LGBTQ San Diego County News Volume 3 Issue 7, January 2022

lgbtqsd.news

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

JaNuary 7, 2022 voLumE 3 iSSuE 7

LGBTQSD.NEWS

COMMUNITY vOICes

COMMUNITY feaTUres

conversations with nicole 2022, A Major Political Year P7

The American Heart Association, LGBTQ+ Health Awareness, and Manny Medina P4 Manny

Congratulation to Evan Johnson! P18

Evan

Big Mike & Friends Happy New Year to All! P8

trans talk with connor Welcome to 2022! P10

liFe Beyond theraPy Happy New Therapy P9

Pozitively Michael Happy 2022 to All! P12

PUblIC servICe

COUrT News

a note FroM toni Here’s to a Great 2022! P6

Chula Vista Man Pleads Not Guilty to Felony Hate Crimes

city attorney news Street Racing and “Sideshows” Endanger the Public P11

2021 Hillcrest Murder Suspect Preliminary Hearing Delayed P19

WE CELEBRATE FOUR EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY

PersONs Of The O he

aLEX

viLLaFuErTE

1

Year Y ear rEaD oN PaGE 2

rickiE BroWN

iaN

JoHNSoN

JamiE

araNGurE

2

COver sTOrY

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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Persons of the year continued from Page 1

A

aleX vIllafUerTe

s an out LGBTQ Filipino and first-generation US citizen, Commissioner Alex Villafuerte formerly served as the Marketing and Communications Manager at San Diego Pride from 2016 – 2021. In his role within the organization, he built a team of marketing and communications professionals and volunteers to amplify the messages of our region’s LGBTQ community and issues. His efforts grew the all-volunteer team from around 20 to over 60 individuals during his tenure.

Villafuerte’s work helped reach over 33 million people with affirming LGBTQ messages in 2021 alone.

Alex also led the charge to found the San Diego Queer APIMEDA Coalition in 2018. Through his efforts, he brought together LGBTQ Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and Desi folks who created safe, welcoming, and joyful civic spaces, year-round programming, and advocacy initiatives for people whose lives rest at the intersection of these identities.

Building upon that work in 2020, Alex organized a joint statement with over 70+ API-serving organizations denouncing xenophobia, racism, and the increasing acts of violence targeting Asian and Pacific Islander communities. From that response and collaboration, organizations and their members worked together during the pandemic to found the San Diego API Coalition whose mission is to facilitate

conversations with API communities and advocate for representation by amplifying and cultivating leadership, acting as a hub for API organizations to collaborate and building a more inclusive and equitable San Diego.

Villafuerte currently serves as the cochair of the coalition.

Currently, Alex is also the Director of Communications and Membership for the Asian Business Association San Diego. Alex Villafuerte serves on the Leon L. Williams San Diego County Human Relations Commission, the ABC 10 News Community Advisory Board, Public Relations Society of America San Diego/Imperial County Diversity Advisory Board, and Social Media Team for InterPride and World Pride.

Through his roles within the ABA and the SD API Coalition, Alex helped increase community participation in the San Diego region’s redistricting efforts and played a key role in ensuring the City of San Diego will now have an API empowerment council seat with over 40% API representation in the general and voting population.

Alex’s insights, skills, and leadership truly built capacity for some of this region’s most marginalized, elevated the voices and stories of the LGBTQ community, and helped the City of San Diego respond to the rise in anti-API hate.

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rICKIe brOwN

ickie Brown is a proud mother, grandmother, black activist as well as an LGBTQ+ community activist and fundraiser. She was born in Louisiana and is proud to be a part of San Diego‘s LGBTQ+ community, but she does not like labels. A family tragedy brought Ricky to San Diego when her 19-year-old son was murdered because of mistaken identity. Her heart broken, it became difficult for her to continue living in Louisiana as she felt she needed a new start and so she moved to San Diego where her father lived as a successful businessman. It’s no wonder that her beloved grandmother, Edna Rose, is her personal hero. “She taught me the meaning of entrepreneurship and how to love unconditionally. She also taught me to be of service and help others,” said Rickie. She most certainly lives by this creed. Within a year of moving to San Diego she got involved with the annual Scott Carlson Community Thanksgiving Dinner. She also got involved with her neighborhood’s planning and redevelopment committees.

Rickie also got involved with Democrats for Equality and the Martin Luther King Jr. Democratic Club being elected an officer to both organizations. And, in honor of her beloved son, she joined the San Diego Chapter of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice for those who have lost loved ones to violent crimes.

Her passion for community service organizations got her elected Princess Royale of the Imperial Court de San

Diego and she currently serves on its Board of Directors.

Before leaving office, Mayor Kevin Faulconer nominated Rickie Brown to become a City Commissioner, and last year Mayor Todd Gloria made that a reality and also appointed her to his LGBTQ+ Advisory Group. She also serves on the Sheriffs LGBTQ+ Advisory Council and is an outspoken advocate for police reform. Last year she was also elected to the 80th State Assembly District Committee. Ricky is a tireless volunteer and civil rights advocate who speaks truth to power and can be found picketing for causes demanding equality and non-discrimination for all people.

Her hope for our LGBTQ+ community is “that our community learns to truly be in unison with one another and not just talk about being inclusive but make it a priority”. She credits attorney Bruce Abrams for helping her and taking her under his wing as a friend and mentor when she first arrived in San Diego.

“As a person who has faced racism, sexism, ageism, and discrimination, my advice is always to be true to yourself and always stand up and speak up on what you believe in”, Rickie encouraged our younger generation.

Rickie lives in City Heights with her 19-year-old grandson who she has raised since he was 5 and he hopes to be a veterinarian one day. We are proud to name Rickie Brown as one of our Persons of the Year.

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IaN JOhNsON

an Johnson is a community activist, Development Director of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, and possibly best known as an organizer of the annual San Diego AIDS Walk.

Ian is a native Californian and his teenage and high school years were those of an “all American teen” being not only voted class President, but Homecoming King as well. Ian knew he was different, and when at 19 he came out, like many LGBTQ+ children, he was kicked out of the home. At that time Ian was living in Orange County and without the support of his parents he had to drop out of college. He decided to move to San Diego and immediately landed in Hillcrest which for him was seeing a whole new world of in an openly LGBTQ+ neighborhood. His first years in San Diego were rough and at times he was homeless, facing many of obstacles and challenges that LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness face today- but he was a survivor. Ian is also probably well known as the friendly award-winning waiter at Martinis restaurant where he worked for nearly a decade (2004-2012) and found his “chosen family”, that being the popular owners of Martinis, Chaz Weathers, Dale Dubach, and John Osgood, who he highly respects to this day. While at Martinis he got involved and helped organize their annual Christmas Wreath Auction which raised tens of thousands of dollars for the San Diego LGBT Com-

munity Center and the Queen Eddie Youth Fund.

