February 20, 2020 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

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Vol. 50 • No. 8 • February 20-26, 2020

Giant AIDS quilt display set for April in SF’s Golden Gate Park Jane Philomen Cleland

Mayor London Breed spoke at the San Francisco Pride kickoff media event at City Hall Tuesday.

SF Pride kicks off 50th celebration

by John Ferrannini

ayor London Breed, city officials, and members of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee kicked off festivities associated with the upcoming 50th San Francisco Pride parade with a City Hall media event February 18. About an hour later, protesters outside of City Hall carried signs accusing SF Pride of being “racist” and “anti-queer.” This year will be the 50th iteration of the celebration, which began in 1970 as a march on Polk Street and a “gay-in” in Golden Gate Park. The name of the event that commemorates the anniversary of the watershed Stonewall riots has changed over the years, eventually becoming Pride on its 25th anniversary in 1995. “As is tradition, the Dykes on Bikes will roar and lead the 275 contingents of the parade from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center,” new SF Pride Executive Director Fred Lopez said at the event. “As Harvey Milk said, ‘you gotta give ’em hope,’ and with your support at SF Pride, we always will.” This year’s parade is expected to have over 50,000 marchers and 1 million spectators, Lopez said. The theme is “Generations of Hope,” the culmination of a three-year “generations” theme intended to highlight Pride’s halfcentury. The 2018 theme was “Generations of Strength” and the 2019 theme was “Generations of Resistance.” Lopez also announced that KPIX-TV, which had been livestreaming the parade for the past two years, will also broadcast the event over the air this year. “Wear something cute and call your moms, because you’re going to be on TV,” Lopez said. Civic Center will once again host a festival Saturday and Sunday, becoming the home of “more than 20 community programs, stages, and venues,” Lopez added. SF Pride donated $203,000 to over 40 Bay Area nonprofits last year, and has donated more than $3 million since 1997, according to Lopez. Until March 10, voting for individual and organizational community grand marshals will be open on Pride’s website. Lopez did not have the names of performers at this year’s festivities ready to announce, but SF Pride is accepting submissions for its main stage. To accompany the festivities, an exhibit titled “Labor of Love: The Birth of San Francisco Pride 1970-80” will be open April 17 through January 2021 at the GLBT Historical Society Museum at 4127 18th Street in the Castro district. A few weeks later on May 7, another photography exhibit put on by the GLBT Historical Society and the San Francisco Arts See page 6 >>

by Cynthia Laird

Bob Lenzi, right, keeps track as volunteers Larry Wolfson, left, Beth Feingold, Matt Polsdorf, and Holly Branscombe unload AIDS Memorial Quilt panels before stacking on shelving at a San Leandro warehouse February 14.

s part of the activities for Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary, portions of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be displayed in San Francisco for three days in April. The quilt display will consist of 1,920 panels, approximately the same size and shape of the first major quilt display in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The quilt was last displayed in full in 1996 on the National Mall in D.C.

The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, organizers of the park’s sesquicentennial, and representatives of the National AIDS Memorial Grove, which now has stewardship of the quilt, made the announcement late Monday. A news conference was held Tuesday morning at a warehouse in San Leandro, where blocks of the quilt began arriving last week. See page 14 >> Rick Gerharter

Vets kicked out for being gay can upgrade their discharges by Matthew S. Bajko

arl Tebell finally received word in December that he had been granted an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy nearly 70 years after he was drummed out for being gay. He is still waiting to receive his newly issued DD 214 discharge paperwork in the mail so he can access medical care at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facility in San Francisco. “I was kind of relieved. It didn’t dawn on me what it meant to have an honorable discharge,” said Tebell, 87, who resides in a senior living facility in San Francisco. “This all happened 67 years ago. To wait this long took a toll. At one point I said, ‘To hell with it.’ I gave up and thought I was going to be stuck with this for the rest of my life.” Advocates for LGBT veterans estimate that roughly 114,000 U.S. service members were “involuntarily separated” from the military due to their sexual orientation between the end of World War II and the repeal in 2011 of the homophobic “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that barred LGBT people from serving openly in the military. While many of those veterans could likely qualify to correct or upgrade their discharges, just 8% had done so as of 2018, according to a report presented that April at a conference held at the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School. “If a service member was discharged solely because of their homosexuality or their sexual orientation then their discharge should be upgraded to honorable given there was no other misconduct,” said Robert M. Alexander, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who now works as the Equal Justice Works Fellow for Swords to Plowshares in San Francisco. “However, just because a service member had misconduct in their service record it does not necessarily mean they can’t get their discharge upgraded. It is a case-by-case basis.” Over the last seven decades Tebell had initially gotten nowhere when he attempted to upgrade his bad conduct discharge he received in late 1953, just months after the end of the Korean War. Tebell had joined the Navy earlier that year, leaving his hometown of Aurora, Illinois for training at

Rick Gerharter

Carl Tebell, who was drummed out of the Navy for being gay, recently had his bad conduct discharge upgraded to honorable.

the Navy Hospital Corps School in San Diego. But that fall a fellow classmate had turned Tebell and 14 other men in to Navy officials for being gay. Throughout October and November Tebell found himself in a living hell, ostracized from the other naval recruits in a separate barracks, ridiculed as a “faggot” and a “queer” by other sailors outside the base chow hall, and forced to eat food scraps for weeks on end. “They threw the leftovers in one big pan for us to eat,” recalled Tebell. “It wasn’t a prison but it was like a prison. We weren’t allowed to associate with other people.” Navy investigators tried to get Tebell to reveal the names of other gay men he knew in the service, but Tebell refused to do so. “They were after a witch hunt. I wouldn’t turn anyone else in,” recalled Tebell in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter at his home across the street from the historic Mission Dolores Basilica. “My paperwork said I had a bad conduct discharge. The worst part about it was I had to turn in my pea coat and Navy uniform that I had paid for.”

Upon his being released, Tebell called relatives who lived in Southern California, but unbeknownst to him, someone from the Navy had informed them he was being discharged due to his homosexuality. Tebell was told he wasn’t welcome at their home, so he called a friend who let him stay at his place in San Diego. “My last paycheck from the Navy was about $34,” said Tebell, who had successfully begged his aunt and uncle not to say anything to his father back in Illinois. (His mother at that point had already passed away; his father died in 1972.) The Navy did purchase Tebell a one-way train ticket on the California Zephyr for him to return to Illinois and move back home with his father. Because he was not honorably discharged, Tebell had difficulty finding work, as employers would always ask to see his discharge paperwork. “I lost out on a lot of nice jobs because of that,” noted Tebell. He ended up working in the psych ward of a Chicago hospital but disliked it and quit. A friend he had met at a gay bar who relocated to San Francisco invited him to come join him, so Tebell headed west in the winter of 1960. He befriended the late gay drag queen Jose Sarria and was arrested one night during a raid of the Black Cat gay bar where Sarria worked in North Beach. Eventually, Tebell became a merchant marine, traveling the world working as a butcher on passenger freight ships. He retired in 1985 and joined the Alexander Hamilton Post 448 of the American Legion for LGBT veterans. Through a fellow member he was introduced to Alexander with Swords to Plowshares in 2018 and sought to upgrade his discharge. “It took a hell of a time to get it. What good will it do me now? I am retired and have a good place to live,” said Tebell, though he has applied for a disability pension from the Navy as his personnel paperwork revealed he had injured his left hand during rifle training. “Bob got it done and I am very grateful for it. But it was a long haul to getting here.” See page 7 >>

<< Community News

t Wait for transcripts delays Rickleffs’ sentencing 2 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

by John Ferrannini

ames Rickleffs, a San Francisco man found guilty last March of murdering a gay man in 2012, will not be sentenced for at least two more months. Rickleffs, 53, had a hearing at the San Francisco Hall of Justice February 13. At that hearing, his new defense attorney, Marc Zilversmit, said he had only received a few hundred of an expected 3,000 pages of trial transcript he wants to review. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Gerardo Sandoval said he hopes Zilversmit is not using the transcripts as a delay tactic. “I expect you are working diligently to read what you already have and are not waiting for everything,” Sandoval said. Zilversmit, a private attorney who said he specializes in appellate law, said he is aware the family of the vic-

Courtesy SFPD

Convicted murderer James Rickleffs

tim in the case is “also very anxious.” “Whenever I get new transcripts, I drop what I’m doing,” Zilversmit said. Sandoval said that at a March 20 hearing he will pick a date for sentencing and potentially hear a motion for a new trial. Until then, Rickleffs will remain in custody at San Francisco County Jail.

Assistant District Attorney Julia Cervantes said that Sandoval will probably pick a sentencing date one month hence from the March 20 hearing. As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, a jury found Rickleffs guilty of murder on March 4 in the 2012 death of 28-year-old gay hairstylist Steven “Eriq” Escalon. He was also found guilty of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, and petty theft. Escalon’s mother, Esmeralda, travels from Fresno to San Francisco for every hearing. “I feel like if we show our presence it puts pressure on the judge to move forward,” Esmeralda Escalon said Thursday. Escalon’s friend, Roberto Tiscareno, said he comes to support Esmeralda and the family. “I feel like someone from the LGBT

community needs to stand up and support and not forget that this crime happened in our backyard,” Tiscareno said. “He was killed in Diamond Heights and they met in the Castro. We want to close this chapter, which started eight years ago.” Escalon and Rickleffs met the night before the murder, according to prosecutors, during “underwear night” at the Castro bar 440, located at 440 Castro Street. After going home with Escalon to his Diamond Heights apartment early on the morning of June 12, 2012, prosecutors said Rickleffs tied Escalon up, gagged him, and poured poppers on his face to immobilize him. Then he left Escalon’s apartment with a suitcase of items including a laptop, Escalon’s checkbook, and a bankcard of one of Escalon’s roommates. Escalon died of an overdose of amyl nitrates and gamma-hydroxy-

butyric acid, or GHB, according to the medical examiner’s report. Escalon was found dead by his roommates and Rickleffs was arrested September 12, 2012 in possession of the suitcase. During his trial, Deputy Public Defender Niki Solis argued that the death, though unfortunate, was the result of consensual BDSM sex and discussed Escalon’s alleged life in a gay fast-lane of drugs and BDSM sex, a defense Esmeralda Escalon said at the time was inappropriate and inaccurate. Jurors who spoke with the B.A.R. after the verdict agreed that Rickleffs didn’t necessarily intend to kill Escalon, but his reckless disregard for Escalon’s life during the robbery swayed them toward a murder conviction. “He walked out the door and left him to die,” one of the jurors told the B.A.R. “That was a substantial factor in his death.” t

Feinstein pledges to look into trans asylum case by John Ferrannini

n response to questions from the Bay Area Reporter, Senator Dianne Feinstein’s (D-California) of-

fice pledged February 19 to reach out to the attorney of the longestdetained trans woman in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

Join the BID to WIN! PUBLIC NOTICE: ACCESS TO CALTRANS UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING PROJECTS

California Senate Bill 1 (SB1) will provide $54 billion over the next 10 years for state and local transportation projects. This creates additional opportunities for all small businesses, including businesses owned by women, minorities, disabled veterans, LGBT, and other disadvantaged groups, to participate on public works projects with local and state transportation agencies. Now is the time to get involved. Visit Caltrans’ SB1 web site, www.rebuildingca.ca.gov, and learn more about planned improvements. Review Caltrans’ online “look ahead” reports of upcoming construction and architectural and engineering contracts to identify potential opportunities for your business. Attend contract-specific outreach events, that include pre-bid meetings and pre-proposal conferences, and meet with prospective bidders/proposers. Learn about Caltrans contracting requirements at a free training or workshop.

Kelly Gonzalez Aguilar, 23, has been in ICE custody for two and a half years and is currently in Aurora, Colorado. “Senator Feinstein’s staff is reaching out to see if they can help,” spokesman Tom Mentzer wrote in an email to the B.A.R. Wednesday. The news came a week after about three-dozen people gathered at United Nations Plaza in downtown San Francisco February 12 for a news conference where activists asked that Gonzalez Aguilar be freed from ICE custody. The news conference also urged elected officials to put pressure on ICE to release her. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) has already inquired with ICE, and Senator Kamala Harris (D-California) is working on the issue, but at the time the group had received no similar commitment from Feinstein, according to Jessica Lehman, who, with her partner, Lee Staub, said she is willing to be Gonzalez Aguilar’s sponsor. Yessica Gonzalez of the TransLatin@ Coalition, a nonbinary person who helped put on the rally, said they got involved in the matter after the coalition was contacted by Gonzalez Aguilar’s attorneys at the National Immigrant Justice Coalition. While Gonzalez doesn’t know Gonzalez Aguilar personally, they hope to call attention to transgender women who are suffering. “One of our main issues is to highlight the horrifying things go-

John Ferrannini

Yessica Gonzalez of the TransLatin@ Coalition, left, spoke at a rally at United Nations Plaza in San Francisco February 12 urging federal immigration authorities release Kelly Gonzalez Aguilar from ICE custody. Honey Mahogany, an aide to District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, looked on.

ing on in detention centers to our family members and friends,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez Aguilar experienced beatings and psychological abuse in her childhood in Honduras because she acted effeminate, according to Miché Pulido, policy director for the TransLatin@ Coalition. “She was clearly trans from an early age,” Pulido said. “When she was 12, she ended up in Mexico, where she was a victim of sex trafficking and labor trafficking.” By the time she was 17, Gonzalez Aguilar had made it to the United

States, where she was placed into custody – but then released, pending a hearing on her asylum claim. “She found an attorney but they didn’t let her know the important dates of her asylum case,” Pulido said. “While it was pending, she was arrested and has not been released for two and a half years.” Gonzalez Aguilar was initially put in solitary confinement because of her identity as a transgender woman. She has been transferred three times and is now in Aurora, Pulido said. See page 11 >>

Caltrans needs your help to repair and rebuild California’s transportation system. We are looking for qualified contractors, consultants, suppliers, truckers, and service providers to help fix our roads, freeways, and bridges. Construction look-ahead report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/ contractor_info/12_month_Advertising_Schedule.pdf Architectural and Engineering look-ahead report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dpac/ae/doc/ lookahead.pdf

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bout 15 activists held a “People’s Coffee” Friday, February 14, outside the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus building on Valencia Street as people entered to attend a fundraising breakfast for Democratic presi-

Rick Gerharter

dential candidate Pete Buttigieg. Organized by Queers Against Pete, the group noted on fliers that were handed out that Buttigieg opposes Medicare for All and universal free public college, among other issues.

