San Francisco Bay Times - January 13, 2022

January 13–26, 2022 http://sfbaytimes.com

Public Health Warrior

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Dr. Grant Colfax See pages 2–4

Dr. Grant Colfax, SF Department of Public Health

Dr. Grant Colfax on His Life, Work, and Applying Lessons Learned from HIV/AIDS to COVID-19

Photos courtesy of San Francisco Department of Emergency Management

As the Director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Dr. Grant Colfax makes decisions that directly impact over 7,000 individuals, including teams at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Laguna Honda Hospital. Along with the San Francisco Health Commission, which is the governing and policy-making body of the Department of Public Health, he also makes decisions that affect the lives of all San Franciscans. It is a role of immense and almost unfathomable responsibility, usually capping off the careers of former such leaders, and yet it feels as if Dr. Colfax has not even reached his prime. He has made headlines since he was a teenager, defying public expectations at every turn and influencing such seemingly disparate matters as homeschooling, social justice, public health, and much more. Interracial Family Raised on a Ranch Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the Colfax family—with parents Micki and David at the helm—became well-known, as well as controversial. Largely this was because of the way in which Micki and David raised their four boys. Grant is the oldest, and John Drew is the second oldest. Micki and David then adopted Reed, who is Black, and Garth, who is of Native American ancestry. All lived at Shining Moon Ranch in Boonville, California.

The Mountain School Dissatisfied with public education at the time, David and Micki decided to homeschool all of their children. They registered their ranch as a private school, calling it The Mountain School. The number of pupils? Four—the Colfax boys. Believing that everyday work and real-life experiences were essential to education, David and Micki allowed their sons to mostly study on their own and to juggle that with the necessities of life on a working ranch. Well educated themselves and originally from the East Coast, both David and Micki were deeply involved in civic matters and served on local boards, committees, and organizations. David notably served on the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors for several terms and was a popular and charismatic leader. He often involved his entire family in discussions with experts of various fields, including healthcare specialists from San Francisco. This too became part of the flexible Mountain School curriculum, which always emphasized being of beneficial service to others. Acceptance to Harvard Desiring to go to medical school, Grant set his sights on Harvard despite the fact that his unorthodox educational background was in stark contrast to that of all other applicants. His intellect and eagerness to learn, evident in his SAT scores, writing, and interviews, wowed the Harvard admissions officers. He was accepted to the prestigious college in 1983. (Drew eventually went to Harvard’s Medical School. Reed also went to Harvard. All four Colfax boys have achieved success in their educational and professional lives dedicated to serving others.)

PHOTO BY RINK

Grant raised goats that he proudly brought to the Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show. The animals at first got last in all divisions, but Grant was tenacious and determined. He improved his techniques, such that an Alpine doe raised by him earned the coveted

title of Grand Champion for her breed. On the cover of the 1992 book Hard Times in Paradise by Micki and David, chronicling their life on the ranch located in a redwood forest, Grant is shown with one of his goats, who looks like another wellcared-for member of the family. The book shares how the Colfax home had no electricity, running water, or a phone.

Mayor London Breed and Dr. Grant Colfax on March 16, 2020, at a press conference during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

Drew told The Harvard Crimson: “We basically studied on our own from the age of 12 on. We helped each other a lot ... Grant was really the guinea pig [in terms of selecting textbooks and other reading materials]. He would tell me which books were good.”

Dr. Grant Colfax and a colleague outside of a COVID-19 vaccination site

mary adviser on domestic HIV policy, Dr. Colfax coordinated federal efforts to implement the national HIV/ AIDS strategy. Dr. Grant Colfax

News of the Colfax boys’ success made national and even international headlines. Other Harvard students therefore knew about aspects of Grant’s life. He later shared with the Crimson: “When I first got here, a lot of people knew who I was, but that didn’t bother me at all. Then I went through a period where I was tired of being perceived as a ‘goat-boy.’ Now I feel like I’ve established my own identity away from typecasting.” Out and Proud Part of that identity forged by Grant involved coming out as a gay man. He did so proudly, even as the HIV/AIDS crisis led at the time to fear and backlash against the LGBTQ community. Passionate about helping others during the crisis, he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and worked in Ward 5A at San Francisco General Hospital, which with Ward 5B was the world’s first dedicated HIV/AIDS hospital ward. In 1997, Dr. Colfax joined the San Francisco Department of Public Health, where his focus was on researching and implementing HIV prevention interventions. As Director of HIV Prevention and Research, he emphasized bringing an evidence-based, communityinformed approach to addressing gaps in HIV care and prevention. Member of the Obama Administration From 2012 to 2014, Dr. Colfax was a member of the Obama Administration, serving as Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy. As President Obama’s pri-

2015 marked another shift in Dr. Colfax’s already storied career. That year he was named Director of Marin County’s Health and Human Services, leading the Public Health, Social Services, and Behavioral Health divisions until 2019. His focus, in part, was on increasing health and wellness equity in Marin County. Present Position In January 2019, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced that she had chosen Dr. Colfax to serve as the Director of the Department of Public Health. Making the announcement, she said, “Dr. Colfax knows our city and its challenges, and he is ready to get to work. He knows that we need to get to zero HIV infections in San Francisco and that we need to reach our most vulnerable populations, particularly our African-American and Latino communities who are not seeing their HIV infection rates drop as others do. This means getting everyone—and I mean everyone—access to services, treatment, and preventative medication like PrEP. I know Dr. Colfax will get us to that goal.” Dr. Colfax then envisioned that his work would “require effectively addressing the health challenges facing the city, as reflected in Mayor Breed’s priorities. This includes improving mental health and substance use treatment services, addressing the medical needs of people experiencing or at risk for homelessness, and reducing health inequities. With the Department’s history of innovative public health initiatives, community-driven programming, and superb clinical care system, I am optimistic about what can be achieved.”

A New Pandemic Just over a year into the already formidable work underlying these goals, COVID-19 was identified and began to rapidly spread. During the subsequent months, San Francisco rose to deal with the crisis. In June 2021, it was announced that San Francisco was the first major U.S. city where 80% of eligible residents had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. At that time, the city had nearly 70% of eligible residents fully vaccinated and the COVID case rate had dropped 96% since January 2021. Then came the Delta and Omicron variants, with the latter first detected in the U.S. in San Francisco during December 2021. This herculean feat was due to the bravery of the patient who fully cooperated with researchers, to UCSF scientists, to the work ethic of Dr. Colfax and his colleagues, and to the testing technologies, including genomic sequencing, available here in the Bay Area. As The New York Times reported about the variant detection, “In less than 24 hours, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, had determined that it was Omicron.” Now, still during the international Omicron surge, we met up with Dr. Colfax to learn more about his remarkable life, work, and goals for the Department in the challenging year ahead. The following represents excerpts from our recent discussion with him. San Francisco Bay Times: Your experience in clinical medicine, research, policy, and administration is both unique and exceptional. Going back in time, to your upbringing in Mendocino and homeschooling, who were your role models and mentors then as well as later when you attended Harvard Medical School? Dr. Grant Colfax: Many of my mentors then were very much mission driven and focused on social justice work. It would be difficult to provide specific names, as there were so many. A number of those people included healthcare providers who were working in rural communities or underserved urban communities. I developed a deep appreciation for their work and that was solidified in me at a very early age. My parents were grounded in social justice work. Being homeschooled, there was flexibility and we had permission to explore and to delve deeper into our own interests.

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Dr. Grant Colfax, SF Department of Public Health

Dr. Grant Colfax speaking about the pandemic with healthcare workers and patients

San Francisco Bay Times: Given that your family was based in rural Mendocino County, how did you connect with so many other community leaders, particularly in healthcare professions?

Dr. Grant Colfax addressing members of the Latino Task Force concerning the pandemic

Dr. Grant Colfax: Even though we were 2 1/2 hours north of San Francisco, I did have mentors and people I engaged with directly, including practitioners at San Francisco General Hospital. The legacy of public service and what can be done in that way resonated with me early on. There was not just a connection at the very local level, but there was a thread to San Francisco that continues to this day.

They were colleagues of my parents actively practicing medicine in San Francisco. I had a very deep appreciation and admiration for them. They gave me a lot of perspective on what it meant to be in medicine at that time. There was a focus among these practitioners, not just about academic medicine but also about community medicine and social organizing. It was the time of barefoot doctors and thinking how people can empower themselves and communities and take charge of their own health. I recall staying up late and listening around the table when my parents would meet with them. I would also go to bookstores and pull off books I was interested in. Going to libraries was a huge part of our learning and engagement. My parents would ask, “Are you interested in this? Let’s explore it more.” That approach was formative in helping to develop the perspective that I have today. San Francisco Bay Times: What led to your focus on HIV/ AIDS clinical medicine during your later education, and then your pivot toward policy and administration work? Dr. Grant Colfax: As a gay man, I came out quite early at a time when, particularly in medicine, there were not a lot of people who were out. This time coincided pretty directly with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I already had a longstanding interest in medicine, but this [HIV/ AIDS] really solidified and drove so much of my work going forward. It was impossible being a gay man to ignore the fact that there was this massive health crisis. And it directly intersected with the social justice work and advocacy that was happening at the time. I saw what happens when the federal government ignores a pandemic and when the federal government actually engages. So, I had a deep appreciation for what the possibilities are and an appreciation for the connection between science and commu-

nity and what can be done when those two things come together with government—whether that government is local, state, or national. That really informed my work at the policy level, but I also learned and experienced how to care for people at the very granular level. I went to medical school in Boston and then came out and did a rotation at SF General Hospital at the 5A Ward, which was the HIV/ AIDS ward. The focus on caring for people with a social justice and holistic lens was really inspiring and remarkable. I was pretty sure that I wanted to come back to San Francisco for my residency, but that experience really crystalized it. It [5A] was an incredible model. That model had not been present where I had trained at the time. I think that legacy has carried into and inspired the work at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and other components of our healthcare system. San Francisco Bay Times: Please share some of your memories of serving as President Obama’s top HIV/ AIDS policy adviser from 2012 to 2014. How did that experience help to shape your work thereafter? Dr. Grant Colfax: It was incredible to see what policies can do at the macro level to inform work at the local level and at the individual level. In my conversations with patients and other clinicians, I feel the tangible effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that has been transformative. Prior to the ACA, so many people didn’t have coverage and yet many had severe health problems. Because they didn’t have coverage, many went into debt and their lives were destroyed in ways that extended beyond health. Being with the Obama Administration as the ACA was literally being implemented—sort of having that connection at the macro level and then seeing how these policies are incredibly important and beneficial to people at the local level—has just been incredibly inspiring. It’s been an honor to see and experience and support that in the small ways that I’ve been able to do so. San Francisco Bay Times: You seem to transition with ease from national to local and even international work. When you accepted the position of Marin

Dr. Grant Colfax

County Health Chief, however, you said, “Working at the local level has always been my passion.” Please elaborate a bit more on why work at the local level remains so important to you. Dr. Grant Colfax: It’s the granularity and the proximity to the issues and being able to effect change in a way that is tangible and, for me, rewarding, and I hope for others as well. To be able to scale up programs. To be able to support community. To be able to take a pilot project, especially with some of the work we’ve done with COVID and HIV and increasingly around health equity. Community tells us what’s needed, which then intersects with what evidence tells us from the science and the medical work and then we attempt to bring those things together to get the best.

Department. We have both hospitals: Zuckerberg SF General and Laguna Honda Hospital. We have 14 clinics and many divisions, so literally thousands of people within the Department are working every day on factors relating to health and wellness. I think of those now working on the front lines, whether it’s directly COVID-related or in areas that

are COVID-impacted—from the Intensive Care Unit at Zuckerberg SF General to the vaccine teams in the communities that we’re serving, including in the Bayview and the Mission, to primary care in Chinatown and all across the city, and to the HIV care that’s being given in our primary care clinics. It’s just a remarkable group of (continued on page 4)

[It’s important for me] to meet people where they are and to ensure systems are responding to the needs of people. To design systems to meet people’s needs in the most effective way. It’s hard and challenging, but it’s incredibly exciting and effective when it actually works. San Francisco Bay Times: What is a typical—if there is such a thing—day like for you? Dr. Grant Colfax: There is no typical day. Days are extremely fast paced. They are inevitably rewarding. There are days where you feel like the teams and communities that they have been working for are achieving success on the ground and those are incredible. And there are challenges almost every day. I think, because of the support of the great team at the Health Department and the work we do with the community, there are a lot of great things happening. I am very optimistic at the end of each day as to where things are headed while acknowledging that there are challenges. It is often complex and challenging work. But we need to embrace that and continue to strive for health equity and social justice and better outcomes for our citizens and communities. San Francisco Bay Times: Please share more about the members of your team. Dr. Grant Colfax: We have over 7000 people working at the Health S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

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Dr. Grant Colfax, SF Department of Public Health people who are very mission driven and are now working harder than ever before. Dr. Susan Philip, Deputy Director of Health Care Delivery Systems at the California Department of Health Care Services, has done a remarkable job. This health officer role has come into greater focus and I want to acknowledge and thank her and, again, to thank the people on the front lines for going to work every day. These last two years have put the importance of their work at the forefront. I also want to emphasize that Mayor Breed has been so supportive of the Department across the city. Having the support of the leaders you are working for is so important to make things go forward. San Francisco Bay Times: Your Department recently made news when the Omicron variant was first identified here in San Francisco. Share some insight into how that happened. Dr. Grant Colfax: The reason it happened is because we have such a great team of people involved in testing and case detection. Credit first goes to the person who was diagnosed, since that person called and shared a travel history. Our team literally worked overnight with our collaborators at UCSF to do the sequencing. That doesn’t happen on a routine basis. People were driving so hard to move forward because it was such an important piece of information from a public health perspective, not only for our local response but also, of course, nationally. That is emblematic of the work that our people do.

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San Francisco Bay Times: What advice do you have for our readers, in light of the coronavirus variants? Dr. Grant Colfax: Getting the initial vaccines and your booster are so key right now. Omicron has pushed us to understand that COVID is going to be here for the long term. Omicron is forcing us to better understand our risk levels and our ability to manage and live with this virus for the foreseeable future. Aside from vaccinations and boosters ... layering other layers of protection with testing and masking are so important right now. Hopefully this surge will be quick and we will be able to go back to a more normal situation than we are in right now. But I want to emphasize how we’re all going to need to learn how to live with COVID to a degree, and we’re still waiting to see to what that degree is. San Francisco Bay Times: From HIV/AIDS to COVID-19 to substance abuse disorders and more, the current health challenges in San Francisco are many. What are some of your specific goals for the months ahead? Dr. Grant Colfax: A goal continues to be to get as many people vaccinated and boosted as possible. We continue to focus on the most vulnerable populations due to COVID, particularly elderly populations, those in skilled nursing facilities, and people who are immunocompromised. I think the other part of this is ensuring we keep schools open because we know that is incredibly important.

