGBTQ community and our own organization are not strangers to these kinds of hate-motivated acts of violence, and we are united in our shared struggle for equality, acceptance, and peace. We stand in solidarity with Congregation Chabad in Poway, mourn the devastating effects of this act of anti-Semitic and white supremacist terror, and commit to working across faiths to bring justice and equality to San Diego and beyond.

We will be attending the community vigil in Poway High School (15500 Espola Road, Poway, CA 92064) this evening at 6:30PM along with our friends at ADL, Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Family Services, Jewish Federation, and Poway Unified School District, and we hope to see you there.

With Love and Hope,

Fernando Z. López
Executive Director
San Diego LGBT Pride

Pastor Brandan Robertson
DevOUT Co-chair
San Diego Pride

Minister Anna Runion
DevOUT Co-chair
San Diego Pride
King Princess announced as San Diego Pride Festival Saturday Headliner
April 25, 2019 10:22 am Leave a Comment
2019 Pride Festival Saturday Headliner: King Princess

San Diego, CA (April 25, 2019) – San Diego Pride announced today that LGBTQ advocate, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer King Princess will headline the 2019 Pride Festival on Saturday, July 13. The San Diego Pride Parade and Festival will take place July 13 – 14 and includes over 90 musical acts across four stages, featuring breakthrough local and international LGBTQ artists. This year’s theme is “Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation,” aligned with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, to honor and reflect on the Stonewall generation, their activism, and all that the LGBTQ community has gained through their efforts.

“Playing San Diego Pride is a true honor. Pride celebrations are a pillar of liberation and representation in our community and a reminder of our ability to bring happiness to one and another through inclusion,” said King Princess. “It’s about giving each other a home in which we can share our truest expression of self without judgement. Our founding mother Marsha fought to give us our space to express ourselves freely and to celebrate our love. I’m honored to be a part of this loving community. Come rock with me and Melissa!”

In February 2018, King Princess released her debut single “1950” with the title song being a tribute to both the 1952 novel “The Price of Salt” by Patricia Highsmith and the LGBTQ community of that time who faced barriers in expressing their queerness openly due to McCarthyism and the Lavender Scare.

“The ability for compelling LGBTQ artists like King Princess to come right out the gate fully embracing their identity in their music, medium, and public persona embodies how far we’ve come since the Stonewall Riots,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando López. “It’s an honor to have a queer rising star like King Princess headline at San Diego Pride’s Festival along with Melissa Etheridge and all the other iconic LGBTQ artists we’re eager to announce, all of whom approach their craft and our community with social justice in their hearts.”

Previous San Diego Pride performers include Ke$ha, TLC, Kathy Griffin, JoJo, Kim Petras, Margaret Cho, En Vogue, Estelle, Ruby Rose and Big Freedia. The annual two-day festival draws in over 45,000 visitors and offers vendor booths, educational and art exhibits, cultural presentations, delicious food booths and more. The Pride Parade is the largest single-day civic event in the San Diego region and is the sixth largest Pride celebration in the United States, attracting over 250,000 people.

San Diego Pride was formed in 1974 as a sponsored program of The Center for Social Services which produced the first Lesbian and Gay Parade in San Diego in 1975 to celebrate the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion on New York’s Christopher Street. San Diego Pride was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1994.Tickets for the San Diego Pride Festival are currently on sale at www.sdpride.org. A limited number of King Princess meet-and-greet tickets are available. The San Diego Pride Parade takes place Saturday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. and is free and open to the public. All proceeds from the festival and parade support San Diego Pride’s LGBTQ-centered philanthropy and year-round education and advocacy programs. Invite your friends on Facebook at www.bit.ly/sdpf19.
Grantmakers United for Trans Communities
March 28, 2019 4:33 pm Leave a Comment
#GUTCPledge

San Diego Pride is proud to be an inaugural signatory of the GUTC Pledge as we look to do more for Transgender communities in the United States.

Did you know that for every $100 award by U.S. foundations, that only 3 cents goes to transgender communities? That is why we’re committed to changing that and doing more for trans communities.

As an inaugural GUTC Pledge signatory committed to improving the well-being of trans communities, we pledge to participate in trainings and professional development opportunities focused on supporting trans communities; improve our recruitment and retention of trans and gender non-conforming staff and board members; increase our grantmaking for trans communities, with a commitment to trans-led organizations; and publicly express our support for and solidarity with trans communities.

Learn more about the pledge and see who else has signed on here.
Statement from San Diego Pride Regarding United Methodist Church General Conference Decision
March 1, 2019 12:01 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride and our interfaith program, DevOUT, stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ siblings in the United Methodist Church. We applaud the courage of LGBTQIA+ Methodists who have spoken out this week and we will continue to stand with them.

2017 Interfaith Contingent at the San Diego Pride Parade

“While we grieve this decision from the international UMC body, we are redoubled in our commitment to always be faith communities that are fully open and affirming of our LGBTQIA+ siblings,” said Reverend Brent Ross of Normal Heights United Methodist Church. “For we are a church who is led by, taught by, and blessed by our LGBTQIA+ family and we will never change or stop celebrating who we are.”

Sixty-five percent of all LGBTQIA+ people claim a spiritual or faith practice, and San Diego’s faith communities have a long legacy of working hard to create welcoming and affirming spaces for our LGBTQIA+ family. As we move forward, our LGBTQIA+ and allied faith leaders will stay strong in this work in all faith traditions.

“The traditionalists within the United Methodist church have chosen to exclude and marginalize LGBTQIA+ Christians whose only desire is to serve their church and express the Love of God in the world,” said Lead Pastor Brandan Robertson of Missiongathering Christian Church. “Nothing could be more antithetical to the message Jesus embodied and proclaimed. Thankfully there is a powerful uprising within the UMC of LGBTQIA+ clergy, lay people, and allies who will continue to fight and defend all queer people’s dignity and right to serve and be included in the Church and the world. This decision is the decision of a few non-inclusive leaders, but it’s not the decision of God. God continues to welcome all, and I am hopeful that the future of our church and world is towards inclusion.”

Read a statement from San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando Z. López here.

If you’d like to stay up to date on our interfaith organizing efforts or would like to sign up your congregation to work as part of the coalition you can do so here.
Top Pride Moments of 2018
December 20, 2018 2:00 pm Leave a Comment
2018 was a year of incredible growth for San Diego Pride, one full of vibrant celebrations, victories, challenges, and triumphs that showcased the resiliency and love our community has to offer. To those of you who have volunteered countless hours, donated skills and time, and celebrated with us, we thank you. Take a look back at some of the top moments of Pride from this last year.

1. Build OUT

Year-round volunteer engagement is the heartbeat of Pride and our civic engagement work. We started off the year with a new partnership with Habitat for Humanity, undertaking a variety of jobs including building homes, doing restorations and yard work, and staffing donation centers.

This set the tone for a year full of volunteer-led successes!

Register to volunteer here.

2. MLK Holiday Parade

In February, Pride participated in the San Diego MLK Holiday Parade along with the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition, San Diego Original Black Panthers, and DETOUR to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the contributions of Black LGBTQ individuals to our collective movement.

Join us for the 2019 MLK Holiday Parade.

3. Growing Youth Programs

In 2018, our youth programs saw significant growth as we continue to expand services to meet the needs of our LGBTQ youth.

We held the 2nd annual youth art show in March which showcased art from LGBTQ students from around the county. This art installation was also shown in the San Diego Repertory Theater and the San Diego County Fair.

Pride youth art displayed at The San Diego Repertory Theatre

The office had a number of youth interns who were integral parts of making the parade and festival a success, increased our voter engagement efforts, and revamped the GLSEN local school climate survey.

Our Festival Pride Youth Zone saw over 300 LGBTQ youth over Pride weekend and was created by LGBTQ youth who worked throughout the year to create a space for themselves, by themselves.

Every second Saturday of the month, LGBTQ youth gathered for our monthly Lunch Bunch. We had LGBTQ sex-education, discussed mental health, created genderbread cookies, had our first friendsgiving, and even took field trips to OUT at the Park, She Fest, and the San Diego County Fair – OUT at the Fair.

One of our biggest field trips was to Sacramento, taking LGBTQ youth to Equality California’s Lobby Day where they met with elected officials to lobby for themselves and LGBTQ rights!

San Diego Youth in Sacramento with Assemblymember Todd Gloria

Our annual Pride Youth Leadership Academy saw its biggest group yet with over 50 youth from throughout Southern California attending a one-day workshop at Balboa Park’s San Diego History Center where youth were immersed in LGBTQ history, youth advocacy, and network building.

San Diego Youth Leadership Academy Students with Pride Staff, Youth Coordinators, panelists, and Historian Lillian Faderman.

Learn more about our youth programs here.

4. Interfaith Shelter Network

In partnership with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the Interfaith Shelter Network of San Diego, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Pride hosted the Interfaith Shelter Network: LGBTQ Summit with the goal of reducing LGBTQ homelessness in San Diego. The summit provided tools for congregations to help some of our most vulnerable residents as they work toward securing permanent housing.

CBS News 8 – San Diego, CA News Station – KFMB Channel 8

5. March for Our Lives

In March, LGBTQ youth from Pride’s youth-led programs organized a contingent for San Diego’s March for Our Lives in support of the victims of the February 14th shooting in Parkland, Florida, calling for greater school safety and an end to gun violence. Read the Huffington Post article here.

LGBTQ youth and staff at the March for Our Lives March

6. #MeTooLGBTQ

In April, in partnership with The San Diego LGBT Community Center, The Center for Community Solutions, North County Lifeline, The San Diego Chapter of CAMFT, and 211 San Diego, Pride hosted the first #MeTooLGBTQ Conference in order to increase culturally competent services in San Diego county for victims and survivors of sexual violence who identify as LGBTQ. The first step in a long-term solution, the second conference, slated to take place in April 2019, is already being organized.

LGBTQ Survivors Taskforce with Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins

7. OUT at the Park

OUT at the Park was back for another year as we watched the Padres take on the New York Mets at Petco Park. Many firsts happened as our very own LGBTQ Military Contingent presented the colors as the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Women’s Chorus, LGBTQ Elected Officials, Padres staff, and San Diego Pride staff sang the national anthem together. Then our very own Ryland Whittington threw out the first pitch! Tickets are already on sale for next year’s OUT at the Park!

Click here to purchase tickets for 2019 OUT at the Park.

8. Orgullo Sin Fronteras

In another first, thanks to funding from the Department of State, in May Pride hosted a one-day binational educational leadership capacity-building summit entitled “Orgullo Sin Fronteras” in Tijuana, Mexico. Over 200 people participated in our first year, and planning for the 2019 summit is already underway!

If you’re interested in lending your talents to the planning group, email Jen LaBarbera at [email protected].

9. Get OUT the Vote

2018 was an election year, and Pride was ready to help get out the vote. Our volunteers regularly took part in nonpartisan GOTV phone banks and canvassing locally and led West Coast Solidarity phone banks to protect the rights, dignity, and equality of transgender people in Massachusetts.

West Coast Solidarity Phone Bank team – YesOn3

10. She Fest

We kicked off Pride week with She Fest in North Park! This woman-centered event included live performances, workshops, and even a dog fashion show. Our planning committee is already hard at work planning She Fest 2019. Click here to learn more.

11. Interfaith pride

Pride and St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral held an LGBTQ interfaith event, Light up the Cathedral, during Pride week with Keynote Speaker and trans Latina minister, Nicole M. Garcia. LGBTQ interfaith leaders were honored, and the Cathedral was lit up in rainbow colors. Also this year, Pride established DevOUT, an interfaith coalition committed to organizing communities of faith for LGBTQ justice and to creating compelling open and affirming faith-based programming for our community.

Minister Nicole M. Garcia in the 2018 San Diego Pride Parade

12. The Spirit of Stonewall Rally

We always honor our origins at our annual Rally. This year we were especially honored to have San Diego’s first openly LGBTQ elected official, Sen. Christine Kehoe, open up the event with all our regional LGBTQ elected officials on stage as she spoke about building political power. Nominate your LGBTQ here for the 2019 Spirit of Stonewall Rally.

13. Star-Studded Lineup

San Diego Pride Festival saw record attendees of over 45,000 coming out to see a diverse array of LGBTQ performers like Le1f, Brooke Candy, and Kim Petras. LGBTQ allies JoJo and Graciela Beltran helped create a star-studded lineup of your favorite bops!

14. TLC at Pride

On the Sunday of Pride weekend, TLC took to the stage to a record-breaking crowd that was ready to hear hits like No Scrubs, Unpretty, and Waterfalls! It was the perfect way to end Pride weekend.

TLC at 2018 San Diego Pride Festival

15. International LGBTQ Leaders at Pride

Pride World Forum was held during Pride weekend at the San Diego History Center in partnership with the San Diego Diplomacy Council. Attendees were able to hear from a panel of LGBTQ leaders from around the globe about the LGBTQ movement and their experiences in their respective countries.

LGBTQI International Leaders with San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando Lopez and Pride Eduation & Advocacy Manager Jen LaBarbera

16. Latinx, Ebony, and API Pride

2018 saw the creation of the LGBTQ Latinx coalition which seeks to strengthen the educational, health, cultural, civic, political, and economic power of our LGBTQ Latinx community and the region. Together with the LGBTQ Black Coalition, they created areas in the festival for LGBTQ individuals living at those intersections of identity to find community and resources. Inspired by this, members of the LGBTQ API community came together to form a new LGBTQ API Coalition to create a similar space at next year’s festival!

San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition at 2018 San Diego Pride Parade

San Diego LGBTQ Latinx Coalition at 2018 San Diego Pride Festival

LGBTQ API Planning Committee

17. InterPride Conference

As a founder of InterPride, San Diego Pride attended this year’s international conference in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan, Canada to meet with Pride organizations from across the globe. Thanks to our efforts, U. S. Department of State, Special Adviser for LGBTI Human Rights, Jonathan Lalley was able to attend and educate folks from all around the world on how they can obtain funding and support from our government!

US Department of State Special Adviser for LGBTI Human Rights Jonathan Lalley and San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando Lopez

18. #WontBeErased

In coalition with several local organizations and individuals, San Diego responded to the Department of Health and Human Services memorandum announcing a move to “narrowly define gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth,” by hosting the We Won’t Be Erased Teach-In followed by the Won’t Be Erased March and Rally supporting and led by our transgender, intersex, and gender-nonconforming community.

Transgender activists and supporters marched Saturday during the “Won’t Be Erased” protest against the federal government’s move to more narrowly define gender as male or female.

19. LGBTQ Families During the Holidays

Pride and our community partners gathered in North Park to ensure that LGBTQ families were represented in the North Park Toyland Parade! It was a blast as we wished parade goers happy holidays and handed out candy canes.

San Diego Pride Contingent at the North Park Toyland Parade

20. Pride in San Diego

This year we saw an unprecedented amount of attendees at our parade and festival. Our parade saw over 250,000 cheering spectators, and the festival had over 45,000 people help us to celebrate. An independent economic impact study conducted by San Diego State University determined that San Diego Pride’s impact on San Diego region to be $26.6 million dollars!

2018 San Diego Pride Parade

21. Investing in Our Community’s Future

In 2018, Pride committed to donating $5,000 to the Tracie Jada O’Brien Scholarship Fund and continues to seek individual donations to further invest in the transgender community. Currently, individual donations to the scholarship fund exceed over $4,000. Donate to the fund here.

Check presentation for the Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship Fund

22. Pride Gives Back

Due to the unprecedented attendance and resulting financial success of the 2018 Pride events, we were pleased to announce that our 2018 charitable giving exceeded $170,000. The donations will be distributed to 59 LGBTQ-serving organizations, in accordance with Pride’s mission to support LGBT communities locally, nationally, and globally. Read the entire press release here.