<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

Volume 50, Number 8 February 20-26, 2020 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • John Ferrannini CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Roger Brigham • Brian Bromberger Victoria A. Brownworth • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani • Dan Renzi Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota Bob Roehr • Gregg Shapiro • Gwendolyn Smith Sari Staver • Tony Taylor • Charlie Wagner Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Jose Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd • Jo-Lynn Otto Rich Stadtmiller • Kelly Sullivan • Fred Rowe Steven Underhil • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small Bogitini VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937 NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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SF DCCC recommendations

he San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee is the governing body of the local Democratic Party as defined in California’s Government Code and Elections Code. The DCCC is comprised of local Democrats elected by voters in each Assembly District, as well as partisan-level Democratic elected officials and nominees who serve as ex officio officers. Voters in San Francisco’s two Assembly districts – the 17th and 19th – get to vote for up to 14 and 10 people, respectively. In recent years, many of the candidates have been elected officials, because they can raise unlimited funds to use to their advantage. This rush for dollars and influence tends to crowd out grassroots activists (the future talent of the party) because they lack the name recognition and financing to match what elected officials have at their disposal. We debated quite a bit as to whether we should make endorsements in these races at all. In our questionnaire to the DCCC candidates, we asked, “Why should elected officeholders run for DCCC when they have full schedules and the committee has traditionally been a springboard for non-elected people to gain experience, particularly now that there are term limits for most offices?” One AD 19 candidate, queer BART board member Janice Li, provided an answer that made us reconsider. “That’s a really fair question, and if elected in this role, I would be open to push for reform to rethink what the purpose of DCCC is and what the representation should look like,” she wrote. “I do think that ‘full schedules’ can

Steven Underhill

San Francisco DCCC candidates Bevan Dufty, left, and Janice Li

be unfairly limiting. One could argue that parents with children are ‘too busy’ to engage in politics. In a lot of ways, politics systematically excludes parents, students, wage workers, etc. and others with ‘full schedules.’ So I would want to be mindful that we don’t create the same stereotypes about who can/can’t be committed to serving on DCCC.” Li brought up a couple of interesting points. One, that the local party should examine reforming the membership. Perhaps ex officio seats might be reserved for San Francisco elected officials, such as members of the Board of Supervisors, school board, and community college board – each board is represented by DCCC candidates on the March 3 ballot. In this way, seats could be freed up for grassroots candidates, which is critical for the party’s future. Another point that Li

raised is also valid: namely, only candidates can decide whether they have the requisite time to abide by attendance rules to serve on the DCCC if they are also elected to another position. Ultimately, we chose to make recommendations of elected and non-elected candidates for the DCCC. We did not select the maximum number of candidates, and we did skew heavily toward qualified LGBTQ people, though there are some straight allies as well. All of the candidates we picked completed our questionnaire, which is the first step in our endorsement process. We want to give a shout-out to SF Democratic Party Chair David Campos, a gay man who has really worked to make the local party proactive and inclusive. During his tenure, he has implemented programs like the San Francisco call office for Democratic candidates during the 2018 midterms, which was unprecedented – and successful, helping to flip red congressional seats to blue. He recently told us that he’d like to be reelected party chair; we’d encourage the successful DCCC candidates to support him in April when they choose officers. In Assembly District 17, we endorsed Steven Buss, David Campos, Mike Chen, Bevan Dufty, Tyra Fennell, Peter Gallotta, Shaun Haines, Frances Hsieh, Austin Hunter, Rafael Mandelman, Honey Mahogany, Carole Migden, Victor Olivieri, and Shanell Williams. In Assembly District 19, we endorsed Keith Baraka, Janice Li, Suzy Loftus, Mary Jung, Faauuga Moliga, Jane Natoli, Nadia Rahman, Mawuli Tugbenyoh, and Cynthia “Cyn” Wang. t

Reelect Pelosi and congressional Dems D

emocratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco in Congress, will almost certainly be reelected. Simply put, she is an extraordinary leader. And while some on the left disdain her as insufficiently progressive, we believe she has earned another term in the House of Representatives. She is the most powerful politician in the country, except for the president and vice president. She is one of the few who can go toe to toe with President Donald Trump – and he knows it. That is reason enough to keep her in Washington, D.C. On impeachment, Pelosi was masterful even as she and others knew that Trump would be acquitted in the Senate. Her skillful handling of the House impeachment inquiry and hearing led to two articles of impeachment being approved in the House. Crucially, she let the impeachment inquiry proceed despite her own misgivings; it’s what millions of people demanded. Trump is now the third U.S. president to be impeached, and he cannot change the biggest blight on his record full of lies, falsehoods, racist comments, and incompetence. Pelosi is running in a safe district. Her opponents are little known and lack the support to

Rick Gerharter

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

mount a credible challenge – one already dropped out. Of more importance to her is that House Democrats maintain the majority they won in 2018, which made her speaker. That resulted in all House committees being chaired by Democrats, including those that dealt with impeachment. We all saw how hamstrung the Republican-led House was during the first two

years of Trump’s presidency (the Senate, still in Republican control, remains so for Democrats) when Democrats, because they were in the minority, couldn’t even get hearings on topics that would expose the corruption of Trump and his administration. A consequence of the 2018 midterm elections was that, for the first time since taking office, Trump was held accountable for his crimes – although with limited effect. Their majority allowed House Democrats to hold hearings and pass legislation, such as the Equality Act, which had been bottled up in GOP-led committees for years. The Bay Area’s congressional delegation is a well of support for Pelosi and for LGBT equality. We continue to support Democratic incumbents, none of whom have serious opposition. Jared Huffman, District 2; John Garamendi, District 3; Mike Thompson, District 5; Josh Harder, District 10; Mark DeSaulnier, District 11; Eric Swalwell, District 15; Ro Khanna, District 17; Anna Eshoo, District 18; and Zoe Lofgren, District 19, can all be counted on in a Democraticcontrolled House. If you live in one of the See page 14 >>

Eggman, Laird for CA Senate; Low, Lee for Assembly

ext month, voters in San Joaquin County and the surrounding area, and those in Santa Cruz County and the neighboring regions have an opportunity to send two experienced out lawmakers to Sacramento. We endorse Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, a lesbian, in the District 5 Senate race, and former Assemblyman and state cabinet secretary John Laird, a gay man, in the District 17 Senate race. Eggman seems to have the tougher of the two races. One of her opponents, Democratic Modesto City Councilman Mani Grewal, a straight man, angered LGBT advocates and officials last year for peddling homophobic and inaccurate attacks against Senate Bill 145. The bill, which was written by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), did not pass last year – he’s continuing to fight for passage of it this year. The legislation is aimed to ensure LGBT adolescents are treated the same as their heterosexual peers when faced with the possibility of being listed on the state’s sex

Courtesy Eggman and Laird campaigns

State Senate candidates Susan Talamantes Eggman, left, and John Laird

offender registry. While Grewal did eventually remove an online ad laden with homophobic and inaccurate information about the bill, he never did apologize for it. Governor Gavin Newsom has endorsed Eggman, who is a strong advocate for our community. In the state Senate, Eggman will fight to protect the district’s water, stand up for veterans and work to bring educational opportunities to the Central Valley. She is also

an advocate of regional solutions to problems such as transportation and housing. We need her to keep working in Sacramento. Closer to home, Laird would be an excellent addition to the state Senate. He was one of the first two gay men elected to the Assembly in 2002. He was reelected twice before being termed out. Former Governor Jerry Brown appointed Laird as California’s secretary for natural resources, where he served until Brown was termed out after eight years in office. That role, as Laird notes on his campaign site, placed him on the front lines in the effort to fight and adapt to climate change. He ran a state agency with 25 departments, 19,000 employees, and an almost $10 billion budget and says that he’s running for state Senate to build on his leadership to protect and invest in the Central Coast and California. His other priorities are health care, education, the economy, and housing. Voters in the 17th Senate District would be charting a course for the future with Laird in the Capitol. See page 14 >>

Politics >>

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

Gay Sacto Councilman Hansen seeks third term

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

family law specialist* • Divorce w/emphasis on Real Estate & Business Divisions • Domestic Partnerships, Support & Custody • Probate and Wills

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ver the last year gay Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen has found himself responding to several controversies that sparked ire within the state capital’s LGBT community. Last June, he mediated a deal between the organizers of his city’s annual Pride parade and its police department that overturned an initial ban against officers marching in their uniforms. And in the fall he pledged to help Broadway Sacramento find a different naming sponsor for its downtown theater if it cut ties with Dignity Health. Evan Minton, a transgender man who is suing the Catholic health care provider for denying him a hysterectomy two days prior to the surgery, and other LGBT community members successfully called on the theater group to rescind the naming-rights deal after it was announced. “I think Dignity Health needs to change its policies,” Hansen, who has long been friends with Minton, told the Bay Area Reporter this month. “I grew up Catholic. I know they are trying to hold to a certain Catholic ideology. But when you are under the knife for surgery, you don’t expect the doctor to pull the plug at the last minute because you are different.” As his city’s only LGBT city council member – in 2012 he became the first out person to win election to the council – Hansen has made addressing issues of concern within the LGBT community a high priority. He fought to get funding so Sacramento’s LGBT Community Center, which puts on the annual Pride festivities, could buy its new permanent home. Hansen, 40, has also championed the affordable housing development for LGBT seniors called Lavender Courtyard. He fought to secure city funding for the 53-unit project being overseen by Mutual Housing California, which is close to having the financing it needs to start construction. He hopes to continue to be a voice for the LGBT community at City Hall through 2024, as Hansen is seeking a third four-year term on the March 3 primary ballot. Hansen told the B.A.R. that if he is elected again to his District 4 council seat then he will continue to be the lone LGBT council member, as he is the only out candidate running for one of four council seats this year. “If I lose, we lose our represen-

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DISPLAY OBITUARIES & IN MEMORIAMS Courtesy Hansen campaign

Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen is seeking reelection in March.

tation. And as we know, representation is power,” noted Hansen, who last summer announced he and his partner, Michael McNulty, had legally adopted their son, Henry Benjamin Hansen McNulty. “Who gets called in the middle of the night if there is a hate crime against an LGBT person? Who is going to make sure the police and other agencies take it seriously?” He is being challenged this year by environmental policy adviser Katie Valenzuela, 34, who has made rising rents and home prices in Sacramento a main focus of her campaign. She secured the endorsement of the local Democratic Party and a number of local Democratic clubs. She is the policy and political director for the California Environmental Justice Alliance and serves on the incorporating board of the Sacramento Community Land Trust. “We are experiencing unprecedented housing prices and an unacceptable number of our neighbors are homeless,” notes Valenzuela on her campaign site. “We also have opportunities to lead on climate and help our small businesses thrive, and get more people engaged in local policies and budgets. I’m running because I think this is the right time for Sacramento to show that it is possible to preserve our communities while creating opportunities for everyone to thrive.” Backing Hansen is Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and most of his fellow council colleagues in addition to a host of other local elected leaders. Last week, the Sacramento Bee’s editorial board came out with a strong

endorsement for Hansen, arguing he “gets things done for District 4, and for the city as a whole.” In response to criticisms that he hasn’t done enough to address rising housing costs in his district centered in Sacramento’s downtown or in the city as a whole, Hansen points to the Tenant Protection and Relief Act he helped craft and get passed last year. It limited how much landlords can raise rents each year and placed restrictions on their ability to evict tenants, while also establishing a process for how tenants can fight excessive rent increases or wrongful evictions. “There is no one on the council who has championed affordable housing like I have,” said Hansen. “The biggest thing I am working on, honestly, is homelessness. It is a crisis in Sacramento like in other places.” He hopes voters will give him another four years to continue addressing a host of issues such as housing, transit, and climate change. “We are making a lot of progress and we need to make sure we don’t turn back. We have to keep moving forward,” said Hansen. t

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Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion, returns Monday, February 24. Keep abreast of the latest LGBT political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes. Got a tip on LGBT politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 8298836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

Letters >> Article gives insight into Milk

Your article, “Naval records indicate SF library’s Milk discharge paperwork a fake” [February 13], actually gives me an insight as to why Harvey Milk became such a forceful advocate for LGBT rights: He was a victim of a 1950s version of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I personally knew Milk and am glad I have lived to an era when our rights have some legal protection. Thanks to Dan White, Milk did not live for that day. Arlo Hale Smith San Francisco

Saddened by bathhouse news

I was saddened to read in a recent Bay Area Reporter that gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman has

introduced legislation to reinstate the opening of bathhouses in San Francisco [“Gay bathhouses could one day return to San Francisco,” February 6]. As a former volunteer in the Shanti Project at the time, I remember the horror of seeing many of our gay men die of AIDS after attending those places. It took quite awhile to close the bathhouses, but where money is involved, people do strange things. This is a request not to reopen the bathhouses in your city. Being gay in California, at least, is now considered normal, and it would be a shame to see all that death reintroduced. It’s not like there is no place to be gay in your city. Mary Richards Cathedral City, California

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<< Election 2020

t Gay SF Dem Party chair Campos seeks reelection 6 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

by Matthew S. Bajko

ince becoming chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party in the summer of 2017, gay former District 9 Supervisor David Campos has worked to funnel the passions of local party members into achieving tangible electoral results at both the state and federal levels. In 2018, for instance, Campos worked with then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to set up a volunteer center in the heart of the LGBT Castro district where Democrats could make phone calls on behalf of the party’s candidates running to flip seven congressional districts throughout California. It marked the first time that the local Democratic Party had mounted such a coordinated campaign, and with volunteer turnout surpassing initial expectations, the scope was broadened to include 12 House races outside California. “Sixteen of those districts flipped from red to blue,” noted Campos. Those victories were part of a Democratic wave that saw Pelosi return as House speaker when Congress reconvened in 2019. Last year also saw the California Democratic Party host its state convention in San Francisco for the first time in more than two decades, which Campos noted he had “pushed very hard for” in his capacity as the local party chair. Now, Campos is running for reelection to his seat on the Democratic County Central Committee on the March 3 primary ballot. And should he win another four-year term on what is commonly called the D-triple-C, Campos plans to seek reelection as chair of the local party in April. “I would be honored if that was the case, to be reelected to the DCCC, and I would be honored to continue to serve in the party chair role,” Campos told the Bay Area Reporter. Should he do so, Campos intends to open a volunteer center this fall with an eye toward ensuring the 16 freshmen House Democrats the local party helped elect two years ago win second terms this fall. It will be part of the San Francisco Democratic Party’s efforts to help the national party maintain control of the House, take back the U.S. Senate, and oust President Donald Trump from the White House. “The main thing is this: I have tried to be a chair that unifies peo-

Pride

From page 1

Commission titled “50 Years of Pride” will be open in the North Light Court at City Hall. Pride board of directors President Carolyn Wysinger said that Pride has to be different now than it was at its origin, and will continue to change in this landmark year. “There is more that is required of us, not just as a board but our supporting agencies, our supporting organizations and our supporting officials,” Wysinger said. “Our organizational needs aren’t the same as they were in 1970 and neither are the needs of the communities we represent.”

Civic leaders praise LGBT progress

Tuesday’s City Hall event began with a performance from the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band (the city’s official band), playing its signature “California, Here I Come” before remarks from Breed, who thanked members of SF Pride board of directors, and Lopez. “I get really excited because

Rick Gerharter

David Campos, left, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, and then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi gave victory cheer as the Democratic Party opened its headquarters for the November 2018 midterm elections.

ple and brings Democrats together around a common purpose,” said Campos, a deputy county executive for Santa Clara County. “This is arguably the most important election in our lifetime for sure and maybe in the modern history of the country.” But first he needs to win his DCCC race next month. Campos is running as part of the Social Justice Democrats Slate for the DCCC’s 24 elected seats. They are split between the city’s two state Assembly seats, with 14 DCCC members chosen by Democratic voters in the 17th Assembly District and the other 10 by Democratic voters in the 19th Assembly District. (For more about the candidates in the AD 19 DCCC race, see the accompanying story on page 7.) Campos is seeking one of the AD 17 DCCC seats on the same slate as his former supervisor colleagues Jane Kim (District 6), Sophie Maxwell (D10), John Avalos (D11), and Bevan Dufty (D8), a gay father who is now an elected member of the BART board. Current Supervisors Matt Haney (D6), Hillary Ronen (D9), Shamann Walton (D10), and Rafael Mandelman (D8), a gay man and the lone LGBT member of the board, are also part of the slate, as is bisexual community college board president Shanell Williams. Three LGBT community leaders – Peter Gallotta, Honey Mahogany, and Francis Hsieh – are also on the slate, as is Anabel Ibáñez, the political director for the United Educators of San Francisco union. Except for Haney, Ronen, Avalos, Williams, and Ibáñez, the slate

members are DCCC incumbents seeking to be reelected to their oversight roles for the local Democratic Party. In addition to being responsible for the day-to-day management of the party, the DCCC members vote on the party’s coveted endorsements in local races. Having the party’s backing can be a significant advantage to candidates as it opens the door to financial backing, volunteer support, and being featured on the mailers sent to voters. In the city’s political divide within the Democratic Party, the more progressive members currently have a majority of the elected seats on the DCCC compared to moderate Democrats. Nonetheless, because state and federal officeholders whose districts include San Francisco are given ex officio seats on the DCCC, the local party’s endorsements do not always favor progressive candidates. Case in point Pelosi, who routinely secures the local party’s endorsement despite repeatedly being challenged by more progressive candidates for her House seat. Campos, who has Pelosi’s endorsement of his bid to be reelected to the DCCC, told the B.A.R. he hopes local Democrats have been pleased with how the progressive majority on the oversight body has run the party and backs its slate of candidates. “I am very proud of the work we have done since we took over the party about four years ago,” he said. “We have made the party more engaged and active and more relevant and more connected to people.”

even though it’s February and we are not having a number of activities – especially the parade – until June, it’s going to be so exciting we had to announce it right now,” Breed said. “There is nothing we do better than celebrate in San Francisco. We celebrate our history, we celebrate our diversity, we celebrate what makes San Francisco so unique.” Breed highlighted actions her administration has taken on behalf of LGBT San Franciscans, such as Trans Home SF, the department of public health’s fight against HIV and a new building to house transitional aged youth in District 3 (about 50% of homeless youth are LGBT, Breed said). “I’m really proud to be in a position as mayor to help support and carry on some of the policies we know are necessary to continue to make sure there is hope for future generations,” Breed said. “So many great things, but so much more to do.” Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro on the Board of Supervisors and is the only out member, praised Breed for having an ad-

ministration representative of the city’s diversity. Indeed, the out heads of several departments were acknowledged: Shireen McSpadden, a bi woman leading Aging and Disability Services; Dr. Grant Colfax, a gay man who’s the city’s health director; Jeffrey Tumlin, a gay man who runs the Municipal Transportation Agency; and Jeanine Nicholson, a lesbian whom Breed named fire chief. “Madam Mayor, it’s worth noting the number of queer department heads,” Mandelman said. “You have a very queer administration and we are quite appreciative of that.” Mandelman reflected on if the participants in the original 1970 festivities could have imagined the strides the LGBT community has made since the struggle for liberation started with the 1969 Stonewall riots – when patrons fought against a routine New York City Police Department raid of their Manhattan bar. “They would not have imagined that AIDS and HIV were coming, nor would they have imagined the extraordinary community

Courtesy Carole Migden

DCCC candidate Carole Migden

Courtesy Mike Chen

DCCC candidate Mike Chen

Moderate slate

Looking to swing control of the DCCC back toward the more moderate camp of the local party are the candidates who have banded together as part of the Mobilize & Organize Slate. Those running for the AD 17 seats include lesbian former city and state lawmaker Carole Migden, ousted appointed District 5 supervisor Vallie Brown, defeated district attorney candidate Nancy Tung, and unsuccessful college board candidate Victor Olivieri. Current DCCC member Tami Bryant is also on the slate, as are out newcomers Steven Buss, who is bisexual, and Mike Chen and Austin Hunter, who are both gay. Filling out the slate are Nima Rahimi, Bivett Brackett, Kristen Asato-Webb, Tyra Fennell, and Mick Del Rosario. As Chen told the B.A.R., “I fell in love with this city, and I want to make sure that more people like me have the same opportunities to live here and enjoy this city.”