In time Ian’s parents not only accepted Ian, but also his younger brother who is gay and he and his husband now live with Ian’s father.

What attracts many people to Ian is his positive outlook on life and his outgoing and friendly personality which almost always has him smiling.

To this day his heroes are his parents.

“I watched them growing up trying to raise a large family with limited resources while still giving back. They were always involved and instilled work ethic and giving back which are two pillars I live my life by”, said Ian. His message to our younger LGBTQ+ generation is to “learn about our history, learn about the disparities of our community, besides your own. Take time out and sit with someone from the Stonewall generation and give thanks”.

Always positive Ian believes “although the past two years have been challenging for all of us, the LGBTQ+ community has supported each other tremendously including small businesses and restaurants that have always given back to each other. We’ve instituted patience and kindness with each other, and my hope is we continue that even after the pandemic.”

Yes, Ian Johnson is a survivor, an activist and a man who loves his community and he is one of our Persons of the Year!

I

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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JaMIe araNgUre

don’t remember when I met Jamie, but I do remember the smile and the positive energy she has when I come in contact with her. I always love watching our community build within to help and support one another. Seeing this fantastic individual come together with her fellow Trans sisters to form a group that, not only is social, but a support system and resource provider for the Latina Trans community and the entire LGTBQ+ Latin community as well. Together they have created a network by doing events, food sales, and everything they can to provide resources such as food and selfcare kits to the homeless settlements in town – and she does it all with a smile showing the true act of resilience.

Tell us about you. Where are you from, how long have you been in San Diego, and so forth?

My name is Jamie Arangure, my pronouns are She/Her/Ella. I’m a Trans woman, Latina migrant from the state of Tecuela, Nayarit Mexico.

I’m the youngest of nine sisters. I finished high school in the US at Grand High School in Van Nuys, California in 1994 and I continued my studies at the Universidad Autonoma de Nayartit where I got a degree in tourism in 2000. I migrated to the US in 2008 and settled in San Diego to look for new opportunities professionally and as a Trans female.

About Proyecto Trans Latina?

Proyecto Trans Latina started in 2008 from a group of Trans women that saw all the need and lack of services and the marginalization of the Latino LGBTQ+ community especially for our Trans Latin community in San Diego County.Our principal objective is to empower, educate, and inform our Trans LGBTQ+ community and connect them with legal services, healthcare, housing, and education to name a few. In the future we want to have a facility for the senior Trans community where we can house our sisters who are in need of housing or have problems finding housing.

One of the most important goals this year is to register our organization so we can become a non-profit and be independent. Personally, I want to continue to educate, inform and prepare myself to be able to offer the best of me as a human being and representative of my community.

One of the most important events this year is our Second Annual National Meeting of Trans Latina Women that will take place the 29th and 30th of April in the city of Long beach – the only one of its kind in the US and our biggest event of Proyecto Trans Latina. But we have so much going on throughout the year. Anyone can get in touch with us by our Facebook: Proyecto Trans Latina.

Directly with me at jamieproyectotranslatina@gmail.com

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COMMUNITY feaTUre

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Manny Medina (courtesy images)

ThE AMERICAN hEART AssOCIATION,

lgbTQ+ healTh awareNess, aNd

MaNNY MedINa

By Eric Thompson

T

here is a key local American Heart Association (AHA) volunteer who is making an impact, not only right here in San Diego, but across the country via his Health Equity and Emergency Cardiovascular Care work, especially in teaching Hands-Only CPR. Manny Medina, a trained paramedic, is the immediate past-president of the American Heart Association, serves on the Western States Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee, and is the current President of the Leadership Group and Program Director of the Emergency Medical Services at National University here in San Diego. Manny has been an AHA volunteer for more than a decade, taking the lead in organizing and staffing a number of community CPR trainings, including the San Diego Pride Parade. He has also been featured as the trainer in a number of CPR training videos. He has been instrumental in raising awareness and knowledge about the importance of performing CPR in a timely fashion, and is a vocal advocate for health equity.

Manny is the textbook example of what I would teach in any class I taught on what to look for in a key volunteer/ catalyst. I have been looking forward to sitting down and interviewing him for LGBTQ San Diego County News for some time now, so here it goes!

ET: Introduce yourself and tell people your history of involvement with the AHA. MM: My name is Manny Medina. I’m a paramedic and have been in emergency medicine for about 15 years. I have been working with the AHA about just as long in several different roles; I started by becoming a CPR Instructor. I

communities, they need a lot of volunteer support, and I was new to the area and I had a passion for it already so I continued on as a volunteer on several different roles and projects. One of the first projects that I worked on was getting signatures from people to take up to the legislature to try and get a CPR bill passed in California, which would require CPR to be a high school graduation requirement in California. I collected a little over 250 signatures from health care providers, nurses, doctors, paramedics, and all the people that I was working and training with.

did that when I was 20 years old and that really kind of got me excited about Emergency cardiovascular care and being able to save lives and how easy it was to do so.

Actually, one of my first cases (of a save) as a CPR Instructor was after one of the first classes I taught. It was a small Saturday group, when the students returned Monday to pick up their cards, one student said, “Manny, I saved somebody’s life the day after class.” He was a trainer at a gym and a 16-year-old collapsed and required CPR before paramedics arrived.

That was one of my first classes and although we don’t

hear those stories as often as I would like to hear them, I thought, “Wow this is cool.

This is something that I could really get into”, and so I kept doing it, and I went on to manage some training centers for the AHA. I worked with the New Mexico Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee, where I was original faculty for about three or four years before moving out to San Diego, where I live now. When I came to San Diego I volunteered here, and that’s where I started to get to work a lot more closely with the AHA’s Division Offices which are local offices. The people that you see in your

ET: Clearly your work has a major impact, what are some examples that stand out?

MM: I’ve worked on advocacy for the Hands Only CPR in schools, as well as tobacco cessation and sugar sweetened beverages awareness. I did a lot of work with committees and my large network to get messaging out to the people.

We also highlighted survivor’s story. We were able to find over 15 survivor’s stories last year that we share with the National Center and with the Local Division offices.

We focus on Hands Only CPR trainings; we did dozens of trainings across the country and trained thousands and thousands of people.

ET: Most of what you’re sharing is about having and using your voice at the table which is allowing you to work with others to make positive impact. What are your thoughts?

MM: I think one of the things I’ve learned about myself is my voice comes from my passion and that passion is so strong because of the empow-

erment aspect of what I know.

That is a result of being passionate about something and being able to use your voice to make changes and empower other people. I think that’s the stage that I’m at right now, as a volunteer, is really trying to empower and that’s my new role – moving from Committee Chair to Chair of the Leadership Development Committee.

