(Editor's note: The Spirit of Stonewall Rally will begin at 6 pm Friday, July 20, at the corner of Harvey Milk Street and Normal Street in Hillcrest. The event officially kicks off San Diego LGBT Pride weekend.)

Happy Pride! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I am honored to receive the Spirit of Stonewall Friend of Pride award this year and my most heartfelt congratulations to the other San Diego Pride award winners.

A major step towards equality was made with the recent repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I was proud to work with the LGBT community to end this unnecessary and unfair policy. I am looking forward to seeing the service members who will be proudly wearing their uniforms. We owe them our deepest gratitude for the personal sacrifices they have made and for their dedicated service to our nation.

As a Friend of Pride, I will keep working to protect the rights that the LGBT community has already won and support their expansion as quickly as possible. The focus now moves toward the repeal of DOMA and the passage of a comprehensive ENDA. We must continue to the fight for equal rights together.

Rep. Susan Davis
D-San Diego