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There are other key parts of our care system that have been incredibly strained because of the pandemic, but we nonetheless need to continue to focus on them. Our behavioral health system, for one. We recently brought in a new Behavioral Health Director, Dr. Hillary Kunins, who has a new perspective that I am very excited about. This effort includes the all-important issue of the overdose pandemic in San Francisco and working with the community, scientists, and others to ensure we are doing everything we can to prevent overdose deaths by providing treatment, strengthening overdose reversal programs, and providing support for people. We again need to ensure that our system is driven by what the people need and not by what the system needs. We need to make sure we have a low barrier to care so that people are able to get healthcare if and when they need it and ask for it. This must be addressed in a much deeper and broader context than ever before. I’m optimistic that we will be making good progress in this area, but it is a key challenge. It is something that we will need to continue to focus on. The other areas of focus include health equity and looking at health outcomes in specific communities, particularly in the Black and African American community where we continue to see poorer health outcomes, whether it is COVID, HIV, preterm birth, or hypertension. We have a number of initiatives that we are working on to improve those outcomes. Part of that effort includes strengthening our work with communities and neighborhoods. COVID really catalyzed that, but we are continuing to ensure

that we are having the meaningful, focused discussions to take meaningful actions. Having meaningful intentions is inadequate. We are actually taking meaningful actions and holding ourselves accountable as a healthcare system and as a governmental department affecting the change that so many people have been asking for, for so many years. San Francisco Bay Times: Has your experience working on HIV/AIDS helped to inform your response through the Department to the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Grant Colfax: The COVID19 pandemic and how it has evolved and the challenges that we have encountered with it do really reflect the history of HIV in some ways. I flashed on this thinking back on my training in the 5A ward. When I was training, there were different HIV meds that were coming out. The way it was recommended that people take the meds shifted and changed and adjusted. It was not that everything overnight changed. It was a process that adjusted according to the science and the feedback from patients and community as to what was working and what was not. I think that is important to remind ourselves of, now two years into COVID. People, for example, are wondering whether or not they will need another booster. Remember that we do not have an on-off switch in terms of this is what we know now, so this is what you will do for the foreseeable future. Things can shift and change and that is what happened with HIV/AIDS. The iteration of our response is going to be

something that we need to be flexible about and adjust. That is something we learned with HIV and now COVID is teaching it to us all over again. San Francisco Bay Times: You are such a powerful role model, and particularly for other LGBTQ individuals. What advice do you have for others who, like you, have sought to make a positive difference in their communities? Dr. Grant Colfax: What I advise people, if they ask, is to stay proximal and granular to the issues that you are responsible for or for which you are trying to effect change. Go out and ask questions. If you are responsible for developing programs that reach people, talk to the people you are meant to reach and develop the programs according to what you are hearing from people. Don’t design the program or policy and expect people to come to it. Ask yourself, how do you stay connected to the work so that you are actually listening to and engaging with the people you are trying to reach? I learn more from talking to the patients in my clinic every week than I learn from my emails or some of the broader policy documents that I often review. Asking questions and listening to a variety of different people, whether they are leaders in their community or leaders within a specific field, is incredibly important. Be authentic and have integrity. As much as is possible, make sure that you are focusing on what matters: what matters to you and what matters to the people you are serving.

2021: The ‘Trash Can Fire’ Year in Review

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer Welcome to 2022; last year, I deemed 2020 the “Dumpster Fire,” and while 2021 included some fiery incidents, it wasn’t as bad as 2020. On the “refuse containment inferno scale,” I’ve upgraded 2021 to “Trash Can Fire.” Other than a few horrific incidents and a global virus that won’t go away because tens of millions of irrational people stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that diseases such polio, smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, HPV, shingles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever, yellow fever, and more were eliminated by vaccines, in general, 2021 beat the crap out of 2020. Here’s a look back at some noteworthy events of 2021: January - In the worst violence at the U.S. Capitol since 1856 when abolitionist and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner was beaten to a pulp by pro-slavery South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks, pro-Trump sycophants stormed the Capitol while Trump

gleefully watched on TV. Republican lawmakers clutched their pearls and denounced Trump; this lasted for 15 minutes once the reality set in that going against Trump meant a primary challenge in the next election. GOP House Leader Kevin McCarthey rose to the level of “Grand Supreme Hypocrite” by rushing to Mar-a-Lago to kiss Trump’s ass after earlier claiming that Trump “bore responsibility” for the deadly riot.

pressed turnout among Black voters. Not all sports were so woke: the Masters Tournament (golf) remained at Augusta National where the tagline by the founder and “Chairman in Memoriam” could well have been: “All the golfers will be white and all the caddies will be Black.”

February - A devastating winter storm hit Texas and was deemed the single-costliest natural disaster in the history of the state. In the worst “weather-related decision” by a leader since Napoleon waited for the ground to dry after a rainstorm before attacking Waterloo, Senator Ted “Cancun Cruz” decided that sipping margaritas on the beach beat freezing with his poodle and the 29 million Texans he was elected to serve. The social media explosion caused Senator “Frumpy Dad” to frantically hightail it back to Texas.

June - My partner Amy and I, along with millions of others, booked a trip to Hawaii for our first real vacation in over a year. In response, Hawaii instituted an intelligence and perseverance test composed of illogical tasks, COVID testing, and elusive QR codes that might not always have been delivered. When we checked in at SFO, the agent denied boarding due to a missing QR code for the connecting flight. After several frantic minutes of arguing that we followed every arcane step, another agent leaned over to say, “That got changed yesterday; they can board.” Way to almost ruin our vacation before it even began, bub.

March - COVID vaccines were finally available for teachers, first responders, and essential workers. The chaotic rollout resulted in a real-life Hunger Games/Lord of the Rings mash-up that caused California residents to crisscross the state for vaccine appointments. San Franciscans who had never traveled further than Oakland went to Stockton, Sacramento, and other locations in search of the elusive “my precious” vaccine. While it didn’t extend life like Gollum’s ring, it gave people a fighting chance to keep the life they already have. April - Major League Baseball got “woke” and pulled the AllStar game from Georgia to protest a then-new voting law that sup-

May - The FDA authorized vaccines for adolescents 12–15 years of age; the Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Quinceañera industries rejoiced.

July - Gazillionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos boarded their own rockets and launched into space. Bezos’ flight originated and terminated in Texas, which required him to wear an oversized and ridiculouslooking cowboy hat. The successful missions were proof-of-concept that someday mere multi-millionaires will be able to fulfill their dream to spend 3 minutes in space. August - The CDC announced the Delta variant as the predominant strain of COVID in the U.S. Antivaxxers and Republican puppetmasters held the country hostage by refusing to get a vaccine that will

stop the virus from mutating its way through the Greek alphabet. Current and former fraternity and sorority pledges believed that the pandemic would end at Omega when the Greek alphabet runs out of letters. Scientists warned that we’ll eventually need to expand to other adaptations of Phoenician alphabets such as Hebrew or Aramaic. If we ever get to “COVID Gimel” or worse, “Tzadik,” then we might as well admit defeat because, without vaccine mandates, this pandemic will never end. September - Governor Newsom, whose approval numbers were circling the drain earlier in the year, survived a major political crisis and routed the opposition in the recall election. What started out as a potential $54 million budget deficit for California that reduced state workers’ pay by 9.23% ended with a surplus of $31 million. So, while my colleagues and I sacrificed over 9% of our pay for a year, it all turned out OK in the end (although we never got any of that lost salary back, sigh). October - Major League Baseball faced a PR nightmare when, against all odds, the Atlanta Braves advanced to the World Series and played their home games in the same stadium from which the AllStar game was pulled. Members of the Ku Klux Klan and 40 other hate groups in Georgia felt vindicated while Braves management shrugged because perpetrating synchronized racism is on-brand for a team whose

celebratory gesture is a motion known as the “tomahawk chop.” November - Due to the impact of climate change that resulted in a shorter and warmer spring, the government agency known as the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers released 50 million pounds of syrup from its emergency stockpile. This reminded Americans that Canada has bested us once again because, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, Trump couldn’t be bothered to release life-saving supplies from the national stockpile, but in a crisis, Canada protected its residents from the scourge of dry pancakes. December - The FDA authorized antiviral treatments in pill form by Pfizer and Merck; both companies touted the remedies as a “game changer” to combat the spread of COVID-19. The medication was (and still is) as scarce and hard-tofind as vaccines were in the early part of the year. The medical community applauded this discovery while reminding the approximately 150 million unvaccinated people in the U.S. that they could walk to the nearest pharmacy, farmers’ market, pop-up clinic, and thousands of other convenient locations and get a vaccine for free and not have to worry about treatment for COVID. Here’s hoping that 2022 is further upgraded to the level of “Kitchen Counter-Sized Compost-Bin” fire.

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Figuring Social Security Into Your Retirement So, instead of dismissing Social Security, I recommend understanding the part it can play in your retirement plans.

Money Matters Brandon Miller There are so few guarantees in life— and they’re mostly bad. Death. Taxes (at least for some of us). Your refrigerator melting down one month after the end of the warranty. These things you can expect. But what many folks don’t expect is for Social Security to be there when they retire. And, as CNBC reported, the younger you are, the greater your skepticism is about receiving that income stream. That’s too bad, because Social Security should be a vital part of your retirement strategy. Knowing a set amount is guaranteed each month lets you be freer with other investments. Let me first calm the fears of all of you who don’t think you’ll benefit from this program that you’ve paid into throughout your working life. As you might have heard, there are lots of Baby Boomers retiring and fewer working folks paying into the system, creating an imbalance between funding and payouts. But according to one recent study, anyone 55 and older can plan on getting their full benefit. Younger folks, well, the Social Security Administration estimates that at the very worst, you’ll get 78% of your scheduled benefits. That’s still more than three of every four quarters, which isn’t chump change. Plus, Congress can act to fill the funding gap before that shortfall happens. Taxing incomes above the current $147k cut-off threshold, reducing payouts to folks with more assets, and increasing the age when you start collecting are all potential, relatively simple fixes.

For starters, take the long view of what this income stream means over your retirement years. Let’s say your monthly payout is $2,500. Each year, that’s $30,000 of income. Collect benefits for 20 years, and that’s $600,000. Live long enough to get benefits for 30 years, and you will have received $900,000. Even at 78%, that’s $702,000. Like I said, not exactly chump change. And, under current and longstanding U.S. policy, this is guaranteed income. I can’t emphasize that enough. Plus, the amount you start with is just a base sum. You receive an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). For example, this year’s rising inflation means that the COLA for 2022 is 5.9%. And COLAs are never negative. That increase and future ones will compound for the rest of your life. Now mind you, under current tax law, Social Security benefits count as taxable income for most folks and tax rates are always changing. Nevertheless, anyone eligible can count on a steady source of income that they won’t outlive. Delaying when you start collecting benefits also increases your payout. While you can start collecting at age 62, that will be a much lower amount than if you wait until retirement age—67 for anyone born in 1960 or later—and collect full benefits. Every month you delay increases the amount you receive. But wait, there’s more. If you can hold off collecting until age 70, you will get more than your full benefits. To reward you for postponing taking your money, Uncle Sam gives you delayed retirement credits that add up to 8% per year. Your monthly income then can increase over 24% by waiting until your birthday cake holds 70 candles. Obviously, your health, investments, and other factors will impact your decision of when to start receiving Social Security benefits. If you’re married and both eligible to collect, you might consider a strategy such as taking the lower earner’s benefits

at 67 and the higher earner’s at age 70. Divorced folks who were married for 10 years or more may be eligible for half of the ex’s benefit amount— without reducing what the ex gets. Paying into the system during your working life results in a nice payout once you’re retired. Waiting as long as possible to collect your benefits maximizes that amount, which also increases each COLA’s impact for you in real dollars. And don’t forget the magic of compounding. Income that’s assured for life and adjusts for inflation. That’s a guarantee you can live with. Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. Any past performance discussed during this program is no guarantee of future results. Any indices referenced for comparison are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital; please seek advice from a licensed professional. Brio Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio Financial Group and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place. Brandon Miller, CFP®, is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Philanthropy 2.0 in 2022

Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes “Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment.” —Sidney Poitier Almost two years ago, I began writing this column exploring what Philanthropy is and what it is not. By nature, I’m compelled to use the Socratic method to help stimulate argumentative dialogue and critical thinking, often challenging my presuppositions—sometimes at significant personal cost, but I learn. The method can also disrupt thinking, produce discomfort, and challenge 6

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authority. We know what happened to poor Socrates, but I digress.

mentioned above is understood and upheld.

What is Philanthropy? How is it different from charity? What does Philanthropy solve, and how effective is it? These were some of my early questions. It didn’t take long to travel down a rabbit hole of my creation. However, these inquiries did change my views and challenge me to understand the power of this tool a bit more. Hopefully, I brought a few readers along on my journey to inspire a new way of thinking about Philanthropy.

As we think about our philanthropic goals for 2022, and we should all be doing that now, let’s consider several elements to add a new dimension as everyday philanthropists. We’ll call this Philanthropy 2.0. The overarching goal is to catapult Philanthropy 2.0 into the mainstream and embed it into a new mindset for better problem analysis and more innovative investments in people and communities to drive greater impact.

While both are important, distinguishing Philanthropy (translation: “love of humankind”) from charity or charitable giving was part of this journey. The framework of Philanthropy has such broad and dynamic applications with longerterm impact. Anyone can engage in it at any level if there’s meaningful sacrifice (something of significant value you’re personally giving or giving up), and it is done without the expectation of receiving anything in return. In other words, philanthropic intentions shouldn’t be about deriving donor material or monetary benefit or quid quo pro. The mechanism can also be a great equalizer to rampant forms of capitalism if the intent

As an individual, household, group, nonprofit organization, or company, the four elements to add to the framework in support of your philanthropic goals are empathy, compassion, engagement, and collaboration. After exploring and deciding how to give back this year, ask yourself these questions: Is this endeavor coming from a place of empathy to more fully understand the right problem we hope to solve? Is what we say and how we act generating compassion towards those most impacted by our words and work? Are we kind? What might we need to do or change to courageously and consistently be (continued on page 18)

Message from Leadership

Pandemic Recovery on the Menu

GGBA CALENDAR

By Terry Beswick Recently, I found myself sitting at one of a few dozen tables in a crowded banquet room in Florida. Taking place between COVID variant surges, it was the hybrid, condensed edition of the annual conference of the National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), normally with thousands of people in attendance, but this time about 400. And having just recently assumed the role of Executive Director of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), the affiliate LGBTQ chamber of the San Francisco Bay Area, I recognized very few of the masked, vaxxed people in the room. Vaxxed and boosted myself, I’d decided the conference was worth the risk of travelling during a wily pandemic. I needed to figure out what this LGBTQ chamber of commerce business was all about. As luck would have it, I found myself sitting next to Penny Baldado, a small business owner from Oakland. I introduced myself, and we both confessed we felt a bit out of place at this rather intense corporate confab of strangers. I told Penny about my new gig running the GGBA that, at 48, is the oldest LGBTQ chamber of commerce in the world. It was an entirely new industry to me, I said, and I’d come to the conference to learn about queer chambers, what they are and why they matter. Penny didn’t really intend to answer my questions, but in the end, they did all that and more. Penny patiently listened to my hopes and dreams for the GGBA and then told me a little about the hardships they’d faced trying to run a small café during the pandemic shutdowns, adapting to online orders only, and how they hoped to reopen and hire back some staff soon. The world of LGBTQ chambers of commerce was completely new to Penny, too, and they explained that the national chamber had flown them out to the conference to receive a grant funded by Grubhub, the food delivery service. I was struck by Penny’s remarkable story, not just with opening a scrappy café in Downtown Oakland and keeping it going for 12 years, but throughout their life as a formerly undocumented immigrant. Their spirit of generosity was clear in creating a neighborhood café “with a big heart.” We spoke briefly but agreed to stay in touch. Later during the conference, I was surprised to see Penny and two other LGBTQ restaurateurs from around the U.S. presented

GGBA Member Spotlight

with checks for $100,000 each—part of a $2 million fund raised in partnership with NGLCC from Grubhub customers “rounding up” their payments on food deliveries. “As a trans-masculine and queer, immigrant person of color, I’ve worked hard and put all my love and energy into building a beautiful and welcoming space in Café Gabriela,” Penny said in accepting the check. “I’ve remained resilient through COVID and this grant is the injection of funds that we need to continue along our journey to full recovery.” I was, of course, thrilled to see my new friend, who had faced and overcome such hardship, receiving this welcome boost and I determined to help their business if I could. Now Café Gabriela is one of the newest members of the GGBA, and Penny agreed to share a little of their story in the accompanying “Member Spotlight.” Throughout the conference and in the three months I’ve served in this role, I’ve been blown away and inspired by the stories of so many other LGBTQ and allied business owners in the Bay Area like Penny. Creating a successful business in the Bay Area can be very challenging. In our region, the economy has been slow to recover from the pandemic, and it’s the small businesses that are feeling this pain most acutely. I’m determined to use the resources and influence of the GGBA to do whatever we can to help LGBTQ businesses thrive in the Bay Area, and to help new businesses open. I’m especially interested in helping LGBTQ and allied businesses owners who have historically been least advantaged, including people of color, trans folks, and the disabled. Our diverse LGBTQ culture is an essential part of what makes the San Francisco Bay Area so special, and without a thriving LGBTQ business community, our living culture cannot survive. This year, our focus is on helping small LGBTQ-owned businesses open, recover, and thrive. And we will do that by growing our membership, making connections between member businesses, helping our members become certified LGBT Business Enterprises, linking LGBTQ businesses with corporations and public agencies to generate new opportunities, and working with other minority chambers to effect changes in public policy that will benefit small businesses. This month, the GGBA is running a “Pandemic Recovery Membership Special” providing a big discount on new annual memberships to our LGBTQ chamber of commerce. Our goal is

Wednesday, January 19 GGBA New Member Orientation 12:30 pm–1 pm Via Zoom Whether you’re a brand-new member or a seasoned networker, you may attend this event! This session will help you: • Learn more about the history of the GGBA; • Introduce you to new members in your cohort; • Learn simple ways to get involved to grow your business and relationships. https://tinyurl.com/2evzx8kk to grow our membership in 2022—not for the sake of growth—but to help our LGBTQ community and culture thrive. The GGBA has a long and storied history of fighting for LGBTQ rights, lives, and businesses in the Bay Area, and as the first LGBTQ chamber of commerce in the world, we’re proud to have started a movement that today includes 60 affiliate chambers spanning the globe, over 1600 Certified LGBT Business Enterprise companies, and more than 300 corporate partners from the Fortune 500 and government agencies. One recent study published by the NGLCC concluded that LGBTQ-owned businesses contribute $1.7 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. There’s an incredible potential for transformative change fueled by LGBTQ small businesses in the Bay Area like Café Gabriela. The GGBA aims to tap into that potential by bringing our richly diverse business community together, linking it with our corporate and government partners, and creating a more equitable society for all. Please join us! For more information about joining the GGBA, visit www.ggba.com/membership Terry Beswick is the Executive Director of the Golden Gate Business Association.

