I was in Chicago asleep when I was awoken by a phone call from Colorado Springs telling me about the attack at Club Q and that five were killed and among the over 20 seriously wounded was Prince Ed of the local Imperial Court Chapter who was rushed to the hospital. I was then informed that the General Manager of Club Q was a Princess of the Imperial Court. I immediately called our police chief David Nisleit, Mayor Todd Gloria, and Councilman Stephen Whitburn. Chief Nisleit immediately added more patrols to our LGBTQ+ bars, establishments and organizations. I phoned Sheriff Kelly Martinez and asked her to step up patrols for the North County LGBTQ Resource Center and the South Bay LGBTQ Center and she immediately did. The Hillcrest Town Council announced a “NO TO HATE RALLY” and asked me if I could help with speakers (Benny Cartwright and Eddie Rey played a big role in organizing the rally). Police Chief David Nisleit and I agreed that there needed to be a community meeting with local law enforcement, and we started reaching out to the Sheriff, FBI, District Attorney, etc. We agreed that Councilman Stephen Whitburn would be the perfect moderator for the community meeting. In the meantime, the rally needed a promotional poster too, so I called Bob Lehman who got one done in less than an hour!
In the meantime, I learned that the San Diego LGBT Center officials had told our Police Chief that the center did not want any police patrolling on Center Street or near the center during the Transgender Day of Remembrance event because many Transgender people “hated the police”. Police Chief Nisleit and Mayor Todd Gloria refused to let our center and the Transgender Day of Remembrance event go unprotected. When center officials saw the Police Chief and openly Gay Lieutenant Dan Myers near the center parking lot, they asked them to move! All of this will be addressed in a later issue. But let me make this very clear, I believe that the Executive Directors stand was absolutely putting LGBTQ+ people in danger. The NO TO HATE RALLY was a huge success as was the Community Town Hall meeting with hundreds in attendance. A big thank you to our Police Chief, Sheriff, Ryan Bedrosian of Richs, Hillcrest Town Council, Tootie, Susan Jester, Big Mike, Benny, Eddie, Bob and Tom, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilman Stephen Whitburn.
2024-25-26 CANDIDATES?
The recent announcement that San Diego County Supervisor Chair Nathan Fletcher will seek current state senator Toni Atkins seat in 2024 (as Atkins will be termed out) makes popular City Councilman Stephen Whitburn a front runner for Fletchers seat if he wins his Senate bid which would result in a special election in early 2025. If Whitburn wins that special election, then his City Council seat becomes vacant, and the list of possible candidates is already in the making as that special election will also be in 2025. Word is that State Assemblyman Brian Maienschein is the top candidate to run for City Attorney in 2024. Thus, his state assembly seat will be up and everyone is urging Veteran Joseph Rocha to run and he would certainly be the front running candidate. As for current State Senator Toni Atkins, she is already building a strong campaign for Lieutenant Governor in 2026. When I spoke to Maienschein and Whitburn about their possible future candidacies, they both told me right now they are focused on their current jobs but are indeed receiving many calls urging them to become candidates for City Attorney and County Supervisor. As for Joseph Rocha who ran an outstanding campaign this year, he is seriously looking at Maienscheins State Assembly seat and many of us are urging him to run!
NICOLE MURRAY RAMIREZ WAY
I am most honored about the recognition I’m getting from the city of San Diego this Saturday December 3rd at 1:00 PM (yes, on my #? birthday). It will be the first time a Gay San Diegan man will be honored in such a way. I’m even more honored that Judy and Dennis Shepard, Stuart Milk, former Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, former San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty and friends from New York, Florida, Colorado, etc are all flying in for the event and that 6 1/2-year-old Daniel Orlando Bustamante will be leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s going to be a highlight of my over 50 years of Latino/LGBTQ+ activism and you’re all invited to attend. Thank you to Councilman Stephen Whitburn, Mayor Todd Gloria, Big Mike, Benny Cartwright, Eddie Rey, Madeline Baudoin and the San Diego City Council for their unanimous vote.
TURKEYS, HAMS, AND GROCERY GIFT CARDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
A big thank you to everyone who helped us with our Thanksgiving Turkey Drive, especially State Assemblyman Chris Ward, County Supervisor Chair Nathan Fletcher, Ryan Bedrosian, and Mayor Todd Gloria, who are all responsible for at least 120 turkeys being donated. Every turkey donated made a difference and you all made Thanksgiving special for women and their children at a shelter for abused women, clients at the Transgender Health Center, LGBTQ+ families through the San Diego LGBT Community Center and well over 100 seniors/elders.
Now please support our “Holiday Turkey, Ham, and Grocery Gift Card” campaign so we can make Christmas meals possible for so many in need, thank you!
