Mother’s Day is upon us. What are you going to do? She did give you life and hopefully love and acceptance, before and after, you came out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. If you’re perplexed about what to do – and by perplexed, I mean broke, like me – look no further. I offer you a low cost, DIY-style guide to Mother’s Day gifts that’s sure to make your mother smile. All that’s required is a little creativity.

Card

Mother’s Day gifts always seem to begin with a card and the best cards are the ones you create. That’s right – make your own card. If you have no supplies, introduce yourself to a neighbor with kids and ask to borrow some crayons or markers. Maybe they’d even give you a slice of construction paper. Fold it and make a pretty picture on the cover and on the inside. Then handwrite the proverbial “Happy Mother’s Day” on the cover and write about how you appreciate mom on the inside. It really doesn’t take much time, and even if it looks like a 5th grader made it, it was still made by you – which goes a long way in mother’s book.

Flowers

What is it about flowers and Mother’s Day? It’s seems like the two go hand in hand. I prefer to cut my own flowers, whether in my garden or from an undeveloped plot somewhere (don’t report me!). I go for the unconventional types of Mother’s Day flowers, whatever doesn’t come to mind when I think of the day (like wildflowers or hibiscus flowers). Even better, buy her some flowers that she can plant or that are already potted. That way, she’ll be able to enjoy them much longer than she would cut flowers. Heck, why not give her a potted plant? What does she like? My mother likes cacti, so I usually bring her some type of cactus with a big red bow around it for her special day.

Brunch

Make breakfast or lunch for mom. It doesn’t cost much. You know you still have some eggs left in the fridge – and coffee. Make it a special cup-a-joe by visiting one of our local, high-flavor, highly trendy coffeehouses. Can you remember how long that take-out Thai has been in your fridge? Mother would never know. It also couldn’t hurt to pick up some potatoes to make some hash browns. Presto! Brunch for mom or, you could make the meal together, something called quality time. You could also change it up and bring it to the park; have a picnic. It doesn’t take much to set up a picnic at the park: Tupperware, some sacks to carry the food, and a blanket or towel. Of course, don’t forget the utensils, and plates and cups!

Go somewhere

San Diego is a land of tourist traps, but many of them are still nice places to take your mother to. There is the behemoth that is Balboa Park with its gorgeous Spanish architecture, museums and landscapes. One could seriously spend a whole day at the park. If your mom is active, rent some bicycles and ride around the city, or use your legs and walk through it. There are so many beautiful and diverse little neighborhoods with their own eclectic character, including South Park, Little Italy, Gaslamp, Ocean Beach and, of course, Hillcrest. Want to get out of the city without leaving it? Take a trip to Point Loma and visit the Cabrillo National Monument. It does cost to drive in, but it’s very low. There you can visit the museum, watch a film about the history of San Diego, and drive down the hill and visit the tide pools. If you and mom love shopping, explore the numerous yard sales that take place across our city. It’s my mom’s favorite past time. Nearly every time I see my mom, she insists on driving to a couple of yard sales. Craigslist.org is a great place to find such postings.

Socialize

Invite mom on a hangout with your friends. You know she would love to get to know them more. If you’re planning on going to a bar with friends, take her along. If alcohol is an issue, order non-alcoholic drinks. Sometimes I have even more fun when I’m not drinking alcohol, and it’s probably better that way when mom is around. Or if you play in one of the many LGBT-friendly local sports teams, take her to a practice game. Let her watch you play or, better yet, let her join for a game. If religion is your thing, take her to church and introduce her to your church friends. If you attend an open support group, like a twelve step group, ask her to join you for a meeting. Maybe she’d better understand what you’re going through and perhaps even learn something in the process.

Do something for her

Besides cards, flowers, brunch, going somewhere or bringing her out with your friends, there are also lots of other things you can do to make mom feel special. Maybe she needs her weeds pulled. Maybe her car could use a hand wash. Or does she need help fixing something? What about a computer lesson? For many mother’s, it doesn’t take much to make them happy – a little love, creativity and thoughtfulness can go a long way. Happy Mother’s Day!

Lt. Harvey Milk

Congressman Bob Filner (D-California) has joined with several prominent LGBT civil rights leaders from San Diego and across the country, calling on the US Navy to name “ … the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.”

The late civil rights icon, Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran who began his service during the Korean War. In Korea, he served aboard the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake as a diving officer. Milk was also stationed at Naval Station, San Diego where he was a diving instructor. Milk, whose parents both also served in the US Navy, was honorably discharged at the rank of Lieutenant, junior grade.

The GLBT Historic Task Force (the Task Force) of San Diego County sent an official letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, last week, requesting that Harvey Milk be considered as the namesake of a naval submarine, carrier or other vessel named “in his honor and memory.”

