Sarah K. Burris

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Has Nancy Pelosi picked her California senate candidate?

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rode in the annual San Francisco Pride Parade, which is among the largest in the United States. The parade marches through the middle of Pelosi’s 11th Congressional District, and each year, she’s seen atop a convertible celebrating equality.

This year, however, she seems to have welcomed a new person to join her. The guest is turning political analysts to question whether the joint parading means the top California Democrat has made her choice for the U.S. Senate primary race. 

Seated to her left was Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who was censured in the U.S. House last week because he served as one of the impeachment lawyers against Trump. 

Pelosi was all smiles with a rainbow wristband, waving the progress pride flag. Schiff sat atop the red convertible clad in khakis, flashed a rainbow wristband, and waved the progress pride flag.

Schiff is facing off against Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who has made a name for herself in politics by hammering CEOs and corporate leaders. 

The San Francisco Chronicle revealed that Porter was on hand for events that day in San Francisco, including at the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ+ Democratic Club annual pride breakfast. It was the 26th annual breakfast where Porter and Schiff joined state Sen. Scott Wiener, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the transgender lawmaker that has been banned from speaking on the chamber floor by Republicans.

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Mississippi Parents Mourn Death of Bullied 12-year-old Son Who Came Out as Bisexual at School

Andy Leach was a special kid with a bright smile. But as he struggled with his sexual orientation and came out of the closet, bullies at Southaven Middle School were brutal.

“He was a very loving young boy. He had a contagious smile,” his mother, Cheryl Hudson, told News Channel 3. “He was outdoorsy. He loved to go camping. If you were down, he’d try to help you up.”

According to his mother, she missed all of the signs her son needed help.

“I guess I was just oblivious to it. He just always seemed happy,” Hudson said.

“He was struggling a lot internally with sexual orientation,” his father Matt Leach said. “He finally came out with the information at school that he thought he may be bisexual. I think that really amped up the bullying.”

March 6, Andy couldn’t take it anymore. His parents found notes that walked through his plan to commit suicide. His older brother was the only other person at home. His body was found in the family’s outdoor garage.

It was only then that the family begin to understand the horror and sadness he suffered from.

“Kids were telling him, ‘We’re gonna put hands on you. You’re not going to make it out of this bathroom.’ Things of that nature,” his father revealed.

His mother wants to show the children at school what they did to her son and how it lead to his death. They also don’t think that their son knew about the national suicide hotline (call 1-800-273-8255), The Trevor Project or “It Gets Better” campaign — all designed to help youth questioning their sexuality.

They hope that they can help others in wake of Andy’s death.

“If you think there’s any chance of your child suffering from depression, their grades are drastically changing, their eating habits or sleeping habits changed, then get in their business. Talk to them,” Leach said.

Andy’s parents suspect the so-called “no tolerance policy” on bully at school was not being enforced. A statement from the DeSoto County Schools didn’t say whether or not they knew of the bullying and merely restated their policy and offered thoughts and prayers.

“Our hearts go out to this young student’s friends and family,” the statement said.