| Congressman Lloyd Doggett, accompanied by County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, and State Representative Joaquin Castro were at the meeting of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio on August 15. Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, June 22, 2011 John Berry, the Director of U.S. Office of Personnel Management, was in San Antonio on June 21 on federal business and made time in his schedule for a town hall appearance sponsored by the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio. Berry, the highest-ranking openly gay official to serve in the executive branch in any U.S. administration, made a short presentation detailing the progress the federal government has made toward ending employment discrimination of GLBT people. Berry’s talk began with his recounting of the case of gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny who in 1957 was fired as a government astronomer because he was gay. Though he was denied, Kameny was the first person to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a violation of civil rights based on sexual orientation. The progress since Kameny’s case occurred is tangible Berry pointed out. Last year, the Obama administration, through the Office of Personnel Management, started to list gender identity among the classes protected by federal Equal Employment Opportunity policies, finally including the full GLBT spectrum. Berry said it was all made possible by activists and their organizations who have persisted in the pursuit of equality. After his presentation, Berry answered questions from the audience. Choco Meza Elected New Chair of Bexar County Dems By Dan Graney, QSanAntonio.com, May 18, 2011 By a vote of 106 ayes and 2 abstentions, a majority quorum of precinct chairs elected Choco Meza County Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party at tonight’s meeting of the County Executive Committee. Meza will serve out the remainder of the two-year term of Dan Ramos who was removed by the CEC as County Chair on May 3 for misconduct and neglect of duty. Meza is a Texas member of the Democratic National Committee and has a long history of involvement in Democratic politics and campaigns. She was a candidate for County Chair in the 2010 Democratic Primary, but lost the election to Ramos. Meza was endorsed by the Bexar County Young Democrats, Northeast Bexar County Democrats and Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio prior to her election as interim County Chair. City Council Candidates at Stonewall Endorsement Forum Photos by QSanAntonio.com, March 27, 2011 Candidates are shown in order in which they spoke. Ray Lopez, District 6; Steve Shamblen, District 6; Diego Bernal, District 1. Chris Forbrich, District 1; Carolyn Kelley, District 1; Ralph Medina, District 1. Darrell Boyce, District 2; Ivy Taylor, District 2; Jennifer Ramos, District 3. Ray Saldana, District 4; Lourdes Galvan, District 5; Andro Mendoza, District 5. Pete Galaviz, District 6; Raymond Zavala, District 5; Elena Guajardo, District 7. Gloria Rodriguez, District 7; Ruben Cortez; District 7; Fred Rangel, District 7. Cris Media, District 7; Caron West, District 8; Laura Thompson, District 10. Stonewall Democrats’ Endorsements for City Council Election QSanAntonio.com, March 27, 2011 Twenty-three candidates for City Council sought the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio at a forum held on March 27. Nine candidates were endorsed. Receiving endorsements were: Chris Forbrich, District 1 Darrell Boyce, District 2 Ray Saldana, District 4 Lourdes Galvan, District 5 Ray Lopez, District 6 Elena Guajardo, District 7 Caron West, District 8 Laura Thompson, District 10 Mayor Julian Castro was endorsed by the Stonewall membership earlier this year. The organization made no endorsements in Districts 3 and 9. Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus — Austin, Texas Photography by Antonia Padilla, March 6, 2011 Texas Stonewall Dems Plot Strategies for 2012 Elections QSanAntonio.com, March 12, 2011 Members of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus from all across the state met in Austin on March 5 and 6 to assess the “ass-whipping” Democrats took at the polls last November and to develop messaging and other strategies for winning in 2012. Participants heard two powerful keynote speeches from openly bisexual Arizona State Senator Kyrsten Sinema and national transgender activist Mara Keisling. In her speech, Sinema illuminated how Arizona is the breeding ground for all the anti-immigrant, anti-choice, anti-worker’s rights and anti-children’s health care legislation that is being proposed in many state legislatures, including Texas. She warned that “Arizona is coming to a state near you” and characterized this as an attempt by the so-called Tea Party to “mainstream hatred in this country”. She stated that the Tea Party has been around for 20 years and