Penny Baldado’s Café Gabriela: A Neighborhood Café ‘With a Big Heart’

New GGBA member business Café Gabriela was opened in 2010 in Downtown Oakland by Penny Baldado, a formerly undocumented, trans-masculine, and queer immigrant from the Philippines. Before the pandemic, Penny employed four full-time staff, who were paid a living wage and received full medical and dental insurance. After sustaining an 85% decrease in revenue, Penny laid off their last full-time employee in June. But with a recent $100,000 grant from the National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and Grubhub, they plan to use proceeds for rent and marketing and are now beginning to rehire employees. GGBA: Tell us about yourself and how you started Café Gabriela. Penny Baldado: I was born and raised in the Philippines, in the southern part of the Philippines, Mindanao. My father emigrated here when I was young, and there was a lot of grief. I wanted to have access to him and have access to this country. Also, I knew I was queer when I was younger and the Philippines is really Catholic, colonized in a lot of ways. I didn’t really feel safe coming out in the Philippines so I wanted to be here and come out and I did. Also, I had graduated as a veterinarian from the University of the Philippines, but because of my status as an undocumented immigrant, my first job here was bussing tables in a Filipino restaurant. But I feel like everything, every experience, every hardship that I have had, with all the identities that I have in terms of being an undocumented immigrant, being queer, and now

Photos courtesy of Penny Baldado

ple, because I didn’t have access to a fullon kitchen was really a blessing. A small but good menu was really key.

a transmasculine person of color, has helped me overcome from one stage to the next until I’m here right now. I share this with you because, when I Penny Baldado was here living as an out queer person, there was also another layer of invisibility, which was my status. Also, I felt really exploited by my employer because they knew about my status. So, I started dreaming like what if I created my own job, my own opportunity, my own business? Would I be worthy enough to stay here in this country? I had to try learning to create my own access, my own opportunities. And so, I created Café Gabriela in April 2010. GGBA: What were your greatest successes and challenges prior to the pandemic? Penny Baldado: I look at success like small things that add up to big things. My first success was being able to hire my first worker. One of the challenges that I had was I didn’t really have access to capital so I couldn’t afford hiring workers right away. I had to do everything, which is what I’m doing right now, too. Being able to hire my first co-worker, being able to feel like I offer something of myself to the community is a huge success for me. The lack of access to capital, as a working class or poor person of color and queer, that was a big challenge, but not having access to capital was also grace because I had to use my resourcefulness, my resilience in a lot of ways. Creating a smaller menu, for exam-

GGBA: What are the offerings available at Café Gabriela? Penny Baldado: Our main customer base is the workers of Downtown Oakland. We knew we wanted to just operate within that context, in terms of the hours that they have, so we offered at first just a coffee and espresso bar and local pastries because that’s all I could afford, and then I knew that folks needed some lunch options, too. So, I was able to curate four sandwiches and three salads. Our really kind of famous sandwich is the pulled pork adobo sandwich and I felt like that was my offering from my culture. And once I offered the food, that just piqued curiosity and caught a lot of attention from food bloggers and foodies in general. But one of the things that is really special to us is when people come in our doors and interact with us. You know, we interact with folks. I feel like with this pandemic we have to create ways for us to connect, and how we connect with our customers and our community members, you come in our doors, you’re welcomed with open arms, you can feel that warmth, you can feel that care and love through our food but also through our interaction.

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In Case You Missed It

Joanie Juster

I’ve had the privilege of working with Lee for many of those years, since that first day in 1997. He is at the top of my list of personal heroes, efficiently and compassionately helping people day after day, year after year, with no fuss or fanfare. He has also mentored many others, as well as helping to get Breast Cancer Emergency Fund started in 2001 by offering training and guidance to its client services staff.

New Year, New Name, New Stories The New Year is a good time for a fresh look. When I started writing this column in October, it was called “In the News.” But it turned out that name didn’t quite fit, since I tend to write about things that, well, that you might have otherwise missed. Therefore, welcome to “In Case You Missed It.” 2021 was full of challenges of every kind, and 2022 already promises to be a doozy. It’s easy to become discouraged by the division and discord all around us. But also, at every turn there are good people and organizations doing extraordinary, selfless work to make our world safer, brighter, healthier, and more fabulous. So, in case you missed it, here are two such stories.

At Lee’s retirement party on December 18, Mike Smith, who as Executive Director of AEF was Lee’s boss for 13 years, eloquently summed up Lee’s impact on the community: “Over the past 24 years, tens of thousands of people living with AIDS have sat in the chair across from Lee and done the hardest thing: they asked for help. Lee comforted them, took care of their needs, and got to know them. And when they came back, he knew them by their face.

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A Legend Retires In 1997 a new volunteer started helping with client services at the AIDS Emergency Fund. The work was hard: AEF was often the last resort for people in financial distress because they were disabled by HIV/ AIDS, living on a tiny disability income that was wildly inadequate for the financial realities of San Francisco. Clients would arrive at AEF facing potential eviction, utilities shut-offs, or other pressing financial emergencies. They were often feeling distraught, helpless, confused.

about how to talk to their LGBTQ+ loved ones, which language to use, and more.

That volunteer, Lee Harrington, knew he could put both his library training and his OCD to good use helping clients get their paperwork in order so that AEF could fulfill its mission of providing quick, compassionate emergency financial assistance. Lee fulfilled that mission so well that AEF hired him. And for the next 24 years, Lee was the first person clients saw when they walked in the door at AEF (then PRC, after AEF became a program of PRC in 2016). Lee retired on December 31, after 24 years of invaluable service.

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Just like so many of us Lee started volunteering because of a personal loss. First it was a job. Then it was a career. But all along it has been a vocation. Helping people with AIDS with their needs has been his life’s work.” Join me in thanking Lee for his years of service. He has earned a long and happy retirement! (You can read a recent interview with Lee on PRC’s website here: https://tinyurl.com/LeeHaPRC ) Who Can You Call? LGBT National Help Center It goes without saying that this is a challenging time for many, and on top of other problems, LGBTQ+ folks may face loneliness, isolation,

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and family issues. Fortunately, the LGBT National Help Center is here to help, operating three national hotlines—the LGBT National Hotline, the LGBT National Youth Talkline, and the LGBT National Senior Hotline—as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that helps both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems, and much more. These vital services are provided on a shoestring, with 90% of their income provided by individual donations. Their executive director, Aaron Almanza, told me for the San Francisco Bay Times, “I just want to hug everyone who calls.” He commended callers for being so brave, by taking this huge step for themselves. Many are calling at the worst point in their lives; often they live in rural and conservative parts of the country and are feeling severely isolated, closeted and despairing, with literally no one safe to talk to. But after calling the Help Center, they know they are not alone. The most heart-wrenching feature on their website is the escape button. Aaron said that people often don’t have a safe place from which to call or to research their issues, so if someone walks in on them while they are on the website, the escape button wipes their screen clean in one click. Aaron said he learned about escape buttons from a women’s resource center. He said, “I learned coding just to do that one thing.” Aaron wanted to highlight one more point: Allies are also encouraged to call. Many people are familiar with PFLAG’s excellent work, but PFLAG doesn’t provide a hotline. Friends and family often have questions

The Help Center’s team of highlytrained volunteers field as many as 500 calls per week. If you’re wondering where your donation dollars would be well-spent, read their statement: “Our young people (and even those well into their lives) continue to have to live through the ignorance, fear, and hatred still expressed by so many. But know this, for those facing discrimination at work, bullying at school, or harassment from family, we are here for you. For those questioning their gender or sexuality, we are here for you. For those looking for information on safer-sex and HIV, we are here for you. For those looking for a local resource near to them, we are here for you. And for those who need to know they are being heard, that they matter, and that they are loved, we are here for you.”

February 15: Consolidated Special Municipal Election. Voters will begin receiving their vote-by-mail ballot packets around January 17. April 19: Special Municipal Election for California Assembly District 17 June 7: Direct Primary Election November 7: Consolidated General Election The 2022 midterm elections promise to be brutal, with the balance of power in Congress on the line—as well as the very nature of our democracy. It’s going to take all hands on deck. Be prepared to step up and do your part in the year ahead to volunteer, donate, march, write letters, or do whatever it takes to protect our country and our rights. See you on the front lines!

https://www.glbthotline.org/contact.html

New Year, New Laws The new year brings new laws, and new legal battles defending LGBTQ+ rights. It is important to know your rights, and also how they are either being strengthened or threatened. Lambda Legal’s website features comprehensive pages on legal rights ( https://tinyurl. com/2pdtwdfh ). The ACLU also provides a detailed list, updated weekly, of bills that would affect LGBTQ+ and other rights. With midterm elections coming up in November, it is critical to keep up on what our lawmakers are proposing. https://tinyurl.com/ACLUleglist Are you Registered? Elections Ahead San Franciscans are facing four elections in 2022:

Stay Safe in the New Year Now into year three of this pandemic—something unimaginable to us at the beginning of 2020— remember to keep following safety protocols so we can all get through this. Get vaxxed, and get boosted. Please keep making wise decisions to protect your own health and the health of others. Wear a close-fitting N95 or KF94 mask; loose-fitting cloth masks are useless against the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Keep washing your hands (it’s cold and flu season, too). And think at least twice before going to crowded events. Please stay safe, folks. Here’s to a safe and happy New Year! Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

Reduce Suffering and Improve Lives ded in our socio-economic infrastructure.

Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman Big, bold long-term policies and solutions are essential to ultimately resolving the challenges of our mental health system and the lack of affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate services for older adults and adults with disabilities. The country’s aging population is growing exponentially and is increasingly diverse.

Older adults and older adults in underserved communities, in particular have been most impacted by the pandemic. Older BILHPOC adults have been most vulnerable to COVID-related infection, hospitalization, and death. These high rates are the result of long-standing health and economic disparities and systemic racial inequities. Two San Francisco studies conducted during the pandemic—one

by the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging (DAS) and the other by the LGBTQ Aging Research Partnership (LGBTQ ARP)—provide a clear roadmap for near-term impact funding to provide affordable, culturally appropriate, trauma informed mental health services to reduce suffering and improve the health and well-being of low income LGBTQ older adults and adults with disabilities, BILHPOC LGBTQ older (continued on page 18)

Alegre Home Care is proud to support Dr. Marcy Adelman’s Aging in Community column in the San Francisco Bay Times.

Policies on both the national and state level are now focused on addressing the lack of mental health services for older adults, especially older adults and adults with disabilities in underserved communities. While systemic solutions are being developed and implemented that address this long-standing gap in mental health services for older adults, such as programs to increase diversity in the mental health workforce, we must also provide more immediate relief to reduce suffering and improve lives now. The impact of the pandemic on older adults has only served to make the need for mental health services even more urgent than before. The Department of Public Health and the Department of Disability and Aging should be talking together about this crisis in mental health services and come up with a coordinated response. Pre-COVID-19 research has long identified the need for mental health counseling services to reduce levels of mental distress in underserved communities, e.g., LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, Latinx/Hispanic, and people of color (BILHPOC). Elevated levels of mental distress among older adults in underserved communities is the result of stigma, discrimination, violence, and the inequities embed-

LGBTIQ Afghan Refugee: ‘I Feel Like a Human Being for the First Time’ Manila Airport and their futures. We also made sure we exchanged each other’s contact information so we could reconnect in the U.S.

6/26 and Beyond John Lewis Years ago, I worked as an English teacher for refugee children from the wars in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos at a camp in the Philippines that housed refugees before their final resettlement to third countries, such as the United States. One of the most complex and emotional moments of camp life came when it was actually time for refugees to depart the camp to begin their new lives in America and other countries. Many of us teachers would gather to wave goodbye to the students and their families as they boarded buses to transport them to

At first, I naïvely thought that departing the camp would be a moment of pure joy for the refugees. Their harrowing journeys, many of which had begun by fleeing Vietnam on flimsy fishing boats in the dead of the night, trekking through the Killing Fields of Cambodia to safety, or traversing the Mekong River from Laos to Thailand, were finally over. Hope for a bright future lay ahead. But for many refugees, departing the camp was bittersweet— even heart-wrenching for some. For many, the moment represented the final act in leaving behind their home countries forever. Being able to return to Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos someday even just to visit seemed unimaginable given the countries’ oppressive regimes and very difficult living conditions after years of war. Tears streamed down many refugees’ faces as they believed this was the last moment they’d live in Southeast Asia

together in community with people from their home country. However, things changed over the decades. Beginning in the 1990s, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos started to open again to various degrees. Many things remain highly problematic, including Vietnam’s recent crackdown on peaceful dissent. But many refugees were able to do what had once seemed unthinkable: return home to visit loved ones, re-establish connections with their home countries, and, for some, even come back to live. When the Taliban reclaimed control of Afghanistan last year after twenty years of American-led war, my experiences working with Southeast Asian refugees became meaningful to me in new ways. Vietnamese American friends explained how the images of Afghans desperately trying to flee at Kabul Airport retriggered the trauma they experienced escaping their own home country. I also thought of the thousands of LGBTIQ Afghans now in extreme danger with the return of (continued on page 18) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

JANUARY 13, 2022

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How the Word ‘Latinx’ Originated comfortable with while respecting their preference of gender.

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro, Publisher 1981-2011

It was during the Nixon administration in the 1970s that the U.S. government determined a need of selecting a word to categorize and identify persons from Latin America. When various groups were asked what they preferred, the word “Hispanic” was the consensus of the time.

