Category Archive: sdpride

  1. Statement: Resolve Humanitarian Crisis and Immediate Ceasefire

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    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:

    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
  2. End AIDS. End Stigma.

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    1987 rally where San Diegans held symbols that represented the 289 San Diegans who had died of AIDS.

    I distinctly remember the homophobic bullying I experienced as young person, starting in the 3rd grade, being connected to a narrative that the only future I had in front of me was one in which I contracted HIV, died of AIDS, and burn in hell for all eternity. I was nine years old. When I was thirteen years, each week my fellow students and I were given an ongoing assignment to read the newspaper and write a short essay on an article we found interesting. In my small town of El Centro, we got the San Diego Union-Tribune, and I picked the article about a walk in San Diego that brought visibility to HIV/AIDS. I was inspired by the courage of the participants to be so open while I lived in so much fear. A teacher saw my news clipping in a different class while I searched for my homework assignment for him. He snapped and yelled at me in class, ripping the paper from my hand, “Don’t you ever let me catch you bringing this s**t into my class ever again.” I burst into tears.

    The shame, stigma, and fear that many still associate with HIV/AIDS all too often prevents people from knowing their status and accessing competent, treatment, care, and prevention tools. In the months leading up to Pride every year, we contribute hundreds of Festival tickets to direct service providers such as UCSD’s AVRC and The Center to incentivize HIV testing. At the Festival itself, we typically have at least three mobile testing units on site where hundreds of people are tested over the two-day event; those who test positive are then given access to immediate services and care.

    Whether it’s our direct trainings done throughout the year, partnering on public education programs, safer sex education and free HIV-testing for our LGBTQ youth, or 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, stigma far too many associate with the virus.

    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. Our Pride volunteers will be out in force again this year helping our Center Family put on the event in addition to having a walking team and table. Our Entertainment Department’s Artist Liaison, Frankie Martinez, has been leading our AIDS Walk efforts and bravely shared his story with us this year. My heart and life are indebted to those brave enough to fight, to walk, and to share their raw and personal stories. It’s how we unchain ourselves from fear and shame. HIV/AIDS impacts all of us, but we are not solely defined by it. We walk to end not only AIDS and new HIV infections, we walk to end stigma so that together we can walk freely in our Legacy of Liberation.

    PS. I hope you walk with me this Saturday at AIDS Walk San Diego.

  3. Trans Form Our Community

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    2018 Trans Day of Empowerment Scholarship Recipients with Founder Tracie Jada O’Brien.

    Physical and political attacks against our trans community members have been on the rise the last few years, yet in this torturous landscape, trans excellence continues to shine through. Last year, it was inspiring to see people all across the country come together to uphold trans rights in Massachusetts, and to witness the ‘We Won’t Be Erased’ protests that happened all over the nation calling out the current administration’s anti-trans policies. We can still do more.

    Recently San Diego Pride joined Funders for LGBTQ issues in taking the GUTC pledge (Grantmakers United for Trans Communities) which commits us to trans centered training and professional development, recruitment and retention, grantmaking, and expressions of support. Not only did we take the pledge, our team is also actively working to encourage other funders to make these commitments as well.

    In addition to funding trans led organizations, we have proudly steward the Tracie Jada O’Brien Trans Student Scholarship for 4 years. Founded by a black trans elder, the volunteer-led fund committee has given out 67 scholarships totaling $33,500. I hope you will join us at Trans Day of Empowerment this Friday as 22 new scholarships are handed out. I also ask that you consider making a tax-deductible donation to the fund, as 100% of the funds go directly to transgender students. Wisdom is power, and you can be a part of uplifting the next generation of our trans community as we all take part in our Legacy of Liberation.

  4. What’s your 2019 resolution?

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    I hope the struggles and successes of 2018 have left you resolved to tackle the year ahead of us. 2019 is already bringing new protections for trans folks in the state of California, the most diverse Congress our country has ever seen has been sworn in, and we’re just months away from celebrating 50 years since the Stonewall Riots. This year is already promising to be one to remember. What is your resolution to keep the momentum of our movement going?

    As we take this year to reflect on how far we’ve come in those 50 years, I hope that each of us will reflect on how we want to participate in that legacy. Maybe you want to increase your civic engagement and would like to register as a volunteer? Perhaps you want to engage with our community through one of our ever-growing programs? Maybe you simply want to come out and be yourself in LGBTQ-safe spaces at any one of the many events happening all year round?

    All throughout 2019 San Diego Pride is resolved to create more and more of these opportunities for our diverse community to come together. We look forward to facing this new year and new challenges together shoulder-to-shoulder and celebrating Stonewall 50 hand-in-hand, as together, we are all a part of its Legacy of Liberation.

    Save the Dates:
    January 21: MLK Parade with Pride
    February 13: Pride World Forum: Bridges of Love
    February 16: OUT at the Ballet
    March 9: Pride Youth Art Show
    April 5: OUT at the Opera (Carmen)
    April 5: Trans Day of Empowerment
    April 19: OUT at the Park
    April 27: #MeTooLGBTQ Conference
    May 18: Orgullo Sin Fronteras Conference
    June 1: OUT at the Fair
    July 10: Light Up The Cathedral
    July 6: She Fest
    July 12: Spirit of Stonewall Rally
    July 13: Parade
    July 13-14: Festival
    November 9: Pride Youth Leadership Academy

     

  5. Historic Night as Padres and San Diego Pride Team Up

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    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.

  6. Volunteer Opportunities Now Open for San Diego Pride Weekend

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    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].

  7. See Our PRIDE!

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    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.

  8. #MeToo LGBTQ conference in San Diego for victims of sexual violence

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    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].

  9. TLC set to headline San Diego Pride Festival 2018

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    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.

  10. Youth Art Show 2018 Recap

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    On Saturday, March 10th, San Diego Pride, in partner with Art of Pride and The Trevor Project, hosted their second annual LGBTQ+ youth art show.

    This year, our youth asked for the Youth Art Show’s theme to be “Revolutionary” a look at the LGBTQ revolution through the eyes of young LGBTQ artists. The work that has been brought in is deep, compelling, and inspiring. Twenty-five pieces were submitted by 23 LGBTQ+ artists from 16 different schools.

    “When done with intention, the use of art, poetry, and music can truly be a revolutionary act. Creating civic and artistic spaces where the LGBTQ community can be comfortably and authentically themselves is a social justice issue.” said Fernando Lopez, Executive Director of San Diego Pride.

    From 6pm to 8pm, over 100 art lovers, family, friends and fans visited the art show located at the San Diego Pride office. This program is youth-led with junior-high to high school aged youth serving as presenters, greeters, collection donations, plus supplying snacks & refreshments. New to this year’s event was an interactive art piece where attendees of all ages were asked to create an artist trading card of what the word revolutionary means to them.

    “As an LGBTQ+ artist, this show gives me a sense of pride, and it allows me to express myself in a way I find comfortable. It’s also very inspiring seeing many other youths like me showcase their interpretations of the show’s theme, all in breathtaking ways,” said Sam Palma, an 18-year-old Morse High School student.

    Pride’s youth programs including our youth zone at the Pride Festival aren’t possible without support. If you’d like to donate to keep these programs going, please click here and select “Youth Programs”.

    The following schools were represented this year:

    Black Mountain Middle
    Chula Vista High School
    Hoover High School
    La Jolla Country Day School
    La Jolla High School
    Morse High School
    San Diego High School
    San Diego High School of Business And Leadership
    San Diego High School of International Studies
    San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts
    Steele Canyon High School
    The Bishop’s School
    Westview High School
    Wilson Middle 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.

    Marianne Byrd, 10th, San Diego High
    Shine with Pride

    Two people in a field with the Pride flag watching fireworks.

    Kyle, School Unlisted

    Untitled

    Jasma Reddick, 12th, Westview High School
    Spectrum

    My mediums for this piece consisted of acrylic paint and drawing chalk. The dancing girl and the clouds of rainbow smoke is supposed to represent self revolution. After all of the bad things that happened in 2017, there were still good things that happened. It was a year of self-discovery for some and just a year of revolution and change for people all different spectrums, and after much debating I represented that with the colors of the rainbow. A rainbow is a spectrum, so I thought it would be a good way to show support for all groups of people.

    Breeze Stinde, 11th, SDSCPA
    Portrait of Jamie Shupe

    A portrait of the very first legally recognized non-binary citizen, Jamie Shupe.

    Bianca Dortch, 12th, SDSCPA
    Untitled

    I wanted to shed slight light on people of certain groups who are typically thrown under the bus, to show that even they are people who are relevant to LGBT groups even when undermined as they are in current society.

    Roan Swanson-Brownell, 9th, San Diego High
    Be You

    A person sitting in front of a rainbow sunset.

  11. San Diego Pride Launches Local Small-Business Sponsor Initiative

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    San Diego LGBT Pride is pleased to announce a new opportunity for local San Diego-based small businesses to sponsor the 2018 San Diego Pride Celebration, July 13-15, 2018, at a reduced price of $1,500.

    This new $1,500 sponsorship opportunity will include an array of benefits, including main stage LED recognition, company name listing on official San Diego Pride 2018 event poster, logo recognition within music festival grounds, 2 weekend festival passes, as well as additional online marketing and promotional opportunities through San Diego Pride’s social media channels, which reach a combined 1.9 million people.

    For a comprehensive list of sponsor benefits, click here or contact San Diego Pride Director of Development Chance McKee at [email protected]

    “San Diego Pride has been, and will always be, a philanthropic organization that celebrates giving back to LGBTQ-serving nonprofits,” said Fernando Lopez, Executive Director of San Diego Pride. “In 2018, as we prepare for what could be San Diego’s largest Pride Celebration in history, we are focused on returning to our roots by working with local businesses to highlight what makes San Diego one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the world.”

    The San Diego Pride Celebration weekend is the largest civic event in San Diego and serves a 365-day operation focusing on serving LGBTQ women, international relations, and creating inclusive opportunities for LGBTQ youth to celebrate their individuality, while developing them into the future leaders of San Diego and beyond.

    “Local business support of San Diego Pride 2018 will allow us to expand our LGBTQ youth- and senior-serving programs to reach a broader audience, while also highlighting how supportive local businesses are of San Diego’s LGBTQ community,” said Phyllis Jackson, Co-Chair of San Diego LGBT Pride’s Board of Directors.

    Founded in 1974, San Diego LGBT Pride produced the first Lesbian and Gay Parade in San Diego to celebrate the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion in New York. What started out as an all-volunteer-led organization, San Diego LGBT Pride has now grown to be an internationally recognized destination event and is the fourth largest Pride celebration in the United States, reaching more than 230,000 parade spectators and more than 40,000 music festival attendees in 2017.

    “We are focused on making San Diego Pride a celebration for all San Diegans,” said Nick Serrano, Co-Chair of San Diego LGBT Pride’s Board of Directors. “That’s why I hope local small businesses will take advantage of this opportunity to choose San Diego Pride 2018 as the best investment to expand their company’s local presence while standing boldly with the LGBTQ community as a partner in equality and inclusion.”

  12. #BuildOUT 2018 Recap

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    On Saturday, January 27, San Diego Pride partnered with Habitat for Humanity  to assist with a variety of jobs including home improvement, yard work, staffing donation centers, and whatever else was needed at the Restore locations and build sites. Locations included a build site in Logan Heights and ReStores in Kearny Mesa, National City, and Escondido.

    “Safe, stable, affordable housing is the foundation of thriving individuals, families, and communities,” said Lori Holt Pfeiler, President/CEO of San Diego Habitat for Humanity. “We are honored to walk side-by-side with San Diego Pride and the LGBTQ community to provide opportunities for homeownership for every San Diegan who needs a hand up to build a better future.”

    Our time at #BuildOUT supported their mission of eliminating substandard housing and rebuilding communities through affordable homeownership. We finished the day with close to 70 volunteers contributing over 350 hours, which equates to a total value of $10,126.07!

    “I love the unique nature of this partnership. Here are two organizations that most people have never said in the same sentence before, working hand in hand to find shared values all while engaging community and building community,” said Fernando Lopez, Executive Director of San Diego Pride. “It’s a beautiful thing to focus on how two vastly different entities can find common ground to great good; the world needs more of that.”

    Check out our video recap and a few of the news stories that covered our new partnership with Habitat for Humanity!

    Want to volunteer? Sign up to be part of the Pride family and be the first to learn about our year-round volunteer opportunities!

    [vc_button text=”Click Here To Register as a Volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/85785de2-2a9a-4f05-960a-a2fc51785295/1″]

     

     

  13. San Diego Pride Gives Over $100,000 to LGBT Serving Nonprofits

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    San Diego LGBT Pride is pleased to announce that due to the success of this year’s Pride event, we are able to donate $104,182 of our proceeds back to 51 LGBT-serving organizations.

    Each year Pride works to return proceeds from our annual Pride weekend to the LGBTQ community. Over the years, San Diego Pride’s community contributions have well exceeded 2 million dollars, which have been distributed to dozens of organizations through Pride Community Grants, sponsorships, and event support.

    The 2017 Pride grants help fund LGBT youth programs, sobriety services, LGBTQ arts and culture, communities of color, programs that support our transgender community, LGBTQ health and human services, and many more vital resources that our LGBT community relies on and enjoys.

    One Pride beneficiary, The San Diego LGBT Community Center, has been gifted $13,150 in total in 2017, including $5,150.00 gifted during their 2 Million 4:1 matching campaign, which turns in to $25,750 thanks to their generous donors, and brings the total impact of Pride gifts to The Center to $33,750!

    “Our board, volunteers, sponsors, community partners, and ticket buyers can be proud that the support they’ve given San Diego Pride is now helping to serve our local LGBTQ community and beyond.“ said Executive Director, Eric Heinritz.

    List of Grant Recipients:
    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

    See the other ways San Diego Pride has made an impact in our community this year by reading our top 17 of 2017 here. Tickets are now on sale for next year’s Pride Festival on July 14 to July 15, 2018.

    Purchase your tickets here

    Invite your friends on Facebook here

    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. sdpride.org

  14. Top 17 of 2017

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    2017 was full of many victories, celebrations, challenges, and triumphs. We’ve collected our top 17 moments of 2017. To those of you who have volunteered, donated, celebrated, and stood Allied in Action: United for Justice with Pride, we thank you.

    1. Pride Youth Art Show

    Pride hosted their first LGBTQ+ youth art show titled, We Are here: Reflections of LGBTQ Lives. The event was hosted by Pride youth volunteers as an opportunity for young people in our community to share their stories. 23 pieces were submitted by 21 LGBTQ+ artists from 14 different schools and more than 100 art lovers, youth supporters, faculty, family, friends, and community members visited the art show! The art was such a hit that it made its way to the San Diego County Fair for thousands to see! For more information regarding San Diego LGBTQ+ Youth Programs, click here.

    2. OUT at the Park

    In 2017 the Padres truly stepped up their support of the LGBTQ community! Our Pride staff took the field with Padre staff, LGBTQ elected officials, MLB Ambassador for Inclusion – Billy Bean, the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, and the San Diego Women’s chorus to sing the national anthem together in a show of unity. Petco Park even become the first MLB stadium to have a multi stall gender neutral restroom facility! 2018 tickets are on sale now! Invite your friends here!

    3. Lunch Bunch – Year 2

    Every second Saturday the San Diego Pride office hosts Lunch Bunch, a safe place for LGBTQ youth to hang out, build community, learn new skills, and enjoy a free lunch. This year saw unprecedented growth as our youth program attendance saw a 700% increase over 2016! Learn more about Lunch Bunch here! #YouCanSitWithUs

    4. The Equality March: San Diego

    After the historic success of the Women’s March, many other issue focused marches began to pop up all over the country. Here in San Diego, San Diego Pride and the LGBT Community Center took the lead in bringing together our community to march for LGBTQ equality! Thousands were in attendance! Marching is great, but we all need to show up and vote if we’re truly going to make a difference! Register to vote now at www.sdvote.com

    5. Pride with Prayer

    LGBTQ equal protections are coming under attack across the country with so-called “religious liberty” bills. We as the LGBTQ community know that supporting religious freedom and LGBTQ equality can go hand in hand. That is why in 2017 our parade was lead by over 50 LGBTQ equality supportive faith leaders, and we partnerd with St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral to host an interfaith service entitled “Pride with Purpose, Pride with Prayer.”

    6. Parade Attendance

    Our parade is the largest single day civic event in the region, and this year was one for the record books! Over 200 contingents took part in the parade that hosted 230,000 spectators from all around the world!

    7. African Delegation

    In partnership with the US Department of State and The Diplomacy Council, we met with 25 young African leaders from the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program to share about the global Pride & LGBTQ movement. Some of them even attended the festival and shared their experiences in our blog!

    8. United Against Hate!

    2017 saw a dramatic rise in hate crimes all across the United States. After the white nationalist and Nazi’s deadly descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, San Diego Pride and the LGBT Community Center brought together over 20 local social justice organizations as our community collectively stood against hate in all its forms at the United Intersections of Justice Rally.

    9. EQCA Lobby Day

    Part of working with our youth work means connecting them with other organizations and ensuring they have tools to become agents of change. This year we were able to help bring some of our youth to Sacramento for the EQCA lobby day, where they learned more about legislation affecting our community and how to communicate with their elected officials.

    10. SheFest

    SheFest is an LGBTQ woman-centered event that celebrates and supports the talents and contributions of women while fostering meaningful connections within the LGBTQ and larger San Diego community. This year saw its highest attendance yet! Like us on Facebook to get the last info on upcoming planning and events!

    11. #MeToo

    Since 2013 San Diego Pride has been working with government agencies and nonprofits and to better serve LGBTQ survivors, and while working with media outlets to create a healthy public dialog around sexual assault and survivor support. In 2017 we helped to lay foundational work to host a #MeTooLGBTQ summit in San Diego in 2018 gear towards survivors and service providers. Here are a few of the stories we shared this year. [1, 2, 3]

    12. Sí, se puede!

    This year at Pride the Consulado General de los Estados Unidos en Tijuana marched in our Parade for the first time! From there, a partnership grew and we are now working with the Department of State and several other LGBTQ serving organizations on a cross-boarder LGBTQ leadership building Conference in 2018. In 2017 Board members and staff also helped to found the San Diego County LGBTQ Latinx Coalition. Be a part of these new efforts by joining our Facebook group here.

    13. Production Team!

    San Diego Pride is made possible because over a thousand diverse community volunteers work across nearly 40 different departments to ensure Pride is safe, successful, and represents the community we serve. Professionally skilled volunteers run our entertainment, accessibility, safety, medical, hospitality, marketing and more! We couldn’t be who we are without all of them. Join the Pride Family here!

    14. Youth Rising

    What could be better than a one day workshop packed with outdoor activities, bonding exercises, and empowering educational discussion for the next generation of LGBTQ leaders? Our Pride Youth Leadership Academy immerses youth in LGBT history, advocacy, and network building. With these tools, our youth learn new skills to engage their own communities and use their voices to inspire others to action.

    15. Rally

    This year we were thrilled to bring our rally back to he Hillcrest Pride flag where we honored local community members for their hard work and dedication and heard inspiring speakers address the intersectional issues our community still faces today. The Pride Youth Marching band performed Somewhere Over the Rainbow while our Pride flag was raised high to kick off Pride weekend. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The Spirit of Stonewall Rally is the only way to start your weekend! Nominate someone from the community for next year’s Stonewall awards here.

    16. Toyland Parade

    We kicked off the holiday season by marching in the North Park Toyland Parade! It was a fun day of handing out candy canes, waving to the crowds, and ensuring that LGBT families were well represented. Check out our recap video to see our Pride family in action and join us next year!

    17. End of Year Giving

    Each year Pride works to return proceeds from the annual LGBT Pride weekend to our 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. This year we’ve been able to give out $104,182!

    Support all of these amazing programs by making a donation to Pride today, or by purchasing a ticket to our Pride Festival in July!

    Thank you all for making 2017 a success, and cheers to an even better 2018!

  15. Black LGBTQ Coalition 2017 Conference Recap

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    On Sunday, October 22, 2017, a much needed conversation took place. Funded through a grant from San Diego LGBT Pride, the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition 2017 Conference, “Claiming Your Seat at the Table,” brought together an audience of Black attendees, who identify as “LGBTQ”, from all ages, walks of life, and experiences. The inaugural conference was held at The World Beat Cultural Center in Balboa Park, a non-profit space which celebrates Black history and achievement.

