San Diego LGBT Pride has selected a winner from this year’s logo contest to mark the organization’s 32nd annual celebration, scheduled for July 28-30.

Azfar Najmi, a graphics art student at San Diego City College, will receive $500 from San Diego Pride for his submission of a six-color logo of fanning flames representing eternal equality.

Najmi is a native of Karachi, Pakistan and holds degrees in electrical engineering from Harvard University and UC Davis. He has worked as a software engineer in San Diego for over a decade and resides in Hillcrest with his partner of 19 years.

The logo will be used on various Pride merchandise and marketing materials, including the 2006 souvenir program.

“I wanted to use a torch image with flames because it shows forward motion and that we’re marching toward equality,” Najmi said.

San Diego LGBT Pride produces an annual, all-inclusive public celebration that provides a safe environment for the communities of San Diego. Since 1996 it has donated more than $1 million to various organizations within the GLBT community.

For more information about this year’s celebration or volunteer opportunities, call the Pride office at (619) 297-7683 or visit the Pride Web site at www.sdpride.org.

The Center’s Positive Action Program has announced “Tell It Like It Is: Truth = Power” as the theme for its Poz Seminar Day 2006.

This annual gathering is a free educational event for anyone who wants to learn more about HIV/AIDS. This year’s event will take place on Friday, April 21, from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

Workshops will address activism and advocacy, legal issues affecting people living with HIV/AIDS, nutrition, disclosure, information for caregivers, substance abuse, myths and stigma, Medicare changes and more. There will be Spanish language workshops and translation services available.

Light snacks will be available throughout the day, and a full dinner will be provided at 6:30 p.m. No RSVPs are necessary. Free child care is available on site with advanced notice. Make a request for child care by April 12 by contacting Carolyn Hunt.

To find out more information, visit www.sdpozaction.org or contact Carolyn Hunt at (619) 692-2077 ext. 133 or e-mail chunt@thecentersd.org.

The topic of this month’s Poz Seminar Series will address the topic “Sexual Dependency and HIV.” The seminar will take place on Monday, April 10, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

Guest speakers will be Doug Braun-Harvey, MFT, CPG and founder of the Sexual Dependency Institute of San Diego, and Michael Vigorito, MFT. Braun-Harvey and Vigorito will share information on the signs, symptoms and treatments for sexual dependency, and will address its impact on the HIV/AIDS community.

The Poz Seminar Series is a collaborative effort between The Center’s Health Services, The Center’s Positive Action program and UCSD’s Anti-Viral Research Center.

It is not necessary to RSVP and there is no cost to attend. A free light dinner will be provided from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. To find out more about upcoming dates and topics in the series, visit www.sdpozaction.org, contact Carolyn Hunt at (619) 692-2077 ext. 133 or e-mail chunt@thecentersd.org.

Mama’s Kitchen will celebrate Mama’s Day 2006 with more than 65 of San Diego’s top chefs on Friday, May 12.

Each year, the city’s finest chefs unite to provide guests with a tasty adventure showcasing incredible edibles to help support Mama’s mission: providing food and nutrition to people affected by HIV/AIDS throughout San Diego County. Presented by Sycuan Resort & Casino, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the annual benefit, and the event will feature DJ Tim Altbaum, a silent auction, an Absolut martini bar and more.

Mama’s Day 2006 begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla. Tickets are $125, with all proceeds benefiting Mama’s Kitchen. For further information or to purchase tickets, call Jennifer Ames at (619) 233-6262 ext. 104 or visit www.mamaskitchen.org.

The Center’s Marriage Equality and Education Project will offer free media trainings for those who wish to become a voice for marriage equality in the media.

The trainings, presented by The Center’s Marriage Equality and Education Project and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), will be offered in both English and Spanish. The trainings will take place on Saturday, April 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in English, and on Tuesday, April 18, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Spanish. All workshops will take place at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

For more information, contact Eddie Valtierra at (619) 692-2077 ext. 111 or e-mail evaltierra@thecentersd.org.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego’s spring concert series, entitled “Bang! Bang! The Music of Cher,” will return to the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre in La Jolla, April 8-9.

The show will include the Cher hits “Believe,” “The Beat Goes On,” “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Strong Enough,” and will also feature dancers.

Tickets are $28 for Saturday, April 8 and $23 for Sunday, April 9, with a $5 discount at the box office for military, students, and seniors 60 and over. Groups of 10 or more can receive $5 off per ticket when ordering in advance at one time. For tickets, call Obelisk Bookstore at (619) 297-4171, the chorus office at (619) 574-6273 or the Jewish Community Center box office at (858) 362-1348.

The Gay Men’s Relationships and Empowerment Retreat will take place at Angel’s Landing Country Inn and Resort in Julian April 14-16. This free event is aimed at providing men with tools to make their relationships as safe and healthy as possible.

Activities, discussions and presentations will be led by staff from the Gay Men’s Health Program at Family Health Centers of San Diego. The retreat helps participants learn how to explore their current or future relationships, and will demonstrate different types of relationships gay men have with each other, health concerns, communication skills and other relationship and dating tools.

Angel’s Landing Country Inn and Resort is located about a two hour drive from San Diego. Carpooling may be available. Participants are guaranteed their own bed, but will share a room with one other person. Food and lodging will be provided by GMHP, and attendees are only responsible for transportation. Spaces are limited and all applications will be considered seriously. Interested applicants should contact the Gay Men’s Health Program at (619) 515-2446 for an application or e-mail gmhp@fhcsd.org.

A marriage equality forum presented by the San Diego branch of the NAACP will take place on Tuesday, April 18, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Malcolm X Library.

Some members of the community believe supporting marriage equality detracts from the struggle for racial equality. Others believe it makes perfect sense for the NAACP to step forward in support of equal rights for all citizens, including gays and lesbians from all races, faiths and all walks of life.

Should marriage equality become a reality in California, clergy would not be required to perform same-sex marriages, but same-sex couples could be married by those who routinely perform civil or secular marriages.

Hear from some of the leading clergy in San Diego on both sides of this issue. The format will be two members of the clergy who will argue for marriage equality and two clergy who will argue against marriage equality.

Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Pat Washington at (619) 582-5383 or e-mail themorgangirl@aol.com. The Malcolm X Library is located at 5148 Market St.

A special tax-filing class designed to help people learn how to file their taxes online will take place on Wednesday, April 12, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Center’s David Bohnett Cyber Center.

The classes will be taught by Center volunteer Jeff Larsen. Each class provides access to the TurboTax free filing program, which aides with the preparation and filing of federal taxes. Information regarding California’s state online tax preparation will also be available. Participants are asked to bring all tax-related documentation, including items such as W2 forms, interest statements, donation receipts, etc.

For more information, contact Lindsay Sullivan, The Center’s manager of information technology, at (619) 692-2077 ext. 107 or e-mail lsullivan@thecentersd.org.