Pride in the San Diego Association of Realtors In December of last year, I got a call from GLBT community member and longtime real estate broker Karla Cohn. She was a current member of the SDAR board of directors. At the time, I served on EQCA’s board. Karla informed me that SDAR’s biggest event of the year was scheduled at the much-maligned Manchester Grand Hyatt. Given the hotel owner’s slap-in-the-face funding of the Prop 8 campaign, Karla rightly sensed GLBT Realtors dissatisfaction with the venue. I agreed and we went to work. I called incoming SDAR President Erik Weichelt – broker/owner of Weichert Elite Realtors to plead our case. (The event was SDAR’s annual Installation Dinner/Dance, a black-tie affair that includes the Mayor, City Council, state and federal officials and the creme-de-la-creme of San Diego real estate.) Erik heard me out and without so much as a pause, said. “We will move the event.”Erik became the straight ally who went the extra mile for our community. He even opened the annual meeting of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) when the group met in San Diego. Erik’s actions, along with those of his successor Mark Marquez and SDAR’s CEO Mike Mercurio created a new sensibility for GLBT Realtors in San Diego.

MARYAH or Metro Area Real Estate Professionals for Young Adult Housing continues to assist in funding The Center’s young adult housing program. A natural for Realtors, MARYAH helps pay for The Center’s downtown operation at 1640 Broadway. The 23-unit facility offers safe haven for homeless GLBTQ youth who have been forced out of family homes because of their sexual orientation. I reached Vice-Chair Richard Woods on vacation in Montana. When asked for a quote and mindful of his duties, he said “WE NEED SPONSORS for our Harvest Howl evernt! PLEASE!” You may reach Richard, who by the way is one of the finest Realtors I’ve ever had the privilege to work with, at richtwoods@gmail.com. MARYAH’s Board includes Ashley Lunn – Chair; Richard Woods – Vice Chair; Ivan Solis – Secretary; Kevin Ackerson, James Crandall, Sean Current, Amy Del Nagro, Amy Driscoll, Jim Hush, Mark Kunce, David Muscat, Jeff Nix, Lori Northcutt, Mike Paganelli and Ken Tablang

Our umbrella organization -the National Association of REALTORS- is the largest professional trade organization in North America. Representing 1.1 million Realtors across the United States and Canada, NAR is the voice of real estate for its members and advocate for all owners of real property. Last year, Richard Gaylord became the first openly-gay President of NAR.

You’re familiar with the mortgage interest deduction we so cherish at tax time, right? Well, it’s been on the chopping block countless times as politicians search for revenue. As needed, NAR marshals enough political acumen to save the deduction for all American homeowners.

In November of this year, NAR expects to add sexual orientation and gender identity/expression to its list of protected statuses under its Code of Ethics. NAR has never before amended its Code before a status was officially protected by the federal government. Housefuls of Pride to the aforementioned NAGLREP, NAR’s Cultural Diversity Committee, General Counsel Laurie Janik and the Wisconsin Association of Realtors for making this happen.

I guess if you look around you’ll find the spirit of Pride everywhere. My husband Michael and I have had a full month of Pride with the college graduation of our daughter Breanne, the graduation from high school of our daughter Katelyn and the wedding of our son Cameron to our newest daughter, Melissa.

The time when GLBT Americans finally win our “seat at the table.” Having struggled, sacrificed and won, we will look back over our shoulders as a community, to see the next group struggling for rights and recognition. Rather than turn our backs, as many did to us, we extend our hand to pull them up, where they too, might enjoy the great promise our democracy sets as a prize for those who persevere. That’s my Pride dream. Live yours while you celebrate a safe and happy Pride weekend!