“One Family, Yesterday, Today and Always” is the theme for the 2003 Latin Pride, to be held this Saturday in Balboa Park at the corner of Park Blvd. and Presidents Way. The celebration kicks off at 12:00 noon with a parade of flags representing each of the Latin American nations that make up this culturally diverse group.

“Latin Pride is important because of changing demographics and the face of San Diego,” Nicole Murray-Ramirez, president of the San Diego Community Board of Bienestar and co-founder of Latin Pride, told the Gay and Lesbian Times. “It brings together the cultures of San Diego. It gets non-gay and lesbian Latinos to come and mix with their brothers and sisters who happen to be gay and lesbian. It’s a good day of getting to know each other and sharing a day of familia.”

This year’s celebration promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Over 120 volunteers will be working at the festival, which will feature 32 vendor booths, including arts and crafts, a variety of food and information booths from other local GLBT organizations.

Joining Latin Pride this year is new Executive Director Ben Gomez.

“I came on board August 4th and I’ve been here 40 hours a week,” Gomez said. “There has been a lot of preparation and a lot of volunteers. With the assistance of Toné Puente, who is the assistant executive director, she’s helped out a lot with my core of coordinators in regards to medical, safety, outreach, entertainment and ticket sales.”

Gomez added that his experience with Latin Pride has been a learning one, “When I first heard about Latin Pride I said, ‘Why would we need one,’ but since I’ve been working here in the Bienestar office, I realize there is a different culture within the GLBT community in regards to its heritage and culture with food, music and the way events are done. It’s different from our major Pride events, so it’s been a learning experience for me.”

Of course a major part of Latin Pride is the culturally diverse entertainment line-up, which this year includes Alicia Juarez, Banda Emaue, Franceska & Friends, Los Principes del Merengue, and Rocky Padilla and Friends. Keeping the dance floor alive will be DJ Fariba, DJ Ricardo Roca and DJ Ruben Casas, and since the fun doesn’t end at the festival, the party will continue at Rich’s afterwards for the Club Papi one year anniversary party, the official Latin Pride after-party.

“I’ve always, of course, been involved in Latin Pride because it’s part of a project under the umbrella of Bienestar,” Murray-Ramirez told the Times. “I usually focus on the honorees and the awards because I think it’s important that we honor Latinos and Latinas within San Diego County, both GLBT and those who have supported us who are not gay.”

Community member award recipients this year include John Acosta, Tomas Guerrero and Toné Puente. Acosta is an openly gay city commissioner from Chula Vista who also founded the Azteca Project, a Latino seniors organization. Guerrero, better known as Christina Monet, is the reining Empress XXXII of the Imperial Court de San Diego who has already raised thousands of dollars for the community. Puente is the assistant executive director of Latin Pride and a popular female personality in the local GLBT community, as well as a long-time activist.

Friend of the community honors this year go to Attorney Michael Aguirre. Aguirre is a long-time friend of San Diego’s GLBT and Latino communities who represented Cesar Chavez in court and is currently running for city attorney.

“For over 30 years he has been a Latino voice for equality, way back from the Anita Bryant days,” Murray-Ramirez said. “Most recently he stood up in front of the city council and spoke passionately against the lease for the Boy Scouts.”

Last year’s festival drew over 2,000 participants, and organizers are hoping to double that number this year.

“We’ve gotten calls from people in San Francisco who are also coming down,” Gomez said. “We are coinciding with Club Papi’s first year anniversary, which is being celebrated that night. They’ve advertised our event as well in the Los Angeles and Arizona areas too, and hopefully that will bring more people down here.”

Advance tickets for Latin Pride are selling for $8 and are available at the Bienestar Human Services office, located at 3020 North Park Way. They can also be purchased at Priority Pharmacy, Obelisk, Hillcrest Salon or at the event for $10. For information about the entertainment lineup, tickets, parking and more, call the San Diego County LGBT Latin Pride hotline at (619) 295-5839.