is just another name for Republicans. Sinema outlined ways that Democrats can build coalitions to stop these bad bills from becoming law and encouraged LGBT Democrats to reach out to allies, even unlikely ones, and support their issues in exchange for their support of ours. “After all, LGBT people make up only 4 percent of the electorate and you need 50 percent plus one to win,” she said. After her speech, attendees jumped to their feet to give Sinema a rousing ovation and then formed a line to have her autograph copies of her book, “Unite And Conquer: Building Coalitions That Win – And Last”. on activist Brad Pritchett, national transgender activist Mara Keisling, Arizona State Senator Kyrsten Sinema and State Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth). Courtesy photos. Keisling used a combination of her expertise and humor to urge LGBT Democrats to move outside their “issue silos” and talk about racism, immigration and other issues in our conversations with others. She jokingly spoke of her prior “husbands”, George W. Bush and Rick Perry, and referred to the Tea Party as a reincarnation of the John Birch Society. When asked about the prospects of passage of the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, Keisling flatly replied that it was dead for the next two years, given the Republican majority in the U.S. House. She concluded her presentation by doing a “tap dance routine” with her mouth and tongue, which evoked laughter and applause. Other guest speakers at the conference included Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie, Equality Texas Executive Director Dennis Coleman and State Representative Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio). Villarreal led a plenary session that included an analysis of the November 2010 election and small group sessions to develop messaging for the 2012 election. A second plenary session, led by TSDC Vice President Erin Moore and Rio Grande Valley chapter President Eli Olivarez, focused on winning strategies for the 2012 election. Awards were presented to Houston LGBT activist Brad Pritchett, Stonewall Democrats of the Rio Grande Valley and State Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth). The conference also included a TSDC Executive Board meeting and workshops on a variety of topics such as building a bigger club and youth involvement and use of social media. The conference was timed to occur on the weekend before Equality Texas Lobby Day and many who attended the conference joined hundreds of other lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) Texans and their straight allies on Monday, March 7, at the State Capitol to speak to state legislators about anti-bullying and other bills important to the LGBT community. TSDC officers reported that a total of 70 LGBT Democrats and straight allies from across the state registered for the conference. There was representation at the conference from all nine active chapters statewide, including many young people, as well as from Galveston and Tyler. “Many who attended the conference thanked me for this experience”, said TSDC President Dan Graney, “and that they were leaving energized to carry on the important work of Stonewall Democrats back home”. For more information about the conference go to TexasStonewallDemocrats.org. Eduardo Juarez and Elena Guajardo. (Photos by Antonia Padilla) Stonewall Democrats Announce New Board Members and Co-chairs QSanAntonio.com, January 22, 2011 Elena Guajardo and Eduardo Juarez were elected co-chairs of Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio at the club’s Annual Meeting on Monday, January 17. Five others were elected to at-large positions on the SDSA Board of Directors: Linda Allen (re-elected to second term); Lynne Armstrong; Gilbert Casillas; Rosie Gonzalez and Minerva Mendoza. Both co-chairs and the five at-large members will serve a two-year term beginning February 1. Guajardo is a former San Antonio City Councilwoman and had already been serving as co-chair with Roberto Flores after she was appointed in September, 2009 to fill the vacancy left by former co-chair Lynne Armstrong, who resigned for personal reasons. Guajardo essentially led the organization throughout most of 2010 while Flores was serving as interim County Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party and later became ill and died of cancer on September 2, 2010. Juarez is an attorney with the San Antonio District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was born on San Antonio’s west side and has been active in politics and GLBT causes in the past. He is presently the chair of the LGBT Section of the State Bar of Texas and serves on a similar panel with the National Bar Association. He is also a member of the Mexican-American Bar Association. Linda Allen is the club’s webmaster and was re-elected to a second term as at-large Board member. Lynne Armstrong previously served as