It’s my job to go and find those new voices and put them into leadership roles on these national committees. To make sure that we can continue to make the impact that we need to in our communities with our voices. We need to have diversity. And so, when I’m looking at people for these positions, I also must make sure that we’re sticking to our standards for diversity and one of the things that’s included on that now is our LGBTQ+ people.

ET: Why should the LGBTQ+ community care about the work of the AHA? MM: Even just 20 years ago it wasn’t as easy to be out and proud and that’s changed in most places in the United States, and a part of that is in that we are a big part of the larger community, and we are seen!

Just drive through North Park or Hillcrest and there’s a big chunk of our city that that is focused on our LGBTQ+ community and so we’re here, we are not going anywhere, and I think it’s important that we start to not just take pride in being out but take pride in knowing that we’re a minority, and there are certain things that are going to affect us differently as that minority population. Some of us are double minorities. I come from a Mexican background so half my family is diabetic and some of the other half had heart attacks and so on. The need to be represented doesn’t change neither does the need to have the right information that we require to be healthy.

I always go back to those words of passion is a voice and voice leads to empowerment and changes. We are at that point now where we have several generations of LGBTQ+ communities. Things are changing. We are learning a lot within our own communities about each other. You must start first with that passion and like I always tell my students, “If you’re going to do something be passionate about it, and if you recognize that passion, run with it, because that’s going to lead to, not just happiness for myself, but also for our community.”

If I were to tell our community anything, it would be that there is a seat at the table. And it’s up to us to use our passion and voice to get to help make the changes that we want to make, to help make the changes that we recognize we need to make. I would like to empower everyone to use their voice and that passion to create positive change in our community. The heart healthy choice is not always the easy choice, but the more we learn and share, their easier it becomes.

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Being active and living long and strong healthy lives is really what the goal is for the AHA and I think our community’s now learning that we can live long healthy strong lives, unlike even a decade ago, that was not the case and being represented is only going to happen is if we put ourselves in those in those places to get the information and to not just be in our community but be leaders in our community. And now we need to dig in and start to look at the individual things we do.

We need to make sure people understand why their choices matter and how those choice are impacting their health and communities.

There are higher risk factors in certain communities, and the LGBTQ+ community has seen that with tobacco use and hypertension for example (among the obvious other harmful things). But as we look at our 2030 goals, making sure that we are engaging these populations that are at a higher risk is one of the most sure-fire ways that we can make sure that we are reducing the death and disability from heart disease.

One of the things that I’ve heard the AHA is doing is not just lumping us all as one, but really trying to get in and see who these subpopulations are and what risk factors they have and how the AHA could contribute in helping fix the problems. The AHA is making sure the LGBTQ+ community is considered as part of the population.

The AHAs desire to focus on the LGBTQ+ community led to involvement in the Pride parade and festival, AHA has already reserved space for Pride 2022. Aside from the parade, there is an AHA booth at the festival, which is kind of my thing (I like to go around and set up

at festivals and events and street fairs and anywhere that I can get face to teach people CPR). It’s important to have a presence at Pride knowing AHA’s involvement started from a small focus group and is now involved in Prides across the country.

Eric Thompson Senior Director, Communications & Marketing American Heart Association eric.thompson@heart.org

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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here’s TO a greaT 2022!

LGBTQ San Diego County News PO Box 34664 San Diego, CA 92163 858.886.9458

a NOTe frOM TONI

PUBLISHER Terry Sidie

Toni g. atkins

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Nicole Murray Ramirez nicolemrsd1@gmail.com 619.241.5672

—Toni G. Atkins represents the 39th District in the California Senate.

Follow her on Twitter @SenToniAtkins.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cesar A. Reyes creativedirector@lgbtqsd.news EDITOR JP Emerson editor@lgbtqsd.news

H

appy New Year, everyone! Sometimes January is a month that feels like a Monday, but there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm in the air in 2022.

It’s a new year, new laws are taking effect that help people into homes, jobs, and debt-free higher education. With the once-a-decade redistricting almost complete, many of my colleagues and I will welcome new communities and new constituents to represent. And in Sacramento we’re moving into a new—and temporary—workspace while the East Wing of the Capitol, where so much good has been accomplished for the people of California, is replaced by a safer and more accessible building. Please know, wherever my office is, my door is always open to the people of the 39th Senate District!

January marks the 49th anniversary of Roe v Wade, and the very real fear is there won’t be a 50th. I can tell you we are beyond motivated to protect Californians—and all who need abortion services and reproductive health care—from the vicious attacks being made on one of our most basic and personal rights.

COPY EDITOR Brittany Berger iceberger@gmail.com SALES sales@lgbtqsd.news 858.886.9458 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Big Mike Phillips Bmsd1957@gmail.com 619.807.7324 WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA info@lgbtq.news

(image by shutterstock.com)

Every January, as we celebrate the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I remember the January when he moved his family into a housing project in Chicago to draw attention to the lack of affordable housing. In many ways, it is shameful how far we still have to go on the paths to justice that MLK pursued— and that is also a reminder we

need to constantly do better.

January brings new challenges—along with existing ones. And I want to thank everyone for masking up inside the last couple weeks to counter the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases. A couple more weeks, and hopefully, we will have again navigated a treacherous part of this pandemic together.

There’s a lot to look forward to this month and this year, and I will do my best to keep you up to date with all the latest information on bills, the budget (so far the outlook is very good!) district events, and breaking news. And, of course, the occasional photos of Mia and Joey!

Here’s to a great 2022!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Big Mike Phillips Connor Maddocks D’Anne Witkowski Eric Thompson Mara W. Elliott Martin Campos Michael Guadarrama Michael Kimmel Neal Putnam Toni G. Atkins DISTRIBUTION LGBTQ San Diego County News is distributed free every first Friday of the month. © 2021. All rights reserved.

OPINION/LETTERS LGBTQ San Diego County News encourages letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please email them directly to editor@lgbtqsd.news and include your name, phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and accuracy. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers or staff.

SUBMISSION/NEWS TIPS Press releases and story ideas are welcomed. Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to editor@lgbtqsd.news. For breaking news and Investigative story ideas, contact the editor by phone or email.

Copyright © 2022 LGBTQ San Diego County News Editor’s Note: The opinions written in this publication’s editorial and opinion pages are the author’s own and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff and/or publisher of LGBTQ San Diego County News. The newspaper and its staff should be held harmless of liability or damages.

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2022, a MaJOr POlITICal Year COMversaTIONs wITh NICOle

Nicole Murray ramirez —Nicole Murray Ramirez has been writing a column since 1973. He has been a Latino/gay activist for almost half a century and has advised and served the last seven mayors of San Diego. Named the ‘Honorary Mayor of Hillcrest’ by a city proclamation, he has received many media awards including from the prestigious San Diego Press Club. Reach Nicole at Nicolemrsd1@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Nmrsd2.

