When San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and San Diego County Supervisor Chair Nathan Fletcher (District 4) first announced that San Diego would be extending its humanitarian hand to refugee children from Central America and providing them a safe space at our convention center, I immediately thought “those kids will be spending Easter Sunday there” and as a Latino, I know the Easter holiday is a very special one in Latin and South American countries. So, members of the Imperial Court de San Diego decided to add the refugee children to our 19th annual Children’s Easter Basket Giveaway. Our co-sponsors, San Diego City Council President Pro Tempore Stephen Whitburn (District 3), the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, and the Equality Business Alliance all agreed and then we soon learned that by Easter Sunday there will be 1,400 refugee girls ages 13 to 17 years old there. So, we decided to give them special “Easter gifts” that they will receive on Easter Sunday. And let me tell you, it most certainly takes a village! The Imperial Court de San Diego has been working with the wonderful people at South Bay Community Services, and especially the hard-working Larissa Tabin, to get these special Easter gifts put together. They will include comic books, stuffed animals, journals, crayons, coloring books, markers, etc. Also included will be an especially beautiful welcoming card in Spanish designed by renowned artist Tali Lopez. The 1,400-plus comic books will be provided by my Crowned Princess Bettie Pages, the fabulous owner of Mile High Comics in Denver, and the rest of the cost of gifts for the refugee girls are being provided by YOU, the generous donations from our local LGBTQ+ community — including donations from a large amount of members from the International Imperial Court System of the U.S., Canada and Mexico as well as my “Royal Husband” (LGBTQ San Diego County News Publisher and owner of Faces Nightclub in Sacramento and Reno), Mr. Terry Sidie!
The outpouring of support from our now two Easter Sunday projects has touched us very much and we know that it was because of each of you who gave and supported these projects. I want to especially give my heartfelt thanks to Jen LeBron from Mayor Gloria’s office, Makana Rowan from County Supervisor Fletcher’s office, and Benny Cartwright from Council member Whitburn’s office for their important help and support. And of course, the Easter basket drop-off headquarters, Uptown Tavern and Freshii in Hillcrest, thank you both very much! Additional gratitude goes to Empress Regina Styles, California Senate President Toni Atkins, Jimmy Carter’s Restaurant, Big Daddy Leather, Eddie Rey, Elaine Graybill, Susan Jester, Reverend Penny, Nancy Chase and so, so many more that we’ll have to acknowledge after Easter as the love keeps coming in! Much appreciation to Big Mike and Dre Mulder.
God bless you all for bringing smiles to thousands of children on Easter Sunday!
