The Toni Times | July 2022
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Happy 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!
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 proposal to help California’s first-time homebuyers with money they need for a down payment. There’s a link later in the newsletter to some local perspectives on this program and I hope you will check that out. 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.
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California’s LGBTQ+ Pride summer season culminates with San Diego Pride, July 9 -17. After two years of virtual events due to COVID-19, this year we will be able to gather in person for celebration with friends and allies that we haven’t seen in many months.
Here is a line-up of some of the official events:
- She Fest, Saturday, July 9, Noon - 6 p.m. at the Hillcrest Flagpole (1500 University Avenue, San Diego) – centers the diverse experiences of LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people.
- Light Up the Cathedral, Wednesday, July 13, 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (2728 6th Avenue, San Diego) – gather with LGBTQ+ faith leaders to celebrate our faith and resilience, and light up the Cathedral in rainbow colors.
- Spirit of Stonewall Rally, Friday, July 15, 6 p.m. at the Hillcrest Flagpole –recognizes individuals and groups who contribute significantly to the LGBTQ+ community through their leadership, activism and philanthropy. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients:
- Champion of Pride – Alex Villafuerte
- Community Grand Marshal – Trans Youth
- Stonewall Service – The San Diego Union-Tribune
- Community Service – Aidan Lin
- Larry T. Baza Arts & Culture – San Diego Women’s Chorus
- Friend of Pride – Vanessa Green
- Friend of Pride – Trinh Le
- Pride Parade, Saturday, July 16, 10 a.m., starting at the Hillcrest Flagpole and ending at Balboa Park – 260 contingents are planning to participate in this year’s parade, which is expected to attract over 300,000 people.
- Pride Festival, Saturday, July 16, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Sunday, July 17, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Marston Point, Balboa Park – highlighting the best in LGBTQ+ entertainment, interactive exhibits, cultural presentations, and community resources.
San Diego Pride’s theme this year is “Justice with Joy.” To me, “justice” means equality, and securing and preserving our rights, and “joy” is the ability to live our lives freely as we choose, without interference. Let’s celebrate the progress we have achieved and remain vigilant as we move forward together to demand full equality!
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I am pleased to recognize Zero8Hundred, an organization whose mission is to ease the transition from military into civilian life, as the 2022 Nonprofit of the Year for the 39th Senate District.
The San Diego region is home to one of the largest concentration of military in the nation, with over 111,000 active duty servicemembers and 245,000 veterans. More than 16,000 servicemembers transition out of active duty each year, and over a third of them stay in the San Diego area.
Zero8Hundred supports those servicemembers, recent veterans, and their families as they overcome the challenges they face before, during, and after their transition. Services are provided by Zero8Hundred’s navigation team members, who connect servicemembers with a range of resources to assist them in joining the Southern California civilian workforce and community.
Zero8Hundred derives its name from the military ritual of raising the American flag at 0800 hours (8:00 a.m.) to signal that a new day of work has begun.
Transitioning service members are matched to a clinically-trained resource specialist who provides personalized counseling and support. This can include career guidance, access to employment opportunities, continuing education, mental health support, financial and legal advice, health and wellness resources, emergency food and shelter, and programs to connect them with other veteran families and community activities. Since its founding in 2015, Zero8Hundred has assisted over 5,000 transitioning servicemembers and their families.
For more information on Zero8Hundred visit their website at: www.zero8hundred.org
Housing affordability and availability is a critical issue facing California, which is why it was heartening to see that the San Diego Union-Tribune ran a commentary in support of my proposed California Dream for All Program on June 14, 2022.
The Op-Ed, authored by 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.”
To read the commentary in full, click here.
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Every July, we celebrate Parks and Recreation Month to recognize the important role that developed parks and open spaces, including our neighborhood canyons, serve in our communities. San Diego is home to miles of coastal shoreline, more than 500 developed parks and tens of thousands acres of park space, hundreds of miles of trails. These parks, which stretch from the desert to the ocean, offer us so much natural beauty, and are among the many reasons so many of us love this region that we call home.