    Opening with a panel of five individuals with experience navigating the field of advocacy, the conversation dived right into how Black LGBTQ women and men identify, claim and maintain access to the “tables of decision”, at which the policies that impact their lives are discussed and decided. Panelists included: India Pierce (QTPOC Colectivo), Pastor Cecilia Caldwell (Unity Fellowship), Tinesia Conwright (Detour Empowers), Dwayne Crenshaw (RISE San Diego), and Dion Brown (San Diego Human Relations Commission). The panel was moderated by Ian Morton, acting Chair of the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition. Each spoke of their individual journeys, citing barriers experienced, successes achieved, and the ingenuity employed to build their own movements when none encapsulated their mission.

    “This event was a beautiful example of the San Diego Black LGBTQ community coming together to support and lift itself up. The Coalition worked diligently to assure the conference’s mission and program were aligned to address a need in our community. Designed for us and by us, we reached within our ranks to discuss the development, importance, and principles of leadership from our unique perspectives. It was truly ‘a seat at the table’ you would not have wanted to miss!” – Dion Brown

    The opening panel event was followed by an hour-long facilitated discussion, during which groups of six to eight attendees determined how they could apply the information, experience and advice presented to their own individual journeys. Reporting back to the larger group afterward, participants brought their comments back to the conversation, pledging to increase their vocal and visible presence, actively accepting and providing accountability to their Black LGBTQ brothers and sisters and engaging in stronger outreach tactics.

    “I feel so honored to have been able to hold space to hear the voices and concerns of San Diego’s Black LGBTQ community. Not only did the event provide people with an opportunity to speak their truth, it was a much needed opportunity for a community of Black LGBTQ people to get together and center their experiences…a rare opportunity in San Diego.”  – India Pierce

    “My hope is that this event will kick off a multi-year conversation, during which we will define and implement strategies to support and mentor members of the Black LGBTQ community to assume leadership roles. As was brought up through our conversations, there is often a very small pool of Black LGBTQ folks who are identified as ‘leaders.’ They are too often asked to sit on many boards, committees and coalitions. Such demand on these folks siphons their energy until exhaustion ensues, leaving no ‘redundancy’ to fill the vacuum when they inevitably burn out. The Coalition’s work should help to build a larger pool of Black LGBTQ folks eager, willing, and able to serve.” – Ian Morton

    After the attendees regrouped, the formal portion of the event closed with the floor being opened to thoughtful comments, questions and answers. A fun time was had by all, as attendees networked with each other while they played “Human Bingo” with prizes furnished by Sony, donated by San Diego LGBT Pride.  The event then progressed to a “family-style” catered meal, with soulful upbeat music provided by our community’s very own, DJ Teal, during which attendees had a chance to decompress and relax!

  16. 2017 Pride Youth Leadership Academy Applications Now Open!

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    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 empowering educational discussions, outdoor activities, and bonding exercises. Educational sessions will include an introduction to LGBT history, youth advocacy, higher education, and civic engagement.

    The applications for the San Diego LGBT Pride Youth Leadership Academy, which is open to junior high- and high-school-aged youth, are now open. The academy will take place on Saturday, November 11, 2017, from 8:30 am to 5:15 pm at the San Diego Pride office located at 3620 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104.

    “Participating in the Youth Leadership Academy was an amazing experience,” said Sam Palma, YLA leader and senior at Morse High School. “It was really interesting to listen to those in our community that identify as LGBTQIA+ speak about their experiences being out in their community. The Academy is a good way to make new friends and learn about some resources that could be beneficial, so don’t hesitate to sign up!”

    “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.”

    San Diego LGBT Pride is accepting applications until October 29, 2017. Interested youth may apply at www.sdpride.org/youth-leadership-academy and RSVP to the Facebook event here.

    For more information, please email Youth Programs Manager Josh Coyne at [email protected].

     
  17. Thank You 2017 Volunteers!

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    This year’s San Diego Pride was one for the record books!  The 2017 Pride Parade broke attendance (230,000 spectators) and contingent records (246) and the two-day Music Festival drew upwards of 40,000 people. 

    San Diego Pride has much to be thankful for and at the top of the list are the more than 750 volunteers who shared their efforts, love and time to make San Diego Pride such a success.

    It is in that spirit of appreciation and celebration that San Diego Pride recognized the following as 2017 San Diego Pride Volunteers of the Year.

                Lois Aaron, Accessibility Co-Manager

                Bryant Daugherty, Graphic Design, Marketing & Communications

                David Decker, Festival Beverage Garden, Parade and Youth Lunch Bunch

                Jim Elliott, Entertainment Artist Hospitality and Pride 365

                Melissa Harrington, Sponsor Liaison

                Edward & Rieko, Lyell, Medical

                Mark Maddox, Festival, Parade and Pride 365

                Frankie Martinez, Entertainment Artist Liaison

                Sam Palma, Youth Group and Lunch Bunch

                Cristy Pastelin, Festival VIP Beverage Garden

                Tanya Raz, Community Partner Coordinator

                Derek Snyder, Festival Beverage Garden and Parade

                Brian Thai, Marketing & Communication

    Our 2017 Volunteers of the Year made a significant impact on Pride, volunteering more than 1500 hours in all facets of the Pride weekend.

    View the Volunteer Appreciation Picnic Album Here!

    Some of our Volunteers have been with San Diego Pride for 10, 15 and 20 years.  For others, this was their first year. But no matter how many years of volunteering with San Diego Pride our volunteers all share the same story:

    “I love supporting San Diego Pride, something I care so much about.” 

    “I want to help make a difference and San Diego Pride allows me the opportunity to make a difference.” 

    “Volunteering with San Diego Pride has afforded me the opportunity to learn new skills and improve myself.” 

    “I’m able to share my knowledge, skills and experience and help San Diego Pride.” 

    “I love making new friends and at San Diego Pride I’ve made a significant number of new friends.  These are the kind of friends that are worth meeting and keeping.”

    “I love the experience of Pride, whether it’s seeing someone come to Pride for the first time or year after year, I love the feeling it brings and helping to make that happen.”

    “Volunteering at Pride is important because Pride is making a difference in our community.”

    “By volunteering my time to San Diego Pride, I feel as though I am making difference in the San Diego LGBT community, making San Diego and the world a better place to live and having an impact on our youth.”

    San Diego Pride is truly blessed with fabulous, fantastic, marvelous volunteers and we are so thankful for their efforts on behalf of Pride.

    [vc_button text=”Volunteer for 2018!” type=”primary” align=”center” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”]

  18. 2017’s Best Pride Parade Floats!

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    This year the San Diego Pride Parade was one for the record books, with 246 contingents to be exact! Pride is most thankful to have had so many people share the parade with us. To keep the celebration and spirit going, Pride is excited to announce the 2017 Outstanding Pride Parade Floats and Marching Contingents:

    Stepping Stone is recognized as the Best Float Decoration / Design for capturing the 2017 theme, Allied in Action: United for Justice.
     

     
    North County LGBTQ Center is recognized as the Spirit of Pride entry for being the non-profit organization that best displays the spirit of Pride.
     

     
    Rich’s is recognized with the Grand Marshall Award as the most entertaining and crowd-pleasing float.

     

     
    San Diego State University is recognized for the Best Choreography of a marching contingent that performs in a musical and/or coordinated manner.
     

     
    Peace Resource Center is recognized as the marching contingent with the Best Use of Theme for most creatively incorporating the 2017 Pride theme, Allied in Action: United for Justice.

     

     
    Qualcomm is recognized with the Rainbow Mile Award as the most imaginatively decorated and colorful entry in the 2017 Parade.

     

     
     
    Thank you again to all who participated in the San Diego LGBT 2017 Pride Parade!
  19. “Pride. Pride. Pride.” By Doris Kelechi

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    Pride. Pride. Pride.
    By Doris Kelechi of Nigeria

    I have heard so much about LGBTQ Pride but never knew what it really was or how I felt about it. It’s forbidden where I come from. As part of the Mandela Washington fellowship, my group was scheduled to visit San Diego LGBT Pride, and I welcomed the invitation with mixed feelings- should I attend or not?

    I made the decision to attend. My group got the opportunity to be addressed by Fernando Lopez, Pride’s Director of Operations. He was an amazing speaker. He talked about the different facets of humanity and how the organization’s work has positively impacted their society in many ways. At that moment I knew I would be attending the Pride Parade and Festival.

    Fast forward to the parade day—my fellow cohorts and I were very excited for our first Pride Parade. We wondered: Are they different? What do they look like? Do they feel inadequate, inferior or superior? Are they hostile?

    My mind was in turmoil during the trip to the venue. Alighting from the car, I saw happy people everywhere who believed in their cause- people who were willing to stand up for love. The Pride Parade was parade like no other—vast and rich colors everywhere, festive music, smiling faces, and very warm greetings. You could feel the love in the atmosphere.

    It was my first experience witnessing an event where everyone simply celebrated each other’s uniqueness and co-existence. Seeing these happy, colorful people dancing and rejoicing was mind blowing, and I knew that love is all that matters. Coming from a religious background that is rooted in love and acceptance, I realized that I have to build a bridge of respect, compassion, and even solidarity. I have no right to judge or to condemn. We are all humans first and foremost, each of us deserving of dignity. People should not be defined by their sexual tendencies. There is no wrong or right way to live.

    The Pride Parade happens once a year, but we can choose to love and respect each other every day. Love is the universal language, so let us all spread the love whenever we can.

    Post has been edited for clarity.

  20. Pride to the World

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    Over the last several years, San Diego Pride has expanded it’s international LGBT diplomacy efforts in partnership with the San Diego Diplomacy Council. Through our partnership this year, San Diego Pride welcomed delegates of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders to the learn about LGBTQ issues and history as well as attend the Rally, Parade and Festival. Our visitors came from 18 African countries including Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

    The following blog posts are personal narratives of experiences written by three of the women of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, which highlight the importance of our work and global impact. 


    Grace Chirumanzu
    Zimbabwe

    “Celebration of love is what I saw during the Pride parade, although it was not the traditional love I have been exposed to. I have never witnessed members of the LGBT community being so happy and proud of who they are.”

    Read Grace’s full blog post here. 

     

     


    Zandile K. Rammekwa
    Botswana

    “I am a straight ally to the LGBTIQ+ community in a country where being different is always met with discomfort and open ridicule. We as humans need to check our privilege and be open to each other’s common humanity.” 

    Read Zandile’s full blog post here.

     

     

     


    Doris Kelechi
    Nigeria

    “Coming from a religious background that is rooted in love and acceptance, I realized that I have to build a bridge of respect, compassion, and even solidarity. I have no right to judge or to condemn. We are all humans first and foremost, each of us deserving of dignity.” 

    Read Doris’ full blog post here.

     

     

    Learn more about the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders here.

     

  21. “Life is What You Make It!” By Grace Chirumanzu

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    Life is What You Make It! Love it. Live it. Own it.
    By Grace Chirumanzu of Zimbabwe

    Visiting the United States of America in July 2017 and learning that my visit would coincide with the Pride Weekend was news I received with mixed feelings. A part of me was excited and curious to witness the celebrations; the other part feared that I would be judged by my people.

     

    I am a young African leader coming from a society where everyone is expected to castigate homosexuality with a passion and a continent where homosexuals dare not come out and reveal their sexuality.

    Personally, when I am in Africa, homosexuality is one subject I have always avoided discussing with friends and anyone who cares to start a debate about it. I avoid the topic because my belief disappoints most people. I am expected to demonize it, yet I chose not to discourage nor encourage homosexuality. There is no middle of the road policy when it comes to LGBT issues in Africa. One is supposed to criticize it as being ungodly if he or she is a Christian.

    Even so, I always find it more difficult to criticize homosexuality if I take it from a Christian point of view. I have sinned so many times in this life- who am I to judge anyone? One thing I know for sure is that there is no one who has physically met God and had him dictate how he wants us to live as human beings. Of course we have different religious books to guide us, but we forget that God was never the author of any of those. As we stand guided by his word, be it the Bible, the Koran, or other religious texts, I believe loving one another is the best way to thank God for this life.

    Celebration of love is what I saw during the Pride parade, although it was not the traditional love I have been exposed to. I have never witnessed members of the LGBT community being so happy and proud of who they are. They were so friendly and full of smiles. Gay men “shook what their mama gave them” to the music being played without worrying what the next person thought. Lesbian women embraced their masculinity and owned their space without being apologetic for who they are.

    That is life. It is what we make it. We need to love it, own it, and live it.

    Post has been edited for clarity.

  22. “You’re Straight. So What?” by Zandile K. Rammekwa

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    You’re Straight. So What?
    By Zandile K. Rammekwa of Botswana

    As Pride week approached, I was anxious about the conversations pursuant to us visiting the San Diego Pride offices. The announcement that we were going to visit the offices as part of our Fellowship schedule was met with some shock. In a group of 25 African students, such a reaction was expected. Most us come from very traditional and patriarchal societies where being a man has very strict definitions. I did anticipate some reservations, but to my surprise,  the group was able to learn about and empathize with the LGBT community.

    Forty percent of homeless youth are LGBTQIA identified who have been thrown out of homes because their families do not accept them for. That figure is both alarming and gut wrenching. How do we as Christians rationalize disowning a family member? I always say that we as Christians may be the most hypocritical when it comes to sin. We overlook our own sins, yet are quick to throw stones at our neighbours. Which part of the bible do we read and which do we choose to ignore? “Love thy neighbour” clearly has terms and conditions.

    Whenever a conversation regarding sexual orientation starts, I cringe because some people compare homosexuality to pedophilia, which justifies their ignorance and phobia. I have a similar reaction to whenever white people feel the need to say they have black friends.

    I counter the pedophilia arguments by stating that it cannot be legalized because it is illegal and immoral to have sexual relations with a minor. This point is usually enough to sway the conversation or give me an opportunity to walk out before I have to point out that my best friend is gay. I prefer to leave because having to mention that I have a best friend who is gay is like becoming an exhibit in a museum. But people who are gay and their allies are not specimens to gawk or prod at.

    Usually, however, if I do reveal that my best friend is gay, the tone of the conversation changes and the people with whom I am speaking often become more sympathetic because now there is a real person in the situation; but why should there now be more understanding given to another person just because I mention that there are real feelings involved? Why can’t our humanity be practiced regardless of whether your sister is lesbian or not?

    I am a straight ally to the LGBTIQ+ community in a country where being different is always met with discomfort and open ridicule. We as humans need to check our privilege and be open to each other’s common humanity. If we were to see the souls of people before we saw their faces, then maybe there would be less hate in the world.

     

    Post has been edited for clarity.

  23. Interfaith Leaders For LGBTQ Justice To Kick Off Pride Parade

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    At the forefront of this year’s San Diego Parade, LGBTQ open and affirming interfaith leaders will march together in solidarity to show their support for LGBTQ equality and justice. The Pride Parade begins Saturday, July 15 at 11:00 AM at the Hillcrest Pride Flag. Attendance is free.

    LGBTQ equal protections are coming under attack across the country with so-called “religious liberty” bills. We as the LGBTQ community know that supporting religious freedom and LGBTQ equality is not inherently contradictory. We want to kick off the parade with a message directly aimed at anti-LGBT legislation that is popping up around the country.

    “Faith plays a vital role in the lives of many people including the LGBTQ community,” said Fernando Lopez, Direcor of Operations for San Diego Pride. “Pride gives us an opportunity to show our community that leaders of faith stand with us, and to highlight the fact that protecting religious freedom means protecting LGBTQ rights, not chipping them away.”

    More than 50 interfaith leaders have signed up to be at the forefront of San Diego Pride’s annual Parade to show their support for LGBTQ rights. These interfaith leaders will be carrying a banner that reads “Faith for Freedom: Interfaith Leaders for LGBTQ Justice”.

    “In our Christian Scriptures, the author of 1 Corinthians reminds us that we areall of uspart of one body,” said Reverend Mary Sue Brookshire of Pioneer Ocean View United Church of Christ. “When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer. When one part rejoices, we all rejoice. Sadly, the Christian church has inflicted suffering on its own body in the ways we have harmed the LGBTQIA community. But on July 15, we come together as people of different religions to celebrate the ways that our faith unites us in our commitment to love and have justice for all.”

    Our hope is to highlight the ever-growing group of clergy, tribes, synagogues, churches, mosques, people of faith and their groups who feel called to stand up for religious freedom and the protection of our LGBTQ community.

    If you are an interfaith leader interested in representing Pride, please visit the registration form here: form.jotform.com/70945857080969.

    Find more information about the parade at www.sdpride.org/parade.

    Invite your friends on Facebook here.

     

  24. Annual Women’s Festival Returns To North Park

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    San Diego Pride is excited to announce SheFest 2017! SheFest is a woman-centered event that celebrates and supports the talents and contributions of women while fostering meaningful connections within the LGBT and larger San Diego communities.

    SheFest 2017 will be held on Saturday, July 8th from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in the North Park Community Park located at 4044 Idaho Street in San Diego. This year, SheFest will focus on uniting our communities, creating authentic connections, and using our diversity to create strength.

    “As a committee we decided that, we wanted to ensure our actions and efforts were going toward something that brought people together,” said SheFest Manager Kelcie Kopf. “We hope everyone will attend so that we can draw strength from our commonalities, inspire hope through unity, and leave knowing that united together we are a powerful force of love.”

    SheFest 2017 will consist of workshops, live performances, lawn games, the Humane Society mobile adoption unit, yoga and sound healing, therapeutic massages, and more!

    “As the first queer Chicana on the San Diego City Council, I am honored to participate in SheFest, celebrating the talents and contributions of women in the LGBTQ community,” said Councilwoman Georgette Gomez.

    [vc_button text=”Invite your friends on Facebook!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://www.facebook.com/events/108521196299142/”]

    For more information on this event please visit our website at www.sdpride.org/shefest.

    If you would like to donate to SheFest please visit www.sdpride.org/she-fest-donate/

    View our 2016 video here.

    Volunteer American Sign Language interpreters will be available throughout the day. If there is a specific workshop or activity you’d like to have an interpreter for, visit the SheFest table to make a request. The event will also be wheelchair-accessible and have accessible portable restrooms available.

    Accessibility accommodations requests can be sent to [email protected] and/or [email protected]

  25. Accessibility to the Youth Zone!

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    San Diego Pride weekend is a time to celebrate our progress as a community while honoring our past. It’s a time to celebrate what makes us uniquely us and to be our most authentic selves surrounded by those whom we love and those who love us. With so many ways to celebrate, we’ve created the top 25 things to do during San Diego Pride weekend! Bring your family and friends as we come together as a community to be Allied in Action: United for Justice!

    1. Honor those who served

    Now a noted tradition at the San Diego Pride Parade, the military contingent, which includes active duty and veteran service members from all branches of the military, will be marching in the parade. Be sure to cheer them on when the contingent passes by!

    When: Saturday, July 15 at 11 am
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    2. March to the beat!

    What’s a parade without a marching band? Over 150 Southern California youth make up the Pride Youth Marching Band, which will perform down the San Diego Pride Parade route. You won’t believe how incredibly talented young LGBTQ musicians are!

    When: Saturday, July 15 at 11 am
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    3. Rev your engines

    It wouldn’t be a Pride parade without motorcycles—and lots of them! Listen for the revving of the engines and watch the Motorcycle Contingent cruise by. Ride a motorcycle and want to be a part of the contingent? Registration is just $25.

    When: Saturday, July 15 at 11 am
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    4. Make a sign!

    Take Pride in your message! This is an opportunity to share your message with 100,000+ supporters of the LGBTQ community! Everyone’s got something to say, so show off yours with Pride! Rainbows and glitter are highly encouraged.

     

     

     

     


    5. Honor our origins!

    Rally Second OptionPride celebrations everywhere trace their heritage to the Stonewall Riots. San Diego Pride’s 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. Come join us on Friday, July 14, as cheering crowds and energetic speakers kick off San Diego Pride Weekend!

    When: Friday, July 14 at 6 pm
    Where: Hillcrest Pride Flag, Normal St & University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!


    6. Dance under the pride flag

    BlockpartyThe Pride of Hillcrest Block Party kicks off Pride weekend in the heart of Hillcrest! This event for those 21 years and older includes food, drinks, carnival rides, and lots of DJs, go-gos, and dancing! 

    When: Friday, July 15th from 6 pm – 11 pm
    Where: Hillcrest Pride Flag, Normal St & University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    7. It’s all online!

    General Festival - fb squareEverything you need to make Pride weekend a success can be found on our website: our full entertainment and parade lineup, event maps, parking and shuttle info, social media connections, and more. Take a look around!

    Buy tickets here.
    Entertainment lineup here.
    Listen to our artists here.
    Check out the Festival map and attractions here!