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men. We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community. The Bay Times is proud to be the first and only LGBTQ newspaper in San Francisco to be named a Legacy Business, recognizing that it is a longstanding, community-serving business that is a valuable cultural asset to the city. Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

Beth Greene, Michael Delgado, John Signer, Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence

Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. A unique aspect of the Spanish language is that all words have a binary gender and are either masculine or feminine. Unlike the English language, where words have no gender references, the Spanish language has a binary gender reference for all words. Hence, words used to refer to inanimate objects like chair, table, water, and air all have a reference to a binary notion of gender. Over time, the concept of gender has evolved to be understood as a spectrum, or a broad dimension, rather than a binary notion. Consequently, in attempting to be inclusive of persons who prefer to be in some range of identifying their gender, the challenge is arriving at a word most persons of Latin American descent feel

The difficulty in the use of this term today is the reference of being related to the country of Spain and of being conquered. Hence, the term Latino was a preferred term. However, Latino refers to a masculine gender. Interestingly, some persons mostly from the East Coast of the U.S. still use the term Hispanic today. Latino/a was then used by many to be inclusive of women, however, this retained a binary notion of gender. The recent challenge has been finding some agreement in the use of a term to broadly identify persons that have Latin American origins. For some communities and organizations, the end result was to use the term “Latinx” in order to be inclusive of the spectrum of gender identities. One can expect the nomenclature, or what words ethnic groups prefer, will change over time as this is an evolving and developmental process. It will take much

dialogue with the general Latinx community to understand the need to use “Latinx” at this point in time until other options for nomenclature develop through those discussions. Nevertheless, most persons of Latin American origins, when asked how they identify, tend to prefer to use the country of origin of themselves or of their family, rather than to use a broader generic term. There are 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean today. However, U.S. governmental entities prefer the use of one term to refer to persons who identify with origins or families of these 33 Latin American countries. Numerous studies have examined the social norms and customs of persons from these 33 nations, and they have found some similarities. Most scientists agree that there are a few similar social concepts across these countries. These include familismo (importance of family), simpatía (sense of empathy), personalismo (valuing personal relationships), respeto (respect), machismo, caballerismo (responsibility of a man to family and community), and marianismo (the importance of women to ensure a healthy home and community environment as well as the emotional well-being of family members). When it comes to those who identify as LGBTI+, many participants

in our program at AGUILAS in San Francisco have identified that coming out to family members is hard for them because they do not want to hurt their family members. This difficulty relates to the concept of protecting their family from being hurt by sharing their sexual identity. The coming out process also has some other differences, especially when they live in the U.S. The cultural stressors they feel are linked to needing to prioritize their allegiances while navigating the various cultural groups they interact with while living in the U.S. In the western region of the U.S., the majority of those who identify as Latinx have Mexican origins. However, in San Francisco City and County the majority of Latinx persons are from Central and South America. This adds yet another layer of customs and traditions originating from various Latin American nations. Eduardo Morales, PhD, is of Puerto Rican descent and is one of the founders of AGUILAS, where he serves as Executive Director. He is also a retired Distinguished Professor at Alliant International University and is the 2021 President of the National Latinx Psychological Association.

Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution

Juan R. Davila Volunteer Coordinator CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis

16th Annual San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration Photos by Rink

Kwanzaa was established by activist Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga (1941–) in 1966 to be the first pan-African holiday. It is now celebrated all around the world, such that San Francisco City Hall was the site of the city’s official observance on Tuesday, December 27, which was the second day of the 7-day holiday. Co-sponsored by Mayor London Breed’s Office, the SF Human Rights Commission, The Village Project, and others, the event marked the launch of the 16th annual Kwanzaa Celebration in San Francisco. With the theme Uniting to Heal Family and Community, the activities at City Hall included dance, poetry, and singing. They also commemorated the seven principles of Kwanzaa, including the second day’s Kujichagulia (self-determination) theme. Virtual programming was livestreamed by The Village Project. https://www.thevillageprojectsf.org/

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster, Darryl Pelletier, Morgan Shidler ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers. National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco. Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only. CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2022 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE PROJECT

J.H. Herren Technology Director

GLBT Fortnight in Review That’s So Lesbian! It’s been some time since we discussed actual news in these pages. The holidays have come and gone and a new year has commenced. The other day, I spent several hours reviewing the recent comings and goings of our fabulous GLBT community in preparation for a substantial review of important stories, and yet ... and yet something is holding me back. Instead of starting off with, let’s say, the Biden administration’s commitment to ending GLBT bias in health care or a victory in a federal courtroom in New York, I am drawn instead to The Washington Post story about the Canadian lesbians whose cats won’t let them open their new Vitamix blender. Apparently, the blender arrived in mid-December, in what the Post describes as a “hefty” box about “knee-high.” As soon as it arrived, one of their three cats jumped on top of the box and refused to budge. Since then, the cats have taken turns sitting on the box. The other two cats will prowl around guarding the seated cat until it is their turn. By the time the article was published, the cats had been controlling the Vitamix box for three weeks. The women, married Vancouver Islanders Jessica and Nikii GersonNeeves, acknowledge that they could simply wrest the box away from the domineering cats and remove the blender by force. But they are reluctant to do so. The impasse has gone on for such a long time and there’s something about the box and the feline dynamics that gives them pause. As Nikii said, “They’re committed.”

The Gerson-Neeves have been documenting the phenomenon on a Facebook group for overweight cats that has 900,000 members. Nikii tried checking on the box at night, but the cats were there. They never abandon their post. The women moved the box into a corner, but that made no difference. Meanwhile, Vitamix agreed to send them three empty boxes as a potential diversion. When last I checked (having joined the aforementioned Facebook group), the boxes arrived but must be assembled and then weighted down in some way in order to serve as a stand-in for the solid blender box. The Gerson-Neeves have put one together, and posted a photo of two cats on the two Vitamix boxes with the third cat sulking in the foreground. Watch this space! A World Full of Wonder Now, she’ll get to a serious topic, you think. But not quite yet. Because I just discovered a pornographic tape of a bunch of people having both gay and straight sex on the Acropolis in violation of several Greek laws under the guise of “making a film” called Departhenon. I watched half of this dismal cinematic effort, which was about as erotic as toast, and that’s fifteen minutes I’ll never get back. The Culture Ministry is conducting an investigation into the unauthorized production. Oh, and I also read that dolphins have fully formed clitorises that scientists believe are designed to provide sexual pleasure. First of all, what else would they be designed to provide? Second, I had not thought about this before, but don’t all or

By Ann Rostow most female mammals have clitorises? Why wouldn’t they?

from that rabbit hole before my deadline.

Well, I did a little digging and indeed, most female animals are so equipped. After all, as I vaguely remembered, the clitoris and the penis both emerge from the same whatever you might call the developing fetal genital area. I also read that the plural of clitoris is “clitorides.” This despite the fact that I looked up the correct plural before embarking on this topic, and the search engine said “clitorises.” Before any of this confusion, I was hoping for “clitorae,” but it was not to be.

Penguins Mark Third Anniversary

The bottom line of this story, for me, is why was this seemingly unremarkable feature of dolphin anatomy worthy of repeated headlines this week? It was “discovered” by a team from Mount Holyoke (cue gaydar: beep! beep! beep!) through autopsies of female dolphins who died of natural causes (phew!), and several of the excited news reports noted that female bottlenose dolphins have been known to cavort with one another— and now we know why. But again, didn’t we already know that? Finally, one story mentions that, over time, boffins have noted “a bizarre array of penis shapes found in mammals, from a four-headed penis in the echidna to two-headed penises in many marsupials.”

So, I was just about to dive into the Biden health care anti-bias policy when I saw that gay penguins, Sphen and Magic, are celebrating their third anniversary at the Sea Life aquarium in Sydney. The loving pair marked the occasion with frozen fish cakes and a party with their neighbors in the penguin area. You may recall that Sphen and Magic have hatched two eggs together, Lara and Clancy. Lara is due to become a mother herself one of these days, which will make Sphen and Magic the first known gay grandparent penguins. Why did I think that one of their offspring was given the portmanteau “Sphengic?” Okay, I was right. Lara was initially called Sphengic, but it seems she has since been renamed. I think we can all agree that “Lara” has a much nicer ring to it. I mean, can you imagine “Sphengic’s Theme”? “You’ll come to me, out of the long-ago Warm as the wind, soft as the kiss of snow Sphengic, my own, think of me now and then Godspeed, my love, till you are mine again.”

“It remains to be seen what surprises the clitoris has in store for us,” the article concludes.

No, of course you can’t. It simply doesn’t work.

Can’t wait for that. Oh, by the way, the echidna is a spiny anteater, so perhaps it needs four penises for logistical purposes. I’m tempted to check on the clitoral status of female echidnas, but I’m not sure I’d emerge

The article I’m reading in LGBTQ Nation says that other gay penguin couples are doing well, including Eduardo and Rio in San Francisco, Inca and Rayas in Madrid, and Ferrari and Pringle in London.

Two lesbian penguins, Thelma and Louise, are enjoying life in New Zealand, while the Denver Zoo boasts a pair of gay flamingos. And there you have it. Notes From Underground I’m back from the echidnas’ sex rabbit hole (I couldn’t help myself!) and I can tell you that echidnas are from Australia, where a government website informed me that female echidnas have two vaginas. During sex, the males “shut down” two of their four penis heads and operate with the other two. The next time they get lucky, they’ll use the other two heads to increase their chances of procreating. “From mid-May to early September,” the “good living” website tells us, “male echidnas actively seek out females to mate. They form a line known as an ‘echidna train,’ with the female leading the ‘train,’ followed by up to ten males. A smaller, younger male is often at the rear of the line.” “The male suitors follow the female for long distances until the female is ready to mate. She then lies relaxed and flat on her stomach and the males that formed the ‘train’ dig a circular trench around her. Eventually the largest male pushes the competing rivals out of this ‘mating rut.’ He then digs more dirt out from the spot where the female’s tail is resting, lies on his side, and places his tail under hers, and they mate.” Strangely romantic, right? Emphasis on “strangely.” Meanwhile, I was also going to take note of our transgender Jeopardy champ, Amy. Go girl! I love her.

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JANUARY 13, 2022

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Holiday Season Recap with Donna Sachet

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Donna with cast member Shawn Ryan at REAF’s Help Is On the Way for the Holidays Feliz Navidad on December 5

Donna joined skaters like Olympian Brian Boitano and other wellknown drag queens, such as Sister Roma, on December 2 for Drag Queens on Ice at the seasonal Holiday Ice Rink at Union Square.

DRAG QUEENS ON ICE/GARETH GOOCH PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY DVPIX.NET

PHOTO BY EDDY SKEES

Donna’s schedule prior to and during the holiday season included appearances at many public and private events all over town. Here’s hoping Donna had some time to relax when all was said and done.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA SACHET

PHOTO BY BOB HERMANN

Donna performed at the annual New Year’s Day Party hosted by Dr. John Newmeyer.

Donna and friends celebrating Empress XXV Marlena’s birthday at Patricia’s Green in Hayes Valley

PHOTO BY KEN HAMAI/FACEBOOK

Donna on stage at Brava Theater Center during the finale of REAF’s Help Is On the Way for the Holidays Feliz Navidad on December 5

Sisterhood of Absolute Empresses of San Francisco

PHOTO BY DVPIX.NET

Donna with producer Brian Kent and the cast, including Frenchie, Charles Jones, Breanna Sinclairé, Sister Roma, Effie Passero, Casey Borghesi, Kenny Nelson, Dan O’Leary and Leanne Borghesi at Songs of the Season, benefiting PRC.

Donna and Brian Kent joined the cast of Golden Girls 2021 on December 16.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN KENT

Mayor London Breed joined emcee Donna Sachet and the cast of Drag Queens on Ice held on December 2.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN KENT

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GROSSMAN

Donna performed at Songs of the Season, an annual benefit for PRC produced by Brian Kent, at Feinstein’s at the Nikko on December 14 & 15.

By Donna Sachet

O

ur holiday season ended with a unique adventure ... our first personal road trip with our little puppy Peanut. As some of you know, we are not often found behind the wheel of a car, much to the relief of those who have witnessed my driving skills, but we rented a sturdy four-door Nissan and hit the road a few days before Christmas, heading to Dallas, Texas, where our dear friends Richard Sablatura & Norm Claybaugh recently relocated. The word “adventure” hardly describes the event. With a few weeks to reflect upon it all, we have come up with three conclusions and will herein share them with our readers.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” – St. Augustine

Photos Courtesy of Donna Sachet

First, the shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but going straight has never been our modus operandi. From the very start, our route was circuitous. We find something claustrophobic about driving over a bridge ... those narrow lanes, the edges of the bridge itself, and the barriers between us and oncoming traffic, so our first priority was to avoid bridges, a priority that was quickly sidelined since the only rental cars available in the area were at the Oakland Airport. Then, in order to elude winter weather, we drove as far south in California as feasible before heading east. We immediately found Peanut to be the ideal passenger, if not a particularly participative co-pilot; she slept comfortably in the passenger seat, only occasionally edging towards our lap, eventually situating her head and front paws there. Having driven through California and then east to the edge of Arizona, we chose our first night’s lodging in a nondescript motel in the small town of Needles. Having more experience with at least two-star hotels, we found the accommodations stark, the walls thin, and the exterior noise persistent, as did Peanut. Every audible disturbance elicited barking or growling, simply her way of serving as our bodyguard, but not conducive to restful sleep. Finally, in the pitch black of night, the front desk called, telling us that unless we could control our dog, they would have to ask us to leave the premises. Really! We waited for no more communication and simply packed up and returned to the highway at 2 am. And so began a series of driving segments, broken by naps in the car at rest stops along the way, a couple more attempts at motel lodging with similar results, and truck stop breaks to stock up on energy bites, i.e. junk food. Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas were a blur, carefully guided by our trusty Apple map, alternating blasting dance music, and local radio stations with self-styled monologues and total silence. The proximity of Dallas came as a great relief, achieved by no straight line, but a curving stop- and-go path with lots of stamina. Sounds kind of like our life. Second, we now know, as never before, that traditions, especially associated with holidays, must be malleable and that where we are and what we are doing are never as important as with whom we share our time. The aforementioned Richard Sablatura has become one of our closest friends and his departure from our daily life in San Francisco left a tremendous gap. Not working together on Songs of the Season, not attending with him Help is on the Way for the Holidays, the SF Gay Men’s Chorus holiday concert, Golden Girls drag show, and so many other events led to a somewhat disjointed holiday season, but took us in different directions and opened up time shared with different people, thankfully.

Donna and Sister Roma at Songs of the Season

Donna and Peanut traveled to Dallas to spend Christmas Day with beloved friends Richard Sablatura

and Norm Claybaugh. But being in Dallas with Richard & Norm for Christmas, gossiping about San Francisco and touring the Dallas Gay scene, exchanging gifts on Christmas morning under their traditional tree in front of a roaring fire, sharing meals and hearing of their new life, and witnessing Norm’s remarkable recovery process and Richard’s incredible support of his partner, all of that made for a refreshingly new holiday season. Beyond the seemingly endless driving and frequent frustrations along the way, we are so happy to have made the decision to visit them on their first Dallas Christmas. Our friendship could not be stronger.

Third, motor vehicles are inherently one of the most dangerous things in the hands of almost anyone, capable of causing immense harm and even loss of life, forever changing the lives of the driver and all those with whom that driver comes into contact. As we whiz along these 8-lane superhighways at speeds often exceeding 75 miles an hour in our 2-ton mechanical cages, even a moment of distraction can potentially result in disaster. For every carefully law-abiding driver there are others who take every opportunity to skirt or disobey clear laws, simply out of a desire to get to their chosen destination sooner. Oftentimes, this carelessness transforms into bravado and sometimes road rage, adding tremendously to the potential for tragedy. Our most treacherous moments came on the final leg of the trip as we encountered heavy rain and wind from San Jose into San Francisco. As visibility decreased, driver patience seemed to follow. As an infrequent driver, we found our grip on the wheel growing tighter as passing cars spewed splashes of water in their wake, trucks barreled through multiple lanes, and petulant drivers flashed their headlights or honked their horns to assert their importance. Thoughts of pulling over to wait out the incessant inclement weather were

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

stymied by the fear of changing lanes, slowing for an exit, and finding no safe haven. Never have we been so conscious of the importance of safe driving nor so appreciative of the skill and care of those Uber, taxi, Muni, trolley car drivers, and friends who generously get us from place to place. We encourage you to acknowledge careful drivers and to resolve today to take extra precaution on the roads. An additional moment of concentration, a simple act of patient kindness, or mere adherence to traffic laws may save lives and prevent needless sorrow. So, without getting too much into the nitty-gritty of a 50-hour round-trip trek across America, we offer these conclusions. Even if available, don’t be tempted by the straight line when the crooked route may present more insight. Even if comfortable, perhaps long-established traditions merit examination and cherished friendships may warrant dedicated time and trouble. And even if getting to your destination is the most important thing at the time, don’t make cavalier decisions that will have dire consequences. Not the conclusions our readers may have expected from our trip, but please give them each a little thought. May they guide you into a happy, healthy, and fulfilling 2022! Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist, and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com

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Rich and sumptuous, a Dewar’s Old Fashioned can help take the chill off a cold winter’s night. Treat your pandemic time “pod” members with this crowd pleaser, made all the easier when pre-batched.

