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JULY 2022 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 19
PUBLIC SERVICE / OPINION
LGBTQSD.NEWS
“Remember to be vigilant and watch out for each other”
A NOTE FROM TONI Toni G. Atkins —Toni G. Atkins represents the 39th District in the California Senate. Follow her on Twitter @SenToniAtkins.
H
appy July! Once again, we are about to join family, friends and neighbors to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our nation. While the ideals of liberty and equality sparked in Philadelphia 246 years ago still haven’t translated into day-to-day reality for many Americans, and at a time when some of our most basic rights and democratic institutions are under attack, there is still so much to celebrate and honor in the Fourth of July and the blueprint of the American Dream. I hope you have a fun, safe, and meaningful holiday! Fun, safe and meaningful is also a pretty good description of San Diego Pride! And, after not being able to be together in person the last couple years, this year’s celebration should be one to remember! There have been some issues with bigots threatening Pride celebrations in 2022, so, once again, it is unfortunate but important for us to remember to be vigilant and watch out for each other. This is our time to shine (and sparkle), and I hope to see everybody safely out and about this year!
LGBTQ San Diego County News PO Box 34664 San Diego, CA 92163 858.886.9458 PUBLISHER Terry Sidie ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Nicole Murray Ramirez nicolemrsd1@gmail.com 619.241.5672 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cesar A. Reyes creativedirector@lgbtqsd.news EDITOR IN CHIEF JP Emerson editor@lgbtqsd.news
HAPPY PRIDE!
(image by shutterstock.com)
SALES sales@lgbtqsd.news 858.886.9458
AND HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! The start of July also brings big news from the Capitol: June 30th was the deadline to pass SCA 10, the legislation I wrote to enshrine the right to abortion in California’s Constitution and ensure that those vital health care decisions will still be made privately by women and their healthcare providers, without interference from outside forces. Now that SCA 10 has passed both the Senate and the Assembly, it heads to the voters in November. Additionally, SB 1375, my bill to expand access to reproductive health care by allowing trained and qualified nurse practitioners to perform first trimester abortions without the direct supervision of a physician, passed its first hearing in the Assembly and is continuing its path to the Governor’s desk. July 1 also marks the beginning of the new fiscal year,
when we start implementing the 2022-23 state budget. I’ve shared with you the historic investments and record reserves we included in the budget, which will put California’s wealth to work for families, businesses and students. I am particularly pleased that the Legislature and the Governor were able to combine our approaches and deliver real relief for Californians dealing with the high prices we and the rest of the world have been facing. That means $9.5 billion in direct tax refunds to 23 million California tax filers, with amounts ranging from $200 to $1,050 depending on income, filing status, and dependents. We also increased grants for SSI/ SSP and CalWORKs so those who need the most help aren’t left out of our relief efforts. We were also able to put in the final budget the California Dream for All program, my
COPY EDITOR Brittany Berger iceberger@gmail.com
proposal to help California’s first-time homebuyers with money they need for a down payment. In a recent Op-Ed, Donna DeBerry (CEO) and Bruce Mayberry (Board Chair) of the County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce and Carla Farley, owner of the Corban Realty Group and past president of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors, highlighted that the program “has the potential to reduce some of the barriers to homeownership that have disproportionately prevented families of color from owning homes.” Financial independence is another great thing to celebrate, and the California Dream for All program will help many Californians meet that goal. Happy Pride! And Happy Fourth of July! Here’s to pursuing our lives, liberty, and happiness as exactly who we truly are.
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Big Mike Phillips Bmsd1957@gmail.com 619.807.7324 WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA info@lgbtq.news CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Allan Acevedo Berto Fernández Big Mike Phillips Connor Maddocks Michael Kimmel Neal Putnam Randall Blaum Toni G. Atkins Troy Lefferson DISTRIBUTION LGBTQ San Diego County News is distributed free every first Friday of the month. © 2021. All rights reserved. OPINION/LETTERS LGBTQ San Diego County News encourages letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please email them directly to editor@lgbtqsd.news and include your name, phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and accuracy. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers or staff. SUBMISSION/NEWS TIPS Press releases and story ideas are welcomed. Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to editor@lgbtqsd.news. For breaking news and investigative story ideas, contact the editor by phone or email. Copyright © 2022 LGBTQ San Diego County News Editor’s Note: The opinions written in this publication’s advertorial, editorial and opinion pages are the author’s own and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff and/or publisher of LGBTQ San Diego County News. The newspaper and its staff should be held harmless of liability or damages.
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