San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez a longtime gay- and Latino rights activist and chair of the Task Force, announced the launch of a national campaign in partnership with the Harvey Milk Foundation and the International Court System (a charitable services membership organization with chapters in 68 cities.)

The GLBT Historic Task Force is also leading a movement to make San Diego the first city in the US to name a street in honor of Milk. “We in San Diego are very proud that Harvey Milk was stationed in our city and fell in love with California here,” said Murray Ramirez, who has served the last five mayors of San Diego. Murray Ramirez was a friend of Harvey Milk in the 1970s and is co-chair of the Harvey Milk Foundation’s International Advisory Council.

Acting on behest of the Task Force, Rep. Filner urged top military officials to support the naming of a naval vessel in honor of Milk. In letters to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Filner wrote, “I … urge the Dept. of the Navy to name the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.”

Congressman Filner, whose district is in San Diego, also stated that “this action would be a fitting tribute to Mr. Milk’s support for equality, an ideal exemplified in the military’s recent repeal of its former Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.” Fittingly, the congressman is past chair and the current ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Harvey Milk’s father, William Milk, also served on a submarine during World War II. His mother, Minerva Karns, was an early feminist activist who joined the Yeomanettes, a group agitating for the inclusion of women in the US Navy during World War I.

“We have launched a national letter-writing campaign to the secretary of the Navy whose decision it is when it comes to naming Navy vessels,” said Murray Ramirez. On another front, Nicole Murray Ramirez serves as national chair of an ongoing letter campaign that is striving to convince the US Postal Service to issue a stamp in honor of Harvey Milk.

“The US Postal Selection Committee has informed us that Harvey Milk will be put into consideration for the possibility of a stamp in his honor,” Murray Ramirez said.

Though he demurred when asked to confirm that he was the conceiver of the ideas to call for a Harvey Milk ship, street and stamp, others had no problem doing so. Murray Ramirez works with Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk and the Harvey Milk Foundation to preserve Milk’s legacy and to “also continue his work.”

“On behalf of both the Harvey Milk Foundation and the Milk family, it is inspiring to be joined by leadership in San Diego as we work together in support of the naming of a US Navy ship after my uncle, Harvey Milk,” said Stuart Milk in a written statement provided to San Diego LGBT Weekly. “As an American hero who proudly wore the uniform of a Naval officer, the naming of a major vessel after Harvey will add that most American value of equality and democracy to the proud message of inclusion for which military service now exemplifies.

According to Stuart Milk, the christening of a ship USS Harvey Milk would boost the military’s image, while also boosting a sense of esteem among its gay, lesbian and bisexual members.

“This action by the US Secretary of the Navy will further send a green light to all the brave men and women who serve our nation that honesty, acceptance and authenticity are held up among the highest ideals of our military,” Milk stated.

Nicole Murray Ramirez likened Harvey Milk to other civil rights leaders of the 20^th Century.

“As a person of color I am proud of the legacy of César Chávez and Martin Luther King,” he said. “It’s long overdue that Harvey Milk takes his rightful place in the history of our great nation.”

In 2009, Harvey Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Milk was further enshrined in officialdom when the state of California designated May 22 “Harvey Milk Day.” Milk was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

“I urge all Americans to write to the secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus and urge him to name a ship after Harvey Milk,” said Murray Ramirez.

Letters should be sent to, The Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 203501-001. Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez especially urged Milk’s fellow LGBT veterans to write to the secretary.

Those interested in signing the petition can visit: glbthistorictaskforcesd.com,

For more information, contact (619) 692-1967, or GLBT Historic Task Force, P.O. Box 33915, San Diego, CA 92163.

Lt. j.g. Harvey Milk

Congressman Bob Filner has joined with several prominent LGBT civil rights leaders from San Diego and across the country, calling on the U.S. Navy to name “ … the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.”

The late civil rights icon, Harvey Milk, was a Navy veteran who began his service during the Korean War. In Korea, he served aboard the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake as a diving officer. Milk was also stationed at Naval Station, San Diego where he was a diving instructor. Milk, whose parents both also served in the U.S. Navy, was honorably discharged at the rank of Lieutenant, junior grade.

The GLBT Historic Task Force (the Task Force) of San Diego County sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, last week, requesting that Harvey Milk be considered as the namesake of a naval submarine, carrier or other vessel named “in his honor and memory.”

San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez a longtime gay- and Latino-rights activist and chair of the Task Force, announced the launch of a national campaign in partnership with the Harvey Milk Foundation and the International Court System (a charitable-services membership organization with chapters in 68 cities worldwide).

