San Francisco Bay Times - November 19, 2020 by San Francisco Bay Times

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020) November 19–December 2, 2020 http://sfbaytimes.com

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ELECTION 2020

Vice President Elect Kamala Devi Harris Will Always Be a Friend to the LGBTQ+ Community

The Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club stood firm as a key endorser, and the Vice President-elect attends almost every Pride Parade Breakfast in San Francisco. Alice saw, as did many others at that time, that justice and equality are the Vice President-elect’s North Star. As District Attorney, she placed members of the LGBTQ+ community in highly visible roles—notably Chief of Administration Paul Henderson, Chief of Policy Tim Silard, as well as significant hires in the rank and file, including Julius DeGuia, Susan Christian, Martha Knutzen, David Fujimoto, and myself. The office organized a forum on the trans panic defense, a legal strategy in which a person claims that antiLGBTQ+ violence or murder is justified because the victim made sexual advances toward the perpetrator. Additionally, she

Much has been written about her courage not to defend Proposition 8, allowing the courts to find that law unconstitutional. She also publicly performed the ceremony of Kris Perry and Sandra Stier, one set of plaintiffs in the case. It bears repeating because the best judge of someone’s future is to review how they have acted. Our Vice President-elect has proven time and time again that she will fight for us.

Walker, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed to the San Francisco Arts Commission in March, is known for her urban landscapes displayed at SFO, office buildings, restaurants, galleries, and more. The work featured on the San Francisco Bay Times cover is therefore unique among those pieces, and even more so given her longstanding connection to, and steadfast support of, Harris.

With all of this in mind, a group of us went to Maricopa County in Arizona to help turn it blue. Those of you who know me know I won’t sugar coat what we saw—there is a whole world outside San Francisco that does not see things the way we do—and the messaging that should work isn’t. We have a lot of work to do to have people see and experience how Democratic Party policies can improve lives. The way we did things before isn’t translating.

For more information: http://www.debrawalker.com/

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It’s quite a moment for San Francisco in that one of our own, out of our street fighting politics, made it all the way to the White House.

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

On a Road Trip to Sonoma with Kamala Harris and focus. We talked about the flaws in criminal justice, reforming systems of incarceration, and so many other things that burden our communities—years before any of these topics were making big headlines. Ted and I have enjoyed her company and insight over the years. (Editor’s note: Ted Hiscox is Derek’s partner.)

Rebecca Prozan is the Senior Manager of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, where she is also the Head of Public Affairs. Previously she served as Director of Community Relations for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, Legislative Aide to former Supervisor Bevan Dufty, City Commissioner, and Campaign Manager for Kamala Harris for District Attorney (2003).

Social Philanthropreneur

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Those words proved to be prophetic, as Harris is now the Vice Presidentelect. Walker pays tribute to her and to President-elect Joe Biden with this issue’s cover. It commemorates a moment that many of us have been waiting for since 2016, and brings hope when we need it the most during this challenging year.

I first met Kamala Harris when she was campaigning to become San Francisco’s district attorney at a friend’s fundraiser event for her. After a successful election, one of many firsts, our paths would soon meet again on a coordinated ridealong to Sonoma about 15 years ago. The two of us ventured north on a two-hour journey to visit friends for the weekend. She drove, naturally, and on our trek we learned a lot about each other.

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

PHOTO COURTESY OF REBECCA PROZAN

ensured a substantive hate crimes unit addressed our needs in that crimes perpetrated against members of our community would be prosecuted.

Derek Barnes

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBRA WALKER

The LGBTQ+ community can rest assured that we have more than an ally in the Vice President-elect. She often spoke then, as she does now, that she was raised in the Civil Rights Movement, and she understood from an early age that all of us deserve equality and equity.

Four years ago, artist, tenants’ rights advocate, and Commissioner Debra Walker wrote this about her friend Kamala Harris: “She is a smart fighter. She is aiming at the White House in more ways than one. Look to her to provide the leadership forward.”

District Attorney Harris also performed same-sex wedding ceremonies during the Winter of Love in 2004. I remember calling her on my way to City Hall to let her know that Julia and I were to be married during that time. Later on, she would attend a private ceremony for the two of us in 2008 during the window of legality.

With just 15 weeks on the job, managing a LOT of supporters and naysayers, and with significant twists and turns, low and behold, Kamala Harris won that first race and took off from there.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBRA WALKER

We met at her political consultant’s office. When I asked how the polls were, she said she was at 8%. I responded with, “What am I supposed to do with that?” and she looked at me and replied, “Just get me into the runoff, Rebecca, I know I can win if I’m in a runoff.” At that time, there were no instant runoffs and so the top two vote getters faced off after making it through the first round. The District Attorney’s Office had floundered under its current leadership and Harris’ chops as a professional, experienced leader were exactly what the office and the City needed at the time.

About Our Cover

By Rebecca Prozan The year was 2003. After working at City Hall, attending law school, co-chairing former Supervisor Bevan Dufty’s first campaign, and taking the bar exam, I went on a cross country road trip with my wife. When we returned, around the last week in August, my old friend and district attorney candidate Kamala Harris called. She was looking for a campaign manager for her insurgent run.

On that drive, I was particularly struck by her curiosity, wit, passion,

A progressive prosecutor seems to be an oxymoron, and many still find it hard to unpack when describing Kamala’s positions and record. People who have worked for her, those she has coached and mentored, and even her legal opposition all describe her as fair, principled, and intrepid. She brings innovative thinking and transformative action to the demanding roles she’s held. She’s a powerhouse and the real deal. Ted and I couldn’t be more thrilled to know her and to support her journey from San Francisco to Sacramento and California to Washington. Her winning campaign track record speaks for itself, and we always knew she would be on the winning ticket—whatever that composition ended up being. Those who know her are breathing great sighs of relief. Both Joe and Kamala are what this country needs to pull us back from the point of no return. We’ve seen the bar of American democracy and exceptionalism be systematically lowered over the last four years. We are so proud to know Kamala and even more so as the nation’s first Madam Vice President ... finally. Derek Barnes is CEO of East Bay Rental Housing Association ( www.EBRHA.com ) and a Co-Founder at g-dii Enterprises ( https://www.g-dii.com/ ). He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Kamala Harris: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum Major

John Lewis As I skimmed through my yearbook at my 40th high school reunion a few years ago, I stumbled upon my friend and fellow band member Marilyn Grant’s note to me that read: “Thank you for wanting me to try out for Drum Major—Boy was that ever fun.” Memories flooded back to me of encouraging Marilyn to compete against the typical group of boys vying for the position and supporting her all the way. It was 1975. The Equal Rights Amendment neared ratification with 34 of the necessary 38 states having passed it. Unfortunately, the ERA has still not become part of the U.S. Constitution. But in fall 1975, Marilyn Grant became the first ever female drum major of the Center High School Marching Band in Kansas City, Missouri. Although Marilyn’s breaking the gender barrier in our local high school marching band may seem insignificant, decades of count-

Harris, the child of Asian and African American immigrants, especially praised her late mother Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a biomedical researcher, in her speech. Like Harris’ mother, our late mothers were also Ph.D. academics, although 15 years earlier. Growing up, we experienced our moms’ struggles as women seeking their rightful place in their professions and family life in the face of blatant discrimination. This profoundly shaped our understanding of the world. And like Harris’ mom, Stuart’s mother overcame obstacles as an Asian American academic. Stuart’s mom was a professor of cross-cultural education, and like Harris, Stuart is a mixedrace Asian American. We also grew into the realization that the movement for gender freedom and equality was vital to us because we were queer. As our mothers strove to defy gender norms, we too struggled to liberate ourselves from the constraints of gender. Our mothers’ struggles informed our own, and we saw

them as deeply connected. It took over 50 years, but the U.S. Supreme Court last year finally recognized sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination as, in fact, sex discrimination. Kamala Harris will soon become the most steadfast and outspoken supporter of LGBTIQ rights ever to be vice president. We met Harris while doing coalition work in 2005 to defeat Proposition 73 that threatened young women’s access to safe abortions statewide, and our paths crossed periodically through the years of the California marriage equality movement. Harris’ refusal to defend Proposition 8 in the federal courts was instrumental in its being declared unconstitutional. We remember how when Harris was locked in an extremely tight campaign for California attorney general against Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley in 2010, she unflinchingly vowed she would not defend Prop 8, even though she faced the same electorate who had passed it just 2 years before. Cooley promised to defend the measure. Harris won the race by just 0.77% of the vote. Personally, we’ll never forget how Harris took the risk to speak at one of Marriage Equality USA’s large rallies in San Francisco during the campaign. And we’ll always remember how Harris delighted in marrying one of the Prop 8 plaintiff couples in City Hall the afternoon the initiative became unenforceable. She then forcefully instructed a reluctant local Southern California clerk over her cell phone: “You must start the mar-

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6/26 and Beyond

less such victories culminated in this month’s triumphant election of Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States. In her first nationwide speech as Vice President-elect, Harris thanked the many generations of women of all races, especially Black women, who tirelessly fought for the voting rights that made her election possible. “I stand on their shoulders,” she said. Harris also marches shoulder to shoulder as part of a movement with myriad Marilyn Grants as well.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney with then District Attorney Kamala Harris at San Francisco City Hall on June 28, 2013, where she officiated the first marriages of same sex couples, including Kris Perry and Sandy Stier who were Prop 8 plaintiffs.

riages immediately,” and added, “enjoy it—it’s going to be fun!” When President Biden delivers the State of Union address before a Joint Session of Congress in early 2021, two extraordinary San Francisco Bay Area women, Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris, will share the dais as Speaker of the House and Vice President of the United States. Although our nation’s pervasive partisan divisions persist, two women who embrace San Francisco values—and have strode down Market Street in rainbow regalia many times in the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade— will sit at the very center of American political power.

Castro Celebrations on the Day of Decision

My friend Marilyn became drum major as a junior and had to wait a year to become senior drum major. We can hardly wait for the day when a woman who embraces San Francisco values as American values delivers the State of the Union address and truly directs the band herself. Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, 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.

Photos courtesy of Beth Schnitzer

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NOVEM BER 19, 2020

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ELECTION 2020

The Return of Hope and Joy

When we won the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in 2015, we as legal advocates knew that the fight for true liberation, equality, and justice was far from over for the LGBTQ+ community, especially our Black, Brown and Trans brothers and sisters. What we did not imagine was that, five short years later, we would see Justices on the Supreme Court, in this case Justices Alito and Thomas, denounce the ruling and openly scheme about how to limit and undermine this landmark ruling. It is a well-held principle that once a majority of Justices rule, even if you were a dissenting judge, you accord that ruling respect and honor it as settled law. The rammed through confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett solidifies a Supreme Court majority that is more extreme than any other time in history. The ACA (Affordable Care Act), LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access, climate change, and the entire range of racial justice issues roiling our nation will all be crushed and buried by this majority.

Just writing that sentence gives me hope and the ability to imagine a policy agenda marked by humanity, a love for justice, and a belief in the right of every individual to live with full dignity: free from harm, cruelty, and suffering. Imagining that future fills me with hope and joy, even as I am clear-eyed about the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead for the new Administration and our nation. In the years and months since the inauguration of Donald Trump, we have watched with growing horror and shame as he has embodied the very worst of the human character. I will not relay the litany of those characteristics here; there is no need. We see them, still, every day and the harm done to our national reputation and psyche is incalculable.

Over seventy-five million of us took our country back from the brink of total destruction. So many have suffered so much. But we can chart a new future and begin the hard work of repairing and rebuilding. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the best of us. They are honorable, kind, curious, humble, dedicated, and wicked smart. Together, they embody the qualities we most want to see in ourselves and love in others. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they have clear and doable policy positions on the most urgent needs our nation and our neighbors face.