Pride Holiday Mixer with grant recipient: Trans Pride

Pride Holiday Mixer with grant recipient: The Pride Center, San Diego State University

Pride Executive Director Fernando Lopez with Susan Jester

Pride Holiday Mixer with grant recipient: Lambda Archives of San Diego

Pride Holiday Mixer with grant recipient: DETOUR

Pride Holiday Mixer with grant recipient: Francis Parker Gender-Sexuality Alliance

Be sure to join us next year as we celebrate Stonewall 50: A Legacy of Liberation.

Support our growing programs by donating or purchasing a ticket to July’s celebration!
San Diego Pride donates over $170,000 to LGBTQ-serving nonprofits
December 13, 2018 10:23 am Leave a Comment
2018 Pride Grant Recipient – Breakthrough Workshop Theatre

Due to the unprecedented attendance and resulting financial success at the 2018 Pride events, San Diego Pride is pleased to announce that their 2018 charitable giving will exceed $170,000. The donations will be distributed to 59 LGBTQ-serving organizations, both locally and internationally based.

Each year Pride works to return proceeds from the annual Pride weekend to the LGBTQ community. Since 1994, San Diego Pride’s community contributions have well exceeded 2.7 million dollars. Funds have been distributed to dozens of organizations through Pride Community Grants, sponsorships and event support.

“San Diego Pride, its events and year-round programming are made possible by our over 30 LGBTQ-serving nonprofit community partners, 87 sponsors, 5,600 volunteer shifts, 22,000 volunteers hours, 45,000 Festival attendees, and 250,000 Parade attendees,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando López. “It is this collective effort that builds on the legacy of those who came before us that makes this level of philanthropy possible.”

In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Pride committee members worked diligently to re-envision a model of Pride, from ad-hoc committees to a professional organization that was able to turn a profit from our events and use those funds to reinvest in our community. Folks like Christine Kehoe, Neil Good, Tim Williams, Barbra Blake, Joseph Mayer, and more wanted to ensure that the legacy of Pride was one that helps to build the capacity of the community beyond the weekend events. These pioneers of the movement knew that the resistance could look like philanthropy.

“Our giving will have a tangible impact on projects locally, nationally, and globally that support and sustain LGBTQ communities in a myriad of ways,” said San Diego Pride’s Director of Philanthropy Sarafina Scapicchio. “This year’s grants will help create new LGBTQ youth programs, feed and house people living with HIV, fund multiple LGBTQ-focused performing arts projects, provide legal support for LGBTQ victims of sex trafficking, scholarships for transgender students, emergency housing for homeless LGBTQ people, and so much more.”

The Pride grants annually help fund LGBTQ youth programs, sobriety services, LGBTQ arts and culture, queer communities of color, programs that support our transgender community, LGBTQ health and human services, and many more vital resources that our LGBTQ community relies on and enjoys.

The 2018 Grant recipients are:
Accra Pride, Associação de Educação do Homem de Amanhã de Brasília, Being Alive San Diego, Blindspot Collective, Breakthrough Workshop Theatre, Casa Ruby, Inc., Center for Community Counseling and Engagement, Courage Initiative, LTD., DETOUR, Diversionary Theatre Productions, Family Health Centers of San Diego, Francis Parker Gender-Sexuality Alliance, Fraternity House, Inc., Free to Thrive, Gay Men’s Spiritual Retreat, Gender Diversity, GLSEN San Diego, GSDBA Charitable Foundation, Imperial Court de San Diego, Imperial Valley College LGBTQ+ Club, Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center, Interfaith Shelter Network of San Diego, InterPride, Lambda Archives of San Diego, LGBT&Allies Employee Resource Group, Live & Let Live Alano Club, Mama’s Kitchen, Media Arts Center San Diego, MOXIE Theatre, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, Pacific Arts Movement, Pakistan Track-T Trans Pride, PFLAG San Diego County, POZabilities, Pride United, Quatrefoil Library, RISE San Diego, San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Transgender Day of Empowerment, San Diego Unified Council of PTAs, San Diego Unified School District, San Diego Women’s Chorus, SEED Malaysia, Single Step Foundation, Sobriety on the Sand, South Bay Alliance Association, Inc., Special Delivery San Diego, Stepping Stone of San Diego, Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol, Strength for the Journey, The Pride Center – San Diego State University, The Recovery Ride, The T Project Singapore, The T Spot, Townspeople, TransFamily Support Services, and USD Pride.

2018 Pride Grant Recipient – Casa Ruby
2018 Pride Parade Awards
October 1, 2018 1:44 pm Leave a Comment
We’re excited to announce the award recipients for 2018. Congratulations to all the winners!

The Alliance of Affirming Parents & Families

Pride Youth Marching Band

Sweetwater Union High School District GSA

San Diego LGBT Community Center

San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition

Pacific Beach United Methodist Church

Congregation Dor Hadash

Pilgrim United Church of Christ

AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Impulse San Diego

HIV / AIDS Long Term Survivors

AIDS Lifecycle

Family Health Centers of San Diego

Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest

AMN Healthcare

Broadway San Diego

San Diego Women’s Chorus

Super Sonic Samba School

Rich’s San Diego

Amarin Thai

Modern Times

HIV / AIDS Long Term Survivors

San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus

San Ysidro Health Center

Leather Pride

San Diego Public Defender

Uber

Blue Shield of California

Hotel del Coronado

Harrah’s Resort Southern California

Best Youth / Student Contingent
1. The Alliance of Affirming Parents and Families
2. San Diego Pride Youth Marching Band
3. Sweetwater Union High School District GSA
Best Non-Profit Contingent
1. San Diego LGBT Community Center
2. San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
3. San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
Best Faith-Based Contingent
1. Pacific Beach United Methodist Church
2. Congregation Dor Hadash
3. Pilgrim United Church of Christ
Best HIV / AIDS Awareness Contingent
1. AIDS Healthcare Foundation & Impulse San Diego
2. HIV / AIDS Long Term Survivors
3. AIDS LifeCycle
Best Health & Wellness Contingent
1. Family Health Centers of San Diego
2. Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest
3. AMN Health
Best Musical Contingent
1. Broadway San Diego
2. San Diego Women’s Chorus
3. Super Sonic Samba School
Best San Diego Small Business
1. Rich’s San Diego
2. Amarin Thai
3. Modern Times
Best Use of Pride Theme – Marching
1. HIV / AIDS Long Term Survivors
2. San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus
3. San Ysidro Health
Best Use of Pride Theme – Float
1. Leather Pride
2. San Diego Public Defender
3. Uber
Best Corporate Ally Contingent
1. Blue Shield of California
2. Hotel del Coronado
3. Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Recipients were honored at the San Diego Equality Business Association’s Business Mixer on September 27th at The Hotel del Coronado.
San Diego Pride Opens 2018 Community Grant Applications
September 27, 2018 2:11 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is pleased to announce that due to the record-setting success of this year’s Pride event, themed “Persist with Pride,” the organization is able to continue and to increase our tradition of community giving.

San Diego Pride strives each year to return proceeds from the annual Pride Festival to the LGBTQ community in the form of Pride Community Grants. Since 1994, San Diego Pride’s philanthropic giving has reached nearly 2.5 million dollars, funding dozens of LGBTQ-serving nonprofits and impacting thousands of people locally, nationally, and globally.

“While nearly all of Pride’s events are free and open to the public, our community’s members can be proud of the fact that when they purchase a ticket to the Pride Festival they are not only helping to support our community coming together in celebration, they are also investing in the people and organizations who serve our community 365 days a year,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando López.

Pride will be accepting grant requests for amounts ranging from $500.00 to $5,000.00 until 5:00 pm Wednesday, October, 31, 2018.

2018 Pride Community Grant awards will be announced publicly December 13, 2018.

Grant applications can be found at here.

For more information, please contact Jen LaBarbera at [email protected]

2017 grant recipients include:
Bakersfield LGTBTQ, Being Alive San Diego, Binational LGBTQ Task Force, Blindspot Collective, Breakthrough Workshop Theatre, Center for Community Counseling and Engagement, DETOUR, Diversionary Theatre, Elevate Revolutionary Art, Family Health Centers of San Diego, Fraternity House, Free to Thrive, GLSEN San Diego, Greater San Diego Business Association, Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center, Lambda Archives of San Diego, LGBT & Allies Employee Resource Group, Live Let Live Alano Club, Mama’s Kitchen, Media Arts Center San Diego, Media Heritage Inc., dba FilmOut San Diego, Mental Health America of San Diego County, Mercy Housing, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, PFLAG San Diego County, POZabilities, Recovery Ride, Regional Task Force on the Homeless, San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego LGBT Community Center, Sobriety On the Sand, San Diego LGBT Visitors Center, San Diego Unified Council of PTAs, San Diego Unified School District FACE Department, San Diego Unified School District, SEED, South Bay Alliance Association Inc, Special Delivery San Diego, Stepping Stone of San Diego, Inc, Stonewall Citizens Patrol, Strength for the Journey San Diego, The Neutral Corner Inc., The T-Spot, TransFamily Support Services, Transgender Day of Empowerment, University of San Diego Pride, Voices for Children, Wayword, Inc., and Y.E.S. San Diego
A busy weekend in San Diego
September 11, 2018 4:57 pm Leave a Comment
We had quite the busy weekend happen with so many opportunities to get involved and active in the LGBTQ community!

South Bay Pride had their kick off and on Friday afternoon Pride staff & volunteers took a trip over to Chula Vista City Hall to help cheer on South Bay Pride as they City of Chula Vista raised the Pride flag in honor of South Bay Pride. It was a historic day in San Diego and Chula Vista history as it’s the first time the Pride flag was flown at Chula Vista’s City Hall. It was a great way to kick off the weekend right!

Then on Friday evening the Repertory Theater in partnership with San Diego Pride hosted OUT at the Rep. Art of Pride hosted a pre-show reception showcasing LGBTQ art. Artists included John Keasler, Patrick Stillman, and other LGBTQ local artists including our very own Pride youth artists. Attendees, art lovers, and artists then enjoyed an amazing performance of Fun Home.

Saturday morning was a busy one with so many Pride family members representing our community. On Saturday morning we hosted our monthly Lunch Bunch where LGBTQ youth hang out at Pride where we talked about back to school season and enjoyed grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, and each other’s company.

City of Chula Vista flag raising

Pride team with Chula Vista Council member Steve Padilla

Artist Kyra D’Augusta with their art

Artists Sam Palma and Roan Swanson-Brownell with their art pieces

San Diego County LGBTQ Latinx Coalition at the People’s Climate March

San Diego County LGBTQ Latinx Coalition at the People’s Climate March

San Diego Pride team at Poway Days Parade

San Diego Pride at South Bay Pride

San Diego Pride at South Bay Pride

While our youth enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs at the office, South Bay Pride was in full effect! We had our team out there saying hi to the thousands of people attending as well as giving out some raffle prizes. Don’t forget to see us at Pride By The Beach, Imperial Valley Pride, and Palm Springs Pride.

The San Diego LGBTQ Latinx Coalition represented our community at the Climate Action March. They joined thousands of San Diegans who stand with climate advocates worldwide!

Lastly, our Programs Manager Bob Leyh and other volunteers joined Trans Family Support Services, PFLAG, and the San Diego Chapter of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) at the 54th Annual Poway Days Parade making sure that LGBTQ families and friends were represented in Poway.

There’s so many ways to get involved and stay involved with San Diego Pride. In the next few months we’ll have an art show, holiday parade, a #MeTooLGBTQ mixer, and a youth leadership academy. Head to our events page to find more events happening in your community and make sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date.

Happy Pride San Diego!
You can sit with us!
September 6, 2018 2:25 pm Leave a Comment
It’s back to school time, and while this can be an exciting part of the year for students and families, for LGBTQ youth it can be exceedingly stressful. Although many people assume that LGBTQ youth today are growing up in a world that supports and affirms their identities, we regularly hear stories of bullying, erasure, degradation, violence, and threats of expulsion because of their identities. The tattered patchwork quilt of policies and practices that support our LGBTQ youth can vary wildly from district to district, school to school, class to class, and faculty member to faculty member.

For years Pride has been a part of a coalition of local and national organizations working diligently to improve the educational environment for our youngest and most vulnerable community members, and we are launching a new way to help more people get connected to these organizations so students, parents, and faculty members from across the region can have more direct access to the resources available to them. By signing up to join that network of support we will be better able to target information to you when issues arise in your area, and other LGBTQ youth-serving organizations such as The Trevor Project, GLSEN San Diego, PFLAG San Diego, TransFamily Support Services, Hillcrest Youth Center, and more will be able to send you information about the programs they are offering as well.

While many schools are improving in their efforts to create safe spaces for LGBTQ youth, lunch time can be one of the most stressful times for them. Who, at some point in our lives, hasn’t heard the phrase, “You can’t sit with us!” That’s why our motto is “You CAN sit with us!” Every second Saturday of the month, meaning this Saturday, we have our Lunch Bunch program in partnership with the Trevor Project where junior high though high school aged LGBTQ youth can simply hang out and eat lunch with other LGBTQ youth for free. It’s a space where they can begin to build community, learn their own power, and find out about what resources are available to them.

Whatever age you are, and however you identify, there is a path for you to help better serve the next generation of our community, as together we Persist with Pride.
Persist with Pride & Love
July 23, 2018 1:21 pm Leave a Comment
What a weekend it has been for my little family. Yesterday was probably the first time in my entire life where I was surrounded, literally, by people that LOVED. I have never felt that kind of overwhelming acceptance, inclusion and love ever. All races, all genders, all kinds of families. I spent all day looking around at all the people that are deemed unworthy of being accepted and treated like they are anything less than human. Deemed not worthy of the love God has for them. Hated for who they were born to be. I looked at my own children and realize that they are in that crowd on the other side of that invisible line that our society has created. As their mom and as a mom, it’s heartbreaking.

Friends, no matter what you think, what you’ve been taught, or who you have in your life, until you have skin in the game, it’s just not the same. I’d like to think that I have always been accepting of everyone but wow was I kidding myself. I have spent the last 2.5 years reading, praying, weeping and learning from my children about what it means to love like Christ loved. I have desperately clawed my way to what I think God’s heart is on this. Yesterday was like taking those 2.5 years and wrapping it around me like a warm rainbow flag and plopping it directly into the middle of that crowd of 200,000+ people. Dancing, laughing, crying, smiling, hugging and being who they are. I can not describe how it made this mama’s heart feel to see strangers love on my child. Yesterday was just everything for this mama bear who is still finding her feet, still trying to learn how to support and include the LGBTQ community in the best way that I know how.

I challenge anyone reading this with that eye-roll, pausing your finger over that unfriend button or Bible thumping me in your head to take the time to discover what you believe. Search God’s heart on this if that is what is giving you pause. Imagine you had skin in the game. What would you do? I do know one thing, you’d never want to have to choose between your loved one and God or your loved one and your church. I don’t think that is what He asks of us. So, take the time. I promise you won’t be sorry. Your heart will be expanded like the Grinch on Christmas and it’s almost more than you can handle on some days. You will be a better person for it, you will love harder for it.

Maybe next year you’ll be there in that crowd hugging strangers and weeping for all the love that you just didn’t know was there for you all that time.

About the Author: Heather Diaz is the proud mother of Isabelle and Ximena Diaz. Heather attended Pride’s events with her two children and her husband, Joel Diaz. After attending the events, Heather reached out to us with how her family celebrated Pride. Both of her children came out roughly 2 1/2 years ago and this was their first Pride event as a family.
Top 30 Things to do at Pride 2018
July 3, 2018 5:03 pm Leave a Comment
There’s SO much going on at Pride this year that we’ve made a list of the top 30 things to do in San Diego for Pride! We pride ourselves on celebrating love, compassion, and happiness within the community while honoring our legendary community members at the forefront of our fight. Let’s show the world how we love, unite and PERSIST with pride.