The Task Force is also leading a movement to make San Diego the first city in the U.S. to name a street in honor of Milk. “We in San Diego are very proud that Harvey Milk was stationed in our city and fell in love with California here,” said Murray Ramirez, who has served the last five mayors of San Diego. Murray Ramirez was a friend of Harvey Milk in the 1970s and is co-chair of the Harvey Milk Foundation’s International Advisory Council.

Acting at the behest of the Task Force, Rep. Filner urged top military officials to support the naming of a naval vessel in honor of Milk. In letters to Secretary Mabus and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Filner wrote, “I … urge the Dept. of the Navy to name the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.”

Congressman Filner, whose district is in San Diego, also stated that “this action would be a fitting tribute to Mr. Milk’s support for equality, an ideal exemplified in the military’s recent repeal of its former Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.” Fittingly, the congressman is past chair and the current ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Harvey Milk’s father, William Milk, served on a submarine during World War II. His mother, Minerva Karns, was an early feminist activist who joined the Yeomanettes, a group agitating for the inclusion of women in the U.S. Navy during World War I.

“We have launched a national letter-writing campaign to the secretary of the Navy whose decision it is when it comes to naming Navy vessels,” said Murray Ramirez. On another front, Murray Ramirez serves as national chair of an ongoing letter campaign that is striving to convince the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp in honor of Harvey Milk.

“The U.S. Postal Selection Committee has informed us that Harvey Milk will be put into consideration for the possibility of a stamp in his honor,” said Murray Ramirez, who works with Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk and the Harvey Milk Foundation to preserve Milk’s legacy and to “also continue his work.”

Stuart Milk believes naming a navy vessel after his late uncle would serve as a demonstration of core American values.

“On behalf of both the Harvey Milk Foundation and the Milk family, it is inspiring to be joined by leadership in San Diego as we work together in support of the naming of a U.S. Navy ship after my uncle, Harvey Milk,” said Stuart Milk in a written statement provided to San Diego LGBT Weekly. “As an American hero who proudly wore the uniform of a Naval officer, the naming of a major vessel after Harvey will add that most American value of equality and democracy to the proud message of inclusion for which military service now exemplifies.”

According to Stuart Milk, the christening of a ship as USS Harvey Milk would boost the military’s image, while also boosting a sense of esteem among its gay, lesbian and bisexual members. The task force has not specified what kind of vessel should be named after Milk.

“This action by the secretary of the Navy will further send a green light to all the brave men and women who serve our nation that honesty, acceptance and authenticity are held up among the highest ideals of our military,” Milk stated.

Murray Ramirez likened Harvey Milk to other civil rights leaders of the 20th century.

“As a person of color I am proud of the legacy of César Chávez and Martin Luther King,” he said. “It’s long overdue that Harvey Milk takes his rightful place in the history of our great nation.”

In 2009, Harvey Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Milk was further enshrined in officialdom when the state of California designated May 22 “Harvey Milk Day.” Milk was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

“I urge all Americans to write to the secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus and urge him to name a ship after Harvey Milk,” said Murray Ramirez, who is a contributor to LGBT Weekly.

John Muir

Two of the most significant and societally challenging causes of the 21st Century are the environmental and LGBT civil rights movements. Rather than unfolding in isolation from each other – and in spite of their first appearances as completely unrelated – the two movements frequently overlap; share resources and leaders; and even stand in sharp contrast to each other.

The environmental movement as we understand it today stems from a period well in the past, when preservationists (those who advocate preservation for its own sake), such as John Muir, and conservationists (proponents of the management of natural resources for human use), such as Gifford Pinchot, were establishing the groundwork for a movement we recognize today as the modern environmental movement.

Although Muir and Pinchot weren’t known to be gay, they were roughly contemporaries of two other men whose widely hypothesized gayness has a century or more of documentation. Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau brought the sensitivity of their gentle natures to what has become a “genetic” part of the legacy of American letters: Whitman’s poetry of sexual spirituality was entwined with the natural world around him as he beseeched others to return to the wilderness to find their very souls. At the same time, Thoreau’s apparently unconsummated homosexuality may have been (at least part of) the impetus for his literary call of the wild known as Walden. At Walden Pond, Thoreau planted the deepest seeds of harkening back to a simpler life – life in a cabin in the woods. Those seeds did then and continue now to remind Americans that in order to hideaway and recharge amid the trees, near the pond, there has to be a woods in which to retreat.

But it wasn’t until Rachel Carson’s seminal 1962 book, Silent Spring, which detailed the effect chemicals and pesticides were having on the environment, that modern activists of various perspectives, races, incomes, genders and even sexual orientations come together to stop, or at least slow, industrialized civilizations’ creep toward a self-administered, mass poisoning.

