Trans district kicks off history month

compiled by Cynthia Laird

The Transgender District and Opera Parallèle will kick off Transgender History Month with “Expansive 2023: A Showcase of Transgender and Nonbinary Classical Artists.” The shows takes place Thursday and Friday, August 3-4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Mayor London Breed will observe Transgender History Month by raising the trans flag at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Wednesday, August 2, at 11:30 a.m. on the Mayor’s Balcony, second floor, according to her office.

A news release from the trans district stated that “Expansive” will feature musical performances by award-winning classical singer Katherine Goforth; Detroit-based harpist and multidisciplinary artist Ahya Simone; and mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz, who will also incorporate aerial work into their performance, with accompaniment by Taylor Chan. Serving as host will be San Francisco’s own DIVAlicious Dreamgirl Afrika America.

Goforth recently served as the dramaturge of Opera Theater Oregon’s workshop of “Nu Nah-Hup: Sacajawea’s Story,” a new work that reimagines the story of Sacajawea, the release noted. She also received the True Voice Award from the Washington National Opera and the Career Advancement Award from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Women in Classical Music Symposium.

Simone is a multi-hyphenate harpist whose work in music and film is recognized across multiple institutions, the release stated. She was the first Black trans woman to receive a Knight Fellow at the Sundance Institute (2018), and her web series, “Femme Queen Chronicles,” screened at the 20th annual Allied Media Conference.

Printz is a multifaceted artist who combines opera with aerial perfor- mance. They first started training in aerial performance when they were a company resident at Opera Memphis. They recently made their debut with the San Francisco Symphony, performing their original act, “Meine Lippen sie Kussen so Heiss,” on the trapeze for its Holiday Gaieties concert.

The release stated that pay what you can tickets start at $10. For tickets and more information, go to https://tinyurl. com/yjwtkwkj.

Muttville senior dog adoption day

Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, the nonprofit that works to get older pooches adopted, will be having a community day Sunday, July 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the Walt Disney Family Museum, 104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio in San Francisco.

The event coincides with the museum’s latest exhibit, “Disney Cats & Dogs,” which explores the innovation of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animal-inspired animation and storytelling through the decades, and the massive