SAN DIEGO -- The annual Equality Awards, presented by Equality California (EQCA), will be held in San Diego on Saturday, June 1 from 6-11 pm, honoring San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts.

The event will include a reception, dinner and awards, and an after-party. California Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins will be the special guest, and the evening's host will be Michael Chen of ABC 10. USC constitutional law expert professor David Cruz will provide an update on the pending U.S. Supreme Court decisions during the event.

SAN DIEGO – The reports of the death of Equality California (EQCA) are greatly exaggerated, the nonprofit’s new boss tells San Diego Gay & Lesbian News.

Like Mark Twain once did, John O’Connor, who became EQCA’s executive director about six weeks ago, is dispelling rumors about the health of the organization. O’Connor, whose wide smile acknowledges that he has heard about the premature obituary, said EQCA is still relevant today.

A campaign contribution of $142,000 to a committee battling 2008's Proposition 8 - the state's same sex marriage ban - by La Jolla billionaire homeowner Ron Burkle plays a featured role in a stipulated agreement made public today between the "No on 8" campaign and the California Fair Political Practices Committee.

Due to be voted on by the commission at its regular monthly meeting next week, the 16-count stipulation requires the "No on 8, Equality for All" committee to fork over a total administrative penalty of $42,500. ...

California has been a leader when it comes to protecting the rights of LGBT people and we owe this important transformation to a network of LGBT organizations and allies that have worked tirelessly for the past 50 years.

Over the past 35 years, I have worked in many of these organizations and they have shaped and mentored me. Californians have been generous in digging deep into their bank accounts to fund important legislative and community initiatives that have provided positive results across the country and indeed across the world.