Gifford Pinchot

Meanwhile, in the early to mid-1960s, the nascent LGBT-rights movement lacked a unifying “aha” moment even after some important, but pornography-specific legal victories (e.g., Stanley v. Georgia, which established the right to own pornography; Miller v. California, which permitted the sale and transfer of pornography through the mail).

Without its own seminal event correlating to the environmental movement’s ignition courtesy of Silent Spring, it seemed the 1960s would basically go on with only two major progressive causes: the peace and environmental movements. In truth, it was a lot harder to argue for gay justice than it was to argue for environmental justice. No one labeled trees as “perverts.”

But unlike the environmental movement, the LGBT civil rights movement started with ferocity when the gay community, a handful of progressives, responded with a vehement protest to yet another violent police raid at the Black Cat Tavern on New Year’s Eve, 1967 in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake. Then, two years later, it came: the gay-rights (now LGBT rights) movement’s seminal moment in the form of the infamous raid on New York City’s Stonewall Inn in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969. Since Stonewall, our community’s fight for equality has crossed paths with many other movements, from feminism in an almost exclusively positive way; to Christian fundamentalism – almost never in a positive way. But, according to some, it’s the environmental movement that cuts to the most basic, essential aspects of human rights in a way that is as central to being human as is sexual orientation.

If you ask Brandon Tate-McWilliams, director of development at the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), he will tell you why this symbiotic relationship flourishes.

Walt Whitman

“(EHC) serves a constituency of urban communities of color where residents are denied the basic human right to live and work in a safe, healthy environment. In many ways, the LGBT community is similarly denied basic human rights and access to the essential elements of a healthy community. Both communities need improved access to healthcare, increased civic participation, health-protective public-policies that address the concerns of our communities, and above all fair treatment and equal representation. At EHC, empowering people, organizing communities and achieving justice are the guiding principles of our work.”

Georgette Gomez, a self-described “queer brown woman” and EHC’s associate director agrees but adds, “There’s another piece to this: immigration injustice. And humans are at the center of all these injustices, whether it be health, whether it be sexuality, whether it be immigration status.”

Both Tate-McWilliams and Gomez have crossed back and forth between the environmental and LGBT-equality movements during their lives and their careers. Both continue to be active in forwarding the two causes.

“I try to intersect all of that with what I do,” said Gomez. “I work mostly south of the 94 (outside the Hillcrest) area and there are LGBT folks there, too. And we’re all working to bring justice … The better we communicate with one another, the better we intersect our issues, the stronger we can be and the stronger we can move together toward our goals.”

Henry David Thoreau

But movements, no matter how noble or necessary to the very survival of the human race, have their detractors. Equality and ecology are two issues that are far from immune from callous invectives and propaganda that seek to undermine their flourishing. But there was a time, not so long ago, when a person had to argue that he or she was born gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender in order to make claims to all the right, benefits and privileges non-LGBTs are entitled to as a matter of course. Technically, the biology jury is still out on the origins of homosexuality. However, there is much persuasive physical evidence that it is an innate orientation. In fact, the vast majority of psychologists are convinced that it is. Yet despite the consensus and evidence to the contrary, society’s homophobic leaders and their followers cling to the idea that “gay” is ungodly.

Similarly, after the Japanese people suffered a deadly $25 billion tsunami and multiple nuclear meltdowns, there were so-called religious people who said God is punishing non-Christians. Likewise, some conservative politicians and energy executives deny that there is much danger in the use of fission-based nuclear energy.

Denial of essential facts about the environment further echoes that of sexual orientation in the case climate change. Take for example, Texas’ $5.6 billion drought, which has claimed more than two billion head of cattle. Anti-environmental zealots cry “conspiracy!” when the community of climatology scientists is nearly unanimous in saying that humanity is affecting climate change (and could slow it down with a more environmentally friendly energy policy).

But not all LGBT-rights activists agree that the two movements are similar or even complementary. Dan Choi, a man who’s name is almost synonymous with the overturning of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell through confrontation and aggressive activism, is dubious about the notion that environmentalism and the fight for equality are connected.

Rachel Carson

“Environmentalists as an activist movement have long been familiar with direct action, but have lacked political audacity,” he told San Diego LGBT Weekly. “And, this problem is common in many movements, including the gay civil rights movement.”

According to Choi, the LGBT community would likely attain all of its civil rights goals sooner, and would have won more of them along the way, if it had had the preponderance of resources the green movement enjoys.

“We have never had the benefit of environmentalism’s numbers, or the ease of discussing our issues compared to environmentalists,” he said. “It has been more difficult for us to mass large numbers of protestors willing to suffer jail time for the cause, but our targets have become more refined, at least in the grassroots arena of gay civil rights.”

