Many of us in the GLBT community are spiritual (Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim etc). In fact almost every study/survey shows that a majority of GLBT Americans are very spiritual. I am Catholic, and Easter is a special day for all Christians. Let us rejoice!

What a five day whirlwind it was: a beautiful hotel, the Marriott at Times Square, great play, The Battle for the Pentagon Papers and great nightlife. Check out The Web with Latino and Asian go-go boys (say hi to my pal, manager Bobsie). There were also fabulous restaurants including El Quijote, which the minister of Spain declared as the best resultant of any country in the world outside of Spain! Try El Quijote’s lobster and legendary bean soup. Sammy’s on Sixth Avenue is wonderful for Chinese, LAnnan is great for Vietnamese and ACME has the best in soul food! Next Magazine is the weekly gay magazine for all you need to know and were to go, and Gay City News keeps you informed. I was in New York for the annual Night of a Thousand Gowns gala dinner, which has raised more than a million dollars for numerous AIDS causes. My table included Judy Shepard, Lt. Dan Choi, New York City Councilmember Daniel Dromm, San Diego business person Rick Ford and the legendary Coco LaChine. I had a great time dishing with Dina Manzo, from the “Real Housewives of New Jersey”! Let me tell you, the cast of Broadway Bares had the entire ballroom of more than 70 people cheering like crazy. VIP tables cost from $5,000 to $10,000, and general tickets were $300 only in New York. Hooray! I’m in town for three weeks, then its Washington D.C., Kentucky, Sacramento, Nebraska and San Francisco.

Past Victory Fund boardmember and respected business person Bill Beck will be hosting a fundraiser for Supervisor Ron Roberts’ re-election campaign. Popular City Councilmember Todd Gloria will not endorse any of the five candidates in this race until after the primary in June. Keep your eyes on San Diego School Board President Richard Barrera. He is young, Latino and super smart. As the Golden State turns more brown, the sky is the limit for Barrera. Another young and bight San Diegan, state Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher, is also a rising political star that some would like to enter the mayor’s race. Recent gay fundraisers for Council President Ben Hueso’s state Assembly race and Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer’s re-election campaigns have been very successful. Stephen Whitburn did a great job on the city’s task force on medical marijuana as the City Council is now getting ready to finally adopt new local regulations. By the way, early polls show a majority of Californians voting to legalize pot in the November elections. LGBT Vote San Diego will be endorsing candidates in both the Republican and Democratic primaries. Councilmember Marti Emerald’s new chief of staff is City Hall veteran Don Mullen, who is a member of our community.

Civil rights icon Cesar Chavez is indeed an unsung hero and champion of the GLBT community. In the 1970s, Chavez spoke out in support of homosexual rights and formed a friendship with Harvey Milk. Cesar Chavez was the first major civil rights leader in America to stand up for gay rights. I had the honor of introducing Cesar Chavez at the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights rally and working with him. The Cesar Chavez Social Justice award, which Cesar’s widow Helen Chavez presented to me, hangs on my living room wall. I cherish the award and the time I spent with him. Because Chavez spoke out in support of us, others supported us.

It was good to know that while I was in New York, San Diego LGBT Pride, the San Diego Democratic Club, the San Diego LGBT Community Center and Imperial Court members participated in numerous official Chavez holiday events. Chavez was indeed a great man, a great American and a great human being who cared about the equality of all people.

In the Republican primary race for the U.S. Senate, there are three candidates and the candidate who supported the No on Proposition 8 campaign is under attack by the radical religious right. I’ve met former Congressmember Tom Campbell numerous times these last two decades, and I wish more Republicans were like him: a very real, ‘compassionate conservative.’ Tom Campbell is respected by many GLBT activist/leaders including myself, and I urge all Republicans to vote for Campbell in the upcoming primary.

The mother of Stepping Stone, the much beloved and respected Cheryl Houk, is back at Stepping Stone, having been elected to its board of directors. Ms. Houk, who recently was honored at the Lambda Archives’ Heroes, Trailblazers and Pioneers gala, was the former director of this great organization for almost two decades! Stepping Stone will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its residential facility (June 4-6), which I had the honor to have been one of the ribbon cutters at its opening ceremony a decade ago. Welcome back Cheryl. You were very much missed.

GLBT community leaders and businesspeople are hosting a fundraiser to support “Yes on D” for a strong-mayor/strong-council government. The special guest will be our Mayor Jerry Sanders and his beautiful wife Rana Sampson, and you’re all invited next Wednesday, April 7, 6-7 p.m. Tickets are $125, $250 and $500. For more information, call 619-544-7000 or 619-692-1967 or e-mail Adrian@MongerCompany.com.

You have only two days to drop off your children’s Easter baskets at The Center. Last year more than 500 children attended the annual event at Trolley Barn Park on Adams Avenue in University Heights on Easter Sunday. So we still need your support. This year’s ninth annual event is being hosted by the Imperial Court and The Center’s Family Matters program. Let’s make it the great success it has been for almost a decade of making children smile from ages two to 12. Thank you! For more information, call 619-254-6372 or 619-692-1967.

We all know that Arrivederci in Hillcrest is the legendary best Italian restaurant on the Western Hemisphere, and now they have opened up another restaurant in North Park, Il Postino at 3959 30th St. It’s already the talk of the town, beautifully designed and warm and welcoming to all. Last week, City Commissioner Bruce Abrams, Democratic Party activist Fentress Ott and I dropped by and had a most fabulous time. Il Postino has a hip New York urban feel to it with a huge full bar. The Menu is outstanding, and I just love their veal. They have over 250 wine selections and in this very spacious restaurant they have a pizza oven with over 40 selections to choose from, as well as a great deli and, of course, food to go. Of course their chef hails from Italy and everything is fresh daily. Doors open at 5 p.m., and customers will be definitely ringing more than twice at Il Postino. For more information, call 619-325-0809.

For more exciting, breaking news, gossip, politics and all the gay news that’s fit to print including Editor at Large Nicole Murray-Ramirez’s People Opinions & Politics, Associate Editor Aaron Heier’s Two Cents, Stephen Whitburn’s Politics Tracker, Stampp Corbin’s The Oracle and much more daily news and happenings, visit www.GLTNewsNow.com. Mark us in your favorites and stay informed daily!