CASDLA_000038_B_PRSV

Interview with Nicole Murray Ramirez by Frank Nobiletti, Part 2, 1990

 

1990-02-08

 

Digitization: California Audiovisual Preservation Project (CAVPP)

Nicole Murray Ramirez, also known as Empress Nicole the Great, is Queen Mother of the Americas within the Imperial Court System. He has been an LGBT activist for decades, and was pivotal in developing San Diego's LGBT community. He has also served on the Chief of Police Advisory Board, San Diego's Human Relations Commission, and is a San Diego city commissioner.

Nicole Murray Ramirez; Brad Truax; "Jess" Jessop; Frank Nobiletti; LGBTQ history; LGBTQ issues; Women's rights; Human rights; Sexual minority women; Sexual minority youth; Drag queens; Drag performers; Minority rights; Gay bars; Pride events; Pride rallies; Imperial Court system; Tawny Tan; Greater San Diego Business Association; David Farrell; Reverend David; HIV/AIDS; LGBTQ politicians; LGBTQ rights; Factionalism; Jeri Dilno

 

 

Rights are owned by Lambda Archives of San Diego (LASD).

 

 

 

 

1/8th inch audio cassette

00:22:37

Yes

CASDLA_000038_A_PRSV

This is not a transcript but a summary.
00:10 Begins with the request of someone asking to sit down and talk. This is a continuation of the interview at CASDLA_000038_A_PRSV
00:26 A bar needs to let women in and how they didn't want too many women, people of color, or drag queens.
00:42 People of color have not progressed and mostly kept to themselves during this time. As noted in part 1, masculine pronouns are usually used for this interviewee.
00:57 When a black person walked into a bar people were shocked because people of color and gays would often go to their own house parties. Said by interviewer.
01:14 The first empress was black and was an entertainer similar to Diana Ross so she was an exception to the rule. (The first empress was Tawny Tan (or Tann).
01:30 There was a lot of discrimination by the bars and people of color have not progressed in the city.
01:43 Talks about the Pride Rally for the previous year where no person of color spoke.
01:50 The Fifty-Twenty Council received so many complaints because there was no person of color on the council until the current year.
02:00 No blacks or Hispanics have served on the Greater San Diego Business Association.
02:14 There are no people of color on the political path and he is the only person of color who has been there because he was able to bring in money.
02:25 People of color are still on the bottom but organizations are now speaking out on the matter.
02:40 Interviewer asks how people were kept out of bars.
02:50 Nicole brings up Tin Pan Alley over a year ago and talks about the controversy over asking for 3, 4, and 5 IDS.
03:00 Interviewer asks what Nicole believes the percentage of black people in San Diego is now.
03:12 The Black, Hispanic, and Asian gay population has grown and are more at the bars now.
03:24 They are about to have a Miss Gay Asian pageant.
03:47 Interviewer asks about Jess Jessop's role in the community.
03:54 Jess' role in the community is very important because he is a common factor and is respected by everyone.
04:15 Jess will speak to you no matter your socioeconomic background and will not take sides on different issues keeping his common ground.
04:32 Jess and Reverend David (Farrell of Metropolitan Community Church in San Diego) are the two kindest individuals.
04:34 Jess has been a father figure and leader in the community.
04:42 If Jess calls you are much respected and how Jess and Reverend David are the only two people that Nicole will listen to.
05:18 Jess affects everyone in a certain way because he is the most honest, honorable man and leader in their community.
05:45 There are times when Nicole disagrees with Jess but Nicole never angry with him because of the respect level Nicole has for him.
05:54 If Jess takes a stand it is because he believes in it with all his heart.
06:21 When they lose Jess it will be a loss among leadership. Confirmed later on in the audio that Jess is suffering from AIDS.
06:44 How the community started with Nicole.
06:52 Nicole was tested for AIDS and turned out negative.
07:10 Nicole is always accessible.
07:22 AIDS has been very awful and robbing the community of its future.
07:44 There isn't time for territorial disputes.
08:00 Nicole knows leaders who are sick and suffering from HIV/AIDS that nobody else knows about.
08:16 Interviewer talks about nurturing the kids.
