The City of San Diego designated a portion of Harvey Milk Street in Hillcrest as "Honorary Nicole Murray Ramirez Way" on Saturday.
Murray Ramirez is a longtime LGBTQ, Latino and civil rights activist. His advocacy stretches more than five decades. Dignitaries from across the U.S. traveled to San Diego to pay tribute to him.
“When I think about the world Nicole was born into, in many ways Nicole should be the one standing here as the first openly LGBTQ elected mayor of this city, but that was not the time he was born in. He made do with what he was given, to bust down the door of the closets we were forced to live in so we could all live safer and more fulfilling and authentic lives,” said Mayor Todd Gloria during Saturday’s street unveiling ceremony.
Murray Ramirez is an activist, but his resume extends way beyond that. He is known as the Honorary Mayor of Hillcrest. He’s on the Human Relations Commission for the City of San Diego and San Diego County.
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He was an advocate for LGBTQ rights, and Latino civil rights, when doing so was still dangerous. Murray Ramirez was one of the first people to apply for the Pride Parade permit back in the 1970s. He was denied that permit. Through his own personal struggles, he persisted.
“I come from a family that rejected me. I wasn’t even invited to my grandparents’ funerals, who I loved so much but rejected me when they found out I was homosexual. I come from rejection as so many of us have,” said Murray Ramirez.
"I also stand before you as a former pre-operative transsexual-transgender individual. I stand before you as a recovering drug addict, street walker who at times was homeless,” Murray Ramirez added.
While much progress has been made when it comes to LGBTQ rights, Murray Ramirez continues to advocate for those who face discrimination.
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“The hate crimes in the Jewish community and the Asian community, all these are crimes that I believe the next generation will make sure they don’t last,” Murray Ramirez said.
Murray Ramirez is optimistic the next generation of activists will continue the battle for equality. “It will never be over until we all realize we’re all God’s children,” he said.
Murray Ramirez said he is planning to write a book about the LGBTQ civil rights movement. This is the first time a street has been named after an openly gay San Diego man.