1. She Fest

She Fest is a women-centered event that celebrates the contributions of women to our local and LGBT communities. She Fest wants everyone to feel supported, included and represented. So come on out and have a wonderful time!

Date & Time: Saturday, July 7, 2018, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm

Location: North Park Community Park, 4044 Idaho St, San Diego, CA 92104

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

2. Get Social

Take a photo, take a video and share your community across all platforms. Don’t forget to hashtag #SDPride

Follow us on our social media below:

Snapchat: sdpride365
Instagram: sandiegopride
Facebook: sandiegolgbtpride
Twitter: sandiegopride

3. Food Trucks and Drinks

You’re sure to work up an appetite with all the celebrating you’ll be doing, and Pride has got you covered!

Stop by a food truck or any of our food vendors & fuel up all weekend! You can also drop into any of our beverage gardens and cool down with a refreshing drink!

4. Movement Stage!

Move that body! Listen to hip hop, rap, and R&B with your family & friends and dance the weekend away at the movement stage.

The movement stage is always packed and they keep the party going all weekend long! Check out the website to see who is set to perform with artists like LE1F, HYM, and many more.

Learn more about the performers and movement schedule here.

5. Pride World Forum

LGBTQI leaders from different parts of the world will participate in a panel discussion as attendees learn about their work and human rights issues around the globe. Come out and support your fellow community members as they share their experiences from their respective areas.

Date & Time: Sunday July 15 2018, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Location: San Diego World History Center, 1649 El Prado, Ste 3, San Diego, California 92101

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

6. Get Tested

Take the time to get tested. Knowing your status is a great preventative method of transmitting HIV.

There’s always free testing at the festival, so make sure you get a chance to stop by and get tested.

See the entire map here.

7. Volunteer

It’s never too late to volunteer with SD Pride.

Some perks of volunteering include the following: getting a cool tee, entering the festival for free, and having a blast servicing the community you are a part of. Also, there’s a volunteer appreciation party after Pride is over!

Become a volunteer here.

8. TLC & JoJo

That’s right, y’all! Our headlining performers for San Diego Pride’s mainstage are JoJo and TLC!

Don’t miss out on their mainstage performances:

JoJo: Saturday, July 14, 8:00pm-9:00pm

TLC: Sunday, July 15, 8:00pm-9:00pm

Learn more about the mainstage lineup and schedule here.

9. Rock Your Pride

Get festive! Dress fun, crazy, fresh, and be free!

Celebrate pride in being authentically you and wear whatever you want with no judgment. Rainbows and glitter are highly encouraged!

#PersistWithPride

10. Children’s Garden

Calling all LGBTQ families! Pride Festival is a family-friendly event & we have a space exclusively for kids!

Join the Children’s garden in an afternoon filled with entertainment for all ages, arts and crafts, and even a magician!

Invite your friends on Facebook here!

11. Get Your Tickets Online

Come out and enjoy the festival with all your buddies and friends! It makes your life so much easier to purchase tickets online.

You can avoid waiting in line and save time if you are buying your tickets the day of. Get your tickets today!

Purchase tickets here.

12. Military Contingent

The military contingent is composed of active duty and veteran service members marching proudly in the parade!

Come out, show some love, and keep an eye out for the contingent, so make sure you cheer them on for everything they do!

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

13. Light Up The Cathedral

Kick off Pride with an Interfaith Pride Celebration. Connect with LGBT-affirming organizations and churches as we come together to light up St. Paul’s Cathedral in rainbow colors.

Date & Time: Wednesday, July 11, 2018, at 7:00 pm

Location: St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral (2728 Sixth Avenue).

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

14. NoH8

Show you that stand for #NOH8 and get an official NOH8 picture taken by Adam Bouska himself! Make sure to pack a white shirt, drop by the Nissan booth inside the festival, and you’ll be all set for your own photoshoot!

Date & Time: Saturday, July 14, 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Location: The Nissan Booth at the Festival

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

15. Youth Zone

The youth zone is an area made by youth, exclusive for middle-school and high school aged youth! Connect to resources and make new friends!

Let’s support our queer youth!

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

16. Drag me to the Del

Experience drag like you never have before and kick off your weekend festivities with Drag me to the Del. Don’t miss out on a legendary cast featuring Rupaul’s drag race Season 5 and All stars 2 contestant, Alyssa Edwards and RuPaul’s Drag University’s Lady Bunny, and many more. So get up and join us for a night of food, drinks, entertainment, and show love to your fellow squirrel friends.

Date & Time: July 12, 2018, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Location: Hotel Del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave, Coronado, California 92118

Invite your friends on Facebook here!

17. Become a VIP!

Upgrade yourself by becoming a VIP!

VIPs get to hang out in the VIP lounge complete with catered food and 4 hosted drinks per day! Enjoy upgraded restroom facilities, front of the line privileges into any beverage garden, and a separate VIP entrance!

Purchase VIP tickets here.

18. Spirit of Stonewall Rally

Join San Diego pride at the Spirit of Stonewall rally which honors and commemorates those who have paved the way for our community, nationally and locally. Celebrate our community with pride and see keynote speaker, and the first transgender person elected to a state office, Virginia delegate Danica Roem.

Date & Time: Friday, July 13, 2018, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Location: Hillcrest Pride Flag, University Ave and Normal St., San Diego, CA 92103

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

19. Mundo Latino

Shimmy your body on over to the Mundo Latino stage and dance around with artists like Graciela Beltran, Blake G, and many more.

Check out the website to see who is set to line up at the Mundo Latino stage.

Learn more about the performer schedule here.

20. Pride Block Party

After the rally, stay for the Hillcrest Block Party which is free and open to the public this year! Celebrate Pride under the Hillcrest Pride flag and watch live entertainers like Detox, Kalorie Karbdashian, and Miss Vaaaaaanjie!

Date & Time: July 13, 2018, 2:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Location: Hillcrest Pride Flag, 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Invite your friends on Facebook here!

21. Youth Marching Band

Make sure to watch out for the youth marching band and cheer them on!

This marching band is comprised of LGBTQIA youth from throughout the region and it’s always a crowd favorite.

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

22. Make a Sign

Speak your mind and make us a sign! Parade marchers and attendees are welcome to make signs for issues and topics that matter to them!

Show everyone that you’re a proud supporter of the LGBTQ community! #LoveIsLove #ProudAlly #PersistWithPride

23. Pride 5K

Run the parade route before it begins! You can register till the day of, and share the experience with fellow community members in kicking off the annual Pride Parade.

Date & Time: Saturday, July 14, 9:30 AM

Location: Race start and Finish: University Ave at Centre St

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

24. Utopia

Just outside of the festival is the Utopia: Health & Gender Oasis! Connect to community resources, take a selfie under the rainbow arches, and even enjoy yoga & other self-care events! This event is free and open to the public!

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

25. Get here (Uber, Shuttle, Bike)!

Getting here can be a struggle with so many of our friends trying to do the same! Make it easy on yourself by finding other, less stressful options!

Bike to the parade and festival and leave your bike securely with the bike corral or Uber your way down here! There’s also a free parking lot complete with a free shuttle to get you to the parade and festival safely!

Learn more here.

26. LGBTQ+SD

Drop by the San Diego History Center to see their latest exhibition: LGBTQ+San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs.

Visitors will hear from those in the LGBTQ+ region about the struggles to overcome persecution, the battle with AIDS, bullying, and intolerance, and the power of the community. Learn your history during Pride!

Learn more here.

27. The Leather Realm (18+)

The Leather Realm is open to anyone over the age of 18 to provide visibility and awareness of the BDSM, leather, and fetish communities.

Available in the Leather Realm are live demonstrations, workshops, and community organizations in place to help further the education of these communities.

See the entire map here.

28. Burner Village

Hop on down to Burner village and explore interactive art in this area where you can chill out to music, and escape to a creative and scenic space for a more liberating feeling.

See the entire map here.

29. Proclamation

The 45th annual proclamation is set to take place Tuesday, July 10 where San Diego’s own City Council commemorates and recognizes the history of San Diego’s LGBT community and our community’s activism presented through years past and present.

Date & Time: Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Location: 202 C St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

30. Pride Merch!

Get your SD Pride merch! You better stop by the custom heat press station and snatch up your very own SD Pride hat, daaahling.

We’ve got pins, tanks and so much more exclusively at the festival.
No to “zero-tolerance”
June 21, 2018 10:30 am Leave a Comment
June 21, 2018

A Message from San Diego Pride:

San Diego Pride is appalled and disturbed by the implementation of the “zero-tolerance” policy and the drastic shift in asylum policy at our U.S. border. The right to seek asylum is protected by both U.S. and international law, and we oppose the inhumane treatment and human rights violations of individuals, children, and families currently happening in our country.

San Diego Pride stands with our colleagues and fellow human rights advocates at the ACLU, Florence Project, Families Belong Together, Immigration Equality, and other organizations who are working tirelessly to ensure the basic human rights of all immigrants – including and especially children who have been ripped from their parents’ arms. We know that these harsh immigration policies, such as the directive from Sessions to restrict asylum access for victims of gang and domestic violence, disproportionately affect the most marginalized among us, including LGBTQ individuals and families. When we say that families belong together, we mean ALL families.

There will be a rally in San Diego on Saturday, June 23rd at 10am at Civic Center. San Diego Pride will be there, and we hope you will join us.

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

If these human rights abuses are still ongoing by Pride weekend, July 13-15, San Diego Pride will use our platforms at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally and the Pride Parade to decry these abuses and hold our elected and appointed officials and federal law enforcement institutions accountable.
JOJO AND TLC JOIN SAN DIEGO PRIDE, FULL LINEUP RELEASED
June 7, 2018 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Saturday Headliner, JoJo

Outstanding LGBTQ entertainers and artists set to join TLC as part of San Diego Pride Festival 2018 lineup. The Pride Festival boasts over 50 LGBTQ-serving organizations, over 100 artists across four stages, and over 40,000 attendees.

“It is my honor to stand in solidarity with Pride as we make strides towards true equality, protection, and inclusion,” said Saturday Headliner JoJo. “I adore seeing so many various expressions of individuality at Pride while all unified in love.”

San Diego Pride Festival will take place at Marston Point in Balboa Park on Saturday, July 14 to Sunday, July 15.

Lineup includes:
- TLC were early supporters of the LGBTQ community who gave a voice and financial support to those living with HIV and AIDS.
- JoJo credits the LGBTQ community with literally saving her life and has used her platform to highlight suicide prevention resources like the Trevor Project and Trans Lifeline.
- LE1F is a queer black rapper and producer who has worked to directly confront the homophobia that exists within the genre.
- Kim Petras is a breakout trans artist who uses her voice to discuss the importance of supporting trans youth.
- Paris Sukomi Max is a local artist and icon, inspires our community daily to live life authentically open as a form of protest
- Graciela Beltran is a Mexican singer who has championed anti-bullying efforts in support of LGBTQ youth.
“I hope everyone will take the time to learn more about the bold and brilliant LGBTQ artists who will be attending Pride, and join us in enjoying their music at the Festival this July,” said Fernando Lopez, San Diego Pride’s Executive Director. “For many of us, Pride is the one time a year that we have to love and dance in the daylight, and I am so proud of our team for working diligently to ensure that the diversity on our stages reflects back to us all the diversity in our community.”

Full line up, schedule, and more information about the festival can be found at sdpride.org/festival

Guests are encouraged to save money and time by purchasing tickets in advance. Advance general admission tickets are $20 for single-day admission, $25 for a weekend pass. All GA tickets will be $30 at the gate. VIP access is $175 in advance or $200 at the gate. Meet & greet tickets are now available for TLC and JoJo. Volunteers and youth who are high school-aged and younger will be admitted free.

Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/sdpride18
First Transgender State Legislator to Keynote Pride Rally
May 31, 2018 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Danica Roem

San Diego Pride kicks off Pride weekend with the Spirit of Stonewall Rally featuring the first transgender state legislator, Virginia Delegate Danica Roem, as the keynote speaker. The rally honors and recognizes LGBTQ leaders at the forefront of the movement for their activism, leadership, and philanthropy.

Award recipients will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 13 at 6 pm at the Hillcrest Pride Flag located at 1500 University Ave.

Pride celebrations everywhere trace their heritage to the Stonewall riots of 1969 when the LGBTQ community fought back against police brutality. That protest has grown to annual events held in over 1000 cities throughout the world. San Diego Pride’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally, first held in 1975, recognizes the leading activists preserving our successes, making critical progress, and addressing challenges that still face the LGBTQ community today.

List of awardees include Community Grand Marshal, Alberto Cortes; Champion of Pride, Tinesia Conwright; Community Service, Liat Wexler; Friend of Pride, Terrie Vorono; Stonewall Philanthropy, SDCCU; and Stonewall Service, We Care Mixer.

The full list of speakers includes Honorable Christine Kehoe; Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins; Assemblymember Todd Gloria; Liat Wexler; Sakeenah Gallardo; Ryland Whittington, and keynote speaker Virginia Delegate Danica Roem.

For more information about the speakers and awardees visit sdpride.org/rally.

The national anthem will be sung by San Diego local Yvonne Gentile, with a special closing performance by the San Diego Pride Youth Marching Band as the Hillcrest Pride Flag is raised.

Invite your friends on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/events/215007289252616

After the rally, guests are encouraged to attend the block party located at the Hillcrest Pride Flag which is free and open to the public.
Danica Roem
1:07 pm Leave a Comment
Virginia delegate Danica Roem

Danica Roem represents the 13th District in the Virginia House of Delegates including the City of Manassas Park, Town of Haymarket, and Prince William County portions of Manassas and Gainesville. Delegate Roem is a 33-year-old step-mom, a lifelong resident of Prince William County, and the former lead reporter of the Gainesville Times.

Born at Prince William Hospital in Manassas in 1984, Danica spent four years in public school and 13 years in Catholic schools before graduating from St. Bonaventure University in western New York in 2006, earning a B.A. in Journalism/Mass Communication. She started working for the Gainesville Times a month after graduating and served as half of the full-time editorial staff.

Danica worked two full-time jobs for four out of five years 2009 through 2014, covering federal and state politics at The Hotline (National Journal Group) before writing for Yoga Alliance, a nonprofit organization in Arlington that credentials yoga teachers. She has owned two LLCs, one for her mobile yoga studio and one for her band, which has toured the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast and the U.K.

On Aug. 3, 2015, Danica began working as the news editor of the Montgomery County Sentinel in Maryland, where she helped manage the newsroom and cover local stories in Rockville until stepping down from her post to run for office at the end of 2016. She ran for office to bring a reporter’s eye to Richmond and to speak truth to power.

She covered transportation, economic development, education, land use and many other issues facing the residents of the 13th District from 2006-2015. Danica is the first transgender person to ever run for the Virginia General Assembly.

Delegate Roem’s inspiring and transformative campaign gained national and international attention. As the first out transgender woman elected to a state legislature, Delegate Roem is blazing a new and unique trail. During her first legislative session this year, she was proud to champion bills important to her constituents. Delegate Roem continues to fight every day for her constituents in the 13th District.
Sakeenah Gallardo
1:06 pm Leave a Comment
Sakeenah Gallardo

Born and raised in Southeast San Diego, Sakeenah Gallardo graduated from Mt. Miguel High School, where her love for theater and public speaking began. Despite being a teenage mother, she knew the importance of having an education and went straight to college after high school, while simultaneously working one full-time and two part-time jobs.

After working in corporate America for 12 years, the insurance industry did not bring her pleasure, so she decided to risk it all, quit her job, and live off her savings to work towards her dream of creating a better tomorrow. Sakeenah obtained her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Communications from SDSU, where she used her thesis as a platform for her future research and purpose, as she found that the power of one’s voice should be cultivated, not silenced. She knew she had to use the power of her voice to make a difference in her community and achieved her dream of becoming a Communications Professor at San Diego Mesa College.

