05/28/2026
VIDA Welcomes New Board Member, Donnie Vella!
Donald Vella has been an active and dedicated member of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community for more than thirty years. After graduating high school in 1993, he attended Southwestern College in Chula Vista, where he became involved with the campus Gay-Straight Alliance. Recognizing the need for broader collaboration among LGBTQ+ student leaders, Donald founded the Rainbow Student Alliance, bringing together students and leaders from community colleges across San Diego County to organize events and raise funds in support of the local community.
His leadership and dedication were recognized by Imperial Court de San Diego, one of the region’s largest and longest-standing LGBTQ+ charitable organizations. In 2016, Donald was invited to compete in the organization’s first-ever Royal Bear Contest, where he made history as the inaugural Royal Bear of San Diego. Since then, he has continued to serve the Imperial Court community, becoming a Crowned Prince of the ICSD and most recently earning the title of His Most Serene Highness, The Amethyst Velvet Teddy Bear Prince Royale of Reign 51.
Through his work alongside Bears San Diego and Mr. Bear 2023 Tim Kutch, Donald was introduced to VIDA and soon became an active volunteer, helping distribute HIV home test kits through outreach efforts at MO’s and supporting community health initiatives. For the past several years, Donald and Bears San Diego have sponsored oranges for the annual Holiday Feed the Homeless Program and have proudly supported VIDA’s Día de los Mu***os event.
Donald credits much of his passion for volunteerism to his father, Santos Joe Vella, who passed away on Christmas Day 2022 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. In his father’s honor, Donald has since raised more than $10,000 for the local chapter of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and recently completed his fourth Purple Stride San Diego walk to raise awareness and support for pancreatic cancer research and advocacy.
Today, Donald remains a vibrant and tireless presence in the Hillcrest community, volunteering with Bears San Diego, the leather community, the Imperial Court de San Diego, Lambda Uptown Alano Club, and numerous other organizations. Known for his generosity, leadership, and unwavering willingness to lend a helping hand, Donald continues to make a lasting impact on the LGBTQ+ community he has proudly served for decades.