Rick Gerharter

DCCC candidate Shaun Haines

Independent candidates

There are a total of 35 candidates in the race. A number are running for DCCC seats independently and not as part of a slate, such as queer candidate Shaun Haines, who has served as an associate member of the DCCC for seven years. He now hopes to win a voting seat on the panel. Haines told the B.A.R. he sees doing so as a way “to do more to ensure we are creating enough housing, jobs and shelter to accommodate all. I will continue to fight for this through the DCCC.” Two out women currently serving on the DCCC, Alysabeth Alexander and Petra DeJesus, are not running

response that would come too,” Mandelman said. “The resilience of the queer community in responding to that crisis and building a civil rights movement – they would have had no idea. And would they have imagined samesex marriage?”

Protest outside

Outside City Hall, after the event, about a dozen protesters with signs chanted “SF Pride is anti-queer” and “SF Pride is racist.” Alex U. Inn, a former community grand marshal and former member of the Pride board of directors, said that they were upset with how the Pride board is doing business – particularly with the decision not to ban Google and its affiliates from participating in the parade after a group of seven members voted they do so, as the B.A.R. previously reported. “We can’t see them celebrating and representing the queer community when there’s so much against us out there,” Inn said. “Google and YouTube have been shutting queer channels down.” Activists had wanted Google banned from the festivities after

Courtesy Honey Mahogany

DCCC candidate Honey Mahogany

for reelection to their seats in AD 17. DCCC members Jen Chan and Sarah Souza are also not running to remain in their seats. t YouTube didn’t take action against conservative commentator Steven Crowder after homophobic and anti-Latino remarks he made against gay video producer Carlos Maza. The Pride board of directors opted February 5 not to do so, and at that time Wysinger issued a scathing statement against the activists. “It’s appalling what happens in Pride meetings,” Inn said. Wysinger and Lopez did not respond to a request for comment on statements made at the Civic Center protest. A Google spokesperson previously wrote in an email to the B.A.R.: “Google has been a proud participant in San Francisco Pride for more than a decade and we will continue to support this important community organization and others like it here in San Francisco.” t The Pride parade kicks off Sunday, June 28, at 10:30 a.m. at Market and Beale streets. To vote for community grand marshals, go to http://www.sfpride. org/grand-marshals/. For main stage submissions, go to https:// bit.ly/2SCUi9O.

Election 2020>>

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

Slates battle for SF Dem Party seats in AD 19 by Matthew S. Bajko

wenty-one people are competing for the 10 seats on the committee that oversees the San Francisco Democratic Party allocated to residents of the state’s 19th Assembly District that covers much of the city’s western neighborhoods. As with the contest for the 14 seats allocated to residents of the state’s 17th Assembly District, the candidates running in AD 19 to be elected to the Democratic County Central Committee are a mix of well-known political figures and longtime party activists as well as newcomers running for election for the first time. All but one – Abra Pauline Castle – belong to one of the two slates of candidates running that represent the progressive and moderate wings of the local party. The Social Justice Democrats Slate is the more progressive of the two and includes gay local party chair David Campos. Its candidates running for DCCC seats in AD 19 include District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar, Public Defender Mano Raju, school board member Faauuga Moliga, and Janice Li, a queer woman who serves on the board that oversees the regional BART transit system. Also on the slate are incumbent DCCC members Leah LaCroix, Kelly Akemi Groth, and Keith Baraka, a gay black man who is a city

firefighter. Rounding out the slate are party activists Queena Chen, Li Miao Lovett, and AJ Thomas. Baraka, who serves as the oversight body’s second vice chair, told the B.A.R. he wants to remain on the DCCC, as there are few African Americans who hold any elective office in San Francisco. “I also believe a role of DCCC members is to perform outreach across the diverse communities of San Francisco to identify, encourage and nurture activism and political involvement to create new leadership for our communities, political clubs, and elected positions,” Baraka told the B.A.R. Li told the B.A.R. she’s “proud” to be part of a slate that is a mix of “first-time electeds who are forging a new progressive spirit on the westside” of the city like herself and a group of “brand new faces who have broad, diverse experience in union leadership, public service, political club leadership, and community organizing.” Running on the more moderate Mobilize & Organize Slate are District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai, newly elected Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, and ousted district attorney appointee Suzy Loftus. The sole DCCC incumbent on the slate is Mary Jung, a former chair of the local party. Also on the slate are Kat Anderson, Nadia Rahman, and Seeyew Mo. It also includes three out candidates: Jane Natoli, a transgender

woman; Mawuli Tugbenyoh, a gay man; and Cynthia “Cyn” Wang, a queer lesbian. As Wang explained to the B.A.R., she joined the slate since the other candidates share her core values. “I am somebody who considers themself to be very progressive and solutions oriented,” said Wang. “I am very pro housing and small business. Members of this slate align with those policy views.” Natoli told the B.A.R. she decided to run for the DCCC because she wants to get more involved in the party and local government as well as sees it as an extension of the volunteer work she has been doing with LGBT organizations in the city. “I have been an active and involved member in the LGBTQ community since moving to San Francisco because I want to connect people with the same kinds of opportunities I’ve had,” stated Natoli. “I am a relatively fortunate trans woman, both in finding a good employment situation and a good living situation in a city where I can be myself.” Tugbenyoh, chief of policy at the city’s human resources department, told the B.A.R. he wants to serve on the DCCC in order to work on a number of causes and issues he has championed in both his professional and personal life such as criminal justice reform, access to healthcare, gun control, and LGBTQ rights.

of the Veterans Legal Advocacy Clinic at the Golden Gate University School of Law. “Oftentimes, to avoid going to court-martial, a service member will take a lesser sentence. That is the third type of discharge or other than honorable.” A service member given a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, explained Devoy, “will forfeit everything” in terms of their military benefits. It is why it is especially important for those LGBT veterans given such discharges due to their sexual orientation to seek having it be upgraded to one of the three other discharge categories, he noted. “The review process nowadays is a lot more straightforward. They are very open with any issue of an LGBT veteran,” said Devoy, adding that he has handled such cases that ended “very successfully” for the service member. Each branch of the military has its own discharge review board that oversees requests for changes, correc-

tions, or modifications to veterans’ discharges or dismissals that were not issued by a sentence of a general courts-martial. Veterans must petition the review board themselves, as the military does not proactively do it. It is unclear exactly how many veterans given less than honorable discharges because of their homosexuality have been granted discharge upgrades. Efforts to have former President Barack Obama automatically upgrade the discharges of veterans pushed out for homosexuality were ultimately unsuccessful. The reasons for why more LGBT veterans haven’t sought to upgrade their discharge on their own run the gamut from not wanting to relive painful memories to being unaware they could request a change to their discharge. Another factor could be the false impression that such discharge upgrades are not being granted under the Trump administration, which has shown hostility toward LGBT rights and re-instituted the ban against

Vets

From page 1

Five classifications

The military has five classifications of discharges, with the best being an “honorable discharge.” The second most favorable is called a “general discharge under honorable conditions.” Either grants veterans to a host of benefits administered by the federal Veterans Affairs, from college scholarships and health care to housing and loans. In the middle is an “other than honorable discharge,” which can restrict a veteran from receiving certain benefits. Then there is a “bad conduct discharge” and the worst type is a “dishonorable discharge,” which basically means the person isn’t considered to be a veteran. “A bad conduct discharge is the result of a court-martial or military trial,” explained Daniel R. Devoy, a visiting associate professor and director

Courtesy Keith Baraka

19th AD DCCC candidate Keith Baraka

“I not only have experience, but also an unwavering commitment to addressing these issues as a member of the DCCC,” stated Tugbenyoh, adding that he “will strive to grow the membership of the Democratic Party, whether I am elected to the DCCC or not.” A majority of the current DCCC members from AD 19 will be stepping down as they are not running for re-election, such as District 1 Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer and former supervisor Angela Alioto. Also departing will be Tom Hsieh, Meagan Levitan, Jen Low, and school board member Rachel Norton.t transgender people serving in the military. But LGBT veterans advocates stressed in interviews with the B.A.R. this month that the military has shown no aversion in recent years to upgrading the discharges of LGBT veterans who qualify under the standards adopted by the armed services for determining if a discharge based on a person’s sexual orientation should be re-examined. The process can be time-consuming, however, and requires a certain amount of paperwork that some veterans may be disinclined to filling out. “There is a guidance letter written by the secretary of defense’s office that is still in effect and instructs discharge review boards. It tells them how to handle discharges that were done because of a person’s sexual orientation,” noted Alexander. The discharges of deceased military veterans can also be upgraded if requested by their next of kin, noted David Sonenshine, a senior staff at-

Courtesy Nadia Rahman

19th AD DCCC candidate Nadia Rahman

Rick Gerharter

19th AD DCCC candidate Suzy Loftus

torney with the National Veterans Legal Services Program. (For information of how to do so, visit https:// www.archives.gov/veterans/militaryservice-records/correct-service-records.html.) Thus, the family of the late gay San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk could request that he be posthumously given an “honorable discharge.” As the B.A.R. reported last week, Milk was given an “other than honorable” discharge from the U.S. Navy and forced to resign on February 7, 1955 rather than face a court-martial because of his homosexuality. The trove of naval records obtained by the B.A.R. appears to dispute the veracity of an archival document housed in the San Francisco Public Library’s San Francisco History Center that authors of several recent biographies of Milk had used to claim that Milk was honorably discharged from the Navy. Milk’s gay nephew Stuart See page 12 >>

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Cleve Jones, center, remembers meeting Sylvester on his first day in San Francisco at The Haven, a gay-oriented restaurant formerly at the corner of Polk and California streets, during a “March to Remember and Reclaim Queer Space” in the Polk Gulch area in March 2018. Drag queen Juanita MORE! is at left in blue veil.

March to recall shuttered LGBTQ spaces in Castro compiled by Cynthia Laird

eeking to draw attention to shuttered queer spaces in the LGBT Castro district, drag queen Juanita MORE! will lead “March to Remember and Reignite Hope” Saturday, February 29, beginning at 2 p.m. Interested people should meet at Harvey Milk Plaza at Castro and Market streets. “At a time when LGBTQ rights are again under attack by our president and conservative politicians, reclaiming and fortifying queer space is more important than ever,” MORE! wrote in an email to supporters. “That includes affordable housing and affordable commercial space for our queer community to live and thrive.” MORE! is expected to be joined by LGBTQ leaders, representatives of neighborhood organizations, historians, activists, and community members. Participants will lay black wreaths at the sites of shuttered queer spaces in the historic Castro district. They will also call on elected leaders, foundations and philanthropists, venture capitalists, and residents to both commemorate the city’s vibrant LGBTQ past and inspire a brighter future. MORE! led a similar pilgrimage in the Polk Gulch neighborhood in March 2018. The area had been an early LGBT neighborhood and was once home to many gay bars and other businesses. According to MORE!’s email, the march will end at the Lookout bar, 3600 16th Street.

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Bay Area Reporter readers have until Wednesday, March 4, at 11:59 p.m. to vote in the paper’s 10th annual readers’ poll, the Besties. People can vote online, at https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/besties2020, in several categories, including arts and culture, nightlife, shopping and services, and travel. One category, best healthcare provider, was inadvertently left off the print ballot and people can vote online for one of the nominees: Brown and Toland, CPMC/Sutter Health, Kaiser, or UCSF. (Every category also includes a write-in option.) Those who complete at least 75% of the survey will automatically be eligible for prizes. This year the grand prize is a pair of VIP weekend passes to LA Pride, June 12-14.

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Gay former city supervisor and state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano and Tim Wolfred, a gay man who’s a former City College of San Francisco trustee, have announced a free halfday workshop for LGBTs to protect themselves from elder abuse. Titled “Fraud, scams? No thank

you ma’am,” the interactive session will be held Thursday, March 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street. In a news release, Ammiano and Wolfred wrote that they decided to hold the workshop after hearing stories from close friends who were the victims of financial abuse at the hands of “charming young predators, some losing thousands of dollars.” “We know that lots of people don’t know about elder abuse or they don’t think if will happen to them,” Ammiano stated. “That’s what we thought until it happened in our group.” A panel discussion will include Mary Twomey, former co-director of the National Center on Elder Abuse; Daniel Redmond, an attorney at Sideman & Bancroft LLP; Tamari Hedani, associated director, elder abuse prevention program of the Institute on Aging; and Melissa McNair, a victim advocate at the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. A representative of the city’s Adult Protective Services department is also scheduled to attend. Wolfred said in the release that he and Ammiano both read up on frauds and scams after it happened to a friend of theirs. “Now I know the best way to avoid becoming a victim is to know the warning signs, plan ahead, and know where to get help for yourself or your loved one,” he stated. “If people come to our forum, they’ll leave with lots of information and tools. We want people to leave empowered.” The National Center on Elder Abuse reports that 1 out of every 10 older Americans is a victim of elder abuse. LGBTQI elders may be a greater risk due to factors such as isolation, health issues, and historical trauma. The event is open to the public.

Newsom appoints Moscone to arts panel

Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Jonathan Moscone, a gay man and son of late San Francisco mayor George Moscone, to the California Arts Commission. According to a February 11 release from Newsom’s office, Moscone, 55, has been chief producer of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts since 2015. He was artistic director of the California Shakespeare Theater from 2000-2015. He is a member of the Homeless Prenatal Program board of directors and the board of Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project. Moscone earned a master of fine arts degree in directing from the Yale School of Drama. The position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Moscone is a Democrat. See page 11 >>

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Community News >>

Trans asylum seeker

From page 2

Gonzalez Aguilar and her backers think she should be released while her asylum case is pending. They think she should come to the Bay Area because Lehman and Staub, who have agreed to cosponsor her, live in Oakland. “We’ve been ready and waiting to let Kelly into our home and support her financially,” Staub, a transgender man, said. Staub compared Gonzalez Agui-

News Briefs

From page 8

Breed names Hillis as planning director

San Francisco Mayor London Breed recently announced that former planning commissioner Rich Hillis has been tapped to lead the planning department. Hillis will replace John Rahaim,

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 11

lar’s story to that of his grandmother. Staub’s family was forced to flee the Soviet Union for Poland, where they were subsequently imprisoned by German troops during World War II. After Hitler’s defeat, they immigrated to the U.S. “I hope Kelly is offered the same opportunity my grandma was,” Staub said. Jackie Thornhill, a trans woman and aide to District 1 Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, also spoke. “To simply exist as a trans woman in this world is hard enough,” Thornhill said. “The country where

(Gonzalez Aguilar) is seeking refuge has sentenced her to indefinite trauma.” Criticizing what she said was a lack of due process in the case, Thornhill added: “This is how fascism takes hold.” Honey Mahogany, a queer nonbinary person who is a legislative aide for District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, served as an emcee at the news conference. At the end, Mahogany urged attendees to call Feinstein’s office to ask that the senator commit to talking to ICE about the Gonzalez

Aguilar. Several immediately did, as the senator’s number was placed on a flier passed out to attendees. There was a news conference at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver February 12, also calling for Gonzalez Aguilar’s release, featuring transgender Colorado state Representative Brianna Titone (DArvada). Alma Rosa Silva-Banuelos, a two-spirit person who is a program director for TransLatin@ Coalition, spoke by phone with the Bay Area Reporter from Denver. They met Gonzalez Aguilar while the latter

was in custody in New Mexico and said they talk every day. “She has spent her early 20s in detention and is hoping for liberation and freedom. She wants to live and be free,” Silva-Banuelos said, adding that one reason Gonzalez Aguilar needs to be released is because she has since developed a medical problem. “She wants to fight her case from the outside,” Silva-Banuelos said. ICE officials did not respond to a request for comment. t

a gay man who has overseen the department for over a decade and announced his retirement last September. Hillis is expected to start March 9. Hillis, executive director of the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, last September resigned from the planning panel to be considered for the director position.