A victim of childhood sexual abuse, Sakeenah has used her voice as a way of catharsis and education. Along with instructing, Sakeenah focuses her energies on the community, where she works with girls and women of all ages, teaching them the importance of having a voice. She founded SPEAAQ Inc., a platform focused on speaking out against sexual violence against young women and children. This program enables young women and children to find the strength to speak out against their abusers, in hopes of halting the cycle of abuse.

She is currently happily married to her wife and enjoys spending time with her daughter during her visits home from college.
SDCCU
1:05 pm Leave a Comment
SDCCU at the 2017 Pride Parade

As San Diego’s largest locally-owned financial institution, with $8.4 billion in assets and more than 387,000 members, SDCCU is an engaged community partner. Each year, SDCCU is proud to support more than 75 non-profits and participate in over 400 community events.

SDCCU’s community support includes sponsoring the annual San Diego Pride celebration and the organization’s mission to foster pride in and respect for all LGBTQ people. For the past five years, Team SDCCU, adorned in teal and rainbow, proudly sails the SDCCU sailboat along University and 6th avenues in the San Diego LGBTQ Pride Parade. During the parade, Team SDCCU marches (dances) past our branch on 5th and University in the heart of Hillcrest, which is decked out in a rainbow pride window cling and rainbow upward LED lighting year-round. Similar upward LED lighting can be found on sdccu.com Tower in North Park, at 32nd and University, to celebrate San Diego LGBTQ Pride week. Team SDCCU can also be found staffing a booth, with a Cool Zone lounge, at the two-day festival in Balboa Park.

Since 2014, SDCCU has proudly sponsored the San Diego LGBTQ Community center’s AIDS Walk/Run, San Diego’s largest fundraising event to help fight HIV/AIDS and stand up for those impacted by the disease.

SDCCU is also a member of the Greater San Diego Business Association (GSBDA), an organization that supports small businesses in San Diego while advocating for mainstream acceptance of diversity. GSBDA is one of the largest specialty chambers in San Diego County and the second largest gay, lesbian and supportive chamber in the nation.

Additionally, SDCCU has a partnership with the Hillcrest Business Association and sponsors various activities, including CityFest, in order to help keep the Hillcrest area fabulous.

At SDCCU, we want to ensure that everyone feels welcome and supporting the LGBTQ community is one way to do that while helping an organizations that are serving the community and giving back.
We Care Mixer
1:04 pm Leave a Comment
We Care Mixer

It was in the fall of 2009 Fernando Buendia Laysa “Junior” realized that the students he was helping simply needed more! Using the community he had created through the SDAFFL, SDTF, and SD Hoops, he began planning an event he called “We Care.” With the help of CEO Dr. Jacobs of the SD LGBT Center and her staff, they were able to identify a school in need which was more than willing to accept funds from openly gay organizations in order to help the kids. The free event served to do many things: raise money for underprivileged students at Memorial Prep and Fay Elementary, raise money for the youth programs at the LGBT Center, and bring in toys for the Imperial Court’s Toys for Kids Drive. The local LGBT sports leagues and Junior’s friends and family all donate to a raffle which gives 100% of the proceeds back to the kids. The event has now grown to include SD High Rollers Bowling, SD Armada Rugby, SAGA Ski/Snowboard, AFCSL, Frontrunners SD and Different Strokes Swim Team. Lasting just a couple hours on a Sunday night for the last nine years, the event has attracted up to 800 people at a time and in total has raised just short of $50,000 and collected over 5,500 toys for local children from low-income families.

Junior believes that in order to help our LGBT community, it is important to set a great example for ALL youth, LGBT and heterosexual. He believes that if you show all children and young adults love, and try to help them, they will grow to understand that a person’s sexuality has nothing to do with the amount of love he/she can give.

2018 marks the 10th anniversary for the We Care event.
Liat Wexler
1:03 pm Leave a Comment
Liat Wexler

Liat Wexler is a genderqueer, white, femme, bi-national, hard-of-hearing, queer activist and survivor. They have worked to end intimate partner abuse and sexual assault since 1999 and currently train on social justice, intersectionality, anti-violence work, community accountability, and LGBTQIA+ communities. As Training Specialist with Center for Community Solutions, they have brought increased focus to LGBTQIA+ survivors, as well as access for people with disabilities. Liat has presented at statewide and national conferences on issues related to intimate partner and sexual violence within LGBTQIA+, polyamorous, and BDSM communities, and teaching advanced facilitation skills for trainers. They also engage in collaborations around San Diego including a task force to increase resources and improve responses to gay, bisexual, queer men and transmasculine people who are sexually assaulted. In coalition with SD LGBT Pride, Center for Community Solutions, The SD LGBT Community Center, North County Lifeline, and SD-CAMFT, Liat co-organized #MeTooLGBTQ: a day-long conference to improve providers’ skills and awareness and offer survivors support and healing.

In addition to this work, Liat consults with organizations on trans inclusion projects such as: converting the bathrooms at Diversionary Theater, supporting school administrators from La Jolla to Lakeside in accommodating transgender students, and working with Planned Parenthood to more fully serve transgender patients. They regularly speak in classrooms and workplaces, and moderate panels on queer and trans issues.

In 2011 Liat co-founded GenderQueer San Diego, the first non-binary group in the region. In 2012 they organized The T Spot, a trans contingent, and booth at Pride, served on Pride’s Diversity Task Force, and co-established San Diego’s annual Trans Pride in 2014 & 2015. They were involved with Visible Bodies: Transgender Narratives Retold, a 2013 photography and storytelling project documenting the beautiful resilience of San Diego’s communities. Liat is only here due to many brilliant collaborators and queer family.
Alberto Cortes
1:02 pm Leave a Comment
Alberto Cortes

Alberto moved to San Diego in 1983, after serving the United States Navy from 1979 to 1983. He served the submarine force on the USS Dace SSN 607. Soon after arriving he joined Dignity San Diego and also started volunteering with the San Diego AIDS Information Line (one of the first responses to the AIDS epidemic in San Diego).

He has worked in the field of HIV in San Diego for over 30 years. His work has included some of the initial HIV prevention efforts in South San Diego County targeting the latino/a community, other HIV prevention efforts targeting communities of color; as well as involvement in the establishment in the first needle exchange program in San Diego County. For 16 years he has served as Executive Director of Mama’s Kitchen. Initially focused on the nutritional needs of people living with HIV, Mama’s Kitchen has expanded its mission to service people with critical illnesses, including HIV, cancer, congestive heart failure, and diabetes. In the process close to 9 million meals have been delivered to San Diego county residents.

Alberto serves on the San Diego County HIV Health Services Planning Group (over 25 years on and off), a group that prioritizes services to be funded by federal HIV funds. He is a founding member of the LGBT Community Leadership Council. Over the years Alberto has served on many nonprofit boards of directors including McAlister Institute, Being Alive San Diego, San Diego Men’s Chorus, Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego, and Being Alive San Diego. For the last six years he has been a peer mentor to nonprofit leaders through the Fieldstone Leadership Network. And he sings second tenor with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus.
Terrie Vorono
1:00 pm Leave a Comment
Terrie Vorono

Terrie Vorono is the current President of PFLAG San Diego County and is a board member of GLSEN San Diego. In a conversation decades ago she said, “If the world needs a parent for a gay child, let it be me.” She is the mother of two sons, Ben and Jake; Ben is gay. After sharing the information with her parents, they invited her to hear some people from PFLAG at an adult education class.

Terrie attended a PFLAG SDC meeting 12 years ago and discovered people who could teach her how to be an advocate for her son and other people’s children. She asked to attend a board meeting and was invited to assume a board position and to become a support group facilitator. She’s served in many roles in the chapter and as president for several years.

She attended a GLSEN board meeting to learn how PFLAG could support their mission and now serves on the board attending meetings and helping wherever she can at events.

As PFLAG SDC President, Terrie is grateful for the opportunity to meet other LGBTQ supporting organization members, advocate for youth and the LGBTQ community, educate herself and others, and support families that have questions and concerns. She’s had the pleasure of sharing the PFLAG message in Portugal and with visitors from around the globe who hope to use PFLAG as a model to create a network of informed, supportive families worldwide. She has learned so much from the strong voices in the LGBTQ and ally communities in San Diego and is forever grateful for their generosity. She thanks her parents for teaching her that all human beings deserve respect and kindness and for guiding her to PFLAG.

As of this though pales in comparison to her fearless dedication to our LGBTQ youth as an advocate and activist on the front lines of service. Terrie helped PFLAG lead the charge, alongside Pride, The Center, and GLSEN, to reform San Diego Unified School District’s policies and implementation for LGBTQ youth. For years she has served on the Community Leadership Council’s Youth Services and Advocacy Committee, and SDUSD’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee. Without Terrie’s bold passion, visionary dedication, and relentless strength, our region’s LGBTQ youth would not have seen the level of progress we all now know and love in San Diego. She is the embodiment of the word ally, and a true Friend of Pride.
Christine Kehoe
12:59 pm Leave a Comment
Honorable Christine Kehoe

Christine Kehoe became San Diego County’s first openly LGBTQ elected official when she was elected to the San Diego City Council in 1993. She served as Council Member for District Three until 2000 when she was elected to the California State Assembly and to the California State Senate in 2004. During her time in the state legislature, she served as the Assembly Speaker pro Tempore, only the second woman to hold that title and she was the founding chair of the LGBT Legislative Caucus. She left elected office in 2012, having forged a path for LGBTQ elected officials. Since her election in 1993, San Diego’s 3rd City Council district has been consistently represented by an openly LGBTQ elected official.

In addition to her service as an elected official, Kehoe has a long history of activism and leadership in the community. She has served as coordinator of the 1986 campaign to defeat Proposition 84, the LaRouche AIDS discrimination ballot initiative; she was the volunteer coordinator of the AIDS Assistance Fund and the executive director of the Hillcrest Business Association. Kehoe was the editor of the weekly newspaper, The Gayzette, from 1984-1986.

Kehoe’s long history as a leader in our community is specific to San Diego Pride, as well. In 1989, after years of Pride turmoil, she helped to form the Pride 15/20 committee. Kehoe became a co-chair, along with Scott Fulkerson. Through responsible budgeting, accounting, and staffing, the organization finished the year with a $20,000 surplus. Together with the other members of the committee, Kehoe took Pride to a new level and laid the foundation for the organization we have today.

Christine Kehoe continues to be involved in the community, most recently and currently serving as co-chair of the Community Advisory Council for San Diego History Center’s LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs exhibit.

She is an ardent supporter of increased environmental protection for California’s natural resources in her appointed positions on the California Coastal Commission; the Parks Forward commission and the California Transportation Commission.

She lives in North Park with her spouse Julie Warren, artist and San Diego City College instructor.
Tinesia Conwright
12:22 pm Leave a Comment
Tinesia Conwright

Devoted community leader within the nonprofit and for-profit industries, was born and raised in Southeastern San Diego during the 1980s and 90s, at the peak of gang violence within a neighborhood facing large pockets of poverty and few opportunities for educational advancement and socio-economic mobility.

Despite the challenging environment, she found an outlet to express her love for dance through a Christian youth group, where she realized the capacity within youth to impact social change and uplift their peers and community. She discovered her self-worth and met people within her community who inspired her to become the person she is today.

She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from SDSU and her Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management & Leadership from the USD. As she began to rise up the corporate ladder, she recognized a lack of black gay women in leadership roles, and began to make a difference within her community.

Passionate about nurturing our future leaders of tomorrow, Tinesia launched, Depositing Empowerment Through Outreach & Urban Redevelopment (DETOUR), which has empowered over 1,000 girls through their Focused And Naturally Confident Youth (F.A.N.C.Y.) Teen Girls programs since inception. DETOUR is a mentoring program created to increase the amount of college-educated girls of color with viable employment in STEAM careers contributing to the economy and to our communities. Since 2016, 100% of the girls graduated from high school, and were accepted into 4-year universities where they are currently pursuing their college journey. Over half the girls entered into STEAM majors.

When the San Diego black LGBT community united in 2010 to create an inclusive space, taking over the reins from Ebony Pride – Tinesia was involved in the creation of Urban Pride, a new organization of LGBT people of color who raised awareness of social and health issues amongst LGBT people of color, provided toy drives, and hosted community events.

In 2012, when San Diego LGBT Pride decided to add a Hip Hop Stage to their annual festival – Tinesia was hand-picked by Cheli Mohammad to fulfill the role of the 1st Hip Hop Stage Manager, affectionately naming the stage Hip Hop Reloaded – and later “The Movement” to signify the progress made by our black LGBT community.

Tinesia also worked with the entertainment team for 3 years at Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend popularly known as “The Dinah” – the largest girl party music festival in the world – hosted in Palm Springs. There she worked with the likes of Eve, Lady Gaga, Mary Lambert, Meagan Trainer, and Iggy Azalea.

She is now a member of the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition, and provided insight to her journey and expertise as a panelist at the organization’s inaugural conference in 2017.

Tinesia is a 2015 Bayard Rustin Civil Rights Honoree and currently serves on the City of SD Human Relations Commission and the SD Police Department Chief’s LGBT Advisory Board.

She is currently happily married and enjoys spending time with her daughter during visits home from college.
International LGBT Leaders To Highlight Global Issues at San Diego Pride
May 24, 2018 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
In partnership with the Department of State and the San Diego Diplomacy Council, San Diego Pride will be hosting “Pride World Forum” where LGBTQI leaders from around the world will discuss issues facing our community in their respective countries.

Pride World Forum will be held during Pride weekend at the San Diego History Center located in Balboa Park on July 15 from 11am to 12pm.

2015 Pride World Forum

In the current political climate, human rights and public safety for members of the LGBTQI community have been at the forefront of news, locally and globally. Over the last several years, San Diego Pride’s partnership with the San Diego Diplomacy Council has brought 411 delegates from 127 countries from around the world to meet and discuss LGBT issues.

“For decades San Diego Pride has been at the forefront of building global connections within LGBTQI community, and through these partnerships we are able to make this important work even more accessible to our local community,” said Pride Executive Director, Fernando Z. López. “We hope you will join us at this year’s Pride World Forum where everyone will have the opportunity to not only hear from these international leaders about what the LGBTQI community’s joys and struggles look like in their countries, but to thoughtfully engage in human connection and citizen diplomacy.”

International visitors include LGBTQI leaders from Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Chile, Finland, France, Grenada, Israel, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Turkey, and Vietnam as part of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program: “Resilient Societies: Strengthening Minority Gender Communities.” Our guests will be engaged in a number of local meetings and civic engagement opportunities as part of the program objectives include: examining U.S. and international initiatives to promote and protect the human rights of the LGBTQI community, and exploring equal access to educational, economic and healthcare opportunities for citizens with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.

“Each year in July, the San Diego Diplomacy Council looks forward to partnering with San Diego Pride to give LGBTQI world leaders and community members a chance to share experiences and inspire each other,” said San Diego Diplomacy Council Executive Director Fabienne Perlov. “The power of these exchanges extends beyond San Diego. The relationships that are created through visits like this one have built a powerful network of activists who work together to promote equality for LGBTQI communities around the world.”

Invite your friends on facebook here.

After the forum, the San Diego History Center is offering tours of their upcoming exhibit titled, LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs. The exhibition showcases the struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQI community encompassing themes of identity, persecution, pioneers leading at the forefront, chosen family, and where the San Diego community is headed in the near future.

Learn more about the History LGBTQ+ SD exhibition here.
Volunteer Opportunities with Pride
May 15, 2018 6:49 pm Leave a Comment
Pride season is upon us, and volunteer shifts for Pride 2018 are filling up fast! With so many areas to volunteer with the decision can be a hard one so pick two, three or four volunteer shifts! You can even volunteer all weekend! See below for three of our most exciting opportunities.

