The board of directors of the Lambda Archives of San Diego voted Feb. 24 to endorse Assembly Bill 2567, Assemblymember Mark Leno’s bill proposing May 22, San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk’s birthday, be named a state holiday.

Milk, one of the first openly gay politicians in the country, was assassinated in 1978 by Dan White, a political rival and Milk’s former colleague.

If passed, Milk’s birthday would be the first and only state holiday honoring a gay public figure. California would also be the first state to have a holiday honoring a gay leader.

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Student Union (LGBTSU) of San Diego State University will hold a car wash Saturday, April 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to raise funds for the organization. The car wash will be held in the parking lot of The Center.

The LGBTSU, established in 1975, continues to provide needed educational, social, and outreach events for the GLBT student community at the university. Proceeds from the car wash will support these programs, including the popular Big Gay BBQ community event held on April 9.

Members of the LGBTSU will wash cars and accept donations. For more information contact Isaac Castro at lgbtsu.president@gmail.com or visit www.prideatstate.org.

The Center is located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest.

The 2008 Nicky Awards, known by many as “the gay Academy Awards of San Diego,” is now accepting nominations. The purpose of the annual awards event is to honor outstanding achievement in the San Diego GLBT community. This year’s Nicky Awards will take place on Monday, May 19 at the Birch North Park Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Outstanding bar, business, DJ/VJ, and community volunteer are among the many categories. Community members may submit nominations online at www.nickyawards.com. The deadline to submit is April 2.

The Center is seeking volunteers for the campaign to educate San Diegans on their right to say no to amending the state constitution to limit marriage to one man and one woman. Volunteers will participate in a number of outreach activities throughout the county.

To volunteer or for more information call 619-692-2077, ext. 206, or e-mail stopthepetitionsd@gmail.com. For more information on the amendment, visit www.equalityforall.com.

Under a state program, low-income individuals or those older than 60 are eligible for free assistance to complete simple federal and state income tax returns.

Assistance is available through April 15 and is limited to full-year residents. To find the nearest assistance center in San Diego County, visit www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/vita/sites.asp or contact the California Franchise Tax Board at 800-540-3453.

Those interested in volunteering to help low-income and elderly individuals complete their tax returns can visit www.ftb.ca.gov for more information, or contact the Franchise Tax Board at volunteercoordinator@ftb.ca.gov.

Princeton University, Emory University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California and the University of Utah will all attend the upcoming Campus Pride College Admission Fair on Friday, April 11 at the University of California, San Diego.

“Finally, colleges are coming out of the closet and being visible in the recruitment process to seek LGBT students,” said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit for LGBT students and campus groups, and author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students. “Even the nation’s top colleges realize that being LGBT-friendly is not only in the best interest of enrollment figures but also a necessity to prepare for a smaller, more diverse student population in the future.”

Nearly 30 colleges have registered to date for the GLBT-friendly college fair sponsored by Campus Pride. In addition, more than 150 colleges and universities are reaching out to GLBT students through the GLBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. The national index, the only resource of its kind, is a dynamic online tool which rates GLBT-friendliness at colleges and universities, as well as sets a national benchmark for campuses to become safer and more welcoming for GLBT and ally people. Any campus may take part in the index to be listed online at anytime.

The San Diego fair takes place Friday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Price Center of the University of California, San Diego. The early registration deadline for campuses to participate is March 21. Organizing partners and supporters for the upcoming fair include national and local chapters of organizations such as the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling, the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Point Foundation.

To view the current registered campus attendees, visit www.campusclimateindex.org/events or contact Campus Pride at 704-277-6710 or info@campuspride.org.

Applications for the 34th annual San Diego Pride parade are now available online. The mile-long parade is scheduled at 11 a.m. on July 19.

The online application, available at www.sandiegopride.org, allows participants to fill out applications and pay entry fees electronically. Applications submitted by May 1 qualify for the lowest fees.

The parade will be taped for television and aired on the Cox and Time Warner cable networks. Free parade shuttles will also be provided from two free park-n-ride lots located at the County Administration Building on Pacific Hwy and the Navy Hospital on Presidents Way.

Parade cash awards ranging from $150 to $1,000 will be given for “best entries” in several categories. All entries must be decorated and incorporate the 2008 theme, “Live, Love, Be,” on signage or through more elaborate ornamentation.

Nonprofit organizations may qualify for discounted entry fees through the Parade Scholarship program. Organizations that desire financial assistance for entry fees are asked to write a letter explaining their situations and what fees they can afford.

Last year’s parade last year attracted 150,000 spectators along its “rainbow mile” route that included 175 floats and contingents. It remains the largest civic event in San Diego and the largest Pride parade in Southern California.

The Pride office is located at 1807 Robinson St., Suite 106. For more information about parade applications, fees and 2008 events call 619-297-7683, ext. 105, or visit the Web site at www.sandiegopride.org.