In a statement, Breed said that the city’s housing shortage has made living in San Francisco “far too expensive” and that many people are being pushed out. Breed added that Hillis “recognizes that to address this equity issue, we need more housing in San Francisco for families and people of all income levels, and we need that housing built throughout our entire city.”

For his part, Hillis said that both the planning commission and the department “face significant and unprecedented challenges, especially around housing affordability, and equity.” He said he will bring his “result-focused, collaborative approach” to work with the commission, communities, regional and state partners, and city leaders.

The release stated that Hillis will work to streamline the department’s process for entitling new housing and that he is committed to creating new affordable housing without displacing existing tenants or demolishing rentcontrolled housing. t

AN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION STATEMENT for PREQUALIFICATION OF PROSPECTIVE PROGRESSIVE DESIGN-BUILD ENTITIES for the DESIGN-BUILD OF BART HEADQUARTERS (“HQ”) 2150 WEBSTER STREET, OAKLAND, CA 94612 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 6M4706Q

Notice is hereby given that the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (“District” or “BART”) has determined that all Prospective Progressive Design-Build Entities (“PPBDEs”) for BART’s Contract No. 6M4706Q, DesignBuild of BART Headquarters (“Contract”) must be prequalified pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 22164 et seq. for Transit Design-Build Contracts. It is mandatory that all Design-Build Entities who intend to submit a Proposal, comply with all of the requirements in this Request for Qualification Statement (“RFQ”) including submission of a complete Qualification Statement, as well as all materials requested herein, and be approved by the District in order to be on the approved Prequalified PPDBEs list. No Proposal will be accepted from a Prospective PDBE in response to the District’s RFP that is not on the approved Prequalified PPDBEs list. If two or more business entities submit a Proposal as part of a Joint Venture, or expect to submit a Proposal as part of a Joint Venture, each entity within the Joint Venture must be separately qualified to submit a Proposal. Work under the Contract will include, but is not limited to, furnishing all management, coordination, professional services, labor, equipment, materials and other services to perform the design and construction of BART Headquarters (“HQ”) located at 2150 Webster Street, Oakland, CA 94612. The Work will be defined in more detail in the District’s Request for Proposal (“RFP”). The total estimated cost of the Contract is approximately between $45 to $50 million, and the estimated Contract duration is sixty (60) weeks or four hundred and twenty (420) Days.

REQUIRED REGISTRATION ON THE BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL

Prospective PDBEs or Interested Parties (including prospective Subsuppliers of any tier) who are not currently registered on the BART Procurement Portal to do business with BART are required to register on the BART Procurement Portal online at https://suppliers.bart.gov in order to download the Contract Documents (including Contract Drawings and Contract Specifications), updates, and any Addenda issued on-line and be added to the Online Planholders List for this solicitation. If a Prospective PDBE is a joint venture or a partnership, such entity must register on the BART Procurement Portal with the entity’s Tax Identification Number (“TIN”) and download the Contract Documents so as to be listed as an On-line Planholder under the entity’s name prior to submitting its Qualification Statement or Proposal, in order for the entity to be eligible for award of this Contract. Prospective PDBEs or Interested Parties may also purchase printed copies of the Contract Documents from the District Secretary’s Office by downloading the Contract Documents’ Order Form from the BART Procurement Portal website and submitting the completed Contract Documents’ Order Form to the District Secretary’s Office. Prospective PDBEs or Interested Parties must be registered on the BART Procurement Portal to do business with BART in order to be able to download the Contract Documents’ Order Form. Downloading the Contract Documents’ Order Form will automatically make a Prospective Bidder or Interested Party an On-line Planholder. In order to be an On-line Planholder and be eligible for award of this Contract, a Prospective PDBE must either: i) download the Contract Documents for this solicitation from the BART Procurement Portal or ii) download the Contract Documents’ Order Form with which to purchase the Contract Documents directly from the District Secretary’s Office. PPDBES WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED ON THE BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL AND DID NOT OBTAIN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS FOR THIS SOLICITATION EITHER ON-LINE OR DIRECTLY THROUGH THE DISTRICT SECRETARY’S OFFICE IN ORDER TO BE LISTED AS AN ON-LINE PLANHOLDER FOR THIS SOLICITATION, WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD OF THIS CONTRACT.

QUALIFICATION STATEMENT DUE DATE AND SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

The District will accept submission of Qualification Statements from PPDBEs until no later than the hour of 2:00 PM, on March 3, 2020. Time for receipt of Qualification Statements may be extended by the District’s General Manager or authorized representative from the above stated submittal date. Notice of such extension will be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the District, which publication will be at least ten (10) calendar days before Qualification Statements are formally received and opened. A. Qualification Statements shall be submitted to the following address:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Qualification Statements shall be signed by an official authorized to bind the PPDBE and shall be valid for at least one hundred eighty (180) calendar days from Qualification Statement submittal date set forth herein. The District may request PPDBEs to extend the validity period by written agreement between BART and the PPDBE.

CONTACT INFORMATION

PPDBEs shall direct all correspondence regarding the RFQ to: San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District Contract Administration Division 300 Lakeside Drive, 17th Floor Oakland, CA 94612 Attention: Erica Elkington, Contract Administrator Telephone: (510) 987-5231 Email: EElking@bart.gov

PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE AND NETWORKING SESSION

A Pre-submittal Conference and Networking Session will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2020. The Pre-Submittal Conference will convene at 10:00 a.m. at 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, CA 94510, 1950 Conference Room. At the Pre-Submittal Conference the District’s Non-Discrimination Program for Subcontracting and Small Business (SB) Program will be explained. PPDBEs are requested to make every effort to attend this only scheduled Pre-Submittal Conference. Interested PPDBEs are requested to confirm their intention to attend by notifying Erica Elkington, Sr. Contract Administrator, eelking@bart.gov prior to the date of the scheduled Pre-Submittal Conference. The District will transmit to all PPDBEs of record (holders of the RFQ) such Addenda as the District, in its discretion, considers necessary in response to written questions and those that arise during the Pre-Submittal Conference. Oral statements shall not be relied upon and shall not be binding or legally effective. Written Addenda may be issued by the District as a result of the Pre-Submittal Conference.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Questions, Explanations, and Clarifications

PPDBEs that require explanations or clarifications of the RFQ shall submit such inquiries, in writing, identifying the RFQ number and name, to the contact identified above. Any response that the District may choose to make will be by written Addenda to the RFQ distributed to all persons or business entities that have requested the RFQ. The District will not be bound by any explanation, clarification, or interpretation, oral or written, by whomsoever made, that is not incorporated in an Addendum to the RFQ. The receipt of Addenda by the PPDBE shall be acknowledged and shall be noted in the Qualification Statement. No response will be made to inquiries received by the District after the deadline specified herein this RFQ document. Non-Discrimination Program for Subcontracting Questions concerning the District’s Non-Discrimination for Subconsulting and Small Business Program should be addressed to:

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 300 Lakeside Drive, 16th Floor Oakland, CA 94612 Attention: Fei Liu, Civil Rights Officer Telephone: (510) 874-7348 Email: fliu@bart.gov

PREQUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE

It is the intent of the District that this RFQ and the submission of a Qualification Statement will assist the District in determining PPDBE’s qualifications prior to submission of Proposals and will aid the District in establishing the Approved Prequalified PPDBEs list. Only PPDBEs in the Approved Prequalified PPDBEs list will be allowed to submit Proposals for the Contract.

Hand Delivery : Office of the District Secretary San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 300 Lakeside Drive, 23rd Floor Oakland, CA 94612

Prospective PPDBEs shall comply with all submittal requirements of the RFQ including responses to questions contained in the attached prequalification Questionnaire Appendix A, information about current bonding capacity, a notarized statement from surety, and the most recently reviewed or audited financial statements, with accompanying notes and supplemental information. Based on the Qualification Statements submitted, the District will rate PPDBEs with respect to the capacity to effectively perform the scope of Work of the Contract. The District reserves the right to check references and other sources available to confirm Prospective PDBEs Qualifications.

C. Format for Hard Copy:

The Qualification Statements shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of this RFQ. The Qualification Statements submitted by PPDBEs are not public records and are not open to public inspection. All information provided will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. However, the contents may be disclosed to third parties for purpose of verification, or investigation. If there is any change to information submitted by a PPDBE, the PPDBE must immediately notify the District and provide updated accurate information in writing.

B. Envelopes or boxes containing Qualification Statements shall be clearly labeled: RFQ No. 6M4706Q, DesignBuild of BART Headquarters. PPDBEs shall submit hard copies of the Qualification Statement double-sided 8.5” x 11” recycled paper. Where appropriate, folded 11”x17” paper may be used. Text should be at a line spacing of 1.5 and not smaller than 10-point font. All pages must be numbered sequentially within each Section and each package must have a table of contents, including page numbers. On the front cover of each Qualification Statement, the Project name and PPDBE’s name must be clearly identified. D. One Electronic PDF Copy: An electronic reference copy of the Qualification Statement is to be submitted on one USB Drive in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF file type). The USB should contain one copy of the entire contents of the Qualification Statement. The USB should be included in an envelope with the Project name and PPDBE’s name clearly identified. E. The Qualification Statement to be furnished shall consist of a completed prequalification Questionnaire and required information, Certifications and forms. The number of copies are as shown below:

One (1) copy labeled “ORIGINAL”, and Five (5) copies, each marked “Copy number (x) of 5”, and One USB Drive.

PPDBEs are responsible to ensure that their Qualification Statement is received on time and at the location specified. Late submittals of Qualification Statements will not be accepted. PPBDEs must make their own arrangements for submitting the Qualification Statement. The District will invite only PPDBEs on the approved Prequalified PPDBEs list to submit Proposals on the Contract.

The District reserves the right to waive minor irregularities and omissions in the information contained in the Qualification Statement submitted, and to make all final determinations. PPDBEs may submit Qualification Statements no later than the Qualification Statement submission date. The District, in its discretion, may refuse to prequalify a PPDBE where the requested information and materials are not provided 2:00 PM, on March 3, 2020. DATED AT OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

This 12thday of February 2020. /s/ April B. A. Quintanilla for, Patricia K. Williams District Secretary San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 2/20/20

CNS-3343411# BAY AREA REPORTER

<< Community News

t Trans woman to appeal decision in Starbucks suit 12 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

by John Ferrannini

transgender woman in California is appealing a judgment against her in a discrimination and harassment lawsuit she filed against Starbucks, even as the company released an adver-

tisement in the United Kingdom touting its acceptance of the transgender community, and a campaign to raise money for a trans charity. As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, Madison Wade, 29, sued Starbucks in 2018. According

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to the complaint filed in Fresno County Superior Court, Wade alleged that after she came out as transgender, her manager began a campaign of harassment and discrimination against her that ultimately led to her changing branch locations and resigning from the company after nine years of employment. The judge entered summary judgment in favor of the defendants last year, but the plaintiff filed a notice of appeal and an opening brief is due in late March, according to Wade’s attorney Arnold P. Peter. The California Court of Appeal for the 5th District will hear the case, Peter said. Wade said her problems began in fall 2017, when she informed her manager, Dustin Guthrie, about her desire to transition. “She was universally thought of as an excellent employee,” Peter said. “People would joke about how close the two of them (Wade and Guthrie) were.” But after coming out, Wade’s hours were cut. Guthrie would only refer to her with a male name and masculine pronouns, according to a copy of the complaint. Wade testified in a deposition that she didn’t want to be referred to with a male name and masculine pronouns, but that Guthrie did so nonetheless. As it turned out, Guthrie “is a Christian and wanted a career in politics,” according to the complaint. He expressed that he was having a hard time “wrapping his head” around the transition idea, and his social media posts show anti-trans attitudes. “Sensing and concluding that the situation with Guthrie would only deteriorate, (Wade) was forced to seek a transfer to another location,” the complaint states. Wade was “demoralized” when, at the new location, her manager “dismissively laughed about” her being misgendered by customers, and on the advice of her therapist, Wade resigned less than one month after starting at the new location. One consequence of Wade’s resignation was losing her health insurance – which stopped her gender transition in its tracks. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Gaab ruled in July 2019 against Wade. The court ruled that Starbucks, in transferring Wade away from Guthrie, had done its due diligence. “To the extent that the working conditions under Guthrie were intolerable, Starbucks remedied the

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Milk, who oversees a foundation dedicated to the legacy of his famous relative, did not respond to the B.A.R.’s request for comment. Based on Milk’s personnel files, Sonenshine told the B.A.R. having his discharge upgraded “shouldn’t be an issue there” if his family made such a request. Alexander agreed, telling the

Courtesy Madison Wade

Madison Wade is appealing a Fresno judge’s decision to dismiss her bias case against Starbucks.

situation by granting plaintiff ’s request to transfer,” the court order reads. Furthermore, the court ruled that it “cannot conclude” that Wade not wanting to be referred to with male pronouns “was a request that, if not honored would result in an intolerable or hostile work environment.” The court ruled that the evidence vis a vis the reduction of Wade’s hours was “vague” – Guthrie had testified that all employees’ hours were cut at the end of the 2017 holiday season. While Starbucks’ internal policies prohibit intentional misgendering, these are not legally enforceable against the company, the court ruled. “The undisputed material facts show that Guthrie’s conduct did not create a subjectively and objectively hostile work environment,” the court ruling states. Wade and her attorney hold that the transgender-affirming advertisement in the U.K. is hypocritical. “It was more offensive than anything, in my opinion,” Wade said, discussing her thoughts on the ad. “It wasn’t sincere. They are acknowledging what is important to transgender people and are capitalizing on it. It’s hypocritical.” Added Peter: “In court the lawyers (for Starbucks) are arguing that intentional misgendering doesn’t constitute harassment or discrimination.

UK advertisement

Indeed, Wade is not the only trans person who feels that the advertisement doesn’t reflect how accepting Starbucks is on the inside, with BuzzFeed recently reporting that trans employees are facing deadnaming and having

B.A.R., “I bet he would be able to get his discharge upgraded from what I can see.” Because Milk was an officer in the Navy, he was given a choice to either resign his commission and accept the other than honorable discharge, or face being court martialed for homosexual conduct, explained Alexander. “He basically decided to get out to avoid a court-martial,” he said. t LGBT veterans interested in up-

their requests for transition surgery denied. In a statement to the B.A.R. February 11, Starbucks representative Reggie Borges said that the company supports the trans community. “Starbucks has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and are proud to offer one of the most comprehensive trans health policies in the world,” Borges said. “We have no tolerance for discrimination of any kind, and we have clear avenues and processes in place for any partners who feel discriminated against or harassed.” (Starbucks refers to employees as partners.) When asked in a phone call if Starbucks argued that intentional misgendering didn’t constitute harassment or discrimination, Borges said that what Peter said was “not an accurate portrayal of our defense,” but went on to say that whatever misgendering happened in this case did not constitute harassment or discrimination. “First and foremost, intentional misgendering is not acceptable at Starbucks,” Borges said. “The facts of the case do not support a claim of discrimination or harassment. The facts of the case don’t point to intentional misgendering. There wasn’t intentional misgendering.” The U.K. advertisement was chosen in a contest because it “made a lot of our partners proud,” Borges said. The British advertisement is titled “What’s your name.” It features a (presumably) closeted trans male being deadnamed in various social situations. Finally, the person goes to Starbucks and orders a cup of coffee using his preferred name. The ad won British TV Channel 4’s 2019 Diversity in Advertising Award. “The advert, created in partnership with creative agency Iris, was inspired by real life experiences of people who were transitioning,” a Starbucks news release touting the ad states. “We discovered that they found Starbucks stores to be a safe space, where their new name was accepted, and they could be recognized as who they are.” Starbucks in the U.K. also announced it will be giving half of the proceeds from sales of the Mermaids cookie in its stores to the Mermaids charity, which is aimed at helping transgender youth. Starbucks goal is to raise 100,000 British pounds (or $129,653). t

grading their discharges can find more information on how to do so via a website created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at https://www.va.gov/ discharge-upgrade-instructions. Veterans can also seek assistance through Swords to Plowshares’ LGBTQ Veterans Legal Outreach program by emailing LGBTQveterans@stp-sf.org or calling (415) 252-4788 and asking for the legal department.