PRE-BATCHED DEWAR’S OLD FASHIONED 750 ml bottle of Dewar’s 12- or 15-year-old Scotch Whisky 1/2 cup water

Cocktails With Heather Heather Freyer

2 ounces simple syrup (if you make your own, dissolve equal parts of light or dark brown sugar with simmering water and chill; for this recipe, brown sugar will give the drink additional caramel notes) 1/2 ounce Angostura bitters lemon and orange peels for garnish cocktail cherries (if desired)

Heather Freyer is a beverage expert who is the Vice President and General Manager for Open West States at Bacardí USA. Previously she was with Trinchero Wine Estates, Castle Rock Winery, Cost Plus World Market, and more.

Using a funnel, pour the Dewar’s, water, simple syrup, and bitters into a 1-liter resealable bottle. Close the bottle and gently rock the contents back and forth a few times to combine. If needed, add more simple syrup or bitters to taste. Chill the sealed bottle in the fridge until ready. Serve the drink on ice in a rocks glass. Garnish each serving with lemon and orange peel and a cocktail cherry. Makes 18 servings. https://www.bacardi.com/us/en/where-to-buy/

Sunny with a Chance of Flowers Positively Pinot Noir, Monterey, California $15–17

Sbrocco Sips Leslie Sbrocco

Wine that’s affordable and lighter in alcohol? Sounds like a sip perfect for the new year. This delectable red wine is juicy and crisp with dark cherry fruit notes and clocks in at only 85 calories a glass. Many think a lower alcohol wine might not have much complexity or mouthfeel, but this sustainably farmed Pinot has it all. With only 9 percent alcohol (most other California Pinots tip the scales at between 13–14 percent), it’s light/medium bodied and perfect to pair with a variety of dishes from roast chicken to fleshy fish and grilled Portobello mushrooms. And it’s not just Pinot Noir that Sunny Wines produces. The lineup also includes pink, white, and more red options. Give these wines a try and bring some sunshine to your January. www.sunnywines.com Author, speaker, wine consultant, and television host Leslie Sbrocco is known for her entertaining approach to wine and food. She has won multiple Emmy Awards for her work on PBS, which includes hosting the series “Check, Please! Bay Area” and “100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations.” www.LeslieSbrocco.com

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market Celebrating Seafood During the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture By Debra Morris San Francisco is known for its fresh seafood like Dungeness crab, oysters, and other local fish. We’re featuring small fisheries and farmers at your local farmers’ markets this month because the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022). According to the organizers, the year will “focus attention on the role that small fisheries and aqua-farmers have in minimizing food insecurity and poverty and promoting sustainable fishing on a small scale.” What exactly is aquaculture? Without getting too complicated, aquaculture is the raising of plants or animals in water. Most production is for human consumption, while some aquaculture products are used for livestock feed, for enhancing wild fish stock, and for creating biofuels. Many ongoing projects in California aim to restore and protect endangered fish species like abalone and native Olympia oysters. Bodega Bay Oyster Company, a participant in local farmers’ markets, is one of several fisheries that boasts sustainable fishing practices. Raising oysters is healthy for the environment because the shellfish are adept at filtering the surrounding water, removing nitrogen, recycling carbon, and building natural habitats in the area’s waters. Over-fishing is a major global problem when commercial trawlers are used as they collect every living thing in their wake. Gillnets used by smaller fisheries do not over-fish the local waters, which helps the environment replenish and sustain itself. Farmers’ market participating fisheries take pride in their conservation of the waters they fish. These small-scale fisheries like Pham’s Fish and North Bay Seafood go out each day and only fish for what they can sell at the market, without depleting fish stock.

FRESH SEAFOOD CEVICHE 1 pound bay scallops, shrimp, or other mild seafood 1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1 to 2 jalapenos, unseeded 1 to 2 stalks celery, diced 1/4 to 1/2 cup green onion, chopped juice of 8 to 10 limes, enough to cover the seafood 1/4 cup olive oil 1 to 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 avocado, chopped last salt and pepper, to taste Juice limes in a bowl. Add raw scallops or other seafood. Make sure lime juice covers the fish. Refrigerate overnight. This refrigeration step is important because lime juice “cooks” the seafood and it will become opaque the next day. Pour off half the lime juice and leave other half to mix with remaining ingredients. Prepare vegetables, except for avocado. Combine all ingredients with seafood, adding chopped avocado last to avoid browning. Mix gently and place in the refrigerator to chill. Serve in chilled bowls or cups with tortilla chips. Substitute your favorite fish or mix scallops and shrimp, chunks of tilapia, or cod.

Please support your local farmers’ market and our participating California small fisheries as we celebrate this Year of Aquaculture. Your Sunday Divisadero Farmers’ Market offers fish from Dragon Baby Seafood fishing off Half Moon Bay. Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA). Check out the PCFMA website for recipes, information about farmers’ markets throughout the region and for much more: https://www.pcfma.org/ 16

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FISCHER (continued from page 5)

ROSTOW (continued from page 13) There’s also a guy who was put on South Carolina’s sex offender list back in the day for gay sex. He was pardoned for this in 2006 but the Palmetto State won’t take him off the list, so he has filed suit. And a federal court in New York has ruled against Emilee Carpenter, a Christian wedding photographer, who (you guessed it) does not want to accept same-sex clients. On that note, however, the European Court of Human Rights has issued a technical ruling against Gareth Lee, a gay man who wanted a Belfast bakery to put “support gay marriage” on a cake. The Court said the case was inadmissible, as a domestic matter. Earlier, the U.K. Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the baker, on the U.K. equivalent of free speech grounds. Mea Culpa There’s a reason I am avoiding the subject of health care discrimination. It’s complicated and requires a level of focused concentration that eludes me at present. I can tell you that Obama and company interpreted the ACA (Obamacare) ban on sex discrimination as a wide rule that encompassed sexual orientation and gender bias. You know by now that the definition of sex discrimination is fairly crucial to our protection under federal law. As long as sex discrimination includes us, we are covered in the workplace and in public education venues. Even the Supreme Court agreed that sex bias includes bias against gay and trans people in the Bostock ruling. Getting back to Obamacare, as soon as Trump got comfortable in office, his uber-Christian minions began to issue reports and dictates that undid various friendly legal interpretations and policies including those that governed the ACA. When the High Court issued the Bostock opinion in mid-2020, the Trump administration simply ignored the implications of the decision, an irritation, but one we assumed would be cured once Biden reached the Oval Office. And sure enough, the Biden administration quickly reverted to our side again. That’s nice, but there are several problems. First, without Congressional action, we could continually shift between good and bad administrations, watching our rights and protections change directions with the political winds. Second, much of what appears to be settled law is still subject to court challenges that, in turn, can depend on whether or not some crazy right-wing judge gets ahold of the case. And each case can take years.

Further, one of the reasons I tried to avoid this subject is because the Biden administration’s final policy statement on discrimination in Obamacare is not even expected for another three months. Why? Bureaucracy, I think. I’m not sure. Are there not enough people to draft the necessary paperwork? Must it be checked by a dozen lawyers? Are there many factors involved of which I am unaware? Probably. Who knows? Meanwhile, I guess six or more lawsuits that challenge the relevant section of Obamacare (1557) are on hold pending the formal Biden policy, which is scheduled for April. Another lawsuit out of North Dakota is on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, where a panel will decide whether religious actors turn their backs on gender transition patients without violating Obamacare protections. Two class action suits were filed in August, one from Tennessee and one from Texas, arguing that the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling does not apply to Obamacare’s ban on sex discrimination. I haven’t read the legal explanation for this awkward-sounding position, and I don’t want to. Also in August, a conservative judge out of Texas, Reed O’Connor, ruled in favor of a Catholic medical group that sought to avoid antidiscrimination law based on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). I particularly go out of my way to avoid cases based on the RFRA, such as Hobby Lobby, since there are many aspects of this law that I don’t understand. All in all, I think you can see from whence my reluctance stems. I have lost track of a large number of lawsuits, some of which are based on confusing statutes. I am not sure of when Biden and company will announce important GLBT policies, and I have no idea how these policies are formulated for public release. At the same time, there are many other aspects of our civil rights that reverberate throughout the administration and the courts in other contexts which I also have ignored, leaving me without a complete picture. No wonder I’d rather tell you about the cats on the blender box or the sexual habits of spiny anteaters than grapple with bias in Obamacare. I’m somewhat tempted to bluster through and sound as if I know more than I do, simply because I’m betting many of you busy readers will assume the best of me and lack the independent knowledge to call me out. But, of course, I’d never stoop so low. arostow@aol.com

Louise (Lou) Fischer is a Former Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected Delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a proud graduate of the Emerge California Women’s Democratic Leadership program, was a San Francisco Commissioner, and has served in leadership positions in multiple nonprofit and community-based organizations. BARNES (continued from page 6) engaged in the work? Finally, can we form new relationships and partnerships to produce the desired outcome(s)? We’re opening new chapters in 2022, and there are extraordinary things we’ve discovered about ourselves since 2020. We fight for truth and what’s right. We adapt and are resilient when it matters. We help each other in times of great need. From social justice to economic disparity, there are profound lessons we’ve learned about who we are as humans. There is light at the end of this two-year-long tunnel, but everyone has more work to do. The late Desmond Tutu also leaves us this powerful reminder: “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” Philanthropy 2.0 can empower us to do so many extraordinary things, and we must remember the unique gifts each of us can tap into—beyond just monetary contributions. Seeing value and the humanity in everyone generates equity. Sharing our stories authentically and with dignity is powerful. Being in action together is our strength. Partnering in new ways to share resources has enormous benefits and long-term impact. Empathy, compassion, engagement, and collaboration are values to embed and propagate in all that we do. They should be part of a winning formula that drives our philanthropic goals in the year ahead. Derek Barnes is the CEO of the East Bay Rental Housing Association ( www.EBRHA.com ). He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF GGBA (continued from page 7) GGBA: What does it mean for you to be part of a queer business community? Penny Baldado: I feel like I can also be part of a bigger organization. I feel like inclusion is really important. I feel like accessibility is really important for folks like me and being able to just be there and see how much support we can also access not just in the Bay Brea but in the whole of the U.S., like being connected to other small queer businesses as well as big businesses is really important for us to be able to have that avenue to grow at a higher level. We all need support. Order online at www.cafegabriela.com @cafegabriela on Instagram @cafegabrielaoaktown on Facebook

ADELMAN (continued from page 11)

LEWIS (continued from page 11)

adults, HIV long-term survivors, and Transgender nonconforming older adults.

the Taliban and the reinstatement of Sharia law. While same-sex activity was criminalized under Afghan law during the American occupation, life for LGBTIQ Afghans is now far more precarious. A Taliban judge declared last year that “[f ]or homosexuals, there can only be two punishments: either stoning, or he must stand behind a wall that will fall down on him,” according to an open letter from several major LGBTIQ rights organizations to President Biden urging him to take bolder actions to protect LGBTIQ and other particularly vulnerable Afghans.

Both studies reported that while the majority of LGBTQ participants were doing well during the pandemic and were satisfied with the services they received, such as assistance with groceries, medication, technology, medical care, help with chores, and economic assistance, many participants were unable to access the mental health services they needed. Participants in both studies reported that during the pandemic they experienced an increase in mental distress, such as feelings of isolation and loneliness and acute experiences of anxiety and depression. The LGBTQ ARP survey of 500 LGBTQ older adults reported distressingly high levels of post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. Forty-three percent of all LGBTQ participants self-reported PTS symptoms. LGBTQ BILHPOC individuals self-reported the highest rates of PTS symptoms at 52.3%. Fifty percent of HIV long-term survivors, slightly more than 46% of Transgender non-conforming older adults and 40% of white cisgender LGBTQ older adults, self-reported PTS symptoms. All groups of respondents reported that PTS symptoms increased during the pandemic. It is well known that early treatment/intervention of anxiety, depression, and PTS symptoms leads to better mental health outcomes. Early intervention has also been shown to be the most cost effective in terms of the long-term effects on both a person’s mental and physical health. In the last city budget, funding was made available for older adult mental health projects, but it is only a start; much, much more is needed. We need more affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate mental health services for San Francisco’s uniquely diverse population of older adults. And we need it now. Dr. Marcy Adelman, a psychologist and LGBTQ+ longevity advocate and policy adviser, oversees the Aging in Community column. She serves on the California Commission on Aging, the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California, the California Master Plan on Aging Equity Advisory Committee, and the San Francisco Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee. She is the Co-Founder of Openhouse, the only San Francisco nonprofit exclusively focused on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ older adults. 18

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The first 29 LGBTIQ Afghan refugees arrived in the United Kingdom last October. More followed in November with an unknown number making it to Canada in December. Upon reaching the U.K., one refugee told the BBC that he felt like “a human being for the first time” in his life, exclaiming: “I feel safe and free. This is amazing.” But thousands of at-risk LGBTIQ people remain in Afghanistan, and the U.S. and other countries need to do more. Global attention also should not be confined to the plight of LGBTIQ Afghans. Thousands of LGBTIQ people live in fear for their lives across the globe, especially in the approximately 70 countries that criminalize homosexuality, including 10 that make it a capital offense. Enabling LGBTIQ people to escape imminent threats of harm requires monumental effort. And sadly, even that is not enough. The anti-LGBTIQ attitudes and laws themselves must change, and the religious, cultural, political, and financial interests that support them must be subverted. Governments, businesses, and organizations that purport to support human rights must be active agents for change. No LGBTIQ person nor anyone else should have to choose between living in peace and personal freedom and their home. John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

The Gay Gourmet’s Top 22 for 2022 List Italian cooking with a California flair. Well-deserving of its Michelin star. Waterbar: Impeccably fresh seafood and affordable oysters with one of the city’s best waterfront views; outdoor dining at its best.

The Gay Gourmet David Landis

Balboa Café: After more than 100 years, this remains the gathering place for San Francisco’s cognoscenti, politicians, artists, techies, and society. And, the best burger in town. Palm House: Fun, great brunches, terrific Mai Tais, and super dog-

2021 was a zinger, especially for the restaurant community, so let’s hope 2022 is better. To start the year off right, The Gay Gourmet celebrates my own favorite 22 of the Bay Area’s best eateries (many of them right in the Castro!): Zuni Café: A San Francisco classic. Order the wood-fired brick oven roasted chicken for two. Sitting outside, you can watch international streetcars passing by. Absinthe Brasserie and Bar: Like a slice of Paris, right in Hayes Valley. Still the best French onion soup and chocolate pot de creme around, along with one of the most sparkling parklets.

Anchor Oyster Bar: Fresh seafood that puts the rest to shame and we’re lucky enough that it’s right in the heart of the Castro. San Francisco’s #1 cioppino (but portions are huge, so bring a friend!).

The Vault Garden: Elegant, downtown outdoor atmosphere. The drag brunches are a hoot and don’t miss the fab smash burger and tater tots. Crafty cocktails and cool outdoor lounge, too.

RH Yountville: The most elegant restaurant in Yountville: chandeliers, hundred-yearold olive trees. California cuisine but you think you’re lunching in Tuscany.

Boulevard: The CalFrench gem of uber chef Nancy Oakes, re-born and renewed but still with quality, elegance, and class. Anchovy Bar: A seafood newcomer from the team at State Bird Provisions and The Progress that was named one of America’s top 11 restaurants by Eater. Via Veneto: Neighborhood Italian at its best on Fillmore Street. Fresh homemade pastas, varied wine list, and welcoming service.