I think we’ll all remember where we were when media outlets called the 2020 election for Joe Biden. No matter how we felt about the candidate, it marked the end of the longest week in the longest year of many of our lives. It marked the potential end of a nightmare, yet the continuation of a world that enabled that nightmare in the first place. I had a short window where I could be present in the historic nature of the spontaneous events that took place on Saturday, November 7, as the news about President-elect Biden spread. I didn’t know where in Oakland the people would be, but I knew they’d be out. I drove through downtown Oakland and didn’t see anyone. I circled Lake Merritt beginning west and heading east, and by the time I approached the Grand Lake side the energy was palpable. Every single person was dancing, shouting, honking, or wearing clothes in support of The End. It was a scene so joyous, diverse, and infectious that I couldn’t help but be moved to tears. Speakers blared with the now iconic “FDT” anthem by YG & Nipsey Hussle as strangers embraced the restored hope for humanity that we all allowed ourselves to feel, if only for a day. Personally, I don’t think we’re out of the woods. But Saturday, November 7, was a day I’ll never forget. Oakland showed up as joyfully as it ever has, and honored one of their own, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, in a truly beautiful display of communal joy and celebration. Morgan Shidler is a social justice activist, photographer, travel writer, and Co-Founder of the women’s organization That’s What She Said. https://www.morganshidler.com/

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Philadelphia

Fresno, California

Detroit

But to just have kindness and decency once again emanating from the White House, and to know that we matter to our leaders, well, that will at least allow us to breathe free once again. Kate Kendell, Esq., is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and now works with Take Back the Court and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Oakland on November 7 Celebrated News About President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris Photos by Morgan Shidler

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

On the Campaign Trail

This bedrock norm in a democratic society has been trashed and abandoned, as have so many of the critical rules of fair play and free elections in our far too fragile democracy. The rights we’ve fought so hard to win are imperiled and democracy itself is on life support. The carnage caused and celebrated by the GOP Senate and the Republican party is disgraceful and we have an outgoing Presidential Administration that despises the very idea of “Equal Justice Under the Law.” But after so much suffering and carnage, our long national nightmare is about to be over. While it is clear that Trump and his corrupt enablers intend to torch the house on their way out, we will soon have President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as our leaders.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE KENDELL

Kate Kendell, Esq.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Sweet Georgia Brown, Black, and Blue

Andrea Shorter The struggle is real. What a struggle it has been to remain in the global cathartic elation at the finally announced election of the historic Democratic Biden-Harris ticket to the White House whilst its current occupant is doing everything in his diminishing official and not so official powers to stave off looming lawful eviction, or at least appear that he will not be ejected without a show of righteous indignation to his followers. There will be no traditional, genteel, majestic peaceful transition of power from Trump to anyone. Commentators can save the Ken Burns-esque nostalgic reels of presidential and incumbent candidates in George H.W. Bush, John McCain, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton maturely, gracefully conceding loss in decoratively flourished patriotic speeches as the opponents’ victory was apparent. Yeah, none of that stuff is happening, and was so never going to happen per Trump. Even the sour “you won’t have Richard Nixon to kick around anymore” of an embittered former vice president—then nearly impeached President Nixon following his earlier epic loss to Pat Brown in the 1962 California gubernatorial race registered as possibly the sorest loser sound bite in modern political history—pales in comparison to the outright scorched Earth, gangster reign of terror on democracy Trump

Well, maybe not ever quite like that, but still, in this particular case, a record-shattering number of 77 million plus—and still counting—American voters have clearly proclaimed a once popular, branded phrase: “You’re fired!” The struggle continues as we work to balance rejoicing in the masterfully executed strategies to push back against voter suppression as led by Stacey Abrams and other sisters running smart strategies, campaigns, and even running for offices themselves to turn out Black, Brown, and young voters to turn blue tidal waves across key states against the harrowing fact that some 72 million people voted for Trump. In 2016, 54 per cent of white voters brought Trump into the White House, and, from 2020 exit polls, 57 percent of white voters voted to keep him there. With nearly 60 percent of white people casting their votes for a patently racist, xenophobic, white nationalist during a negligent response to a pandemic that has upended all of our lives, and continues to disproportionately impact the lives of people of color, it’s hard to deny that folks voted for Trump because of these attributes and not in spite of them. How else can one see it? Just how much white nationalism and racism factored into any one voter’s choice? Is it quantifiable: 10%? 17%? Does it matter? Which brings us back home to Georgia, the resurrected battleground for a renewed racially driven civil war to turn a grayed Confederate blood-red state into

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Cross Currents

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREA SHORTER

and his bandit coalition of the willing have predictably orchestrated to deny, delay, disrupt, and dilute the power of those eminently tried and true words, “The American people have spoken; now, get the f--k out.”

Democratic union blue. A robust coalition of Black, Brown, young, and college-educated white voters turned it out for a Biden-Harris triumph in Georgia. All roads now lead back to Georgia to win both U.S. Senate seats to seize a Democratic majority in the Senate under a pending Democratic presidency. With Democratic contenders in a Black clergyman, and a young Jewish journalist against two stalwart Trump loyalist incumbents who failed to outright secure re-election, this pitch battle will be one for the ages, as vitally important as defeating Trump himself. We must win in Georgia. We must. The work to beat back fervent attempts to keep racist Trump-ism alive and kicking for eternity is only just beginning. 72 million voters have just told us so. Wrestling these two seats from the death grip of a once grand old party consumed, devoured, (continued on page 31)

2020 Elections Recap ity show of authoritarianism, racism, and science denial led by a lying liar who lies all the time. Trump knows he lost. The only reason he is dragging this out is to fleece his followers out of donations to retire his campaign debt and pay his future legal fees. A con is a con and a grifter is always going to grift.

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer Despite the disinformation campaign led by the soon-to-be-evicted resident of the White House and his band of merry sycophants, we do have a clear-cut winner of the presidential race. Every living, breathing, and fully compos mentis human in the world knows that Joe Biden and the Bay Area’s own Kamala Harris won, and no amount of toddler temper tantrums, frivolous court challenges, or baseless claims of fraud will change that. Huzzah and let us rejoice, the presidency will no longer be a daily real6

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What is deeply troubling is that almost half the country voted for a sociopath who does not even have the skill to be a school crossing guard let alone leader of the free world. If you voted for Trump, you are officially dead to me. However, I probably should not use that expression given the current surge of coronavirus cases and Trump’s inability to control the pandemic; you actually might be very sick or even dead soon, so stay healthy but don’t ever speak to me again. Recap of Federal Elections Democrats held the House majority, but instead of gaining seats as predicted, Republicans flipped more seats than expected. Nancy Pelosi’s “Big Fat Greek (or Italian or Jewish etc.) Wedding” comprising the “United Colors of Benetton” will be losing some wedding guests. That said, a few more votes here and there and we would have had a hor-

ribly shocking upset by Republicans. The final numbers are not in yet, but the Democrats hit the magic number of 218 (as of this writing) to retain control of the House (out of 435 seats in case you skipped class when “coequal branches of government” was taught in 5th grade). Control of the Senate was the Democrats white whale, but like the quest of Captain Ahab, they were foiled again. This one really hurt; I thought we were going to send some folks packing. Yeah, I’m looking at you Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins, Joni Ernst, and Thom Tillis. Don’t get too comfortable; we’re coming for you again in 6 years. Democratic candidates flipped Colorado and Arizona, but lost Alabama. Congratulations, Alabama, you elected a Senator who did not know the 3 co-equal branches of government (5th grade slacker!), but he did lead the ‘Bama Tigers to an undefeated football season in 2004, so I guess that’s what counts in Alabama. There is one last-gasp chance for Democratic control: if Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock win their runoff elections in January, we will retake (continued on page 31)

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ELECTION 2020

GLBT Fortnight in Review Will It Ever End? I just reread my last column, which I generally do in order to avoid repeating myself from week to week. Surely, none of you loyal readers need a rehash of Fulton v City of Philadelphia, or the future of Employment Division v Smith, right? But in rereading, I was reminded of what a dismal and frightening election we just experienced. True, Trump continues to endanger our short-term future and spread hostility throughout his base. Yet we won, thank God, and if we can get through the next two months without bombing Iran or screwing up whatever is going on in Afghanistan (which I haven’t really followed), we might live to see a new dawn for our country. And the Senate looks better than it seemed on November 4. We have a chance at least. I saved some of that endless champagne I was drinking for the moment when the networks finally called the election. I still have a bottle on ice waiting for the crazy woman who runs the General Services Administration to sign off on the Biden transition. After that, I’ll have to buy more champagne for January 20. Or perhaps for the results in Georgia on January 5! Meanwhile, it would almost be satisfying to watch the final days of the Trump administration if it weren’t so horrifying. Every day there’s a new danger that I haven’t thought of. Can he really sell drilling rights in the

Alaskan wilderness? Can we reverse that? Would he sell national secrets to the highest bidder after he leaves office? Or is that just wild speculation? Oh, and what about his 2024 campaign? Now there’s one of the few things I’m not going to worry about, because for one thing, I can’t imagine that his loose grip on reality will hold that long, and second, there are too many ambitious contenders looking to take up the dubious mantle of the GOP. But most of all, I just can’t fret about 2024 when I’m still fretting about 2020 and 2021. Talk About Groupthink! Already, we’re seeing the commentators conveniently forget about whatever mistaken views they expressed in the run up to the election, and retrofit the results for their next pronouncements. Hey, I for one believed all the polls, thought we’d have a blue wave blowout, and assumed Trump’s support would decrease sharply among all demographics. Wrong! Very, very, very sadly wrong. My faith in humanity and the electorate has been, not just stirred, but shaken. Today, however, I just read an op-ed by our resident New York Times conservative, Bret Stephens, that the editors have headlined: “Groupthink Has Left the Left Behind.” Stephens goes on to describe “the Left,” that is to say progressive Democrats, as “an intellectual monoculture” comprised of “entitled elites” offering “ jeering moral condescension.”

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

By Ann Rostow Politically correct progressives, he asserts, ignore the complex dynamics of the average American and rely instead on black and white thinking: woke or unwoke, white or Black, oppressed or oppressor. Yet his entire article is just that, a black and white simplistic view of the coalition that just elected Biden. Our party came together and bridged ideological divides from AOC to Joe Manchin. We stepped back from Medicare for All and the Green New Deal to support a public option and renewable energy. But we chose not to compromise on Covid, immigration, and police reform. (If agreeing to fight systemic racism represents groupthink, then I suppose we can plead guilty to part of Stephens’ charge. But is he implying that there are fine people on both sides of this conflict?) Here’s my point. After 2016, the too-smart-to-fail analysts emerged to condemn Clinton’s campaign for ignoring high-school educated white men from the rural Midwest— Monday morning quarterbacking a race that was more likely decided by misogyny and baseless scandal. Now, instead of critiquing the Trump side for losing an election by the identical electoral yardstick, we’re getting hung out to dry for underestimating our majority of the Latino/a vote or once again failing to connect with the white working class. We won, guys. And we won, not with coastal elites, but with a diverse electorate from all races, creeds, and incomes. Yes, we won cities. But we

also won in rural areas. Yes, we won the college grads, but we also won lots of non-grads as well. We defeated an incumbent first-term president who had achieved near cult status with a big swath of the populace. Let’s give the winning side some credit and ask the pundits to examine, not why the Democrats didn’t win big, but why Trump lost.

were strong enough to send troops and arms to fight World War I, and by mid-century our industrial might was unsurpassed, our leadership unquestioned, our technology exploding. We grew without mercy, gave ourselves myths, and held what look now to be careless assumptions about where the greatness of America drew its strength.

My Country

I often wonder what the country would be like at this point if Al Gore had won the election as that American Century came to an end. If we had focused on climate change 20 years earlier. If we had not destabilized the Middle East. If we had invested in infrastructure and rapid transport and education. Who knows? But here we are, an older, but not particularly wiser, country in a mid-life crisis, as a different century rolls on towards an uncertain future. It’s not as if we don’t continue to improve to some extent and provide certain benefits to the rest of the world, but we are unmoored.