Y

es 2022 is an all-important “midterm elections year” and all political pundits are predicting a Republican Party takeover of the US Senate and Congress, but I say that the “fat lady has not sung her final verse”. November is a long way away and in politics anything can happen and change within 24 hours.

Many of us continue to support President Biden but the continued comparison to President Jimmy Carter is having an effect on his poll numbers.

Bob Lehman, Kent

Dr. Jen

Dave Myers and

Closer to home, the race for County Sheriff is going to be dicey and many are asking why LGBTQ+ leaders like Toni Atkins, Todd Gloria, Chris Kehoe and allies like Nathan Fletcher and Lorena Gonzalez have all endorsed Kelly Martinez over openly gay candidate Dave Myers.

Well, it’s about Myers temperament and serious concerns on how he can lead the Sheriffs Department when now, for the second time, his fellow sheriffs not only did not endorse him, but have nothing nice to say about him. This is Dave Myers third run for public office and with the recent endorsement of the Democratic Party he definitely has a good shot over front runner fellow Democrat Kelly Martinez who would make history as our counties first female sheriff. Congressman Juan Vargas has called Dave Myers “unhinged” so fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Popular Nathan Fletcher should landslide into his second term as a County Supervisor. Many of us will never forgive Bar-

esy image) Kelly Martinez (court

Nathan Fletcher (co urtesy image)

bara Bry for her negative and nasty campaign against Mayor Todd Gloria and will not vote for her if she was running for county dog catcher. I strongly endorse the reelection of Dr. Jen Campbell to the San Diego City Council especially over her “thirsty” opponent.

Kent Lee would be an absolutely outstanding citizen/ community activist that the council needs and would give our growing Asian Pacific Islander Community the most qualified voice and representation on the City Council.

Popular and respected Veteran Joseph Rocha is running for the State Senate and

Campb e

ll (cour

Lee and Nicole Mu

rray Ramirez (court esy

tesy im

age)

is very well qualified. I 100% support reelection of Mike Shafer for the State Board of Equalization. Former City Council President Georgette Gomez is the clear front runner for the State Assembly as her opponent is the “wanna be-always a candidate” David Alvarez, word is that once he loses again, he will become a candidate for Emperor.

Democratic party registration is now number one in the City and County of San Diego with Independents being second and Republican registration dead last. I asked San Diego County Democratic Party Chair Will Rodriguez Kennedy what the party’s priorities were, and he said, “In 2022 San Diego Democrats have two major priorities, protect our progress and deliver for the people. We have an opportunity to win county wide races and clean sweep the city of San Diego. That being said, with our strong majorities Democrats must deliver progress on issues like homelessness and housing. With leaders like Todd Gloria and Nathan Fletcher at the city and county we are positioned to do just that.”

nnedy (courtesy

Will Rodriguez Ke

image)

image)

For many of us Democrats we are concerned that the Democratic Party is turning too much to the left while the Republicans are now in the hands of the radical conserva conservative right. A majority of Demo Democrats are moderate/progres moderate/progressives and not in support of a left-wing or socialist agenda.

Looking ahead, keep your eyes on our very own Tony Atkins who has formed a Lieutenant Governor Committee. Also keep your eyes on Nick Serrano, Zach Bunshaft, Will Rodriguez Kennedy, Janessa Goldbach, and Javier Gomez as future candidates for office.

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

Photo by Rikke Photography

bIg MIKe & frIeNds big Mike Phillips —Big Mike Phillips is an activist, fundraiser, bartender and photographer who has lived in San Diego for 30 years.

He has helped create two nonprofits and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity. He has been a photographer for more than 25 years and has recorded our LGBTQ history not only in San Diego but around the country, including three LGBTQ marches on Washington D.C. Contact Big Mike at 619-807-7324, or bmsd1957@gmail.com.

I

t’s hard to believe another year has come and gone.

As we get older, the years seem to disappear so fast.

Thank God for memories, photos, and writers who keep the history of our lives on paper (and digital records). Having the privilege to write a column in the LGBTQ San Diego County News is very exciting for me. It has allowed me to introduce our readers to the interesting individuals who live, work, play, and support our community. I would like to thank our Publisher, Terry Sidie and Associate Publisher, Nicole Murray Ramirez for inviting me to be a part of the creativity of their paper. A huge thank you to our Editor, JP Emerson, and our Creative Director, Cesar A. Reyes for always being there for me to assist with my column and create a beautiful page to feature ‘Big Mike & Friends’. I appreciate when they ask me to write stories about people and events that are happening as well. A big thank you to all the wonderful friends who allow me to feature them and thank you to those of you who read my column and our paper. I am proud and honored to be a part of this publication.

As we begin a new chapter in each of our lives within the new year, I for one am going to try my hardest to be kinder, more helpful, listen better, and continue to stay safe from the COVID-19 pandemic that we continue to deal with. I believe it is going to be with us for quite some time. I will continue to wear my mask to protect and be protected from others. I have listened to the science and have had all three of my shots. I am going to respect my fellow man and do all I can to ensure my safety as well as yours because I love my community and all who I share it with. Please be safe. I look forward to continuing to introduce you to people who bring life and joy to our community. Who knows, maybe it will be you next? Thank you all.

haPPY New Year TO all!

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lIfe beYONd TheraPY Michael Kimmel —Michael Kimmel is a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in helping LGBT clients achieve their goals and deal with anxiety, depression, grief, sexually addictive behavior, coming out, relationship challenges and homophobia.

Contact him at 619-955-3311 or visit lifebeyondtherapy.com.

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“hOw TO fINd a gOOd TheraPIsT fOr YOU”

W

elcome to another new year. Did you make any resolutions? If so, how did they go? Yeah, I thought so.

Me too. Resolutions are a nice thought, but they rarely translate into real life changes until we identify and eliminate the obstacles in our way. That’s where therapy comes in.

As a psychotherapist for more than twenty years’ now, I am hardly unbiased. However, as a person who has tried – and often failed - to make big changes in my own life, I know it’s hard to do so without insight and support.

Most of us have good friends who are very supportive…and they may even be pretty insightful. This is great: but how objective are they? Most of my friends will give me advice based on what they would do, which may work well for them, but not for me.

If you want objective insight, it’s best to get it from someone who doesn’t have a personal history with you. If you want expert insight, you’d be wise to get it from someone trained and experienced in helping people. That’s why I became a therapist: in my younger years, I had so much good help from therapists that I decided I wanted to pass it on.

However, if the mere thought of trying to find a good therapist seems overwhelming, you’re not alone. Plenty of people don’t get help because mental health is easier to put off than a toothache or sprained muscle. As a result, most of us wait until we’re in crisis before we look for a good therapist.