     

     


    8. Upgrade your experience!

    VIP square ad

    The best way to experience the San Diego Pride Music Festival is to do it VIP style! This year’s festival has a VIP ticket option, which includes a weekend pass, VIP entrance, VIP lounge, VIP restrooms, catered food, and 4 hosted drinks each day. Tickets and VIP passes are sold here.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    9. Run for it!

    The annual Pride 5K is a healthy way to start Pride weekend. The 5K race starts and finishes at University Avenue and Centre Street and features gear check, after-race snacks, high-quality tech t-shirts, ChronoTrack disposable UHF RFID tags to record your time, a fast, flat course along the parade, and a USAT-sanctioned and -certified 5K course.

    When: Saturday, July 15 at 9:30 am
    Race Start and Finish: University Avenue at Centre Street

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    10. Follow the rainbow!

    It’s tradition to close out the San Diego Pride Parade with the 300 foot giant rainbow flag! As always, everyone is welcome to join in and help carry the flag to the San Diego Pride Music Festival. Bring your friends, family, and signs of support and join in!

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

    When: Saturday, July 15 at 11 am
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

     


    11. Fun for the whole family!

    Family Services at The Center will host The Children’s Garden. Bring the kids and have a fun day at the park! Enjoy entertainment for parents and kids from infants to preteens, including a toddler play area, face painting, hat making, a balloon artist, a playhouse giveaway, arts & crafts, and more throughout the weekend. Come enjoy hot dogs, popcorn, snow cones, and other snacks in a private, family-only shaded oasis with tables, chairs, and restrooms.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!


    12. Gay hair don’t care (rainbow hair styles)

    Get creative! Show off your Pride with a rainbow hairstyle or whatever other colorful ideas you have. Pride is a celebration of our uniqueness, so show it off!

     

     

     

     

     


    13. Cheers to your health

    Get TestedBethegeneration

    The Pride Festival is more than just a party. There are a ton of health and human services located throughout the event: four HIV and STI screening locations, ongoing AA and NA meetings, a rainbow health and wellness zone, senior services and more!

    Check out our community partners here.
    Look for them on the map here.

     

     

     


    14. Eat all the things!

    With all the celebrating that will go on throughout the weekend, one has to eat! 50 different food vendors will be serving up deliciously diverse fabulous flavors. Whatever your tastes are we’re sure to have something you’ll enjoy. Who knows, maybe you’ll get adventurous and try something new.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    15. Baila!

    It’s musica Latina en español with some of the best emerging artists in live rock, folkloric dancing, y más. Enjoy the musical flavors with a Latin flair. Be a part of the Latino community at Mundo Latino!

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    16. Bounce hip-hop area

     

    Celebrate diversity under San Diego’s amazing sky at five phenomenal stages over two days with more than 100 entertainers and thousands of your closest friends. Here at The Movement Hip-Hop Stage, our top notch DJs will be spinning the hottest sounds from Hip-Hop, Soul and R&B. With its own dance floor and beverage garden, this stage will keep you moving and in the zone!

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!


    17. Wave your flag

    There are so many different versions of the Pride flag and all are welcome at the event! Whether you’re at the Rally, Parade, or Festival, we welcome you to wave the flag that best represents you!

     

     

     

     


    18. Up close and personal

    Pride gives you the opportunity to meet some of your favorite artists! Meet and greet tickets grant you a 1-on-1 meeting and photo op and come with VIP access! These tickets are very limited, so don’t wait!

    Purchase meet & greets here!


    19. Burritos for Pride

    Make eating a selfless act by joining us for a fundraiser to support San Diego LGBT Pride! Just come into ANY SAN DIEGO CHIPOTLE on Tuesday, July 11th, from 10:30 AM to close and mention this fundraiser. 50% of your purchase will go to Pride’s programs.

    When: Tuesday, July 11, 10:30 am – 10 pm
    Where: Any San Diego Chipotle

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    20. For youth, by youth

    The Youth Zone at the Pride Music Festival is a fun space for young, queer, middle school through high school youth and their allies to celebrate pride! Youth 14 and under get in free!
    Learn more about our Youth Programs here!

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     


    21. Win the “Ultimate Bud Light Party” experience

    San Diego Pride is excited to offer the “Ultimate Bud Light Party” experience at San Diego Pride this year! You and a friend will be able to celebrate equality like a true ULTRA VIP at the 2017 San Diego Pride Parade and Festival. To enter the sweepstakes and get more info click here.

     

     

     

     


    22. What the kink?

    The San Diego Leather Realm is a large, age-restricted area of The San Diego Pride Music Festival. The Leather Realm opens its doors for education and fun to provide visibility, awareness and communication of Safe, Sane and Consensual play, Leather, BDSM, Fetish, and Kink Life Styles through hands-on demonstration areas, workshops, community organizations, and alternative-lifestyle friendly businesses.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2017
    Time: Saturday noon – 10 pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!


    23. Interfaith

    As LGBTQ equal protections are coming under attack across the country with so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, we as the LGBTQ community know that supporting religious freedom and LGBTQ equality is not inherently contradictory. At the start of this year’s Parade, LGBTQ open and affirming faith leaders will march together and show their support for LGBTQ equality and justice.

    Faith leader are welcome to sign up to participate here!

     

    24. Selfie pride #SDPRIDE

    Toni Atkins taking a selfie with festival attendees

    Feel free to be selfie-ish throughout the weekend to show everyone what an amazing time you’re having at San Diego Pride! Be sure to use the hashtag #SDPRIDE for all your social media posts. Your Prideful picture may even earn you VIP access or a meet and greet!

    Facebook: Click here
    Twitter: @SanDiegoPride
    Instagram: @sandiegopride
    Snapchat: sdpride365

     


    25. Be PROUD 

  26. Pride To Honor Origins With Spirit of Stonewall Rally in Hillcrest

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    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

  27. San Diego Pride Grants 2016

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    San Diego Pride’s annual festival and parade is a celebration of diversity and love in a safe environment for all to enjoy. On average, the weekend brings in 3 million dollars, which we actively use to give back to local, national, and global communities.

    In 2016, we continued the tradition by donating a total of $80,000 in grants to 41 nonprofit organizations to aid their development and growth. The following highlights 11 of the non-profit organizations we donated to last year and what they were able to accomplish with the grants.

    Click on an organization’s name for direct links to their page:

    1. SEED (Malaysia Pride)
    2. Fierté Simcoe Pride
    3. Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center
    4. San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
    5. Lambda Archives of San Diego
    6. Diversionary Theatre
    7. Trans Youth Project
    8. Being Alive
    9. Lead The Way
    10. The Industry
    11. Casa Ruby

    [nextpage title=”SEED (Malaysian Pride)”]

    SEED: Pertubuhan Pembangunan Kebajikan Dan Persekitaran Positif Malaysia, makes sure that ‘Nobody Gets Left Behind’. They are the only non governmental organization that is community led and provides safe spaces for the transgender community.

    The project proposed to San Diego Pride for the grant aims to support SEED to sustain the Drop In Center, which provides a safe space for the community where they can access basic services and needs such as food, hygiene, referrals, care, support, and education in Kuala Lumpur.

    “Receiving the Grant support from San Diego Pride has [allowed] SEED to continue the Drop In Center for the community, where they are able to receive information, support, care, and safe place to be [themselves],” said Nisha Ayub, SEED Program Director. “San Diego Pride has given the community here in Malaysia a sense of belonging. [We] are truly grateful and humbled to have an ally [in] San Diego Pride.”

     

     

    [nextpage title=”Fierté Simcoe Pride “]

    Located in Ontario, Canada, Fierté Simcoe Pride creates and offers inclusive events, services, and educational opportunities that rise above heterosexism, hetero-normativity and homo/bi/transphobia to promote safe communities within Simcoe County. They also provide social support services, such as support groups and healthy living activities for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) persons as well as their families and communities.

    With the grant, they were able to inform the public by offering educational programs and seminars related to LGBT issues in the local community. They also hosted special events such as the annual Fierté Simcoe Pride Festival, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia, and Trans Day of Remembrance.”

     

     

    [nextpage title=”The Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center Youth Committee”]

    The Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center Youth Committee was formed with the intention of providing leadership skills to youth between the ages of 14 and 25 by giving them roles of responsibility for events.

    “As the impact of funding cuts are felt so keenly by those we serve,” said Rosa Diaz, CEO of the Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center. “The grant award helps us provide educational services, events, and activities to LGBT youth and adults needing to have a safe place to be themselves, express their ideas and thoughts, and be with those who understand and care about them”.

    In the past year, the youth committee organized the first LGBT Valentine’s Dance with over 100 people in attendance. The event included families and friends who enjoyed a delicious complimentary meal, dancing, and a drag show at the Twin Dragon restaurant in Heber. 

    They have also hosted three Poetry Perches which is an open mic night for anyone who wants to share their poetry or musical talent, and a Sunday Funday for families and friends to socialize. 

     

    [nextpage title=”San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition”]

    The mission of the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition is to work together to build and sustain a stronger Black LGBTQ community in San Diego. They aim to form a united front of Black LGBTQ leaders coming together for the common social, political, and economic advancement of Black LGBTQ individuals into a thriving community.

    “The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition is a new organization,” said Treasurer Kanisha Morgan. “Thanks to the grant from San Diego Pride, we were able to develop our steering committees and make plans for social events and a conference in the Fall of 2017. “

    [nextpage title=”Lambda Archives”]

    The mission of the Lambda Archives of San Diego is to collect, preserve, and teach the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in San Diego and Imperial Counties and Northern Baja California. With assistance from the Pride grant, the Lambda Archives has been able to celebrate their 30th anniversary by hosting public events throughout 2017.

    “History is best reflected in the records and cultural artifacts of those people who are directly involved in its events,” said Head Archivist Jen LaBarbera. “Archives are usually considered to be resources primarily for scholars and academic researchers, but we are committed to opening up our stacks to broader audiences.”

    Most of the collections date to post-1970, but there are original materials dating back to the 1930’s. Lambda Archives is dedicated to preserving and interpreting this important material and making it available for learning to everyone.

    [nextpage title=”Diversionary Theatre”]

    Diversionary Theatre was founded in 1986 to provide quality theatre for the lesbian, gay, bisexual , and transgender communities. The mission of the theatre is to provide an inspiring and thought provoking theatrical platform to explore complex and diverse LGBT stories, which influence the larger cultural discussion.

    “Diversionary is grateful for the commitment of San Diego Pride in supporting our mission of providing an inspiring and thought provoking theatrical platform to explore complex and diverse LGBT stories, which influence the larger cultural discussion,” said David R. Shorey, Diversionary Development Associate.

    San Diego Pride’s generous grant helped Diversionary to produce the World Premiere production of Ballast by Georgette Kelly. In an investigation of identification and intimacy, Ballast intertwines the story of two relationships between trans and cisgender partners as they grapple with the stranger they find across the dinner table and in the mirror. This cutting-edge new play skydives into personal identity, navigating intricate dreamscapes to explore how gender shapes our spirituality, desires and destiny.

    SD Pride’s grant also helped support Diversionary’s New Play Festival, Spark. From May 18-21, Spark presented four one-night-only readings of fascinating contemporary works never before seen in San Diego by exceptional playwrights. The festival featured staged readings of Le Switch by Philip Dawkins, Directed by Meg DeBoard; The Nether by Jennifer Haley, Directed by Matt M. Morrow; The Harvest by Samuel D. Hunter, Directed by Anthony Methvin; Swimming Circles by Philip Himberg, Directed by Will Detlefsen, and two Master Classes taught by Phillip Dawkins and Jennifer Haley.

     

    [nextpage title=”Trans Youth Project”]


    The Trans Youth Project is an organized collective working to fulfill the needs of trans and gender non-conforming youth by providing resources, safe spaces, and pathways to advocacy. This year, the grant helped the Trans Youth Project host a Leadership Retreat in March and a LGBTQIA Spring Dance. 

    Throughout the year, the organization hosts social dances, workshops, and Holiday Wishes, which provides gender affirming gifts to trans youth during the holidays. The Trans Youth Project also offers educational programming to school faculty and students. 

    [nextpage title=”Being Alive”]

    Being Alive’s mission is to provide quality, compassionate services, education, and referral services to people affected or infected with HIV/AIDS. Being Alive’s vision and goals are to meet the “unmet needs” of San Diegan’s living with HIV/AIDS by providing comprehensive services

    “We envision a world where people living with HIV/AIDS are met with compassion instead of stigma,” said Executive Director Shannon Wagner. “Where we can help them stabilize their lives and where the community can come together for HIV/AIDS education, in an effort to create better understanding of the disease and compassion for people living with it.”

    The San Diego Pride grant assisted the continuation of the Helping Hands Moving Program (HHMP) and Being Alive’s grocery program “Daniel’s Market”. The HHMP provides moving services for low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS who would not otherwise be able to move. “Daniel’s Market” provides over 600 clients with quality, fresh foods and staples including fresh produce, dairy and meats.

    [nextpage title=”Lead the Way San Diego”]

    Lead the Way is dedicated to the development and performance of high quality research that enhances the quality and duration of life for people living with HIV, Hepatitis C, and other infectious diseases of global significance, while respecting and supporting the best interests of our clients.

    “Lead the Way SD is immensely thankful to accept an in-kind donation from San Diego LGBT Pride of Pride Festival tickets for our “Testing for Tickets” program,” said Marvin Hanashiro, Staff Research Associate & Community Health Liaison at UCSD AntiViral Research Center. “The program offers a complimentary 2-day Pride Festival ticket to each participant that completes an HIV test with us. This greatly benefits our testing program and clients because it encourages people to get tested and engaged in care, while also supporting our local Pride festivities.”

    Lead the Way operates various testing centers in Hillcrest and sets up mobile testing sites at a variety of community events- including the San Diego Pride Festival- to offer free, confidential HIV testing to as many residents of San Diego as possible. 

    They maintain a safe, caring, and confidential environment for persons of any age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. The program hopes to increase the number of people getting tested regularly for HIV in San Diego by making testing readily available in the community.

    [nextpage title=”The Industry – Chula Vista”]

    The mission of The Industry is “to be a sacred space where social justice and the arts come together to make a difference in our community.” The Industry is also recognized as a safe space where each member of the LGBTQ community is welcomed, affirmed, celebrated, and supported.

    “The grant [from San Diego Pride] has helped us continue building upon our work, specifically by creating a safe space for LGBTQ youth to gather, connect, and explore ideas and projects they’d like to work on together,” said Francisco Garcia-Velasquez, Reverend for the Industry. “In March we hosted a movie night exploring the intersection between theater and LGBTQ advocacy with a youth focus. Then in May we hosted the ‘South Bay Other Prom’ for LGBTQ youth, where the grant helped us with food, beverages, decorations, and promotion.”

     

    [nextpage title=”Casa Ruby”]

    Casa Ruby is the only Bilingual Multicultural LGBT Organization providing life saving services and programs to the most vulnerable in the LGBT community. Their mission and vision is to create a world where Transgender, Gender Queer, and Gender Non-conforming people pursue their dreams and achieve success in their lives without fear of discrimination, harassment, or violence due to their sexual orientation and/or Gender Identity and Expression. 

    Casa Ruby was able to initiate a Navigation Services Program to address longstanding concerns of police brutality and LGBTQ People with the help of the San Diego Pride in-kind grant.

    Their Drop Inn-Community Center is the only Bilingual Multicultural LGBT safe space in Washington, DC. The center offers a wide range of resources and programs including makeup artistry, sewing, English classes, Spanish classes, case management, legal counseling, a cyber center, support groups, resume writing and STI testing. 

     

     

    [nextpage title=”2017!”]


    Each year, Pride strives to continue our grant program to help as many LGBT serving non-profits and organizations possible. Our 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, take Pride in knowing that the support and hard work you put into Pride will help serve our community beyond just one weekend a year, and bring critical resources to a spectrum of LGBTQ programs and lives.

    [vc_button text=”Buy Tickets to Pride Here!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://wl.seetickets.us/event/PRIDE-MUSIC-FESTIVAL/338648?afflky=SanDiegoPride”]

     

    [vc_button text=”Invite your friends on Facebook!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://www.facebook.com/events/108521196299142/”]

    Click on an organization’s name for direct links back to their page:

    1. SEED (Malaysia Pride)
    2. Fierté Simcoe Pride
    3. Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center
    4. San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
    5. Lambda Archives of San Diego
    6. Diversionary Theatre
    7. Trans Youth Project
    8. Being Alive
    9. Lead The Way
    10. The Industry
    11. Casa Ruby

     

  28. 2017 Spirit of Stonewall Rally Speakers

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    We are honored to have the following speakers address the community about our many progresses and challenges in the 2017 Spirit of Stonewall Rally.

    Todd Gloria

    As the California State Assemblymember for the 78th Assembly District, Todd Gloria represents the central coast communities of the city of San Diego as well as the cities of Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, and Solana Beach – a combined population of more than 450,000 residents. Gloria has previously served as a San Diego City Councilmember, Interim Mayor, and the San Diego City Council President. Known as one of the most accessible elected officials in San Diego, he credits San Diegans for keeping him focused on the issues that matter most in their communities. 


    Chris Ward

    Chris Ward represents San Diego’s Third City Council District, serving since 2016. He previously served as the Chief of Staff to State Senator Marty Block and was an environmental planner at the firm EDAW. Prior to embarking on his career in public service, Ward worked as a researcher at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at UCSD on the front lines of San Diego’s burgeoning biotech sector. Ward has been strongly committed to excellence in constituent services, facilitating public participation in policymaking, and organizing state and local resources to make neighborhoods a better place every day.


    Georgette Gómez

    Councilmember Georgette Gómez is San Diego’s first LGBTQ Latina elected into office and represents the Ninth District of the City of San Diego. She was raised in Barrio Logan by working class immigrants who taught her the importance of giving back to the community and helping those less fortunate. After graduating from SDSU, Gomez dedicated her career to making the community a better place to live and raise a family. Gomez is a member of the City Heights Community Planning Group.


    Bridget Wilson

    Bridget Wilson is an attorney and Veteran of the U. S. Army Reserve whose advocacy for LGBT service members has been her life’s work. She played a key role in the movement to remove the anti-LGBT regulations in the U. S. Armed Forces. Wilson also partnered with Superior Court Judge Paula Rosenstein to litigate a favorable verdict in the first “anti-bullying” case in the state courts. She was recently named on The Center’s Benjamin F. Dillingham and Bridget J. Wilson LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor. Wilson continues to assist trans service members as a consulting counsel for SPART*A Trans.


    Gloria Cruz

    Gloria Cruz is a local activist for LGBTQ and immigrant rights who has been a community organizer in San Diego and Los Angeles for the past 20 years. Cruz formerly worked as an organizer at the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of The San Diego LGBT Center and works for Councilmember Georgette Gómez. Cruz represents the communities of the Ninth District’s southern region. With her strong passion for community advocacy, she continues to organize with local and binational LGBTQ communities to increase visibility and understanding of the LGBTQ binational narrative.


    Dwayne Crenshaw

    Dwayne Crenshaw is the Chief Executive Officer of RISE San Diego, an organization committed to fostering urban leadership and civic engagement. Crenshaw previously served as Executive Director of San Diego Pride and as Director of Community Ownership at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation. Prior to his roles in nonprofit management, Crenshaw worked as an aide to state and local elected officials for over 8 years. Crenshaw graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from San Diego State University, a master’s in government from CSU Sacramento and earned his law degree from California Western School of Law.

  29. Friend of Pride – Zachary Schlagel

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Friend of Pride
    Awarded to an individual or couple 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.

    2017 Recipient – Zachary Schlagel

    Zachary Schlagel has been a true ally and friend of Pride. As Assistant Director of Government and Community Affairs for UC San Diego Health, he has fully dedicated himself to the LGBT community and to the goal of equality for all.

    Through Zach’s efforts, UC San Diego Health obtained the vaunted Health Equality Index “Leader” designation from the Human Rights Campaign in 2011 and has continued to do so every year. He personally rewrote UCSD Health’s patient bill of rights as well as the visitation and admissions policies to make them more accessible to the LGBT community.

    Zach spearheaded the first-ever hospital sponsorship of the San Diego Pride Parade and Festival in 2011. As the Team Captain, he helps brings over a hundred employees—including the UCSD Health CEO—to participate in the Parade. He also ensures that the Festival includes free HIV/AIDS screenings every year at their tent.

    In 2015, Zach developed the Pride Lighting Ceremony at UC San Diego Health. The hospital is illuminated for the month of July in rainbow colors, and the annual lighting ceremony is kicked off by LGBT performers, organizations, elected officials, and community leaders. This is the first and only hospital-based lighting in the nation that recognizes LGBT staff, patients, and the community. Zach has also consistently lobbied for further involvement and investment from the hospital in several key LGBT-serving organizations. As a result, the hospital contributes nearly $40K annually to these important groups.