I confess I haven’t followed GLBT news lately, an oversight for which I apologize considering it’s supposed to be my beat. Mel and I spent days watching cable news, until something snapped and we binged on some Britbox shows, followed by The Crown on Sunday and Monday. It’s a little jarring, now that we are firmly implanted in the 21st century, that the 20th century seems so far away. It looks like an old historical era, with its taxis and telephones, its mail boxes and newsstands. Even the dates, starting with “19” seem like they might as well represent the 18th century or the 19th century, old-time periods that you couldn’t quite keep track of when you were younger, that you imagine the children of today will find as ancient as the Civil War. We called it The American Century, although I’m not sure the rest of the world followed suit. But we were a young country when it dawned, and a world power when it ended. We had overrun our continent by 1900, bullied and killed the Native American tribes, stretched railroads from coast to coast. We had unlimited natural resources and land. We

Our greatness is always an ideal for the future, based in our striving towards equality and unity. Maybe now we can resume the struggle to make America great, not as it once was, but as it could be. Covid Covid Covid Covid There’s one Trumpism I have adopted as my own. Covid, covid, covid, covid. I sing this every time the news returns to our relentless pandemic because yes, it’s an enormous crisis, but no, I don’t want to

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

The Castro’s Day of Decision Celebration Photos by Paul Margolis

Word of the announcement by multiple media outlets of the Biden/Harris win projection spread rapidly on Saturday morning, November 7. By noon, neighbors and friends in the Castro had already begun the spontaneous day-long celebration that would continue until late in the evening. By mid-afternoon, organizers Alex U. Inn, Gregg Cassin, Christopher Vasquez, Sister Roma, and more were on site with the People’s March vehicle to lead a peaceful, but lively, rally and street dance. The Castro Street Cam had a record-breaking number of internet viewers located both near and far who shared in the celebratory moment. You can check the Castro District happenings, along with the weather, traffic, and more on the 24/7 livestreaming Castro Street Cam: http://sfbaytimes.com/castro-street-cam/

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Photos by Juan R. Davila

Crystal Way

Noon–6 pm daily 2335 Market Street 415-861-6511 crystalwaysf@gmail.com http://www.crystalway.com San Francisco Bay Times team members often have turned to Crystal Way when a gift is needed that is sure to surprise and delight. There is a remarkable selection of metaphysical books, candles, incense, and minerals, as well as crystals and gemstones presented as jewelry, lucky charms, spheres, and other home decor designs that bring positive vibes, healing energy, and beauty to any space. Due to COVID-19 regulations, massage services have been suspended, but astrology and tarot card readings are available. Masks and hand sanitizing are required. Crystal Way 2 is now open in the Sunset at 1348 9th Avenue.

Marcello’s Pizza

Takeout: 1:30 pm–9 pm daily Delivery: 4:30 pm–9 pm Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 4:30 pm–8 pm Wednesday; 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Friday–Saturday 415-863-3900 http://www.marcellospizza420.com Among the many historic happenings in 1978 was the founding of Marcello’s, where the dough and sauce are homemade daily “the oldfashioned way.” In addition to the well-known, authentic New York-style pizza selection, Marcello’s now offers a variety of grilled and baked hot subs, calzones, hot dogs, salads, and more. Self-described as a “Mom & Mom pizza joint,” Marcello’s is a popular stop for pedestrians and moviegoers— these days Netflix bingers too—who pick up a slice before heading to their destination. You may have heard the story of Marcello’s founder Brad Mcfaden who, before he passed away in 1993, asked general manager Annie Flores to keep it going. Indeed, she has! In response to COVID-19, masks and 6-feet plus social distancing are required to enter the Castro Street shop.

440 Castro

2 pm–9 pm Monday–Thursday Noon–10 pm Friday & Saturday 415-621-8732 http://www.the440.com If you ask anyone to tell you where they like to hangout in the Castro, “440!” is likely to be the answer. Many remember this popular location as “Daddy’s” and most will describe it as a “bear bar” where the drinks are affordable and the vibe is friendly. Locals and visitors both love this place! 440 has partnered with The Cove on Castro to offer a selection of food items per the City’s regulations. You can’t miss the parklet decorated in rainbow colors and lights. Be sure to speak with a server before taking a seat and note the posted COVID-19 requirements. The age requirement is 21 and over. IDs are checked at the door. There is a live DJ on Friday and Saturday, and drink specials are always available.

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National AIDS Memorial to Honor Drs. Anthony Fauci and David Ho on World AIDS Day The National AIDS Memorial will bring together powerful voices from the AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2020, for an inspiring discussion about health justice, social activism, remembrance, and hope. World AIDS Day 2020 –A National Conversation will spotlight the interconnectedness of both pandemics: the lives lost, the survivors, the activism, and the heroes. Through a distinguished list of guest speakers, video storytelling, and musical tributes, the topics and conversations will help answer the questions about how a nation responds, how it heals, and what lessons must be learned for the future. During the event, the National AIDS Memorial will honor Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and David D. Ho, M.D., Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia

University, with its National Recognition Leadership Award. As renowned health experts who have been on the frontlines of both the AIDS and COVID19 pandemics, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Ho will be recognized for their lifelong commitment, work, and profound impact they have had over the span of 40 years and two pandemics in advancing science, treatments, and education around both diseases. “These two individuals have stood at the forefront in the fight against HIV/AIDS for more than four decades, and today stand on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19,” said John Cunningham, Executive Director of the National AIDS Memorial. “We are honored to recognize their tireless work on World AIDS Day this year as we pull the thread that connects these two pandemics, partic-

ularly around science, loss of life, health, and social justice.” World AIDS Day 2020 –A National Conversation will be presented virtually ( https://www.aidsmemorial.org/ ) beginning at 10 am on December 1. The event will be free to the public. • Medical and Scientific Leadership: Dr. Fauci and Dr. Ho will lead a conversation about medical and scientific advancements during both pandemics and offer important insights on the health, research, and long-term impacts of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. • Impact on Marginalized Communities: A conversation on how HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 (continued on page 31)

First 50-State Virtual Exhibition of the AIDS Memorial Quilt Each year on World AIDS Day, the National AIDS Memorial Quilt team works with hundreds of partners to arrange more than 1,000 in-person Quilt displays across the country at universities, places of worship, museums, businesses, and community centers to honor and remember loved ones lost to AIDS. This year, for health and safety reasons, that isn’t possible due to COVID-19. “World AIDS Day is taking on new meaning this year, as COVID-19 has brought an enormous loss of life and grief to millions of people,” said John Cunningham, Executive Director of the National AIDS Memorial. “During the darkest days of the

AIDS crisis, the Quilt was a source of immense comfort, inspiration, and used as a tool for social activism to open the eyes of the nation to injustice and to help survivors grieve and heal. Through this exhibition, we hope the power and beauty of the Quilt can serve that same purpose for those who are experiencing loss and grief due to COVID-19.” The virtual exhibition provides a unique way for individuals and organizations to host a display of the Quilt and be a part of this first-ever 50-state exhibition. Each display host

HONEY BEARS

will be able to feature a selection of beautiful Quilt blocks of their choice and curate a personalized display narrative that will accompany each display. The exhibition will be free to the public, officially launching on (continued on page 31)

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

SF LGBT Center Honey Bear Mural Photos by Mark Rhoades In June 2020, LGBT community leader and PR strategist Mark Rhoades contacted popular artist fnnch and suggested that he paint rainbow honey bears all over the Castro. Fnnch loved the idea, and added that he would like to honor Pride by painting one specific wall, with one dynamic focus: the SF LGBT Center. Rebecca Rolfe and Roberto Ordeñana of the Center approved the mural, which is dedicated to fnnch’s late gay uncle. Now Rhoades is taking photos of LGBT leaders, well-known artists, and others in order to support the Center. In this column the San Francisco Bay Times is featuring highlights from the colorful collection of images that will be exhibited at the Center for SF Pride 2021. For More Information Mark Rhoades PR https://www.markrhoadespr.com/ fnnch https://fnnch.com/ SF LGBT Center https://www.sfcenter.org/

James Woolley, Frameline 10

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Dana Oppenheim & Rachel Herbert, Park Restaurant Group

Joel Goodrich, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Getting Ready for 2021 their HVAC systems. Applications from campuses in low-income communities will be given first priority. The second component of AB 841 requires the California Public Utilities Commission to act on a backlog of applications for electric vehicle (EV) chargers by March 1. Ramping up EV charging station installations complements Governor Newsom’s recent executive order that bans the sale of new, gas-powered vehicles by 2035—a move I similarly pushed for two years ago to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and escalate our fight against global warming.

Assemblymember Phil Ting Like you, I am ready to put 2020 behind us. With President-elect Joe Biden and the Bay Area’s own Vice President-elect Kamala Harris set to take the White House, our country can finally shift in the right direction, starting with getting COVID-19 under control. I, too, am eager to get to work after my constituents entrusted me to serve a fifth term in the California State Assembly. I’ll build on what we accomplished this year, prioritizing the state’s economic recovery, our children’s education, housing/homelessness, the environment, and other pressing needs. I also want to make sure safety net programs continue to support struggling families during COVID-19. As I work on more proposals, many of my bills signed into law this past legislative session will take effect on January 1—most notably, AB 841, which will put people back to work in good-paying green jobs. In the age of the coronavirus, experts recommend increasing the air flow in classrooms to reduce its spread. This measure creates a grant program temporarily redirecting unspent energy efficiency funds to help public schools upgrade

In addition, I successfully made progress on criminal justice reform with AB 3234, which allows judges the option of placing first-time, misdemeanor offenders in diversion programs. A pilot program in Los Angeles County found communities are safer because program participants have lower recidivism rates when compared to those who were prosecuted. Additionally, L.A. County decreased the number of jury trials by more than 2,000 over a twoyear period, saving the courts $12,000 per day, per trial. The new year also assures Californians can continue to access syringes at pharmacies to help prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Without my bill, AB 2077, legal access to needles would have expired and likely diminished the strides made in reducing disease transmission. The last thing we need right now is another public health crisis brought on by COVID-19. On the pandemic front, I’m happy to report SB 932 by Senator Scott Wiener was signed into law, requiring healthcare providers to collect LGBTQ data when testing and treating patients for the coronavirus. I supported this bill because we don’t know if we’re addressing the unique needs of communities unless we account for more demographic characteristics. And as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, such numbers are critical to make sure we direct resources where they’re needed most. I can’t wait to be sworn in again next month. If you’d like to share any legislative or budget ideas with me, please attend my virtual town hall on Thursday, December 3, from 6 pm–7:30 pm. It will be livestreamed on my website: https://a19.asmdc.org/ Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City.

Let’s Give Affordable Housing Entities a Fair Shot at Residential Property Tax Auctions ment corporations. Wages for Black and Brown populations remain stagnant as the city becomes more gentrified, increasing the risk of eviction and housing insecurity. California is home to 12% of the nation’s population, but a disproportionate 22% of the nation’s homeless populations. The majority of Californian renters pay more than 30% of their income toward rent, and nearly 1.5 million households are paying more than 50% of their income toward rent.

Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan The Oakland City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting and requesting that the California State Legislature enact legislation that would support affordable housing by requiring that the affordable housing entities be given access to tax auction properties on the purchase of residential housing properties subject to tax auction. If the Legislature enacts this legislation, it would be an important move forward in the effort to support affordable housing in the state of California. We must do everything we can to promote the efficient creation of affordable housing. Homelessness increased 47% in Oakland since 2017, in part because of the soaring housing prices and real estate speculation by large invest-

The California Surplus Lands Act is an important tool for getting lands deemed no longer necessary for an agency’s use and making these lands available for affordable housing development. The Act provides that the local agency disposing of surplus land sends, prior to disposing of that property or participating in negotiations to dispose of that property with a prospective transferee, a written notice of availability to affordable housing entities. What we ask is that residential properties, which would be disposed of at tax auction, should be treated in a similar manner to Surplus Lands. New rules would be created governing residential properties that would use Surplus Lands as a model. As a result, a written notice of availability should be sent to all interested parties, including the affordable housing entities prior to the disposition of the property at tax auction. While the California Legislature’s 2019 expansion of the Surplus Lands Act was an important step forward to promoting affordable housing, the absence of a specific provision regarding the treatment of residential surplus lands prior to tax auction was an important omission. Let us continue to work towards preventing further displacement of our Oakland communities by urging our California State legislature for support in reclaiming residential housing, requiring that affordable housing entities be given right of first

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NOVEM BER 19, 2020

In Memoriam Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978

Grace Flannery passed away October 3, 2020, in Novato with her wife Glenda Humiston by her side. A longtime social activist and leadership coach, Grace was loved and admired by friends, family, and colleagues throughout the world. Her highly successful practice was built entirely on word-of-mouth as clients would share appreciation for the great skill and empathy Grace utilized to help them develop unlikely allies, successfully navigate serious challenges, and create equitable, impactful organizations.

Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

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 only newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco that is 100% owned and operated by LGBT individuals. Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

Beth Greene Michael Delgado Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence

She began her career in the physical sciences but her passion for fairness led her to shift her focus to the social justice arena, including civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace, and more. Grace founded her company Leading Spirit in 2001 to bring services to leaders in nonprofit and public benefit organizations. More recently, she also co-founded Quantum Culture, whose model of Power and Privilege represents a bold new approach to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. One of Grace’s greatest joys was to be reunited in 1999 with the daughter whom she had given up for adoption and to see her incorporated into the family. They formed a close and loving relationship that grew to include a grandson in 2009. In addition to her work as a Professional Certified Coach, Grace volunteered for many organizations. Of those she particularly found deep meaning and personal fulfillment working with birth mothers through the On Your Feet Foundation, which she recently helped to transform into MPower Alliance. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: www.mpoweralliance.org/inhonorofgrace Other options Grace supported include her work with the LGBTQ+ community through www.horizonsfoundation.org/make-gift-horizons-foundation/ or to Planned Parenthood: www.weareplannedparenthood.org/a/remembering-grace-flannery

Nikos Antony Diaman (1936–2020) Blogger, artist, and LGBTQ activist Nikos Antony Diaman died in Greece of complications from cancer on November 8, 2020, just a week after his 84th birthday on November 1. His cousin Nick Mamatas wrote via social media: “He was a family genealogist and very interested in Ikaria family history; he cleverly located me soon after I moved back to the Bay Area about ten years ago. He was a very friendly man and had the Greek habit of stopping by the office when I was at North Point just to say hi and hang out and grab a little lunch.”

J.H. Herren

Technology Director

Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews, Karen E. Bardsley, David Landis, Jan Wahl

Mamatas added, “He was also gay, a member of the GLF (Gay Liberation Front), and self-published several books back when it was hard to do so, and also all but necessary for queer writers to do so—his work primarily sold via the couple dozen gay bookstores that used to exist, and through mail order. He kept at it in recent years, and also traveled frequently to Greece, was working on a documentary about Stonewall, and was generally keeping busy and enjoying life. May his memory be eternal.” In addition to being an early member of GLF, longtime Bay Area resident Nikos was also a member of the Billy Club, the Gay and Lesbian Artists Alliance, the Radical Faeries, and other LGBTQ groups. Read from Nikos’ books at: https://tinyurl.com/y38fwqy3

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Deborah Svoboda, Devlin Shand, Kristopher Acevedo, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor

SF Sketch Randy Coleman

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Performer and Cockettes’ star Bambi Lake died of cancer on November 4, 2020. As John Purcell, and later Johnny Dancer, Lake studied theater at Canada Junior College and performed in Bay Area theatrical productions as well as prominent New York shows, including the original Broadway production of Oliver. Hitchhiking to San Francisco, Lake met pianist Peter Mintun, who brought Lake into The Cockettes, an avant garde theater group founded in 1969 by Hibiscus (George Edgerly Harris III). It was there that Lake, mentored by Hibiscus, developed her identity and found kindred spirits, including soon to be international music sensation Sylvester. Well-established in the Bay Area, Bambi also lived for a year in London, where she performed in the show The Enchanted Miracle and sang with the band V2. They toured Europe with The Stranglers, and additionally opened for acts in San Francisco. According to Robert Cochrane of CultureCatch, “She even spent a year in Berlin with Iggy Pop and David Bowie.” In 1996 she penned her autobiography The Unsinkable Bambi Lake. Nine years later, she released a solo album, My Glamorous Life as a Broadway Hostess, which contains a song that she has become well-known for: “The Golden Age of Hustlers.” Its lyrics touch on her own colorful, yet troubled, life: I saw the best bodies of my generation Sold, bartered, and destroyed By drugs and prostitution. Pretty queens on the corners and midnight cowboys in the doorways If you want it, Daddy, get it here. It’s a candy store In more ways than one. Golden girls and boys all must Like chimney sweepers come to dust. It’s hard to find someone you can trust Amidst the rhinestones and the rust. Bambi was featured in the 2015 award-winning documentary Sticks and Stones. Her final performance was at Cockettes Are Golden – A 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco on January 4 of this year and attended by Sister Dana Van Iquity of the San Francisco Bay Times, who gave it a rave review in the January 16th issue. Bambi is featured in numerous videos at YouTube, including a collection of glamorous photos of her taken by Ric Warren: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wYJG9g3Y5A

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.” © Randy Coleman, 2020

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.

Bambi Lake (1950–2020)

Grace Flannery (1951–2020)

Proudly Waving Flags for the Election Winners Photos by Devlin Shand American flags. Rainbow flags. Trans flags. Pride and joy were clearly expressed by many attending the very diverse Decision Day celebration during the afternoon and evening of Saturday, November 7. Announcement of the winning projection for the Biden/Harris Campaign was followed by a spontaneous outpouring of energy and relief at locations throughout the Bay Area. Thanks to Devlin Shand Photography for contributing this selection of images depicting much flag waving excitement!

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NOVEM BER 19, 2020

Fight or Flight: Can We Breathe Yet?

idiocy chronicled so dutifully by our everpresent, 24/7 news access. OK, hourly. “Breaking News!”

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation Dr. Tim Seelig This article is not about the election. We’ve all had enough of that for a while. This is more a reflection about where we are as individuals in the wake of the last four years. Countless friends have shared thoughts such as, “I feel like I can breathe again,” “I didn’t realize how bad my sleep patterns had become,” “I don’t wake up every day with a knot in my stomach and a sense of dread for what’s to come.” Thinking about these comments took me right back to my many decades of teaching Vocal Pedagogy, mostly to studies about stage fright! It’s a funny thing about performing, whether on stage in front of thousands, leading a Zoom meeting, singing, speaking, dancing, or waiting for a blind date. We all share anxiety in much the same way. Studies say one of the things people dread most is speaking in public, and that includes Zoom. There’s the whole other level of fear involved in singing in public. Well, that’s most people, not choir people. We miss the pre-performance anxiety more than you can know. Okay, maybe this is a teeny tiny bit about the election after all. What does this have to do with the here and now? Everything. For many of us, we have literally been in the fightor-flight mode for four years. This is massively unhealthy. Some of the time, we knew it. Much of the time it was simply lurking just below the surface waiting to be activated by daily

Maybe the actual fight-or-flight is not top of mind for you. It is a stress reaction that evolved out of the survival needs of our early ancestors living with the daily dangers of the time. When early man was being chased by a bear (and I don’t mean at the 440 bar and grill!), he had to decide to fight the bear, run from the bear, or freeze so the Pamela Stewart bear might not notice him. What does the body do? In response to acute stress, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is activated due to the sudden release of hormones. Most resources cite three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Some swap the third word, using fight, flight, freeze. Even the phrase “fake news” can trigger this response. OK, we all agree. Even without seeking a professional diagnosis, we got the disease. Let’s just be honest. 2020 sucked. A pandemic. Welldeserved societal upheaval with the murder of George Floyd. Trump. Fires and hurricanes. To list just a few. Hang on, 2020 is almost over. We only have six weeks left. There is little good that can be said about this year ... except for the fact that we get to look forward to the arrival of a brand-new cabinet. It’s been ordered from Amazon—they have everything! Delivery is delayed a little. There’s a little work to be done on it before it’s ready to ship. We truly did not know how bad the old cabinet was. Truly. The man who put the old one together

Joseph Martin

Jake Heggie

kept pointing and saying, “Hey look over there!” He took our attention away and sucked all the air out of the room while all kinds of horrible things were happening below deck as it were. But this is not about the election. Sorry, slipped. This is about the after part. Back to fight-or-flight. How do we manage it? We do it just as we would if being chased by the bear. Breathing deeply, with a slow and steady inhalation to exhalation ratio, signals our parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body down. Long, deep breaths can also manage our stress responses to help decrease anxiety, fear, racing thoughts, a rapid heartbeat, shallow chest breathing, clammy hands, dry mouth. There is also another telltale sign of this diagnosis: music. What music have you been listening to over the last four years? Has it changed? Have you gravitated toward fun, uplifting, inspiring, perky music on your playlist? Most have. We’ve avoided dark, depressing for the most part. For many of us, our journey with fight-orflight was made easier by music. It got us through some dark days. As a leader in performing arts during the 4 years, it has been difficult finding and choosing uplifting music. My colleagues and I had many conversations about the fact that we could absolutely not sing patriotic music. One of our ensembles, Homophonics, was invited by the SF Giants to do a virtual chorus video of the National Anthem. We hesitated. We eventually agreed, but only if we were allowed to scroll the names of our trans siblings who have been murdered. They said, “Yes.” It’s a new day. You can see it on YouTube. I’ve listened to a lot of music over the last four years. Songs that previously brought a “that’s nice” would suddenly dissolve me to tears! My response would be, “I didn’t see that coming!” I, much like you, have also held on to some music of the past. I’d like to share the texts from two magnificent pieces of music that I have revisited. Each has helped me through some dark times: “The Awakening” and “The Narrow Bridge.” I’ll not pontificate on either one, but rather will leave it for you to define them for yourselves. For the first one, Joseph M. Martin created both the text and music. For the second, librettist Pamela Stewart created the text, which was set to music by San Francisco’s most lauded opera composer, Jake Heggie.

The Awakening I dreamed a dream, a silent dream, of a land not far away. I dreamed a dream of a land where every song, both weak and strong, withered and died. No alleluia, not one hosanna, no song of love, no lullaby. No pipers played, no dancers twirled. I dreamed a dream a silent dream. Awake. Awake my soul and sing. The silence of the night has passed, a new day has begun. Let music never die in me, forever let my spirit sing. Wherever emptiness is found let there be joy and glorious sound. Let all our voices join as one to praise the giver of the song. Awake. Awake. Let Music Live.

The Narrow Bridge (excerpt) We’re standing on a narrow bridge, a span across a great divide It soars above a deep abyss, the very narrow bridge of life We cannot cross it on our own, or safely reach the other side unless we walk the bridge as one, step by step and stride for stride. At times we all will hesitate We may give out, give up, give in Without someone to offer hope, we would never rise again So wait for those who trail behind Lend a hand to all who fall and rescue others from the edge Carry those who can’t go on. And when we learn to walk as one, we find the bridge is wide enough There is enough for us to thrive, enough to reach the other side Enough respect and dignity, enough for you, enough for me There is enough love in supply for it to ever be denied.