Cotogna: Special occasion modern Italian in Jackson Square with one of the city’s prettiest parklets (set amidst an urban olive grove). I’m always partial to the agnolotti del plin sugo arrosto.

Canela: San Francisco’s winning Spanish tapas, with seasonally-changing gazpachos.

SPQR: A splurge, neighborhood restaurant from chef Matthew Accarrino. Still has one of the most innovative, contemporary takes on

Bistro Don Giovanni: Locals’ favorite in Yountville with superb and authentic Italian cuisine. The most delicious Mandilla (“silk handkerchief” pesto pasta) anywhere and a terrific Italian wine list.

Perbacco: Splashy, downtown Italian restaurant where owner Umberto Gibin makes you feel like part of the family. I adore the pappardelle with short rib ragu.

Poesia: If you can’t make it to Calabria, visit the Castro’s Poesia instead and dine outdoors in their faux Italian piazza. The best Bolognese in the city.

La Méditerranée: A Mediterranean mainstay in the Castro for more than 40 years; love the varied Middle Eastern plate (and the homemade broccoli soup) for lunch.

Foreign Cinema: After 20 years, still on the cutting edge with tasty California cuisine and outdoor films to entertain.

Scott’s Chowder House, San Francisco: A welcome new addition to Union Square with some of the best crab and chowders in the Bay Area.

friendly. Buzzy and hip, with food to match.

Marlena Restaurant: A relative newcomer in Bernal Heights with one of the most interesting (and affordable) prix-fixe menus around. The menu changes seasonally but if it’s on offer, I love the seared black cod. Bits and Bites Original Joe’s North Beach: The heart of San Francisco’s North Beach, traditional and tasty ItalianAmerican that’s a part of San Francisco history. Happening “see

the award-winning La Mar Cebicheria Peruana culinary team.

and be seen” bar where you’ll meet city denizens from all walks of life.

A fun Oakland happening: Chef Sergio Emilio Monleón, owner of Berkeley tapas

bar La Marcha, just opened an Ibéxico popup residency at Oakland’s Mad Oak Bar ‘n’ Yard on January 11. The culinary concept, inspired by Monleón’s dual heritage, fuses traditional Spanish and Mexican-American flavors in delicious and unexpected ways. Ibéxico is Mad Oak’s latest resident pop-up kitchen, its popular year-round program that hosts Bay Area restaurants and concepts.

I love this idea for Valentine’s Day (or any other holiday): Sweeter Cards, the first-ever greeting card and gourmet chocolate bar all in one. The company has 40+ occasion specific chocolate bar cards, including: Valentine’s Day, birthday, sympathy, women’s empowerment, and more. Plus, it’s fair trade certified, 100% woman-owned, and all of their cards are designed by women as well. As a plus, it’s all made in the USA and the company provides jobs to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Brava! Vico Cavone, run by an alumnus of Poesia, just opened in the Castro in the old Firewood space

This year, the Big Sur Forager’s Festival is a hybrid of “Fungi Fun,” which includes: a January 22 mushroom hike, post-hike brunches, and an online marketplace. It’s a benefit for the Big Sur Health Center. On my radar is Jaranita, which opened at the end of January 2021 in the heart of San Francisco’s Marina District and highlights the authentic, traditional flavors of Peru. It reflects the variety of ethnic cultures that have influenced the cuisine and features free-range, pasture-raised chickens and slow-roasted meats cooked over a custom-built charcoal rotisserie grill. It is a new concept from

on 18th Street, featuring aperitif cocktails, pizzas, and pastas. I’ve heard good things about catering company King Knish, which claims to be “the only artisan Bay Area food producer dedicated to making this popular Eastern European snack food.” Available for ordering online. Zuni Café: https://zunicafe.com/ Absinthe Brasserie and Bar: https://www.absinthe.com/ The Vault Garden: https://www.thevault555.com/ Poesia: https://www.poesiasf.com/ Canela: https://canelasf.com/ La Méditerranée: https://lamednoe.com/ SPQR: https://www.spqrsf.com/ Waterbar: https://www.waterbarsf.com/ Balboa Café: https://www.balboacafesf.com/ Palm House: https://www.palmhousesf.com/ Anchor Oyster Bar: http://www.anchoroysterbar.com/ (continued on page 28)

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Things to Be Grateful for Heading Into 2022 Liam’s LGBTQI List Liam P. Mayclem 1 - Relationship To quote Ru Paul, “If you don’t love yourself how in the hell are you gonna love another?” That quote resonated more to me this past year than ever before. I moved so fast and was not taking stock of what really mattered to me, to self. So, I took time in the morning for walks, for time alone, time to be quiet, to meditate, and to nurture myself. By taking time for self, I am able to show up more fully, more selflessly for my partner & best friend Rick Camargo (of 16 years). That “me” time makes for better “us” time for sure. Bottom line: love yourself; you have to especially do so on those most challenging of days when you don’t see the light.

opportunity to cook more and try new dishes. Friends always joke that to be invited to dinner at our place is to come over for shepherd’s pie. I changed the narrative this past year and learned new dishes like coq au vin and homemade soups: exotic mushroom or chicken noodle. Cooking, I have found, is therapy more than ever before. It is a lovely transition from my work day to “home” time.

6 - Morning Mantra “Get out of your head, get out of your bed, put your feet on the floor and embrace the day ahead.” This is my daily mantra—tbe words that motivate me to get up and get at it on the days I feel like staying under the covers.

I am still on the air on KCBS and KPIX (Friday mornings), there is a new line of work as a Charity Auctioneer that has got me fired up in recent years. I conduct about 50 charity auctions a year for all manner of local and national causes near and dear to my heart: Beyond Differences: https://www.beyonddifferences.org/ Project Open Hand: http://www.openhand.org/

2 - Family Those of us who have come from afar to find a new life, one of freedom and liberation and full expression, have had to find family. My friends are my family, or as Armistead Maupin puts it, your “logical” family: the ones with whom you can fully express your true self in full bloom without prejudice. I am so grateful for my SF family, and especially so during these times. My friends are there in good times and bad, and this past year, during testing times, the best of my friends showed up fully and I for them. Who have you shown up for? 3 - Community From a smile from the mail person, a nod from a passerby to your fave cocktail ready when you walk into your favorite bar (440) to an elbow bump or a hug from a friend at 18th & Castro—that’s community, feeling you are part of something and connected to people with whom you are familiar and with whom you have history. We are blessed to have that in San Francisco in the Castro and in Noe Valley, the two San Francisco neighborhoods of which I am a part. 4 - Passions and Interests I talk to Chefs for work as the Foodie Chap on KCBS since 2011. Over the years the world’s best chefs have shared their stories and recipes with me. That said, I rarely took enough time to cook at home. Well, this pandemic gave me the

Photos courtesy of Liam Mayclem

SF LGBT Center: https://www.sfcenter.org/ SF CASA: https://www.sfcasa.org/

Liam Mayclem with Chef Roland Passot

Liam Mayclem with Yolanda Camargo

There is nothing more heartwarming than cooking for others and it’s made even better when they ask for seconds or more! 2022 will be the year I pick up my guitar again. The goal is to play “Blackbird” by The Beatles before year’s end. What’s your passion or interest that you want to discover and share with others? 5 - Mental Wellness I lost my Mum to suicide in 1998 and she herself was a psychiatric nurse. This past year, the isolation so many felt resulted in too many exiting too soon. On the upside, people are now talking about their state of mind more than ever before: in sport, at work, in community, and among friends. Make time to check in on that friend who may be alone. That one call could make all the difference and help lift a friend out of a very dark place.

QUEER POP QUIZ

Liam Mayclem’s Chicken Noodle Soup

7 - Time The pandemic gave us all time to reflect on what matters, what truly matters in life. And it gave us the opportunity to take stock of the value of time. Working from home gave us time out of our cars and time not spent commenting. It freed us all up in ways we never had before. I put that time to good use making more time for calls and FaceTimes with friends, more time cooking, more time for relationships, and more time for one’s self. I am so grateful for the gift of mother time.

8 - Nature Get outdoors and smell the roses, feel the breeze, and hear the birds. Again, the past two years have reminded me of the joy of being outside, in nature. It’s free and available to all! Instead of sitting at my desk at home, I take my calls in the morning while walking. Friends I once met for coffee or naughty breakfasts I now schedule walks with instead. It’s a great way to start the day. Having a friend to embark on these walks with helps you to show up. Try it! You may surprise yourself, and before you know it, you’ll clock 10,000 steps a day and more than 50k in a week. 9 - Work Is Passion “I have never worked a day in my life,” said Elton John in a recent interview. Doing what you love for work has always been important to me. I know I am one of the lucky ones, having launched a career in broadcasting in the U.K. at age 16 and have not looked back. While

10 - Golden Gate Bridge This iconic bridge is what drew me to San Francisco for the very first time on a vacation with a friend in 1992— yes, almost 30 years ago. I moved to San Francisco one year later in 1993, and on my first day drove across the Golden Gate. On the second day, I walked across it. Now, three decades on, the beauty and majesty of this magnificent bridge is not lost on me. For many years I have run across it on my birthday (February 18). It’s usually cold, but that does not stop me. The Golden Gate invited me here, welcomed me here, and reminds me always of the joyous, fully expressed life I live here in San Francisco. Thank you with all the gratitude in my heart to the Golden Gate Bridge, for you are the reason I am here. Thank you and a thousand more! Happy New Year, one and all. Make 2022 your best year ever! Emmy Award-winning radio and television personality Liam Mayclem is regularly featured on KPIX as well as KCBS, where he is the popular Foodie Chap. Born in London, Mayclem is now at home in the Bay Area, where he lives with his husband, photographer Rick Camargo. For more information: https://www.bookliam.com/

GOLDEN GLOBE WIN On January 9, Mj Rodriguez became the first out trans person ever to win a Golden Globe Award. Rodriguez on her Instagram page called the win a: A) gift for Newark, New Jersey B) sickening birthday present C) victory for Pose D) freakin’ miracle S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

The Last Thing Mary Saw Is a Stylish Queer Period Thriller

Film Gary M. Kramer The Last Thing Mary Saw, available January 20 on Shudder, is a stylish, slow-burn thriller set in Southold, New York, in 1843. Mary (Stefanie Scott) has “sinful” affection for Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman), the family maid, and Mary’s parents want her behavior “corrected.” While Mary suggests they run away, Eleanor has a more devious plan— one that has deadly consequences.

Edoardo Vitaletti

The film, which is visually striking with candlelit scenes, builds its drama as power shifts between the characters, especially when an intruder (Rory Culkin) provides another obstacle for the lovers. Despite death, bloodletting, and supernatural elements, The Last Thing Mary Saw is not particularly gory or horrific. Its biggest scares are how religion is used to repress same-sex desire and punish these young women in love. Writer/ director Edoardo Vitaletti spoke with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about his effective new film. Gary M. Kramer: What was your inspiration for this story? Edoardo Vitaletti: I was doing some personal research and study about 1800 Northern European art, and I noticed some interesting visual motifs and threads. Stark interior houses and funeral scenes. The Danish painter, Vilhelm Hammershøi, has a beautiful series of interiors with female subjects sparingly placed in them by a window or reading a book. I wondered about these beautiful, calmly constructed scenes. I felt they were saying a lot without saying anything, so the visual inspiration came from that. In my personal life, I grew up in a very religious environment. I have a great and very open family. I’m from

Italy, and we are pretty homogenous when it comes to religious preferences, and so it’s been a reckoning that there are priests talking about being inclusive—we welcome you, and love you if you are this or that, if you are straight, or fit a box they are comfortable with. There is a glaring and annoying contradiction with preaching that as a philosophy of inclusion with how exclusive it is. The antagonist forces of the movie came from wanting to expose that. The aesthetics were finding this beauty in the dark and family that are like people I met growing up in my life. Gary M. Kramer: What can you say about researching and recreating the period detail? Edoardo Vitaletti: I wanted to explore the effects of puritanism 200 yeas after the witch trials, which is why I set the film in the mid-1800s. When I tried to craft the period, I feared doing things that take viewers out of the period, so my focus was on finding a location from the period, keeping the costumes simple, and the accents—when people hear words differently, it takes them back. I worked with a great dialect coach to “dirty up” the dialogue and bring in

an inflection. Some of the dialogue was from personal journaling, which is a great way to know how people speak. Writing gave women something to do when they were not allowed to do much else. Those things come together to give a sense of the period. The pacing, also. There is a formality to the body language and to the editing too. Gary M. Kramer: How did you develop the film’s visual style? There are many scenes illuminated just by candlelight. Edoardo Vitaletti: My cinematographer and I had a philosophy that was what you are seeing is as important as what you are not seeing. Making a period piece set in the mid1800s, that comes in handy. Candles were the only available light source at that time, so it allowed us to work with darkness as much as light. The storytelling was informed by this idea of hearing a sound or feeling someone creeping in and opening a door ajar to listen, but you can’t see who is talking. Our approach was less is more. Less light means there is more mystery; less talking means there is more conversation happening. That presents difficulties. Characters have

to say so much without saying anything. How do you frame a scene with the lighting to have one expression tell a story? Gary M. Kramer: Yes, it engages the audience to figure out the characters’ thoughts and actions. Edoardo Vitaletti: The idea was to start the story with the two protagonists; that their relationship mattered the most. I wanted to show that the family has a problem and that exposes their insecurity. All the silence and looks let the characters determine what happened before. Gary M. Kramer: What decisions did you make about presenting the relationship between Mary and Eleanor, and how much of their affection to show? Edoardo Vitaletti: Isabelle, Stefanie, and I agreed that this was their first relationship and first love; it was their first chance at being romantically involved with another person.

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The View on Castro Street Cam1

Castro Street was filled with fans and photographers on December 18, hoping to get a glimpse of the stars arriving at the Castro Theatre for the U.S. premiere of The Matrix Resurrections. Some small businesses struggled to provide access to their storefronts in view the large crowds.

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So, their relationship is all the awkwardness and timidness of first love. I wanted to portray the innocence of first love. It doesn’t step into physical context quickly. We shot the kiss on the last day, so we saw that as the romantic buildup. We shot looks and closeness and that helped build that up. I didn’t want to move past that. It’s not only that the family considers their love as unnatural, it was also the [young women] not knowing what to do. My opinion is that queer relationships are portrayed as oversexualized in films and that creates an assumption that people make that there is a wildness to the representation of queer characters on screen or is obscene or perverse. This is a first love and the women decide the boundaries. What is this first kiss like? Their relationship is scandalous because other people’s insecurity is making it out to be so. Gary M. Kramer: Why do you think this story is timely today? Edoardo Vitaletti: How far past this have we moved? I know characters such as the ones who make up this unfriendly family do exist, and they do speak about non-straight relationships the way this family does. We live in a world where queer characters and relationships are relegated to a sphere of otherness even when it is not judged as something bad. It is put to the side—there is the normal and the other. We are not past this, and characters who do this should make people realize: How much I am actually welcoming everyone for who they are? I say this with a degree of sadness. I live in New York and you feel locked in a bubble of acceptance, but you realize it’s not true. It’s a big world, and there is a long way to go. © 2022 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Catching Up with a Talented Original: Isaac Mizrahi

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Ever since I saw the 1995 documentary Unzipped, I’ve been a fan of Isaac Mizrahi. The way this acclaimed designer developed his Fall 1994 collection as a combination of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Clark Gable/Loretta Young original romance Call of the Wild was camp and unique. I watch him now on QVC just to hear his references to classic Hollywood fashion—and to enjoy his clothes. Isaac Mizrahi is original, witty, and hardworking. He’s now up there with [Bob] Mackie, Halston, and other incredibly talented gay artists. He is also musical, and was scheduled to bring his cabaret show January 15 to the Albert & Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall in Palo Alto, but as for so many other events during the pandemic, it has been postponed. Check his website ( https://helloisaac.com/ ) and that for the venue ( https://www.paloaltojcc.org/ ) for updates. I recently chatted with Isaac from his home in Manhattan. “The more we get into this COVID thing and strange politics, the more I love the comfort of classic Hollywood movies,” he told me for the San Francisco Bay Times. “I knew I

Isaac Mizrahi

was gay from my first perception of any kind of desire, so Gary Cooper and Robert Taylor were it. Later David Cassidy. I was just boy crazy. I never had a heterosexual feeling. I came out early to everyone but my father; mom said he’d have a heart attack. When he died, I was sad but liberated from a double life.” He continued: “I became a star early. At 25, New York Magazine did a cover story on me when I designed my first collection. I men-

tioned I was gay in that and got some heat for it. Then k.d. lang hit the cover as ‘lesbian chic’ and suddenly I was right with it!” “The movie about me, Unzipped, cemented my legacy,” he added. “I agree with you that it was a fun collection that movie showed, especially Loretta Young caught in the avalanche with Gable. She was frostbitten but looked ever so dewy. Unzipped is still talked about. Guess I’ve reached legendary status. It

makes me feel old, but also fabulous.” I then asked him about the series Halston on Netflix. He said that he was glad I mentioned it. “I liked the documentary on him better since the series itself made me so sad,” he said. “Beautifully acted and all, but just heartbreaking.” As previously indicated, Isaac is often on QVC, selling clothes of every type as well as accessories. He has fun with the hosts, and brings up movies and stars as they appear unknowing but always amused. I’ve been known to buy his things, especially the bright pima cotton tops and 24/7 pants.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA SACHET

I asked how he could go from couture to mass marketing.

