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Steve Padilla Interview

Video: 

Description: Steve Padilla is a public policy and land use consultant and a noted former California politician. Between 1989 and 1990 he was appointed to various city boards and commissions including the Board of Ethics, and Safety Commission. He served as mayor of the City of Chula Vista from 2002 to 2006 and as a member of the California Coastal Commission from 2005 to 2007. He served two terms on Chula Vista’s City Council from 1994 to 2002 prior to being elected mayor, and was the first person of Latino descent elected to that office in city history, despite the city’s diverse population. Padilla served in numerous San Diego County local and regional offices and held statewide and national affiliations during his term as mayor, including the board of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the League of California Cities and as a member of the United States Conference of Mayors. Padilla’s first career venture was in law enforcement. After graduating from Bonita Vista High School, he became the youngest cadet accepted into the Southwestern Police Academy. A police officer for 13 years, he served as a detective, specializing in domestic violence and child abuse. While a police officer, Padilla returned to school and received his bachelor’s degree in public administration. An openly gay Democrat, he remains active in local, state and national public affairs. He is president/CEO of Aquarius Group, Inc. a consulting business he began in 2007, and a monthly public affairs columnist for La Prensa San Diego. He is currently serving as a member of The Independent Task Force on U.S. Immigration Policy for the Council on Foreign Relations.

Date: 2008-11-16

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Christine Kehoe Interview

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Description: Kehoe was born in 1950 in Troy, New York. She earned a bachelor’s degree from University at Albany, The State University of New York in 1977. She became active in politics in 1978 as a volunteer with the Center for Women’s Studies and Services in San Diego. Kehoe was editor of the San Diego Gayzette during 1984–1986, and was San Diego County chair for the campaign to defeat California Proposition 64 (1986) and restore AIDS to the state list of communicable diseases. She was the coordinator of the San Diego AIDS Assistance Fund 1987–1988, executive director of the Hillcrest Business Association 1988–1989, and a city council aide from 1989-1992. Kehoe represented San Diego’s 3rd City Council District from 1993 to 2000, and the 76th District in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2004. She was the city’s first openly gay elected official. In 1998, she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 49th Congressional District against incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray, but was defeated. As City Councilmember, she facilitated a decrease in crime in her district by initiating a public/private partnership that built a center housing a library, theater and Head Start classrooms, in addition to other community services. She was also instrumental in the construction of Interstate 15 after multiple delays. In November 2012 she announced that she will become executive director of the California Plug-In Vehicle Collaborative effective January 1, 2013. The collaborative, founded in July 2012, promotes the acceptance and availability of all-electric cars.

Date: 2008-05-08

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Doug Moore Interview (Audio)

Audio: 

Description: Doug Moore has dedicated his life to the LGBT community, as well as preserving the history of Pride and LGBT history in general. He was an organizer of San Diego Pride from its earliest years. Doug served Pride in almost every capacity and has been a leader not only locally, but across the country and internationally. Doug has compiled one of the largest collections of Pride materials in the world- including posters, buttons, t-shirts, programs, banners, photos, periodicals, and more, which he has given to Lambda Archives. He was also instrumental in the founding of Lambda Archives of San Diego (then the “Lesbian and Gay Historical Society of San Diego”).

Date: 2007-04-29

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Mike Phillips Interview

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Description: Big Mike was born in Germany, and after being adopted, moved to the US at age 5. Big Mike came to San Diego in 1989 to stay with his best friend, Tino, who was diagnosed with AIDS. Tino passed away only 3 months later, but made Big Mike promise to stay in San Diego for at least one year. Over 20 years later, Big Mike’s still here. Big Mike’s first bartending job was at The Brass Rail, and for over two decades he has been serving drinks and helping to organize San Diego’s LGBT community. He has Co-Founded numerous organizations including the Rob Benzon Foundation, Developing In Gardening (DIG) for people with HIV and AIDS living in Africa, Tavern Guild of San Diego and Grocery Hearts for Mama’s Kitchen. He also helped found the GSDBA Scholarship fund for GLBT Students. Big Mike has also been using his birthday as a fundraiser since 2000 and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for many charities. Big Mike has been the President of the Board of the Imperial Court de San Diego since 2007. He has also been a member of US Congressman Bob Filner’s LGBT Advisory Board, past Mayor Dick Murphy’s LGBT Advisory Board, and was co-organizer for the “Get Out the Vote” campaign for the LGBT community. Big Mike has been the recipient of numerous Nicky Awards from 1996 – 2005 and in 2005 was the Grand Marshall for the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade. An avid photographer, Big Mike’s photos have appeared in numerous local newspapers, magazines and books and he also maintains a weekly blog at Urban Mo’s. Big Mike is currently a bartender at Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Café.

Date: 2008-05-15

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Delores Jacobs Interview

Video: 

Description: Dr. Delores A. Jacobs is the chief executive officer of The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community Center. She is nationally recognized as a skilled and powerful leader, responsible for managing one of the oldest, largest and most dynamic LGBT community centers in the country. Jacobs is the longest-serving chief executive in The Center’s history. She first joined The Center in 1998, and served as the director of The Center’s Behavioral Health Services before being selected as its chief executive officer in 2001. With Jacobs at the helm, The Center has expanded its programming to include: the Hillcrest Youth Center and the development of the 24-unit Sunburst Youth Housing program for formerly homeless LGBT youth;
establishing the nation’s first Latin@ Services Department at an LGBT community center; re-assuming the management of AIDS Walk San Diego and Family Matters; launching The Center’s Project TRANS, designed to serve transgender community members and their families and welcoming the civic engagement project Engage San Diego to the Center’s programs. Jacobs is best known and respected for her commitment to creating innovative collaborations between a variety of sectors — health care, private, public, corporate and non-profit. She is looked to as a strong voice and committed partner for issues that intersect with HIV/AIDS and LGBT equality, including healthcare, safe schools, immigration reform, access to reproductive health care and more. She has been actively involved with the San Diego LGBT Leadership Council and the County of San Diego’s HIV Planning Council.

Date: 2008-11-18