The first and most enduring award for GLBT books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association’s (ALA) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. Since Isabel Miller’s Patience and Sarah received the first award in 1971, a total of 48 books have been honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.

The Stonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Stonewall Book Award-Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award are presented to English language works published the year prior to the announcement date. The awards consist of a commemorative plaque and a cash stipend. The GLBTRT was founded in 1970 as the Task Force on Gay Liberation and is considered to be the nation’s first gay, lesbian and transgendered bisexual professional organization. The ALA also will host gay Hispanic author and essayist Richard Rodriguez at its Midwinter Meeting on Saturday, Jan.10, 2004.

The ALA Midwinter Meeting is being held Jan. 9-14 at the San Diego Convention Center. More than 15,000 librarians are expected to attend the conference this year.

For more information, click on this story at the gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to the ALA website.

The Gay and Lesbian Times will be holding a forum for directors and representatives of nonprofit organizations, Thursday, Jan. 15, at 12:00 noon in the Community Resource Room at The Center, 3909 Centre St. Find out how to get your story in the paper and what to do (or not do) when a reporter calls on a story, discuss coverage and community issues. For more information, call (619) 331-7108.

On Wednesday, Jan. 14, the San Diego League of Gentleman (SDLOG), a leathermen’s fraternity, will host an educational meeting at David’s Coffeehouse (3766 Fifth Ave.) from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. entitled “Calling all Daddies”. SDLOG is a club that encourages respect, kindness, brotherhood and mentoring. For individuals who hunger to belong to a larger, stronger community with a sense of tribe and pride, this is the club for you.

The group’s events encompass a wide variety of styles and pleasures for leathermen of all ages, body styles, colors and experience levels. Each event is guaranteed to be pleasant, welcoming and respectful of everybody’s differences. If you are new to the scene, or have much to share, you will find many ways to become involved. The event is being presented free of charge but donations are welcome to pay for sign language interpreters. All ages and experience levels are welcome and as with all SDLOG events, this is a guaranteed safe space.

The National Conference for Community & Justice, San Diego presents its annual Martin Luther King Jr. All People’s Breakfast. This year’s theme is “Making the Practice of America Match the Creed of America.”

This is the 16th annual All People’s Breakfast to celebrate the life of Dr. King and the legacy he has left to the 21st century. This year’s keynote speaker is Dolores Huerta, a co-founder and first vice president emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO (“UFW”). The mother of 11 children, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Huerta has played a major roll in the American civil rights movement.

The breakfast is scheduled for Jan. 19 at Golden Hall on the San Diego Concourse. The program will begin at 8:00 a.m. For more information or tickets call (619) 521-2906

The San Diego Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus presents the largest international film festival in San Diego and one of the most popular Jewish film festivals in the country. Over 40-documentary and feature length films will be showcased in local San Diego theatres throughout the two-week festival, Feb. 5-15, 2004.

The festival will include a preview screening of Yossi and Jagger in conjunction with J*Pride on Saturday, Feb. 7, 9:00 p.m. at Madstone Hazard Center Theater. This acclaimed film is based on the true story of gay Israeli Officers who conceal their passion for one another while serving at a dangerous border outpost. Director Eytan Fox skillfully and subtly grounds this true-life romance in the context of social and political realities and pressures, and without flag-waving or ideological posturing, tells the story of young people trying to survive and find happiness in a troubled time and place.

For tickets call the Jewish Community Center (JCC) box office at (858) 362-1348. Tickets are $9 for JCC members and $11 for non-members.

The WorldBeat Cultural Center (2100 Park Blvd) presents a free women’s jazz improvisational workshop. Women still remain largely out of sight in the jazz world. Turiya Mareya, a professional jazz artist for over 30 years is seeking to mentor and inspire women musicians to move to the next level of art and professionalism.

The class is offered for pianists, drummers, wind players, string players and vocalists, and uses a variety of techniques pulled from the traditions of American Jazz, African, Latin American and World Music to stimulate creativity and develop improvisational skills.

Classes will be held in February and March. Students will be given days and times once they have registered for the classes. In exchange for the free classes, students are asked to donate either time or resources to the WorldBeat Center.

Gregg and Debbie Neuman and their team from Prudential California Realty’s downtown office sponsored three underprivileged families this year for their annual holiday gift-giving drive. Headed by team member Jodi Cramer, who personally shopped for the families and spearheaded the wrapping and delivery, the Neumans matched the $3,500 was raised by the team, for a total of $7,000. “We were thrilled, as always, to see the looks on the faces of the children when bikes, clothing, computers, shoes, toys, warm jackets and other items were delivered,” said Cramer. “It’s truly what the holidays are all about and it’s our pleasure to give something back to the city that has been so good to us!”

Tatiana de la tierra, Colombian lesbian, self-proclaimed hedonist, librarian and author will read from her bilingual collection of lesbian poetic prose at Casa del Libro (1735 University Ave. in Hillcrest) Saturday, Jan. 10, at 7:00 p.m.

Hailed as a “Sapphic warrior” by Cuban lesbian writer Achy Obejas, tatiana de la tierra is the first time author of For the Hard Ones: A Lesbian Phenomenology / Para las duras: Una fenomenología lesbiana. A philosophical exploration of lesbianism in Spanish and English, the book reflects on coming out, the difference between a woman and a lesbian, and the significance of fingers and tongues. Her writings have been published in journals and anthologies since 1987 including the spoken word CD Raza Spoken Here 2 and La Calaca Review by Calaca Press. For more information, call Casa del Libro at (619) 299-9331.

The San Diego Men’s Vocal Ensemble, VOCE! will hold open auditions for skilled and semi skilled male singers on Jan. 13 and Jan. 20. Singers with choral experience in all voice ranges are encouraged to attend one of the two open auditions. No prepared material is necessary. Dr. David Rasmussen, Music Director of Voce! will run potential choristers through a series of vocal exercises.

Auditions start at 6:30 p.m. with the group’s regular rehearsal set for 7:00 p.m. at the Pioneer United Church of Christ. The church is located at 2550 Fairfield Street in the Clairemont neighborhood.

Men of all ages are being sought and can simply show up at the church for auditions or can contact David Lortie at (858) 361-7668 for further information.