SAN DIEGO -- A group of friends - calling themselves "The Glitteratti" - have joined together to make a difference in the lives of people in need, and will host their first benefit event this Saturday, March 2 to benefit The Center's Youth Housing Project (YHP).

Event attendees are asked to bring gift cards in any denomination that can be used by YHP residents to purchase everyday items that they might not be able to afford otherwise.

(This column originally appeared HERE in SDGLN media partner HuffPost Gay Voices.)

In the mid-90s, a passionate, comedic intellectual named Leigh -- the adventurous driver of a rustic, blue Volvo -- gradually became my rock.

Our friendship began in 1995 while we were attending the University of Oregon in the extraordinarily green college town of Eugene.

NEW YORK -- Continuing its highly successful multiplatform public service campaign to address social injustices and bridge cultural divides, USA Network, along with its distribution partners, today announced the 2012 recipients of the Characters Unite Awards, which includes San Diego's Patrick Wallace, co-founder of A Note To My Kid.

Ten winners were selected from hundreds of nominees for their efforts in combating prejudice and discrimination while increasing tolerance and acceptance in their communities.

(This story was originally published on HuffPost Gay Voices, a content partner of SDGLN.)

It's been more than three years since Prop 8 -- dubbed California's "Marriage Protection Act" -- passed by a narrow 52% in a vote that instantly categorized the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community as a group of second-class citizens.