San Francisco Bay Times columnist Jan Wahl with director Peter Bogdanovitch at the Castro Theatre during a three-day retrospective tribute to Bogdanovich that included screenings of some of his early works: Mask (1985) starring Cher; Nickelodeon (1976), and They All Laughed (1981). Bogdanovitch, who died on January 6, was best known for his directoral works The Last Picture Show (1971) and Paper Moon (1973), and his role in Sopranos playing the analyst of Dr. Melfi, played by Lorraine Bracco.

“I got tired of going clubbing and all that,” he said. “You need to be out there always for couture, knowing the latest and hottest. I also got tired of people who associate quality and luxury with huge money. Why not dress millions of women and give that to them?” I’m glad you did this, Isaac! It is such fun to watch you, to hear your stories. and learn about fashion from your unique point of view. Speaking of Mizrahi stories, he dishes them at his cabaret show. “I was doing showbiz before anything else, doing female impressions and puppet shows before anyone would listen,” he said.

At his cabaret shows, he sings his favorites with a cool band ... from Sinatra and Fitzgerald to Eilish and Madonna. And from Dolly Parton to Cher, I’m determined to see as many legends as I can, so I hope that his show will be rescheduled, allowing Northern CA audiences to see Isaac in person. In other news, my four favorite movies of the season so far are West Side Story, Being the Ricardos, Belfast, and In the Heights. Two great books are Vanderbilt, The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business by the delicious Mel Brooks. Happy 2022, everyone! Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian, film critic on various broadcast outlets, and has her own YouTube channel series, “Jan Wahl Showbiz.” She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film

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California’s Governor Gavin Newsome was at Book Passage at The Ferry Building signing his new children’s book Ben & Emma’s Big Hit. Photos by Bill Wilson

Lit Snax (Editor’s Note: When Alvin Orloff opened Fabulosa Books in the Castro, maintaining 489 Castro Street’s long history of housing a bookstore, we were overjoyed and grateful. It is such a comforting and welcoming destination, thanks to Orloff, his team, the setting, and the store’s thoughtful selections. Please support it, and the Castro’s other local businesses. As Orloff and his team write: “Our shelves are stocked with both best-sellers and all manner of wondrous, rare, and delightful titles you never knew you’d love. Given the Castro district’s pivotal role in queer history, we specialize in LGBTQ+ books, but science & nature writing, ethnic studies, witchcraft, poetry, progressive politics, history, cookbooks, sci-fi, and all types of literature are also well represented. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, we’ll order it!” We have been sharing news about Fabulosa Books for a while in the San Francisco Bay Times, but this issue—our first for 2022—marks the launch of a new dedicated column spotlighting noteworthy selections from this truly fabulous store.)

Matrix by Lauren Groff A quietly beautiful novel about the trials of joys of medieval convent life, portrayed through protective Abbess Marie. It’s a testament to all the ways women can love women. Black Water Sister by Zen Cho A closeted young queer woman is dragged kicking and screaming into the rich ecosystem of South East Asian gods, ghosts, and spirits. 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell A sassy, sexy, utterly original and somewhat kaleidoscopic look at the lives of young, queer guys in the Bay Area from an author named “one of the 32 black, male writers of our time” by no less of an authority than The New York Times. https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE

Hell of a Book (fiction) by Jason Mott

In this brilliant, National Book Award (2021) winning novel, a Black author embarks on a U.S. tour to promote his bestselling book. While the tour and the encounters on the tour drive the plot and humor, there is a much bigger picture going on regarding race and racism. Mott’s novel also tells the story of Soot, a young Black boy living in a small town in recent past, and who may or may not represent a younger version of the author himself. It is also the story of “the Kid” who may or may not be an imaginary child who appears throughout the tour. Mott deftly weaves in humor with drama and societal ills. This book is as engaging and entertaining as it is poignant, enlightening. Within minutes it’s easy to understand why Mott took home the prize. Girl, Woman, Other (fiction) by Bernardine Evaristo Speaking of award winners, this Booker Prize winning novel from 2019 is available in paperback and is one of the best novels of recent years that you probably didn’t read. This is a complex, yet easy-to-read, fierce novel about the lives of Black British women. Some love men, some love women, some love both. From a lesbian playwright to a nonbinary social media influencer, and many in between, Evaristo showcases the cross-section of their pains and triumphs. This award-winning writer juggles the many characters and fast-moving story pace with aplomb, keeping the reader laughing, shocked, and wholly engaged while rooting for all of these magnificent and unforgettable characters. Baggage (memoir) by Alan Cumming Alan Cumming is proving to be just as good a writer as he is a delightful actor. Baggage is the follow-up to Cumming’s earlier memoir, Not My Father’s Son, a New York Times bestseller about the reality of his childhood trauma. For Baggage, he shares the truth of his life, behind his fun-loving, happy persona. The message that comes

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through in this wise and witty memoir is that the past is not something to forget or “get over.” Upcoming Events Sunday, January 16 @ 2 pm (in-store/Ferry Building) Kirthana Ramisetti author of Dava Shastri’s Last Day Dava Shastri, one of the world’s wealthiest women, has always lived with her sterling reputation in mind. A brain cancer diagnosis at the age of seventy, however, changes everything, and Dava decides to take her death—like all matters of her life—into her own hands. Summoning her four adult children to her private island, she discloses shocking news: in addition to having a terminal illness, she has arranged for the news of her death to break early, so she can read her obituaries. As someone who dedicated her life to the arts and the empowerment of women, Dava expects to read articles lauding her philanthropic work. Instead, her “death” reveals two devastating secrets, truths she thought she had buried forever. And now the whole world knows, including her children. Sunday, January 16 @ 4:00pm (live online event) Jason Mott author of Hell of a Book, and Jonathan Evison, author of Small World Jonathan Evison’s Small World is an epic novel for now. Set against such iconic backdrops as the California gold rush, the development of the transcontinental railroad, and a speeding train of modern-day strangers forced together by fate, it is a grand entertainment that asks big questions. Likewise, Jason has delivered a uniquely wonderful book in Hell of a Book, featured in this column. Friday, January 21 @ 2:15 pm (live online event) Alan Gratz Join Alan Gratz, The New York Times bestselling author of the middle grade novels Ground Zero, Refugee, Allies, Prisoner B-3087, Ban This Book, and more, for a presentation about the inspiration behind some of his biggest books, followed by an interactive Q&A. https://www.bookpassage.com/

David Kato’s Legacy and the Ongoing Fight for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Photos courtesy of Dr. Bill Lipsky

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky Described by The Economist as “Uganda’s first openly gay man,” David Kato is considered to be the father of the Ugandan LGBT rights movement. In a country where samesex intimacy is both illegal and dangerous, he was out and visible. “If we keep on hiding,” he said, “they will say we’re not here.” Fired from teaching jobs, maligned in the media, arrested three times just for being himself, “his selfless dedication to defending human rights and speaking out against injustice” led to his murder when he was 46 years old. One of the Kisule people of Central Uganda, Kato was born in their ancestral village of Nakawala in 1964—the exact date is not known. He attended the prestigious King’s College Budo, located very near Kampala, the nation’s capital, and Kyambogo University, now one of Uganda’s largest public universities. He became a teacher, eventually taking a position at the Nile Vocational Institute in Njeru, where he realized his sexual orientation. Gay people were not welcome at the school, so governance fired him in 1991. A few years later, Kato moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, just when the country was trying to transform from apartheid to a multicultural democracy. Witnessing the struggle up close changed him forever. “I fought for their liberation,” he said later, “so when I came home—that was in 1998—I had the same momentum. I tried to liberate my own community.” Already living quietly as a gay man, he now acknowledged his homosexuality in the most public way possible: a press conference in Uganda’s capitol city.

out, we knew it alone, and we suffer it for many years. But the minute you find, ‘ah, this one is like me, so we are brothers, so we are friends, so we are partners in the struggle.’” In October 2010, the Uganda tabloid Rolling Stone (with absolutely no association with the U.S. periodical of the same name), published a

Still of Kato from the film Call me Kuchu

page one article titled “100 Pictures of Uganda’s Top Homos Leak.” It included the names, photographs, and addresses of LGBT Ugandans, with a yellow banner reading, “Hang Them.” The story was denounced by human rights organizations around the world. Even so, the publisher, 22-year-old Giles Muhame, continued his campaign of vilification with “More Homos’ Faces Exposed” in the next issue. Kato and three other members of SMUG, whose names and images had appeared in the tabloid, immediately petitioned the High Court of Uganda to force a halt to distribution of the article. The court granted the request on November 2, 2010, then issued an interim order restraining the editors of the newspaper from publishing information about anyone alleged to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender until the case could be finally determined. The following January, it ordered the paper to shut down completely.

Uganda, a country where homophobia is so severe that Parliament at the time was considering a bill to execute gay people, Kato had received a stream of death threats, they said, and he was not alone. Others mentioned in the Rolling Stone article had been attacked; many, fearing for their lives, were in hiding. They believed that Kato was killed because of his prominence and his lawsuit against the tabloid. Even in death, however, those who hate would not let Kato rest in peace. After the murder, Muhame, sincerely or not, expressed his sympathies for Kato’s family, but also stated that he believed his paper was not responsible. “I have no regrets about the story,” he said. “We were just exposing people who were doing wrong.” The human rights activist, it seemed to him, “brought death upon himself. He hasn’t lived carefully. Kato was a shame to this country.” Others were even more extreme in their comments and their behavior, continuing to hound and harass Kato for his sexuality and for being his true self in life. By the time the local Anglican priest rose at his funeral to deliver the final homily, he understood that Kato and many of the mourners present were LGBT. Unable in his mind “to bless in Christ’s name” an “unrepentant sinner who had defied God to the last,” he preached that Kato was going to hell. Not until the mourners gathered at graveside, however, did they receive words of comfort and truth, which came from the Anglican Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, who 10 years earlier had been barred by the Church from performing services because of his steadfast support of LGBT Ugandans. “God loves you, Kato.” he said. “He knows you.

David Kato

Being openly gay in Uganda was then, and still is, illegal and dangerous, so Kato’s admission was historic, unprecedented, shocking. Not only was he the first Ugandan to voluntarily announce his gayness in his home country, but he also was defending LGBT people publicly. The authorities were not pleased. Almost immediately he was arrested and beaten by police, then detained in jail for a week without charges. Undeterred, he quickly became one of the nation’s most visible campaigners for human rights. In 2004, Kato helped to co-found Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), and then became the organization’s advocacy and litigation officer. “My work mostly is to document violence and cases of discrimination,” he explained, but he also wanted to bring people together. “When we came

Bishop Christopher Senyonjo at the 2012 Pride Parade

Less than three weeks later, Kato was brutally murdered in his apartment by an intruder who beat him to death with a hammer. Police initially said that the motive was robbery, but later implied Kato was killed because he would not pay his assassin for “sexual favors,” essentially blaming the victim for his fate. At his trial, his murderer gave a third explanation: using the notorious “gay panic” defense. He claimed Kato propositioned him to perform illegal acts. Found guilty, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Colleagues and friends disputed all three explanations. As the most outspoken LGBT rights advocate in

He brought you into the world. And you have done your work. So, rest in peace.” In 2012, Senyonjo was celebrated as San Francisco Pride’s Global Grand Marshal. As for Kato’s legacy, the Legacy Walk in Chicago features a plaque honoring him. This year, the University of York in the U.K. will be naming its newest college the David Kato College, marking a rare and perhaps unprecedented naming of a college after an openly LGBT individual. Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors. S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

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By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “If you’ve already broken your New Year’s resolution, feel free for a do-over with mine: ‘I resolve to be the best me I can be.’ It’s foolproof!” SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE is only six months away. Presented by the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee, Inc., a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, an in-person PARADE AND CELEBRATION (the first since 2019) is scheduled to return on Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26. The theme will be: “Love Will Keep Us Together” https://sfpride.org/ SF BAY TIMES & GGBA threw a fantastic holiday party mid-December at The Academy with fellow Bay Times columnist Liam Mayclem as emcee. Allow me to pun and remark how I was utterly SLAYED by one of the cocktails named “Sister Dana’s Sleigh”—Grey Goose vodka, cranberry juice, lime, and some other tasty ingredients served in a goblet in the form of an ornament clear ball with screw-off top to sip from! Tasteful! THE 29TH ANNUAL KUNG PAO KOSHER COMEDY gave us Jewish Comedy on Christmas in a (virtual) Chinese Restaurant. The lineup of comics included Jessica Kirson, Ophira Eisenberg, producer and comedian Lisa Geduldig, and mama Arline Geduldig. Viewers in more than 30 states and 4 countries Zoomed in! The next Lockdown is January 20, 7 pm with Matt Kirshen (LA, via London), Sampson McCormick (LA and SF), Lauren Hooberman (Chicago), and the Geduldigs. https://tinyurl.com/mr2dra3d The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler, said it best: “What Joe Manchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn has done to the rest of America—who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state— is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate, and strung out!” U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced it has approved the world’s first injectable treatment to help prevent HIV. Instead of the daily pills currently required for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the new drug, APRETUDE, first requires two shots one month apart, followed by one shot every two months. Apretude, according to GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical company behind it, will be more convenient than Truvada, which is the most common form of PrEP currently available and is a daily pill. Sister Dana sez, “And by now, if there is one shot we queers do NOT fear, it’s a shot in the arm!” DAMN THIS STINKIN’ VIRUS! More bad COVID news: Due to increasing concerns about the spread of the Omicron Variant, Theatre Rhinoceros had to cancel its 2021 Holiday Extravaganza at the Gateway Theatre, previously scheduled on Thursday, December 30, 2021. Spokespersons for Theatre Rhino, the longest-running queer theater in 26

