San Diego LGBT Pride has begun accepting nominations from the community for its annual awards, which are designed to honor local individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on San Diego’s GLBT community.

Award recipients will be publicly introduced at Pride’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally, scheduled for July 29. The rally will mark the start of San Diego Pride’s 31st annual celebration, which continues on July 30 and 31 under the theme: “Equal Rights! No More, No Less!”

This year’s award categories are:

Champion(s) of Pride – An individual or couple who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the GLBT community over an extended period of years, or who has made an exceptional contribution over the past year.

Friend(s) of the Year – An individual or couple who does not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but who has supported the GLBT community over an extended period of years or the past year.

Stonewall Service Award – A group or organization, which may or may not identify as GLBT, but which has greatly supported the community over a sustained period of time or the past year.

Community Service – An individual or couple who is recognized as up-and-coming leader within the GLBT community, or whose contributions to the community over the past year carried significant impact.

The nomination forms are available on Pride’s website, as well as at The Center or by calling or visiting the Pride office, located at 1807 Robinson St., Suite 106. The Pride office number is (619) 297-7683. The deadline for submissions is March 31.

The office is also accepting written suggestions for prospective grand marshals, which can be included on the main nomination forms.

For more information about the nomination process or volunteer opportunities, contact the Pride office.

Beginning immediately, 4 percent of anything spent at any Ralphs in Southern California will be paid directly to Mama’s Kitchen; if you register your Ralphs card for the program, they will credit the amount to Mama’s Kitchen.

To obtain a registration form, call Richard De Lancey at Mama’s Kitchen at (619) 233-6262 or email richard@mamaskitchen.org.

The University Compounding Pharmacy presents a series of educational seminars designed to help women get the answers they need about menopause and hormone replacement therapy. The first workshop takes place on Thursday, Feb.10, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Center in Mission Valley, located at 1895 Camino del Rio South.

Every day 3,500 women in the U.S. enter menopause. Despite the inevitably of this life change, it is often difficult for women to find information about the indicators, effects and treatments of menopause.

Keynote speaker Pamela Wartian Smith, MD, MPH, and the author of HRT: The Answers, A Concise Guide for Solving the Hormone Replacement Therapy Puzzle, is the owner and director of The Center for Healthy Living and Longevity and has gained an international reputation as one of the foremost speakers on the subjects of wellness and anti-aging. A practicing physician for 22 years, Smith has long been studying the symptoms, effects and treatments of menopause.

Admission is free. Call (619) 683-2005 to reserve a space.

Students and professionals are encouraged to apply for the 2005-2006 Senate Fellowship Program with 39th District State Senator Christine Kehoe.

“The Senate Fellowship Program offers post-baccalaureate students and mid-career professionals the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of the legislative process,” Kehoe said, “providing a challenging, professional work experience that serves as the foundation for successful careers in both the public and private sectors.”

The 11-month program gives college graduates the opportunity to become full-time State Senate staff members working on fiscal and policy issues in a senator’s Capitol or committee office. Fellows will participate in a weekly academic seminar with senators, senior staff, journalists and lobbyists, earning 12 graduate credits from California State University, Sacramento. Fellows are paid a monthly stipend of $1,972 per month, plus full health, dental and vision benefits.

Applicants must have earned their undergraduate degree by September 2005. No specific major is preferred. Recent fellows have had various majors, including agricultural science, communications, drama, ethnic studies and political science. Individuals with advanced degrees or mid-career professionals are encouraged to apply.

The California State Senate in conjunction with the Center for California Studies at CSUS administers the program. Applications are available at Senator Kehoe’s Capitol office, or by calling her district office at (619) 294-7600. You may also request an application online from the Center for California Studies by email at calstudies@csus.edu, or call (916) 322-7563. The application deadline is Feb. 23.

The first meeting of the Student Rainbow Alliance of San Diego County (a.k.a. Rainbow Alliance) for 2005 will be on Sunday, Feb. 13. The meeting will take place at the Family Health Centers complex at 3524 30th St.

Since December 2002 the group has met monthly to create more positive atmospheres on college and university campuses across the county. They are seeking representation from every single school of higher education in the county. Whether or not a school has a GLBT group, student representation from every campus is requested. Students and faculty who are part of GLBT groups on a campus or attending schools without any GLBT programs should contact them. The Rainbow Alliance exists to help schools build GLBT programs, and serve as a network for those already in place.

Everyone is welcome to join in on this meeting. Contact Ben Cartwright at (619) 316-9197 or bcartwright@cox.net for more information.

The University of California, San Diego hosts the “Healthcare in California: Confronting the Future” conference. The event, part of a continuing educational series, involves many of California’s top experts in healthcare. The conference begins at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the Hojel Auditorium, Institute of the Americas on the UCSD campus.

One of five being held statewide, the conference is sponsored by the RAND Corporation and the Communications Institute and co-sponsored by UCSD, The University of California, Irvine, and San Diego State University. California Assemblymembers Keith Richman, M.D., and Joe Nation will chair the conference, whose goal is to engage state leaders from government, business, labor and community organizations in a constructive dialogue about healthcare costs, quality, availability and related issues.

For more information or to register, email programs@tci1.org.

The seventh annual Trade Policy Forum of the California Council of International Trade (CCIT) will be held Feb. 23-25 at the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies on the UCSD campus. Addressing the enormous challenges facing both policy-makers and industry leaders, the forum will include informational workshops and panel discussions on a broad range of trade issues, including the future of bi-lateral trade agreements, the competing needs for homeland security and trade expansion, the potential consequences of offshore outsourcing and the factors affecting the international competitiveness of California businesses.

Keynote speakers will include former Congressmember Douglas Bereuter, president of the Asian Foundation; Gary Ridge, president of WD40; and Grant Aldonas, undersecretary for international trade administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Call (858) 822-5297 for registration information and directions.