Obituaries >> Robert “Bob” Alan Hatfield April 4, 1945 – February 7, 2020

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Robert “Bob” Alan Hatfield, 74, of San Francisco, died peacefully at Com11-5 ing Home Hospice February 7, 2020. He loved San Francisco, old movies, music, crossword puzzles, and especially playing

pool. Before moving to San Francisco in the 1960s, he was in the Navy. Among the many who will miss Bob are his longtime friend of 42 years, Eugene Spies of San Francisco, and his friends and pool buddies at San Francisco’s Pilsner Inn bar. Bob was preceded in death by his mother, Virginia Spence, of Denver; and his father, George Hatfield, of Wichita, Kansas. He is survived by a sister, Mary, of Denver, and two neph-

ews and their wives, Scott and Jennifer and Mike and Kim, all of Wichita. All friends are invited to a celebration of life in Bob’s honor to be held Thursday, March 19, starting at 3 p.m. at the Pilsner Inn, 225 Church Street (at Market). Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to Coming Home Hospice, 115 Diamond Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114.

Sports >>

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

Wrist slap for Astros a blight on baseball by Roger Brigham

s Major League Baseball desperately tries to remember in what pawn shop it hawked its moral compass, let’s talk about the Houston Astros and Pete Rose. Such conversation can draw out enough passion to make the presidential race look boring. For those of you who have done nothing the past few weeks since the Super Bowl except watch cute kitten videos on YouTube, know that an MLB investigation found that the Astros cheated during the 2017 and 2018 seasons by electronically stealing opponents’ pitch signals. The scheme apparently involved zooming in on signals with iPhones, relaying information electronically, alerting batters by bashing trash cans or by using buzzers strapped to their bodies, and part of the largesse the Astros reaped was a World Series championship. Front office folks and coaches were suspended and fired, the players for the most part went unpunished and were granted immunity during the investigation in exchange for their confessions, but have been condemned by fellow players for their enthusiastic participation. MLB, in its infinitesimal wisdom, decided not to strip the Astros of their American League title or their 2017 World Series championship. This might have been an entirely different conversation if the Astros had misinterpreted any of the signals and a hitter, anticipating a low outside curveball, instead leaned into a high and inside fastball, winding up dead or severely injured. As it is, the Astros set out to intentionally cheat, unfairly alter the outcomes of games and postseason playoffs to the financial detriment of opponents (The Athletic reported nine pitchers were demoted after getting banged up at Minute Maid Park in the 2017 season) – but get to keep their titles and their right to play. In contrast, Rose never was accused of cheating at the game, earned his titles through will, ability and hard work, epitomized for a generation baseball values – and he remains banned for life because he gambled on baseball games and lied about it. This sign-stealing scandal differs from previous sign-stealing scandals in its scope, sophistication, and audacity. Past casual sign stealers have been subject to fines and suspensions. This crew? The delivery of a shallow and insincere non-apology at a quickie news conference. Infielder Alex Bregman said he was “really sorry about the choices that were made,” but not that he cheated and was sorry he did. Fellow infielder José Altuve, who was the league MVP in 2017, said “the whole Astros organization and the team feels bad about what happened in 2017,” but did not admit he cheated and was sorry for what he did. For all we know, when he talks about “what happened” in 2017, he could be talking about the Rohingya refugee crisis, the New England Patriots comeback in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons, or the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 and wounded hundreds. Vegas bookmakers are laying odds that Astros batters will be hit by an unusual abundance of targeted pitches this season, leading newly anointed Astros manager Dusty Baker to remark, “I’m depending on the league to try to put a stop to this seemingly premeditated retaliation that I’m hearing about. In most instances in life, you get kind of reprimanded when you have premeditated anything.” Premeditated as in say, an elaborately devised system to steal other teams’ signals? With MLB having forfeited on any reprimand of the players, not even taking away their World Series trophy (which the commissioner dismissed as merely a “piece of metal”), wouldn’t it seem that at-

tempting to hit players with pitches is the only form of retribution that is likely to occur? So let’s consider this: why do the Astros, who very, very publicly cheated their way to a title, forever blemishing the MLB record book and leaving teams such as the Dodgers and Yankees to wonder what might have been if they’d been given a fair chance, not lose a single day of playing time, nor a penny of a fine, and get to keep the prize gained by their cheating; yet

Rose remains banished for life, unable even to be in the Hall of Fame after his brilliant career? Rose lied for years about his gambling but finally admitted in 2004 that he bet on the Reds to win games while he was their manager. At the time he accepted his ban, which was supposed to be reviewed later, banned players were eligible for the Hall

of Fame. It was not until 1991, a year before Rose’s name would have appeared on the ballot, that the MLB Hall of Fame voted to exclude players who had been placed on the permanent ineligibility list. So, not only did Rose get punished under the rules that were on the books at the time of his transgressions, he was singled out for further punishment after the fact.

Critics say gamblers could have watched Rose’s betting habits and made their own bets based on what they read into his actions. Here’s a bet: those would be the same kinds of gamblers who know the Astros were stealing signs and adjusted their bets accordingly. You know what else Rose did? He helped blaze good race relations on the team at a time when race relaSee page 14 >>

<< Community News

14 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

Quilt

From page 1

Portions of the quilt will be on public display from Friday, April 3 through Sunday, April 5. Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary community day is set for April 4. Thousands of people are expected over the weekend, organizers said. The Golden Gate Park display will take place in Robin Williams Meadow, along Bowling Green Drive, and in the AIDS grove. According to a news release from Rec and Park and the grove, the quilt panels on display will be comprised of those that have been added to the quilt’s nearly 50,000 panels in recent years, reflecting the story of HIV/ AIDS during the past decade, particularly in communities of color. “The face of HIV and AIDS has changed drastically since the pandemic devastated communities across the United States and San Francisco nearly 40 years ago,” AIDS grove Executive Director John Cunningham stated. “This display, the largest ever of the quilt in San Francisco’s history, will be a reminder of what we all have lost, how far we have come, and where we need to go in the future to remember, heal, and educate future generations about the devastating impact of this disease.” During an exclusive media sneak peak of the quilt blocks arriving in the East Bay February 14, Cunningham told the Bay Area Reporter that the April display will be the largest since the first one, which took place during the second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987. “It will be close to the 1987 display,” he said. In February 2012, 35 12x12 feet blocks, or completed quilts, were on

AIDS quilt begins arriving in East Bay

Many of the quilt blocks are now in the Bay Area. In a nondescript warehouse near Oakland International Airport, volunteers gathered on Valentine’s Day to begin the solemn – yet joyful – task of unloading blocks of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. It was the first official day that people began taking the quilt blocks out of blue bins, folding them, and arranging them on a sophisticated shelving system, piece by piece, num-

ber by number. Representatives from the AIDS grove were on hand at the San Leandro warehouse, as well as Roddy Williams and Kevin “Chili” Crane, two gay men from the Names Project that the grove flew from Atlanta to help unpack and organize the remembrances of thousands of people lost to HIV/AIDS. Funding for the quilt’s move, renovating the San Leandro warehouse, and helping wind down the Names Project came from a $2.4 million donation from Gilead Sciences Inc., Cunningham said. The Names Project Foundation used to be located in San Francisco. Its history dates back to 1985 when Jones had participants in that year’s annual candlelight march honoring the deaths of gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone write down the names of people lost to AIDS onto placards that were then attached to the federal building near City Hall. Last November, the AIDS grove and the Names Project, which had

From page 13

Editorial: Assembly

From page 4

In the East Bay, we support state Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) in her reelection bid. Skinner has been a steadfast ally. In Contra Costa County, we endorse Marisol Rubio, another straight ally, who is seeking to defeat Steve Glazer in the 7th Senate District. Glazer recently

display inside an empty storefront at 2278 Market Street near the heart of the city’s Castro neighborhood. As the B.A.R. noted, it was the first time since 1999 that such a large collection of quilt panels had gone on public view at one time in San Francisco. AIDS quilt co-founders Cleve Jones, Mike Smith, and Gert McMullin were at the news conference, along with gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Rec and Park general manager Phil Ginsburg, and Cunningham.

Jock Talk

tions in post-integration sports were especially tense. His rookie season he displaced a popular white veteran and later said the only teammates who treated him well in those early years were the non-white players. Now, geographically the Mason-Dixon line is well south of Cincinnati, but culturally it ran right through it, so the hometown boy’s embrace of teammates of color not only helped acceptance and peace within the team, but helped set a more welcoming tone for the entire city. I witnessed much of that because I was born in Cincinnati and was there at various points throughout Rose’s career to witness the events and emotions. Our fathers even played semi-pro football against each other. I remember asking my beloved grandfather why the Reds traded away National League MVP Frank Robinson and my grandfather, without a pause, replied, “Because the n– in him was starting to come out.” One huge step in my adolescent awareness of the insidious and ubiquitous nature of racism.

Rick Gerharter

Roddy Williams stacks an AIDS quilt block on shelving in a San Leandro warehouse Friday, February 14, as the first of three semitruckloads of pannels arrived from Atlanta.

Editorial: Pelosi

From page 4

districts not mentioned, or one that is competitive, consider choosing the Democratic candidate so that the

Courtesy Channel 5

A screenshot shows Los Angeles TV station KTLA calling Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve a cheater in the crawl.

overseen the quilt, announced that the grove would be taking over stewardship of the 50,000 panels that make up the historic memorial. It was stated then that the quilt would be moved from Atlanta to the Bay Area. Last week, the first blocks arrived, via truck from Lathrop, in San Joaquin County, after a rail ride from Georgia, said Gina Gatta, a gay woman and former grove board chair who was driving the forklift moving boxes from the truck to the warehouse. Each block – there are 5,976 according to quilt co-founder Smith – contains eight individual panels, most with one name each. Around 100,000 people are memorialized, as some of the panels contain multiple names, Smith explained. McMullin, a straight ally and one of the co-founders of the quilt, along with longtime gay activists Smith and Jones, marveled at the sight. “I knew it’d come back eventually,” McMullin told the B.A.R. Friday. McMullin too has “come back,” as she relocated to the Bay Area, where she will help with repairing quilt blocks. Lonnie Payne, a gay former San Francisco resident who retired to Napa with his husband, Bruce Clark, was among the first group of volunteers. “Bruce and I came on Valentine’s Day,” he said. “It’s a great way to talk about love.” Crane said the quilt’s cross country move was “bittersweet.” “I’ve been with the quilt for 16 years,” he said during a short break. Jones wasn’t there Friday, but he told the B.A.R. in a phone interview late that afternoon that he’s thrilled. “Two parts overwhelm me with gratitude and release,” he said. “The fabric itself – individual works of art created by grieving families, partners, lovers, and friends – is

back safe in the city that created it and that’s very important to me,” he said, referring to the fact that while the quilt is stored in the East Bay, the AIDS grove offices are in San Francisco, as is the grove, which is located in Golden Gate Park. “Second, the Library of Congress is responsible for curating the archive, which is about 250,000 pieces,” Jones added. At last November’s announcement that the quilt would return to the Bay Area, Names Project officials said that the Library of Congress would be the new repository for the quilt’s vast archival collections. Jones said that was important because LGBT organizations need to partner with institutions that will be around in 50 or 100 years. “That, to me, is a victory,” he said, referring to the Library of Congress’ role in preserving the history of the quilt. Back at the warehouse, Cunningham said two more trucks will soon arrive. Many quilt blocks were sent out to schools, museums, and other places for last year’s World AIDS Day observance, Smith said. Once that was over in December, those quilt blocks were shipped directly to the Bay Area instead of returning to Atlanta. “World AIDS Day saved us one railway car,” he said. Smith, the former executive director of the AIDS Emergency Fund, splits his time between North Carolina and San Francisco. He said he’d be staying in the city as the quilt is relocated and stored. “They did a wonderful job of caring for it in Atlanta,” he said of the Names Project. “But as Dorothy said, there’s no place like home.” t

do: he denied to us and he denied to himself. “Rose was his own worst enemy,” they say. Sheesh! Rose did injure himself, repeatedly, for years. No need to pile on. Rose created excitement in baseball. Love him or hate him, he got you excited about the games and the pennant races. He taught kids to love the game and to throw themselves into it completely. The Astros? Their cheating triggers feelings of disgust, anger, outage, disappointment, and disillusion. They have turned the 2017 World Series trophy into a monument of shame. They are the Voids of Summer.

The good news: In a German soccer game last weekend, Preussen Munster fans turned in one of their own in a home match against the Wurzburger Kickers when he made racist monkey noises toward a Ghanian defender, Leroy Kwadwo, for the Kickers. “As repulsive as the monkey noises against the player were, the subsequent response from the rest of the spectators were so impressive,” the

Preussen Munster club said in a written statement. “Not only because they pointed out the perpetrator and made him recognizable for the law enforcement, but rather with the unmistakable ‘Nazis Out’ chanting.” The club said the fan was arrested after being ejected. Meanwhile in France, two women say they were made to take down their rainbow flag when Israel Folau, criticized back home in Australia for his outspoken stance against same-sex marriage and condemnation of homosexuality, made his debut for the French club Catalans Dragons. The women said they were told they could not show the flag “on health and safety grounds.” The club later said the flag was removed because it covered advertising. A league investigation is being conducted. Meanwhile, the British rugby team Hull FC said the rainbow flag will be welcome in its stadium when Folau and the Dragons visit at the beginning of March. By the way, the day Folau signed with Catalan, the Wigan Warriors announced moments later that their March 22 home match against the Dragons would be their Pride Day. t Fremont, and other cities Alex Lee, who identifies as bi, is in a crowded field for this open seat. While only 24, Lee, who used to work for Low, would be a good addition to the Legislature. We recommend incumbent Democratic Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (15th District), Rob Bonta (18th District), and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (16th District). t regarding binational couples. Speier is a strong voice in Congress and deserves our vote. t

Pride and prejudice in soccer

Rose was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” because he always ran out every play, made up for any athletic shortcomings by his competitive unrelenting work ethic. That, too, rubbed off on me, and for decades when I was temporarily stuck for words while writing, I would get to my feet and drop into a low Rose crouch for a few swings to help me clear my thoughts. Those who would discount all that while defending his ban say, “Well, he

gambled.” Well, duh – people with gambling addictions gamble. Drug addicts take drugs and they are forgiven, helped even. For public image considerations, though, MLB’s compassion draws the line at other addictions that have nothing to do with on the field conduct. Rose lied, they say. Again, duh! Addicts lie. So when Rose was asked if he did something that would get him banned for life, he did what addicts

lost the endorsement of Equality California over his controversial decision to abstain from voting on Wiener’s intersex bill. During the hearing, Glazer seemed not to understand what intersex is when he said, “When you decide to be gay ... .” (He later apologized for the comment.) We need lawmakers who will not trivialize intersex medical conditions and erroneously equate that

with sexual orientation or gender identity. In local Assembly races, we endorse gay Democratic incumbent Evan Low in the 28th District, which includes Campbell and other Peninsula cities. He has worked to end the blood donation ban on gay men, which included education about ad-

vances in HIV detection and treatment. In recent years, he has taken on ending conversion therapy for adults (California already bans the practice for minors) though it has been an uphill battle. Nevertheless, it shows that Low is not afraid to take on tough LGBT issues, making California a leader for other states. In the 25th Assembly District that includes portions of North San Jose,

party can retain its majority. Two congresswomen deserve a special shout-out: Barbara Lee in District 13 and Jackie Speier in District 14. Lee represents Oakland and the surrounding area and has been a champion on LGBT and HIV/AIDS issues.

She and Pelosi played key roles in the return of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the Bay Area; both are also involved in this summer’s AIDS 2020 conference that will be held in Oakland and San Francisco. Lee is a progressive champion who will keep standing up for

LGBTQs and other vulnerable communities. Speier, who represents a sliver of southwestern San Francisco and the Peninsula, is also excellent on our issues. She has led on veterans matters, ending conversion therapy, and LGBT immigration, particularly

Assembly races

International News>>

t First same-sex couple weds in Northern Ireland

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 15

by Heather Cassell

to marry in churches don’t have a provision to do so at this time, said John O’Doherty, director of the Rainbow Project, an LGBT organization in Northern Ireland. Those two issues are a part of a public consultation that closes February 23. Ireland, also known as the Republic of Ireland, is a separate country from Northern Ireland. It was the first country to win marriage equality through a public vote in 2015. Registrations for Northern Ireland same-sex couples’ intent to marry opened January 13. There isn’t any data available on how many couples have actually registered, reported Time. Peoples met Edwards, a waitress, when she was visiting her cousin and they were spending a

night out on the town in Belfast. “We instantly just clicked,” said Peoples, a senior assistant at a care home. The couple live in Belfast. The women were in the process of getting a civil partnership last year. But when the same-sex marriage law passed, they decided to wait for it to go into effect. They expressed their gratitude for the people who fought for their right to marry. “This means everything to us. Just to be married. This is my wife. I can finally say this is my wife,” Peoples, of the newly minted Mrs. and Mrs. Edwards-Peoples, told reporters after their wedding, noted Reuters.