WHEN To START Some people think that if they start therapy, that means something’s wrong with them and their friends and family will think that they’re really screwed up. The reality is that people close to us often notice when we’re having a hard time. In fact, we usually take things out on our nearest and dearest. Our therapy is for them too!

Don’t think of therapy as “I’m such a mess, I’m so screwed up”. That won’t help anybody. Instead, think of it like hiring a personal trainer for your mind. You simply want to feel better, and that’s a good thing.

Therapy is confidential: licensed mental health professionals like me are bound

(image by shutterstock.com)

by the law to protect your privacy. Unless someone is a threat to themselves or others, what goes on in therapy never leaves the room.

FIND THE RIGHT THERAPIST FoR You How do you find a good therapist? Ask around. Most of us have friends who are or have been in therapy. A personal recommendation may be the best way to find the right therapist for you. Put together a list of two or three potential therapists, then interview them over the phone. Ask them questions like: “What experience do you have working with (name your problem)?”

“How does a typical session with you work?” “What hours are you available?” and “How much do you charge?”

Asking questions will help you find someone who has potential, but you can’t really know if it’s the right fit until you’ve begun working with that person. Usually, after a couple of sessions, you’ll know if this person is the right therapist for you. Or not.

IT’S oK To CHANGE THERAPISTS If your therapist isn’t a good fit, it’s fine to “break up” with them. You deserve somebody you’re comfortable with. And the therapist won’t be mad at you; it’s a part of our training to handle this kind of stuff.

As mental health professionals, we want you to get better, even if it’s not with us.

“MY FRIENDS NEED THERAPY Too” If you’re comfortable with it, you can talk about your therapy with the people in your life.

However, don’t push people into something they’re not ready for: instead, show them by example. When you’re hap-

pier and doing better, people notice. Telling someone “You need therapy” is rarely wellreceived. However, by talking openly about your therapy and living out its benefits, you just may inspire someone else to try it out.

As the new year begins, move beyond those tired old New Year’s Resolutions: Happy New Therapy!

We Are Hiring!

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We also change many lives with our work — join us!

The San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre Street www.thecentersd.org

Check out our job listings at thecentersd.org/job-opportunities

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

TraNs TalK wITh CONNOr

COMMUNITY vOICes

lgbtqsd.news

welCOMe TO 2022!

“ThERE Is ALWAYs ROOM FOR hOpE As WE BEgIN ANOThER RUN AROUND ThE sUN”

Connor Maddocks —Connor Maddocks has been a civil rights advocate in the San Diego transgender community for years. He does trainings on legal and personal transition information.

He continues his work, even though he is now retired. Contact Conner at Neon411@gmail.com.

D

espite our best hopes, 2021 still had many rough moments. More people fell victim to the COVID-19 virus. More business’s succumbed to the fluctuating economy, we lost our share in Hillcrest for sure. On a good note, many businesses did survive. Mo’s Universe, Burger Lounge, Rich’s, Flicks, #1 on Fifth, and Martinis also reopened. We are lucky so many survived.

Trans and Non-Binary folks now have more recognition across the US than ever before. According to Wikipedia there are 20 states plus the District of Columbia that recognize the Non-Binary gender marker. The US Passport Agency will soon begin allowing the Non-Binary gender marker on US passports. The first passport with a NonBinary marker was issued to Dana Zzyym. Lambda Legal sued the US Department of State on their behalf in 2015 for denying a passport to them. Dana uses Non-Binary gender pronouns. Finally, the first passport with the X marker for Non-Binary (or third gender) was issued to them on October 26, 2021. As we roll into 2022, we should see more Non-Binary markers on US passports.

In California you can change your gender marker to X for all your identification cards and your birth certificate without a doctor’s letter or the mandatory court order for gender change.

Locally we had our first inperson event at the Diamonds in the Rough Annual Banquet.

The event was held at the Fair at 44 in City Heights. Awards were given to 17 local Trans and Non-Binary folks for their passionate and important work they are doing in the community. We had a great turnout and lots of fun.

(image by shutterstock.com)

In November we had our flag raising at the start of the Trans Visibility Week with speeches from local activists.

The event was organized by Naya Velazco from the San Diego LGBT Center. She is doing outstanding work as the Coordinator of Project Trans.

I created Project Trans in June of 2013 and I am so proud the program continues to grow under her unique skill set and passion for the work she does.

On November 20,2021 we held our Day of Remembrance at the County Administration Building. Many thanks go out to Board Chair Nathan Fletcher and his staff for making this possible. The entire building was lit up in pink, blue, and white for the event.

Our speakers included Mayor Todd Gloria, Council Member Stephen Whitburn, and keynote speaker Josie Caballero.

We had an amazing turnout for the event and remembered all those we had lost to antitransgender hate and violence.

Many of us attended the San Diego LGBT Center’s Home for the Holidays on December 11th. There was food and entertainment and grocery giveaways. I was happy to see so many of our community members there. Being able to give a hug or a fist bump in person was so uplifting for me.

It definitely made the season brighter.

Now it’s 2022 and with any luck, it will be a much better year for everyone. Let’s manifest that COVID-19 and the Omicron variant will diminish and people can feel safe and healthy. I am hoping everyone will get vaccinated and wear their masks when out and about. We lose too many people to violence and neglect; we don’t need to add this virus as another cause of Trans and Non-Binary folks dying. San Diego Pride will be hosting a vaccination clinic on January 22, 2022 from 2 pm to 6 pm at their office at 3620 30th Street in North Park. It’s

Free to all. Need a booster, get it there. Make sure you go to their website and RSVP for the clinic: sdpride.org. Thank you, San Diego Pride!

Other events we can look forward to are San Diego Pride being live this year. If all goes well there will be an in-person Pride Celebration on July 9th17th, 2022. Hopefully the San Diego LGBT Center will open sometime this year. Their recent renovations created more space for in person groups to be held there.

For all Trans and Non-Binary community members there is a picnic the 3rd Saturday of every month from 2-5 pm.

It’s being held at Balboa Park, on the corner of Juniper and 6th Ave. We have had a pretty good turnout so far, and again, it’s so nice to see each other in person, I am looking forward, if possible, for more events to happen this year. Hopefully we can have our annual Day of Empowerment in April and

be able to give out scholarships to many of our siblings who are attending college or trade schools. I will have more information about this event at a later date.

For myself I am hoping to have better health this year and less surgeries. I plan to continue to volunteer wherever I can as it keeps me busy but mainly because it always lifts my soul to be helping others. It’s also a great way to meet new people and maybe new friends. I am wishing that everyone stays healthy this year and life can get back to some semblance of normalcy. I wish for everyone to be able to have a happy and prosperous year with homes to live in, good health, excellent healthcare, and stable employment. I know my wishes might be overzealous, but I will wish them anyways. There is always room for hope as we begin another run around the sun. Happy New Year!

