Imperial Court collects toys at Home for the Holidays

Members of the Imperial Court de San Diego collected toys for the organization’s annual toy drive at the “Home For The Holidays!” gathering held at The San Diego LGBT Community Center on Dec. 7.

Pictured above are (l-r) Emperor Chris, Big “Mike” Phillips, ICSD board president, Mike Lochern and Linnet.

Thread Fashion and Lifestyle Show will take place at the Sheraton Hotel on Sunday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Just in time for the holiday season, more than 120 of the top local indie fashion designers will hit the runway for one of the biggest shopping events of the year. The Fashion and Lifestyle Show will transform the Big Tent at the Sheraton into a showcase of emerging fashion designers and the music and art that rock their world. San Diego’s independent fashion shopping event will host four runway shows starting at noon and continuing every hour until 4 p.m. Those who attend will have the opportunity to save up to 80 percent on merchandise, with entire outfits going for $50. Also included will be an art gallery, DJs, lounges, the latest cars and gadgets, gift bags and more. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1094.

San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride is now accepting applications for its 2009 Youth Organizer paid internship position. The internship for a high school senior is part of Pride’s resolution to further involve GLBT youth into the long-term planning of Pride’s annual celebrations. The position, which partly involves direct outreach into the youth community, sponsorship involvement and volunteer training, begins in January and runs until the end of July.

Qualified candidates must be in their senior year in high school and able to work through the Pride office for up to 30 hours per week in early summer, and 5 to 10 hours per week from January through May. Course credit for the internship will depend on the policies of the particular academic institution the student is attending.

The youth organizer position was established to encourage youth representation within the organization’s decision making process and to increase wider youth involvement in the annual Pride celebrations. This year’s 35th celebration is scheduled for July 18 and 19.

“Young people are powerful contributors to social change around the world, and their perspectives and ideas are vital to the our equal rights movement,” said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride. “The internship program is a way to listen, share, work together and incorporate the unique voices of our youth.”

The selected candidate for 2009 will enjoy frontline exposure in the GLBT community and related events while gaining a professional understanding of the daily operations inside the Pride organization. Other duties will involve collaborating with San Diego area queer youth agencies while participating in the planning of this year’s Youth Xpress at the Pride festival. Applicants are required to complete a parental consent form and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Applications and a detailed outline about the position are available on the Pride Web site under the “About Us” tab. For a link to the Pride Web site, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1094.

On Sunday, Dec. 14, SD Pix will present Hey Mr. Christmas!, a charity event to benefit Christie’s Place, a nonprofit social service organization in San Diego County that provides HIV/AIDS education, support and advocacy. Taking place at Universal Hillcrest, the pre-show will begin at 9:30 p.m. with the main performance scheduled to begin at 10 p.m.

“The timing could not be better,” said Kim Schoonover, Childcare Specialist for Christie’s Place. “We are so hurting for any kind of help this holiday season. This is a complete blessing for us.”

The event will include performances by Kristine W. and the San Diego Men’s Chorus, with a pre-show performance by Chad Michaels and Santa’s Divas. Kristine W. and the San Diego Men’s chorus will perform songs from Kristine’s newly released album Hey Mr. Christmas. General entry tickets are $30 with doors opening at 9 p.m. VIP tickets are available for $40 and include early entry with a champagne hosted bar from 8:30- 9:30 p.m. Dinner and show packages are $60 and include a three-course meal at Dish and VIP entry to the show. Tickets ordered before Dec. 8 will be sent out via priority mail. All tickets ordered after Dec. 8 will be held at the door the night of the event. Those who purchase dinner packages will be contacted by Dish to arrange the reservation. Attendees who bring a new, unwrapped toy valued at $10 or more will receive a $10 gift certificate to Dish.

For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1094.

Fool on the Hill, second book by mystery author Morgan Hunt, has won the National Best Books 2008 Award in the Gay/Lesbian Fiction category. The contest is sponsored by USA News.

The author lived in San Diego for 27 years and has set her mysteries on this familiar turf. The series, which has been described as ‘Murder, She Wrote’ meets ‘The Golden Girls,’ features a lesbian breast cancer survivor who lives with a loopy hetero housemate in Mission Hills. In the award-winning Fool on the Hill, amateur sleuth Tess Camillo discovers the crucified body of a rock star at Torrey Pines Preserve. With quirky wit, Tess snoops Hollywood music producers, Legoland, a North County church and the Balboa Park carousel to solve the murder.

“Throughout Fool on the Hill, Morgan Hunt weaves breast cancer survival and counterculture humor in this smart and sassy murder mystery … Excellent storytelling and strong characters make for a five-star read,” Armchair Reviews stated.

Hunt launched the series with Sticky Fingers, and released a third book, Blinded by the Light, in September. The books are available online as well as at local bookstores such as The Mysterious Galaxy, Barnes & Noble, and The Obelisk.

Be a part of the annual theme selection process and submit your ideas for the 2009 San Diego Pride Parade and Festival. Each year San Diego LGBT Pride opens the theme contest, allowing the community to get creative and become part of the Pride experience.

All community members are encouraged to send theme ideas reflecting the mission and purpose of the San Diego LGBT Pride. Keep in mind that in 2009 Pride will commemorate the 40th anniversary of Stonewall and it will be San Diego Pride’s 35th Anniversary. Marking these milestones will make for a fun and exciting Pride celebration next July. All ideas are welcome. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1094.

Lambda Archives of San Diego, the GLBT community’s primary keeper of historical records, will hold the 21st anniversary gala celebration “Heroes, Pioneers and Trailblazers” on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m., at The San Diego LGBT Community Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. The purpose of Lambda Archives is to collect, preserve and teach the San Diego community and region’s GLBT history. The gala program will do this by honoring 12 of the San Diego GLBT community’s heroes, pioneers and trailblazers.

The Board of Directors of Lambda Archives also announced its new Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of San Diego’s Nicole Murray-Ramirez. The annual Lifetime Achievement Awards will go to an individual who has made important contributions nationally or internationally, as well as to San Diego. The 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award will go to the founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, GLBT civil rights icon Cleve Jones, who will be in attendance at the Gala to receive the award.

The “Heroes, Pioneers and Trailblazers” event will include entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. General tickets are $50 and VIP tickets are $80. Major sponsorships are also available. For more information, including a link to purchase tickets or make table reservations, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/link/1094.