Choi cites an environment-versus-energy issue that’s currently winding its way through the court of public opinion and the American political landscape as an example of what he sees as the green movement’s squandering of its vast resources.

Dan Choi

“LGBTs have grown more willing to pressure our political friends even with small numbers,” Choi said. “This is a lesson that the environmentalists could better heed. It was an early lesson of the Keystone XL (tar-sands oil pipeline between the Gulf Coast and Canada) struggle where activists took the fight directly to President Obama. Initially it seemed successful as President Obama would delay the pipeline permit. But the mad dash to quickly heap unbridled praise on a political friend was a signal that the environmental activists still had a thin skin in many regards, afraid of the political repercussions of drawing a hard line. In the end they did not achieve what they set out to accomplish, despite 1,253 arrests, major celebrity support, tens of thousands of emails, letters and protestors massing for inspiring events. The missing element was the hardliner approach that all progressive movements need to develop as we move forward.”

Forward motion in both movements continues, albeit not at an ideal pace. But, despite periodic setbacks, such as school boards wanting to challenge the teaching of climate change and the rights of consenting adults to marry whom they love, the tectonic plates of public opinion have inarguably been shifted. As evidenced by Tate-McWilliams’ and Gomez’ crossover activism, and even by Choi’s frustration with the environmental movement’s tactical and strategic philosophies, there exists a seemingly natural affinity between LGBTs and environmentalists.

A Harris Interactive poll bore out that 55 percent of adult LGBTs espouse environment-friendly values and rate those values as greatly important, as compared to 33 percent of the heterosexual population. It would appear LGBTs and environmentalists are having a ménage a trois with the planet.

As Whitman said in his poem, Leaves of Grass, “Far-swooping elbowed earth! Rich apple-blossomed earth! Smile, for your lover comes!”

Todd Clayton

T odd Clayton, 22, has been generating a lot of buzz lately. The former student chaplain at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU), who came out of the closet a year ago amid a flurry of publicity, has just had his writing work published in the Huffington Post and twice on Sojourners.

He has had 40,000 online hits in his series of essays about his formerly repressed life and his new struggles as a gay man. Since LGBT Weekly readers first met him one year ago, Clayton has had his first boyfriend and his first breakup. As he bares his soul, he is so candid, and so vulnerable, many readers find Clayton’s work to be addictive.

He has had quite a metamorphosis. A religion major who was studying to be a Nazarene minister, Todd finally realized and accepted that he was gay in December, 2010. He broke up with his fiancée – in what he says was his “worst 20 minutes” of his life.

Todd’s mother sits on the Nazarene University’s Board of Trustees, and his father is a Nazarene minister. Todd made his unprecedented announcement in March, 2011, before 350 people, at the forum of “All God’s Children” that was held at the First Church of the Nazarene which is adjacent to the university.

In January, 2012, Todd returned to the “All God’s Children” forum, but it is now being held in the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Point Loma after it was banished from the Nazarene Church. He graduated from the college, in 2011, but 100 students attended his return talk and he still generates quite a following on his Web site.

Logging onto toddandrewclayton.com will reveal a floating land mass of mountains, with the expression “Because some words are too thick for air” above it. He is literally writing his way out of the closet.

He said writing about his fears cause the fear to lose its punch. “I’ve experienced the power of expressing honestly. There’s less inside to carry,” said Clayton. “Writing makes us better, more honest, more consistent people, I’m convinced.”

“I’ve started sharing my story, largely, because it helps me understand what has happened in this last year, and allows me to parse through what are mountains of tales for the things that matter most,” said Clayton.

“You tap into that genuine place,” said a female student to Todd at the last forum.

In the post “I Didn’t Call Her a Bitch,” Todd recounts how the mother of a PLNU student approached him where he worked at a coffee shop and she started off by saying, “I’ve heard about you” in an unfriendly way.

Todd recounted how the woman had written to his parents, and condemned them for “not trying to exorcise the gayness” out of him. “There are places that could fix him,” the woman wrote.

Clayton writes he was polite and helpful to the woman, despite her attitude of using “prayer as a weapon.”

In his post of “Scalded Fingers,” Todd recounts his younger years of using soap and prayers to try and wash away the gay. Now he says God made him gay and he is glad he is gay. He now attends a gay-affirming church.

In his last six weeks of college, Clayton resigned from his elected position as student chaplain because of anxiety and unwanted attention. Some students stopped talking to him, but others sought him out. He said there were 31 students who came out to him by the time he graduated.

Clayton also expresses frustration about an administrator who told him “not to act gay” while on campus. He abstained from sex, since all students were required to do so, but he was told he couldn’t date or develop a crush on a guy.