Parade Safety volunteers get a front row seat to all the excitement and memorable moments of the Parade while keeping the streets clear and safe for all contingents and Parade-go’ers!

Shuttle Hosts hype the crowd and get them ready for the party by helping them get on the right shuttle to be taken to the Parade or Festival.

Emergency Exit volunteers get to watch the festival from the sidelines & enjoy a quiet volunteer shift with little interaction. A quick, quiet shift is your ticket into the festival!

Pick your volunteer shift here!

Still can’t decide what department to choose from? Attend one of our info sessions. Learn more about our information sessions here.

Can’t wait until Pride to volunteer? Sign up for events prior to Pride below!

Join our Pride trivia team.

We are looking for five trivia genius’ to join our Pride Trivia Team at The Center’s Games Night. Wanna play? To join our Pride Trivia team, contact Pride Civic & Community Outreach Coordinator Rick-Arlo Yahlira at [email protected]

When: Wednesday, June 6, 6:15pm
Where: San Diego LGBT Community Center
3909 Centre St., San Diego, CA 92103

Come with us to the fair!

Pride needs volunteers to help staff the Pride Booth at Out at the Fair. We need five volunteers for the early shift and five for the late shift. To volunteer, contact Pride Civic & Community Outreach Coordinator Rick-Arlo Yahlira at [email protected]. Free admission to the fair is included with volunteering.

When: June 9th, 2018
Where: San Diego County Fair Grounds,
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014

Poway Library Pride

Pride has been invited to participate in the Poway Library Pride. We are looking for volunteers to help staff the Pride Information table. To volunteer, contact Pride Civic & Community Outreach Coordinator Rick-Arlo Yahlira at [email protected].

When: Saturday, June 30, 10am – 12pm
Where: Poway Library
13137 Poway Rd., Poway, CA 92064
Historic Night as Padres and San Diego Pride Team Up
April 20, 2018 10:44 am Leave a Comment
OUT at the Park returns better than ever as San Diego Pride and the Padres team up for another historic and eventful night.

Watch the Padres take on the New York Mets on Friday, April 27 at 7:10pm.

With over 90% of tickets sold, the community-favorite event is poised to sell out due to its growing popularity with LGBTQ groups, families, and Padres fans.

Each $25 OUT at the Park ticket purchase includes a seat in the OUT at the Park section*, an official San Diego Padres commemorative hat**, a $5 donation to San Diego Pride or LGBTQ sports teams, and access to the pre-game VIP space in Park at the Park.

“Last year, the Padres made history. Petco Park, home of the Padres, became the first MLB ballpark to have a gender-neutral, multi-stall restroom. Furthermore, their staff joined ours along with LGBT elected officials, MLB Inclusion Ambassador Billy Bean, the San Diego Women’s Chorus, and the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus to sing the national anthem in solidarity,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando López. “This year, the Padres are taking further historic steps forward by having our Pride Youth Marching Band perform before the game, and by having our Military Department’s colorguard to present the colors. This is the type of LGBTQ progress that is possible when we work hand in hand with our partners.”

“I am so excited to attend OUT at the Park. Seeing the San Diego Padres and San Diego Pride work closely together to grow this event, and create such a powerful message of inclusion, acceptance, and community warms my heart,” said Vice President & Special Assistant to the Commissioner Billy Bean. “As a former Padres player, I wish I had been able to see this kind of unity, it would have changed my life and career.”

Guests are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the pre-game, family-friendly “Tailgate Party” happy hour event in our VIP space from 4:30pm to 7pm (food and drinks not included). The event is in conjunction with CocktailFest and features openly lesbian DJ Kinky Loops.

“The Padres are proud to collaborate once again with San Diego Pride on this year’s OUT at the Park event,” said Tom Seidler, Padres Senior Vice President of Community & Military Affairs. “We are thrilled to continue this partnership and host the LGBT community at Petco Park for what promises to be a great night.”

Get your tickets now at padres.com/pride. Free tickets are avaliable for LGBTQ youth by emailing [email protected].

Invite your friends on Facebook here.
Volunteer Opportunities Now Open for San Diego Pride Weekend
April 17, 2018 10:34 am Leave a Comment

San Diego Pride is excited to announce that volunteer registration for the 2018 San Diego Pride is now open.

Every year, San Diego Pride recruits volunteers to play a key role in planning and executing the Pride Festival, Parade, and other official events and programs.

With over 30 different volunteer departments ranging from parade logistics, festival support, entertainment, medical and more, there are opportunities for a spectrum of strengths and skill sets. Pride recruits an average over one-thousand volunteers to put on the region’s biggest one-day and two-day civic events.

“Pride is a volunteer-led organization and no event we do is possible without volunteers.” said Pride Programs Manager, Bob Leyh. “Many volunteers come back year after year because of the great sense of giving back to the community and relationships developed at Pride.”

Volunteers who complete one 5-hour shift are entitled to a free Pride Volunteer t-shirt, complementary two-day admission to the festival, an invitation to our annual volunteer appreciation party on Sunday, August 19, and access to our volunteer village within the festival.

Volunteer shifts are available starting on Wednesday July 11 through Monday July 16.

For more information and to register, visit sdpride.org/volunteer.

For questions, please contact San Diego Pride’s Programs Manager Bob Leyh at [email protected].
Binational LGBTQ summit to be held in Tijuana
April 5, 2018 10:30 am Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is proud to announce that through a grant received from the Amer

ican Consulate General in Tijuana it will take part in hosting a LGBTQ Binational Summit.

The one-day educational summit entitled “Orgullo Sin Fronteras” will be held in Tijuana, Mexico on Saturday, May 19, 2018 from 9am to 5pm.

Barriers to funding and capacity building resources for the LGBTQ community in Tijuana prevent LGBTQ individuals from accessing services and care. These limitations diminish the LGBTQ Tijuana community’s ability to live full, healthy lives and to engage in the full

spectrum of the civic, cultural, and economic vibrancy of the region.

“Being born with talent, brilliance, or being born LGBTQ is as equally spread throughout the world as human life. What is not equally distributed is opportunity.” said Fernando Z. López, Executive Director, San Diego Pride. “We may be two cities in two nations, but we are one global LGBTQ community, and while some may wish to focus on building walls, we at Pride are looking to build bridges with our LGBTQ community whereever they live.”

For the past 10 months, Pride has been working in a coalition consisting of LGBTQ organizations and individuals on both sides of the border including The San Diego LGBT Community Center and ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. The summit will host speakers and trainers with expertise in community organizing, marketing and communications, art as education, fundraising, and NGO capacity building.

“The Tijuana LGBTQ community has been doing work towards the recognition of LGBTQ rights and identities in Mexico for years; it is time for this work to become known and visible by the larger Tijuana, San Diego and Transfronterizx communities. Now more than ever it is essential for our binational communities to come together and support one another,” said Binational Taskforce Organizer Andrea Gaspar.

If successful, the coalition plans to continue the program as a self-sustaining long term tool that will benefit the social, economic, and civic standing of Tijuana’s LGBTQ community. People serving the LGBTQ Tijuana population will have more knowledge and empowerment to build on their own success, to enhance community collaboration, and to further strengthen networks of support.

“The conference—Orgullo sin Fronteras—promises to be a great opportunity to bring together LGBTQ communities on both sides of the border line,” said Ricardo Gallego, Director of Latino Services at the San Diego LGBT Community Center. “We are going to learn from each other, support each other, and help new leaders and LGBTQ role models emerge on both sides of the border.”

For questions, please contact Andrea Gaspar at [email protected].

To register, click here
See Our PRIDE!
April 1, 2018 9:14 am Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is looking to take things very literally this year which is why we’re honored to show our Pride – of lions!

On July 14, a pride of lions will lead the San Diego Pride Parade as our grand marshals. They’ll be catwalking their way down University Avenue where parade attendees can snap pictures of their favorite felines. It’s 100% safe!

That’s not all! Join our Pride at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on July 13 where they’ll lead us in the first annual Pride roar off! Clear your throats and join them so everyone hears our Pride! We want to hear you roar San Diego!

But wait, there’s more! Our big cat dance troupe, Kings of the Jungle, will be making their US debut at the Pride Festival. See them pounce to the beat on the manestage! Don’t paws and miss out! A limited amount of meet & greets are available. Meet and greets start at $500 and include entrance into our VIP cat cafe where you can rub their bellies, feed them catnip, and take your selfies! We’re not lion when we say we’re the only Pride that’s doing this!

So get ready to Purrrrrsist with Pride! Literally!

Disclaimer: Attendees are encouraged to leave all raw meat, antelope, and zebra at home this year.
#MeToo LGBTQ conference in San Diego for victims of sexual violence
March 29, 2018 2:55 pm Leave a Comment
Several local LGBTQ-serving organizations will be hosting a conference to increase culturally competent services in San Diego County for victims and survivors of sexual violence who identify as LGBTQ.

The one-day conference entitled #MeTooLGBTQ will be held at The San Diego LGBT Community Center, located at 3909 Centre St., San Diego, CA 92103, on Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 9am to 5pm.

“While the topic of sexual assault has recently been getting more media attention, what still needs to be addressed is the historic lack of LGBTQ compotent services and care for survivors,” said Fernando Lopez, Executive Director of San Diego Pride. “As a survivor myself, it’s been rewarding to work with diverse and dedicated professionals from The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Center for Community Solutions, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists – San Diego Chapter, North County Lifeline, and 211 San Diego to better meet the needs of survivors in our community. It is this sort of strength in unity that our community needs more of.”

Nationwide, approximately 4 out of 10 gay men (40.2%) and half of bisexual men (47.4%) have experienced sexual violence besides rape at some point in their lives, compared to 1 in 5 heterosexual men (20.8%). A large majority, 61%, of bisexual women and 44% of lesbians have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of heterosexual women. And 47% of our transgender siblings experience sexual assault in their lifetime.

“Bisexual, queer, transgender, and gender non-conforming people experience higher rates of sexual assault yet seek services less often than straight, cisgender women. Center for Community Solutions recognizes the concerns that so many LGBTQIA+ survivors have about coming forward: “Will I be believed, understood, and respected?” CCS approaches our work with survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence with cultural humility. Our hope is that providers in San Diego County will join us in learning about and providing appropriate services to LGBTQIA+ survivors,” said Verna Griffin-Tabor, Chief Executive Officer of Center for Community Solutions.

Registration is now open to victims/survivors of sexual violence, to interested community members, as well as to mental health professionals and service providers who are looking to create change. Five continuing education units are included with paid registration for mental health and clinical providers. Two workshop tracks will allow attendees to participate in interactive trainings, receive valuable resources, and hear from a panel of LGBTQ survivors of sexual violence.

“As an organization providing hundreds of hours of individual, couples, family, and group therapy to members of the LGBTQ community each month, we regularly hear about the challenges people face accessing resources and care after experiencing a sexual assault,” said Director of Behavioral Health Services Heather Marino-Kibbee. “Stigma, shame, and the fear that providers will be neither LGBTQ-competent nor affirming, often deters people from accessing care when they need it most. The Center is excited to join with CCS, Pride, service providers, and community members for a day of learning, coalition building, and dialogue about responding to sexual assault in our LGBTQ community.”

Partnering Organizations include San Diego Pride, The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Center for Community Solutions, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists – San Diego Chapter, North County Lifeline, and 211 San Diego.

For more information and to register, visit sdpride.org/metoolgbtq

Invite your friends on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/406370113146061

For questions, please contact Kiefer Rich at [email protected].
TLC set to headline San Diego Pride Festival 2018
March 15, 2018 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride Festival returns, featuring four-time Grammy award-winning group TLC as its Sunday headliner on July 15th.

“We are so looking forward to performing at San Diego Pride!” said Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. “There is so much power in expressing yourself without fear. We hope all LGBTQ people will stand proud and be exactly who they are. Persist with Pride!”

Formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1990, the group quickly rose to fame, and became the best-selling American girl group of all time, earning four multi-platinum albums and four number-one singles: “Creep”; “Waterfalls”; “No Scrubs”; and “Unpretty.”

“We’re excited to have Chilli and T-Boz perform at their first Pride ever and join the list of artists who have graced our stage and stood proud with our community,” said Gardenia Partridge, entertainment director of San Diego Pride. “We look forward to announcing the full 2018 Pride festival lineup, which showcases a spectrum of local and emerging LGBTQ artists, as well as some strong, talented, vocal allies.”

San Diego’s Pride Festival will take place on July 14-15, 2018 in Balboa Park and will include over 90 acts across four stages, including breakthrough LGBTQ acts from international and local artists.

“I am so proud of our hardworking and dedicated volunteers and staff who are giving their all to create the best Pride Festival to date,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director, Fernando Lopez. “Having headliners who uphold the integrity of advocacy for the LGBTQ community is key to ensuring Pride’s Festival is more than just a weekend party. Chilli and T-Boz of TLC have consistently used their platform to uplift the LGBTQ community and to create positive conversations around HIV and AIDS that literally changed and saved lives for decades. We are honored to have them join us at San Diego Pride’s Festival.”

A limited amount of TLC meet-and-greet tickets are available, and tickets for San Diego Pride Festival are currently on sale at www.tiny.cc/pride18.

Invite your friends on Facebook at www.tiny.cc/sdpride.

All proceeds from the festival support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropic efforts and year-round education and advocacy programs.

Check out Billboard Pride’s article for the full story.
Open Letter To Community
February 1, 2018 10:33 am Leave a Comment
To our community,

We want to begin by affirming that all of us at San Diego LGBT Pride are steadfast in our commitment to our long-standing mission and vision – to foster pride, equality, and respect for all LGBT communities locally, nationally, and globally. This has been our guiding principle since our inception and why we have worked continuously to unite and empower the LGBT community not just in San Diego, but around the world.

Each of us on the Board of Directors recognize the space San Diego Pride has and continues to occupy within our community, but now it’s time to grow. With growth comes change and we want to share some of those changes with you.

First, we are saddened to announce the departure of Eric Heinritz, our current executive director. Eric dutifully served both this organization and our community well, and we are extremely grateful for the sacrifices and time he has dedicated to us. We wish Eric nothing but the best wherever he goes in the future.

Effective Monday, February 5, Fernando Lopez, our current director of operations, will assume the role and responsibilities of executive director. Fernando’s commitment to San Diego Pride and our community is without question. Coupled with his knowledge and extensive history at San Diego Pride, we are all excited to see what he will accomplish as we move forward.

While this news has already been speculated in the media, we know these are important changes for our organization and community and that is why we wanted to address it directly. In addition, we want to make very clear that our emeriti to the Board are a valued resource to our Board of Directors, but do not have voting rights. We believe their portrayal in recent media reports are tremendously unfair and distasteful, and they will continue on in their role as advisors to the Board.

With all of this in mind, it’s more important than ever that we begin to move forward together. Our current national climate demands unity and that is exactly what we must promote and practice. San Diego Pride will continue to envision and strive for a world free of prejudice and bias, and we hope you will stand with us.

Sincerely and with pride,

The San Diego LGBT Pride Board of Directors
Pride Youth Leadership Academy Applications Now Open!
October 12, 2017 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
The Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) is now accepting applications for its upcoming leadership conference. YLA is a transformative one-day workshop designed to empower and educate LGBTQ+ youth, their parents, caregivers, and educators. Through engaging discussions, outdoor activities, and team-building exercises, participants will gain valuable knowledge on LGBT history, youth advocacy, higher education, and civic engagement.

The Youth Leadership Academy will take place on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 8:45 am to 3:30 pm at the SSDCCE ECC Campus, located at 4343 Ocean View Blvd, San Diego, CA 92113.