    Zach also dedicates time in his private life to the LGBT community. He served on the San Diego Pride Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016, and he and his wife have donated to various LGBT causes. He continuously brings his family, including his two young children, to LGBT events and emphasizes empathy, inclusiveness, and pride to them at all times.

  30. Community Service – Josh Coyne

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees

    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Community Service
    An individual or couple 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.

    2017 Recipient – Josh Coyne

    Josh Coyne currently serves as the Assistant Director for Associated Students at the University of San Diego Office of Student Leadership, Involvement and Changemaking. Josh’s primary responsibilities include advising and supervising all operations of the student government.

    For over four years, Josh has volunteered with The Trevor Project, the leading national organization that provides crisis intervention services and suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ youth ages 13 – 24. Every week, Josh volunteers as a digital crisis counselor supporting young people across the country who are feeling alone and are often thinking about suicide. In this role, Josh works to ensure they have access to the resources they deserve.

    Additionally, he has served as co-chair of the San Diego chapter of The Trevor Project for the past two years. Josh leads a group of 10 volunteers who coordinate fundraising efforts and community outreach events in the greater San Diego area. As co-chair of the ambassador group, Josh ensures that the San Diego area is aware of the programs and services offered by the Trevor Project for LGBTQ young people.

    Josh also serves as a Youth Programs Coordinator for San Diego LGBT Pride, where he coordinates monthly gatherings and programs for LGBTQ young people and their allies to connect with one another in a safe place.

    Before moving to San Diego, Josh graduated with a Master of Science degree in College Student Personnel Administration from Canisius College and with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Niagara University, both located in New York.

    When practicing self-care, Josh enjoys a glass of wine, a magazine, and an occasional solo trip to the movie theater.

  31. Stonewall Philanthropy Award – Harrah’s Resort Southern California

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Stonewall Philanthropy Award
    Awarded to a group or organization, which may or may not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, but who 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.

    2017 Recipient – Harrah’s Resort Southern California

    From community service and volunteer opportunities to corporate sponsorships and on-property programs, Harrah’s Resort Southern California has supported the LGBT community for more than a decade.

    Harrah’s Resort SoCal’s corporate support for the LGBT community began in 2005 with sponsorship of the Macy’s Passport event, helping to raise funds for AIDS awareness programs in San Diego and Los Angeles. To continue support for AIDS awareness, in 2009 Harrah’s Resort SoCal opened up the opportunity for company teammates to join The Center’s AIDS walk, paying for entry fees for the employee and a guest. That same year, the property became one of the first resorts in the region to offer the location as a wedding site to the LGBT community.

    In 2010, the property served as a sponsor of the annual Human Rights Campaign Gala and offered financial and volunteer support for Bowling For Equality. Harrah’s Resort SoCal is also a current financial supporter for the San Diego LGBT Center Casino night.

    In 2012, Harrah’s Resort SoCal joined the march in the annual San Diego Pride Parade. Since then, their support has grown to sponsorship level participation, including a float and countless volunteers over the past five years by walking and supporting the event. Harrah’s Resort Southern California is proud to be an equal opportunity employer who offers support for the LGBT community in many different ways.

     

  32. Friend of Pride – Kathie Moehlig

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Friend of Pride
    Awarded to an individual or couple 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.

    2017 Recipient – Kathie Moehlig

    For over 30 years, Kathie Moehlig has been a public speaker, workshop presenter, nonprofit development professional, and support group leader. She is a certified life coach, an ordained minister, and a certified parenting instructor.  

    In early 2015, Kathie founded TransFamily Support Services, a nonprofit organization in San Diego serving transgender and gender nonconforming youth and their families. During her transgender son’s transition, she utilized her professional talents to advocate for him and to help navigate his journey through the healthcare system. As a result of her own family’s experience, she committed herself to helping other families find successes in their journeys.

    Through her work with TransFamily Support Services, Kathie provides individual and family coaching to facilitate acceptance and support, assists with healthcare and insurance issues, helps families navigate the legal system, and advocates for resources and support at schools for transgender and gender nonconforming youth and their families. Additionally, she provides workshops and training programs for faculty and staff in schools, covering subjects such as LGBTQ awareness, vocabulary use, understanding and implementing state and federal laws, and how to adopt best practices.  

    Kathie tirelessly advocates for transgender acceptance in multiple communities. She currently serves as a board member of PFLAG, GLSEN, and Camp Laurel and is a San Diego Trevor Project Ambassador. Kathie also regularly collaborates with the North County LGBT Center, the LGBT Center in Hillcrest, and many other organizations nationwide who serve transgender youth.

  33. 2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awards

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    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    San Diego Pride is honored to recognize the following individuals and organizations as our 2017 awardees:

    Dr. Delores Jacobs
    Champion of Pride
    An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year. Learn more about Dr. Jacobs here
     
     
     
     

    Community Grand Marshal
    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. Learn more about Susan Jester here.
     
     
     
     

    Community Grand Marshal
    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. Learn more about Russel Roybal here.
     
     
     
     

    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 if years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year. Learn more about the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus here
     
     

    Inspirational Couple
    A couple whose love and commitment embodies the humanity of our community. Learn more about Ernie Castro and Mike J. Goupill here.
     
     
     
     
     

    Inspirational Couple
    A couple whose love and commitment embodies the humanity of our community. Learn more about Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman here.
     
     
     
     
     

    Kathie Moehlig
    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. Learn more about Kathie Moehlig here. 
     
     
     
     

    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. Learn more about Zachary Schlagel here.
     
     
     
     

    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. Learn more about Harrah’s Resort Southern California here.
     
     

    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. Learn more about Josh Coyne here.
     
     
     
     
     
     
  34. Inspirational Couple – Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Inspirational Couple
    Awarded to a couple whose love and commitment embodies the humanity of our community.

    2017 Recipients – Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman

    Meredith Vezina and Ellen Holzman have been a couple since 1992 and were legally married in 2013. Meredith also became a publicly visible trans woman in 2013, and the couple has since promoted transgender visibility, primarily through events and videography.

    Meredith became active in the transgender community in the 1980s as a volunteer for the Lambda Archives of San Diego. In 1993, she became the first paid director of the Greater San Diego Business Association and advocated for the organization to openly identify as the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

    Since 2014, Meredith and Ellen have focused on their campaign for trans visibility and respect by being part of the committee that organized the first Trans March and Rally, founding Trans Elders of San Diego, founding and producing The Trans Oral History Project and the transgender collection for the Lambda Archives. In 2015, they founded Trans Narratives to document and affirm the lives of local trans people and local trans history. They also worked with LGBT Weekly to adopt a policy banning hate speech and personal attacks from its comment pages.

    In 2016, they insisted that the city of San Diego include trans history in its San Diego Citywide LGBTQ Historic Context Statement and provided information on trans history dating back to 1936 that is now a part of that document. They also helped the LGBT Center include trans people in the video campaign for an LGBT-affirming housing project. This year, they have joined the organizing committee for the local LGBTQ Equality March held in June of 2017.

     

  35. Inspirational Couple – Ernie Castro and Mike Goupill

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Inspirational Couple
    Awarded to a couple whose love and commitment embodies the humanity of our community.

    2017 Recipients – Ernie Castro and Mike Goupill

    In 1987, Mike Goupill and Ernie Castro vowed to do all they could to help those affected by and infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. They have been partners for 42 years and have been legally married for nine years. They have been working in California with community groups such as Being Alive and Fraternity House Inc. since 1990. They have also facilitated support groups for people infected with and affected by AIDS at the Escondido Community Clinic.

    In 2012, Mike and Ernie received the AIDS Warrior Award for their work with the AIDS Community in San Diego. They continue to volunteer regularly with Fraternity House Inc., which is a hospice-like home located in Escondido, where low-income men and women disabled by HIV/AIDS receive comprehensive care and services.

    Both Mike, a former Fly Test Manager for Grumman Aerospace in New York, and Ernie, a former HIV/AIDS Nurse Educator, are now retired and remain busy as active volunteers at Fraternity House Inc., at Public Access Television by Elders (PACE-TV), and at the House of Puerto Rico in Balboa Park. Ernie’s focus is on education and prevention geared towards staff and patients at the Veterans Hospital, with an emphasis on and involvement in the AIDS Community. He also provides meals and medical supervision at the Fraternity House Inc. homes. Mike is now involved with management and support of residents at Fraternity House Inc. and assists the residents in shopping and transportation.

  36. Stonewall Service – San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Stonewall Service
    Awarded to a group or organization, which may or may 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.

    2017 Recipient – San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus

    With more than 250 members, the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus is packed full of singers on a mission to change lives one voice at a time. Founded 32 years ago during the AIDS crisis and rampant discrimination, the volunteer singers have always stood loud and proud, embracing the positive power of music to change hearts and minds.

    Today, the Chorus has sung at the White House, the Super Bowl and most every venue in San Diego from Petco Park’s center field to the Mayor’s inauguration. Just weeks ago, SDGMC’s acclaimed Chamber Chorale made its Lincoln Center debut, bringing to the world’s most famous stage the anti-bullying message of gay music student Tyler Clementi in Tyler’s Suite.

    The San Diego Union-Tribune recently hailed SDGMC as “San Diego’s gay ambassadors” on its front page, acknowledging the group’s bridge-building successes. The Greater San Diego Business Association named the Chorus as Non-Profit of the Year for 2016, and CityBeat Magazine named SDGMC “Best Performing Arts Group” in San Diego 2016.

    During the past year, in partnership with the San Diego Padres, the Chorus helped more than 800 LGBT youth attend its concerts for free.  The singers partnered with the California Youth Conservatory Theatre in its production of Billy Elliot—The Musical. Currently underway is the musical version of children’s book A Peacock Among Pigeons, about celebrating what makes us stand out in a crowd with an anti-bullying message of special relevance to LGBT youth.

    SDGMC is committed to serving its community even beyond its music. Most recently, it partnered with the Tijuana AIDS hospice to gather and deliver “wish list” supplies, conducted a food drive for Mama’s Kitchen and helped local Wounded Warriors families sit down to a festive Christmas dinner. The Chorus has also partnered with Rady Children’s Hospital Gender Management Clinic, the Veterans Village of San Diego, and the Boys and Girls Clubs.

    This summer, Sycuan Casino presents SDGMC’s blockbuster show DIVAS at the Balboa Theatre.

     

  37. Champion of Pride – Dr. Delores A. Jacobs

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Champion of Pride
    An individual or couple who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

    2017 Recipient – Dr. Delores A. Jacobs

    Dr. Delores A. Jacobs is the longest-serving chief executive officer of The San Diego LGBT Community Center. Well-known and respected for her commitment to creating innovative collaborations between a variety of sectors, Dr. Jacobs is looked to as a strong voice and committed partner for social justice issues. Her passion for honoring intersectionality helps address issues like HIV/AIDS, LGBT equality, safe schools, racial justice, immigration reform, access to health care and more. She also played a leading role in the fight for marriage equality at the local and state levels.

    Dr. Jacobs first joined The San Diego LGBT Community Center part-time in 1998, following her successful career in academia and in private practice as a clinician and research consultant. She served as the director of The Center’s Behavioral Health Services before being selected as its chief executive officer in 2001.

    With Dr. Jacobs at the helm, The Center has developed its programming to include on-site HIV and Hepatitis C testing. She also headed an expansion of the Hillcrest Youth Center, established the nation’s first Latin Services Department at an LGBT community center, and created the Sunburst Youth Housing program for formerly homeless LGBT youth. She successfully spearheaded the return of the AIDS Walk San Diego and established Families @ The Center, Project TRANS, the Young Professionals Council Academy, the Seniors 50 and Better project, and the upcoming senior services at the Senior Housing Project.

    With over 16 years of exemplary vision, leadership and commitment, Dr. Jacobs has increased and enhanced The Center’s scope of services, its community collaborations and its influence within the larger San Diego community. Since Dr. Jacobs joined The Center, it has grown from a $2 million dollar budget into a $6 million dollar organization with more than 55 staff members and 1,200 volunteers.

  38. Community Grand Marshal – Russell Roybal

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Community Grand Marshal
    Awarded to an individual or couple who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years with consideration to service to San Diego Pride.

    2017 Recipient – Russell Roybal

    Russell Roybal is a noted fund-raiser and LGBTQ movement leader. He worked with the Gill Foundation for over six years and served as the director of training and capacity building, teaching thousands of LGBTQ and allied activists and leaders, around the country, how to resource their organizations. Russell also served on the staffs of The National Latina/o LGBT Organization, the San Diego LGBT Center, and San Diego Pride. He attended San Diego State University where he majored in Chicana/o Studies and was active on campus and in the local LGBTQ and Chicana/o communities. He is also a graduate of the Chicano Federation of San Diego County’s Leadership Institute.

    He has served in various leadership capacities for several nonprofit organizations, both locally and nationally. He has served as chair of the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training, and as a board member of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, Gay and Lesbian Latinos con Orgullo, and the Imperial Court in San Diego. Russell now serves on the board of the International Imperial Court System.

    Russell is the recipient of numerous awards including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) first-ever Equality Award. He was also recently named a 2017 Pride Honoree by the CA LGBT Legislative Caucus.

    Currently, Russell Roybal is the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Deputy Executive Director, where he manages the organization’s day-today-operations. He also directs the organization’s policy and programmatic work, including the National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. Founded in 1973, The Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people and is the country’s oldest national LGBTQ advocacy organization.

    His activism is rooted in his family’s tradition of public service and pursuit of social justice. Russell grew up in La Puente, CA, but his chosen home is San Diego. He currently resides in Washington, DC. Later this summer Russell will return to the Golden State to serve in a senior leadership role at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

  39. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO…..

    Diedrea Lewis (DL), Pride Festival Dispatch Co-Coordinator

    She / Her / Hers

    Born and raised in Ennis, Texas, Diedrea has lived in San Diego for the past 27 years.  She has one daughter and one granddaughter, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from San Diego State University.

    AND

    Howard Menzer (HM), Pride Festival Dispatch Co-Coordinator
    He / Him / His

    Born and raised in ‘da’ Bronx, Howard has lived in San Diego for the past 39 years.  He was married for 30 years, has 3 children and 5 grandchildren. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations / Marketing as well as a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Reading and Literature both from Ashford University.

    What are your job titles and what do you do at the Festival?
    DL / HM – Our titles are Pride Festival Dispatch Co-Coordinators.  We are Dispatch at the Pride Festival. If you get a radio at the Festival, you will have gotten it from us. We are responsible for the more than $50,000 dollars worth of radio inventory. We check radios out and then check them back in. We provide radio users with a basic radio tutorial to ensure proper radio etiquette. We make sure the radios are charged and ready for service and monitor radio channels and provide communication support.

    How long have you been volunteering with Pride?
    DL – This will be my third year with Pride.  I started volunteering in 2015 as part of the Dispatch team.

    HM – This will be my second year with Pride.  I started volunteering in 2016 as part of the Dispatch team.

    Why do you volunteer with Pride?

    HM – I like to get involved in my community and give back.  Whether I am working in my Synagogue, at the LGBT Community Center Cyber (Computer) Center, or with Pride, volunteering allows me the opportunity to serve and meet others.

    DL – Volunteering keeps me stay centered. Volunteering helps me ‘keep the fire alive.’  It keeps me hopeful and optimistic.  

    What are you reading right now?
    HM – Lately I’ve been devouring mystery novels, especially supernatural mystery novels.

    DL – I don’t read novels, but I do enjoy reading news and current events. I like to read about different perspectives on current events, so on any given day I’m reading three or four newspapers such as the New York Time, the LA Times, and the Washington Post.

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    DL – Oh boy, I’m not a fan of current movies. I like the movies of the 1950s and 60s – the big production spectaculars such as “The Ten Commandments.” I mean the parade of stars in these movies was fantastic, and then the dialogue and acting – I could watch one of these movies every day.  Stop by the Dispatch booth during the festival and we can quote Charlton Heston movie lines.

    HM – “Snatched” with Goldie Hawn.  She just cracks me up.  I laughed out loud.


    Coffee or tea?
    DL – Either. I love lemon / mint tea, but I also love the energy buzz from coffee.

    HM – Coffee. Dark and strong.

    What are you listening to right now?
    HM – I’m listening to 96.5, KYXY adult contemporary music.

    DL – Oh, I’m listening to just about a little of everything, from the 1940s to today. I like it all.

    What should people know about you?
    DL – I sing. I sing RB, pop and jazz. I was in a top 40 cover band called Broad Band.

    HM – I am an Eagle Scout and was the National Director of a group called ‘Scouting for All’ that advocated the restoration of unbiased values of scouting to allow full participation for youth and adults regardless of their spiritual beliefs, gender, or sexual orientation.

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
    HM – I’m 80 years old, and I try to enjoy each day.  I try to get to the gym every day, and I volunteer at the San Diego LGBT Center’s Cyber Center.

    DL – Working, singing and enjoying life. I’m an optimist. Life is good.

    What advice do you have for someone coming to Pride?
    DL – Have fun. Let go, and enjoy yourself. Pride is fun, but be safe and celebrate with a friend.

    HM – Take your time. Do the full festival loop. Enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds. Take it all in and don’t judge.

    What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
    HM – This is only my second year volunteering with Pride, so the festival is all still new to me.  I look forward to seeing how the festival works, how it all comes together.  Of course I look forward to seeing old friends from last year and to making new friends this year.  And by far, my favorite part of Pride, what I most look forward to, is working for two days, side by side with her one and only, her highness, her majesty – Miss Diedrea Lewis.

    DL – Oh man. That Howard, he just keeps it real.  I look forward to the spectacularness of Pride – the colors, the sounds and the people. 

    Author’s Note:

    While writing about Diedrea and Howard, I was listening to YouTube, and somehow Queen’s song “Radio Ga Ga” came on. I’m struggling to figure out which of these two is “radio ga ga” and which is “radio goo goo.” I think, Diedrea is “ga ga,” and Howard is “goo goo.” What do you think?

     

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  40. Community Grand Marshal – Susan Jester

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    2017 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    Click here for a full list of our awardees.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Community Grand Marshal
    Awarded to an individual or couple who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years with consideration to service to San Diego Pride.

    2017 Recipient – Susan Jester

    Susan Jester is a third generation Californian who grew up in Palm Springs and was raised in a strict evangelical home. Susan struggled with her sexuality until finally coming out at age 40 in 1983. Susan quickly immersed herself into LGBT rights issues, becoming a well-known lesbian activist, speaking frequently with other LGBT leaders at press conferences, debates, and LGBT rights demonstrations. In 1984, Susan created the first LGBT Police Liaison Committee and was the first openly gay person appointed as a San Diego City Commissioner.

    When the HIV/AIDS epidemic struck the gay community in the early 80’s, Susan used her political experience to raise public awareness by mobilizing the LGBT community and its allies to produce the first San Diego AIDS Walk in 1986. Susan has been a fierce warrior and voice for all affected by the virus in San Diego and across the country. Susan moved to the east coast in 1991 to work for the Human Rights Campaign. In 1994 she was the Executive Director of New York city’s “Stonewall 25”, an international march celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, when over two million people marched past the United Nations Headquarters and into Central Park for AIDS/LGBT rights.

    She also served New Jersey Governor Whitman at the New Jersey Affordable Housing agency, which created housing programs for HIV-affected families. Susan returned to San Diego in 2011, and served on the Board of San Diego Pride, The San Diego Sheriff’s LGBT Advisory Council, The AIDS Memorial Task Force, the California Advisory Committee to the United States Civil Rights Commission, the San Diego City Citizens Equal Opportunity Commission, and as the Co-Chair of the Mayor’s LGBT Advisory Council. As a result of all of her efforts, Susan was inducted into the San Diego LGBT Center “Wall of Honor” in 2014.

    Susan currently works with St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral as their public relations and media director. She is also the City Commissioner of the Citizens Equal Opportunity Commission (CEOC), the Co-Chair on the Mayor’s LGBT Advisory Council, a member of the Sheriff’s LGBT Advisory Council, the San Diego AIDS Memorial Task Force, and the CA Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

  41. Release from San Diego Pride Board of Directors

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    The Board of Directors of San Diego LGBT Pride has announced the selection of Eric Heinritz as its new Executive Director. The selection was made after an extensive search and comprehensive selection process managed by Nonprofit Management Solutions, a San Diego nonprofit management support organization.