Parks provide essential spaces for us to connect with nature, gather as a community, teach our children to care for the environment, and to just have fun! Throughout the pandemic, the value of parks became even more important as we all looked for ways to get outside and gather safely. Park services are essential to a healthy community!
To find more information about our parks, visit the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation website, the San Diego County Parks and Recreation website, or the California State Parks website.
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Our community is reeling from a devastating increase in the number of deaths caused by fentanyl overdoses, including the tragic deaths of 12 young people just last year. The synthetic drug has been hidden in fake pills posing as real medicine, laced in marijuana, and can be found as a powder, patch, and liquid. It is incredibly hard to identify, especially as it has no smell or taste, and a very small dose can be lethal. The powerful medication, Naloxone, can reverse overdoses and save lives, if given quickly. I am working with my colleagues in the Legislature to include funding in the 2022-23 state budget to maintain a free community-based Naloxone distribution program that allows cities, first responders, and local organizations to administer the emergency treatment.
While having Naloxone readily available is important, it is also critical that everyone—especially teenagers—understand the grave danger fentanyl poses, and the side effects to look out for, including drowsiness, nausea, confusion, constipation, problems breathing, pinpoint pupils, and unconsciousness. The Legislature is actively seeking to include substantial funding in the budget to spread awareness, educate communities, and expand prevention and treatment opportunities. I encourage everyone to visit Say San Diego to learn more about this dangerous drug.
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Here in San Diego County, we are no strangers to the devastating impacts of wildfires. The challenges of this year’s fire season are daunting, but there are preventative steps we can take to limit the spread of fires in our communities and save lives.
Maintaining 100 feet of defensible spaces around your property makes it more fire resilient and provides access for firefighters. The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County offers a number of helpful resources, including a defensible space assistance program for senior citizens and disabled residents, and community workshops. I encourage all my constituents to consider how they can make their homes or businesses more fire safe. Make sure your evacuation plan is current and that each member of your household or employee at work knows how to get to a safe location.
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In early June, I joined Commanding Officer, Captain Dwight “Woody” Clemons for a tour of Naval Air Station North Island and a discussion about issues of critical importance to Naval Base Coronado.
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Congratulations to the Women’s Museum of California on the opening of their new educational space at the Jacob’s Center! I look forward to exploring the feminist library and seeing the interactive workshops on the history of the women’s movement they will soon put on.
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Wait no more—the Timken Museum of Art’s doors are officially open. Stop by to see the renovated galleries and two new additions to their permanent collection, plus antiviral technologies to help keep visitors as healthy as possible.
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I was thrilled to join San Diego Regional EDC on June 9th to honor the San Diego Foundation and our regional healthcare systems with the Life Changing awards. After their tireless efforts to help all San Diegans during the last two years of the pandemic, I can’t think of anyone more worthy of this inaugural honor.
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Here I am with Anusha Kadiyala, the City of San Diego Youth Commission Chair, for the kick-off of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps and #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps—two transformative programs that invest in underserved youth by creating meaningful pathways for public service careers, while providing participants with significant financial support. I’m excited that here in our community, UC San Diego and the University of San Diego will be inaugural partners in the College Corp and the City of San Diego will be participating in the Youth Job Corps.
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It was my honor to present Dr. Pamela T. Luster with a Senate Resolution in appreciation of her 11 years of service to San Diego Mesa College. Prez Pam will surely be missed!
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On June 17th, Jen and I celebrated San Diego’s vibrant LGBTQ community at EQCA’s San Diego Equality Awards and honored former Congresswoman Susan Davis, Rady's Children's Hospital Center for Gender-Affirming Care, and the San Diego Wave FC for their ongoing commitment to supporting and affirming all San Diegans.
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Jen and I had a ton of fun trumpeting San Diego Zoo Safari Park and its new Elephant Valley habitat at this year’s Rendezvous In The Zoo!
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