I hope those sparked some reflection, maybe even joy! Back to the beginning. Can we breathe? Yes, we can. Can we sleep better? Absolutely. With one eye open maybe! We’re not out of the woods as long as much of our country stands so very far out of our own reality. Now, go back and choose two songs—any genre—that helped you through. And, get ready for live music to return, to a venue near you, sometime in 2021! It feels great to breathe! Feed the bear. Dr. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. 14

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PRC Mighty Real Gala 2020 Photos by Paul Margolis The annual Mighty Real Gala was held virtually for 2020 on Saturday evening, November 7. With San Francisco Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet serving as emcee, the event honored music legend Patti LaBelle, who performed an exclusive livestreamed concert. PRC’s Brett Andrews welcomed guests who enjoyed at home dinner and wine delivered from Absinthe Brasserie & Bar. Special guests included Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper, André Leon Talley, and Mayor London Breed. To learn more about the essential services provided by PRC, visit http://www.prcsf.org

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Donna’s Chronicles

By Donna Sachet

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” –Oprah Winfrey

RC’s annual Mighty Real Gala went virtual this year, pivoting with the times, as so many other organizations have, but delivering an exciting evening unlike any other! The legendary Patti LaBelle received the Sylvester Pillar Award and thrilled the viewing guests with three musical numbers accompanied by piano and two back-up singers. Fashion guru André Leon Talley introduced a sweeping retrospective of Ms. LaBelle’s illustrious, over four-decade career, complete with photos and videos of various performances. The star power continued with appearances by Mayor London Breed, Cyndi Lauper, and Whoopi Goldberg, all honoring Ms. LaBelle and expressing support for PRC. We were thrilled to emcee the evening, given the challenging, but important task of requesting donations throughout the evening. Yes, this pandemic has impacted many we know personally with reduction of or loss of income and it may be harder to look beyond individual needs, but organizations like PRC continue to provide essential services to those most in need and those demands have grown with the pandemic. Throughout, PRC has continued and increased its daily work, finding new ways to meet the needs of its over 5000 clients each year. Well, after a stirring video explaining the work of PRC, an inspiring speech by CEO Brett Andrews, and a frantic fund-in-need auction, those watching happily shared financial support at a variety of levels. The silent auction included a concise group of travel, food, and celebrity themed packages and premium ticket holders had dinner and wine delivered to their homes by Absinthe restaurant, recently reopened after months of closure. Once again, PRC and its top-notch technical team assembled a slick, professional program that lived up to the reputation of the agency, now enhanced by the association with such luminous musical talents. Thank you to all the sponsors, donors, and participants who made the evening a smashing success. Amid the many precautions of the day, but with careful planning, two of our LGBTQ Community’s favorites recently celebrated their birthdays surrounded by friends. Gary Rahlf, lovingly referred to as “The Queen,” gathered an intimate group of admirers in the 440 Castro parklet to enjoy munchies from The Cove, cocktails from 440, and camaraderie with each other. There was cake, laughter, testimonials, singing, and general mayhem, but all within the City’s safety guidelines. A few weeks later, Absolute Empress XXV Marlena perched upon a bench in the green space in front of what was once Marlena’s bar to greet a small invited group of friends to celebrate her birthday. Many spoke of the large parties once held to celebrate her birthday and that of Emperor Matthew Brown, born on the same date, who now resides in Palm Springs. This party was admittedly much smaller, but no less sincere, hosted by the Reigning Emperor William Bulkley and Reigning Empress Mimi Osa, with cake and champagne, singing, and lots of revelry. Despite so many changes in the way we currently go from day to day, creative minds find low-risk solutions and provide methods to stay in touch and to celebrate together. We encourage all our readers to remain vigilant, but to explore new ways of connecting safely. It is not our mission to write political opinions; the San Francisco Bay Times has many who write for this paper with much greater qualifications in that field. Nevertheless, we would be remiss if we did not at least acknowledge the national election of earlier this month. As the world becomes ever more connected, we are ever more cognizant of how precious our freedoms are in the United States. Flawed as our system may be, we see a continuous arc of improvement, as we struggle towards that “more perfect union” written about in the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. That struggle has never been easy and those leading the charge have the battle scars to prove it, but struggle we do. An essential part of the success of our democracy is our hard-won right to vote. How can it be that property owning males were the only ones allowed to participate in the election process when this nation began? Or that females only gained that right within the lifetimes of many current citizens? Without preaching from our soap box, we will admit to disappointment in election results several times in the past, questioning the very sanity of the electorate in the face of seemingly unassailable facts. This democracy, however, is based on the fair election process and, especially in our current predicament, we must allow that process to be completed. Votes must be verified and counted. Litigation must be reviewed and settled. And yes, perhaps, the Electoral College, gerrymandered districts, and other specific details of the process should be examined, but we must see the election of November 3 through to its just conclusion. Raucous celebrations, including those in the Castro, may have felt good, but when Inauguration Day comes in January, it will be time to unite as a nation and to move forward with an acknowledgement of our differences, but an understanding of the many concerns we all share. As many have said with many different words, when all is said and done, we have more in common than we have that separates us. Let’s get down to work! 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

Calendar

a/la Sachet Thursday, November 19 The Plunge: A Digital Drag Show Monthly digital event hosted by D’Arcy Drollinger & Snaxx Performers include Trixxie Carr, Holotta Tymes, Roma Holiday, Cash Monet 7 pm $10 www.twitch.tv/sfoasis Thursday, November 19 Glide Memorial Church virtual Holiday Jam India Arie, Joan Baez, Lisa Fischer, Goapele, Michael Franti, Tim Johnston, Ledisi, D’Wayne Wiggins, GLIDE Ensemble, Change Band Emceed by Renel Brooks-Moon 7 pm Free, donations encouraged https://bit.ly/3f4XmoQ Saturday, November 21 Babes Who Brunch Mercedez Munro & the Ladies of the House of Munro Beaux, 2344 Market Noon & 2 pm seatings https://bit.ly/3nv8cYm Wednesday, December 9 Donna Sachet’s Songs of the Season produced by Brian Kent Virtual cabaret of holiday music from local favorites Benefits PRC 7 pm www.prcsf.org Thursday, December 10 I Am Divine movie virtual group viewing Documentary about legendary entertainer Hosted by and benefiting Rainbow Honor Walk 7 pm $10 www.rainbowhonorwalk.org Saturday, December 12; Sunday, December 13 The Nutcracker Express, SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band Dance Along Nutcracker reimagined online Special guests, great music, comedy 7 pm Saturday, 11 am Sunday Free, $15 suggested donation www.sflgfb.org Thursday, December 24 (At) Home for the Holidays, SF Gay Men’s Chorus Legendary Xmas Eve concert goes virtual 5 pm Details coming soon www.sfgmc.org

As emcee of the PRC Mighty Real Gala 2020 on Saturday, November 7, Donna Sachet invited viewers to read the San Francisco Bay Times and check out the “Donna’s Chronicles” column in each issue. Thank you for doing so! PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 19, 2020

The Academy in the Castro: Your Home Away from Home

The Gay Gourmet David Landis During its many incarnations, the location that houses The Academy in the Castro has been: a clock shop, a leather bar, a sex club, and a restaurant, among other businesses. But now, the edifice at 2166 Market Street is something even more: a home away from home. You feel it the minute you walk into the dazzling 3-story club: it’s luxurious, design-forward, comfortable, welcoming, and artsy. In short, it’s what the Castro has needed for years. My husband and I have long lamented that since the demise of Mecca, there hasn’t been a premiere lounge in the Castro where you can relax, have a good cocktail with a plate of first-rate appetizers—and have a real conversation, especially outdoors in a magical garden. Now there is. It’s The Academy. The Academy bills itself as a “social club focused on promoting genuine social interactions, while offering engaging programming in collaboration with nonprofit organizations, local businesses and leading community members.” It’s all that—but oh, so much more. The Academy: Part of The Community Run since 2017 by cofounders Nate Bourg and Paul Miller, The Academy seeks to take a different approach to engaging

with the LGBTQ community. “One of the things that I thought was missing,” says Paul, a longtime Castro resident, “was a place to go that also had activities and things to do. As I got older, I realized there were incredible people making San Francisco cool. They needed a place to come together—not a leather bar or a twink bar or a community center. Everyone could come and unify. I ran Truck (a longtime gay bar in the Mission) and noticed how the needs of the community were changing. People went out with their friends and wanted to meet new people, not just for sexual hook-ups. I wanted to answer the question, ‘How does one engage with their community where I can walk up and talk to another person without pretense?’ I started rethinking the way we did things and reached out to Nate, because of his events experience.” Jokes Nate, “He roped me in and it’s now been three and a half years!” “We’re a membership club without being exclusive or snooty,” comments Paul. “Our business model isn’t based on consuming 9 drinks. We want you to come in, love the space, and enjoy it. You can come out, interact with people, and have a lovely time.” The Academy: The Experience The Gay Gourmet can attest to the “having a lovely time” part. My husband and I visited on two occasions—once by ourselves and once with a group of close friends (The Academy is ideal for small “pod” groups.) Reservations during COVID are a

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Photos courtesy of Leith Steel and David Landis

Nate Bourg and Paul Miller must, but you can easily do that online. After you arrive, you walk through the gorgeous indoor spaces to congregate outdoors in a beautifullylandscaped garden. (Indoors, currently not open, has three different spaces: a wine tasting room upstairs, a lounge on the main floor, and a speakeasy on the bottom floor.) Each reservation has its own outdoor space and you can reserve up to 6 guests in one space. The COVID protocols are re-assuring: from check-in to table service, the hand sanitizers, masks, and social distancing are prevalent throughout. I also appreciated that the wait staff let me take my own cocktail off the tray. The cocktail and wine menus are carefully curated: they’re not extensive, but they’re first-rate. I had a dry and light rosé sparkling wine on the first visit and a perfectly-balanced Tanqueray Negroni on the second; my husband deferred to the Provence-style still rosé wine on the first visit and then the house Manhattan the second time. To pair with the cocktails, we ordered a cheese and charcuterie plate both times. The food is supplied by Guerra Quality Meats, an Italian deli that has reigned supreme in the Sunset for more than 50 years. The aperitivo-style dishes offer up tasty mortadella with pistachios, Parmesan and Comté cheeses, and a supple and tender prosciutto, all accompanied with dried cranberries and nuts. The service is spoton and also welcoming—including when I complimented our waiter on his “nice arms!” The Academy operates differently than a normal bar or restaurant. It’s a membership model, but one that welcomes everyone. Nate explains, “Our memberships start at $125/ month, but we also have a $45/ month option for people outside the Bay Area. We have a scholarship program for those who can’t afford the dues, including people such as schoolteachers and artists.” Activities Take Center Stage The offerings at The Academy don’t start and end with cocktails and appetizers. As Paul describes, “We have several categories of activities. Academy Live includes some sort of performance: violin, piano, singing; Academy Forum is where a member of the community presents information, such as a neurosurgeon talking about Alzheimer’s; then we have Academy Home Room, classes devoted to such topics as LGBTQ history and culture presented in a way that you can learn about all the historical icons embedded in the sidewalk on Castro Street; and we oversee member-moderated clubs, such as a book club, a game night, and a hiking group. We also offer Academy Dines Out, where we pick one restaurant each month and go visit and dine there.” The Acad(continued on page 23)

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ChefsGiving 2020: Cooking for a Cause

Photos courtesy of Liam P. Mayclem

• 3 Michelin-starred Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn & Bar Crenn, who will be preparing Beef Tartare; • Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar Kitchen and star of her new show Tanya’s Kitchen Table on OWN, who will be baking Bacon & Cheese Biscuits; • Marcus Samuelson of Red Rooster NYNY, who will be whipping up a delicious version of Pumpkin Soup;

Liam’s LGBTQI List Liam P. Mayclem This year California saw the worst wildfires in our history, taking out hundreds of homes, business, and wineries; and there was devastating loss of life, too. As our beloved Wine Country in Napa and Sonoma burned, we were all asking: What can we do? Initially, all we could do was watch as the fires raged for days then weeks. With fire season now in the rear view, this resilient community is rebuilding and starting over once again. In 2017 I founded ChefsGiving, a community of chefs and hospitality industry people who came together in that initial time of need after that last massive fire season. Within weeks of the fires being extinguished, we launched a restaurant week and a ChefsGiving Gala and raised more than $750 000. The funds were given directly to those who lost their homes with support from our nonprofit partners Restaurants Care and the Tipping Point Emergency Relief Fund. ChefsGiving is back and this year, instead of a restaurant week and gala, we are launching a virtual cooking series featuring 30 chefs and star pals who are sharing their recipes in videotaped demos. Now for some name-dropping—the Chefs include:

• 4-time James Beard Award winner Andrew Zimmern, TV host of Bizarre Foods and more, who will be preparing a Rustic Spinach Soufflé;

Bacon-CheddarGreen Onion Biscuits INGREDIENTS 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 2 tbsp kosher salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese 2 slices bacon, chopped 2 green onions, white parts only, chopped Heavy cream for brushing

• Sammy “Red Rocker” Hagar, who will display his kitchen savvy with Spicy Salsa and a Red Saint Cocktail; • Crista Luedtke of Boon Cafe, Guerneville, who will be preparing Moroccan Carrots & Smoked Yoghurt; • and Ryan Scott of the Today show and Ryan Scott2Go, who will be putting together a seasonal Sourdough Bread Stuffing.