The same day Northern Ireland celebrated its first same-sex wedding, the man suspected of murdering queer Belfast journalist

Lyra McKee was arrested, charged, and detained. Three other men were also arrested. Paul McIntyre, 52, was arrested February 11 and charged with McKee’s April 18, 2019 murder, as well as possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and “professing to be a member of a proscribed organization,” according to the February 12 police statement. The man was taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite, Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy stated. The Guardian reported that in a 50-minute hearing attended by the murdered writer’s partner, Sara Canning, McIntyre’s defense team claimed the case against him rested solely on a “snapshot” of low-quality cellphone footage. McIntyre’s next court date is February 27. The three unidentified suspects, ages 20, 27, and 29, were initially charged under the Terrorism Act after the New Irish Republican Army claimed responsibility for McKee’s death. The 20-year-old and 27-year-old were released pending a report to Northern Ireland’s public prosecution service. The 29-year-old was released without charges, the paper reported. At the time of her death, McKee, 29, was covering the New IRA when a riot ensued during the 21st anniversary of the Good Friday agreement in the heavily Catholic Creggan neighborhood in Londonderry. She was standing by a police vehicle when a single gunman fired shots into a residential area. A rising star in journalism, McKee’s death caused a wave of shock, outrage and grief that reverberated from Belfast’s queer community to politicians in Britain, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. In the police statement, Murphy said, “I have always said a number of individuals were involved with the gunman on the night Lyra was killed, and while today is significant

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038949100

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038948100

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038959500

he brides both wore wedding dresses as they walked down the aisle, becoming the first samesex couple to get hitched in Northern Ireland last week. “We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love,” Sharni Edwards, 27, told Voice of America, in a statement released by the Love Equality campaign ahead of the nuptials. “While this campaign ends with Sharni and I saying ‘I do,’ it started with people saying ‘no’ to inequality. By standing together, we’ve made history,” added Edwards’ wife-to-be, Robyn Peoples, 26. Belfast native Peoples and Edwards, who is originally from Brighton, England, wed on February 11, their six-year anniversary, in Carrickfergus, a town outside of Belfast. They were joined by an estimated 50 guests and celebrated with 100 people at their hotel reception, reported Time magazine. Same-sex marriage was legalized in Northern Ireland on October 21, 2019. It took six years of campaigning led by Love Equality, a coalition of six organizations, and a deadline by British lawmakers for Northern Ireland to come in line with the rest of the United Kingdom, which legalized samesex marriage in 2014. Previously, civil partnerships were legalized in the U.K. in 2005. According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, 1,202 civil partnerships were registered between 2005 and 2017, the most recent data available. However, those same-sex civil partnerships cannot convert to marriages and people wishing

Liam McBurney/PA via AP

Robyn Peoples, left, and Sharni Edwards pose together after becoming the first same-sex couple to marry in Northern Ireland February 11.

IRA suspect charged with murder in McKee death

for the investigation the quest for the evidence to bring the gunmen to justice remains active and ongoing.” He continued to call for witnesses to provide evidence in McKee’s death. McKee planned to ask Canning to marry her during a trip to New York that the couple never took. Canning attended a celebration of the legalization of samesex marriage in Northern Ireland in the evening of February 11 in London. “Of course, this historic moment is a little bittersweet. It had been our dream too,” Canning told Voice of America in a statement about Northern Ireland’s first wedding. “Lyra and I should have been an engaged couple now, planning our own wedding day.”

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ESTHER SOO HOO IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-20-303461

Peruvian activists stage Valentine’s Day wedding protest

Peruvian marriage equality activists staged a group wedding on Valentine’s Day dubbed “Love does not discriminate.” Eleven couples exchanged vows at a park in the Miraflores district of Lima. “It is like a protest to the Peruvian state because it is really time for the country to have a civil union marriage which we, as Peruvians, really deserve and have the right to receive,” Juan Carlos Martinez, who took part in the ceremony with his partner, told the New York Times. Peru, which is majority Catholic, is one of a handful of South American countries that doesn’t legally recognize same-sex couples’ relationships. t Got international LGBT news tips? Call or send them to Heather Cassell at WhatsApp: 415-5177239, or Skype: heather.cassell, or oitwnews@gmail.com.

Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038959100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AG LANGUAGE SERVICE, 2 GENEVA AVE #11, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANGELICA M. GRISALES GIL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/16/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038956900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ST. BERNARD PARTNERS, 300 BEALE ST #607, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DAVID GOLD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/15/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/22/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555556 In the matter of the application of: JENISEL BALDERAS JORDAN, 1209 GUERRERO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JENISEL BALDERAS JORDAN, is requesting that the name JENISEL BALDERAS JORDAN AKA HEBBEL YENISEL BALDERAS AKA JENNIE HEBBEL MELBER, be changed to JENISEL BALDERAS JORDAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Room 103 on the 10th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555559 In the matter of the application of: NATALYA SMITOVA, 125 CAMBON DR #4E, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner NATALYA SMITOVA, is requesting that the name NATALYA SMITOVA, be changed to NATALYA PINKHASOVA. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept.103N, on the 10th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038933000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOUGH EXPRESS CLEANER, 648 GOUGH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed XIAOTAO SITU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/07/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MON AMI BANH MI, 75 HAWTHORNE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JESSE LE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038950400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SKIN LOUNGE, 1640 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JENNIFER N. ARANA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038930400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAX CLEANING SERVICE, 1459 18TH ST #364, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LIE LIE PONTIS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/06/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/06/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038934600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GRR, 908 LAKE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PATRICK MA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/08/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038953400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AVA CLEANING, 2231 16TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ARTUR SENIKI HOVHANNISYAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/21/20 The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/21/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038951400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VIVACE CLIQUE, 550 BATTERY ST #313, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PEACE AJAH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/17/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MODERN REAL ESTATE GROUP, INC., 117 CORTLAND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MODERN REAL ESTATE GROUP INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/16/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038948000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COMPAAS, 44 MONTGOMERY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CATHY LABS, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/06/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/16/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038961300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KNAK GROUP, 101 HENRY ADAMS ST #208, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SKAAR FURNITURE ASSOCIATES INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/27/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038949700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MARINA DELI & LIQUORS, 2299 CHESTNUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BELLAMARINA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/17/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038938100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GARDEN OF EDEN, 3251 20TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed EDEN WELLNESS SHOPS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/10/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038949400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PINE STREET DEVELOPMENT, 1555 PACIFIC AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 1525 PINE STREET DEV, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/12/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HAYES PIZZA, 2077 HAYES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JMC FOODS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/04/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/20.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037418000

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: LITTLE KIDS PARADISE, 266 21ST AVE #101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by TATIANA SERGUNINA. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/10/17.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-036482200

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: GOUGH EXPRESS CLEANER, 648 GOUGH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by a married couple and signed by JIEHUA LIU & XIAO TAO SITU. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/14/15.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038844300 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: HAYES PIZZA, 2077 HAYES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by CARLOS ZARATE AMBROCIO. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/28/19.

JAN 30, FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555512

In the matter of the application of: MATT SCOTT, 908 CONNECTICUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner MATT SCOTT, is requesting that the name MATT SCOTT, be changed to WAZIR ABDULLAH MUHAMMAD. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept.103, Room 103 on the 2nd of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of ESTHER SOO HOO. A Petition for Probate has been filed by JOHN SOO HOO in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that JOHN SOO HOO be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 04, 2020, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney or Party Without Attorney for petitioner: John Soo Hoo, 311 Oak St #811, Oakland, CA 94607; Ph. (510) 332-3120.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038962000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUSHI SHOUBU, 2 MARINA BLVD. C370, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TAKESHI UCHIDA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/27/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/27/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020

Legals>>

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE # JD10-3011

In the matter of the application of: RYAN SHEETS # 229823, LAW OFFICE OF RYAN SHEETS, 459 FULTON ST #304, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CEDRIC JEROME TATUM, is requesting that the name CEDRIC JEROME TATUM, be changed to DOMINIC MORGAN KRASOWSKI. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 425, Room 425 on the 9th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555561 In the matter of the application of: WINNIE JEAN LIU, 2240 BAY ST #207, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner WINNIE JEAN LIU, is requesting that the name WINNIE JEAN LIU AKA WEI WEI LIU, be changed to WEI WEI LIU. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 19th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555571 In the matter of the application of: LOUISE ROBB STIMSON, 150 PINE ST #25, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner LOUISE ROBB STIMSON, is requesting that the name LOUISE ROBB STIMSON, be changed to SOPHIE LOUISE SCHULZ. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 2nd of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038965500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AVA HANDYMAN SERVICES, 2231 16TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ARTUR SENIKI HOVHANNISYAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038938900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WAXMAN & ACHERMANN, 340 PINE ST #503, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAMES ACHERMANN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/10/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038940900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN FRANCISCO LANGUAGE SERVICES, 82 B MIRABEL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed FERNANDA M. MONMANY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/20/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/13/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038964800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RARITY ENTERPRISES, 620 HAMILTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DOMINIQUE CLEOPE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038961700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NEPENJI JAPAN CENTER BEAUTY CLINIC, 1825 POST ST #160, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed KANADERU (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/27/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038962200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALTITUDE LEARNING, 49 STEVENSON ST #1000, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ALTSCHOOL, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/27/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038967600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WAKE THE WOLVES, INC., 933 VERMONT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed WAKE THE WOLVES, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/14/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/30/2020

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038966800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SPICE, 8 JOOST AVE #4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PROJECT SPICE INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

February 6-12, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 16

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038961900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAKURA APARTMENTS, 1890 SUTTER ST #312, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a trust, and is signed JOSEPH XUEREB & GRACE WILSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/84. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/27/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038966000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 23 ART DESIGNS, 1570 SUTTER ST #306, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 23 ART DESIGNS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038967000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TERPSICHORA BALLET SCHOOL, 1700 POST ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TERPSICHORA BALLET SCHOOL, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555583 In the matter of the application of: AUDREY ANNE SCHENCK, 2242 SLOAT BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner AUDREY ANNE SCHENCK, is requesting that the name AUDREY ANNE SCHENCK, be changed to AUDREY ANNE SCHENCK BADJO. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 19th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555577

In the matter of the application of: CORY MICHAEL JUHLIN, 855 BRANNAN ST #678, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CORY MICHAEL JUHLIN, is requesting that the name CORY MICHAEL JUHLIN, be changed to CORY MICHAEL HAWKRAVEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 19th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555578

In the matter of the application of: DAVID ADAM HURST, 855 BRANNAN ST #678, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner DAVID ADAM HURST, is requesting that the name DAVID ADAM HURST, be changed to DAVID ADAM HAWKRAVEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 19th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555600 In the matter of the application of: FRANCES BENDER, 2040 BROADWAY #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner FRANCES BENDER, is requesting that the name AVA GRACE BENDER, be changed to AVA-GRACE MARGARET BENDER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm 103 on the 24th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555584 In the matter of the application of: GRACE NAN KAO, 25 SIERRA ST #W304, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107 & AIDAN SIOBHAN MADIGAN-CURTIS, 1395 22ND ST #411, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner GRACE NAN KAO & AIDAN SIOBHAN MADIGAN-CURTIS, are requesting that the name QUINN ISABELLA MADIGAN-KAO, be changed to QUINN ISABELLA KAO. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103, on the 19th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038959700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JULIE’S SAFE CLEANING, 394 CAPISTRANO AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GUILLERMINA ALAMILLA RAMIREZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/24/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020

SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: THOMAS WOODROW PRICE II, YOU HAVE BEEN SUED. READ THE INFORMATION BELOW. PETITIONER’S NAME IS MIRIAM PRICE, AKA MARIAM PRICE, AKA MARIAM MELKO CASE NO. 19FL003010

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association. NOTICE-RESTRAINING ORDERS: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. The name and address of the court are FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER COURTHOUSE, 201 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95113. The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, is: Motaz M. Gerges, Esq, 330 Arden Ave #210, Glendale, CA 91203; 818-396-4433. Date: 08/05/19. Clerk of the Superior Court, by A. Georgieva, Deputy. STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from: 1. removing the minor children of the parties from the state or applying for a new or replacement passport for those minor children without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court. 2. cashing, borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability, held for the benefit of the parties and their minor children. 3. transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life, and 4. creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in a manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party. You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective. However, you may use community property, quasi-community property, or your own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs. NOTICE – ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE: Do you or someone in your household need affordable health insurance? If so, you should apply for Covered California. Covered California can help reduce the cost you pay towards high quality affordable health care. For more information, visit www.coveredca.com . Or call Covered California at 1-800300-1506. WARNING – IMPORTANT INFORMATION California law provides that, for purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community property. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divided, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e., joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption. You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038975600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SF TRIAL TECH, 241 NEVADA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MICHAEL SKRZYPEK. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/04/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038963900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MISE EN PLACEMENT, 165 MARGARET AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DANTE RAMON NUÑO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/28/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038963700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: A FINE INDIVIDUAL CLOTHING, 1250 BUCHANAN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AFI CRECY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/28/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/28/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038971400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FOG CITY CONSTRUCTION, 1592 UNION ST #484, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROBERT KELLER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038975400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GLOBAL MEDIA X, 219 DWIGHT RD, BURLINGAME, CA 94010. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed LOURDES ALCAZAREN-KEELEY & CAROLINE OCAMPO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/04/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038964700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TAISHAN CUISINE, 781 BROADWAY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed HUIYUAN INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/21/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038978700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ARBOR, 384 HAYES ST #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed THE ABSINTHE GROUP, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/06/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038954300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BRAND NEW DAY, 5455 GARDEN GROVE BLVD #500, WESTMINSTER, CA 92683. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed UNIVERSAL CARE, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/10/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/21/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038966500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOUTH BEND DESIGN, LLC, 726 GUERRERO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SOUTH BEND DESIGN, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038971600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN FRANCISCO ICE COMPANY, 45 WILLIAMS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed GLACIER ICE COMPANY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038976500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NINE HIVES, 738 CLIPPER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed NOVE VINEYARDS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/05/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038978800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PROXY PRESS, 105 FAIRMOUNT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CONTEXT MARKETING SERVICES LLC, (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/06/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038980100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CADILLAC BAR AND GRILL, 1355 MARKET ST #160, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DOS LAREDOS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/06/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038959400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ONESTOP WINE & SPIRITS, 1373 CAYUGA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ONESTOP TRADING LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/20/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038966300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FIG & THISTLE APOTHECARY, 313 IVY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 415 NATIVE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

FEB 13, 20, 27, MARCH 05, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038989000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PRACTICALI LAW, 44 MONTGOMERY ST 3RD FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SIRIVATH MU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/20.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555619

In the matter of the application of: CHRISTOPHER KENDALL CARR, P.O.BOX 14702, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CHRISTOPHER KENDALL CARR is requesting that the name CHRISTOPHER KENDALL CARR AKA CHRISTOPHER KINSEY CRONIN AKA CHRISTOPHER CRONIN, be changed to CHRISTOPHER KINSEY CRONIN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 2nd of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555608 In the matter of the application of: JOE LOUIS LOPEZ, 1050 PINE ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JOE LOUIS LOPEZ, is requesting that the name JOE LOUIS LOPEZ AKA JOSEPH LUIS LOPEZ AKA JOSEPH L. LOPEZ AKA JOSEPH LOPEZ, be changed to JOSEPH LUIS LOPEZ. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm 103 on the 26th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038982400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: YSA BARBERSHOP, 763 ELLIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ISA ALY MOHAMATH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/02/06. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038988600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VALUEXCHANGE DIAMOND IMPORTERS, 999 GREEN ST #2503, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed HAROLD APFELBAUM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/31/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038989100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JAYNE ALTAFFER STYLIST, 178 BLUXOME ST, UNIT 206, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAYNE BOYLE ALTAFFER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/13/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038971800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROYALTYDNA, 60 29TH ST, #232, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ZEMA COLE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038959600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MEN’S HEALTH HAVEN, 55 NEW MONTGOMERY #306, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STEPHEN TRAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/24/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038988100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: UNICA DENTAL, 2813 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DR. CHOI DMD, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038982600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FAST PRO SERVICES, 1610 POST ST #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PACIFIC LIGHT GROUP INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/10/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038956600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE IH0011, 300 7TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HENLEY PACIFIC SF LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/15/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/22/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020

FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2020

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Vol. 50 • No. 8 • February 20-26, 2020

www.ebar.com/arts

Michael Novak carries on for Paul Taylor

by Philip Mayard Artistic DirectorDesignate Michael Novak in rehearsal with Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Paul B. Goode

or over 30 years, the New York City-based Paul Taylor Dance Company has made San Francisco its de facto second home, returning to perform for their loyal Bay Area fans no less than 16 times. But when they take the stage at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts this week, it will be the first time they do so without their namesake founder watching from the wings. The legendary Paul Taylor, who “brought lyrical musicality, capacity for joy and wide poetic imagination to modern dance over six decades as one of its greatest choreographers” (The New York Times), died at age 88 on Aug. 29, 2018. See page 22 >>

“A Man in a Bowler Hat, Harlem NY” (1976) by Dawoud Bey.