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the world, stated: “Motivated by concern for the health of our artists, patrons, and staff, Theatre Rhinoceros has taken the decision to postpone indefinitely its annual Holiday show. This show will be presented at a later as-yetto-be-determined date. It is with great disappointment that we take this step.” They added, “We salute the artists and patrons who wanted to go forward with this evening. It is those people who have kept Theatre Rhinoceros going through the current crisis, as well as our supporters, both individual and governmental/foundational. We also salute the press who have leant their support to our programming during COVID-19.” At the San Francisco Bay Times Holiday Party on They concluded, “Theatre December 14 at The Academy, Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Rhinoceros has survived Dana) enjoyed the “Sister Dana’s Sleigh” created by bevermany historic cataclysms. We age specialists from Bacardi. are firm in our belief that The Michigan Representative Rhino and the theatre comDebbie Dingell, Senior Whip and munity at large will survive the curmember of the CONGRESSIONAL rent crisis!” PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS, really They are currently planning to presmade me awestruck when she recently ent HOW BLACK MOTHERS stated, “Historians are saying we are SAY I LOVE YOU at the previously more divided now than we were durannounced first performance of ing the CIVIL WAR.” She added, “A March 17, 2022. http://therhino.org/ civil society is a society that I want to work on.” Yes, please! Sister Dana sez, “Many of the Proud Boys and their ill ilk are Somewhat comforting news in the leaping from the Trump train tweeting world: that TWITTER perbecause they feel abandoned by manently suspended MAGA-max their leader—calling him weak Marjorie “Q” Taylor Greene’s perand a shill. Now if we can just sonal account over COVID-19 misinget the crazed Congress-creeps formation. Her reaction was nothing to jump ship as well!” less than stunning: “Twitter is an This month, RAINBOW WORLD enemy to America. That’s fine, I’ll FUND is celebrating its 21st show America we don’t need them Anniversary, and it will proudly be and it’s time to defeat our enemies!” distributing humanitarian aid grants FACEBOOK has temporarily susto its current projects in Cuba, India, pended her. Iraq, Guatemala, Mexico, Syria, and Did House Minority Leader Uganda. RWF (with its headquarters McCarthy further censure Greene? in the heart of the Castro) will help Of course not! He said, “Diversity educate poor children, give women of opinion is the lifeblood of our economic opportunities, and save the democracy; and yet that fundamenlives of LGBTQ individuals who are tal American value is under assault by in great danger. Big Tech.” And by Big Trump Lies! https://www.rainbowfund.org/ Officials in the anti-LGBTQ country Qatar—host to next year’s World Cup—seized children’s toys that happened to be in rainbow colors, calling them “un-Islamic.” Qatari authorities confiscated them with the claim that the toys “go against Islamic values,” in other words, “GAY!” The latest reports show that Republican state legislators have introduced more than 389 bills in 48 states that would restrict voting rights. Voter suppression is a fundamental attack on democracy that Republicans have deployed repeatedly to maintain their power. Sister Dana sez, “In more incredible Republican voter restriction news, Senator Rand Paul has accused Democrats of stealing elections by convincing voters to cast legal absentee ballots! Yes, he certainly busted us there! I do not have enough column inches to express the massive grief and anger I know we all felt on the horrible 2022 first anniversary of the JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION RIOT at our Capitol. I spent all day watching MSNBC news for the excellent coverage—especially the extremely emotional, intensely personal testimonials of the democratic lawmakers. And in his powerful address that day, President Biden warned democracy is at risk, questioning, “Are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm?”

Throughout her life and career, iconic Betty White and TV�s classic The Golden Girls were known for tackling social issues in a way that sitcoms had never done before. In 1990, in an episode titled “72 Hours,” the show became one of the first sitcoms to even mention the AIDS crisis. The episode depicts White’s beloved character Rose Nylund being told that during a procedure to have her gallbladder removed, she may have been exposed to HIV via a blood transfusion. She is tested for HIV, and must wait an agonizing 72 hours for the test results. The episode aired during a time when AIDS stigma and misinformation was everywhere. That year, a study of U.S. doctors found that less than a quarter of Americans believed they should be legally required to treat patients with HIV. Many people still believed that HIV and AIDS were “gay diseases” that only affected queer men. But Betty White and The Golden Girls used the sitcom to tackle this misinformation, showing viewers that anyone could be affected by AIDS, not just the LGBT community. “Thank You for Being a Friend,” Betty White! Last month, the Board of Directors finalized their selection for the SAN FRANCISCO AIDS FOUNDATION’s next CEO. Tyler TerMeer, PhD, will take the helm on February 14. Dr. TerMeer will be the first CEO of SFAF to be a person of color, which is historic and (continued on page 28)

PHOTO BY PATRIK CARNEY

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Dykes

With Drills

Tip of the Week By Julie Peri

Paint a Door Without Waiting for Each Side to Dry Happy New Year! We hope you had a great winter break, and are ready to start the new year off with more fun tool tips. Have you ever wondered the best way to paint a door, without having to wait for each side to dry? Here’s the answer! Drive a screw into the center of the top edge and two near the bottom corners. Set the screws on sawhorses, paint, flip, and paint the other side. Easy as that.

Serving Tray Workshop, January 30 @ Oakland

We have more fun workshops and events coming up this year. Start the new year off by learning a new skill at Dykes With Drills!

For more information about these and other events, go to: https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/workshops

Introduction to Tools Workshop, February 12 @ San Francisco Introduction to Tools Workshop, March 5 @ San Francisco Tiny House Workshop Series, March 12–April 24 @ Bay Areas Overnight Carpentry Camp, July 24–July 30 @ Bay Area

Julie Peri is the Founder and Director of Dykes With Drills. https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/

Take Me Home with You! Fitness SF Trainer Tip of the Month Jesus at Transbay “If you’re having trouble with basic squat techniques, try placing your heels on a flat bar or piece of wood. Under the guidance of a FITNESS SF Personal Trainer, we can pinpoint strengths & weakness, while improving your form.”

“My name is Gunther! I’m a shepherd and husky mix, as you can see from my eyes. One is a brown shepherd eye and the other Gunther is a blue husky eye! I’m full of energy, and would happily be your fitness buddy. Walking, running, swimming ... I’m up for it all and can help you stick with your 2022 fitness resolutions! I’m hoping to find an adopter who will take me to training classes, because I love to learn. I’m only one year old and there’s still so much to discover. If you’re full of energy and ready to have a new best friend by your side, please come meet me.”

Tore Kelly, Director of Creative & Social Media for Fitness SF, provides monthly tips that he has learned from professional trainers. For more information: https://fitnesssf.com/

Gunther is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Gunther. To meet Gunther, visit the SF SPCA Mission Campus @ 201 Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup Alabama Street. It is open for appointments from 8 am–6 pm daily. For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

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SISTER DANA (continued from page 26) Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.”

noteworthy. He is driven to advance causes related to racial equity and justice through his leadership. The 35TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW OF HOPE, benefiting SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, is January 22, 6 pm at the Hyatt Regency. It honors PRC CEO Brett Andrews and Claudine Cheng, President of APA HERITAGE FOUNDATION. Headlined with Grammy award singer Jody Watley with gala emcee Reggie Aqui from ABC-7 Bay Area News. https://sfcommunityhealth.org/ King I and Founder of Krewe de Kinque Gary Virginia gathered us KREWE DE KINQUE members for our annual TWELFTH NIGHT PARTY to kick off our Mardi Gras fundraising season in San Francisco. I proudly attended as Queen VII Sister Dana. This year it was not held in a fellow member’s home as usual, but to keep with COVID restrictions, it was in the outdoor patio of the Pilsner Inn on December 8. Our annual club customs continued despite the new rules for EssEff! One new tradition (alas) was wearing a nose & mouth mask in addition to the traditional eye mask. And there were plenty of costumes, crowns, and beads. We did, as the famous Mardi Gras saying goes: “Let the Good Times Roll!”

© Randy Coleman, 2022

SF Sketch Randy Coleman

Sister Dana sez, “I am changing the name of this virus variant to ‘OMNICRON,’ because of its OMNI-presence everywhere and anywhere! And hopefully science will soon have the OMNIscience to eliminate it!” LANDIS (continued from page 19) Original Joe’s North Beach: https://tinyurl.com/ynw6hd8h Foreign Cinema: http://foreigncinema.com/ Bistro Don Giovanni: http://bistrodongiovanni.com/ RH Yountville: https://tinyurl.com/2p9btwtp Scott’s Chowder House, SF: https://tinyurl.com/2s3zhxs2 Boulevard: https://tinyurl.com/bdz7axdw Anchovy Bar: https://theanchovybar.com/ Via Veneto: https://tinyurl.com/2p9hkykx Perbacco: https://www.perbaccosf.com/ Cotogna: https://www.cotognasf.com/ Marlena Restaurant: https://tinyurl.com/2p68p2je

King Knish: https://tinyurl.com/umwjtwsd Jaranita: https://www.jaranitasf.com/ Sweeter Cards: https://www.sweetercards.com/ Vico Cavone: http://vicocavone.com/ Ibexico at Mad Oak Bar ‘n’ Yard: www.ibexico.com Big Sur Forager’s Festival: https://tinyurl.com/5897sz8n David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @ GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 21)

B) sickening birthday present

As the holiday season was gearing up in the Castro, Audry deLucia and Fran Herman, founders of ellaprint, decided to leave town and enjoy some quiet time in Oahu. They both look happy in this selfie taken on the beach. 28

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Rodriguez, whose 31st birthday was on January 7—just two days before the historic Golden Globe win—wrote, in part: “OMG OMGGG!!!! @goldenglobes Wow! You talking about sickening birthday present! Thank you! This is the door that is going to Open the door for many more young talented individuals. They will see that it is more than possible. They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark, New Jersey, who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS. To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!!!!!” (“Sickening” in this instance is a slang term popularized in drag culture that means “amazing,” “wonderful,” or “excellent.”)

Castro Lights at Dusk

Photos by Bill Wilson

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.READTHEPLAQUE.COM

As the Castro was gearing up for the recent holiday season, LGBT community veteran photographer Bill Wilson captured a series of photos showing the beauty of lights in our home neighborhood. Join us in enjoying Bill’s artistry in images taken near the intersection of Castro, 17th, and Market Streets.

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Photos by Rink

San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink has decades of personal experience and knowledge about local LGBT community members as well as revered allies. Since the publication of our prior issue, Rink has captured images honoring such individuals who have passed, and so we share these photos with you here.

On December 13, the 15th Anniversary Party for the Castro Community on Patrol took place, honoring the organization’s critical work protecting the Castro’s streets in conjunction with SFPD’s Patrol Special Officer. Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Mandelman presented certificates to Patrol Special President Alan Byard and other members attending, including Leandro Gonzalez, Greg Carey, Brian Hill, Ken Craig, and Erin Lavery. https://www.castropatrol.org/

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PHOTO BY KINGKONGPHOTO & WWW.CELEBRITY-PHOTOS.COM

Pioneering actor, film director, and diplomat Sidney Poitier died at his home in Los Angeles on January 6. He was 94. Poitier’s numerous achievements include becoming the first Black individual and first person of Bahamian descent to win the Academy Award for Best Actor (1964). While many of us know about his memorable, transformative film and stage work, lesser known was that he served as ambassador from the Bahamas to Japan for 10 years (1997–2007). Poitier from 2002 to 2007 concurrently served as the ambassador of the Bahamas to UNESCO. His powerful legacy remains. As former President Obama said, Poitier advanced “the nation’s dialogue on race and respect” and “opened doors for a generation of actors.”

Betty White (1922–2021) White passed on the last day of 2021 as plans were underway for her 100th birthday celebration on January 17 of this year. After decades of television and radio work, she rose to superstardom following memorable roles in the hit TV shows The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls. Outside of her work, she dedicated money and time to causes such as animal welfare advocacy, LGBTQ rights, and other social justice efforts. In 1954, she fought critics who decried her support of Black dancer Arthur Duncan (who turned 88 last September). Fathom Events is moving forward with a celebration of White on January 17: https://tinyurl.com/2rc4wpvs

Honoring Cody Clements and Others Who Have Worked to Keep the Castro Safe

The Patrol Special Officer position in the Castro has a storied history, given that it has been held by notable SFPD personnel including the late Jane Warner, for whom Jane Warner Plaza at the intersection of 17th and Castro is named, and John Fitzinger, who passed in 2017. All are wishing Clements the best for the next phase of his career.

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Sidney Poitier (1927–2022)

PHOTO VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

An appreciation party was held on December 12 honoring SFPD’s Patrol Special Officer Cody Clements, who had previously announced that his last day in the position would be December 31, 2021. (He accepted a full-time position with another law enforcement agency outside of San Francisco.) Supervisor Rafael Mandelman presented a Certificate of Honor to Clements in celebration of his work over the past four years.

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Renowned singer/songwriter and community activist Blackberri died on December 13 due to complications following a heart attack. He was a mentor and friend to many in the Bay Area’s LGBT community. In terms of his career, he achieved several historic firsts. For example, his performance in 1975 at the Two Songmakers concert was broadcast on KQED, marking the first time gay-themed music was featured on public television in San Francisco. He is included in the films Tongues Untied (1989) and Thanks to Hank (2019), both now important records of LGBTQ history. Blackberri in 2017 received the Audrey Joseph LGBTQ Entertainment Award and was a Grand Marshal in the SF Pride Parade, among many other honors earned over the years. A virtual Celebration of Life was held on December 21.

Beloved Castro Merchants Association administrator Richard Magary died on December 20 after a long illness, as announced by his family. Current and past leaders of the Association praised Magary for his organizational skills as he was known for keeping everything on track. He also served as president of the Buena Vista Neighborhood Association (1988– 2013) and worked as a volunteer for many other groups. Members of the San Francisco Bay Times team have fond memories of working with Magary, especially on the annual Castro Tree Lighting Ceremony that he shepherded annually.

South African Anglican bishop and theologian Desmond Tutu, known for his tireless work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist, died on December 26 of cancer at age 90. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996, in both cases being the first Black African to hold the positions. For his brave activism, which after the fall of apartheid included campaigning for LGBTQ rights, he received several international honors. In 1984, he won the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming only the second South African at the time to receive the award. Upon learning of his death, President Joe Biden said that Tutu’s legacy will “echo throughout the ages.”

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Blackberri (1945–2021)

Richard Magary (1940–2021)

Desmond Tutu (1931–2021)

BAY TIMES

Photos by Rink

Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

The Castro Theatre marquee declared, “Happy New Year!”

The SF Knockers, the only baseball team in the world with an all drag queen lineup, raised funds to support community nonprofits by offering gift wrapping services in front of Cliff’s Variety on December 19.

http://sfbaytimes.com/ Bare Chest Calendar man Ken Ferraris presented the new 2022 calendar for sale at Hibernia Beach on December 19.

A furry customer was air drying in the front window of Mudpuppy’s Tub & Scrub on January 6.

Musician Maria Konner (second from left) celebrated with fans on New Year’s Eve at the Cinch Saloon.

Fable restaurant’s server Dylan welcomed customers on December 19.

The Cliff’s Variety front windows included New Year’s 2022 hats and more.

Le Creuset Heart Shaped Cocotte in Cherry Sized for cooking two servings, perfect for that date night, holiday, or some whimsical cooking for two. $200

Newly opened Chadwick’s on Market Street is offering “fun buns” and pizza. General Manager Aaron Van Arsdale staff member Lloyd Knight Berry served up the buns that are cinnamon buns smeared with cream cheese.

“The Hope for the World Cure” mural on 16th Street needs a major restoration after vandals severely defaced it on December 27.

Hug Me Pot Say it with a plant! This charming pot and saucer set will be sure to put a smile on their face. $17.99

A final nod to Santa Skivvies 2021 from Santa Jon Campbell and pups on December 12.

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anuary is one of the busiest months of the year for our buying team. We are working hard to restock the store after the holidays and all of our Halloween and Christmas buying takes place in January. The supply chain debacle is still a reality. We don’t predict this will clear up for 6 to 9 more months. We don’t know when all the fun new things will arrive, but we hope you love all the hidden gems we find.

Bria Goeller with artwork at the final Art Mart event of 2021 held on December 19 at Noe and Market Streets

Oscar Gallegos Zamora at his booth at the last Art Mart of the year on December 19

Jessalyn Ragus at her art and tarot booth at the final Art Mart.

https://cliffsvariety.com/

As Heard on the Street . . . What is your favorite café or restaurant coffee and why? compiled by Rink

Samuel Favela

Jen Chan

“The Atlas Café in the “Family-owned Castro Coffee Company, Mission. Great salads and for its historic feeling and for their fresh even better coffee.” ground beans for my French press.”

David Faulk

Troy Brunet

Stephen Torres

“La Boulangerie”

“The Cove on Castro. They are beautiful people whose restaurant is a community gathering place.”

“Philz Coffee in the Castro”

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