A full afternoon of live entertainment is scheduled for the second day of Youth Pride on May 1 at The Center, 3909 Centre St. The Youth Pride celebration kicks off on Friday, April 30, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. in The Center’s auditorium with a free intergenerational “Family OUTing” that is open to the entire community. The event will feature theater pieces written and produced by queer youth, plus speeches addressing school safety and homophobia and a special appearance by openly gay actor Wilson Cruz of the Fox Network television program, “My So-Called Life.”

On May 1, a youth march is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., beginning at the Hillcrest Youth Center and ending at The Center’s parking lot. An afternoon festival (restricted to ages 14-24) begins in the parking lot immediately afterwards, from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. Live entertainment will include The Carlsbad High School Lancer Dancers/Xcalibur; Alicia Champion, who has toured the California indie music scene and earned recognition on VH1’s “You Rock With…Melissa Etheridge”; singer/songwriter Kevin Allred; a youth drag show; and Lauren DeRose, a multi-talented musician and recording artist from New York who has performed at Siren and Twiggs Coffeehouse.

The celebration is presented by the San Diego Youth Committee and San Diego LGBT Pride. For more information, call (619) 297-7683.

Equality California, California’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocacy organization, is mounting an unprecedented effort in support of the six major pieces of legislation EQCA is sponsoring this year. Equality California’s grassroots campaign in support of the bills is being supported by a broad coalition of civil rights, labor, religious, business and other community organizations. Working closely with Marriage Equality California chapters throughout the state, EQCA is asking all supportive individuals and organizations to join together in a campaign that will include educating the GLBT community and the public about pending legislation, meeting with legislators in their districts and in Sacramento and contacting EQCA members and members of coalition partners in an all-out effort to have more than 100,000 contacts made via emails, phone calls, personal visits, faxes and letters with elected officials by April 30.

This year’s agenda includes AB 1967: Marriage License Non-Discrimination Act (Leno); AB 2208: California Insurance Equality Act (Kehoe); AB 2900: Omnibus Labor and Employment Non-Discrimination Act (Laird); AJR 60: Permanent Partners Immigration Act (PPIA) Resolution (Lieber); and a resolution that will put the California Legislature on record in opposition to any federal constitutional amendment that seeks to write discrimination against lesbian and gay Americans into the Constitution by prohibiting same-sex couples from ever obtaining equal legal protection and recognition for their relationships through marriage equality.

May 14, 15, and 16, Family Health Centers of San Diego’s Gay Men’s Health Program will host its fourth relationship and empowerment retreat in Julian. This free retreat is designed to give gay men the chance to talk openly about gay relationships without pressure or stigma. They provide an environment that will allow gay men to implement positive change in their community through empowerment. The retreat breaks down stereotypes and opens up issues for discussion in a safe and supportive setting.

For an application or more information, contact Bailey Mitchell at (619) 515-2578 ext. 2913.

The Gay Men’s Health Program will be accepting applications through Friday, April 30.

Douglas Richman, M.D., UCSD School of Medicine professor of pathology and medicine, director of the UCSD AIDS Research Institute and director of the Research Center for AIDS and HIV Infection at the VA San Diego Healthcare System, has been named to the endowed Florence Seeley Riford chair for AIDS research at UCSD. The previous chair was Flossie Wong-Staal, M.D., who retired from the university in December 2001.

Richman trained as an infectious disease physician and medical virologist at Stanford University, the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University before joining the UCSD faculty in 1976. Richman has focused his investigation on HIV disease and pathogenesis for the past 20 years. His laboratory at UCSD was the first to identity HIV drug resistance. Richman is regularly asked to serve as a visiting professor nationally and internationally and is invited as a keynote speaker at numerous national and international conferences.

Sledgehammer Theatre announced that Jeremy Gaucher has been named the organization’s new executive director. Mr. Gaucher joins artistic director Kirsten Brandt as the company prepares to launch its 19th season of producing original, innovative work. Brandt, artistic director of the company since 1999, says she is “delighted to have Jeremy on board at Sledgehammer.”

“The search to find a talented executive director who understands the community and embraces Sledgehammer’s aesthetic has been long and arduous,” said Sledgehammer board president Chris LaZich at the conclusion of the 18-month search, “we are thrilled to have found someone of Jeremy’s caliber in our own backyard who knows the dynamics of the San Diego cultural landscape.”

Mr. Gaucher, who took over day-to-day operations on April 5, comes to Sledgehammer via the San Diego Performing Arts League, where he served as the general manager, coordinating the past two Bravo San Diego and Star Awards events.

ArtWalk, San Diego’s largest urban arts event, which brings unique, original art to San Diego, celebrates its 20th anniversary April 24 and 25 from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. in Little Italy. This free event offers activities for everyone. For kids and families, a must-do is the interactive KidsWalk, located throughout the event. KidsWalk offers instruction from local artists and hands-on projects. Artist booths will also be identified as “kid-friendly art,” which means the art has been designated as acceptable for younger audiences, enabling children to develop an appreciation for art while adults enjoy their art experience as well.

A|W, the ArtWalk magazine, which contains profiles on featured visual and performing artists, sponsor programs, art partner listings and images of all participating artists, will be free and available throughout April in all San Diego-area Starbucks, the Fashion Valley mall, Barnes & Noble/BOOKSTAR, and Arts Tix at Horton Plaza. A free event map will be distributed at the event that will include all entertainment, schedules and artists’ installation locations.

For more information about ArtWalk 2004, call (619) 615-1090

Five years ago, Dr. Janette Gray and her partner, Mary Golden, decided to open a medical facility that offered more than just traditional medicine, and the Center for Health & Wellbeing was born. This truly unique integrative medical practice has thrived and now they are poised to open a second location in Hillcrest at 3501 Fourth Ave. this month

The Center for Health & Wellbeing offers traditional, allopathic medicine along with a host of other eastern services such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, aromatherapy and naturopathy – the newest addition to the complementary and alternative therapies.

Both Mary and Dr. Gray are heavily involved in the community. Dr. Gray serves on the Medical Advisory Board for Henry’s Marketplace and Mary is the first female president in the 25-year history of the Greater San Diego Business Association. They are also active in the Gays & Lesbians for Programming Excellence committee for KPBS.

To learn more about the center, their services or staff, call (858) 454-9771.