SAN DIEGO -- The history of archiving can be traced to beyond 2,000 BCE, and is an essential practice to helping us understand a given place, time or event. The past 30 years have introduced a defining event in LGBTQ history: the advent of HIV/AIDS and its affect on our community.

In 2004, The arcHIVe Project founder Rodney Rodriguez watched as a friend received a HIV-positive diagnosis. The feelings of shame, fear and guilt experienced by that friend made Rodriguez decide that he needed to do his part in creating a world where HIV could be discussed without judgment and stigma.

I remember walking down the streets of Knoxville, Tenn. in 1995 and being approached by armed forces recruitment officers. They would usually have a catchy opener and then launch into their sales pitch about the benefits of serving my country. This was right in the thick of my strident coming out period, so we always ended on that note. I was gay and not willing to compromise that part of my life.

SAN DIEGO -- Inspired by their own personal stories of growing up, local community members have been working hard to present the region’s first LGBTQ Youth Empowerment Summit, Y.E.S. San Diego. Scheduled for Oct. 6, organizers are bringing together numerous leaders from the LGBT community for the one-day conference, aimed at providing a place for LGBT youth 13 – 18 years old to break down some of life’s barriers.

If there were a foundation intent on helping you reach optimal funding sources and provide you with the tools to effectively communicate with grant makers, would you find that valuable? My friends, welcome to the San Diego Foundation.

I am relatively new to the nonprofit side of things and, like many in this arena, I hoped that a good heart, a sincere smile and the obvious passion imbued into my words would convince the world that my cause was worthy of funding. Cue to images of slammed doors, phones sent to voicemail and emails placed in junk folders.