Did you know that San Francisco already provides health care for all its citizens?!? America could learn a lot from Mayor Gavin Newsom and the city by the bay.

Since the beginning of this year, four GLBT youth under the age of 15 have committed suicide. The suicide rate of GLBT youth/teens is the highest among their peers period. There are two outstanding national organizations that deserve all of our support: The Trevor Project and the Matthew Shepherd Foundation. And now the Trevor Project is coming to San Diego with a special reception this Sunday. The Trevor Project GLBT suicide/crisis prevention hotline has changed and saved countless of our GLBT youth’s lives. I wish our community would give the same attention, financial support and priority to our GLBT youth as we do to marriage equality. Our GLBT youth are not ‘our future;’ they are our here and now! The Trevor Project hopes to bring awareness about this important issue to San Diego and our schools, city, communities and organizations. Let’s roll out the red carpet San Diego to the great people of The Trevor Project. Thank you The Trevor Project and God bless you for all you do for our GLBT youth.

Every one of us should be grateful to the Episcopal Church in America, which is a living example of true Christianity. It believes that we are all God’s children and welcomes all of God’s church, not only as members but as clergy (openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire), and it blesses same-sex unions. These decisions have not come easily for the Episcopal Church and have created battles within it. God bless this true Christian church and all its clergy and members.

This past week, I had conversations with three outstanding gay Americans and good friends. Stuart Milk, the openly gay nephew of Harvey Milk called to tell me about his experience at the White House, accepting America’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom on behalf of his uncle. Stuart said he told the First Lady Michelle Obama about San Diego’s Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast. He also said he got to play with the “first dog” and had a great time with actress Chita Rivera. Among other honorees were Bishop Desmond Tutu, Sen. Edward Kennedy, former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, actor Sidney Poitier and tennis pro Billie Jean King. President Obama singled out both Milk and Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for GLBT equality. Stuart Milk has fast become an eloquent voice and respected international gay activist. Stuart told me he is looking forward to coming back to San Diego. Rev. Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches, called, and he had just gotten back from addressing a Pride rally in Europe that attracted more than 200,000 people! Troy is looking forward to the dedication of the new Metropolitan Community Church in San Diego. Cleve Jones, the founder of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and Milk consultant, called to tell me about his endorsement of the upcoming National Equality March (Oct. 11) by the Human Rights Campaign and Julian Bond of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People!

I landed in wonderfully progressive Austin, capital of Texas, right in the middle of the worst drought in history. Austin’s parks are turning brown! I had the honor of presenting a civil rights award to the Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, who is a rising Latino Republican star (he is young, smart and has a beautiful wife). Austin is about 35 percent Latino and probably the most moderate city in Texas. It was great mixing with GLBT activist fundraisers and leaders from across Texas, including openly gay Councilmember Tom Davis. Did you know one of the leading candidates to become the mayor of Houston is a lesbian? Yes things are changing in Texas, slowly but surely. I was very honored to receive the Phoenix Award of Austin, whose past recipients have included Stoli Corporation, Capital Chevrolet and The Austin Chronicle. It was great getting to know the three new children recently adopted by my good friends, Texas businesspersons Bryan Cromwell and Tracy Shinsel. The County Line restaurant is the best place for hometown style barbecue ribs! I always love visiting the Texas capitol, whose dome is bigger than the dome of the U.S. Congress. My next out-of-state commitments are: Denver, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Iowa.

The San Diego Democratic Club (SDDC) has been making a huge difference in our community’s fight for full equality since 1975! Its Freedom Awards annually honor some of our most outstanding GLBT activist and allies. This year’s honorees include: Congressmember Bob Filner, who has been there for us since his school board days, the very smart and passionate Latina Andrea Villa, dedicated journalist Mark Gabrish Conlan, the respected Greater San Diego Business Association and former Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Ashley Walker. The event is this Saturday, Aug. 22, at the beautiful San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park. SDDC President Larry Baza and the club invite you all to join them this Saturday.

Don’t think it’s always easy for families and people living with HIV/AIDS to get housing. For 25 years, the good people of Townspeople have made sure that countless men, women, children and families living with HIV/AIDS have a roof over their heads and assisted them in any way it can. Townspeople has not gotten the spotlight our other great HIV/AIDS agencies have, but its work is just as important and needed. On Friday, Sept. 25, Townspeople will be celebrating 25 years of service with a gala dinner at The Prado’s ballroom in Balboa Park. Recently, Councilmember Carl DeMaio provided a major city grant for the work that Townspeople does, but the economy and cutbacks are still greatly affecting our agencies. For more information about the gala dinner, contact Jim at 619-602-8827.