PUblIC servICe

lgbtqsd.news

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

(image by shutterstock.com)

CITY aTTOrNeY News

Mara w. elliott —Mara W. Elliott was elected City Attorney of San Diego in 2016 after serving as the chief deputy attorney for the Office’s Public Services Section and legal adviser to the city’s Independent Audit Committee and Environment Committee. Elliott and the lawyers in her section held polluters accountable, reformed city contracting, cut administrative red tape, and strengthened the city’s living wage and non-discrimination in contracting ordinances.

S

treet racing has been around for decades, but a dangerous new variation is tearing up our city streets and putting lives in danger. Called “sideshows” or “takeovers,” they are gatherings where people show off their cars while performing perilous stunts that threaten the safety of our communities.

My Office has established a special task force to prosecute these drivers with the goal of protecting public property and keeping our community members safe from harm.

Typically, these gatherings involve dozens of vehicles and sometimes hundreds of spectators. Meet-ups usually occur at

sTreeT raCINg

AND “sIDEshOWs” ENDANgER ThE pUBLIC WhO CAN’T CARE FOR ThEMsELvEs night, in parking lots, cul-desacs, roads, and even freeways throughout the county. The spinning, speeding cars often careen close to spectators.

Bystanders have been struck and even killed in San Diego County.

This newest trend originated in Oakland in the 2010s, and has since spread across the country, fueled by pandemic boredom and videos posted on social media. The drivers are usually men between the ages of 18 and 25, and the cars are typically modified for

street racing so that they are faster, noisier, and spew more exhaust.

The San Diego Police Department’s ABLE (Airborne Law Enforcement) helicopter plays a crucial role in spotting these events from the air and tracking vehicles until they can be safely pulled over by patrol officers.

Our Office prosecutes street racers for reckless driving, exhibition of speed, and other misdemeanors stemming from street racing to high-risk stunt driving.

Other crimes often go handin-hand with these activities.

Law enforcement has noted a correlation between street racing and possession of illegal drugs and “ghost guns” – firearms without serial numbers that cannot be traced –across the country.

Our task force is handling more than 30 street racing cases where the defendants have allegedly: • Taken turns doing “donuts” (speeding rapidly in circles), sometimes with passengers hanging out the windows,

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in the center of a crowd of bystanders.

• Performed “burnouts” (keeping their cars at a standstill while the tires spin, burning rubber) and other dangerous stunts on crowded streets and in residential neighborhoods.

• Slid out of control, endangering spectators and causing them to scramble to safety.

• Slowed down on the freeway, side by side, then took off at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour.

• Tried to evade police, either by speeding away or by abandoning their cars and running off on foot.

• Modified their cars to make the engines louder and the exhaust fumes smokier.

• Outfitted their cars with high-traction racing tires, or driven with tires worn down to the metal threads as a result of skidding across the pavement.

• Lost control and run into a parked car or a freeway divider.

• Driven without a valid driver license, insurance, or auto registration.

• Driven with open containers of alcohol in the car, despite being underage.

• Driven with a loaded concealed gun in the car.

Our Office has received dozens of complaints about this concerning conduct. We will continue to take this safety hazard seriously by working closely with our law enforcement partners to send a strong message that this conduct will not be tolerated in the City of San Diego.

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

COMMUNITY vOICes

lgbtqsd.news

(image by shutterstock.com)

POzITIvelY MIChael Michael guadarrama — I am a 30-year-old Latino male, living with HIV (undetectable) and living my best life. I wanted to write and help others living with HIV realize that they can also achieve living a healthy life, being in love, and being successful.

A

new year has finally arrived and with every new year comes so much excitement as we let go of the year before and plan for the next one to be radically different! PUMP your brakes… let’s recap a little of 2021!

2021 was a crazy year full of many unknowns. Covid is STILL here... cases went from good to bad in an instant.

Fear grew and lessened with different variants, holidays, and travel. Things started to get “normal” and then we saw a spike. We would have never imagined that the whole world would be living through such a huge pandemic. I hope that all of you remain healthy and that you take care of one another and stop the spread. Be cautious but continue living life. Take care of one another and please get tested if you have any symptoms.

I want to take this moment and remember all of those we lost during the pandemic.

May their souls be resting in paradise and our hearts goes out to their loved ones. We lost some icons this year such as: Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Musician Bunny Wailer, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mexican Singer Vicente Fernandez, Secretary of Defense Colin Powell and of course the shocking death of beloved actress, Betty White at 99 years old. We lost so many great leaders, actors, musicians and heroes. May their souls rest in peace.

On a much brighter note, Todd Gloria completed his first year as San Diego’s first Native American and FilipinoAmerican openly gay Mayor.

He has been busy making things happen for our city such as addressing homelessness, keeping residents in their homes during Covid, building more housing, and investing in infrastructure to name a few. You can read more about what he has been able to accomplish in our exposé. Visit us online at https:// lgbtqsd.news/ Let’s move forward and make a difference in 2022. The pandemic is still here, and small businesses have been suffering from it. Let’s do our part and help keep their doors open. Hit up your favorite eatery in the “gayborhood” and your favorite shops. Show

haPPY 2022 TO all! them that we are there to support their dream and allow them to stay in our beautiful community. If you are looking for some yummy places check out La Vencidad, Pho on 5th, Tavola Nostra, insideOUT, Bronx Pizza, and Liv to name a few.

With this being a new year I encourage you to make an appointment at AHF San Diego and go get tested. There is nothing like knowing your status, taking care of your body and your sexual partners.

Know your status, spread love, and be healthy. The process is very easy, and effortless. Appointments are not needed and they are quick with the whole process. You should never be in the dark and not know your status. Learn about Prep and see how you can get on it or start an anti-viral medication if it is needed. Having HIV is no longer a death sentence.

Medicine has come such a long way and we need to take full advantage of it.

During the last week of 2021 I was contacted by my High School GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) advisor to see if I would be willing to do a zoom meet-

ing with the members so that they could ask questions on how its like being LGBT and working in a corporate setting, how I came out, and what it’s like being a Gay man in today’s society. I have thought long and deep whether to mention that I am a Gay man living with HIV. As I have mentioned before, I don’t feel the need for it to be the first topic of a conversation and it doesn’t define me. However, I think it will be important to let them know that this is a possibility and that there is nothing like taking care of yourself either by having protected sex, being on Prep, and educating yourself. I think that our youth will learn from the generations prior and hopefully use today’s medicine to stay healthy. It’s up to us to educate others and show them that even being HIV POZ there is hope that we can still live a healthy, active life, and can still be able to find love. There is no need to hide, we need to live life and not let anything stop us. I of course need to ask my advisor if this will be a topic that can be discussed but I think it’s time to educate those newer

generations. I will keep you posted and let you know how it goes and what they are curious about knowing.

