Jeri Dilno has been involved in the LGBT community since the 1950s. She joined the Air Force in 1958 and received an undesirable discharge in 1961 under suspicion of homosexuality (later changed to honorable after she fought the charge). She returned to San Diego in the 1970s and was heavily involved in many LGBT organizations and causes, both social and political. These include the San Diego LGBT Center, the LGBT Pride board, the San Diego Democratic Club, the LGBT State Democratic Caucus, and a campaign against the Briggs initiative. Reverend David Farrell was Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego (MCCSD) from 1975-1995. MCCSD has been actively involved in the LGBT civil rights movement and provided counseling and support services throughout the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. He began an annual 50-hour prayer vigil on December 1, 1985 that soon spread to other churches around the country, sparking the United Nations and World Health Organization to proclaim December 1 to be World AIDS Day. Farrell was also instrumental in raising awareness and gathering support in California in the fight against Anita Bryant and the Briggs Initiative in 1978. In this interview Farrell discusses his religious background and troubled youth, his involvement with the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego, volunteerism in the gay community, and AIDS/HIV issues. Note: On Tape 2, after 14:50 the interview ends and the tape contains audio of a meeting regarding county funds for AIDS research, and possibly a meeting of the San Diego Democratic Club.
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