Sarria to be posthumously honored at SF event

compiled by Cynthia Laird

Fresh off the news earlier this week that José Julio Sarria, a gay man and drag queen who left a lasting impact on politics and the LGBTQ community, was posthumously inducted into the California Hall of Fame, he will be honored at an event in San Francisco on the anniversary of his passing.

Sarria, who founded the Imperial Court System in 1965 and proclaimed himself Empress I, will be honored by Empress XLI Galilea and the Imperial Council Saturday, August 19, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Beaux SF, 2344 Market Street in San Francisco’s LGBTQ Castro neighborhood.

Sarria died August 19, 2013, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported. He was reportedly 90 at the time of his passing, though there is some discrepancy on his actual birthdate, with some records indicating it was December 13, 1922. The Online Archive of California says Sarria was born December 12, 1923.

Before starting the Imperial Council, a philanthropic drag organization, Sarria, a Latino World War II veteran, became the first known gay person to seek public office with his ultimately unsuccessful 1961 bid for a San Francisco Board of Supervisors seat.

On Monday, as the B.A.R. reported, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Sarria would be inducted into the California Hall of Fame in a virtual ceremony set for Tuesday, August 22. He will be named to the hall along with several other Golden State trailblazers in an all-posthumous class of inductees, the governor’s office noted in a news release.

The Empresses Tea at Beaux is a fundraising event for the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Imperial Council of San Francisco in 2025. A flyer stated that empresses/female titleholders are asked to wear hats for the annual tradition.

SF elections dept. seeks new sticker design

The ubiquitous “I voted” stickers that San Franciscans get when they cast or mail in their ballots are likely to have a new look. The San Francisco Department of Elections is having a sticker design contest and invites city residents to participate either by submitting their own design and/or helping choose the winner.

San Francisco residents ages 18 and over can submit their sticker design until Friday, September 22.

After evaluating design submissions, a five-member panel will nominate the finalists. Then, between October 10-17, San Franciscans can select their favorite design or choose to keep the current “I voted” sticker, a news release stated.

“We are looking forward to engaging with thousands of San Franciscans through this contest,” stated John Arntz, elections department director. “By hosting this contest, we hope to draw attention to elections and remind ev eryone to prepare for the presidential election cycle. I encourage anyone inter ested to spread the word, to submit a design, or to help choose the winner.”

The winning sticker will be issued to all San Francisco voters in the 2024 elections. The winner will receive $1,000. Second-place will receive $500, and third-place will receive $300, according to the release.

Next year, the department plans to host the “Future voter” sticker contest that will be open to local K-12 students, officials said.

For more information on the current contest, including all rules, go to sf.gov/ departments/department-elections.

SF Pride to hold ‘gratitude’ party

San Francisco Pride will hold its Gratitude party to thank volunteers and members Saturday, August 19, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lonestar Saloon, 1354 Harrison Street in the city’s South of Market neighborhood.

A news release stated that anyone over the age of 21 is welcome to attend. SF Pride members and volunteers will be granted free entry. For others who wish to attend, a suggested donation of $20 is requested, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Small bites will be provided by Concept Kitchen, and DJs Beverly Chills and Newoncé will be spinning beats.

LGBTQ task force unveils new website

The National LGBTQ Task Force, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, has unveiled a redesigned website with increased accessibility. The organization with a progressive bent was established in 1973 and is the oldest national political advocacy organization for the LGBTQ community, officials stated in a news release.

According to the release, the new design was conceived to offer visitors ways to become involved with the organization, the larger LGBTQ community, and the many issues advocated by the task force.

The site features updated brand colors and follows web content accessibility guidelines (level 2) for color contrast and enlarged font size. The new adjustment will also serve those with color blindness, the release noted.