    “We are very pleased to announce this appointment,” said Bianca Burt, San Diego LGBT Pride Co-Chair. Eric brings leadership, creativity, and a deep sense of commitment to our LGBTQI community. As a Board, we are very confident in our decision and look forward to working together with him to achieve the increased mission impact we’ve identified in our strategic plan.”

    Eric comes to San Diego Pride with a breadth of leadership experience and perspective. He was the first executive director of the all-volunteer Milwaukee Pride, helping the organization to establish financial controls and increase revenue. From 2001-2014 he served in a number of executive roles at Milwaukee World Festival, including Admission, Food and Beverage Director where he administered a $2.1 million operating budget and directed a team of 950 employees.

    Upon accepting the appointment, Eric remarked, “Pride celebrations are a homecoming, and a safe place for all members of the LGBTQI community and I am excited to be welcomed into the San Diego Pride family.”

    Eric was selected by the Board of Directors upon the recommendation of the executive search committee, chaired by San Diego Pride Emeritus, Jeri Dilno. Mama’s Kitchen, Executive Director, Alberto Cortes and former San Diego Pride board member, Dion Brown served on the search committee along with San Diego Pride board members, Bianca Burt, Lynn Barnes-Wallace, and Jim Seal.

    The search and selection process, which began in January, included review of more than sixty-five resumes from local, regional, and national applicants. Eric was selected after more than two dozen telephone, skype and in-person interviews were conducted by the search team. “I can’t thank the committee enough,” said Pride Co-Chair Jim Seal, “especially our community members, Alberto and Dion, who gave so much of their personal time to ensure the integrity of the process and the outcome.”

  42. Marcia Wall

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    Marcia Wall, Pride Copy Editor
    She / Her / Hers

    “I’m a Virgo and I’m big on order and organization, so of course being a copy editor is what I like.”

    Born in Texas and raised in San Diego, Marcia has a BA in Literature from the University of California Santa Cruz and an MA in English and Writing from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Marcia has taught English, literature, and writing at colleges and universities. She has also worked as an employment specialist, a photographer, a writer, and a stand-up comedian.

    What does a Copy Editor do?
    “As the Pride Copy Editor, my job is really cool because I get to work remotely from my home or wherever I’m traveling to.” As the Pride Copy Editor, Marcia volunteers in the Communication / Marketing department and is a proofreader for Pride. “I’m an extra set of eyes on all Pride’s documents and text.” “Marcia reviews everything” said Alex Villafuerte, the Communications and Marketing Manager: every Pride article, press release, post card, poster, the website, email e-blasts, everything.

    Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
    Marcia has been volunteering with Pride off and on for the past 20 years. She’s volunteered with Pride in the Volunteer Village, at Volunteer Check-in, at the Children’s Garden, and with the Art of Pride group. “Pride gives me the opportunity to invest in my community. And being a copy editor for Pride allows me to volunteer to my strength.”

    What are you reading right now?
    “I’m actually listening to podcasts of ‘A Way with Words’, a National Public Radio (NPR) program produced in San Diego.” ‘A Way with Words’ is about language examined through history, culture and family. “I’m a nut for etymology – the study of word origins, and this show is fascinating, fun, and enjoyable.”

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    The last movie I saw in the theatre was Moonlight. I thought it was a very contemplative study in both beauty and pain.

    Coffee or tea?
    Tea. Anything herbal.

    What are you listening to right now?
    “I’m kind of old school in that I don’t really listen to music on an iPod, but I have a great collection of New Orleans Brass Band and ukulele CDs. Also Prince, anything and everything by Prince.

    What should people know about you?
    “Well, Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, is my fifth cousin twice removed. I’m also into photography, art, travel and family history research / genealogy.”

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
    “Volunteering somewhere else. I volunteer at the San Diego LGBT Community Center, as a photographer with the San Diego River Foundation, and in my Tierrasanta community helping out with their Concerts in the Park program.”

    What advice do you have for someone coming to Pride?
    “Stay hydrated – it’s July after all and the sun can sneak up on you. Pace yourself – it’s a two-day music festival – take it easy and enjoy both two days. Be open to new experiences at Pride, meeting new people, hearing new music, and trying new things.”

    What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
    “Of course the entertainment. San Diego Pride always has such an exciting line-up on the three different stages. I also like to find a spot to hang out and people watch at the festival as the world passes by me. I love seeing the diversity of people celebrating pride and being themselves.”

     


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  43. En Vogue and more come out to Pride San Diego

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    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.

  44. San Diego Pride and Fabulous Hillcrest are Working Together!

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    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.

  45. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    Edward (Eddie) Condreay, Festival Entrance Manager
    He / Him / His

    “Hello, Hi, Welcome to the San Diego Pride Music Festival. Enjoy your day!” “Hello, Hi, Welcome to the San Diego Pride Music Festival. Enjoy your day!” “Hello, Hi, Welcome to the San Diego Pride Music Festival. Enjoy your day!”

    Born and raised in San Diego County, Eddie attended Santana High School (Santee, CA) and joined the Marines in 2006. He served nine years in the Marines as a Combat Marksmanship Instructor and as a Flight Deck Coordinator on the USS NIMITZ, the Navy’s oldest aircraft carrier. He is now completing his undergraduate degree in Organizational Leadership from National University and plans to pursue his Master’s to become a Business Analyst.

    What does the Festival Entrance Manager do?
    My job is fantastic! Seriously, I get to welcome 40 – 50 thousand guests to the Pride Music Festival. I oversee and am responsible for two festival entrances, (the main entrance and the Juniper Road entrance), ten metal detectors, close to 25 security personnel, and more than 150 volunteers to ensure our festival guests are welcomed and enter into the festival in a safe manner. At the Festival Entrance, we focus on customer experience and service. Our guests experience begins with my team, and I want to ensure that we are ready to welcome people to Pride with a warm, friendly, welcoming smile.

    Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
    This is only Eddie’s second year volunteering with San Diego Pride. In 2016, one of most successful Pride Festival’s ever, Eddie was the Festival Entrance Manager.

    After the Marine Corps, I wanted to get more involved in the San Diego LGBT community; Pride is that place that provided me a connection and a sense of purpose and community. I’ve met and worked with some wonderful, dedicated, and funny people at Pride. The 2016 Festival Entrance team did a marvelous job, and I wanted to come back and be a part of the team and lend my talents to helping make Pride 2017 even better than 2016.

    What are you reading right now?
    The Elephant in the Room: How Relationships Make or Break the Success of Leaders and Organizations by Diana McLain Smith. The Elephant in the Room is a systematic look at how relationships determine the success of leaders and their enterprises. I’m fascinated by organizational relationships and how the two, leaders and relationships, can determine outcomes.

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    Beauty and the Beast. It was date night with my boyfriend Chris Flick, also a Pride volunteer, and Disney provided the magic.

    Coffee or tea?
    Tea. Earl Grey.

    What are you listening to right now?
    I’m tuned into ‘Pride’ music on Pandora.

    What should people know about you?
    I have a curious, very curious nature, and I will ask a ton of questions to learn more. I learned teamwork while in the Marine Corps. I tend to be a little bit sarcastic, but my bark is worse than my bite. Oh and I try to live the Marine Corps motto Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful) every day of my life.

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
    School. Library studying. Working at Carl’s Jr (I’m a Shift Lead) or driving for Uber. And sometimes, just hanging out with Chris.

    What advice do you have for someone coming to Pride?
    Take in Pride. Experience Pride. Experience the full capacity of Pride. You are in a safe place to be who you want to be, so take advantage of all that Pride—the Festival and the Parade—has to offer.

    What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
    Seeing all my 40 – 50 thousand friends again. Seriously, I enjoy seeing people’s faces light up when they walk through the Festival entrance – a big smile comes over their faces, and you can see them begin to relax and feel like they are home. I’m also looking forward to seeing the festival entrance team and working with them again this year.

     

     


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  46. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    Ruben Lopez, Volunteer Hospitality Coordinator
    He / Him / His
    “During Pride weekend, I am your best friend. If you volunteer with Pride, you will love me.”

    What does the Volunteer Hospitality Coordinator do?
    My job is to feed the 900-plus volunteers at Pride. As the Volunteer Hospitality Coordinator, I work hand-in-hand with the In-kind Sponsor Volunteer, Tamira Benitez, to get the best food, snacks, treats, candy, fruit, and meals possible for Pride’s amazing volunteers.

    We start in March reaching out to last year’s in-kind sponsors to see if they will donate again. In April, we start reaching out to new in-kind sponsors asking them to come on board and provide donations for the volunteer village.

    An in-kind sponsor may donate pizza, burritos, chicken wings, submarine sandwiches and wraps as well as fruit and snacks. Sometimes, they donate gift cards so we can buy bagels, cream cheese, and Nutella along with Red Vines licorice.

    We plan out a menu for Pride week / weekend, and my goal is to keep the volunteers well fed and happy.

    This is Ruben’s third year volunteering with San Diego Pride. In 2015, the year of the rain, Ruben worked in the Entertainment Department as the Assistant EDM Stage Manager. Last year, 2016, Ruben was the Volunteer Village Hospitality Supervisor and returns this year as the Volunteer Hospitality Coordinator.

    Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
    I’ve met so many people because of volunteering with Pride. I moved back to San Diego about five years ago, and getting involved with Pride has opened a lot of doors for me. I am the Director of Events for Clark Realty Management Company, a division of Clark Construction, one of the largest construction companies in the U. S. I oversee all events at the Navy’s Pacific Beacon Towers and Palmer Hall, an approximately 2300 square feet, on-base, residential rental unit on board the U. S. Naval Station San Diego. Pride has given me the confidence to be out on the job around people in construction and people in the military. I appreciate that I don’t have to hide who I am and with whom I volunteer.

    What are you reading right now?
    The Shredded Chef, 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
    by Michael Matthews. If you want to build a body you can be proud of without starving or depriving yourself of all the foods you like, then you want to read this book.

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    Deadpool. It was stupid, funny, comical and a little gory, and it had that hot guy Ryan Reynolds in it.

    Coffee or tea?
    Coffee. Black coffee with a splash of milk.

    What are you listening to on Spotify?
    EDM, Soul and Dance. I like Diplo, Daft Punk, DJ Snake, Zedd ,and Afrojack.

    What should people know about you?
    I love to cook and I have a small business on the side doing meal preps and cooking. I prepare healthy, nutritious, great tasting meals for clients. I cook weekly dinner packages as well as weekly lunch packages. My meals are deliciously prepared with love and include vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, and snacks.

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
    At a local farmer’s market buying fresh organic items to cook, in my kitchen cooking, or out dancing. I love to dance around the kitchen also.

    What advice do you have for someone coming to Pride?
    Make this year the year you volunteer with Pride. Give it a shot—you’ll meet great people, probably make a few good friends, and maybe even find Mr. / Mrs. Right. You’ll be doing your LGBT Community a solid by helping San Diego Pride – which has given back almost $2 million dollars to the community since 2000. Plus, volunteer for one 5-hour shift and you get into the 2-day music festival for free.

    What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
    It’s been said before, but it’s true, I look forward to helping out, being of service. I get to see old friends and making new friends and I love the look on the volunteer’s face when they see what Tamira and I have been able to prepare for them in Volunteer Village. Remember, just like a soldier, a well fed volunteer is a happy volunteer.


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  47. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    Randy Pittman, Volunteer Village Manager
    He / Him / His
    “This will be my 17th year volunteering with San Diego Pride, a fact I am very proud to share.”

    Randy began volunteering with San Diego Pride in 2000. He had so much fun his first year that he’s come back every year since. “In my first year, I volunteered for both days of the Festival. On Saturday I worked with Exhibitor Relations, helping to check-in vendors, and on Sunday I staffed an emergency exit.” Since then, Randy has been a Main Gate Supervisor, the Juniper Street Entrance Coordinator, the Volunteer Village Coordinator, and now for the past 5 years, the Volunteer Village Manager.

    What is the Volunteer Village and what do you do as Volunteer Village Manager?
    Volunteer Village is “Volunteer Grand Central” at the Music Festival. It’s where our most precious asset, our volunteers, come to check-in for their shifts. Volunteer Village is the place at the festival where volunteers can get away from the festival, sit down, rest, relax and recharge. It’s their “volunteer sanctuary” if you will.

    As Volunteer Village Manager, I oversee the “tenants” in the village and ensure our volunteers are being taken care of. Inside Volunteer Village you will find the following “tenants”: A-Team, Carts and Communication, Community Partner Check-in, Media Relations, Photography, Volunteer Check-in, and Volunteer Hospitality. My job is to ensure that everyone has what they need to do their job and support the festival.

    Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
    Volunteering with San Diego Pride is my way to give back to the LGBT Community in San Diego. Since I’ve begun volunteering with Pride in 2000, San Diego Pride has donated almost 2 million dollars back to the San Diego LGBT community. I’m proud of that and proud to help make Pride a place where everyone belongs and everyone is welcome. Whether it’s your first year volunteering with Pride or your 17th – Pride is about having fun.

    What are you reading right now?
    My psychology textbook! I’m a full-time student at National University completing my degree in psychology. My plan is to graduate with a degree in psychology and then get my master’s degree and then become a Marriage / Family Counselor.

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    Moonlight. I found it incredibly moving how the movie dealt with the whole question of manhood and what it means to be a man.

    Coffee or tea?
    Tea – any herbal tea.

    What’s playing on your iPod?
    Old school jazz – Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie.

    What should people know about you?
    “I’m an easy going guy, born and raised in Rochester New York, who joined the Navy right out of high school and did 6 years in Japan and another 7 years in San Diego.” (I would remove these quotes because none of his other answers has them).

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
    I live in Point Loma, and when I’m not volunteering with Pride, or at work, or at school you’ll find me hiking down to the beach and walking the shores around OB with my two dogs.

    What advice do you have for someone coming to Pride?
    Take it all in. Walk the festival loop and take in the sights, sounds, and smells and then relax, smile and have fun.

    What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
    I look forward to seeing old friends and making new friends. I look forward to helping make the festival a success – more people attending, more people volunteering, bigger crowds and everyone having a great time.



    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  48. San Diego Pride 2017 Theme Announcement

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    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.

  49. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    Tanya Raz, Community Partnership Manager
    “I am so excited to be working with such a wonderfully diverse and talented group of people at San Diego LGBT Pride and I look forward to helping Pride build strong partnerships with our community non-profit organizations.”

    This is Tanya’s first year volunteering with Pride. For the past four years she has been one of Pride’s Community Partners, 211 San Diego. 211 San Diego is an information referral service for San Diegans, connecting people to resources. It was through Tanya’s efforts that 211 San Diego became a partner of Pride and has a presence still at the festival. -Bob Leyh, Volunteer Manager

    Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
    I loved the past four years being at the festival as a Pride Community Partner and I wanted to take the next step to becoming a Pride volunteer. When I found out the previous Community Partner Manager (Martha Henderson) became a member of the Pride Board of Directors, I jumped at the chance to step up. I am really excited about this opportunity to continue the great work Martha has done in connecting community organizations and non profits with Pride.

    What’s your official Pride title and what does it mean?
    My official Pride title is Community Partnership Manager and that means I coordinate and oversee the 20 different Pride Community Partners. In February, I reached out to each community partner to review and update their partnership agreements. During the festival, I’ll be onsite to ensure our partners have the resources and support they need to be successful.

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
    Well, I could be in class at San Diego State. I’m half way through my course studies. I’m in an Interdisciplinary Studies program that combines Sociology, LGBT and Women’s studies.

    Or, I could be at home in Encanto hanging out with my boyfriend and more than likely studying.

    Or, I could be with my two teenage daughters.

    What are you reading right now?
    I’m a full-time student, who has time for recreational reading? For my LGBT studies class, I’m reading ‘Gay Life and Culture; A World History’ by Historian Robert Aldrich.

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    I’m in a relationship, a full-time student at San Diego State and the mother of two teenage girls; who has time for movies?! That said, I did see this year’s Academy Award for Best Picture, ‘Moonlight.’ It was a moving powerful picture that showed how trauma can make people stop loving and how important it is to allow yourself the freedom to love.

    Coffee or tea?
    Tea. I drink tea all day.

    What’s playing on your iPod?
    Oh that’s easy – 80’s British Music.

    What should people know about you?
    How much time do you have?

    I was born in London and lived there until I was 9 years old when my parents moved to San Diego. However, my family spent several years driving around the United States, vagabonding, before returning to San Diego.

    I have an adventurous spirit that keeps me on the go. I’m a total foodie, poet, art collector and love to cook. I relish the obscure and people who dare to bend norms.

    My nickname is “Twister,” because I tend to come into people’s lives like a tornado and then they are never the same as they were before they met me.

    What’s the best advice you have for someone coming to Pride?
    Have a good time and enjoy the music, but make time to visit the different Pride Community Partners. If you ride your bicycle to the festival, you can park it for free at the Bike Coalition Bike Corral. Before you go into the festival, be sure and visit the Lesbian Health and Wellness and the 211 San Diego tent. Once inside the festival, stop and get a cup of coffee from the Alano Club coffee cart and then browse through the Art of Pride. Be sure to visit the Lambda Archives exhibit and the Leather Realm, and when you get thirsty, look for the Different Strokes Swim Team selling water. Additional Community Partners are FOG (who present the Senior Cool Zones), the T-Spot, Hillcrest Town Council and Bankers Hill Community Group.

    What is it about Pride that excites you?
    First, I’m excited to be able to connect all these community organizations with Pride and celebrate their diversity. Second, I love it when people are not ashamed or afraid of being different. I love it when we can support nonconformity and diversity because then we can show the world that there are too many of us to try to push down.


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  50. San Diego Padres and LGBT Groups Join Forces in Show of Solidarity

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    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
  51. We Are Here: Reflections of LGBTQ Lives

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    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

  52. Let Me Introduce You To… the Queer Future

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    Edward Estrada, San Diego LGBT Pride Youth Intern
    “I identify as Queer. I don’t like to have to divide into LGBT? Queer is much more inclusive”

    After meeting Edward (Eddie) Estrada, I can sleep well at night, knowing that the future of the LGBT movement will be in good hands. Eddie, a self-described Queer 16-year-old student at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SDSCPA), has no problem claiming the word Queer. Although he does recognize that some in generations preceding him have had a difficult time with the word Queer, he believes that youth have reclaimed the word Queer as an umbrella term that is more inclusive and encompasses the whole LGBTQ+ world. -Bob Leyh, Volunteer Manager

    Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
    I volunteer because if youth want a Youth Zone at the Pride Festival, then youth need to step up and plan the space. A Pride Youth Zone should be created by out, proud and queer youth.

    What’s your official Pride title and what does it mean?
    My official title at Pride is Youth Intern. I not only help plan the Youth Zone for the Festival, but I am also involved with the Pride Lunch Bunch group. Lunch Bunch is a gathering of LGBTQ+ junior- and high-school-aged youth that meet the second Saturday of the month from 11am to 2pm at the Pride office. We get to hang out with other queer kids, eat lunch (provided by the Trevor Project; thank you Trevor Project!) and talk about things that are important to queer youth.

    What are you reading right now?
    Campaign Craft: The Strategies, Tactics, and Art of Campaign Management by Daniel M. Shea, Michael John Burton Jr and Robert E. Denton. “You see, I’m a bit of political junkie. I want to go to college, major in political science and then go into public service/politics.”

    Bob: Eddie interned last year for Congressman Scott Peters, and his personal political hero is Assembly member Todd Gloria.

    When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might we find you?
    At the SDSCPA, where I am a junior studying Creative Writing—with an emphasis in creating queer characters in fiction, poetry and short plays.

    You may also find me presiding at the SDSCPA’s weekly GSA meeting—I am the club president.
    Bob: I asked Eddie to confirm that GSA stands for Gay Straight Alliance, and he confirmed that while GSA was originally called Gay Straight Alliance, today GSA means Genders/Sexualities Alliance, a much less narrow and more inclusive organization.

    You may also find me at GLSEN meetings, where I am a member of the San Diego GLSEN Board of Directors. GLSEN, which originally stood for the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network, is an organization founded in 1990 in the United States that seeks to end discrimination, harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in K-12 schools.

    You may also find me meeting monthly with the San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten, where I use my GSA and GLSEN experience to advocate for Queer Youth, safe schools and gender-inclusive restrooms.

    Bob: For his efforts advocating for Queer Youth, GLSEN named Eddie the 2016/2017 National Student Advocate of the Year!

    What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
    I’m a 16-year-old kid with no job; who has money for the movies? Though, if someone wanted to take me that would be nice.

    Coffee or tea?
    Coffee—definitely Starbucks coffee.

    What’s playing on your iPod?
    I like alternative music. Right now I’m listening to Paramore.