Chef Tanya Holland

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Chef Lisa Vega, Dandelion Chocolate

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda, and mix briefly on low speed just to combine.

Yours truly will also be in the mix, as I had the joy of making my mum’s Shepherd’s Pie with a French Twist along with celebrated French Chef Roland Passot.

ChefsGiving 2020 is a partnership with Dads That Cook and Big Jim BBQ. Our producers said they got involved for this reason: "We are so honored to be Co-Founding ChefsGiving 2020. First responders battling these horrific wildfires this year are near and dear to us as we have lived in California for 30 years. Their heroics are remarkable and commendable. We hope everyone joins us in our endeavor to raise $1M for ChefsGiving 2020.” Tis the season for cooking, sharing, and eating at home with family. This year things

3. Add the chilled butter and continue mixing on low speed until the butter is cut into pea-size pieces. Drizzle in the buttermilk and mix just until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into thirds. 4. In a small bowl, combine the cheddar, bacon and green onions. 5. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out one piece of dough to an 11x8 1/2” rectangle and sprinkle with the half of the cheddar mixture.

ChefsGiving 2020 Co-Founder Liam Mayclem with Chef Dominique Crenn

are a little different because our strength in numbers is limiting the number we share our Thanksgiving meal with. But we have you covered with 30 chefs and 30 recipes. You can add all of the dishes to your culinary arsenal for the holiday season. For example, don’t miss Jacques Pépin’s “Roasted Turkey, Stuffing & Gravy”—a classic in the inimitable style of the renowned chef. There is a minimum donation of $30 to access all the recipes, but feel free to donate more and know that every donation counts and every single dollar helps those most in need. The funds raised will be distributed to our nonprofit partners, Gary Sinise Foundation and Tiny Homes for Fire Survivors, with both supporting first responders and those affected by the 2020 wildfires.

ChefsGiving 2017 launch team and Chefs

It took a village of big-hearted chefs from across the country and around the Bay Area to make this happen. Big Jim BBQ, a dear friend and ChefsGiving founding chef, is always first in line to help. “It’s what we do,” he told me for the San Francisco Bay Times. “We feed people. We serve those in need and that brings us joy. It’s why we are in this business.”

6. Roll out another piece of dough to an 11x8 1/2” rectangle and layer on top of the dough with the cheddar mixture. Sprinkle the second layer of dough with the remaining cheddar mixture. 7. Roll out the dough layers to make a 12x10” rectangle. 8. Using a 2” biscuit cutter, stamp out 18 biscuits and set them on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops with cream. 9. Bake until just starting to turn golden but before the bottoms begin to brown, about 15 minutes. 10. Let cool slightly and serve warm. * To make ahead, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Reheat in toaster oven.

The chefs are indeed always the first to respond and donate time, food, and dinners to those in need. Even now, when they are facing their own challenges and hurdles with restaurant closures and COVID restrictions, they still showed up and said these words: “What can we do?” Please log on and sign up for the virtual cooking season of a lifetime with our favorite chefs and personalities. You’ll learn some useful new skills and delish recipes, and will benefit those in need at the same time. From the ChefsGiving team we say a heartfelt thank you! Sign up here: https://dadsthatcook.com/chefsgiving2020/ 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/

Chef Charlie Palmer with ChefsGiving Co-Founder Liam Mayclem

Bacon-Cheddar-Green Onion Biscuits by Chef Tanya Holland S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 19, 2020

You Can Help! Mission Food Hub Prepares for Thanksgiving Photos by Juan R. Davila More than 150 volunteers, including members of the San Francisco Bay Times team, are carrying out the work of the Mission Food Hub. At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mission Food Hub began by providing one grocery bag per week to 500 families. The number grew rapidly to more than 7000 families experiencing food inequity due to unemployment. We extend gratitude to Roberto Y. Hernández, who has welcomed the Bay Times to Carnaval and Mission Food Hub activities, including the recent Día de Los Muertos Ceremony on Monday, November 2. Help is needed for the Thanksgiving Food Drive that will provide a turkey dinner to Mission District residents. Help by making a donation at https://givebutter.com/6htzzm

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BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Closeted Teens Fake Date in Queer Irish Comedy

Film Gary M. Kramer Out gay writer/director David Freyne’s charming sophomore feature Dating Amber, now available on demand, is, the filmmaker said in a recent Zoom interview, “as autobiographical as I’m going to get.” He explained, “I wanted to make a film of my experiences of struggling with sexuality and coming out. Amber is a very pretentious teenager, funny and acerbic, and Eddie is sweet and kind. Eddie is so me, and Amber is the me I wanted to be. I would have liked the things she liked but didn’t have the confidence. I didn’t want Amber to be a manic pixie dream girl; she had her own dreams. It’s very much a two hander and about both of them.” His comedy, set in County Kildare, Ireland, in 1995, has Eddie (Fionn O’Shea from Handsome Devil) faking dating Amber (Lola Petticrew) because both are presumed to be queer by their classmates. They are both gay, of course, but it is not exactly easy for either of them to be out. Eddie agrees to the ruse because he is determined to suppress his samesex desires. He is training for the army, in part, because his father (Barry Ward) is in the military. He is also bullied and shamed by his classmates when he resists touching the breasts of Tracey (Emma Willis), a student he kisses under duress.

Freyne punctures masculine egos throughout Dating Amber because, he indicated, “We still live in hyper masculine world. Back then, it was such a lad culture. It felt incredibly suffocating to be around that, and not just for young gay men. I wanted to show how damaging that culture was for Eddie’s dad, who doesn’t know how to express himself because of that toxic masculine culture. I think masculinity is inherently funny and trying to be ‘manly’ and ‘male’—it’s such bs. Being macho is a joke, and really macho lads hate being made fun of.” The filmmaker concluded wistfully, “I was such a repressed teen,

and I tried to be manly, but how much of that is me, and how much is a hangover of that act? Had I grown up in a far more open society, would I be more camp now? When you spent 20 years so repressed, you can’t strip all that away from your behavior.” As Dating Amber shows, the scrawny Eddie’s efforts to act manly only increase his internalized homophobia. “That was the case for me,” Freyne admitted. “And that can be a hard thing to do with film, because you don’t have that inner monologue. Eddie has concerns, fears, and worries about being gay. He genuinely hopes to be straight. But Amber tells him, ‘It’s not other people, it’s you.’ We’re used to vicious bullies and the church, but within that, there is a far more complicated battle with your own internal self.” The film deftly captures the tension around sexuality palpably— thanks in no small part to the pitch-perfect turns by O’Shea and Petticrew. Freyne observed about his co-leads, “They have different struggles. Amber is more accepting but can’t fathom being gay in her hometown. Eddie just can’t fathom being gay.” The film generates much of its humor from the interactions between its queer teens. When Eddie invites Amber over to meet his parents, he tells her to “wear something girly.” She retorts, “I will if you won’t!” But their relationship is strongest when they sneak off to Dublin and go to a gay bar, where Amber meets Sarah (Lauryn Canny), a potential girlfriend. During another night in the city, at a gay club, Eddie has his first same-sex kiss. Freyne truthfully depicts teenage sexuality—gay and straight—in his poignant film. He explained, “It’s not going to be explicit, but it’s important that we don’t shy away from experiences. We see Eddie kissing [another guy] and Amber having sex, and bad hand jobs. They exist for teenagers. We saw the sweetness and warmth of those first queer experiences. They can be scary, but they are lovely and sweet. Eddie has a great first kiss and Amber has a lovely first time. It’s really quite beautiful.” As for the filmmaker’s own experience visiting a gay bar, he recalled, “It was really frightening. I wasn’t out. I was 16. I was going with someone who was gay, but I ‘wasn’t.’ It was scary. I was petrified of being seen by someone I knew. It wasn’t until later that I had the experience of finding my community.” What Dating Amber does best is show the importance of community for LGBTQ youth. Freyne wisely tells parallel stories of a young lesbian and a gay man becoming friends to find the strength they need as they struggle with coming out, particularly in the Irish countryside. The filmmaker acknowledged, “I’m in awe of people who stayed in the country and came out. They make the changes, not the queer kids who moved to the big city. I’m guilty that I didn’t do that, but you have to find your own path. This film is a love letter to those who came out and stayed.” © 2020 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

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ 22

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

KAMALA’S FAVORITE MARVEL MOMENT When asked, “What scene from a Marvel movie is the most meaningful to you and why?” Vice President-elect Kamala Harris mentioned this popular character:

A) Gamora B) Bombshell C) Ka-Zar D) Lady Lark

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ANSWER ON PAGE 28

Karin Jaffie, aka Kit/Kitty Tapata, won the title of Mr. Gay San Francisco in 2011 and has earned many other honors since. Connect with Jaffie via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ktapata

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Docs That Rock! Mae West

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Some of my favorite movies are fascinating documentaries. They educate, inspire, entertain. I can be taken to a new realm of knowledge, history can be opened up, and surprises are everywhere. When I was a teen, I saw The Sorrow and the Pity, Marcel Ophuls’ exploration of the collaboration of the Vichy government and Nazi Germany during World War II. From the resistance fighters to the collaborators, this detailed documentary sparked an interest in the film that remains disturbing and fascinating. I started a journey into others in this nonfiction genre and was rewarded, as I am to this day. There are filmmakers whom I will search out, with the help of Google and YouTube. Les Blank is an example, a quirky artist who has shed light on unusual subject matter. My favorite is Burden of Dreams (1982). In the jungles of Peru, director Werner Herzog is shooting his epic Fitzcarraldo. Blank takes us on a journey with a crew trying to carry a steamboat over mountains, with actors’ egos and an obsessed director who will stop at nothing to get his vision of perfection. Follow this

one up with Peter O’Toole as a mad director in 1980’s The Stuntman. If you still are considering a career in film after those two, I’ll pray for you.

