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GAY SAN DIEGO October 8-October 21, 2010


San Diegans to remember Matthew Shepard at vigil


Event to include candlelight march, rally and after-party


By Jessica Hudgins | GSD Reporter


On Tuesday, Oct. 12, San Diegans will gather to remember the life and death of Matthew Shepard. The observance, which marks the 12th anniversary of the day Shepard died in one of the most brutal hate crimes in recent history, will include a can- dlelit procession, vigil and rally. On Oct. 7, 1998 the Univer-


sity of Wyoming student was beaten, tortured, tied to a fence and left to die in a remote area. The event is being organized by a volunteer community group called San Diego Remembers. The group’s founder, Ben Cart- wright, came up with the idea two years ago when he realized there was nothing in San Diego com- memorating the 10th anniversary of Shepard’s death. “I just thought it was really im-


portant and couldn’t believe no one else was doing it, so we started an informal group,” Cartwright said. A decade after Shepard’s


death, Cartwright and a close


friend set up a small poster next to the “Hate Crimes Plaque” in front of the Obelisk bookstore on University Ave. The plaque commemorates the Dec. 13, 1991 murder of teenager John Wear, who was perceived to be gay. Since then, Cartwright has gained more followers on Face- book. Almost 200 people are expected to attend San Diego Remembers’ third Matthew Shepard memorial. “We hope that people will re- member that hate still exists in our society,” Cartwright said. “It’s alive and living, and it’s not going away any time soon. Since we live in our so-called ‘gayborhood,’ we some- times forget that hate still exits.” That message couldn’t come at a better time, given the recent rash of suicides associated with anti-gay bullying across the country, including four such suicides in September alone. The LGBT Community Cen-


ter is in the process of forming a new group that will specifically put pressure on school officials to


Matthew Shepard, 1976-1998


promise that bullying and harass- ment will not be tolerated. Many of the members of Remember San Diego plan on participating in this new group, Cartwright said. There will be two starting points for the candlelit proces- sion: one at Park Boulevard and University Avenue under the Egyptian sign, and another at 5th and University avenues underneath the Hillcrest sign. The two groups will walk by candlelight and meet at the “Hate Crimes Plaque” where the vigil will take place. Can-


dles and purple ribbons will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own in order to minimize costs. After the vigil the group will


meet at The Center for a rally and remembrance ceremony. Post parties will take place at Gossip Grill and Urban Mo’s where a portion of all sales will benefit the Stonewall Citizens Patrol, a local, volunteer- based patrol group working to prevent hate crimes. For more information, visit sandiegore- members.com.


Center to host senior resource fair, Oct. 9 The San Diego LGBT Com- munity Center will hold its fifth annual senior resource fair, Saturday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Center, 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest. The fair is a day of no-cost services, resources and workshops focused on senior health and well-being. Workshop titles include “Laughter Yoga,” “The New Face of Aging,” “Introduction to Ballroom Dancing,” “Memory Matters” and more.


The theme for this year’s fair


is “Live, Love, Laugh and Be Happy.” Organizers hope to pro- vide attendees with positive and affirming resources to help them stay healthy, active and engaged. The senior resource fair is free and includes workshops, repre- sentatives from local health and human services organizations, a free lunch and more. Free tote bags will be given to the first 100 attendees. For more information, call (619) 692-2077, ext. 212 or e-mail seniors@thecenter.org.


Pride’s Equality Torch Relay set for Oct. 10 Participants of San Diego LGBT Pride’s second annual Equality Torch Relay will deliver the message of LGBT equality to all corners of San Diego County, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 10. Team leaders and par- ticipants will carry banners and symbolic torches past dozens of landmarks and government buildings along routes that include San Diego City Council districts 1 through 8, as well as municipalities in East County, North County and South Bay. The event culminates later


that day with a closing ceremony sponsored by Vons, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., in The Center’s auditorium, 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest. It will feature live entertainment, free refreshments and a roster of speakers who will address the accomplishments and challenges of the LGBT movement from vari- ous perspectives.


Speakers include Linda


Perine, board member for the Human Rights Campaign’s San Diego chapter; Karla Cruz, a San Diego Pride youth intern; longtime political activist Nicole Murray-Ramirez; Marriage Equality activist Fernando Lopez; Professor Nancy Jennings of Grossmont Community College; and a representative of San Diego State University. For more information, call (619) 297-7683, ext. 118.


Local bluesman Earl Thomas returns to Anthology, Oct. 14 Openly gay San Diego Blues singer Earl Thomas will perform at Anthology nightclub in Little Italy Oct. 14 at 9:30 p.m. Thomas, whose music com-


bines rock, blues and soul influ- ences, is one of the most sought


see Briefs, pg 5


NEWS


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