Newsletter: Our new events calendar is tracking community activities throughout the county
Plus, a coalition of Kumeyaay tribes has launched a new nonprofit to reduce violent crimes against Indigenous communities.
Last Friday, the Daylight San Diego team held our very first board meeting — a major milestone in building our nonprofit newsroom.
Our discussion focused on our preliminary budget, long-term fundraising goals, grant-seeking strategies and an upcoming launch party to bring our community together (details on that last item coming soon!).
This week, we also launched an upcoming events calendar on our website to highlight local community festivals, guest lectures, educational workshops and other gatherings. If you are hosting or know of any events in the region, be sure to submit them by using our online form.
Stay tuned for event details and more ways to support independent, community-driven journalism!
— Lauren J. Mapp
Fighting for missing and murdered Indigenous people
In response to alarming rates of violence against Indigenous people, a coalition of Kumeyaay tribes has launched MMIP San Diego, a new nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and reducing violent crimes against Native communities. On May 3, the group hosted its inaugural summit at Viejas Casino, bringing tribal leaders, survivors and law enforcement together to improve emergency response times when people are missing, and provide better education to prevent violent crimes, including human trafficking. — Lauren J. Mapp
Other news
In an effort to close a projected $258 million budget deficit, San Diego may lose its beach fire rings, dampening sunset outings along the city’s coastline, Voice of San Diego reported. City staff may start removing the rings this summer to save about $135,000 a year in maintenance costs.
National City residents are advocating for better maintenance of Las Palmas Park, home of the city’s only Little League, inewsource reported. Community members say the park desperately needs repairs, and the city is investing in a $3.2 million renovation of the park's pool and bathrooms.
In University Heights, community members are pushing for the city to overhaul a complicated and deadly five-way intersection, KPBS reported. In the last decade, dozens of car crashes have occurred at the intersection where Normal Street, Park Boulevard and El Cajon Boulevard meet.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for city governments across the state to restrict public camping and ban homeless encampments, something that has already happened across San Diego County, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. All 18 cities and the county government prohibit tent camps, despite the region’s shortage of shelter beds.
The Trump administration is making quiet changes to restrict asylum seekers’ ability to win cases in immigration court, our co-founder Kate Morrissey reported this week in her newsletter Beyond the Border.
Meanwhile, the administration is continuing to try to avoid paying legal service providers whom the U.S. government contracted to represent children in immigration court, she wrote for Voice of San Diego. Morrissey recently went to the San Diego Immigration Court to see what children’s court proceedings are looking like now.
Upcoming Events
May 16
"The Encampments": KARAMA hosts a viewing of “The Encampments” from directors Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker at the Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art. The documentary film centers on students at Columbia University who inspired a movement protesting the war in Gaza. Tickets can be purchased online. 7:30 p.m., 1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101.
May 17
Malcolm X Day Community Celebration: Community members will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birthday with an all day event in Southeastern San Diego. A 10 a.m. peace march starts at the Four Corners of Life (the corner of Euclid and Imperial avenues), heading toward the Malcolm X Library, where a resource fair and presentations will be hosted from 12-5 p.m. 5148 Market St, San Diego, CA 92114
Lucha Fest: Enjoy lucha libre, art and culture during the Lucha Fest at The Soap Factory. Organized by the Comic-Con Museum, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, Museo de Lucha Libre Tijuana Mexicana, the Office of the Consulate General of Mexico and Global Lucha, the free event features activities for kids, live lucha libre wrestling matches and food vendors. Tickets can be reserved online. 12-6 p.m., 2995 Commercial Street San Diego, CA 92113
Dragon Boat Festival: The San Diego Alliance for Asian Pacific Islander Americans will host its 18th annual Dragon Boat Festival at Tecolote Shores North. The all-day event features dragon boat races on Mission Bay, along with cultural performances and food vendors in the adjacent park. 1344 E Mission Bay Dr, San Diego, CA 92109
Cheese & Libation Expo: Try cheeses, salamis and beverages from around the world during the 2025 Cheese & Libation Expo. Held at BRICK in Liberty Station, the event offers reservations at different time windows on Saturday and Sunday. 2863 Historic Decatur Road San Diego, CA 92106
Want to support our efforts to bring Daylight to San Diego?
- Please subscribe to our newsletter so you’re the first to know when we publish content or announce upcoming listening sessions.
- Consider making a tax-deductible donation to our fundraising campaign on Givebutter. A huge shoutout to everyone who has made a donation toward our goal of raising $50,000 by July 1 to support our journalism.
- We’re now formally accepting story ideas! If you have an idea or pitch that you think will interest other San Diegans, tell us about it!
- Do you have an upcoming event to promote? We are building an events calendar! If you are hosting public events, let us help you get the word out by using our submissions form.
- We are continuing to accept submissions to our Daylight San Diego Community Survey to help shape upcoming news content.
- Hit the follow button on our social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook and YouTube) and share our page with your own community within the region.