Bombshell

Their names are Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. They have made some of the best documentaries around. Winners of two Oscars, five Emmys, and three Peabody Awards, they make documentaries from the LBGTQ community to music legends. I became a true fan when I saw one of the best ever made, 1995’s The Celluloid Closet. We travel on a 100-year history of gay and lesbian imagery in Hollywood. Lily Tomlin narrates the film that features archival footage, smart stars, and writer commentary ... no wonder many of us return to it at least once a year. Google these two fine filmmakers and watch all of their inspired work. She changed sexuality in film forever, with her impact still being felt. There was nobody like Mae West, an artist who broke barriers and had the courage to be authentic. American Masters produced a film as intriguing as the woman herself: Mae West: Dirty Blonde (2020). She amazed Broadway, then later Hollywood, as she tore the covers off conventional gender and sex roles and gave us a chance to laugh at sexuality Celluloid Closet

along the way. This important cultural figure believed women could not only enjoy their own humor and bodies, but also that they didn’t have to be punished for it. I have been obsessed with the divine Miss Mae from an early age and thought I knew all about her until I saw this informative and intelligent documentary. Do not miss it! Bombshell was the name of my number one Top Ten Film of 2019. It is also the title of a fine documentary from 2017: Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story. A movie star, you ask ... who cares? This woman has a story well worth telling and remembering. The Austrian beauty bravely ran from a Nazi industrialist husband to Hollywood, becoming the star we know. But under the glamour was a talented, inquisitive mind who was able to invent products and electronics. Some of her inventions include today’s frequency hopping, Bluetooth, and other important technology. Her beauty was not always an asset and it is hard not to feel she should’ve had a happier finale. The story is unusual and fulfilling on many levels, from science to art. Ken Burns has given us epic documentaries, often opening up this genre to many who would have missed it. Baseball, the Civil War, the Roosevelts, and our country’s parks are just a few of his topics. The one I devoured is Prohibition from 2011. The 18th Amendment and its era are carefully explored and explained, giving context and clearing up the rumors about gangsters and government. Some found it dry, but I was thrilled with the knowledge and period detail, finally understanding this American experiment. There are so many documentaries, providing us with a wonderful, entertaining chance to learn! Emmy Award-winner Jan Wahl is a renowned entertainment reporter, producer, and teacher. A member of the prestigious Directors Guild of America, she is regularly featured on KPIX television (every Monday morning starting at 6:15 am) and on KCBS AM & FM and other media outlets. To read and listen to her reviews for KCBS, go to: https://kcbsradio.radio.com/authors/jan-wahl For more info about her remarkable life and career: http://www.janwahl.com/ Check out her entertaining and informative videos at http://sfbaytimes.com/

LANDIS (continued from page 18) emy is available for private rentals—and even boasts an in-house barbershop, of all things! Diversity Is Part of The Mission Besides the idyllic garden setting, one of the things I liked most—which was a surprise— was seeing not just gay, white men, but also women and people of color both times. It’s true that The Academy is a welcoming space for all. Says Paul, “We are open to all communities. We want to get the word out. It’s more fun when it’s more diverse. We want this to be a nexus of different communities, where a Latino trans activist can sit down with a supervisor or business owner and meet up. We have a DEI committee to figure out how to do this right. The programming should reflect the overall community. We’re especially doing a lot of programming for women and communities of

color. We have been focusing on women in our ambassadors program, where we offer heavily or fully subsidized memberships to people of some renown in the community. We also have many female teachers in our Academy Home Room events and hope that will encourage women to feel like this is a space for them. Being open to diversity is not enough. What you have to be is proactive and seek out the inclusion and work at that.” Academy Legends Honor Community Heroes “Our next big event is Academy Legends on December 4,” continues Paul. “It’s an online community awards benefit. This year, we induct activist and drag queen Juanita MORE! to our Academy Legends Archive. She will contribute a personal artifact that represents the impact she has had on our community,

to be enshrined in our permanent collection. We also will present Manny Yekutiel (owner of Manny’s, a civic event space in the Mission) with our Architect Award, which honors someone who has improved our community by creating a new institution or by vastly improving a community institution that already exists. The Academy also soon will announce an Exemplar Award winner, showcasing what we’d like to see in the community; as well as the Diane Jones Solidarity Award winner (named after one of the nurses in the AIDS ward at San Francisco General Hospital) given to someone who binds us together.” The Academy garden is currently open (reservations required) for club members and their guests Thursday–Saturday evenings from 5–7 pm or 8–10 pm and Sunday from 2–4 pm or 5–7 pm.

The Future? What’s to come? According to Nate, “A daytime version of The Academy in 2021.” Stay tuned. Summarizes Nate, “Our members feel a sense of ownership and belonging: a place where they can be themselves. You can feel safe and very likely make a lot of new friends. It’s gratifying to see these new connections happen in real time.” https://academy-sf.com/ David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a PR executive. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF, on Twitter @david_landis, email him at: david@landispr.com or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

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NOVEM BER 19, 2020

BUTTONS, BIRDS & ANCESTORS

Poet in Residence Kit Kennedy

I think of leaves as buttons on tree branches. Some will lose their buttons feeding the soil beneath. Some will not. I think of our ancestors as threading us to time. I think of time as simultaneously looking backward & forward while striving to live in the present.

This is the season not only of eating but of talking turkey. Perhaps, carefully turning worn pages in a sepia photo album wondering who’s who. Excavating & navigating layer upon layer, seeking clues, healing, scrutinizing what was & is. Or simply a moment or two of lush laughter shared.

Remember, we share one ancestor: Mother Earth. What unifies makes us secure. Each petite kindness is a vote. Let’s affirm the songs of birds, orbs of ripening grapes, desire for judicious rain & universal hope: the giving of thanks.

Kit Kennedy is the Poet-in-Residence of the “San Francisco Bay Times” and at herchurch Ebenezer Lutheran ( http://www.herchurch.org/ ). She has published 5 poetry collections, and for the past several years she has hosted the poetry series at Gallery Café. For more information, please visit her blog: http://poetrybites.blogspot.com

Photographer Stacy Boorn Stacy Boorn’s work is featured at AWE Gallery http://stacy.awegallery.com/

Ida B. Wells Ancestors

Grapevine Fall Imprinted

Raindrop People

Feather Tree

Goldfinch S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 19, 2020

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Sister Dana sez, “Ding! Dong! The Witch is dead! And his evil flying monkeys will be fleeing from the White House!” Democratic activist Sarah McBride will become the nation’s first person who publicly identifies as transgender to serve as a state senator, after winning the November 3 election in Delaware. Congratulations to McBride, a former spokesperson for the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN. Her stunning win also makes her Delaware’s first out LGBTQ person elected to the state’s legislature. Big queer congratulations also go to Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones, two young progressive candidates from New York, who became the first two openly gay Black men elected to Congress after they were declared winners in their House races. Sister Dana sez, “Apparently our ‘Gay Agenda’ to achieve ‘World Domination’ is finally coming to reality. But don’t worry, heterosexuals, we will save a place for you at the table!” “In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted,” said President-elect Joe Biden. “Proving once again that democracy beats deep in the heart of America.” He concluded, “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.” DRAG OUT THE VOTE did an incredible job getting folx to the polls! DOTV’s national co-chairs set the blueprint for this program with their personal activism. Kudos to Brita Filter of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE Season 12, Jaremi Carey (also known as Phi Phi O’Hara) of Season 4 and All-Stars 2, and Marti G. Cummings, prominent drag performer, activist, and passionate organizer in NYC. Many thanks to so many other hardworking DQs who got people to sashay away to the voting booths! Sister Dana sez, “Since T-rump fired Mark Esper, Defense Secretary who opposed use of force on peaceful protesters, are the CIA and FBI next to go? Do we feel any safer?! Madness!” Patti LaBelle, Grammy Awardwinning music legend, was recipient of this year’s SYLVESTER COMMUNITY PILLAR AWARD. She joined PRC for an intimate evening of song and celebration, MIGHTY REAL, online on November 7. Meanwhile, just outside my door, the Castro was alive with music and speeches booming out to the masked crowd of celebrants of the mighty Biden/Harris triumph. I joined them after this show. Special guests made appearances for PRC. Mayor London Breed opened the show lauding PRC and its work. The mission of PRC (formerly POSITIVE RESOURCE CENTER) is to help people affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use, or mental health issues to better realize opportunities by providing integrated legal, social, and health services that address the broad range of social risk factors that impact wellness and limit potential. The fundraiser will provide 5,700 clients with service. Memoir writer André Leon Talley spoke of Patti’s incredible history—being in the first Black singing group, LaBelle, to perform at 26

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PRC CEO Brett Andrews spoke of the goal during the pandemic to “be even more inclusive with the commonality of our shared concerns.” He urged, “Let the fabulousness of this evening wash over you!” Believe me, it did! Board President Brian Schneider applauded the staff and volunteers, as well as the grateful clients. Whoopi Goldberg testified at what an awesome activist, sensational singer, and good friend Patti is to her. “She makes us all feel mighty real,” Whoopi gushed. Patti thanked PRC for this wonderful honor and said, “I feel like the angel Sylvester is looking down upon us!” It should be noted that the estate of Sylvester is thankfully a very large donor to PRC. Patti sang a special song to Sylvester, taking us all to church with his hit, “You Are My Friend.” Cyndi Lauper praised PRC and Sylvester while sending her love to LaBelle and introducing the chanteuse to belt out her classic “Lady Marmalade.” Patti sang those scandalous lyrics: “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?” But this nun also kinda felt that she was singing to me: “Hey sister, soul sister, go sister, flow sister!” This sister thanks you, Lady LaBelle, for absolutely everything! We animal lovers are overjoyed that POTUS Joe Biden and his FLOTUS, Jill, will bring a couple of canines with them to the White House. Even better: One of them will be the first shelter DOTUS in history! Sister Dana sez, “Trump was the first president in a century to NOT have a dog. That’s because he already had Giuliani!” Bye-bye Orange One! Wanna give The Rump a proper parody hilarious sendoff to the tune of “The Stars and Stripes Forever”? https://tinyurl.com/y3t673lj Alas the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY is canceling all live performances through June 30, 2021, because of the global pandemic. The cancellation officially puts an end to any in-performance music-making through the entire 2020–21 season, the first to feature Esa-Pekka Salonen as music director. Concerts for fall 2020 had been called off in June 2020. (continued on page 28)

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

By Sister Dana Van Iquity

The Met; her solo career launch in 1977 with “New Attitude” topping the charts; and her amazing civil rights activism. Talley introduced the headliner to bring us to tears with her stirring version of the gay anthem, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Donna Sachet, who has worked with PRC for over twenty years—as well as hosting the ever popular annual PRIDE BRUNCH with Gary Virginia—led the auction and fund-a-need portion of the production with grace and conviction (coaxing those dollars from donors).

In this throwback photo of December 10, 2019, Sister Dana and Sister Kitty led the blessing of the tree at the World Rainbow Fund’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony held at Grace Cathedral.

SISTER DANA (continued from page 26) TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE (TDOR) is November 20. In the United States alone, there have been 34 reported killings of transgender and genderexpansive individuals this year. Most of them were Black and Brown transgender women. Even these numbers likely understate the true count of those lost to anti-trans violence this year. Here is a resource to help honor this day: https://rb.gy/980oo1 RIP Bambi Lake, October 20, 1950–November 4, 2020. Bambi was an out loud and proud Trans chanteuse who wrote and sang big bold productions that drew us fans to her sometimes dark and sometimes lighthearted music. Join Mr. and Ms. GAPA ROYALTY at online Runway 2020, RISE OF THE IMMORTALS on November 21, 7 pm. It will celebrate Runway’s 33-year history and re-imagine Runway for years to come. GAPA

RUNWAY 2020 promises to capture the spirit, creativity, and pageantry of this annual celebration of the community. https://www.gapa.org/ Sister Dana sez, “We can win a Democratic Senate if Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both win their special elections in Georgia on January 5. Let’s start working towards these victories!” If you want to get involved in the GEORGIA SENATE RUNOFFS, there are regular phone-banking opportunities between now and the January 5 election. https://demvolctr.org/events/ The Biden transition team has named several LGBTQ people to oversee and review various public agencies—and transgender veteran Shawn Skelly has been tapped as part of the group that will evaluate the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

Out gay Latino Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia is reportedly toward the top of the list to fill the Senate seat being vacated by the Vice President-Elect. And the "Gay Agenda" keeps on rolling along! QUEER NIGHTLIFE FUND presented another fascinating Zoom panel on November 10, HOW DO YOU LIVE WITHOUT THE PARTY? This was a moderated public forum with two guest mental health professionals on the specific issues facing queer nightlife workers as well as the queer community at large. This was hosted by Angel of QNF with two psychologists from the Leather Community, Angelique L. Burke aka “Big Red” and International Mr. Leather 2017 Ralph Bruneau. Three topics specially stood out for me regarding Covid and SIP. Skin-hunger is the lack of touch or even a hug from another person. Screen fatigue comes from living our lives on nothing but

KIT’N KITTY’S QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 22) A) Gamora Harris told Chris Evans for a Herb Scribner piece in the Desert News: “I would say when Gamora reaches out to Nebula. Because my sister is very important to me and I know the power of sisterhood. I also know how sisters can fight but at the end come together as they did. It was touching at the end but each iteration of their relationship, seeing it develop, it was fun to watch and some of my favorite scenes.”