08:27 The chair of Human Dignity ordinance is suffering from AIDS.
08:45 Interviewer talks about how one of his students did a paper on the gay community and said the student found a lot of immaturity in the community.
09:02 Nicole confirms the immaturity of the community.
09:17 Nicole talks about how someone called him a living dinosaur because drag queens like him have become extinct.
09:22 Nicole is still in politics.
09:35 Nicole was not an ordinary drag queen and was smart and articulate.
09:48 The gay community of San Diego is backward because there were not many leaders at one point and it has not progressed.
10:01 Interviewer asks where all the fighting come from has because it has lasted through many things.
10:13 Nicole asks how long has the interviewer been in San Diego. The interviewer responds with six months.
10:18 Nicole talks about the paper wars and battles that took place before the interviewer came to San Diego.
10:34 How people would dig up dirt on Nicole to give to the straight papers that would try to discredit her.
10:41 Interviewer asks where did it come from and talks about how he heard San Diego is very progressive because of Southern California culture.
10:58 Nicole believes it comes from the people who were involved and did not want to give up power and territory.
11:20 There has to be a blending of the new and the old.
11:33 It is calm now because people are exhausted from fighting.
11:38 Neil and Brad (Truax) have died and Jess and another person are sick.
11:47 Nicole doesn't get along with a person named "Jerry" and that they haven't gotten along in twenty years. ("Jerry" is probably Jeri Dilno.)
11:56 Many of them have been leaders for too long and carry around so much baggage from the past.
12:12 Nicole understands that if someone came into town and was a drag queen named Nicole he would be shocked too.
12:27 Tthe history of the community has been rewritten by gossip.
12:37 Jess is unique because he stayed above the gossip.
12:51 Nicole understands why some leaders don't want any part of the community because of the civil war they just had.
13:04 Nicole knows young leaders, why they say they will never get involved because of what happens if you are on the wrong side of an issue.
13:13 A publisher registered a gun in someone else's name.
13:20 Interviewer asks what started all of that.
13:25 Nicole thinks it was people with power plays.
13:30 Interviewer asks was it paper turf wars.
13:31 Nicole confirms what the interviewer said.
13:49 Nicole says every five years it was a plot to overthrow the queen.
14:11 Nicole believes the community is immature
14:24 Nicole has a real concern of the future.
14:39 Interviewer asks about interpersonal relationships with the gay community.
14:51 Nicole talks about how he has hope for the younger generation because they do not care about what color you are.
15:15 Talks about people who are involved now have a responsibility to be more peaceful.
15:38 Nicole talks about how a lot of people still have a lot of learning to do and responsibility to take.
15:49 Interviewer talks about how a lot of the young people of the gay community have been given a lot of opportunity.
16:18 Nicole talks about the sacrifice that took place to be where they are at today.
16:38 How leaders would disagree with each other but everyone played a part in getting the community to where it is today.
16:48 Talks about how everyone was needed for the movement and how Jerry brought consciousness even though they didn't agree. "Jerry" is probably Jeri Dilno
17:05 Doorbell rings, Nicole introduces Trisha. Interviewer introduces himself as Frank (Nobiletti).
17:29 Frank asks about sex and drag and what is the evolution of sex roles and drag dress.
18:10 A lot of the drag queens looked like street queens and prostitutes.
18:32 Nicole talks about how the attire didn't determine their gender roles.
19:11 Interviewer asks about the hustlers at Emperor and Empress election
19:49 You had to buy a ticket to vote for the emperor and empress.
20:22 Nicole talks about how she received votes because people thought she was going to put money back in their direction.
20:48 Talks about how Trisha was at Nicole's campaign passing out flyers and buttons.
21:13 Nicole ran for Empress on and off throughout the years.
21:37 Talks about how Nicole was crowned Empress the great because she was elected Empress four times.
22:05 The big Empress ball coming up.

 

Audio

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772.52 MB