    What should people know about you?
    I am passionate about advocating for Queer inclusiveness and Queer Youth. I want to create safe spaces for Queer Youth in schools and at the Pride Festival. I was born and raised in the Paradise Hills neighborhood of San Diego.

    What’s the best advice you have for someone coming to Pride?
    Come with a friend, and make some new friends.

    What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
    I’m looking forward to an awesome Queer Youth Zone, designed, developed and created by Queer Youth for Queer Youth. I’m looking forward to celebrating Pride with Queer Youth from all over San Diego and Southern California.

     


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  53. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    Tinesia Conwright, Hip – Hop Stage Manager

    “Pride allows me a safe place to be me. I can be LGBT, Black and Urban all at once at San Diego Pride.”

    San Diego born and raised, Tinesia has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management & Leadership from the University of San Diego. Tinesia serves on the San Diego Workforce Partnership Youth Council, the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, the San Diego Urban League Young Professionals and the SDSU African-American Alumni Association.

    1. Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?

    I volunteer because I found a safe place at Pride and I love sharing hip-hop culture with the San Diego LGBT Pride community. I want to help Pride continue to create a safe place for hip-hop music lovers, where it’s safe and okay to be LGBT and Black. I’ve been volunteering with the Festival Entertainment team for the past five years, and I really look forward to each year.

    1. What’s your official Pride title and what does it mean?

    My official title at Pride is Hip-Hop Stage Manager. I not only help select the entertainment lineup for the Hip-Hop Stage, I also coordinate and supervise the volunteers who help in the front and back of the stage.

    1. What are you reading right now?

    Jump – Take the Leap of Faith to Achieve your Life Abundance by Steve Harvey and Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin.

    1. When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?

    At the San Diego Housing Commission, where I am the Youth Workforce Development Program Director, or at DETOUR, a community-based nonprofit where I am the Executive Director.

    1. What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?

    Hidden Figures. This movie is empowerment cinema at its best.

    1. What’s the best advice you have for someone coming to Pride?

    Enjoy, have fun, but take care of each other and be safe.

    1. Coffee or tea?

    Coffee–but I need flavored cream.

    1. What’s playing on your iPod?

    I listen to inspirational/motivational speakers, and right now I’m listening to Eric Thomas (ET), the Hip Hop Preacher.

    1. What should people know about you?

    I am passionate about nurturing the growth of girls and developing them into the future leaders of tomorrow, which is why I founded DETOUR – Depositing Empowerment Through Outreach & Urban Redevelopment. DETOUR is a nonprofit organization that provides three youth development programs: The Focused And Naturally Confident Youth (F.A.N.C.Y.) Teen Girls Expo, a Leadership Academy and a Scholarship Program. I am so proud that DETOUR has empowered over 700 girls since 2009, teaching and mentoring teen girls of color in grades 6 – 12 to be themselves by exploring their self-identity, building confidence, participating in career exploration/employment, volunteering/service-based learning, and completing a college education.

    1. What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?

    I look forward to sharing Hip-Hop music with San Diego’s LGBT community. Hip-Hop music has been speaking up for generations and providing a voice for people trying to express their opinions about society and government. Hip-Hop music is an avenue for the Black, LGBT, Urban festival goer to celebrate who they are and the intersection of all three.

     

     


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  54. Let Me Introduce You To…

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    Larry Sanchez, Festival Front End Manager

    “I remember my first Pride. It was in San Diego in 1985. I felt like a kid in the candy shop, like I had just met my favorite movie star – Mark Hamill of Star Wars – and just won an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland. I knew I was home.”

    Larry began volunteering with San Diego Pride in 2005 as the beverage ticket sales Supervisor in the main beer garden. He has since volunteered as ticket sales Supervisor, ticket sales Coordinator, Front Gate Coordinator and has served for the past several years as the Festival Front End Manager. According to Larry, “the great thing about volunteering at San Diego Pride is the opportunity to meet and get to know so many wonderful people.”

    1. Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?

    I remember my first Pride like it was just yesterday and I want to help others experience their first Pride. I remember the feeling of wonder and awe that I had and I want to ensure that feeling lives on. I love seeing the look on people’s faces as they walk up to the festival. If I can help people coming to the festival feel the wonder and awe of Pride then my job is done.

    1. What’s your official Pride title and what does it mean?

    My official Pride title is Festival Front End Manager and it means that I coordinate and supervise the volunteers who sell tickets at the main entrance to the festival. 

    1. What are you reading right now?

    For Common Things; Irony, Trust, and Commitment in America Today by Jedediah Purdy.

    1. When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?

    Petco, I have to pay the bills and anywhere I can take my dog Boo, a spaniel mix.

    1. What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?

    A Dog’s Purpose. Hello, I work at Petco.

    1. What’s the best advice you have for someone coming to Pride?

    Avoid the lines, buy your festival tickets online.

    1. Coffee or tea?

    Coffee – Latte.

    1. What’s playing on your iPod?

    Lady Gaga and Psy (the Gangnam Style guy).

    1. What should people know about you?

    I have a dry, very dry and dirty sense of humor.

    1. What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?

    I look forward to Pride every year, but this year I’m looking for our community to come together under the banner of resistance and defiance. We can and should celebrate who we are, but we need to be ready to resist and defy. We need to be ready for the Rainbow Revolution.


    Be Part of the Pride Family!

    If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!

    [vc_button text=”I want to volunteer!” type=”primary” align=”left” target=”_blank” url=”https://sdpride.org/volunteer/”][vc_column_text]

  55. Top 16 of 2016

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    2016 was full of many challenges and triumphs. We have collected our top 16 moments of 2016. Thank you for all that you did to help make this all possible.

    1. Lunch Bunch lunch-bunch-2 This year, we successfully rebranded our LGBT youth program as Lunch Bunch, and have been experiencing considerable attendance. Lunch can be one of the hardest parts of your day when you’re an LGBTQ student, so we’ve created a safe space for LGBT+ middle and high school youth to hang out, eat lunch, and learn! A fun, inclusive program held in partnership with the Trevor Project, Lunch Bunch is hosted at the San Diego Pride office every second Saturday of the month from 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. Come enjoy free lunch with a diverse and open-minded crowd! #YouCanSitWithUs For more information on the Lunch Bunch, click here.


    2. Trans Scholarships  trans-doe-edited San Diego Pride was proud to be the fiscal sponsor of the 13th Annual Transgender Day of Empowerment, as well as the 2nd Annual Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship Fund. Thanks to donations from the community, the committee was able to give $500 scholarships to eleven students with a variety of sexual orientations and backgrounds. The recipients’ academic interests range from teaching to neuroscience, and they will be studying as close as San Diego City College and as far as Harvard. Good luck, students! If you’d like to help contribute to next year’s scholarships, click here.


    3. Stonewall Athletes Award stonewall-athlete-award This year, San Diego Pride created The Stonewall Athletic Awards in conjunction with the San Diego LGBT Sports Coalition to support, honor and enhance the San Diego LGBT athletic community by promoting inclusive and healthy competition and activities. Those who exemplify good sportsmanship and represent our community on and off the playing field were honored at this event. To learn more about the Stonewall Athletes Award, click here.


    4. OUT at the Park – Mike Dee at Rally, Padres in Parade out-of-the-park During our annual OUT at the Park event, the night quickly took a bad turn when the wrong song was played as our partners with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus stood in the field prepared to perform the national anthem. This terrible incident led to a powerful dialog between the Padres and San Diego’s LGBT community. During Pride Weekend, that meant none other than Padre CEO Mike Dee speaking at our Spirit of Stonewall Rally on equal opportunities for LGBT people in sports, and the Padres marching in our Pride Parade for the first time! To hear Mike Dee’s speech at the Pride Rally, click here.


    5. OUT at the Fair  out-at-the-fair As Pride always works to expand the safe spaces for our community, OUT at the Fair has become an annual favorite for LGBT+ friends and families to express their identities while spending the evening enjoying snacks, rides, and music! This year, the Del Mar Fairgrounds even added gender-neutral restrooms, in addition to receiving trans sensitivity training. For more information on OATF, click here.


    6. Beach Clean Up – Civic Engagement beach-clean-up Pride is one weekend out of the year, but our volunteers get active 365! This year, 30 volunteers cleaned up the beach at Belmont Park, teaming up with active military servicemen and women. Forty Pride volunteers sorted food at Feeding America San Diego, and even more volunteers took the time to serve food to seniors downtown at Serving Seniors on two occasions. This month, Pride volunteers are serving food, delivering hygiene products, and serving up water to homeless youth. If you’re interested in helping out at Pride, click here.


    7. Dio Internacional del Orgullo LGBT  juarez-diplomatic-trip La Programa Compañeros (LGBT Community Program of Mexico) celebrated their 30th anniversary on June 28th, hosting an event in collaboration with El Consulado General de Estados Unidos en Ciudad Juárez. The festivities were held not only to commemorate the organization’s anniversary, but also to spread awareness of HIV, domestic abuse, suicide prevention, and discrimination, and to educate attendees on sexual health. San Diego Pride was invited to give a presentation to government officials and LGBTQ activists on LGBTQ Youth policy reform and advocacy. For more information on the diplomatic trip, click here.


    8. Pride World Forum pride-world-forum In a display of solidarity, LGBT community leaders from 25 countries convened at the San Diego LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest. These leaders shared their experiences with fighting for their rights in their respective countries, and showed San Diego Pride their incredible perseverance and strength through their activism. You can watch the Pride World Forum in its entirety by clicking here.


    9. SheFest shefest_2SheFest is a by LBT women for LBT women event that celebrates and supports the talents and contributions of women while fostering meaningful connections within the LGBT and larger San Diego communities. This one-day festival was FREE to ALL and included music, workshops, games, and more in a safe space where women experienced support, encouragement and empowerment! For more information on 2016’s SheFest, click here.


    10. Eric Fanning, Keynote Speaker at Pride eric-fanning-keynote-speaker-at-pride Eric Fanning, Secretary of the Army, is the first openly gay person to lead a branch of the military. Because of this monumental achievement, Fanning has become an important figure in the LGBT community, and was invited to be San Diego Pride’s keynote speaker for the Spirit of Stonewall Rally and grand marshal at the Parade. To hear Eric Fanning’s speech, click here.


    11. The First Time LGBT Black Coalition Marched in Pride bc During a time when people in our nation too often ignore the fact that #BlackLivesMatter, San Diego Pride was able to create a welcoming atmosphere for this growing organization. The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition made their debut in the San Diego Pride Parade and Festival this year. The LGBT Black Coalition is proud to celebrate their intersectional identities and promote human rights. To learn more about the LGBT Black Coalition’s experience at Pride, click here.


    12. Pride Youth Marching Band youth-marching-band-edited In the Pride Parade this year, the Youth Marching Band made a lot of noise! The band consists of high school and college-age band or color guard members who either identify with or support the LGBT community. For more information on the Pride Youth Marching Band, click here.


    13. Kesha Performed at the Pride Music Festival keha   keha-crowd Kesha, a bisexual pop star and multi-platinum artist, performed during the Pride Music Festival in July this year. Her international visibility provides her a wide audience for promoting acceptance; she feels strongly about LGBT rights and uses her music to call for change. Her star power packed the festival as we all danced and celebrated under the beautiful San Diego sky!


    14. LGBT History Curriculum in SDUSD Schools lgbt-history San Diego Pride has worked diligently over the years with our LGBT nonprofit community partners to push for LGBTQ reform within our school districts. This year marked a significant change for the better at San Diego Unified School District schools: LGBT history will be integrated into the curriculum, schools now have support staff for young LGBT students, and real-time bullying reporting has been implemented. For more information regarding SDUSD’s LGBT program, click here.


    15. Pride Youth Leadership Academy pride-youth-leadership The Pride Youth Leadership Academy was a smashing success this year! Thirty LGBTQ youth took part in learning about tools for advocacy and our community’s history, and heard first-hand accounts of being out in the workplace, in college, and in government positions. We were even joined by Assemblyman Todd Gloria and Senator Toni Atkins! For more information on the Pride Youth Leadership Academy, click here.


    16. Pride Community Grants $80K pride-community-grants-75k This year was a great financial success! San Diego Pride is proud to have raised over $80,000 to donate as grants to more than 40 different LGBT organizations and causes. For more information about SD Pride’s grants and beneficiaries, click here.


    17. Our top moments are dedicated to the Orlando victims orlando This year was filled with many beautiful moment for our community. However, on June 12th, 49 innocent LGBT lives were cut short in Orlando, Florida’s Pulse Night Club. We helped our community come together to mourn in the following days, and in a show of solidarity, we began our Pride Parade with 49 Latinx individuals holding 49 banners with names, ages, and photos of the fallen, and one banner that read “San Diego United: Orlando Strong. We will never forget.”

  56. San Diego Pride To Give $80,000 To LGBT Serving Nonprofit Organizations

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    grant-check-presentationSan 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

  57. City of San Diego to Honor LGBT Community Leader

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    CITY OF SAN DIEGO TO HONOR LGBT COMMUNITY LEADER

    November 1, 2016

    fernando-fixes-his-tieSan 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.

    fernando-moderates-pride-world-forum-2015

    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.

    ###

  58. Pride Update

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    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

  59. San Diego Pride Opens 2016 Community Grant Applications

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    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

  60. Applications for San Diego Pride Youth Leadership Academy Now Open

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    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

  61. 2016 Spirit of Stonewall Rally Speakers

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    We were honored to have the following speakers address the community about our many progresses and challenges in the 2016 Spirit of Stonewall Rally.

    Secretary of the Army, Eric Fanning
    Keynote Speaker

    Mr. Eric K. Fanning, acting Under Secretary of the United States Army poses for his official photo in the U.S. Army Portrait Studio at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 13, 2015. (U.S. Army photo by Alfredo Barraza/Released)

    On the heels of his historic confirmation by the U.S. Senate as the 22nd Secretary of the U.S. Army, Eric Fanning will take the stage as keynote speaker at Friday’s rally and serve as one of San Diego Pride’s Honorary Grand Marshals for the parade on Saturday.

    “I am humbled to be the keynote speaker and an honorary Grand Marshal.  As our community moves forward, we strive for full inclusion of all Americans who can do the job, and just want an opportunity to serve the Nation they love.” –Eric Fanning.

    For more information about Eric Fanning, please click here.


    Mike Dee
    Ending Homophobia in Sports

    mikedeeMike Dee is the President and CEO of the San Diego Padres since July 2013. Since his return to San Diego, Dee has led the effort to revamp the organization’s baseball operations philosophy, overseen ownership’s commitment to renovate and improve Petco Park, spearheaded the club’s successful bid for the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and focused on transforming Petco Park into a 365-day, year-round facility with a variety of different events beyond Padres baseball.

    For more information about Mike Dee, please click here.


    Reverend Shane Harris
    The Black and LGBT Intersection – Standing Together

    shaneharrisReverend Shane Harris is the founder and organizer of National Action Network San Diego. He works with both the Western Regional Director, Reverend K. W. Tulloss, and the founder and president of the National Action Network, Reverend Al Sharpton. He was born and raised in San Diego, CA, in the southeast region. Like many of the youth in that region of the city, he encountered the challenges of gangs, drug use, denial of self worth, and educational development. He also had the additional challenges resulting from the loss of both parents before the age of 16 and ending up in the foster care system for 13 years.


    Jennifer Restle
    The Intersection of Disability and Bisexuality

    Jennifer Restle headshot

    Jennifer Restle lives at the intersection of disability and bisexuality, using her voice to challenge societal beliefs in spaces where both communities often go unseen.  She facilitated the San Diego Bisexual Forum and started the first Bi+ Coming Out Group at The Center.  Currently, she is a dedicated member of San Diego Pride’s Accessibility Team, writes the blog “People Aren’t Broken” and is the CFO for Disability Rights California’s Board of Directors.  In acknowledgement of her contributions, Jen was named one of eight LGBT disability rights activists of note by AfterEllen and was invited to the White House.


    Lily Rubenstein
    Young, Trans & Powerful

    image1

    Lily Rubenstein is a 16-year-old transgender activist from San Diego. She has appeared on the Emmy-nominated “This is Me” documentary  series, TRANSPARENT, HBO’s LOOKING, People Magazine, CBS, France 24, and “I am Cait.” She also speaks at school staff meetings and diversity trainings, and is on the Mayor’s LGBT Advisory Board. She enjoys advocating for the transgender community and hopes to make positive changes. In her personal life, she plays competitive volleyball, and volunteers for the Friendship Circle and Canine Companions for Independence.

     


    Jen LaBarbera
    The History of Pride

    Jen LabarberaJen LaBarbera is the Head Archivist at Lambda Archives of San Diego, the LGBTQ community archive for San Diego and Northern Baja California. Prior to entering the library/archives field, she spent 6 years working as a political organizer for reproductive justice, and brings that intersectional lens to the work of collecting, preserving, and teaching the LGBTQ history of our region. She has developed LGBTQ history presentations for local schools and community groups, and recently presented at an international information studies conference about connecting social justice activists with the archival records of their predecessors. When she’s not working, Jen can usually be found writing, running, doing yoga, or hanging out in her backyard with her partner, Alex, and their dog.

  62. 2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awards

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    Spirit of Stonewall Awards

    San Diego Pride was honored to recognize the following individuals or organizations as our 2016 Spirit of Stonewall awardees:

    moore_sq

     

    Community Grand Marshal – Michael Moore

    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.
    Sue_sq

     

    Champion of Pride – Sue Reynolds

    An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.
    bankhead_sq

     

    Friend of Pride – Dale Kelly Bankhead

    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.
    btg1_sq

     

    Stonewall Service Award – #BeTheGeneration

    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.
    image1

     

    Stonewall Philanthropy Award – MARYAH

    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.
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    Inspirational Couple – Denice Williams & Dana Toppel

    A couple whose love and commitment embodies the humanity our community.
    Tita_sq

     

    Community Service – Tita Viveros

    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.

     

  63. Top 25

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    With so many things to do at Pride, we’ve created the top 25 (+1) things to do during San Diego Pride! It’s a weekend celebrating love & happiness within our LGBT community and honoring our past. Bring your family and friends as we come together as a community to celebrate how PRIDE unites the world!

    1. Military Contingent

    Military ContNow a noted tradition at the San Diego Pride Parade, watch for the military contingent, which includes active duty and veteran service members. Be sure to cheer them on at the parade when the contingent passes by!

    When: Saturday, July 16 at 11AM
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     
    2. Youth Marching Band

    Youth Marching Band-2What’s a parade without a marching band? Over 200 Southern California youth make up the Pride Youth Marching Band, which will perform down the San Diego Pride Parade route. Be entertained by this talented group of musical youth!

    When: Saturday, July 16 at 11AM
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     
    3. Pride resources: Free Rainbow Zone

    _DSC9709-2153Check out this new free addition to San Diego Pride to connect with community resources, food, music, and information! The Free Rainbow Zone will be located just outside the Pride Music Festival and include many longtime attractions of the San Diego Pride Festival, including Art of Pride, Lambda Archives history area, Senior Cool Zone, Youth Zone by Trevor Project, Pride Family Picnic by The Center’s Family Services, LGBT Black Coalition, South Bay Pride, ShePower – Queer women’s health area by the Lesbian Wellness Project, ongoing sobriety support by Live & Let Live Alano Club, 211 San Diego & County Resources, HIV testing, music all day and more! And no ticket is needed – this area is completely free and open to everyone! 

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

    4. Motorcycles

    MotorcycleIt wouldn’t be a Pride parade without motorcycles – and lots of them! Listen for the revving of the engines, and watch the Motorcycle Contingent cruise by. Ride a motorcycle and want to be a part of the contingent? Registration is just $25.

    When: Saturday, July 16 at 11AM
    Where: San Diego Pride Parade

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

    5. Give us a sign (make a sign)

    Parade_Sat_Day_Christina_David (107)-1Show your Pride by making a sign! Posters, signs, and other statements of support are always appreciated along the parade route!

     

     

     

     

     

    6. Rally

    Rally Second OptionPride celebrations everywhere trace their heritage to the evening of June 28, 1969, when patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York City said “No more!” to police harassment. That protest has grown to annual events held in major cities throughout the world. In San Diego, our first rally was held in 1975. San Diego Pride’s 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. Come join us on Friday, July 15, as cheering crowds and energetic speakers kick off San Diego Pride Weekend!

    When: Saturday, July 15 at 6PM
    Where: Marston Pt. (Balboa Dr. & 8th Dr.)

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

    7. Block Party

    BlockpartyThe Pride of Hillcrest Block Party kicks off Pride weekend in the heart of Hillcrest! This event for those 21 years and older includes food, drinks, carnival rides, and lots of DJs, go-gos, and dancing! 