‘puter monitors and TV screens— hour after hour after hour. We considered an old 1989 movie I have loved for years, Longtime Companion— now available on Netflix. During the 1980s, a group of gay men and their straight female friend confront the spread of AIDS. Soon it becomes clear that a pandemic is underway in the gay community. So timely for this 2020 pandemic, the characters imagine what life might be if and when a vaccine is discovered, and life will return to normal. https://bit.ly/3ntBx5b After a 3-way tie runoff, SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE has its official 2021 theme: ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! OVERLOOKED LATINAS is a livestreamed delightful screwball RomComDrama written and performed by soloist Tina D’Elia perfectly performing over a dozen individuals during the McCarthy era.

watch yet another disastrous scene from the hospital ICU, see another disturbing chart, or listen to another despairing doctor. Mel and I have gone nowhere and seen no one since March, like you, I suppose. We get our groceries packed into our trunk and mask up for every furtive dash inside a store when we have no choice. Like, um, when we’re out of some essential commodity that we can’t get at the supermarket. Okay fine! When we’re out of gin.

“We need to stop that,” he said in what the press called a rambling speech. “I regret the deaths. I really do. But we’re all going to die someday. There’s no use fleeing reality. We have to stop being a country of fags ... . We have to face up to it and fight. I hate this faggot stuff.” He has also called Covid a “little flu,” and announced that his citizens were so strong they could bathe in raw sewage and “not catch a thing.” Must they? Boris Johnson, meanwhile, recently said he was “as fit as a butcher’s dog,” and will go through isolation even though he’s already had the virus. I add that tidbit, only because I was struck by the simile, which I had never encountered before. My research tells me the 19th century expression holds some ambiguity. Is a butcher’s dog really fit? Or is it overfed? Does the phrase reflect a situation where the dog gets scraps but never a chance to eat the actual meat? Something to chew on. Steam Me Up, Niki Oh, speaking of Covid, have you read about the owner of the Tikkun Holistic Spa in Santa Monica, Niki Schwarz, who stockpiled 20,000 N95 masks early in the pandemic for less than a dollar a mask and was selling them for $15 each? The astonishing greed of some people. Schwarz pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor back in October, which sounds to me as if she got off lightly. Her spa was made famous, I am reading, by Gwyneth Paltrow who “recommended its many vaginal steam services to Goop readers in 2015.” I’m not sure where I originally got that quote, so I can’t give you a source. Where have I been that I have never heard of vaginal steam services? Back in the 20th century perhaps. I can imagine them, of course, but I’m not sure I’d want to visit a public spa SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

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WORLD AIDS DAY 2020, “A National Conversation,” is online on December 1 from 10 am to 12 pm to bring together powerful voices from both AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics for an important conversation about health, justice, social activism, remembrance, hope, and resilience. Event is free. (Read more on page 10 of this issue.) https://www.aidsmemorial.org/wad2020 Sister Dana sez, “Thanksgiving is November 26. But I prefer to call it ‘THANKS-GAYING,’ because I Thank God I’m Gay: TGIG!”

ROSTOW (continued from page 7)

Unlike Trump, I’m not minimizing the pandemic, quite the reverse. It is my life for now, and has been for months. I gather Brazil’s loathsome homophobic president Jair Bolsonaro was fed up the other day, bemoaning the fact that “all anyone talks about these days is the pandemic.”

Characters include Angel trying to green-light a TV series of the same name, her wife, sperm donor gay Ramon Navarro, Dolores Del Rio, Lupe Velez, a male producer, and more. Everything wraps up with a surprise ending. http://therhino.org/

for such a treatment. Particularly a public spa run by a money-grubbing little mouse like this Niki person. What I also wonder, here, is just how “many” vaginal steam services might be available? “Many” sounds like there might be five or six different services, all centered around vaginas and steam. And yet, call me unimaginative (which no one ever has to my face), but I’m having a hard time coming up with more than two or three variations on the theme. I’ll have to do some research. Hard Times in the News Mill So, here’s the GLBT news in a nutshell. We won over 200 state and local races, which is great. At least I assume it’s good news, although for all I know there’s a clunker out there. Just because someone is GLBT does not mean they’ll be a fine representative or administrator, now does it? That said, I’m not going digging for bad apples. I choose to believe that our winners are all excellent human beings. Everyone expects Biden to reverse all the GLBT-friendly policies that Trump removed during his administration. The sooner the better. Too bad we can’t give Biden a single-sheet of paper that instantly annuls every single executive order of the last four years and cancels every Trumpian cabinet guideline. If we win the Senate, we can pass the Equality Act. If not, I don’t know. And we all expect the High Court to screw us over from now on every time they get a chance to balance religious expression with GLBT civil rights. Look, I promise to be better next time. I promise to find more international GLBT comings and goings, more court cases, more gay animals, maybe a few lesbians behaving badly, or conservative family men walking on the wild side. But then again, the holidays are right ahead. We’ve got the Hallmark movies, the same hated commercials we endured last year, the gift suggestions from the people that make automotive floor mats, a range of tried-andtrue bags of grist for our Christmas mill. Which reminds me! I can’t stand the car commercial with Pete Seeger singing “Hard Times in the Mill.” It’s too folksy; I have to turn the sound off. I also have to mute the ad with all the people saying “no” in different voices. I could go on, but fortunately for you, my time and space have come to an end. arostow@aol.com

Round About - All Over Town Season of Thanks Photos by Rink

Decorating for the holidays at Orphan Andy’s is underway.

Throw pillows featuring holiday designs are for sale at the Kenneth Wingard store in the Castro.

The leather jacket, in artist Serge Gay’s multi-image mural at Moby Dick bar on 18th Street, includes pictures of Harvey Milk, James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and more.

An angel figure is featured in the display window at Magic Johnson’s Out of the Closet store on Polk Street.

A mural by artist Jazz Fuller at the Flore café is part of the Castro Art Project.

Emulating the style of artist Keith Haring, a street sign outside Beaux bar on Market Street proclaims, “We will get through this.”

Katie Walsh’s mural paying tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is one of the welcome sights now on 18th Street.

Tanya Wishcerath created this mural honoring transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson. It is featured in a window at Spunk Salon on 19th Street.

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Among the happy customers enjoying ice cream at the newly opened location of Double Rainbow were husbands Phil Diers and Robert Meslinsky.

As Heard on the Street . . . What did you do when you heard that Biden-Harris won the presidential election? compiled by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

Frank Pietronigro “I went onto my deck and blew my conch shell, and felt a huge weight lifted off our shoulders.”

Sue Englander

Tab Buckner

“I breathed a sigh of relief but did not “I called my cousins in London celebrate. Their stale version of the and then headed out for the Castro Democratic Party will only result in the Street celebration.” collapse of the ‘safety net’ for the least of us.”

SHORTER (continued from page 6)

FISCHER (continued from page 6)

and now anchored and branded by white nationalist fervor is the battle now.

the Senate and have a prayer of a functioning government, otherwise we’re looking at 2 more years of gridlock, so give until it hurts and then some.

Pushing with all get out to raise and secure that blue wall in Georgia matters. 5 million plus voters in Georgia stand between the majority druthers of 72 million voters for Trumpism to be represented in the Senate, and 77 million mega majority votes for sanity. Getting out the vote—again—in Georgia in January is the new imperative. Whatever we can give, whatever we can do to help some keen organizing sisters to turn out the vote in Georgia, do it. Keep the lights burning bright and blue in Georgia. Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights and marriage equality. A Co-Founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

refusal on the purchase of residential housing properties subject to tax auction.

Board of Supervisors District 1: Connie Chan; Marjan Philhour kept it close, but ultimately lost by 0.36% after 6 rounds of ranked choice voting (RCV). District 3: Aaron Peskin (incumbent) District 5: Dean Preston (incumbent) District 7: Myrna Melgar should send “thank you” cards to the Supervisors who put Prop A on the ballot in 2002; without RCV she would have been out of the 1–2 runoff, having come in third in the first round of voting. District 9: Hillary Ronen (incumbent) District 11: Ahsha Safai (incumbent) Board of Education Jenny Lam (incumbent) Mark Sanchez (incumbent) Kevine Boggess Matt Alexander Shanell Williams (incumbent) Tom Temprano (incumbent) Aliya Chisti Alan Wong

We must preserve the historically rich culture and diversity in Oakland and ensure Oakland and California remain accessible to all socioeconomic levels.

BART Board, Districts 7 and 9

Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @ Kaplan4Oakland ( https://twitter.com/ Kaplan4Oakland ) and Facebook ( https:// www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/ ).

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.

AIDS QUILT (continued from page 10)

WORLD AIDS DAY (continued from page 10)

World AIDS Day at www.aidsmemorial.org/virtual2020

have disproportionately affected communities of color and the systemic barriers that compound poor health outcomes.

Displays will be categorized by state under the individual or organization host name and presented virtually as the first-ever 50-state exhibition of the Quilt. The exhibition will run through March 31, 2021.

• Activism that Sparks Change and Movements: A discussion with leaders whose actions have made a difference during both pandemics, demanding social and health justice.

“Even though nothing can replace seeing our beautiful Quilt in person, this virtual exhibition allows us to still share the Quilt and its stories just as we have done for past three decades around World AIDS Day,” said Gert McMullan, a Co-Founder of the Quilt and Quilt Conservator at the National AIDS Memorial. 2020 marks 40 years since the first cases of AIDS were reported in the United States, a pandemic that has led to nearly 700,000 lives lost, and still no cure four decades later. As our nation struggles through the COVID-19 pandemic, the horrific loss of life has surpassed 244,000 in a matter of months. The groundbreaking new virtual Quilt exhibit, part of World AIDS Day 2020–A National Conversation, will spotlight the interconnectedness of both pandemics and offer valuable insights as we prepare for the future.

Items of the week

Final Results of Local San Francisco Elections

Community College Board KAPLAN (continued from page 11)

http://sfbaytimes.com/

Lateefah Simon (incumbent) Bevan Dufty (incumbent)

The Monita Arc Lamp This tall LED arc floor lamp from the Monita collection by Lite Source embraces a slight, simple arc silhouette. Energy-efficient, this arc floor lamp provides 1870 lumens while using only 30 watts. This modern lamp operates from a foot switch in hi- and low-light settings. $200

Grizzly Cookware Nickel-Plated Cast Iron The heat retention of cast iron with the cleanability of enamel.

2020 has been a challenging year, but challenges high-

light the things we have to be grateful for. We are grateful for our staff, who pulled together to keep the store running and each other safe. We are grateful for our customers, who have faced their fears to come out and support us. We are grateful that voters showed up in record numbers across the country to make a change. We are grateful for the people in our community who have taken mask wearing seriously. For our annual tradition of giving back to our community we will once again be collecting toys to support Mission Station in their annual toy drive. We will be collecting toys until Dec. 18. We will also be holding our annual Give & Receive Fundraiser. Nov. 27–29 make a $5 or greater donation to Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy and we will give you 20% off your entire* purchase! (*Excludes appliances, power tools, ladders, Legos & labor.) May your holidays be safe, healthy and filled with love.

• A Look to the Future: Voices from two generations of leaders coming together to help shape the way a nation responds, heals, and remembers those lost to both pandemics. As the nation still struggles with both pandemics, the National AIDS Memorial will officially unveil its first-ever virtual exhibition of the AIDS Memorial Quilt on World AIDS Day that will feature more than 10,000 Quilt panels representing all 50 states and U.S. territories. The memorial is inviting interested panelmakers, individuals, and organizations to be part of this historic effort to use the power of the Quilt to help a nation heal and remember during these difficult times. Each year, World AIDS Day brings people together to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS, show their support for people living with HIV, and commemorate lives lost. The National AIDS Memorial is looked upon as the organization within the national landscape to remember, honor, and help ensure the stories of the AIDS pandemic are never forgotten. S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 19, 2020