at-large board member and co-chair prior to stepping down as co-chair in August of 2009. Gilbert Casillas is a Democratic precinct chair and has been involved in Democratic politics and LGBT causes for years. Rosie Gonzalez is an attorney in private practice and was a candidate for District Court Judge in 2010. Minerva Mendoza is a straight ally who has a lesbian daughter and has been a member of PFLAG and volunteered with the Bexar County Democratic Party and Bexar County United Democrats in 2010. Guajardo thanked outgoing Board members Bryan Gerard, Olga Hernandez and Peg MacPhail for their service to the organization. She also announced that Eric Alva had resigned as a board member due to his national commitments and that his vacancy would be filled at a future SDSA Board meeting. Other members who continue as Board members include Secretary Cris Ramirez, Treasurer Kevin Voelker and at-large members Chris Forbrich, Ruby Krebs and David Plylar Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio Awards Banquet Photos by Antonia Padilla, September 27, 2010 Stonewall Democrats Co-chair Elena Guajardo. Retired San Antonio Express-News Journalist Carlos Guerra was Master of Ceremonies. Linda Chavez, Democratic candidate for Texas Lt. Governor. Chuck Wolfe, the Ppresident and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute. Stonewall members Eric Alva and Bryan Gerard. Michael Mitchell, Executive Director for the National Stonewall Democrats. Dan Graney, President of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus. Stonewall board member Cristina Ramirez (left) looks on while Niki Sanchez and Deb Myers accept their award for Community Leadership. John and Zada True Courage (left) receive the Volunteer Appreciation Award as Stonewall member David Plylar looks on. Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio Awards Banquet Photos by Ted Switzer, September 27, 2010 Gay activist elected chair of Bexar County Democratic Party QSanAntonio.com, December 16, 2009 A little bit of gay political history was made on December 15, when Roberto J. Flores, Co-chair of the Stonewall Democrats, was elected interim Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party by members of that group’s Executive Committee. Flores was elected to fill the vacancy left by the outgoing County Chair Carla Vela who resigned because she intends to run for County Clerk. Flores was one of two candidates nominated at the meeting. He was elected by a vote of 101 to 30. Flores will serve as interim chair until a new County Chair is elected by the voters of Bexar County in the March Democratic Primary and possibly will remain chair until the end of April after the primary runoff election. He is not a candidate for a full two-year term on the March primary ballot. His primary responsibility as interim Chair will be to oversee the Democratic Primary Election that takes place on March 2. Flores is the first openly gay person ever elected County Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party. He has been co-chair of Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio since 2007, is a former member of the Board of Directors of Equality Texas and has been the Chair of the San Antonio Peace Officers Training Committee, which provides GLBT sensitivity training to San Antonio police cadets. He has served as Democratic precinct chair of Bexar County Precinct 3122 since 2000 and resigned his precinct chair position after he was elected interim County Chair. In his speech after being nominated, Flores recounted his lifelong involvement in the Democratic Party and his participation in various civil rights movements, including the GLBT equality movement. He pledged to do whatever he could to unite the local party to turn Bexar County a deeper shade of “blue” in 2010. A Troubled Organization Carla Vela made a tearful announcement of embezzeled funds. Vela said Treasurer Dwayne Adams drained the Bexar County Democrats bank account of $202, 000. (Photo courtesy of WalkerReport.net.) Flores inherits an organization that is plagued by an internal scandal. On the night when Flores was elected, outgoing Chair Carla Vela opened the meeting with a tearful announcement that the organization’s Treasurer, Dwayne Adams, had embezzled $202,000 from a bank account that contained funds left over from the Democratic Primary in 2008 and owed back to the State. Adams was to have finished a report that was to accompany the funds being returned to the State. Vela says she did not learn of the missing money until a check she had written bounced and she went to the bank to investigate. Vela said that Adams had added his name a signatory on the account and over time had been withdrawing cash. Vela was supposed to be the only person with access to the funds in that account. In an interview with WOAI-TV Vela said that she had spoken to Adams and that he had told her he would be returning the money. However, attempts