    When: Friday, July 15th from 6PM – 11PM
    Where: Hillcrest Pride Flag, Normal St & University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

    8.Kesha

    1 -- KeshaYou read that right! Kesha will headline this year’s San Diego Pride Music Festival. Catch her on Saturday night at the main stage!

    When: Saturday, July 16 at 7:55PM
    Where: San Diego Pride Music Festival

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

     

    9. VIP or bust!

    VIP square ad

    The best way to experience the San Diego Pride Music Festival is to do it VIP style! This year’s festival has a VIP ticket option, which includes a weekend pass, VIP entrance, VIP lounge, VIP restrooms, catered food, and 4 hosted drinks each day. Tickets and VIP passes are sold here.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

    10. Food Trucks

    Food-Truck-Friday_Taste-the-Rainbow-1With all the celebrating that will go on throughout the weekend, one has to eat! Food trucks will be available in the Free Rainbow Zone serving up all sorts of deliciousness all weekend long.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

     

    11. Selfie Pride #SDPRIDE

    _DSC7711-155-1-1Take lots of selfies throughout the weekend to show everyone what an amazing time you’re having at San Diego Pride! Be sure to use the hashtag #SDPRIDE for all your social media posts.

    Facebook: Click here
    Twitter: @SanDiegoPride
    Instagram: @sandiegopride
    Snapchat: sdpride365

     

     

    12. Get tested

    Get TestedBethegenerationKnowing your HIV status is an important way to help us end new transmissions of the virus. Free HIV testing is always available at San Diego Pride!

     

     

     

     

     

    13. Register to Vote

    Vote With PrideThere’s a lot at stake this election season, so make sure you are able to vote in November by registering (or updating your registration)! Voter registration will be available at the San Diego Pride Music Festival.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

     
     
     
    14. Dance in the open


    San Diego has some of the most beautiful weather in the world, and dancing out in the open in the middle of the summer is one of the best things to do at San Diego Pride. From the Pride of Hillcrest Block Party, to the San Diego Pride Music Festival stages, there’s lots of room to dance!

    15. Hold the GIANT Flag – parade

    It’s tradition to close out the San Diego Pride Parade with the giant rainbow flag! As always, everyone is welcome to join in and help carry the flag to the San Diego Pride Music Festival, and this year, the flag will have special significance in honor of the victims of the Orlando shooting. Bring your friends, family, and signs of support and join in!

    16. Gay hair don’t care (rainbow hair styles)

    11885688_10153088601111056_6697332453113413725_o-1Get creative! Show off your Pride with a rainbow hairstyle, or whatever other colorful ideas you have. Pride is a celebration of our uniqueness so show it off!

     

     

     

     

     

    17. Bring the kids – Pride family picnic area

    IMG_4453-1Family Services at The Center will host the Pride Family Picnic Area within the Free Rainbow Zone. Bring the kids, and have a fun day at the park!

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

     

    18. Bounce Hip-Hop area

    Celebrate diversity under San Diego’s amazing sky at five phenomenal stages over two days with more than 100 entertainers and thousands of your closest friends. Here at The Movement Hip-Hop Stage, our top notch DJs will be spinning the hottest sounds from Hip-Hop, Soul and R&B. With its own dance floor and beverage garden, this stage will keep you moving and in the zone!

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

    19. Get your latin on – stage

    absotosqIt’s musica Latina en español with some of the best emerging artists in live rock, folkloric dancing, y más. Enjoy the musical flavors with a Latin flair. Be a part of the Latino community at Mundo Latino!

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

    20. Skip the ticket line – buy online

    General Festival - fb squareWhy wait in line? Buy your Pride Music Festival tickets now online. Buy tickets here.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

     

    21. Get your history – lambda

    Balboa Flag-1The San Diego region has an incredibly diverse LGBT history and it’s important to share it!  Stop by the Lambda Archives history booth at the Free Rainbow Zone on Saturday and Sunday to learn more about the fascinating stories that have helped shape our community to what it is today.

    Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2016
    Time: Saturday 11 am – 10pm; Sunday 11 am – 8 pm
    Location: Marston Pt., Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.)

    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

     

    22. Run for it! 5K

    Pride runThe annual Pride 5K is a healthy way to start Pride weekend. The 5K race starts and finishes at University Avenue and Centre Street and features gear check, after-race snacks, high-quality tech t-shirts, ChronoTrack disposable UHF RFID tags to record your time, a fast flat course along the parade, and a USAT& sanctioned and certified 5K course.

    When: Saturday, July 16 at 9:30AM
    Race Start and Finish: University Avenue at Centre Street

    For more information, click here.
    Invite your friends on Facebook here!

    23. Show your True Colors – rainbow outfit

    Pride Run Option 2Get decked out in everything rainbow! Rainbow socks, ties, tutus, accessories and more! Show your Pride!

     

     

     

     

     

     

    24. Bud Contest

    Bud light contestSan Diego Pride is excited to offer the “Ultimate Bud Light Party” experience at San Diego Pride this year! You and a friend will be able to celebrate equality like a true ULTRA VIP at the 2016 San Diego Pride Parade and Festival. To enter the sweepstakes and get more info, click here.

     

     

     

     

    25. Uber don’t drive

    Uber SquareSan Diego Pride weekend is a fun celebration, and for many, includes lots of adult beverages. Celebrate safely and catch a ride using the Uber app. Uber is the official rideshare partner for San Diego Pride. Use code SDPRIDE16.

    More info and sign-up is here.

     

     

     

    (+ 1)  Know your Naughty side – check out the leather realm

    13530380_10209689290410782_855958714_nThe San Diego Leather Realm is a large, age-restricted area of The San Diego Pride Music Festival. The Leather Realm opens its doors for education and fun, to provide visibility, awareness and communication of Safe, Sane and Consensual play, Leather, BDSM, Fetish, and Kink Life Styles through hands-on demonstration areas, workshops, community organizations, and alternative-lifestyle friendly businesses.

     

  64. Inspirational Couple – Denice Williams and Dana Toppel

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    2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Inspirational Couple
    2016 Recipient: Denice Williams and Dana Toppel
    Awarded to a couple whose love and commitment embodies the humanity our community.

    toppelDenice Williams and Dana Toppel share a commitment to do their part to create a world where everyone is happy, healthy, safe and thriving. The couple met 14 years ago while working at the Hillcrest Youth Center, a program of the San Diego LGBT Community Center. Both women (have and continue to) volunteer and work with organizations and initiatives that support the wellbeing of the San Diego community, including LGBT youth, individuals living with HIV and families. Denice serves on the Board of Directors at Christie’s Place, an organization that provides comprehensive HIV/AIDS education, support and advocacy to women, children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS and, as an avid cyclist, has completed the AIDS LifeCycle, a 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that raises funds to eliminate HIV/AIDS. Dana is the Chief Operating Officer at Jewish Family Service of San Diego, an organization that provides a wide range of vital human services to empower people of all ages and faiths to reach their goals and build better lives. Being the parents of an energetic, beautiful, loving five-year-old is the couple’s proudest accomplishment to date.

  65. Stonewall Service – #BeTheGeneration

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    2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Stonewall Service
    2016 Recipient: #BeTheGeneration
    Awarded to a group or organization, which may or may 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.

    btg1The San Diego LGBT Community Center launched the groundbreaking #BeTheGeneration campaign in October 2014 with the goal of ending new infections of HIV in San Diego County by 2024. In the short time since the campaign’s launch, it has become a well-known brand around town, engaging community members to have conversations about the new hope in HIV, while decreasing the stigma and fear that prevent so many people from accessing testing, prevention tools, and treatment. Center staff members have infused #BeTheGeneration conversations into all of the agency’s programs, and the outreach team has engaged over 100 community members who serve as ambassadors of the campaign, speaking about tools like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) – the once-daily pill that prevents HIV infection, and the importance of treatment to suppress the virus for those living with HIV. The Center has also trained a team of HIV test counselors who provide client-centered HIV test counseling, encouraging clients to be empowered to take care of their own health. #BeTheGeneration looks forward to seeing an end to new cases of HIV once and for all – and will keep working until the goal is reached.

  66. Friend of Pride – Dale Kelly Bankhead

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    2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Friend of Pride
    Awarded to an individual or couple 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.

    bankhead_web

    2016 Recipient: Dale Kelly Bankhead

    Dale Kelly Bankhead is the Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, where she leads the over 200,000 working families and 135 affiliated unions of our local labor movement.  She comes to this position after many decades working on behalf of equality and social justice, including for the LGBT community.

    Most notably, Dale has been active in the fight for marriage equality, serving as statewide manager for the No on 8 Campaign and its predecessor, Equality for All.  She has appeared in the media many times, both nationally and locally, to discuss this issue and was instrumental in securing the endorsement of the conservative San Diego Union-Tribune for marriage equality. Dale’s work also includes leading the fight to oust the discriminatory Boy Scouts from their free location in city-owned Balboa Park and serving on the Anti-Bullying Task Force of the San Diego Unified School District.

    Dale held a number of senior policy and management positions on the staff of Assembly Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins and has played a prominent role in legislative successes on behalf of the LGBT community, such as bills which eliminated much of the expense and other hurdles associated with ensuring that a transgender person’s birth and death certificates accurately reflect their gender identity.

    Dale has served on the Board of Directors of the San Diego LGBT Community Center since 2003 and held the position of co-chair in 2011 and 2012 and then again in 2014 and 2015.

    Dale’s professional background includes eight years as the Public Affairs Director for the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties and numerous political campaigns.  She has been honored many times for her social justice work by organizations such as the San Diego Democratic Party, San Diego Democrats for Equality, the Metropolitan Community Church and the Tom Homann Law Association.

  67. Community Champion – Fernando “Junior” Buendia

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    2016 Stonewall Athlete Awards
    The Stonewall Athletic Awards support, honor and enhance the San Diego LGBT athletic community by promoting inclusive and healthy competition and activities. Each year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community to recognize individuals and groups in their respective categories.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Stonewall Athlete Award – Community Champion
    2016 Recipient – Fernando “Junior” Buendia
    This award is given to an individual, group, or business that has significantly contributed to the financial well-being of recreational or competitive athletics within San Diego’s LGBT community.

    IMG_9205

    “Junior” first started working with elementary school students in underprivileged neighborhoods for an elective when he was studying biochemistry and playing lacrosse for UCSD. Shortly after graduating, he began playing in recreational leagues such as SDAFFL, SDTF, and SD Hoops.

    When he started coaching football with the SDAFFL, he realized that his team really believed in him, so he decided to drag them to do similar projects such as tutoring, school clean-ups, and fundraising at schools that needed help. His team efforts soon became league efforts in helping with collecting backpacks and shoe funds for students in low-income families. He even led a Sports Day at Memorial Prep offering free sports training, and free food was provided for the students and their parents and siblings.

    It was in the fall of 2009 Junior realized that the kids 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.” This would be a free event which would serve to do many things: raise money for underprivileged students at Memorial Prep in Barrio Logan and for the youth programs at the LGBT Center, and bring in hundreds of toys for the Imperial Court’s Toys for Kids Drive. In addition to a raffle which gives 100% of the proceeds back to kids in need, the event has now grown to include SD High Rollers Bowling, SD Armada Rugby, SAGA Ski/Snowboard and Different Strokes Swim Team, among other local groups. Lasting just a couple hours on a Sunday night for the last seven years, the event has attracted up to 800 people at a time and in total has raised just short of $30,000 and collected about 4,500 toys for needy children.

    Junior has also created his own position with certain LGBT sports leagues as “Community Outreach” board member and gotten the leagues involved with collections of Easter baskets for kids, AIDS walk, SD Food Bank virtual and physical drives, and, more recently, a 5th grade Essay Contest through his brand SDAFFL Cares.

    we care 6 We Care 2012

  68. Philanthropist – Mo’s Universe

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    2016 Stonewall Athlete Awards
    The Stonewall Athletic Awards support, honor and enhance the San Diego LGBT athletic community by promoting inclusive and healthy competition and activities. Each year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community to recognize individuals and groups in their respective categories.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Stonewall Athlete Award – Philanthropy
    2016 Recipient – Mo’s Universe
    This award is given to an individual, group, or business that has significantly contributed to the financial well-being of recreational or competitive athletics within San Diego’s LGBT community.

    chris-doug-friendswebtopIn just the past four years, the company’s cash donations to a variety of organizations total $158,348. That figure includes annual, minimum donations of $20,000 to the San Diego LGBT Community Center, which MO’s Universe has actually been making for some years.

    MO’s Universe has also committed to supporting several LGBT sports organizations each year, including America’s Finest Softball League, SD Hoops, SDAFFL and, more recently, the Varsity Gay League.

    MO’s Universe is also dedicated to providing a safe and fun environment for the LGBT community to be themselves while enjoying delicious eats and colorful libations at one of our four locations: Urban MO’s, Baja Betty’s, Gossip Grill and Hillcrest Brewing Company.

  69. Volunteer – Tom Abbas

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    2016 Stonewall Athlete Awards
    The Stonewall Athletic Awards support, honor and enhance the San Diego LGBT athletic community by promoting inclusive and healthy competition and activities. Each year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community to recognize individuals and groups in their respective categories.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Stonewall Athlete Award – Volunteer
    2016 Recipient – Tom Abbas
    This award is given to a volunteer whose invaluable and significant contributions of time and skills have ensured the success of their league, athletic competition, or recreational sport in the San Diego region.

    Tom 110314Tom Abbas began volunteering as an accountant for The Center between 1990 and 1992. In 1993, he participated in a benefit for Special Delivery San Diego. That led to service as a member of the board of directors serving from 1993 to the present. Tom’s board positions during these years were either as Treasurer or President.  He began playing in America’s Finest City Softball League in 1994. In 1995, Tom became a member of the board of directors for over 10 years, serving first as Treasurer, then as Assistant Commissioner and Commissioner. He was part of the San Diego host committee for the Gay Softball World Series in both 1997 and 2005. Tom’s position as Commissioner included Co-Chairman of the annual Autumn Classic tournament. He has been on the board of directors for Greater San Diego Business Association Charitable Foundation from 2000 to present, serving as both Treasurer and President in different years. His service with the foundation also included serving on the annual Hillcrest Mardi Gras for most of the 12 years it was held.

  70. Stonewall Philanthropy Award – MARYAH

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    2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Stonewall Philanthropy Award
    2016 Recipient – MARYAH (Metro Area Real Estate Professionals for Young Adult Housing)
    Awarded to a group or organization, which may or may not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, but who 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.

    image1MARYAH (Metro Area Real Estate Professionals for Young Adult Housing) is a group of local professionals in the LGBT and Allied communities. For the past 11 years, MARYAH has been fundraising for the Sunburst Youth Housing Project – a program of the San Diego LGBT Community Center that provides safe and supportive housing for San Diego’s homeless youth, including LGBT and HIV-positive youth.

    MARYAH’s dedicated board of directors, comprised of more than 20 hardworking real estate professionals, produce three fundraising events throughout the year. Their signature David Yoder memorial Casino Royale and Poker Tournament, Summer Solstice and Harvest Howl have not only proved you can put the “fun” in fundraising but also shown how well a professional community can work together to make a difference. The members of MARYAH have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the Sunburst Youth Housing Project and are changing the lives of our youth.

    Thank you to all of the past and present MARYAH board members and to every person who has attended one of their events over the past 11 years.

  71. Champion of Pride – Sue Reynolds

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    2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Champion of Pride
    2016 Recipient: Sue Reynolds
    An individual or couple who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.

    Sue_webSue Reynolds is the head of Community HousingWorks (CHWorks.org), a leading California nonprofit housing developer and owner of affordable apartments based in San Diego.  Under Sue’s leadership, CHW is partnering with The Center in July 2016 to break ground on the construction of San Diego’s first LGBT-affirming affordable senior apartment community.  Sue has a personal connection to this apartment project.  As a young lesbian in the 1980’s, Sue demonstrated for LGBT civil rights in D.C. by day, and then joked with friends at night about living together when they all got old in “the old lesbians’ home.”  Sue doesn’t know which is more surprising – that she did get old herself, or that she is actually getting to build apartments that make real that long-ago dream!

    Born in Ohio and educated in New York City, Sue moved to San Diego in 1989 to be with the love of her life and now wife, Allison Rossett, for whom she is always grateful.  Sue has been a leading affordable housing advocate and builder of apartments in San Diego ever since.   She followed Jennifer LeSar into the leadership of CHW almost 19 years ago, just in time to open CHW’s Marisol Apartments, the county’s first affordable apartment community for people with HIV and AIDS.  She is a singer, a hiker and a consumer of much art and theater.  Thank you, Pride, for this amazing recognition of me and the team at CHW that is making this LGBT senior community possible, including Anne Wilson, Dave Gatzke and Sylvia Martinez.  And hats off to The Center and to the LGBT senior advocates, too numerous to safely name, who held the vision while we all worked to make this haven for our elders possible.

  72. Community Service – Tita Viveros

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    2016 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees
    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals or groups who contribute significantly to the LGBT community through their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    For a full list of our awardees, please click here.

    Spirit of Stonewall Award – Community Service
    2016 Recipient: Tita Viveros
    An individual or couple 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.

    tita_web

    Born in Veracruz, Mexico, to a very conservative family, Tita Viveros reached San Diego in the early 90s, fleeing the violence and rejection that forces many LGBT people to leave their countries of origin.

    In her journey to joining a different culture, Tita sought out support groups and community agencies for assistance. In addition to guidance, she found friends who became a new family to help her heal from difficulties in her past. Tita was empowered to help others in similar situations, especially the Hispanic LGBT community living in the Tijuana /San Diego area.

    Since 1994, Terry Albritton and Roger Sanchez have trained and given Tita the opportunity to facilitate support groups, and since 1996 she has been involved in community agencies such as Christie’s Place, Pacto Latino AIDS Organization, Bienestar San Diego, The LGBT San Diego Center, COCUT Tijuana and Jardin de Las Mariposas, Tijuana.

    Tita has also been part of organizing committees that raise awareness and educate about LGBT topics, HIV and Immigration, such as Transgender Day of Remembrance, Transgender Day of Empowerment, Remembranza Trans Tijuana (Transgender Day of Remembrance Tijuana), Jornada contra la Homofobia Tijuana (Journey against Homophobia Tijuana), and many more that are held on both sides of the border.

    In addition, Tita has served as HIV Case Manager and Treatment Educator for Comprehensive Health Center, Housing Coordinator for Pacto Organization Latino AIDS Organization, and Latino Ministry Coordinator at Metropolitan Community Church. She currently works as a Patient Advocate for Pride Pharmacy in Hillcrest.

    In her more than 20 years of work in the LGBT community, Tita has learned from such leaders as Tracie O’Brien, Connor Maddocks, Carolina Ramos, Rev. Ramon Flores and others to help people improve their health and quality of life with guidance in their medical treatments, gender transitions and supportive services that benefit our community.

  73. Kesha Coming Out To Support San Diego Pride

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    Kesha Photo 2San 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!

  74. Bisexual Health Awareness Month

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    Did you know that March is Bisexual Health Awareness month? For the third year, led by the Bisexual Resource Center, bi+ community organizations have come together to highlight the physical and mental health disparities experienced by those who, by behavior or self-identification, possess the capacity for attraction to more than one gender. We use words like bi, fluid, pansexual, queer and omnisexual to describe ourselves, while some of us eschew labels altogether. Bi+ is emerging as a term used to refer to this multi-faceted community and used here for that purpose.

    Bi+ people experience higher rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease than our lesbian, gay and heterosexual peers. We have higher rates of suicide, smoking, substance abuse and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Members of our community experience intimate partner violence at higher rates. Moreover, we are less likely to access health care services, with bi+ adults less likely to have a consistent health care provider and more likely to be uninsured and live below the poverty line.

    One way to mitigate the impact of these disparities is to bring bi+ people together. Through social interaction, a sense of community, support, sharing of resources and having fun, we can positively impact our lives. We offer the following groups in the San Diego community in the hopes that the disparities can be lessened by the power of community.

    Bisexual Fluid Queer Community in San Diego
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/BiFluidQueerCommunitySD/

    amBi San Diego
    A group that exists to build Bi Community through a variety of events and activities that allows bisexuals to meet, establish meaningful friendships, and have fun!
    http://www.meetup.com/amBiSD/

    Bi Bar
    A fun, social, safe space built intentionally to be 100% accepting of all self-identifications, trans/poly/kink/disability friendly, size-accepting, and culturally diverse.
    http://www.meetup.com/Bi-Bar-San-Diego/

    Bi/Fluid/Queer Coming Out Group
    A supportive space to explore what being out means in our own lives. Meets at 7:00pm the third Wednesday of each month at the LGBT Center.