Applications are open to all middle and high school-aged youth interested in learning, growing, and connecting with others in the LGBTQIA+ community.

To cater to diverse needs and roles, separate workshops will be offered with a focus on the following key areas:
- Building resilience & self-confidence / Mental health & wellness
- Communication & advocacy / LGBTQ+ rights & policies
- Leadership development / Building inclusive community
- Managing an LGBTQ+ Inclusive Classroom
By participating in YLA, attendees will acquire essential tools and resources to thrive as leaders and build inclusive, supportive communities.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity – apply for the Youth Leadership Academy today and embark on a journey of personal growth and empowerment!

San Diego LGBT Pride is accepting applications until Nov 2, 2024.
Interested youth may APPLY HERE.

“I learned how to be a leader in my community from listening to the panelists of elected officials, business people, and students who are out in our community talking about their stories,” said Jay Sieber, freshman at San Diego High School. “When I first did the Youth Leadership Academy, I met so many new friends that I still have to this day.”
Pride To Honor Origins With Spirit of Stonewall Rally in Hillcrest
June 21, 2017 1:06 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is proud to announce the 2017 recipients of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. Pride annually accepts nominations from the community to recognize individuals, organizations, and groups who have contributed significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts. The annual Spirit of Stonewall Rally kicks off Pride weekend by commemorating the Stonewall Riots of 1969, when the LGBT community bravely fought back against discrimination.

The award recipients will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 14 at 6:00 PM at The Hillcrest Pride Flag, 1500 University Ave in San Diego. This year the rally is sponsored by the Hillcrest Business Association and the Pride of Hillcrest Block Party will begin immediately after the rally.

“The marginalization of the LGBTQ community, people of color, immigrants, women, religious minorities, seniors, people with disabilities, and other oppressed communities is compounded exponentially at the intersection of these lived experiences,” said San Diego Pride Director of Operations, Fernando Lopez. “It is with this in mind that our theme this year is ‘Allied in Action: United for Justice.’ Our work is not yet done, and we hope that all people will feel welcomed and inspired into action by this year’s events.”

This year’s recipients include:

Champion of Pride – Dr. Delores Jacobs
Community Grand Marshal – Russ Roybal
Community Grand Marshal – Susan Jester
Stonewall Service Award – San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus
Inspirational Couple – Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman
Inspirational Couple – Ernie Castro and Mike Goupill
Friend of Pride – Kathie Moehlig
Friend of Pride – Zachary Schlagel
Stonewall Philanthropy Award – Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Community Service – Josh Coyne

To learn more about each award recipient and their contributions visit www.sdpride.org/2017-awardees

The Rally will also host California State Assemblymember Todd Gloria as the keynote speaker. Other speakers include Chris Ward, Georgette Gómez, Bridget Wilson, Dwayne Crenshaw, and Gloria Cruz. To learn more about the speakers visit www.sdpride.org/2017-stonewall-speakers/.

The National Anthem will be sung by America’s Got Talent Season 11 finalist and San Diego native, Brian Justin Crum.

For more information on this event, please visit our website at www.sdpride.org/rally.

Invite your friends on Facebook here.

The Pride Parade begins Saturday, July 15 at 11:00 AM at the Hillcrest Pride Flag. Find more information about the parade at https://sdpride.org/parade/. Attendance is FREE.

The Pride Music Festival is held Saturday, July 15 and and Sunday, July 16 at Marston Pt. in Balboa Park. For more information and tickets visit https://sdpride.org/festival/.

Visit our website at www.sdpride.org.

Like us on Facebook here.

Follow us on social media!
Twitter: @SanDiegoPride
Instagram: @sandiegopride
En Vogue and more come out to Pride San Diego
May 4, 2017 1:54 pm Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is thrilled to announce that multi-platinum female music group, En Vogue, will be headlining at San Diego’s Pride Festival this July!

En Vogue is recognized as one of the top 5 highest selling American female music groups of all time. For the last 2 decades, they’ve produced R&B and Pop hits like Hold On, Free Your Mind, Whatta Man featuring Salt N Pepa and their newest single, I’m Good.

“We are excited to perform at San Diego Pride this year! It’s always been important to us to use our voices to speak about something of substance. We’re proud to stand allied in action with the LGBTQ community.” said En Vogue

“Our community volunteer lead team has been working diligently to put together a phenomenal Pride celebration that reflects the beautiful and authentic diversity of our community,” said Fernando Lopez, Director of Operations for San Diego Pride. “We can’t wait to announce the full spectrum of LGBTQIA artists who will be showcasing their incredible talents this year in San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park!”

Additional headlining artists include Hector Fonseca, Cazwell, Kodie Shane, Cakes Da Killa, Lucia Mendez, Jessica 6 featuring Nomi Ruiz, and Paris Sukomi Max. More top tier talent and a full entertainment line up will be announced in early June.

San Diego’s Pride Festival will take place July 15 – 16, 2017 in Balboa Park, and will include over 90 acts across 4 different stages. In 2016 the Pride Festival had over 27,000 attendees from 464 cities, and 12 countries around the world. Pre-sale tickets for 2017 are already up 42% year-to-date.

For tickets and information about San Diego Pride visit www.sdpride.org

Invite your friends on Facebook here.
San Diego Pride and Fabulous Hillcrest are Working Together!
May 3, 2017 4:43 pm Leave a Comment
Who: Hillcrest Business Association & San Diego Pride
What: Pride Block Party & Spirit of Stonewall Rally
Where: Hillcrest Pride Flag
When: July 15, 2017, 5:00 pm -11:00 pm

For the 6th consecutive year, San Diego Pride and Fabulous Hillcrest are working together to bring one of the biggest Pride events to San Diego: Pride Block Party. We are making a collaborative effort to showcase unity and leadership by returning the Stonewall Rally to the heart of Hillcrest alongside the Block Party. Together these events will mark the official kickoff party to our San Diego Pride weekend.

The Pride Block Party is a neighborhood event and includes Hillcrest’s favorite DJs, luminescent carnival rides, guest performances, two massive bars, and a spacious dance area. 100% of the proceeds go towards the maintenance of the Hillcrest Pride Plaza.

“Our community and this country could use a little more unity right now. By bringing these two organizations together over Pride weekend to honor our history and celebrate our accomplishments we’re also highlighting all that is possible when we work together,” said Fernando Lopez, Director of Operations for San Diego Pride.

San Diego Pride’s 43rd Spirit of Stonewall Rally is a time to celebrate our LGBTQ community leaders and serves as a call to action for the challenging work that lies ahead. This year’s Trans Pride will march towards the iconic Hillcrest Pride Plaza to join the rally which concludes with a beautiful Pride Flag raising ceremony.

Benjamin Nicholls, Executive Director of the Hillcrest Business association says, “I am so happy that the Stonewall Rally is returning to Hillcrest this year. Unity is so important as we go forward in an ever more uncertain and difficult world. I know the businesses of Hillcrest are excited to be part of the kick off of Pride 2017!”

The Spirit of Stonewall Rally is free and open to the public! General admission for the block party are on presale for $20, and VIP passes are on sale for $45. You can visit www.fabuloushillcrest.com or www.sdpride.org to purchase tickets.
San Diego Pride 2017 Theme Announcement
March 23, 2017 1:59 pm Leave a Comment

National and international LGBT rights are uncertain at best, given the changes brought about by the recent election, and as such our solidarity at the intersection of social justice movements is clearly vital to the success of our community’s ability to advance.

The marginalization of women, communities of color, seniors, people with disabilities, immigrants, religious minorities, and other oppressed communities is compounded exponentially when those identities are combined, and even more so when they include those who are transgender, bisexual, lesbian, or gay.

The systems that oppress our groups can only be dismantled through joint efforts, and the creation of systems that lift us collectively to progress can only truly thrive if undertaken with unified intention.

At times, even dissonance within the LGBT community itself can impede our pursuit of equality, whether caused by the gay and lesbian divide, bi-erasure, or transphobia. Therefore, showing unity through and with diversity is paramount to prosperity.

It is with this in mind that we are proud to announce San Diego Pride’s 2017 theme:
Allied in Action: United for Justice

It is our hope that this theme will invite our LGBTQIA participants and guests to feel free to be their full authentic selves across a spectrum of identities, share their unique messages, and know that not only are they welcome, but that we stand by them ready to heed the call to action.
San Diego Padres and LGBT Groups Join Forces in Show of Solidarity
March 16, 2017 2:30 pm Leave a Comment
Join San Diego Pride as we team up with the Padres for the best OUT at the Park yet, as the Padres take on the Miami Marlins at 7:10 pm on Friday, April 21st at Petco Park.

San Diego Pride’s event at Petco Park has been a community favorite for LGBT families and Padres fans for many years. Unfortunately, at last year’s event, a technical error resulted in a recorded female soloist singing the National Anthem instead of the 100 San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus members who had gathered to sing in center field. Emerging out of this incident has come a deeper dialogue between the San Diego Padres and the LGBT community, which has primed San Diego for what promises to be the best OUT at the Park to date.

“The San Diego Padres have been amazing! They partnered with our LGBT community this past year to make incredible things happen. The Padres have now set the gold standard for LGBT inclusion among all professional sports. We are so proud to return to Petco Park to sing the National Anthem together with them and our entire community,” said Bob Lehman, Executive Director, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus.

“The Padres are grateful to San Diego Pride and the San Diego Gay Men’s chorus for their guidance and collaboration in strengthening our relationship with the LGBT community over the past 10 months,” said Padres Vice President of Community Relations Sue Botos. “We are proud of the partnership that has grown from a series of very honest and genuine conversations, and we look forward to standing together at Petco Park in April.”

This year’s event promises greater visibility and support for San Diego’s LGBT community. Each $25 OUT at the Park ticket purchase includes a seat in our OUT at the Park section*, a commemorative Padres hat**, $5 donation to San Diego Pride or the America’s Finest City Softball League and access to the pre-game VIP space in Park at the Park (food and drinks not included).

Guests are invited to arrive early to enjoy our pre-game, family-friendly “Tailgate Party” happy hour event in our VIP space from 5-7 pm in Park at the Park. The event is in conjunction with CocktailFest, featuring openly gay DJ Will Z. Participants will then be seated with our group to watch history in the making as San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, the San Diego Women’s Chorus, San Diego Pride, and Padres staff perform the National Anthem together on the field. The Padres have committed to increased LGBT visibility by flying the rainbow flag over Petco Park, decorating the “Tailgate Party” and group seating areas with rainbows, and highlighting our community through the HD video board and guest participation with the use of #OATP.

“This nation needs to see that beyond our biggest challenges we can make great strides if we are willing to cross sometimes uncomfortable barriers and build bridges of understanding. San Diego Pride remains committed to bringing people together and educating the broader community about the struggles LGBT people face every day. Together, we can accomplish that at a parade, a festival, a rally, a classroom, and even a ball game as we all pursue justice with joy,” said Fernando Lopez, San Diego Pride Director of Operations.

Get your tickets now at Padres.com/pride

After the game join us for the official OATP after party at Rich’s! Bring your eticket, ticket stub, or wear your rainbow Padres hat to get in FREE before midnight!

*subject to availability

**The first 1,500 fans to purchase Padres OUT at the Park tickets will receive a commemorative hat
We Are Here: Reflections of LGBTQ Lives
March 15, 2017 7:15 pm Leave a Comment
On Saturday, March 11th, San Diego LGBT Pride, in partner with Art of Pride and The Trevor Project, hosted their first LGBTQ+ youth art show, We Are Here: Reflections of LGBTQ Lives. This event was hosted by San Diego Pride youth volunteers as an opportunity for young people in our community to share their stories.

Twenty-three pieces were submitted by 21 LGBTQ+ artists from 14 different schools. The purpose of the art show was to create a positive form of expression that would reflect the experiences, stories and emotions of today’s LGBTQ+ youth. Some of the narratives included difficulties with coming out, being comfortable in one’s own body, transgender issues and the ongoing struggle of expectations and acceptance.

“The beauty of art is that it can give us a glimpse into the raw and authentic reality of these young LGBTQ+ lives,” said Fernando Lopez, San Diego Pride’s Director of Operations. “The art has been compelling, inspiring, and sometimes even painful to see.”

From 6pm to 8pm, more than 100 art lovers, youth supporters, faculty, family, friends and community members visited the art show. The entire event was built by and for LGBTQ+ youth. These young people from Pride’s Youth Programs envisioned the event, created their marketing materials, did their own outreach, hosted our guests and even provided the light snacks and refreshments.

“Programs like this art show are really about making a space where our youth can be empowered to realize their own vision. We as Youth Program Coordinators are here to give them the support and guidance they need to be successful.” -Alex Villafuerte, San Diego Pride’s Marketing and Communications Manager

“The Art Show is an expression of our lives and how our identities affect our experiences,” said Edward Estrada, 17-year-old SCPA student and Pride youth volunteer. “We are a culmination of our intersections, bound together by our LGBTQ identities and ready to express ourselves to the greater community.”

The following schools were represented this year:

Scripps Ranch High School
Lewis Middle
La Jolla High School
The Bishop’s School
Canyon Crest Academy
Valhalla High School
San Diego SCPA
Morse High School
Cathedral Catholic
Steele Canyon High School
Altus Charter School
SET High School
Cajon Valley Middle School
Roosevelt Middle School
Santana High School

The art exhibit is available for viewing until the middle of May at the San Diego Pride office. For more information regarding San Diego LGBTQ+ Youth Programs, click here.

Here are a few of the many amazing pieces submitted at this year’s youth art show.

I’m A Lot Like You, Riley Sullivan
Canyon Crest Academy, 9th grade

Sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one in the world, but really friends and allies are everywhere if you look, just waiting for you to see them too! Reaching out to each other can be an amazing source of strength and love.

His Name Was, Kyra D’Augusta
Steele Canyon High School, 10th grade

Maria Tallchief, Taté Garcia
Altus Charter School of San Diego, 10th grade

This painting depicts the accomplished Osage ballet dancer Maria Tallchief. Tallchief was a trailblazer for Native Americans in the world of dance and mainstream media. Her talent took her to heights such as principal dancer of New York City Ballet for 13 years, and won her awards such as the Kennedy Center Honors for artistic contribution to the United States, the National Medal of Arts, and an induction to the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

Queer Fear, Kathie Fang
Scripps Ranch High School, 12th grade

A portrait of a non-binary individual with many worrying thoughts exploding within their mind. Whether that be telling their parents or friends about their identity or finding social comfort and acceptance. This piece is in honor of my friend who has attempted suicide for being gender queer.

Perennials Endure, and Last Forever, Claire Guang
The Bishop’s School, 12th grade

Don’t Disappoint, Breeze Stinde
School of Creative and Performing Arts, 10th grade

The piece is meant to represent how I feel: almost out of control with my responsibilities and that I’m constantly worried I’m disappointing my loved ones and that I’m not enough.

Trans Rights, Leon McCormack
Lewis Middle School, 7th grade

Art to support my trans rights. Gays and lesbians get all the attention, but trans is so much harder for others to accept.

What the Night Brings Out, Mila Corvino
Cathedral Catholic School, 12th grade

It symbolizes what I have gone through, being at Catholic school and coming was very hard at first I felt like I could be myself in certain places and around certain people. I used the night to symbolize secrecy, to represent that I was only comfortable being myself in secret.

Progression, Sam Palma
Morse High School, 11th grade

This piece represents me and how I have changed throughout the course of seventeen years. It not only shows where I am going, but where I have been as well.

untitled, Zoe Roman
The School for Entrepreneurship and Technology, 12th grade
San Diego Pride To Give $80,000 To LGBT Serving Nonprofit Organizations
December 8, 2016 10:30 am Leave a Comment
San Diego LGBT Pride is pleased to announce that due to the success of this year’s Pride event, we are able to donate $80,000 of our proceeds back to 40 LGBT-serving organizations through our annual Pride Community Grant Program.