to reach Adams since then have proven futile so Vela and Flores decided to meet the District Attorney on December 16 to press charges. Deputy Police Chief Fields Questions at Stonewall Democrats’ Meeting QSanAntonio.com, August 18, 2009 Deputy Chief Jose Banales, the San Antonio Police Department’s GLBT liaison, made a quick appearance at the August 17 meeting of the Stonewall Democrats and offered a progress report on the department’s efforts to respond to the community’s concerns. Banales had no prepared comments. He did however offer an update on the Internal Affairs investigation of a drug raid made on the home of a lesbian couple (click here for related story) that found no evidence of wrongdoing but left the women traumatized and shaken for months afterward. According to Banales, the investigation is almost complete and that the findings would be presented to a review board. He said that Police Chief William McManus would take the lead in making sure the case would be resolved to the “satisfaction of all parties.” Banales also outlined a service initiative the SAPD has undertaken to survey citizens of San Antonio asking them to rate the performance of the department. Over 300 calls have been made and the SAPD eventually hopes to post the results of the survey on their web site. The SAPD is hoping to include the survey twice a year in City Public Service invoices. The surveys are a reaction to widespread belief that policemen are callous and indifferent toward citizens. Banales said that 90 percent of the 300 surveys rated the police as doing a good job. He added that it was not good enough and the department wanted to bring up that rating. During the question and answer session, two questioners, Nancy Russell and Dr. Lynne Armstrong admonished Banales on the treatment of GLBT citizens and the reluctance of senior SAPD officers to take and endorse sensitivity training. Dr. Armstrong, who is a member of the Peace Officers Liaison Committee and helps conduct sensitivity training at the Police Academy, told Banales that when senior officers were offered the training very few signed up and those who did complained that they felt it was unnecessary. Banales admitted that there was work to be done and that Chief McManus was committed to improving the SAPD’s relationship with the community. Phyllis Guest, Reynaldo Garcia and Raymundo Garcia (seated) circa 1969. Phyllis and Raymundo at the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio meeting on July 20, 2009. Speakers Evoke Memories of Stonewall 1969 Two Texans who were living in New York City in June of 1969, at the time of the Stonewall riots, offered up their personal recollections of those historic days at the July 20 meeting of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio. Though their experiences were different Phyllis Guest from Dallas and Raymundo Garcia of San Antonio both say that the time was right for GLBT people to fight back against a system that routinely persecuted sexual minorities. “Gay people were tired of being shoved aside,” Guest said. “In 49 states gay sex was illegal, there was no law protecting a gay person’s job, housing or insurance.” The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Guest, who worked in NYC as a writer and proofreader, explained that late night raids on gay bars were not unusual in the city. “They would just come in turn out the lights and send everybody home,” she said. On June 28, the day the riots began, Guest stopped by the Stonewall Inn early in the evening to have a quick beer with friends. “It was a hot Friday afternoon and the day of the Judy Garland funeral,” she recalls. “The Stonewall was kind of a down and dirty place, mostly younger street kids, drag queens — a more flamboyant, open crowd,” said Guest. Yet despite the altercation with police, Guest says that the disturbance was not as violent as it could have been. “There were no gun shots or fires started.” Garcia had only been in New York City a short time before the events of Stonewall. He moved to the city in 1969 at the urging of his twin brother, Reynaldo, who was studying ballet. The brothers shared an apartment on the city’s Upper West Side. In the first few days of his time in New York, Garcia took in the original Broadway production of “Hair,” his first opera at the Metropolitan Opera House, his first ticker tape parade and the Stonewall riots. “It was phenomenal,” he said. Garcia recalls on June 27, 1969, he spent three-and-a-half hours waiting in line to see Judy Garland’s casket. He said that the crowd was colorfully dressed in hippie and mod fashions and that the gays were out in full force. While he waited in line, Garcia remembers a man who was sobbing uncontrollably was helped out of the funeral home by two people. “My friend asked if he was a good friend of Judy’s. One of the people replied ‘No, but he has all her albums.’” When Garcia finally got into the