Date: Wed, 14 Jun 1995 19:12:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Rex Wockner Subject: TIJUANA STORIES - Wockner NEW GAY DISCO OPENS IN TIJUANA TIJUANA AIDS HOSPICE OPENS FIRST TIJUANA PRIDE PARADE THIS SATURDAY by Rex Wockner ********************************************************************* ACCENTS (first story): E IN MEXICO, A IN VELASQUEZ, ~ OVER N IN NINOS ********************************************************************* TIJUANA, Mexico -- A fifth gay discotheque has opened in Tijuana. Paradigm is connected to Emilio's Cafe in the Parking America complex on 3rd Street just east of Ninos Heroes Avenue. "This is an alternative space to the other discos," said owner Emilio Velasquez. "There will be no drag shows." Hours are 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. seven days a week. "Later this summer, we want to start opening earlier," Velasquez said, "because we've seen that a lot of gay and lesbian tourists need a place to get maps and directions on where to go, what activities are to be found in Tijuana -- bars and discos and hotels and referrals to professional services. "We'll try to have a number of materials to assist visitors. We'd like to be a first place to visit to find your way around town, and maybe even find a friendly native to show you around." Next door, Emilio's Cafe will continue to offer live music, and the second floor will be converted into a video room "for music videos or whatever you want to put on the machine," Velasquez said. Tijuana's other gay discos are Mike's, Noa Noa, Terraza and Los Equipales. There are also two gay bars -- El Ranchero and El Taurino. The addresses can be found in each issue of San Diego's Gay & Lesbian Times. In other Tijuana news, one of the two long-planned AIDS hospices finally has opened. AIDS Organization Tijuana's facility, located at kilometer 24 on the old road to Tecate, will hold 15 people once it is fully equipped. It has had four patients to date. == end == == another story follows == FIRST TIJUANA PRIDE PARADE IS THIS SATURDAY (short version) by Rex Wockner ***************************************************************** ACCENT MARKS: e in Mexico, e in Jose, i in Garcia, e in Que UPSIDE-DOWN QUESTION MARK: before Y in Grupo Y Que? ***************************************************************** TIJUANA, Mexico -- Tijuana's first gay-pride march steps off from 2nd Street and Constitution Avenue Saturday, June 17, at 5:30 p.m. That intersection is at the southwest end of Plaza Santa Cecilia, the slanted block-long mall that begins right across Revolution Avenue from the "Welcome to Tijuana" arch. The organizers, the gay-rights group Grupo Y Que?, strongly urge gay/lesbian San Diegans and other southern Californians to make the trip south to support their Mexican brothers and sisters in this brave step forward. "It will be quite a victory if a lot of people show up," said spokesman Alejandro Garcia. "We are not looking for a fight or for a debate over whether we should have rights or not. We want a celebration, and the people in the bars say they are going to come." Tijuana's seven gay bars themselves have refused to join the parade, fearing repercussions from authorities, such as trouble with licenses. But Grupo Y Que's? Jose Navarro believes "the social conditions to organize a human-rights march exist at this time in Tijuana." "Our theme is, 'From Silence to Celebration for Gay and Lesbian Human Rights,'" Navarro said. For further information, dial direct 011-52-66-80-99-63 or 011-52-66-80-94-82. == end ==