Each year Pride works to return profits from the annual LGBT Pride weekend to the community. Over the years, San Diego Pride’s community contributions have exceeded 2 million dollars, which have been distributed to dozens of organizations through Pride Community Grants, sponsorships, and event support.

“Pride’s annual celebration, year-round advocacy and education efforts serve our community well, but no one organization can do it all, which is why our grant programs are so vital,” said Fernando Lopez, San Diego Pride Director of Operations. “Pride grants help to fund HIV testing, LGBT youth programs, sobriety services, programs that support our transgender community, LGBTQ arts and culture, QPOC programs, and a variety of other LGBTQ health and human services that our community relies on and enjoys.”

List of Grant Recipients:
2-1-1 San Diego, Being Alive San Diego, Breakthrough Workshop Theatre, CASA RUBY, DETOUR – Depositing Empowerment Through Outreach & Urban Redevelopment, Diversionary Theatre, Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD), Fierté Simcoe Pride, FilmOut, GLSEN, Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA), Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center, Lambda Archives of San Diego, Lead the Way, Live and Let Live Alano Club, Mama’s Kitchen, Mental Health America, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, PFLAG San Diego County, Political Animals, RISE San Diego – LGBTQ Fellows Initiative, San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego LGBT Visitors Center, San Diego Unified Council of PTAs, San Diego Women’s Chorus, SEED – Malaysia, Special Delivery San Diego, Stepping Stone of San Diego, Strength for the Journey, The San Diego LGBT Community Center, The Industry – Chula Vista, The Neutral Corner, The Recovery Ride, The Trevor Project, Trans Youth Project, TransFamily Support Services, TransPride 2017, Uptown Community Service Center, and Y.E.S. San Diego

“This year’s success is something that the entire community can take pride in. Whether you’re a volunteer, a sponsor, a ticket buyer, or one of the 20+ community organizations we work with to make Pride happen, you should know that the support and hard work you put into Pride is now helping to serve our community beyond just one weekend a year, and bringing critical resources to a spectrum of LGBTQ programs and lives,” said Sarafina Scapicchio, San Diego Pride Director of Development.

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org
City of San Diego to Honor LGBT Community Leader
November 1, 2016 3:21 pm Leave a Comment
CITY OF SAN DIEGO TO HONOR LGBT COMMUNITY LEADER

November 1, 2016

San Diego Pride’s Director of Operations, Fernando Lopez, is to be honored with a City of San Diego Human Relations Commission Commendation on Wednesday, November 16th.

A letter sent to Lopez from Joel Day, Executive Director of the City San Diego Human Relations Commission, stated:

“On behalf of the City of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission, it is our pleasure to inform you of our desire to honor and recognize your work across San Diego to promote dignity, diversity, and inclusion. You are to be awarded a Commission Commendation at this year’s HRC Awards Ceremony. Your work at Pride has become part of the fabric of who we are as a City and we are grateful for your tireless commitment to making San Diego a ‘World Class City for All.’

It is the mission of the Human Relation Commission to protect basic human and civil rights, promote activities that foster mutual respect, understanding and dignity, and create an atmosphere of amicable relations among all members of the San Diego community. We see that the work you are doing demonstrates a commitment and dedication to similar goals.”

“We are so thrilled that the substantial advocacy work Fernando does every day here at San Diego Pride continues to be recognized in the greater community! Whether he is shining a light on global inequality by bringing in dozens of LGBT delegates to Pride World Forum every year, speaking with a GSA in Santee, taking a field trip with our Pride Youth Lunch Bunch, or organizing with community partners to help the implementation of the FAIR ACT in our local public schools, you can be sure that he is always hard at work on projects that will make the world a safer place for our LGBT community,” said Sarafina Scapicchio, San Diego Pride Director of Development. “We could not be prouder.”

“Fernando’s ability to see opportunity in the community and strategically bring organizations and community leaders together to implement positive change is admirable,” said Josh Coyne, Co-Chair of The Trevor Project – San Diego. “Our collaboration over the last few years has not only benefited The Trevor Project, but has allowed us to better the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth. I’m proud to call him a mentor, colleague, and, most importantly, a friend.”

“We are so lucky to have Fernando at Pride. On behalf of the San Diego Pride board of directors, congratulations Fernando and thank you for all of the amazing work you do!” said Bianca Burt, Co-Chair, San Diego Pride.

“We are so pleased that Fernando is being recognized for the great work he does in the community,” said Maureen Steiner, Board President of Lambda Archives of San Diego. “Fernando’s own story is an inspiration, and the fact that he so freely shares it to inspire others is his gift to us all.”

The award will be presented on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, at the City’s Central Library Shiley Special Events Suite with the theme “I See You.” The event is free and open to the public. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with the award ceremony lasting until 7 p.m.

Click here for Fernando’s Bio.

San Diego Pride’s Mission: Fostering Pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.

The City of San Diego Human Relations Commission conducts and promotes activities that foster mutual respect and understanding, protects basic human and civil rights and creates an atmosphere that promotes amicable relations among all members of the San Diego community.

###
Pride Update
October 22, 2016 10:00 am Leave a Comment
Pride Update

Contacts Jim Seal, male co-chair: [email protected]

Lynn Wallace-Barnes, acting female co-chair: [email protected]

The Board of San Diego LGBT Pride is continuing a dialogue with the community through public comment at the monthly meetings. Additionally, meetings have been held between board members and key members of the community.

Minutes of Board meetings have been updated and posted on the Pride website. The server has been down, but is now operational.

The board, staff, volunteers, and community partners are developing plans for Pride 2017 and continuing Pride’s year-round programming, including the Pride Youth Leadership Academy, the Vote with Pride get-out-the-vote effort with The Center, and the Pride Youth Lunch Bunch with the Trevor Project. Work has begun on the partnership projects Out at the Park with the Padres, Out at the Fair, and SheFest. Production meetings for Pride 2017 have begun. 2016 Pride Community Grant applications are open.

Applications for the board of directors are encouraged and always welcome. The form is available on the website. Information for volunteer positions is also available on the website.

www.sdpride.org
San Diego Pride Opens 2016 Community Grant Applications
September 29, 2016 10:00 am Leave a Comment
SAN DIEGO PRIDE OPENS 2016 COMMUNITY GRANT APPLICATIONS

SAN DIEGO, California (September 29, 2016) – San Diego LGBT Pride is pleased to announce that due to the success of this year’s Pride event, themed “Pride Unites the World,” we are able to continue our tradition of community giving.

Pride strives each year to return profits from the annual LGBT Pride weekend to the community. San Diego Pride’s community contributions have exceeded 2 million dollars, which have been distributed to dozens of organizations through Pride Fund grants, sponsorships and event support.

“While Pride’s Parade and Spirit of Stonewall Rally are free and open to the public, our community can be proud of the fact that when they purchase a ticket to the Pride Music Festival they are not only helping to support our community coming together for a celebration, but are also investing in the people and organizations who serve our community 365 days a year,” said Fernando Lopez, San Diego Pride Director of Operations.

Pride will be accepting grant requests for amounts ranging from $500.00 to $5,000.00 until 5:00 pm Monday, October, 31, 2016.

Grant applications can be found at www.sdpride.org/grants

For more information, please contact Fernando at [email protected]

San Diego Pride has granted funds to organizations including the Live and Let Live, Alano Club, Bi-Forum, Different Strokes Swim Team, Diversionary Theater, GLSEN – Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, GSDBA, Human Dignity Foundation, Imperial Court de San Diego, Lambda Archives, Mama’s Kitchen, PFLAG, The San Diego LGBT Community Center, The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, Stepping Stone, Trans Day of Empowerment, The Trevor Project, Transgender Law Center, The San Diego Women’s Chorus, and many more.

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org
Applications for San Diego Pride Youth Leadership Academy Now Open
September 20, 2016 10:00 am Leave a Comment
APPLICATIONS FOR SAN DIEGO PRIDE YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY NOW OPEN

SAN DIEGO, California (September 20, 2016) – San Diego LGBT Pride is proud to announce that applications for the Youth Leadership Academy are now open. The Youth Leadership Academy is a one-day workshop packed with outdoor activities, bonding exercises, and empowering educational discussions. Workshops will include an introduction to LGBT history, youth advocacy, higher education, and more.

“Over the years, Pride has expanded our youth programs, and we are thrilled to be able to provide opportunities for LGBTQ youth to connect, learn, and engage,” said Fernando Lopez, San Diego Pride’s Director of Operations. “It is our hope that these young people will develop the skills needed to help them be better advocates and activists for themselves and their communities.”

The academy, which is open to junior-high- and high-school-aged youth, will take place on Saturday, November 12, 2016, from 8:30am to 5:15pm at the San Diego Pride office located at 3620 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104.

San Diego LGBT Pride is accepting applications until Sunday, October 23, 2016. Interested youth can apply at www.sdpride.org/youth-leadership-academy/.

For more information, please email [email protected].
Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org
Kesha Coming Out To Support San Diego Pride
April 22, 2016 11:46 am Leave a Comment
San Diego Pride is thrilled to announce that multi-platinum artist Kesha will be headlining Saturday night at San Diego’s Pride Music Festival.

Kesha has used her international fame as a platform to educate others about the LGBT community, highlight inequality, and empower others to be themselves unapologetically.

Her 2010 anthem “We R Who We R” was a response to the wave of LGBT teen suicides hitting the media at the time.

“I am beyond excited to perform at San Diego Pride this year. We have come a long way with the equal rights movement, but we have so much more work to do. In my home state of Tennessee they recently passed anti-lgbt legislation – it’s another reminder that groups like Pride are so important, and I’m honored to be part of San Diego Pride’s event on July 16. I’ll never stop fighting for people who just want to be able to express themselves freely for who they are,” said Kesha.

“Each year our community volunteers work tirelessly to put on the best event possible, and this year we are honored to bring an advocate and artist of this caliber to San Diego Pride,” said Stephen Whitburn, San Diego Pride executive director.

San Diego’s Pride Music Festival will take place July 16-17, 2016, in Balboa Park, and will include 96 acts across a main stage, a Latin stage, a Hip Hop stage, and an 80’s/90’s stage.

New to the event this year will be a free area called the Rainbow Zone, which will house many of Pride’s LGBT serving non-profit organizations that will help connect community members with vital resources, such as youth and senior services, women’s health care, HIV testing, sobriety support, and more.

Kesha’s first album, “Animal,” debuted at number one in the United States in 2010. She has two number-one singles, including “We R Who We R” and “Tik Tok.” In 2012, Kesha’s second album, “Warrior,” brought her an eighth top-ten single, “Die Young.” Kesha has been nominated for over 60 awards and has been recognized for her both her musical talent and her LGBT advocacy.

Click here for tickets!
Pride Music Festival Lineup: Phase 2
May 7, 2015 12:00 pm Leave a Comment

Pride Music Festival today announced Phase 2 of the performer lineup for its five stages in San Diego’s famous Balboa Park this July 18-19.

“We’re excited by the caliber of current artists who will entertain the 40,000 people coming together to celebrate equality and diversity this summer” –Executive Director Stephen Whitburn

Pride Music Festival will reveal Phase 3 of its artist lineup on May 14. The festival is produced by San Diego Pride, a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit. Weekend passes cost just $20 in advance.

Get your tickets now at www.flavorus.com/PrideMusicFestival!

Phase 2 Artist Lineup:

ULTRA NATE – American house and dance-pop musician
ANGIE FISHER – Grammy Nominated artist/song-writer debuted at 2015 Grammy’s
HONEY DIJON – Internationally renowned Transgender DJ & Fashionista
COCO MONTRESE – one of Las Vegas’ premier divas
ROCIO BANQUELLS – Mexican singer & tv/film actress
IDEAL feat KALEENA ZANDERS – Top 100 charting DJ/Producer and Supernova Songstress
“Kenny Metcalf as Elton John Tribute” – Premier act featuring Kenny Metcalf and The Early Years Band
NIKNO – Headlining DJ/Producer/Remixer
RICH WHITE LADIES – Hot MOTOWN Records artists on the rise
Wild Style – Freestyle-NuStyle-Miami Bass duo

Also, check out the Phase 1 lineup, released last week!!
Pride Music Festival Lineup: Phase 1
April 30, 2015 2:08 pm Leave a Comment

Pride Music Festival today unveiled Phase 1 of its artist lineup for five electronic and live performance stages settled amid the palms of San Diego’s Balboa Park this July 18-19.

The blossoming non-profit music festival celebrating diversity and equality brings together 40,000 people over two days from across the nation and the globe for dozens of current electronic dance, pop, hip-hop, Latin and other acts.

“It’s a memorable experience to unite with thousands of people, taking pride in who you are and celebrating each other,” said executive director Stephen Whitburn. “Pride Music Festival is for all.”

Pride Music Festival will reveal Phase 2 of its artist lineup on May 7 and will release Phase 3 on May 14. The festival is produced by San Diego Pride, a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit. Weekend passes cost just $20 in advance and are available at PrideMusicFestival.org and sdpride.org.

Get your tickets now at www.flavorus.com/PrideMusicFestival!

PHASE 1 ARTIST LINEUP
Ana Sia
Fedro
Ben Seagren
DirtyPop
SD Gay Men’s Chorus

NVida
Brent Law
Brynn Taylor
DJ Shorty
Jennifer Corday
Perry Twins
SD Women’s Chorus
Tristan D

805 South
Alejandra Sandoval
Aphrodite Rayne
Aro Di Santi Band
Ballet Folklorico Yaqui
Banda Paso De Tecuala
Bellonce Aguilera
Bo Scott
CaliParis
Chocolate City
Christian Falcon
Cris Herrera
Culture Shock
Daisy Salinas
DJ Artistic
DJ Ascension
DJ Cros One
DJ Fariba
DJ Hevrock
DJ Jiji Sweet
DJ Rick Betta
DJ Rubin
DJ Sebastian De La Madrid
DJ Showtime
Erick Diaz
ESCOBAR
Francesca Valle
Jaleesa Johnson
Joahnna
Jorge Ayon
Josh Whitaker
Josh Zuckerman
Jovan Le Saunier
LOS HOLLYWOOD
Maniguis Rossi
Melissa Dove
Monica Fontanoza
OSM
Palm Spring Women’s Jazz Band
Phenex
Rainbow Noise
Raul Montiel Y la Banda Paso De Tecuala
Red Sonya
Rhythm and the Method
Ricky Lips
Sabor Andaluz Dance Co.
San Diego Kings Club
Sherryce Emery
Soulistik
Tara Egnatios
We Are She Is
XIV/Sunday Hustle
Announcement of the 2014 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
May 5, 2014 9:00 am Leave a Comment
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PRIDE ANNOUNCES 2014 SPIRIT OF STONEWALL AWARDEES

SAN DIEGO — San Diego Pride is proud to announce its 2014 Spirit of Stonewall Award winners, who will be honored at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally, taking place Friday, July 18 at 6 pm, at the Hillcrest Pride Flag. The distinguished Toni Atkins will be the Grand Marshall of this momentous occasion.

The annual awards are designed to honor individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on San Diego’s LGBT community. As our celebrity Nominations for the awards were received from the San Diego community and the list of recipients follows:

Champions of Pride
Vincent Pompei – working with the Human Rights Campaign and LGBT youth
Lisa Mata – bringing the Human Rights Campaign to San Diego and volunteerism

The Champion of Pride Award honors individuals or couples who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years, or who have made an exceptional contribution over the past year.

Friend of Pride
Patti Boman – dedication to PFLAG as well as LGBT youth

The Friend of Pride Award honors individuals or couples who do not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but who have stalwartly supported the LGBT community over an extended period of years or the past year.