He vividly recalls a professor who saw him in the cafeteria and said in conversation “Hell’s real, you know.”

The campus itself has changed, as 35 years ago gay students were expelled by the dean of students.

On his blog, Clayton wrote how his parents changed officials’ minds. He quoted his mother as saying “my whole life I’ve thought homosexuality was a choice. After an hour listening to you, though, I know it’s not.”

Clayton now is working at the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, an organization named after a pizza deliverer who was shot and killed during a robbery by a 14-year-old boy. The foundation was started with relatives of the victim and defendant to mentor kids and provide after-school programs.

Trendy Wendy in Acapulco chair with pink-flamingo silk pillow

Greetings from Ms. Trendy Wendy, writing to you from the fabulous heart of Hillcrest. Each month I will be tickling your design curiosity with the latest trends and design styles for your home. I’ll help you keep up with those Kardashian and Hilton sisters – without having to marry any of them to afford it. Besides, who can keep up with which one is single at any given time. There is a world of design that needs to be explored and I am here to show it to you! My motto for all design is, “every girl has a simple black dress in her closet. What matters is how we accessories it.” In other words, have fun and enjoy your own expression of style.

That said, there’s always room for some guidance. Now, with summer right around the corner, let’s go ahead and do away with those cold, dreary winter blues and bring in a splash of color and summer right into our homes.

This season, it’s all about the 1980s – redefined. Imagine bright, bold neon accents presented in various ways to create an eyelash-snapping, color-block look. Go neo-eighties first, and you’ll set your home apart from those of everyone else. Caution: Neons are very strong colors. Let’s keep them in the accent category. We are not trying to recreate the ’80s all over again.

The following are some affordable gems you might consider adding to your humble abode:

Nightstand and candles

It’s Margarita time! Kick off your heels, relax and sip that large margarita in this fabulous outdoor Acapulco chair. Available in neon pink, green, yellow, blue and black – available at HŌM, 2310 Kettner Blvd., Suite B in San Diego.

There will be no Flamingos on your front lawn! Go back to your trailer park days with a hand painted silk Flamingo pillow. Available at West Elm 619-543-0117.

Tray chic! Serve your guests a fabulous fruity cocktail on bright and bold lacquer trays. Available at West Elm.

Ignite the night! What better way to create the right mood than with classically inspired candle holders with tangerine candles. Available at Z Gallerie, Fashion Valley Mall.

Boldly colored serving trays

Bedtime is not dull anymore. Who says color needs to stay on the bed, accent your bed with Far East-inspired nightstands with full extension drawer and inset beveled mirror top. Available in turquoise, green, orange and yellow. Available at HŌM, 2310 Kettner Blvd., Suite B in San Diego.

A little more about, well, me: These days I enjoy life and style from the comfort of a cozy condo in Hillcrest, but mine was a long journey getting here from my childhood at the Tackysburgh Trailercourt in Tackysburgh, Texas (a town supposedly named after my great-great grand-uncle, Horace Rexford Tackys, but I digress).

Before my departure, from that godforsaken person-of-style’s worst nightmare, where the term bling means your gun rack has a high polish on it; I vowed that I would travel the world and become the next best thing in interior beautification, the way my idol Ms. Tammy Faye Bakker was to mascara. Since I left the trailer park – and I’m not saying you can’t have a tasteful mobile home – I’ve done everything I could to surround myself and my guests in high-style décor. In coming months, I will help those who are in need of some home-accessorizing with helpful tips and the latest trends. As Tammy always said, “Shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist.” Feel free to drop me a line on Facebook, especially if you have home design questions, ideas or suggestions. You can also follow me on Twitter. My handle is @TrendyWendy.

One of the least expensive and most satisfying ways to improve your home is to tidy up and organize. If you’re looking for low-cost, high-impact results, begin by taking a good look around at the things you already have and how you might restore, reorganize or repurpose.

Whether you do it yourself or get some help, cleaning and restoring your home and the things in it makes a big difference. With a little elbow grease you can often restore things like new.

Use simple, non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning supplies that get the job done well while protecting our environment. As it happens, simple, toxin-free cleaning agents also happen to be inexpensive – and easy to find. Consider some of these tips, provided by Jarrod Williams, who is a commercial photographer, professional organizer and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. He studied at the Creative Circus in Atlanta and has his BA in Environmental Studies from Emory University.

When selecting a general contractor to do a remodel you should take into consideration the following tips:

Referral – Usually the best way to find any vendor is by word of mouth. So if you know someone who can refer a contractor to you that is probably one of the best ways to find one.

Meeting – Meet in person with the contractor to interview him or her. It is always recommended that the contractor is experienced, full time and specifically skilled in the area in which you want to hire them for.