Erik Tomasson

Dores André and Benjamin Freemantle in “The Big Hunger.”

Bey watch by Sura Wood

by Paul Parish

frican American photographer Dawoud Bey was just 15 years old when he got his first camera. But it was after seeing “Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America,” a controversial 1969 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, that he discovered the possibility of a career in photography. See page 18 >>

an Francisco Ballet was back in the Opera House for a two-week run continuing through Sunday, with a pair of great mixed bills. Each was like a three-course meal, each piece a world unto itself, but linked like islands in an archipelago. See page 22 >>

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

SFMOMA

Ballet moves

<< Out There

18 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

Under the sea, over the proscenium

series, because neither OT nor Pepi watches television, and we’re allergic to children who do. But one day, channel surfing in a hotel room, we happened upon series creator Stephen Hillenburg’s animated world, and we were hooked like snapper. The quirky universe of Bikini Bottom spoke to us. Its colorful cast of characters – pocket Adonis

SpongeBob, lovable oaf Patrick Star (a starfish), effete intellectual Squidward Q. Tentacles, glamorous smarty squirrel Sandy Cheeks – were not unlike people in our own world. We’re glad to say the musical brought them all to vivid life for us. Ladies and gentlefish, natural disaster threatens Bikini Bottom. The aqueous populace is about to be

decimated by a volcanic eruption, and the bloviating Mayor and the government can’t save them. The town’s businesses care only about making money off the crisis. It falls to SpongeBob and his pals to save the day. The cast inhabits the cartoon perfectly well in director Tina Landau’s conception. Lorenzo Pugliese is a sunny-side-up, foursquare SpongeBob. Beau Bradshaw is hilarious as Patrick, deified by a cult of gullible Sardine Corps. Cody Cooley is a certified cephalopod in his big number “I’m Not a Loser,” backed by a chorus line of sea anemones. With his meaty claws, Zach Kononov has a lock on hypercapitalist restaurateur Eugene Krabs, proprietor of the Krusty Krab, and Tristan McIntyre is delightfully villainous as Sheldon Plankton, owner of the failing Chum Bucket. Only in the cosmos of SpongeBob would the bad guy turn out to be a one-celled organism, but a really mean one. As usual, the citizens are their own worst enemy. Although Sandy

co-curated by Corey Keller, opened at SFMOMA last week, and it’s a winner. Bey brings an admirable combination of artistry, rigor and empathy to his work. In his blackand-white images, he frequently achieves a degree of perfection exemplified by a modest, small-frame picture shot in 35mm in Syracuse, New York, where two teenage boys in sneakers and nearly fluorescent white T-shirts take a breather on a city handball court. One wouldn’t wish it changed in the slightest. The show also features largeformat, lushly toned color portraits of people of color, including adolescents, who are often stereotyped, misunderstood or overlooked by white culture. Working in the early 1990s with a 20x24-inch Polaroid camera, Bey conveyed the individuality of the subjects within his frame and the internal conflicts that lurked behind theirs. A two-hour-plus shooting process and the artist’s career-long ability to bond with his sitters likely enhanced trust. A similar sensitivity is evident in “Class Pictures,” formal portraits of high school students photographed in empty classrooms, accompanied by short bios they wrote revealing their feelings of

vulnerability. While technically proficient and an important vehicle for giving visibility to marginalized groups or urban neighborhoods losing their cultural legacy to “progress,” Bey’s color photography doesn’t have the singular quality of his rich, sometimes stark, preternatural work in black-and-white, a medium where he’s clearly in his element and most at home. “The Birmingham Project” (2013) is a collection of diptychs that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Ku Klux Klan’s bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Alabama in 1963. Bey paired children who were the same age as the four African American girls killed in the attack with adults who, in 2013, would have been the age of those children if they had survived, but photographed them separately in the same or different venues. The results, poignant and quietly powerful, reflect Bey’s innate gentleness and recognition of harsh

realities, which are a through-line in his work. His latest project and perhaps his most poetic, “Night Coming Tenderly, Black,” signals a further departure from portraiture and a growing interest in haunted landscapes. In these painterly nocturnes, which take their name from the final couplet of Langston Hughes’ 1926 poem “Dream Variations,” Bey summons the sites of the Underground Railroad in rural Ohio, a secret network, shrouded in myth and memory, that helped fugitive slaves escape. In particular, he imagines the final 50-mile stretch to Lake Erie and the Promised Land beyond its shores as a passage through enchanted forests fraught with danger. An homage to New York photographer Roy DeCarava, an early influence who embraced black light, the large-scale, profoundly moving, impressionistic images were photographed during the day and printed in gelatin silver on coated

Jeremy Daniel, courtesy Broadway SF

Scene from the touring version of “The SpongeBob Musical” at the Golden Gate Theatre in SF.

by Roberto Friedman

“T

he SpongeBob Musical” briefly graced the Golden Gate Theatre last week, touring after its hit Broadway run, then just as quickly swam away. Bubbles trailed in its wake. Out There never really followed the “SpongeBob SquarePants” TV

Dawoud Bey

From page 17

In 1975, at the age of 22 and largely self-taught at the time, he embarked on his own take on the neighborhood where he had roots, “Harlem U.S.A.” The series of portraits, shot over a three-year period with a hand-held camera, announced the arrival of a dazzling new talent on the scene. Followers of photography will no doubt have spotted Bey’s affectionate pictures of Harlem residents, like the kid in aviator shades, a cool customer with attitude who planted himself in front of the box office of the Loew’s 125th St. Theater in Harlem; or the dignified gray-haired gent in a bowler hat and white bow tie standing in front of his home. During the next 45 years, Bey’s exquisite, downright sensational black-and-white photographs have captured the humanity of black subjects, communities and histories ignored by the mainstream art world. Now the master photographer, who grew up in Queens and is based in Chicago, has a major retrospective to call his own. “Dawoud Bey: An American Project,”

is working on a scientific solution to their apocalypse, they turn on her: “Land mammals go home!” “She has lungs, and this is a gill town!” If they could build a meaningless wall like the orange Imbecilic One wants to, they would. This is all set to a perky score composed by an address book full of pop musicians. “(Just a) Simple Sponge,” for example, was penned by Panic! At the Disco, and “No Control” is credited to no less than David Bowie & Brian Eno. Other showstoppers were written by the Flaming Lips, Sara Bareilles, Aerosmith, Lady Antebellum, John Legend and They Might Be Giants. It’s a pop pastiche of Broadway-style novelty numbers. No crustacean could ask for more. At Broadway SF’s opening night, not a drop of the SpongeBob gestalt was lost on the adoring audience. The adults were having as much fun as the children, even while the children were, as usual, better behaved. It’s often the case: the simplest among us do the most to save the day.t paper in dusky grays and blacks that seem to deepen before one’s eyes. Ominous clouds gathering above the lake expanse, small clearings in the woods obscured by mist, and dense stands of trees vanishing under a cloak of darkness are captured at the fleeting moment between twilight and nightfall. The series evokes the terror of the unknown experienced by slaves fearing pursuit and recapture, and an exhilarating taste of freedom tempered by the literal and metaphoric difficulty of discerning the way ahead. Bey is currently taking pictures on Louisiana sugar cane plantations, part of his continuing commitment to making the unseen tangible and the African American past resonate in the present. “Traumatic history hangs in the air and hovers over a place,” he tells me. “You can’t see the history; you have to make it felt.”t Through May 25. sfmoma.org

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“A Young Man Resting on an Exercise Bike, Amityville, NY” (1988) by Dawoud Bey.

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<< Music

20 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

French masters bring concert hall flair by Philip Campbell

Dukas’ luscious short ballet “La Peri.” The he San Francisco Symcomposer, obviously phony’s February concerts influenced by Ravel, cover the orchestra’s full dywrote a lovely piece namic range. From Conductor deserving concert perLaureate Herbert Blomstedt’s formance. The musimastery of tradition to Music cians responded with Director Designate Esa-Pekka shimmering sound Salonen’s contemporary flair, and rhythmic impulse, Davies Symphony Hall glows but some were buried Kristen Loken with lively energy. Beautiful in full-tilt. If you only Chinese lanterns celebrat- Last Friday night’s San Francisco Symphony concert know the composer’s ing the Lunar New Year add a featured conductor Fabien Gabel and pianist Jeanfamous “The Sorcersense of occasion, while a dis- Yves Thibaudet. er’s Apprentice,” Gabel play on the First Tier features offered a tempting highlights of departing Music alternative. Grateful crowds rewarded him with Director Michael Tilson Thomas’ Jean-Yves Thibaudet appeared standing ovations fit for a rock star. fabulous 25 years. next for Aaron Zigman’s “Tango Coinciding perfectly with ValenVenerable maestro Herbert Manos,” Concerto for Piano and tine’s Day, the US Premiere of HolBlomstedt wrapped his annual visit Orchestra. Thibaudet originally lywood composer Aaron Zigman’s with soul-nourishing performances suggested Zigman to Long Yu, “Tango Manos” fit nicely into a bill of Beethoven and Brahms. An enfounder and former artistic direccalled “French Masters: Thibaudet thusiastic 20-something listener tor of the Beijing Music Festival, as & Saint-Saens’ ‘Organ’ Symphony.” confided curiosity about the cona contender for a projected tango The entertaining program, conductductor’s eminent reputation. I was concerto. Noted for many film ed by Quebec Symphony Orchestra heartened to see the old lion still scores, the composer first worked Music Director Fabien Gabel in selling out DSH on a Friday night. successfully with the celebrated his SFS debut, started with Paul

French pianist on the soundtrack music for the 2017 “Wakefield” starring Bryan Cranston. Thibaudet loves the music of Argentina, and his previous experience with Zigman came to mind for the work cocommissioned with Beijing Music Festival, Radio France, and the San Francisco Symphony. Three distinct movements show the composer’s gift for melody and orchestration. The inherent sexiness of the dance permeates the score, and SFS players proved their versatility. Confidently responding to Zigman’s sinuous beat and the conductor’s lead, they lifted the score to a higher level. As a stimulating selection for a Pops concert, “Tango Manos” has an assured future. Comparing it to the music of renowned Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player and arranger Astor Piazzolla, some listeners were puzzled, but everyone agreed it was fun. Thibaudet tore through the grander pages, caressed the softer moments, and seduced with trademark style. Who could

resist? The evening closed with SaintSaens’ massive but gloriously detailed Symphony No. 3, “Organ.” An audience favorite, the Third also provides an opportunity to blow the dust from the pipes of DSH’s magnificent Ruffatti organ. Jonathan Dimmock essayed the leading role with powerful clarity, and the Orchestra, after some shrill moments in the beginning, followed conductor Gabel to an expectably triumphant (and big) finale. This week, Esa-Pekka Salonen appears with soprano Julia Bullock, artist-in-residence this season, for a rare performance of Benjamin Britten’s haunting “Les Illuminations” with words by Rimbaud. Next, Salonen closes February conducting his own highly praised Violin Concerto with the dedicatee Leila Josefowicz playing. Beethoven’s Overture to “King Stephen” is included with Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s powerful Symphony No. 5. sfsymphony.org.t

Frankie receives an Oscar nomination when his career is at a low point. He comes up with a preposterous scheme to make sure he wins: he digs up dirt from his own past and has a sleazy private detective (Ernest Borgnine) release it to the press. Frankie figures this will garner him the sympathy vote. But the private eye, played to slimy per-

fection by Borgnine, turns the tables on Frankie and blackmails him. This may have been intended as a serious expose of the dark underbelly of Hollywood, but “The Oscar” is no “Sunset Boulevard.” It’s a campy melodrama hard to take seriously. The cameos are great fun to watch for those familiar with names from Hollywood’s past. Joseph Cotten, still remembered for his work with Orson Welles, plays a studio boss who tells Frankie exactly what he thinks of him. Peter Lawford, a

And the winner is… by David-Elijah Nahmod

he 1966 film “The Oscar,” released on DVD and BluRay to coincide with the just-passed Oscar season, was panned upon its initial release. Now fully restored by purveyors of classic cinema Kino Lorber, “The Oscar” is worth a second look not because it’s a great film, but because it’s fun. The story of a ruthless actor who will do just about anything to win the coveted statue, it’s loaded with familiar faces who, once upon a time, were big stars. Some of them have been forgotten

with the passage of time. The film stars Stephen Boyd (1931-77), a good-looking guy who was a fairly big name in Hollywood when the film was made. He plays Frankie Fane, a creep. Frankie’s a talented actor, but he has no soul, using everyone who crosses his path, stepping on people along the way. Frankie is so utterly without any redeeming qualities that viewers might end up rooting for him to fail. Frankie has a wife played by Elke Sommer, another star not wellremembered these days. She loves Frankie, but he barely gives her the

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time of day. His best friend Hymie Kelly is played by superstar crooner Tony Bennett, who fortunately stuck with singing and never again acted in a feature film. Throughout the film Hymie stands idly by and watches Frankie use one person after another, spitting each of them out. Why Hymie and the wife don’t walk out on Frankie is one of the film’s unexplained mysteries.

See page 21 >>

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Theatre>>

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 21

‘Gatz’: Rhapsody in green light by Jim Gladstone

ick Carraway, narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and proxy for readers of the great Jazz Age novel, is prone to musing. During his first visit to Gatsby’s Long Island manor, Nick slips away from his host, gazing and trying to make sense of his surroundings. “I began to walk about the room,” he recalls, “examining various indefinite objects in the half darkness.” While I wasn’t allowed to walk about during the 390-plus minutes I sat watching the audacious “Gatz” during its opening performance at Berkeley Rep last Thursday (the show runs from 2-10:30 p.m., including two 15-minute intermissions and a dinner break), I could relate to Nick’s sense of eerie indefiniteness, his perception of shadowy veils concealing mysterious meanings. Created and performed by Elevator Repair Service, an experimental New York production company, this unabridged presentation of Fitzgerald’s tale of American class-consciousness, romance and moral rot has traveled the world for more than three decades. And indeed, it’s a trip. Less an adaptation than a complication. The fine-tuned cast of 13 tells the

story of Gatsby to audience members, often reading directly from the pages of a passed-around paperback, but also provokes them to muse on the mysteries of reading, endurance and the passage of time. Sitting in a darkened theater or sinking into a novel for hours on end, the mind rolls and wanders, sometimes in an enchanted fugue state, sometimes restlessly. One’s own thoughts float up between the lines, collaborating and Steven Gunther conflicting with the work at hand Scott Shepherd in Elevator Repair to generate a highly personalized Service’s production of “Gatz,” directed hybrid version. by John Collins. “Gatz” transpires in a murky, windowless business office. Set (Scott Shepherd), one of the office designer Louisa Thompson’s sad drones, finds his machine won’t conglomeration of styleless funcboot up. Killing time while the IT tional furniture, Texas Instruments guy dithers, he picks up a copy of calculators, boxy computers and “The Great Gatsby” and begins to towering metal racks of archived read. Whether he’s actually reading paper files suggest we’re in the early aloud or we’re privy to his interior 1980s, as do Colleen Werthman’s just mindscape is left intentionally amas perfectly demoralizing costumes, biguous, but gradually his voice a mournful, putty-shaded parade of grows crisper and more confident, Dupont-fabricated suits for the men as if he’s channeling Carraway’s narand patronizing, breast-centric busiration rather than reading it. This ness outfits for the women. This is a man of little character is absorbing place of repetitious drudgery, madone of Fitzgerald’s. dening middle-class work-for-work’s At first, Nick’s officemates go sake, more Kafka than Fitzgerald. about their workplace routines as if Metamorphosis begins as Nick

oblivious to his voice. Then Jordan (Susie Sokol) sits beside him, an audience for the storyteller. Soon she’s reading the dialogue spoken by the Jordan Baker character in “Gatsby,” and gradually she’s not just reading, but playacting. Or becoming. Similar transitions occur in the rest of the cast as director John Collins toys with porous identities, evoking the workers’ existential yearning for escape and readers’ depth of engagement with compelling fiction. As the ensemble becomes more and more engrossed in its Gatsby characters (Sokol, all devil-maycare wryness as Jordan, and Jim Fletcher, wringing unexpected humor from the title role, are standouts), Ben Williams’ sound design also tilts toward the novel’s milieu. The background sounds one might hear in a late-century mid-city office slip away, largely replaced by the sonic atmosphere summoned by Fitzgerald’s prose, from the chime of ice against crystal glasses to the chirp of crickets at dusk. From the moment Nick begins to read “Gatsby,” the clock on his cluttered desk reads 9:40. Throughout the show he glances at it, perplexed,

but accepting the warp in time that occurs when one enters a work of fiction. During their hours of reading, Nick and his co-workers come and go, flipping off the overhead fluorescents in the office, shutting the door as they leave the stage, as if closing for the evening, then stepping back in, flipping on the light switch and returning to what feels like yet another day of humdrum routines. Simultaneously, the novel’s plot progresses over several summer months, occasionally diving years into the past with flashbacks. The set looks like the 1980s, the book is set in the Roaring 20s, and in the 21st century, the streets of Berkeley, sunlit when the show began, have fallen dark by the evening dinner break. “Gatz” collapses chronology, intermingles identities, and nudges one’s mind toward the metaphysical. Beyond sharing Fitzgerald’s felicitous prose, it muses on reading and theatergoing. It’s an elaborate meditation on audience participation.t

“Dancing in the Dark.” All it takes is a single chiming guitar chord from either of those songs to summon up feelings that Martinez struggles to bring out in flat dialogue. Wanly directed by Margarett Perry, “Born in East Berlin” leans hard on stories it presumes audience members have all heard before and songs it knows damn well they

have. It’s like a boilerplate jukebox musical with no singing or dancing to distract from its emptiness.t

Gatz, an Elevator Repair Service production, through March 1. Berkeley Rep, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Tickets ($60-$125): (510) 647-2949, www.berkeleyrep.org.