We always set resolutions for the new year and this year I made my list. One of my resolutions is to grow in my career. As 2022 moves forward I have found an awesome opportunity within my company that I know I would thrive in. I have inquired, I feel like it’s the perfect time to grow and move on up to a director position. I know that it will be challenging and tedious but I am ready for a challenge. I feel like I am stagnant in my current position and there isn’t much room left for growth. I am ready to take a new role.

Never let these opportunities slip by you. I welcome you to challenge yourself and take that step of growth. You will be surprised how this change is just the one you needed.

Take 2022 by the horns and ride the bull.

Another one of my resolutions is to be open to love and see what the universe provides. For the last few months, I have been getting to know this wonderful guy and I am

super excited to see where it goes. I was not expecting to be so excited to get to know someone and truly doing it in a slow and healthy way. We are off to a small getaway in a few days and I couldn’t be more excited to share some amazing quality time, exploring, talking, and just learning about one another. I will keep you posted on how it goes.

Set some time aside for yourself, pour yourself a glass of wine or make yourself a Margarita and write down some goals you would like to achieve this new year; really dig deep.

I know you know that the universe will provide you the right blessings when you need them and when you allow yourself to let go of the fear. Let’s make 2022 our year and let’s have fun doing it.

Wishing you the best this New Year. Stay blessed my friends.

You are Worthy of love.

Michael

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eveNTs / PUzzle

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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Q Puzzle

rEmEmBEriNG aNNE acroSS 1 Thompson of “Angels in America” 5 The village people’s kind of man 10 painter Magritte 14 Advice from Richard simmons 15 Bald tire’s lack 16 Russian river 17 start of a quote from Anne Rice 20 “Of ___ sing” 21 Canadian map abbr.

22 “Legally Blonde” Witherspoon 23 peter by the piano 25 Dijon dusk time 27 Bitch role of ‘50s television 30 Tavern that excites you?

34 Frat hazing prop 35 More of the quote 39 Suffix with schnozz 40 World of Ulrichs 42 “The Lord of the Rings” and such 43 Industrial-strength air?

44 He wrote on Friday 46 Butt 47 Clinton’s “___ in Joyland” 48 More of the quote 51 streetcar guy 53 “At Swim, Two Boys” writer Jamie 56 Ocean state sch.

57 Broadway industry 61 Prefix with political 62 More of the quote 64 End of the quote 66 Baldwin’s “The ___ Corner” 67 “sNL” producer Michaels 68 French 101 verb 69 “peter pan” pooch 70 Barrel bottom bits 71 The A of ILgA

Solutions on page 19 QSyndicate.com

DoWN 1 Cut 2 ho Chi ___ City 3 portion (out) 4 Birthplace of socrates 5 Where you might see R.E.M. 6 playground retort 7 One in a breath mint pack 8 sean of “Will & grace” 9 Ann Bannon’s “ ___ girl Out” 10 Kit in “shakespeare in Love” 11 Art Deco design name 12 Discouraging words 13 Showboat’s “Nobody ___ But Me” 18 Kids’ song refrain 19 Canal of sal 24 WNBA callers 26 Hogwarts Mail deliverers 27 Like porn 28 ___ bit (slightly) 29 Like many high achievers 31 B-29 devices 32 personal lubricant ingredient 33 Dipstick wipers 36 “The Bridge” poet Crane 37 Cry of mock horror 38 Material for a drag queen 41 Member 43 Not nutty as a fruitcake 45 Mireille of “hanna” 47 Chimp costar with Ron Reagan’s dad 49 Being cheated at phone sex?

50 Des ___, Iowa.

51 Disney film set in China 52 It arouses two body openings 54 Looks like a chicken hawk 55 “Two Women” star 58 Estimating words 59 “The Way We ___” 60 Have sex with 63 Doe in Disney’s “Bambi” 65 some like it hot

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

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OPINION

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I

discovered a really cool book over the weekend called “Bodies Are Cool” by Tyler Feder. My sister bought a copy for her daughter, who is almost 2. It is one of her favorite books, second only to “Wheels on the Bus,” with which she has a fanatical obsession.

What makes Feder’s book so, well, cool, is that it truly is a celebration of bodies of all shapes, sizes, genders, colors, and abilities. There are many illustrations of people in the book for whom you can’t assume a gender. And that’s beautiful.

But that also means that “Bodies Are Cool” is the kind of book conservatives are rallying against right now and trying to pull from library bookshelves because God forbid a kid read a book that doesn’t condemn LGBTQ+ people.

The backlash against LGBTQ+ people continues apace even after finally getting Trump out of the White House.

This backlash is especially vicious against transgender people, with right-wing conservatives using the existence of people who don’t neatly fit into “male” or “female” from birth as fundraising and fear raising fodder.

One of those people is former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey, who railed against “the transgender militants” in a recent piece on World Net Daily.

To hear McCaughey tell it, President Joe Biden is basically colluding with school districts to make every child transgender and every teacher

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

Betsy McCaughey (courtesy image)

CREEp OF ThE WEEK:

beTsY MCCaUgheY

By D’anne Witkowski

a transgender life coach. In reality, the Biden Administration is trying to undo the damage that the virulently anti-trans Trump Administration caused transgender and gender fluid students. Damage that McCaughey clearly approves of.

“Elementary school teachers are putting words such as nonbinary and transgender on the blackboard, even before kids have learned multiplication,” she writes.

I’m not sure what multiplication has to do with anything here, but I guess what McCaughey is saying is that children need a firm grasp of their times tables before they can fully understand that gender is a social construct.

Except that kids are faced with issues of gender far sooner than multiplication.

Right from the get go children learn “rules” like “girls love princesses” and “boys love dinosaurs.” The obsession with gender is front and center all of the time, most hideously in the form of gender reveal parties that start wildfires and kill people. But to hear McCaughey tell it, schools have become overrun with trans people.

“In school, it’s cool to be anything but heterosexual,” she writes.

Um, I don’t know at which schools McCaughey has been hanging out, but from what I can tell, those schools are not on planet Earth. Even in parts

of the country that are more liberal, being a trans kid is hard. These kids are dealing with deeply rooted cultural norms and social weirdness about gender and bodies and sexuality on top of the regular kid problems of acne and homework.

McCaughey uses Maine as an example of a place that’s gone crazy for transgender people. “Maine requires public school teachers to explore the achievements of LGBTQ+ individuals, not just in health class but also in history and social studies,” she writes.