Licensure – Ask the contractor for their license number, which should be written on their business card. You can then go to the Contractors State License Board’s Web site to check on them: cslb.ca.gov.

References – Once you have found a contractor, be sure to ask for references. Once you have some references make sure you call them directly and ask how satisfied they were with the work of the contractor and any other related questions.

Work examples – Ask the contractor for an example of work that they have already done that you can actually go look at, like a kitchen or a bathroom remodel.

Better Business Bureau – You can also call the Better Business Bureau to check on the contractor.

Worker’s compensation – Make sure that the contractor carries worker’s compensation insurance, so if in the event there is a worker injured on the job they are covered.

Liability insurance – Confirm that the contractor has liability insurance, so if there is damage to your home during construction, you are covered.

Compare – It is recommended to meet with more than one contractor to compare them and to get estimates.

Contract – Once you have selected a contractor and have agreed on the specific work to be done, make sure you get everything in writing, so that there are no misunderstandings later.

Two things that you want to avoid when doing a remodel is to have the project go over budget or to finish late. By following the above tips, you can hopefully have a better chance of avoiding these misfortunes and be in a better position to select a general contractor.

Trent St. Louis is a licensed Real Estate Agent and a member of the National, California and San Diego Association of Realtors. You can reach Trent at SpecialAgentTrent@gmail.com or at 619-300-1621 at his office in Hillcrest, The Metropolitan Group. San Diego contractor, Steve Seligmann at STS Construction contributed to the information contained in this article.

Many, if not most leaders in the American labor movement started life with humble beginnings; and it was often their upbringings that motivated and propelled them to fight for the rights of the working man, woman and child. Along the way, labor’s best and brightest found themselves flanked by equally fine leaders from the LGBT-equality movement.

The early hardships faced by legendary civil rights activist César Chávez were clearly prime motivators for his barrier-breaking work. Chávez’ legacy is one of an iconic labor leader who was essential to the creation of the California farm workers’ movement and the founding of the United Farm Workers (UFW). Chávez was the UFW’s first president, but he was always the first to say that it was not his efforts as much as it was the work of tens of thousands of regular labor activists who have made real the most important gains to which the labor movement may legitimately lay claim.

At the same time, Chávez was the first major civil rights leader to support gay and lesbian issues visibly and explicitly. He spoke out on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the 1970s. And in 1987, he was an important leader of the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

“César Chávez did not only speak at our 1987 March on Washington but walked the entire march route. His granddaughter Christine Chávez told me that it was the biggest crowd he ever spoke to,” said former National Gay and Lesbian Task Force board member and San Diego city commissioner, Nicole Murray Ramirez. “He never forgot the support the UFW received from the gay community.”

Murray Ramirez came out in support of the unions again in 2009 when he joined other LGBT activists in siding with Unite Here Local 30’s boycott of Old Town San Diego Historic Park’s restaurants, Fiesta de Reyes and Barra Barra. Unite Here Local 30, which had worked with marriage-equality organizations on the Manchester Hyatt boycott, were boycotting the restaurants because the owners had planned to lay off all past employees and reopen the establishments as non-union workplaces.

Murray Ramirez said at the time, “I am not only a gay man, I’m Latino; and consequently the treatment by Chuck Ross of his long time Latino employees and the firing of them, because he’s anti-union, is very upsetting to me and it should be to the GLBT community.”

Also involved in the 2009 support of Unite Here was Lorena Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer and CEO for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Said Gonzalez, “I’m the daughter of a nurse and a farm worker, so I grew up in the labor movement. I’ve been heading up the Labor Council for five years continuing their work to give every single worker a voice and a fair shot to build their own place in the world.”

Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California was an early supporter of the California grape boycott organized by the UFW and led by Chávez. Milk understood the benefit of building coalitions with the labor movement early in his political career. A Teamster organizer asked for Milk’s assistance with gay bars during the Coor’s Beer boycott in the ‘70s. In return Milk asked the union to hire more gay drivers. Following this joint action the market share of Coors in California dropped from 40 percent to 14 percent. The boycott was successful.

Again in 1978, the LGBT rights and labor movements came together. A coalition of LGBT and union activists jointly defeated the Briggs amendment, which would have not allowed LGBT teachers in California’s public schools.

While the high-profile successes of the labor movement have been well documented and well recognized through the decades, much of the gains in terms of acceptable workplace practices that are now considered standard came about because of the (ongoing) efforts in pursuit of workers’ rights via alliances such as that of the LGBT-rights and the labor movements, say experts from both camps.