Stonewall Service Award
Maureen Steiner – preserving the LGBT community’s history with the Lambda Archives

The Stonewall Service Award honors groups or organizations, which may or may not identify as specifically LGBT, but which have greatly supported the community over an extended period of years and/or have made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

Inspirational Couple
Danielle LoPresti and Alicia Champion – volunteerism and dedication to the LGBT community
Dwayne D. and Jonathan Beebe-Franqui – historical presence and progressing the LGBT movement

Community Service
Candi Samples – dedication to the LGBT community through her work at the Imperial Court

The Community Service Award honors individuals or couples who are recognized as “up-and-coming” leaders within the community, or whose contributions to the community over the past year carried significant impact.

For more information on the award criteria and submission process visit www.sdpride.org/awards.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Actress and Activist Laverne Cox to Join San Diego Pride
April 10, 2014 9:00 am Leave a Comment
(San Diego, CA) – Actress, television star, and renowned transgender advocate Laverne Cox is coming to San Diego to be the keynote speaker for San Diego Pride’s annual Spirit of Stonewall Rally and flag raising this summer.

The rally will be held Friday, July 18 at 6:00 pm adjacent to the Hillcrest Pride Flag at the corner of University Ave. and Normal St. The Spirit of Stonewall Rally and flag raising will serve as the official kickoff of this year’s 40^th Anniversary San Diego LGBT Pride Weekend.

“I am deeply honored to be a part of San Diego Pride,” said Cox. “When I think of Pride I can’t help but think of the legacy of folks like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, and so many trans folks who came before me and refused to allow anyone to silence their voices for equality and justice.”

Cox has shared her story and message across the country, through public speaking and published works. At San Diego Pride’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally, Cox will join other LGBT leaders, activists, and elected officials to honor the legacy of the LGBT movement and celebrate its accomplishments.

“Laverne Cox has dedicated her life to advocating for human rights,” said San Diego Pride Public Affairs Director Fernando Lopez. “The story of her mission to eradicate homophobia, racism, sexism, and transphobia has been an inspiration to many and will surely engage the cheering crowds at this year’s historic Spirit of Stonewall Rally.”

One of the largest such events in the nation, San Diego Pride’s weekend celebration will also feature a block party on Friday night, a 5k run and parade on Saturday, and a two-day music festival on Saturday and Sunday in Balboa Park.

For more information visit: sdpride.org
Community Invited to Join in 40th Anniversary Pride Celebration
January 21, 2014 5:46 pm Leave a Comment
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]January 14, 2014

COMMUNITY INVITED TO JOIN IN 40TH

ANNIVERSARY PRIDE CELEBRATION

SAN DIEGO – San Diego LGBT Pride’s volunteers, board of directors, and staff are hard at work preparing for this year’s 40th anniversary Pride celebration and are looking forward to community participation in this year’s festivities scheduled for July 18-20. Applications for entertainers, sponsors, parade contingents, program guide advertisers, and festival exhibitors are now available online at sdpride.org.

The annual Pride weekend festivities, which include the Spirit of Stonewall Rally, the Pride of Hillcrest Block Party, the Pride Parade, and the two-day Pride Festival, are a result of the many people, groups, sponsors, artists, and partners who support this community celebration. Those who are planning to participate in this year’s 40th anniversary Pride celebration, with the theme “Reflections of Pride,” are encouraged to submit applications early. Additional information about the various ways to participate is below.
- Entertainers: Artists who perform on one of the many stages that are available throughout the weekend help entertain Pride-goers and in turn, help the organization raise money to give back to the community. All sorts of entertainers are being sought for this year’s event. Applications should be submitted by March 23. Visit sdpride.org and click “Entertain with Pride.”
- Sponsors: With the support of sponsors, San Diego Pride is able to create an even better experience for the community while freeing up resources that can be given back to the community. Visit sdpride.org and click “Sponsor with Pride” for a sponsor packet.
- Parade Contingents: San Diego Pride brings color and flair to the streets of Hillcrest during the city’s largest single-day civic event, the San Diego Pride Parade. Hundreds of thousands of cheering spectators line the streets to watch contingents of community groups, businesses, educators, elected officials, and others parade by. To register a contingent, visit sdpride.org and click “Parade with Pride.”
- Advertisers: The San Diego Pride program guide distributes 20,000 copies, sharing Pride weekend information with locals and visitors alike. The guide is distributed throughout California, as well as in Las Vegas and Phoenix, and is a great way to promote a business to the LGBT community. To advertise, visit sdpride.org and click “Advertise with Pride.”
- Exhibitors: A variety of local and national organizations and businesses participate in the festival through an exhibitor booth. Those who wish to get the highest visibility spots are encouraged to get their applications in early. Visit sdpride.org and click “Exhibit with Pride.”
“Pride is the biggest weekend of the year to champion, celebrate, and support our community, and we are grateful to all of the people and organizations who participate and make it happen,” said Stephen Whitburn, Pride General Manager. “This 40th Anniversary Pride will be our biggest ever, so we’re asking everyone to sign up early this year.”

Additional information about San Diego Pride can be found at www.sdpride.org or by calling 619-297-7683.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Reflections of Pride: 40th Anniversary Theme Logo Contest Begins
January 14, 2014 5:32 pm Leave a Comment
January 21st, 2014

REFLECTIONS OF PRIDE: 40th
ANNIVERSARY THEME LOGO CONTEST BEGINS!

SAN DIEGO, CA – The reintroduction of the annual San Diego Pride festival logo contest begins Tuesday, January 21. With the new-year in motion and the planning for the 2014 celebration well underway, the new logo for the 40th anniversary San Diego Pride, Reflections of Pride, encourages artists and graphic designers across San Diego to participate in this opportunity to showcase their creative work.

“We’re excited to announce the return of our theme logo design contest, are excited to see what
creativity our community has in store for us,” said Stephen Whitburn, San Diego LGBT Pride General Manager. This year, San Diego Pride will be offering the winning artist 4 VIP tickets to the San Diego Pride Festival, widespread recognition throughout social media, and recognition in both the program guide and the “All in Pride” celebration

Information regarding the design guidelines can be found on the San Diego Pride website including
design format and instructions for submission. The deadline to submit all artwork is February 21, 2014, and the winner will be announced in March.

Artists and designers across San Diego County are highly encouraged to take advantage of this
opportunity.

More information can be found at sdpride.org/logocontest or by contacting Fernando Lopez at [email protected] or 619-297-7683 x109.
PRIDE SIMPLIFIES TICKETS; ALL FESTIVAL ATTENDEES GET TWO-DAY ACCESS
December 17, 2013 6:24 pm Leave a Comment
December 17, 2013

PRIDE SIMPLIFIES TICKETS; ALL FESTIVAL ATTENDEES GET TWO-DAY ACCESS

San Diego, CA – San Diego LGBT Pride has announced it is simplifying festival ticket pricing and increasing access to the annual two-day celebration attended by tens of thousands in Balboa Park.

Instead of different prices for early bird tickets, one-day tickets, two-day tickets, and tickets for select groups such as seniors, students, and military, tickets for all guests will be $20, and all will be two-day passes. Volunteers and youths aged 15 and under will continue to receive free admission.

Those who previously bought a two-day pass for $30 will now pay only $20 for a two-day pass. Those who previously bought a one-day pass for $20 will now get a two-day pass for the same price.

“People who buy a festival ticket should be able to get in as often as they’d like all weekend, and people shouldn’t have to figure out what type of ticket they need to buy,” said Stephen Whitburn, San Diego Pride’s general manager. “This is much simpler: it’s 20 bucks for the whole weekend, and that includes all eight entertainment stages including our headlining performers.”

Whitburn noted that next year will be San Diego Pride’s 40^th anniversary.

“Everyone involved wants the 2014 Pride Festival to be one people will always remember,” Whitburn said. “We’re working on a lot of new additions that I think people are going to love.”

Pride’s 40thAnniversary Festival will be Saturday, July 19 from 12 noon – 10 pm and Sunday, July 20 from 11 am – 8 pm at Marston Point in Balboa Park (Sixth Ave. and Laurel St.)

The festival features more than 150 musicians, bands, comedy and dance performers, over 250 exhibitors, cultural presentations, great food, and endless people watching.

A charitable non-profit, San Diego LGBT Pride uses festival proceeds to fund year-round community giving, which this year totaled $146,000.

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in, and respect for, all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org

###
SAN DIEGO PRIDE GIVES $40,000 TO THE CENTER IN HONOR OF ITS 40TH BIRTHDAY
November 20, 2013 6:18 pm Leave a Comment
November 20, 2013

SAN DIEGO PRIDE GIVES $40,000 TO THE CENTER IN HONOR OF ITS 40TH BIRTHDAY

After a successful 2013 season, San Diego Pride has announced that it will donate $40,000 to the San Diego LGBT Community Center, in honor of the organization’s 40th anniversary. This “birthday gift” is part of San Diego Pride’s annual community giving program.

San Diego Pride annually raises funds through ticket and beverage sales during Pride weekend and then distributes financial support to LGBT-serving organizations. In accordance with its mission, San Diego Pride has designated this gift to The Center to foster pride in, and respect for, our HIV positive, transgender, and sober communities, as well as our LGBT families.

“We are pleased to contribute funding to The Center each year to support the many vital services they provide to the community every day, year-round,” said Stephen Whitburn, San Diego Pride’s General Manager. “These funds are made possible by the hundreds of thousands of Pride participants each year, and we are grateful to them for helping us support our community for 40 years.”

The $40,000 grant will be split up among four of The Center’s programs and the general fund, including $10,000 to Transgender Services, $10,000 to Family Matters, $10,000 to HIV Services, and $5,000 to sobriety programs. The remaining $5,000 will be placed in The Center’s general fund.

“We’re so pleased to receive this very generous gift from Pride,” said Center CEO Dr. Delores Jacobs. “We’re grateful for their continued partnership in so much of what we do, as well as their ongoing work in the San Diego LGBT community. The Center has been fortunate enough to work with Pride for years and this grant is an affirmation of all we’ve accomplished together. It’s always a particular compliment when a strong community partner also supports The Center’s programs financially and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org

###
SAN DIEGO PRIDE BEGINS 2013 GRANT PROCESS AND COMMUNITY SURVEY
September 25, 2013 6:12 pm Leave a Comment
September 25, 2013

SAN DIEGO PRIDE BEGINS 2013 GRANT PROCESS AND COMMUNITY SURVEY

SAN DIEGO – San Diego LGBT Pride is pleased to announce that due to the success of this year’s Pride event, themed Freedom to Love and Marry, we are able to continue our tradition of community giving.

In addition to being a celebration, Pride is our community’s biggest fundraiser of the year,” said San Diego LGBT Pride’s General Manager Stephen Whitburn. “It is exciting for us to know that funds raised during Pride weekend are now available to be given to our community organizations.”

Pride will be accepting grant requests of amounts ranging from $500.00 to $5,000.00 until Friday, October 25, 2013 at 5:00 pm PST.

Grant applications can be found at www.sdpride.org/grants

As San Diego LGBT Pride prepares to celebrate our 40th anniversary the Board of Directors, staff, and Community Advisory Council of San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride are seeking community input to improve the organization and premiere civic event.

Those interested in sharing their thoughts are encouraged to take our online survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sdpride2013

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org

###
Pride Introduces New Co-Chairs
September 5, 2013 6:07 pm Leave a Comment
September 5, 2013

PRIDE INTRODUCES NEW CO-CHAIRS

San Diego LGBT Pride is pleased to announce the election of new Co-Chairs, Tiffany Gonzalez and Romer De Los Santos. Tiffany, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, has served the board most recently as chair of the board development committee. Romer comes with a long history of board service and project management experience. The board has also elected new secretary, Jaime Carrillo, a non-profit management leader and advocate for access to healthcare.

“This entire executive team is very optimistic and excited about the future of Pride and what the organization will be able to do, moving forward, for the community. We’re just very thankful for the opportunity we’ve been given”, stated Co-Chair Tiffany Gonzalez.

As Pride welcomes the new leadership, the organization is also bidding farewell to Treasurer Dion Brown as well as long-time board director and previous Co-Chair, Joseph Mayer, who has retired from board service. Having served Pride in various capacities for over 20 years and holding positions of Treasurer and Co-Chair in that time, Joe has set a high standard for board service.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, the staff, and our community, we would like to sincerely thank Joe Mayer for his long and faithful service to Pride and the community. His passion and dedication won’t soon be forgotten, and we wish him all the best as he enjoys his retirement”, remarked Co-Chair Romer De Los Santos.

If you are interested in serving on the board of directors or know someone who could potentially make a great contribution through board service, please contact: [email protected]

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org

###
PRIDE WISHES BEST OF LUCK TO OUTGOING CO-CHAIR, EBONY ALDRIDGE
August 1, 2013 5:59 pm Leave a Comment
Contact: Joseph Mayer, Co-Chair 619-297-7683

August 1, 2013

PRIDE WISHES BEST OF LUCK TO OUTGOING CO-CHAIR, EBONY ALDRIDGE

San Diego LGBT Pride announced today that Ebony Aldridge will be leaving her position at Pride and moving on to work on other opportunities. Ebony thanked the Board, Staff and Community for affording her the opportunity to lead the organization through another successful event this year.

Additionally, William Rodriguez-Kennedy has resigned his post as Co-Chair-Elect in order to pursue his passion of creating change and affecting policy in the political arena of the city and county of San Diego. Pride wishes him much success in those endeavors.

“On behalf of the San Diego LGBT Pride Board of Directors, Staff, and even the community, we want to thank both Ebony and William for all their hard work, dedication and passion they contributed to the team here at Pride,” stated Co-Chair Joseph Mayer.

Joseph also remarked, “Pride is resilient. Although we have work to do in building the board’s membership, experience, and resources, I want to ensure you that the Executive team is committed and we will make that happen! Pride is a big commitment of time and energy but you can look at the results and see that it is worth it!”

If you are interested, or know someone who could potentially make a great contribution through board service, please contact: [email protected]

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org

###
MARINES JOIN NAVY IN WELCOMING UNIFORMED SERVICEMEMBERS TO SAN DIEGO PRIDE
July 10, 2013 6:33 pm Leave a Comment
July 10, 2013

MARINES JOIN NAVY IN WELCOMING UNIFORMED SERVICEMEMBERS TO SAN DIEGO PRIDE

SAN DIEGO — As the city gears up for this weekend’s annual San Diego LGBT Pride festivities, Marines and sailors with I (First) Marine Expeditionary Force have received authorization to wear approved uniforms in the 39th annual Pride Parade on Saturday, July 13 at 11 am.

This follows authorization by the Department of Navy, Navy Region Southwest, authorizing active duty Navy servicemembers under its command to wear their uniforms in the parade.

For the third year, servicemembers are invited to participate in the Military Contingent which leads the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade. Over 300 servicemembers are expected to participate, either in uniform or a branch specific T-shirt.

I MEF is finalizing the official administrative message to be delivered to the command. Marines and sailors who wish to participate are approved to wear authorized leave and liberty uniforms and attire in the parade.

Personnel are required to reference and follow Marine Corps regulations and policies regarding the proper wear of authorized uniforms and are prohibited from wearing the uniform while engaged in unauthorized activities.

In the release from I MEF, the command says that diversity remains one of its top priorities.

“We are proud of the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and versatile skills of our men and women and embrace their personal decision to participate in this community event honoring their service,” 1st Lt. Garth Langley

San Diego Pride will host an information session for participants who are 21 years and older on Thursday, July 11 from 6-7 pm at Bourbon Street Bar & Grill, located at 4612 Park Blvd. At the event, additional information will be provided about the Military Contingent.

Servicemembers who wish to participate in the contingent should register online at www.sdpride.org/military. For additional questions, contact [email protected].

Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is: Fostering pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, locally, nationally, and globally. www.sdpride.org

###