San Diego LGBT Pride announced the winner of its 2005 logo contest, which drew nearly 50 submissions from within the community.

The winning design, submitted by Union-Tribune Graphic Artist Alex Dejecacion, ranked among the top four logos voted in initially by members of the community. Pride’s board of directors made the final selection once the submissions were narrowed down.

Dejecacion will receive $500 for his full-color entry, which corresponds to this year’s theme, “Equal Rights! No More, No Less!” The design, which incorporates the equal, less-than and greater-than symbols, will appear on 2005 souvenir merchandise and marketing materials.

In concentrating on this year’s slogan, Dejecacion said he used the symbols to create a human figure, which according to Pride’s executive director, Suanne Pauley, caught the eyes of contest voters and exemplifies the plight for civil liberties. “The design’s first and foremost message is about equal rights. And that remains our number-one cause,” she said.

Pride weekend is scheduled for July 29-31. For information about the event and volunteer opportunities, call the Pride office at (619) 297-7683 or visit their website.

To support local arts and crafts people, the San Diego Women’s Club and Artwear are holding their annual fine crafts showcase and sale on Saturday, March 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the San Diego Women’s Club, located at 2557 Third Ave. near Balboa Park. All profits will go to charities and scholarships sponsored by the club.

Call Marion McLachlan at (619) 265-8125 or Jan Zak at (619) 276-8524 for more information.

The Center is looking for nominations of San Diego women who have made significant contributions to the GLBT community. Those chosen will be honored at The Center’s Annual Women’s Night, taking place this year on Saturday, May 7, at the El Cortez Hotel in downtown San Diego. This year’s event is entitled “Cherchez les Femmes Monte Carlo”.

Ten local women will be honored at the event, including “Woman of the Year”. The deadline for submissions is April 1.

For more information about The Center’s Annual Women’s Night, contact Shawn Ingram, director of development, at (619) 692-2077 ext. 204 or at singram@thecentersd.org.

VaginaFest, San Diego’s annual health festival for transgender, bisexual and lesbian women, takes place Sunday, March 6, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Bienestar Community Center, located at 3020 North Park Way in San Diego.

The mission of the festival is to provide education concerning the health issues that affect LBT women, and will offer workshops, Pap smears, HIV testing and entertainment throughout the day.

VaginaFest is held to provide information concerning free and low cost health services that are available for women in San Diego. Lesbian, bisexual and transgender women often do not access health services either because they have received mistreatment from providers in the past or because they cannot afford to do so.

The festival is organized every year by community volunteers, and is produced by Vibrant Activist Grrls Invoking National Attention (V.A.G.I.N.A.). VaginaFest is free for participants.

Contact Emily Foster at (619) 675-4750 or email cne658@bust.com for more information.

San Diego Foundation for Change has announced that grant monies are now available from a $30,000 donation it received in 2004 from San Diego LGBT Pride. The money has been earmarked specifically for local GLBT grassroots organizations, which must apply for the grants by March 15.

Pride has given $143,000 to the foundation since 1996, with last year’s donation of $30,000 being the largest to date. Since then, the foundation has awarded 37 grants to local GLBT organizations.

Grant applications must be delivered or postmarked to the foundation’s office by 5:00 p.m., March 15. Faxes and emails will not be accepted. The address is 3758 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104. For more information, call the foundation at (619) 692-0527.

Voices for Children provides San Diego’s abused and neglected children with needed help. Volunteer to serve as a court-appointed special advocate. These volunteers lend support to the children, research a case, interview parties involved and make recommendations to the court. All training is provided.

Educational surrogates and monitors are also needed. Voices for Children’s next information meetings are Wednesday, March 9, and Wednesday, April 13. Call (858) 569-2019 for more information.

The Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA) will present a mixer titled “Get Connected to Your Community” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., March 9, at The Center. It is the first GSDBA mixer that The Center has co-sponsored.

Other sponsors are Pete Spencer and Sundi Browne of Audio Associates, and Marci Bair, Jenny Flynn and Rebecca Bair Schwartz of Bair Financial Group. The event will feature food, soft drinks, beer and wine, plus multiple raffles for restaurant certificates, acupuncture services and gift baskets.

“Because the mixer is sponsored by several LGBT businesses, it reflects a trend in the community of businesses supporting one another,” said Joyce Marieb, executive director for the GSDBA.

“It’s also a way of showing off The Center to businesses that don’t normally utilize the large array of social services it provides to the community,” Bair added.

The mixer will be held in the facility’s auditorium. The cost is $5 for members and $7 for guests. Admission includes the first drink for free. For more information about GSDBA events and memberships, call (619) 296-4543.

Wednesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The Center, local martial artist Tony Ma, an Olympic-level Wu Shu athlete, presents a free self-defense class. A release of liability form is required. Dress in comfortable, loose clothing so that you can move. Topics include: correct posture and breathing, body mechanics, punch and block, and other basic techniques designed to protect you from attack. Take advantage of the small class size and individual attention. These classes are co-ed and all are welcome. Call (619) 692-2077 for more information.

A local counseling center has joined with other regional organizations in presenting options for addressing the growing problem of substance use in the GLBT community. The new group, Lifestyles in Transition: A Group for Gay Men, hosted by First Avenue Counseling Centre, offers an alternative harm-reduction approach for current substance users who have had unsuccessful experiences with other intervention options.

Lifestyles in Transition works from the harm-reduction approach and targets gay and bisexual men who have a habit of using crystal methamphetamine.

For more information about Lifestyles in Transition or information on individual, family or couples counseling, contact Tom Wall, Marriage and Family Therapist Intern #43024 (Supervised by Daniel Carr MFCC #31037), at (619) 708-7126 or email him at tom@livecompassion.com.