As Gonzalez put it, “People often only know about labor issues like collective bargaining and prevailing wage, but so many other things we take for granted now have come from the labor movement. Sick leave, weekends, equal opportunity employment, workplace safety, and the 40-hour workweek are all products of the labor movement.” She credits members of the LGBT community, such as Murray Ramirez and Milk for their contributions to those ends.

Chávez’ United Farm Workers union inarguably played a role in helping guide presidential cabinet members along their paths to powerful posts in the federal government. U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, a former California state legislator and congresswoman, was quoted in the Los Angeles Times this week as saying, “Coming up the ranks in California, I had the privilege of working alongside many UFW leaders. No challenge was too great. No corporation or politician was too powerful. They built a union unlike any that had come before it. They turned a community into a movement – and that movement became a powerful force for change.”

However, just as the struggle for LGBT and other minorities’ civil rights is an ongoing, unfinished process, so too remain unaccomplished goals for the labor movement.

“We need to do a better job explaining that we’re working for all workers, union and non-union,” Gonzalez told San Diego LGBT Weekly. “Our goal is an opportunity for everyone to earn a living, everyone to be treated with respect, everyone to have the chance to be heard. I certainly think a union is the best way to accomplish those goals, but the most important thing is that we all get there together.”

Likewise, according to her, the efforts of the labor movement are intertwined with the goals of the LGBT community. Said Gonzalez, “We’ve always said that work unites us all. Members of the LGBT community may often face additional challenges, but they also need the same protections in the workplace that everyone else deserves.”

The relationship between the LGBT movement and the labor movement has been one of mutual assistance to achieve common goals.

“Going back to Harvey Milk working with the Teamsters to boycott Coors, LGBT and labor have worked together for decades,” said Gonzalez. “We ran phone banks against Prop. 8; and I am a staunch advocate for marriage equality. I have always been committed to the LGBT community as an invaluable ally and can’t imagine one without the other at this point.”

She points to the aforementioned common goals as the reason she can’t imagine the two movements ever parting ways.

“At their core, both movements are about basic dignity,” she said. “Will we be treated fairly at work? Will we have the opportunity to live our own lives? Whether it’s social issues or economic issues, we’re all just talking about what’s fair and decent.”

Matt McGrath as Adam and Stewart Calhoun as Luke in Next Fall

Next Fall, the Tony Award-nominated drama by Geoffrey Nauffts, currently touching audiences at the Diversionary Theatre, is not one that sneaks up on you. It hits you head on, opening in a hospital where all of its six characters are brought together in tragedy. Luke, a young gay Christian with an agnostic partner, Adam, has been critically injured in an auto accident. Joining Adam in the waiting room at different times are his faithful good friend Holly; Luke’s fundamentalist Christian father Butch, who likes to quote the Bible; Luke’s mother and Butch’s talkative, scattered ex-wife Arlene; and Brandon, who is … well, it’s not really clear who Brandon is until the second act. Nevertheless, it is evident early on that none of their lives will ever be the same again.

Told in real time and through flashbacks that show the evolution of Luke and Adam’s relationship, the play is powerful and engrossing, funny and poignant. It embodies many issues: faith, religion, tradition, family, death, sin, love, coping, connection, commitment, acceptance … in other words, very much like life. And the play doesn’t shrink from any of them.

A popular synopsis of the play tells us, “Luke believes in God. Adam believes in everything else.” As we get to know Luke and Adam, we have to wonder whether that is a gross oversimplification. We see their relationship grow, evolve, even struggle, and realize that things like beliefs and religion are not black-and-white, not as simple as they seem. Though he wants desperately to do so, Luke is not out to his parents. If he were not so believable, one could easily scoff at the fact that he adheres to his Christian faith so strongly in a very matter-of-fact way. In fact, Luke’s calm and persistent acceptance of his faith is a major irritant to Adam. He just never understands it. Or does he? Especially in Adam, there is much more than appears on the surface.

The staging alternates between the hospital waiting room and Luke and Adam’s apartment. The set is enough to convey space and location yet sparse enough to not draw attention away from the all-important dialogue. Whether in dealing with every day life or brief political comment or the much deeper subjects, the words of Nauffts are credible and genuine. None of the characters, not even Butch, are caricatures, but very real people.

An early standout performance is Shana Wride as the sharp-tongued and fluid Arlene, who eventually shows a deep heart and surprising understanding. Yet, growing closer and closer to Adam and Luke, played respectively by Todd McGrath and Stewart Calhoun, it is easy to realize the subtle power in each of their performances and how they rise to command roles that demand a great deal.

Their believability makes the powerful ending – and yes, I admit, it sneaked up on me – linger with the audience out of the theater, down the street, and all the way home to their real lives.

For more information go to diversionary.org or call the theatre at 619-220-0097.