    Bisexual Forum of San Diego
    A discussion group with a strong emphasis on social connection. Meets at 7:00pm the second Tuesday of each month in Room #2 at the LGBT Center.
    http://www.meetup.com/amBiSD/

    Latina Bisexual and Lesbian Group (San Diego)
    A group focused on building a stronger queer Latina community through participation in events and activities.
    http://www.meetup.com/Latina-Bisexual-Lesbian-Group-San-Diego/

    San Diego Bisexual Women Meetup
    A place for bisexual women to meet, socialize and connect to celebrate our bisexuality and the wonderful opportunities that come along with it.
    http://www.meetup.com/san-diego-bisexual-women/

  75. 1st Place Essay: “School is a battle field: gender identity affirmation”

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    The school feels like a battlefield just before the first shot is fired.
    Every day, I walk past the restrooms in the one hundred building. Every day, I have to change in the wrong locker room. Every day, I feel the stares on my back and often hear whispers.
    Walking to fourth period PE every day starts a racing in my chest and a sickness in my stomach. The boys’ locker room is a right turn. The girls’ is to the left. My thoughts, taking up the voice of a harsh commander, weigh the options each time I approach. To the left, there are the piercing eyes of the girls. How many would ask about me behind my back? How many would question me upfront? To the right, there is no way to expect what could happen. Would they beat me up? Kick me out? Both? We could turn back and go to the counsellor. We could go to the nurse.
    No, we have to change in the girls’ locker room. That’s what we do every day. That’s what everyone wants you to do.
    So I take the left turn, and I walk down the small flight of stairs, and I walk to my locker, and I hate every moment of it.
    The school offers help, but it feels cold and scripted. The nurse has pulled me out of class to ask me about my gender. I should have been grateful, but I was scared and felt pressured. I nodded at everything she said and tried to listen, but I just wanted to go back to class.
    Go back to the class containing the teacher that, for a while, I believed had ruined my life. At Open House, he asked my mother what my gender was. He questioned her and told her things that were none of his business. I want to think positive, but I find it hard to forgive him. Because of him, my mother will  never look at me the same way again.
    I have no support coming from my friends. At least, I once thought they were my friends. I have no support from home. School offers help, but I find it hard to reach out for help. When I look to myself as a last resort, I find no confidence. Sometimes, school leaves me weary and wanting to give up. Most often, I just want to fast forward to when I turn eighteen.
    I want to get away from parents, from people who doubt me and judge me. I want to get away from the image of who everyone thought I was.
    Our world has come so far to help people like me. With slight improvements, more education, and safe programs, we can help so many people. Instead of pulling us aside, singling us out, and saying things without our permission, we need to be able to reach out and communicate with each other. Every person deals with things differently. We must understand these differences.
  76. 2nd Place Essay: “Definition of gay: stereotypes and the importance of affirming educators”

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    As a child, I never really understood what it meant to be gay. I never understood the strict borders between pink and blue, between dolls and race cars, between pretty dresses and sports-related t-shirts. I never understood why these boundaries existed, and why I was on the “wrong” side of the wall. Nonetheless, I kept going, and I became who I am now, someone strong, both mentally and emotionally, and someone who loves himself and who is willing to help others love themselves too.
    My name is Daniel. I am fifteen years old and a sophomore at Point Loma High. It’s been two years that I’ve been out of the closet, and eight years knowing I like boys. Though I face challenges at school, I’m still largely accepted in school, which makes me very grateful. The largest challenges I’ve faced are stereotypical judgements like “All gay guys are insanely flamboyant and overly dramatic,” and the occasional peer who uses homosexuality to make jokes. As irritating as these problems are, I know not to take them seriously.
    Being gay has never been easy, but my experience has been facilitated thanks to some of my current and previous teachers and counselors who point out anything they believe can help me, like clubs, groups, and books; without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today, and I wouldn’t be writing this essay. My counselors have helped me through problems, from dealing with emotions to finding places where I can be myself. I truly am fortunate to have them.
    As open as our school is, it is far from being perfect. Point Loma High is really great, but I believe there are more ways it could support our LGBTQ+ youth. One way is by having more clubs or groups that support the LGBTQ+ youth and community in the school. Another way I think the school could support us is by having an all school Pride day, or Pride week, allowing the students to wear their sexual orientations’ colors and expressing themselves. The last way I think the school could support us is by having assemblies talking about our community, sexual orientations, and to speak out when there is bullying and hate present. This would encourage the students to take us seriously, stop making jokes, and allow us to show not only our own, but the school’s support and dedication to the LGBTQ+ youth of today and the years to come.
    At this point, I know that the determination and ambition of others along with my own can change the way schools see the youth of a different sexual orientation, and how that goal isn’t far from becoming a reality. I know that I share this wish with others, and I am eager to find out how high we can go in making this dream take shape. I know that together, we can bring the wall down, I know that together we can speak out. With pride. For pride.
  77. 3rd Place Essay: “A discussion: Intersection of ethnicity, nationality, body image, mental health, and LGBTQ issues”

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    When I was eight years old and watched the Selena movie for the first time, I immediately identified with her and our shared Mexican-American struggle. It reminded me of kindergarten, where, despite attending a diverse school, I was told by my teacher that I wasn’t allowed to speak Spanish and that my native tongue was filthy. This created a barrier I wasn’t able to climb until middle school where I took my first Spanish class and realized the rich history I was keeping myself from. Prior to then, I believed Spanish and my Mexican heritage was forbidden to speak of. That in turn made my Mexican relatives judge me as I struggled to hold a small conversation when visiting in Baja California.
    This ideology also followed me into my adolescence when I first began to discover my queerness. Androgyny depicted in the media was the opposite of my body’s characteristics – I was not a pale, thin, masculine presenting person but rather a brown, fat, more feminine presenting individual. This misconception that “queerness” was defined by how flat I could bind my chest or how well I could fluctuate and “pass” as both male and female made me feel like I would never be transgender enough. My biggest challenge after coming out as genderqueer at school has been trying to create a positive and safe space for other queer students and our allies on campus. Issues arose after attempting to start our first Gay-Straight-Alliance club that led to several board meetings, contact with the ACLU, as well as my hospitalization in a mental health institution and rehabilitation center for several weeks.
    While there I realized that my school as well as these health and wellness establishments were lacking in its inclusivity of transgender identities nor did they know how to respond to issues such as body dysphoria, bullying by staff, and abusive relationships within schools and the greater LGBTQIA community. After returning to school, our gender neutral bathroom was set in place which took a very heavy weight off my shoulders as well as the change in my school email to my real name rather than my birthname and staff being informed of my identity and pronouns. Three major steps I believe all schools should take to be supportive of LGBTQIA students are to create safe spaces like GSAs or community groups where youth can come and discuss their gender or sexuality questions without judgement or fear as well as establish gender neutral restrooms and use inclusive language within the classroom (ie “class” instead of “ladies and gentlemen”).
    Now, a year after my hospitalization, I’ve made it my goal to educate and advocate for transgender and race issues within my school, workplace, and general public. I’ve come to learn that my Mexican-American experience is different than others’ and as long as I identify as queer, my appearance is “queer enough.” I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. I am always enough.
  78. Top 10 Moments of Pride 2015

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    1. OUT at the Park!

    OUT at the Park
    OUT at the Park has become a celebrated annual tradition for LGBTQA Padres fans! Athletics, and more specifically professional sports, is one of the last remaining areas that could use some more OUT and proud attention! Former Padres player, and current MLB Ambassador for Inclusion, Billy Bean has made OUT at the Park appearances in the past as his current role is to help Major and Minor League Clubs encourage equal opportunity. With that said, we’ve got some big plans for next Year’s OATP. Stay tuned.


     

     2. Marriage Victory

    Arguments at the United States Supreme Court for Same-Sex Marriage on April 28, 2015

    Marriage equality had been a long-fought battle and many San Diegans helped to lead that fight! This year we got to celebrate that historic victory with great pride! While there is still a tremendous amount of work to do before all LGBTQ people are truly equal, what an honor it was to live through the day in history when love won!


    3. Pride Flag on Balboa Building

    Balboa Flag
    When someone needs a giant Pride flag they typically know who to call! The day the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, there were monuments lit up with rainbows across the entire country. Here in San Diego, the Museum of Man took a historic step by hanging our 30-foot Pride Flag on the iconic Balboa Tower. It was the first time a cultural flag of its kind had ever been flown from the tower. Many thanks to the Museum of Man staff for acknowledging our flag as the symbol of a global cultural community deserving of recognition!


    4. Spirit of Stonewall Rally

    rally
    The Spirit of Stonewall Rally is the event where we honor our local LGBTQA heroes and get inspired about the work yet to do. Our 2015 Pride theme was “Liberty and Justice for All” as we highlighted the need for intersectional social justice. Speakers like Speaker of Assembly Toni Atkins talked about Religious Freedom Restoration Acts that threaten the LGBTQ community and the attack on women’s rights as a shared fight. Immigration Equality Executive Director Cara Desert talked about immigration, asylum and refugee reform as an LGBT issue highlighting the damage done to trans women in detention centers in the United States. Dwayne Crenshaw, former Pride Executive Director and current Executive Director of RISE San Diego, talked about the intersection of #BlackLivesMatter and #TransLivesMatter and the over-policing of our lives based on the shades of our gender and skin. Patrick Loose from the San Diego County Health Department talked about access to HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and prevention as a social-justice issue. Even the State Department recognized the significance of the event and sent 16 delegates from countries around the world to hear our message! Liberty and Justice for All!


     

    5. Pride Youth Marching Band

    Youth Marching Band
    The creation of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth to thrive is part of our ongoing mission. In 2015, after 2 ½ years of planning, we were finally able to bring together 15 LGBTQA music educators from around the region to create the Pride Youth Marching Band – a first-of-its-kind program in the nation! The youth performed amazingly and we can’t wait to see them again at next year’s parade! See their story here!


    6. Trans Military Service

    Evander
    Even before Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered a six-month study aimed at lifting the ban on transgender troops serving openly in the military, Evander Deocariza, an active-duty transgender Marine, was already courageously working with San Diego Pride to march openly in our Parade and carry the Trans Pride Flag in our Military Contingent’s color guard. San Diego’s LGBT veteran and active-duty community have helped shape much of our local and LGBT national movement.

    Watch as Evander shares his story here.


    7. The Rain

    The Rain
    Yes. Yes. We know. It rained! While we clearly don’t control the weather we like to joke that we were attempting to solve California’s drought problem as San Diego broke a 113-year rainfall record! Through it all our community persevered and the Parade and Festival went on as you all beautifully danced in the rain!

    Take a look at our top 50 photos from the event!


    8. Ruby Rose

    Ruby Rose
    In 2014, Ruby Rose performed at Pride and had such a great time she wanted to come back in 2015. Of course, at the time, we had no idea that she would be a break-out sensation and, as Orange is the New Black lifted her profile, excitement around her 2015 performance grew. The rain stopped and the main stage was off the hook! It was a Pride performance to remember!


    9. Pride World Forum

    Pride World Forum group
    Over the last several years, we have expanded our international outreach. This year, the State Department brought 25 LGBT activists from 25 countries around the world to San Diego to exchange wisdom, support, and, in partnership with Diplomacy Council and The San Diego LGBT Community Center, share their global concerns with the San Diego LGBT community!


    10. Youth Leadership Academy

    Youth Leadership
    In San Diego we know all too well the dire consequences of homophobia that our LGBTQ+ youth are faced with, making our commitment to serve and build up these young people even stronger. Our Pride Youth Leadership Academy brings together LGBTQ+ youth from around the region to connect with inspirational community leaders, as well as with vital organizations and resources, so these young people can begin to advocate for themselves and inspire others to do the same.

    It was an amazing year for Pride 2015! We can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store for us all. Thank you for helping to make this an amazing year of Pride!

  79. Champions of Pride- Tracie Jada O’Brien

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    TJOB32015 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees

    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals who contribute significantly to the LGBT community though their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    Champions of Pride-Tracie Jada O’Brien

    Since surviving the mean streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District in the 1970s as a young transgender street kid, Tracie Jada O’Brien has persevered and worked tirelessly to become an outstanding role model within – and a staunch advocate for – the transgender community.

    Professionally she has provided decades of life-saving work to the LGBT community as Coordinator of Project S.T.A.R. (Supporting Transgender Access to Resources), as an addictions treatment counselor at Stepping Stone of San Diego — and most recently — as a medical case management worker for Family Health Centers of San Diego, Inc.

    Always one step ahead of the movement, she participated in the first consultation forum for trans* individuals with the CDC in 2005. She helped create the first HIV Prevention brochure targeting trans* women of color – and even posed as the cover model. She founded San Diego’s Transgender Day of Empowerment that is now in its fourteenth year and the Tracie Jada O’Brien Student Scholarship Program that gave out three scholarships to deserving trans* and gender-nonconforming youth in its very first year.

    She has been a speaker for and active with the Transgender Leadership Summit, The California Office of AIDS Transgender HIV Equality and Party Conferences, Transgender Center of Excellence (San Francisco), and the Center of Excellence for Transgender HIV Prevention and many more.

  80. Champions of Pride- Conner Maddocks

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    17 - Connor Portrait2015 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees

    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals who contribute significantly to the LGBT community though their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    Champions of Pride- Conner Maddocks
    Connor Maddocks has been doing advocacy and civil rights work in the San Diego Transgender community for the past 12 years.

    He is the lead facilitator of the San Diego FTM-SO Discussion group, and is an active guest speaker to various organizations, businesses and colleges on Transgender issues. He has done extensive trainings on all aspects of the Transgender Community as well as workshops for the community on legal name and gender changes.

    He is a member of the Community Leadership Council of San Diego, Chair of the San Diego Day of Remembrance, and planning committee member of the Day of Empowerment. He is a former member of the San Diego Pride Board of directors, and an active volunteer of Pride for the past 11 years.

    Connor is also a member of the American Cancer Society California LGBT Diversity team, a Past Co-Chair of TASC San Diego and he also served on the Transgender Leadership Summit planning committee, and the LGBTQ Reducing Disparities Project – TG Advisory Group. His list of community service continues with the Equality Professionals Network (EPN) Steering Committee, San Diego Police Department Chief’s LGBT Advisory Board, as well as the San Diego Department of Veterans Affair’s (VA) LGBTQ Workgroup.

    He also works to provide trainings to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and in 2015 he began working San Diego Police Department doing the very first trainings on Transgender issues for the department, training the police officers in every division in the city.

    Connor is currently employed by the San Diego LGBT Community Center as the Facilities Manager and Program Coordinator for Project TRANS. He is also the parent of 3 daughters and grandparent to 8 beautiful grandkids.

  81. Grand Marshal

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    Trans Community Grand Marshal2015 Spirit of Stonewall Awardees

    Every year, San Diego Pride accepts nominations from the community for the annual presentation of the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. The awards recognize individuals who contribute significantly to the LGBT community though their leadership, activism, and/or fundraising efforts.

    Community Grand Marshal – Trans Community
    Rather than honor a single person, San Diego Pride has named the entire Trans* Community as the Community Grand Marshal for the 2015 San Diego Pride Parade.

    From the streets of Greenwich Village to the cover of Time magazine, the trans* community has come a long way.

    Since well before the Stonewall Riots of 1969, trans* people have been standing up and fighting for our rights, dignity, and equality, right alongside our LGB siblings. In fact, three years before Stonewall, in 1966, a group of trans* women took a stand against discrimination and police harassment in Los Angeles – an event now known as the Compton Cafeteria Riots.

    At Stonewall in ‘69, trans* & gender non-conforming activists like Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major, and Sylvia Rivera played a huge role in the riots and ongoing movement that rippled forth.

    While the trans* community has gained some increased visibility in recent years, we continue to face a disproportionate amount of discrimination, legal inequality, and hate-driven violence.  It has never been more important that our entire LGB community stand in solidarity with our trans* siblings in the struggle.

    The Community Grand Marshal contingent will include trans* and gender non-conforming individuals from all walks of life standing side-by-side with friends, families, and allies.

    Our hope is to highlight the T in LGBT as we continue our shared struggle, honoring the contributions of people who are trans* and gender non-conforming in the pursuit of liberty and justice

  82. Celebration and Outrage

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    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Celebration and Outrage: An Open Letter about the 2015 San Diego Pride Parade

    By Stephen Whitburn, Executive Director, San Diego Pride

    Thank you to all who plan to attend this year’s San Diego Pride Parade. I’m writing in regard to activism that may temporarily disrupt the parade’s flow.

    This year’s Grand Marshal is the entire transgender community, and both Champions of Pride are transgender. We’re proud they’re leading the parade.

    Pride was recently contacted by members of the transgender community who notified us of their plan to conduct multiple “die-ins” during which individuals will lie on the street, stopping the parade, while others encircle them with crime scene tape and read the names of trans* individuals whom we’ve lost this year to murder and suicide.

    I obviously respect activism; it’s played a significant role in our movement for equality and fair treatment. At the same time, I respect others in the transgender community who do not wish for these die-ins to occur and who say they believe the Grand Marshal and Champion of Pride honors should be marked by celebration, not images of death. I’d further like to be considerate to our parade’s 200 contingents and 100,000 spectators, some of whom have asked us to minimize the stopping and starting and gaps that sometimes occur in the parade because they affect the flow of the experience for participants and spectators alike. There are several important interests to balance here.

    I’ll never know what it’s like to be transgender. I’ll never know how it feels to be shunned for being transgender by many in our society including some in the LGB community. I’ll never know the fear and rage of being a trans* woman of color who has seen others like her murdered for who they are. I can only observe that within the transgender community there are both feelings of celebration for the honor and visibility that accompanies being parade Grand Marshal, and feelings of continued outrage as week after week brings a new report of a murder or suicide of someone who is transgender.

    These feelings co-exist, and we should allow both to be expressed. Conflicted emotions are often our real experience, and there’s room in our parade for keeping it real. I trust those expressing their outrage during the parade will respect those who wish to celebrate, and I hope those in a celebratory mood will respect those who see it as an opportunity for activism. I think we’ve worked out a reasonable compromise under which three die-ins will occur at the beginning, the middle, and near the end of the parade route, and those in the trans* contingent who wish to celebrate will go first so as not to have to view the die-ins, while those conducting the actions will follow.

    I also hope those watching the parade understand and appreciate that there will be both celebration and outrage. And perhaps there will be a couple of gaps. Our march toward equality and fairness has been full of starts and stops and conflicted emotions. Our march toward Balboa Park this year may be like that, too. In both cases, while it may be slow, I hope you watch our progress with pride.

    Stephen Whitburn
    Executive Director
    San Diego Pride

  83. Pride Music Festival Lineup: Phase 2

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    Phase 2 Artist Lineup
    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!!

  84. Pride Music Festival Lineup: Phase 1

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    Pride Music Festival Phase 1

    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

  85. Accessibility Awareness Training

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    Pride’s Accessibility Team offers a two-hour training session to educate people about accessibility and people who live with disabilities. While some content is specific to the Pride festival, the majority of the information would be useful to any individual looking to further their knowledge in this area.

    Our highly interactive trainings encourage individuals to ask the uncomfortable questions most people have that unfortunately often go unanswered. Using personal anecdotes, practical examples and humor, we will help demystify disability and strip away the uncertainty people experience when encountering a person with a disability.

     

    Specifically, we will cover:

    ✔ Disability etiquette – how to interact with a person with a disability

    ✔ People-first language – how to refer to a person with a disability, including what words to use and what words to avoid

    ✔ Methods for communicating with a person who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

    ✔ American Sign Language basics

    ✔ Guiding a person with a sight impairment

    ✔ How to give directions to a person with a sight impairment

    ✔ Fundamentals of understanding people with cognitive disabilities and people with psychological disabilities

    ✔ Guidelines related to people who use wheelchairs

    ✔ Overview of what accessibility services Pride offers

    ✔ Responsibilities and limitations as a Pride accessibility volunteer

     

    All Pride’s Accessibility Awareness Training is free and open to the public as space permits. The two-hour sessions are held at the San Diego Pride, located at 3620 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104. If you are interested, please email the Accessibility Coordinator at [email protected] to register.

     

    The current training schedule is as follows:

    June 7 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm

    June 11 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

    June 28 from 1:00pm -3:00pm

    July 9 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

    July 13 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

     

    Should you require a reasonable accommodations to participate in one of our training sessions, please notify the Accessibility Coordinator one week prior to the session you are interested in attending by email [email protected] with your needs. We will do our best to meet them.