Uh. What? “Not just in health class?” Does she think that LGBTQ+ people are just biological oddities and haven’t contributed to history and

17

society? Ha. Dumb question.

Of course she does.

Where oh where do parents go for help to stop their children from being indoctrinated that transgender people exist and they’re humans?

“Sorry, not to the American Civil Liberties Union, despite its century-long record protecting the free exercise of religion,” she writes, as if being anti-LGBTQ is a religion “Don’t count on Biden,” she continues. “He’s already told the transgender crowd, ‘Your president has your back.’”

In other words: if you don’t hate transgender people, a good reminder that the ACLU and Biden are allies. “Truth is, if students are to be educated rather than indoctrinated, parents will have to stand up to the transgender militants,” she writes. “No one else has the nerve.”

Talk about inventing an enemy to rile up the base.

Trans people are not exactly a powerful lobby, unlike the Christian conservatives who demonize them. They are often marginalized and the target of violence, especially trans women of color. They aren’t a scary group intent on indoctrinating your kids. They’re human beings and should be treated as such. If teaching that to kids is indoctrination, then I’m all for it.

D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

Where ALL GUYS come together Visit www.squirt.org today to join the action

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January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

COMMUNITY feaTUre

lgbtqsd.news

CONgraTUlaTION TO evaN JOhNsON!

“We understand hoW lucky We are to have evan on team tFss”

W

e at Trans Family Support Services are proud of our Youth and Community Program’s Manager, Evan Johnson (they/them), being the recipient of the Leon L. Williams Human Relations Commission Youth Award.

Evan is a beacon to the youth we serve. In the six years that they have been advocating for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming (TGNC) youth, they have constantly remained grateful of the work they are able to do every day.

In their advocacy work, Evan engages both the community at-large as well as the specific community that we serve in LGBTQ+ spaces. Evan serves as Co-Chair on the San Diego Police Departments LGBTQ Advisory Board, sits on the Child Protective Services Transgender Work Group, and serves on the San Diego County Office of Education LGBTQ Committee. They take their advocacy and perspective on TGNC issues directly to the chambers in which they need to be heard.

In their time with the organization, they have helped to train, educate, and amplify trans competency training into academia, civics, and healthcare where the attention to trans competency is often lost.

By martin campos

Even more so, in those trainings, Evan leads with empathy and when approached by participants who might be miss-

ing the purpose of the training, they lead them back to point with ease. Outside of their training, Evan supports school

Gender Sexuality Alliances (GSA’s) through site visits in which they encourage and enable students and faculty

photo by Rikke Bahena

serving as club leads to feel confident in supporting one another and having the proper tools to support others.

On a monthly basis, Evan shows their support for LGBTQ+ youth through their experience managing 5 rotating peer-to-peer support groups. These support groups, which are hosted through the organization they work for, Trans Family Support Services, offer the groups free of charge to youth 11-17 as well as young adults 18-30. Evan has also played a large part in the development of the organization’s Parent and Family Programs which helps parents of transgender youth and young adults understand and communicate more effectively with their children who are on a journey with their gender.

We understand how lucky we are to have Evan on Team TFSS. Their perspective and expertise are an intrinsic part to the success of our Trans Competency Training. It comes with no surprise to the team that Evan was selected as the 2021 recipient of the Leon L. Williams Human Relations Commission Youth Award for his work, courage, and leadership in serving the Transgender and diverse communities of young people in San Diego.

COUrT News

lgbtqsd.news

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Chula Vista man pleaded not guilty Dec. 27 to committing a felony hate crime when he allegedly slugged his neighbor while yelling antiGay slurs.

Robert Frank Wilson, 40, is also charged with helping others hang a large anti-Semitic poster on the fence of an Interstate 805 overpass.

Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Rod Shelton ordered Wilson to remain free on $50,000 bond on the condition he have no contact with the victims.

A Jan. 19 a preliminary hearing was set.

The prosecutor said Wilson blocked his neighbor’s driveway in a Nov. 10 incident and got out of his vehicle while yelling anti-Gay comments to him.

Wilson is accused of punching his neighbor in the face.

On Dec. 18, Wilson was cited by San Diego Police for working with a group of people to hang a large poster that used the words “Jewish supremacy” and the word “censor.”

“This case and these events demonstrate that those who are motivated by prejudice often spread their hate around to various groups, attacking our neighbors on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds,” said District Attorney Summer Stephan.

“Hate against one group is a threat to everyone and we won’t tolerate these crimes

Robert Frank Wilson (courtesy image)

ChULA vIsTA MAN pLEADs

NOT gUIlTY

TO FELONY hATE CRIMEs

By Neal Putnam in our community,” said Stephan, adding that filing hate crime cases is a priority in her office.

“Anyone considering committing a hate crime should think again as they will be investigated, prosecuted and held accountable under the law,” said Stephan.

The sign charge is a misdemeanor. Stephan said if Wilson is convicted of both crimes, the maximum sentence is three years and six months in prison.

Stephen said her office has

A

murder suspect in the death of a Hillcrest man is now in a medical unit after his attorney says he has congestive heart failure.

The preliminary hearing for Randolph Winston Henderson, 52, was delayed Jan. 3 until Jan. 27 in the death of Steven Tucker, 60, who was found dead on Oct. 27, 2021.

Tucker was found dead in his home on Eighth Avenue just south of Robinson and police said he had visible trauma to his body. The murder charge says Tucker was stabbed to death between Oct. 25-27.

Henderson was arrested in Montague, Texas, on Nov. 9, 2021 and he was extradited to San Diego.

An arrest warrant affidavit was ordered sealed by a judge

January 2022 volume 3 issue 7

Randolph Winston Henderson (courtesy image)

2021 hIllCresT MUrder sUsPeCT

pRELIMINARY hEARINg DELAYED

By Neal Putnam

filed 30 hate crime cases in 2021 and 20 in 2020.

KFMB-TV (Channel 8) reporter David Gotfredson had an odd interview with Wilson in the courthouse parking lot that started with Wilson interviewing him on a cell phone camera.

Wilson denied doing anything illegal. When Gotfredson asked him if he yelled “homophobic language” to his neighbor, Wilson replied, “There’s no such thing as homophobia.”

so it is not yet known how Henderson knew Tucker or the circumstances of his death. Police said a friend of Tucker’s discovered his body and found his dog was not hurt.

Attorney J.B. Campbell told San Diego Superior Court Judge Michael Groch that Henderson is housed in the medical unit of the George Bailey Detention Facility because Henderson has congestive heart failure.

Groch replied he was glad Henderson is housed in a medical unit. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bail.

Henderson is a certified electrician. He was convicted of four counts of bank robbery in 1991 and 1992, according to court records.

PUzzle sOlUTION

rEmEmBEriNG aNNE From PaGE 13

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