funeral home he recalls that Garland looked like Snow White laid out in her glass coffin. Garcia said that later that evening he went down to the Village to meet up with his brother but when he arrived at the subway stop at Christopher Street he was not allowed by police to exit to the street. He had to go around to another exit a couple of blocks away before he could reach street level. He says that when he arrived at Sheridan Square, which is across the street from the Stonewall Inn, the worst of the riot was over. His brother was there and had gotten a minor laceration to his head. “The gay club kids were strutting around like angry peacocks,” Garcia said. “There were bricks, and broken glass everywhere.” He says the civil disturbances continued on for weeks. One year later, the Garcia brothers participated in the first Pride March in New York City. Garcia says that police never released official estimates of crowd size, but activists estimated that the march attracted over 150,000 participants. “We marched up Fifth Avenue to Central Park where another 100,000 people were waiting to have a rally.” Garcia believes that the years since Stonewall have not brought the change that GLBT people need. “Forty years later and we’re still fighting for the same things. There have been some advances but we need more. Change will come but it will take a long time.” Ciro Rodriguez Non-committal When Questioned on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” QSanAntonio.com, October 24 Speaking before the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio’s monthly meeting on October 20, Democratic Congressman Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23rd District) was caught speechless when questioned about his failure to sign on as a co-sponsor for the Military Readiness Enhancement Act that seeks to repeal the anti-gay policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It did not help the Congressman’s dilemma that the question was posed by retired Marine sergeant and HRC spokesman Eric Alva. Congressman Rodriguez’ talk was one of many given by Democratic candidates making one last pitch for votes from Stonewall members before the November 4th election. The mood in the meeting room was one of pre-election elation and bonhomie. About a half-dozen politicians spoke before Congressman Rodriguez, who’s been endorsed by Stonewall, took the floor to make his case for re-election. The Congressman spoke passionately and garnered several rounds of boisterous applause. He talked about education, veteran’s rights, the border fence, the economy, and Iraq. However, he did not mention any GLBT issues. ‘I’ll look into it” It was when the floor was opened for questions that Alva stood to ask Rodriguez about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In March 2003, Alva became the first soldier injured in the Iraq War when he stepped on a landmine resulting in the loss of his right leg part of an index finger. On February 28, 2007, he joined Rep. Marty Meehan, (D-Mass.), in calling for an end to the government’s “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” policy. At the invitation of Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.), chair of the personnel subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, Alva again testified before Congress on July 23, 2008. “Congressman Rodriguez,” said Alva, “I think you were in Iraq longer than I was.” “I was there three days,” said Rodriguez, holding up three fingers. “I was there only three hours,” replied Alva, “I was the first soldier injured in the Iraq War and I’m gay.” The Congressman stood there and stared blankly. He did not recognize Alva even though the ex-Marine tells QSanAntonio that he has met with Rodriguez twice to make a pitch for repealing “Don’t Ask.” Alva went on to list four Texas Democratic Congressmen who had co-sponsored the Military Readiness Enhancement Act: Al Green (9th District), Sheila Jackson Lee (18th District), Eddie Jackson (30th District) and Lloyd Doggett (5th District). Alva added that more than 140 in Congress have signed on as co-sponsors for the bill. He then asked Rodriguez why he was not a co-sponsor. After a long, awkward silence Rodriguez replied that he would “look into it” and added that if the “votes weren’t there,” he would not support the legislation. He then quickly went on to other questions. From liberal to moderate Many in the room were disappointed with Rodriguez’ response. The Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio and the local chapter of the Human Rights Campaign both strongly supported Rodriguez with money and manpower during his previous run for the 23rd District House seat. As Alva put it, “We don’t want his Republican opponent to win, but the Congressman could have at least been prepared to answer questions relating to GLBT issues.” A September 15, 2008 article in the San Antonio Express-News explains why Congressman