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Tuesday, September 22, 2013
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September 26 Club Meeting
To Feature Interim Mayor Todd Gloria and
Mayoral Candidates Forum with Potential Endorsement
   
Pictured (left - right): Mike Aguirre, David Alvarez, Bruce Coons, Nathan Fletcher
The San Diego Democrats for Equality meeting on Thursday, September 26, will include remarks from Interim Mayor Todd Gloria followed by a candidate forum for San Diego Mayor. Gloria will speak about his experiences as Council President and Interim Mayor and will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the city.
Following Gloria's remarks, candidates for Mayor will explain their vision and answer questions. The special election to replace Bob Filner will be held Tuesday, November 19. If no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote, a run-off election will be held early next year.
Mike Aguirre, David Alvarez, Bruce Coons, and Nathan Fletcher, all Democrats, are confirmed to appear at the club's forum. Republican Kevin Faulconer, was invited to complete the club's candidate questionnaire and participate in the forum but declined.
Immediately after the forum, the club will consider making an endorsement in the race. A 60% vote of the club membership is required to endorse.
The club will also be considering friendly incumbent endorsements for:
- Scott Peters, U.S. House of Representatives, District 52
- Jerry Brown, Governor
- Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor
- Kamela Harris, Attorney General
- Dave Jones, Insurance Commissioner
- Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Education
The public is invited to attend, but only club members may submit questions for the candidate forum and participate in the debate regarding endorsements. The meeting will be held in the Joyce Beers Uptown Community Center, 3900 Vermont Avenue in Hillcrest, directly across from Trader Joe's.
The meeting begins with social time at 6:30. The club will provide water and soft drinks. Members are encouraged to bring snack food to share (chips and dip, cookies, fruits, nuts vegetable plates, etc.).
Members and guests can park in the Uptown District shopping center's underground parking garage; those who park in the surface parking lot may be towed.
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Join the Dems for Equality AIDS Walk Team or
Sponsor One of Our Walkers
San Diego Democrats for Equality will once again be having a team in the AIDS Walk and Run San Diego. This year's event, which begins and ends in Balboa Park will be on Sunday morning, September 29, 2013, is the largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser and the biggest non-governmental financial provider for HIV/AIDS in San Diego County. Click here to join our team or to sponsor one of our team members.
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In Memoriam
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Gloria Johnson
1937 - 2013
San Diego Democrats for Equality mourns the passing of Past President and longtime board member Gloria Johnson. For over four decades, Gloria was known as one of California's most strident activists for feminist and lesbian issues and Democratic politics.
In 1976, Gloria became the first openly LGBT person to serve on the San Diego County Democratic Central Committee. She joined the club (then known as the San Diego Democratic Club) in 1977, served a term as President in 1980, and held numerous leadership positions within the club. She was elected as a delegate to the 1980, 1996 and 2000 Democratic National Conventions, and she also served as Co-Chair of the LGBT Caucus of the California Democratic Party. Over the years she worked on dozens of political campaigns for Democratic candidates.
Gloria served as the San Diego Co-Chair of the committee to defeat the Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6 on the 1978 ballot) that would have banned gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools.
Gloria was also a longtime member of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and served as Co-President of the San Diego County Chapter and Vice President for Political Action for California NOW. She campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) with NOW, and spent two days in a Washington, DC jail after protesting ERA's defeat.
Before her retirement in 1999, Gloria worked as a social worker for the County of San Diego for 30 years, where she worked with clients living with AIDS during the early years of the epidemic. She was a member of SEIU and was always a strong support of labor unions. She was also active in the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego.
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