Rodriguez may be reticent to address “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other GLBT concerns: Once one of the most liberal lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Rep. Ciro Rodriguez has taken a substantial shift to the political center and heads into the November election as a moderate in a Democratic district with strong conservative enclaves. “I’m responding to needs,” Rodriguez said of his political metamorphosis. “Part of it is looking at your district and who you represent.” Rodriguez once represented the heavily Democratic 28th Congressional District that includes San Antonio ‘s South Side and Laredo. But he lost that seat in 2004 to Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo. Two years later, Rodriguez returned to Congress by defeating Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-San Antonio, in a special runoff election after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the 23rd Congressional District redrawn to include more minority voters. The new district — sweeping from San Antonio to El Paso — includes areas with conservative voters on San Antonio ‘s Northwest Side and in Val Verde County and rural towns in West Texas. Dan Graney, President of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus and a San Antonio Stonewall member, put it this way: “Since being elected to the 23rd District, Ciro Rodriguez has been AWOL in our community.” Graney says he can only conclude that Congressman Rodriguez is hoping to keep a low profile on issues that alienate conservative voters in his district. Congressman Rodriguez’ relationship with GLBT voters in San Antonio was best summed up when Darrell Parsons, President of the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce, stood up at the Stonewall meeting and followed up on Alva’s question saying, “Congressman, we’ve endorsed you and helped your campaign. We need you on our issues and we need to see you at our events.” All the Congressman could do is shrug and nod. Mayor Hardberger pays a call on the Stonewall Democrats QSanAntonio, March 20, 2007 Mayor Phil Hardberger made an election season visit to the March 19 meeting of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio where he received a standing ovation and a very warm reception. For his part the Mayor seemed at ease and projected the confidence of a popular incumbent whose re-election to office seems almost certain. The Mayor’s appearance at the Stonewall meeting was made possible through the efforts of District 7 City Councilwoman Elena Guajardo who was on hand to introduce him to the group. Hardberger had warm words for Guajardo. He commended her for helping him convince the rest of the City Council to get behind a $550 million bond proposal. He called her a “forward thinker” who was “out in front” of the issues. The rest of Hardberger’s talk dealt mostly with the progress the city has seen under his watch and with the bond proposal that’s on the ballot for the May 12 election. The Mayor described how bond money would be used for street and sidewalk repairs, for improved drainage and for new parks. He talked about the $200 million San Antonio Riverwalk extension, the 4.4 percent unemployment rate and the 40,000 new homes that were built last year. He said the city would soon see a new homeless facility, a no-kill animal shelter and a new Federal courthouse. At the end of his talk Hardberger said that he had a vision of San Antonio as a “humane and non-discriminatory” place — a “beacon to other cities.” He thanked everyone for their support and reminded them to vote for him and the bond proposal. The applause was enthusiastic. Afterwards, Hardberger took questions from the audience. One of the questions dealt with a 1999 ruling Hardberger made when he was Chief Justice of the 4th Court of Appeals. In that case, Chistie Lee Littleton, a San Antonio transsexual woman who had been legally married to a man in Kentucky, was denied the status of a surviving spouse after her husband’s death. Hardberger agreed with 285th District Court Judge Frank Montalvo in his ruling that, because of chromosomal evidence, Littleton’s marriage to Jonathon Littleton was a same-sex marriage and therefore illegal. In the only tense moment of the evening, Hardberger defended his opinion in the Littleton case by saying that he had followed the rule of law, inferring that it was a clear cut legal decision. However, the Mayor did not offer any clue as to what his personal thoughts on transgender and transsexual rights might be. (Click here for more information about the Littleton case.) The Stonewall Democrats did not endorse Mayor Hardberger in the previous election and he did not seek their endorsement. According to Dan Graney, ex-officio member of the group’s board of directors, Hardberger indicated that he would fill out the necessary forms so that this year he could be considered for a Stonewall endorsement. |