Dummkopf the tech is slick. The overstuffed plot takes place in 1988, when Bruce Springsteen’s historic concert on the Communist side of the Berlin Wall served as a harbinger of the following year’s epochal change. Three romantic couples, at least one too many, are impacted by Jessica Palopoli government surveilLotte (Lauren Hart) warns Hans (Patrick lance and anti-Western Andrew Jones) about possible consequences propaganda during the in “Born in East Berlin.” planning and production of Bruce’s Eastern Bloc party. by Jim Gladstone American rock promoter Anne (Ash Malloy) wears a pink-streaked, he San Francisco Playhouse’s profile-obscuring Kate Bush frightSandbox Series new-play develwig as she falls (who knows why?) opment program is an asset to the for Hans (Patrick Andrew Jones), local theater scene. It presents world one of the bureaucrats assigned to premieres of new work in productangle her plans in red tape. Hugtions described as having limited bert, a hotel worker (Christopher budgets and design elements that Reber, whose ironic, world-weary are, in fact, often quite polished. This delivery gives the play a few muchseason’s first show, “The Daughters” appreciated moments of humor), by Patricia Cotter, gave vibrant voice gets involved with Alix (Wera von to local lesbian history on a handWulfen), a never-clarified mystery some set worthy of a mainstage. woman. Katja (Isabel Langen) and The series’ current offering, “Born Gerhard (Griffin O’Connor) are in East Berlin” boasts some even German youths both frightened more impressive and expensiveand entranced by the rock-n-roll looking technical work. The rights to freedom offered by the West. What vintage performance clips of Springexactly that freedom might be is steen and Bowie can’t come cheap, unexplored. It’s a blue-jeans-andand projection designer Teddy Hulbandana trope, and Springsteen’s sker seamlessly weaves them in and presence throughout the play is lazy out of static mural-scale images, joltdramatic shorthand. ing the theater to life with bursts of Martinez’s characters are frustratfeel-good nostalgia. Alas, the script ingly untextured, pawns in a largely by Rogelio Martinez is as rough as unexplained late-Cold War chess

The Oscar

From page 20

member of Frank Sinatra’s legendary “rat pack,” plays a down-and-out former star who finds himself working in an upscale Hollywood eatery. TV funnyman Milton Berle offers a dramatic performance as Frankie’s agent. Broderick Crawford, a tough guy from generations past, plays a sleazy sheriff who railroads Frankie into jail before he’s famous. Several Hollywood superstars appear as themselves: Sinatra, the now barely remembered Merle Oberon, Bob Hope (who tells really bad jokes

during the film’s fictional Oscar ceremony), legendary costume designer Edith Head, and others. It’s hard to believe that the filmmakers intended “The Oscar” to be taken seriously, but apparently they did. The screenplay was co-written by noted sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison, and the film was produced by the respected Joseph E. Levine. They failed in their attempt to make a serious film, instead coming up with a curio that will elicit unintentional laughs. Kino Lorber offers a superb print, with a sharp picture, good sound, and two commentary tracks from film historians.t

game that the playwright assumes his audience is already quite familiar with. So much for new work that brings younger folks into the theater. Given the more reasonably takenfor-granted familiarity of theatergoers with late-20th-century pop cultural landmarks, it’s a waste of time to offer detailed exegeses of the lyrics to “Rosalita” or the emotional rush of

Born in East Berlin, through Feb. 29. SF Playhouse Sandbox Series at the Creativity Theater, 221 4th St., SF. Tickets: ($30$40): (415) 677-9596, www.sfplayhouse.org.

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“AN INSTANTLY ENGAGING TALE” –ScreenDaily

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<< Film

22 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

Georgian beauties in the dance by David Lamble

t’s not too early to say that the most heartbreaking performance of the new year comes from Levan Gelbakhiani as Merab, a talented Georgian dancer trying desperately to be true to his art and his heart. In “And Then We Danced,” Swedishborn writer-director Levan Akin, best known for his 2012 feature “Certain People,” has fashioned a powerful, passionate love letter to young men everywhere, but particularly to those trapped in traditionbound macho cultures. Merab is exhausted by a restaurant job that keeps the lights on at home and his cell phone charged, with enough cash to spare for the daily bus ride to a dance studio run by a ruthless old task-master who takes a dim view of Merab’s gypsylike clan. He’s trying for Georgia’s premier dance company while keeping his messed-up family from dissolving after his dad’s departure. Merab’s life as a dancer gets sticky upon the arrival of the darkhaired male beauty Irakli (Bachi Valishvili), a great lover who’s

Michael Novak

From page 17

Just three months before his death, Taylor, who for years refused to name a successor, surprised the dance world by naming Michael Novak, a company dancer for just eight years, as Artistic Director-Designate. According to Novak, Taylor called him in for a meeting and simply said, “I have been thinking for a long time, and I have decided that you’re going to be the one to take over the company once I buzz off.” Novak said, “I don’t think ‘shocked’ even begins to describe the feeling.” Upon his appointment, Novak, then 35, thought out a plan for the upcoming year. He said, “Paul was very explicit that he wanted me to keep dancing during the transition, and frankly, I didn’t know how I was going to do both. But I was willing to put my trust in him, because he is the master. I was certainly hoping for as much as time as possible to learn from him. But the window we had together was shorter than most of us anticipated.” When Taylor passed away, Novak took six months off from performing to help manage the transition. He said, “Paul wanted me to keep dancing, but running a foundation of our size takes a considerable amount of energy and effort. Doing that while maintaining the physical and technical integrity of my dancing was way too much. So my decision to retire came from a place of knowing that it had to happen, but

SF Ballet 2&3

From page 17

The highlight of Program 3, in which everything was well-danced, was the world premiere of a BladeRunner-ish ‘moving picture.” “The Big Hunger”(choreographer Trey McIntyre) is set in (maybe) the remains of a garment factory halfdestroyed in an earthquake, with droids in pink-tinsel Anna Wintour wigs policing a world where a few people (Benjamin Freemantle and Dores Andre) want more tenderness and spiritual connection. But they’re in hot-pink hot pants and the same wigs, so they must be a little bit Zara-enslaved as well. Set to Serge Prokofiev’s colossal Piano Concerto No. 2 (described as “a dragon eating its young” by one of the few pianists who can play it), “The Big Hunger” is a synesthetic onslaught where all your senses are attacked at once. You don’t know

the old guard Georgian dance masters loath what they see as Merab’s unGeorgian style of dancing. Earlier we learned that a gay man was banished from the company after he was caught having sex with an Armenian. His family sent him off to a Catholic monastery up in the mountains “to make him normal again.” On top of this, a gang of gaybashers threatens Merab, who finds it hard to ignore their vicious taunts. Lisabi Fridell’s mobile camera captures the austere beauty of this Eastern European outpost, and a soundtrack that ranges Music Box Films from Georgian folk classics to ABBA keeps us humLevan Gelbakhiani (center) as Merab, a talented Georgian dancer in writer-director Levan Akin’s ming along. The film is “And Then We Danced.” performed in the Georgian language, with English subtitles. It’s not yet MPAalso quite a tease. Gelbakhiani, nates his scenes, comprising 99% fragility and strength. Towards rated, although it contains both as Merab, is what the British call of the film. the end of the story he sprains his adult language and passionate queer a “ginger,” meaning an auburnGelbakhiani has the power to right ankle and we fear that all may lovemaking. Opens Friday.t haired cutie. He absolutely domimake you feel both his physical be lost. Irakli has left town, and also respecting Paul’s wish. I think I was able to accomplish that.” Indeed, just this past November, Novak made his final appearance with the company, to rave reviews. Following his performance at Lincoln Center, dance blogger Mary Cargill said, “New Artistic Director Michael Novak received a shower of flowers and a rousing ovation, as the audience seemed to unite in thanking him and the company.” Growing up in suburban Chicago, Novak developed an interest in jazz, tap and hip-hop in his adolescence. He attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia before receiving an apprenticeship to the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. But without a physical foundation to support such intensive ballet training, Novak developed shin splints, which progressed to agonizing stress fractures. As his hopes of becoming a professional dancer began to waver, he enrolled in Columbia University, where he received his B.A. His passion for dance was rekindled through his collegiate dance program. After graduation, as he made the audition rounds in pursuit of dance gigs, he waited on tables, worked for the New York State Council on the Arts, and served as an executive assistant. After a few years and hundreds of auditions, including an unsuccessful bid for a spot in the Taylor company, Novak was frustrated and ready to leave New York. He booked a flight for Los Angeles, where he

hoped to pursue commercial opportunities. But before he left, he auditioned for the Taylor company one more time. He said, “In my mind, this was my last shot. Either I was going to get in, or I was leaving New York.” Much to his delight, at age 27, he was invited to join the company. Now leader of that company, he said, “All those skill sets that I learned in all those jobs are coming together. Even my experience waiting tables taught me so much about how to manage teams, to engage with all kinds of people, and to help create a wonderful experience for them. I can guide younger dancers who are struggling. I can tell them, ‘Hey, you might not get your dream job until you’re 27. You might have a different career path.’” Unlike Paul Taylor, who was well known to be gay but never publicly talked about it, Novak is openly Dancer Michael Novak. gay and is married to Broadway choreog-

what hit you. Me, I want to go back, see if I can parse it. But the head-rush is like dropping acid, and there’s a case to make for not interpreting it. The virtuoso pianist Yekwon Sunwoo got the biggest hand of the evening. If you like your pleasures rational, the show to see is Program 2 (frankly, I think you should see both), where the highlight is the revival of Mark Morris’ brilliant “Sandpaper Ballet” (1999, last revived 2009), a festival of dances to little toy symphonies by Leroy Anderson, whose records went gold back at mid-century. You are bound to know some of them already (“Sleighride,” “Syncopated Clock”), and if you don’t know them by name you might recognize half of them if you heard them. It’s silky orchestral music with the repeated delightful shock of recognition of sounds from ordinary life – the sounds of a typewrit-

er, the clip-clop of horses’ hooves, a whinny, bells ringing – that Anderson works into his catchy tunes with high-level skills, like Haydn’s in his “Toy Symphony.” Morris extends this extravagantly so an idea in the music shows up in the moves, or in the overall picture. So the pleasure is Bugs Bunnyish, and a compliment to your intelligence. At first you just sit up and notice how patterns take shape – a dancer from the back corner runs around the group and jumps into place right on the music. Morris echoes Anderson’s wit without getting stupidly literal-minded. It’s everything you ever liked about a Looney Tune. A bright child would love this; the hard part would be that they wouldn’t want to go home, they’d want to see it again right away. Though it’s “just” a casual divertissement, it’s one of the greatest ballets in their rep. The soloist Max

rapher Josh Prince, whose credits include “Shrek the Musical” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” When asked about how his sexuality influences his view of the world, and how it may impact the direction of the company, he said, “If I look back and consider how my sexual identity informed where I am today, one word comes to mind: empathy. As a gay teenager I directly experienced how others and myself wrestled with our sexual and gender identities, and how our culture responded to, or ignored our needs. It made me learn that you can never truly know someone’s internal story or journey. Sometimes the ability to listen to someone is the greatest gift you can give them. “I think that’s why I fell in love with watching dance, Paul’s works in particular. The emotional range on any given evening seemed to tap into so many facets of who I was as a person, and how beautiful, tragic, exciting and complex our humanity is.”t Laspata DeCaro

Cauthorn was dancing so blissed out, his light shone brighter than anyone else onstage. But other stars were Jahna Frantziskonis, Esteban Hernandez (awesome!), Steven Morse (who made a big jump stolen from “Giselle” look like a kid on a skateboard), Miranda Silveira, and in the pas de deux, a dance of affection not passion, Sarah Van Patten and Luke Ingham showed a completely contemporary couple trying to get comfortable and fall asleep, in the nicest possible way, as they maneuvered for space in a too-narrow bed. Also on that bill, all the dancers in “Bespoke” (Stanton Welch, a revival from the “Unbound” new works festival) shone, especially Hernandez, Morse, Sasha de Sol, Isabella DeVivo, Wei Wang, Davide Occhipinti, and the ever-generous Diego Cruz. In an hors d’oeuvre of a pas de deux, “Soiree Musicale,” Misa

Paul Taylor Dance Company, Feb. 19-23, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Tickets at www.sfperformances.org.

Kuranaga stopped our hearts when, at top speed, she stopped a fast pirouette dead, still on pointe, facing the back corner, then opened to a new position with the bent leg behind her – and then melted out of that at top speed and repeated the combination exactly. If you could not believe you saw what you had in fact just seen, she shows it again, exactly the same, just as unbelievable. This company can do nearly anything. I’ve listed the things I liked best, but in a variety show like these mixed bills, you may find something that catches your heart that did not reach me. On a different night myself, I might have responded differently. But there will be something there, you’ll see something that will stay with you for the rest of your life. And you may want to treasure it in your heart and never tell a soul, it can mean so much to you.t

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Shining Stars

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Matthew Placek

Vol. 50 • No. 8 • February 20-26, 2020

Jenn Colella

From Broadway to stand-up & cabaret

John Cameron Mitchell Sharing new works, post-Hedwig

by Jim Gladstone

enn Colella is best known for her portrayal of Beverley Bass, the first female captain at American Airlines, in the Tony-winning musical Come From Away, about travelers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland in the wake of 9/11. See page 25 >>

“I

f the only work I’m remembered for is Hedwig,” says John Cameron Mitchell, “That wouldn’t be so bad. It’s something I can be really proud of.” In his latest work – it’s been two-plus decades since Hedwig and the Angry Inch debuted as an edgy Off-Broadway musical in 1998– Mitchell appears next Fri-

Wesley Johnson III Collection

Big Glass Half-full LGBT life in the Fillmore of the 1950s and ’60s by Michael Flanagan

“W Leola King (seated in black hat) with Lottie “The Body” Claibourne (standing with lei) and unknown female impersonator referred to by Frank Jackson at Harlem of the West website (with arm around Lottie) at the Texas Playhouse on September 10, 1958.

e used to go to jazz clubs after 2:00 and drink liquor out of coffee cups. Relations between blacks and whites were excellent. They were glad to have us out in the Fillmore, out at the jazz clubs. We were treated like queens, and I don’t mean in that sense [laughs]. I mean it was a whole different world then.” Oral History Reba Hudson – Wide Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965, Nan Alamilla Boyd Teasing the LGBT history of the Fillmore district out of the existing records can be a tricky proposition. See page 24

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24 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

Hy Hirsch, Harry Smith Archives

Left: Harry Smith at Jimbo’s Bop City 1950 Bottom Left: Longbar 1952

San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Records

San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

Bottom Right: The Big Glass circa 1958.

Big Glass Half Full

From page 23

I came to this conclusion after reading Gay by the Bay: a History of Queer Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area by Susan Stryker and Jim Van Buskirk, which says (on page 24), “The first black-owned and oriented gay bar in the city, the Big Glass on Fillmore, did not open until 1964.” This has subsequently been quoted in several other books and the San Francisco Chronicle. The Big Glass is listed in Polk directories as opening in 1949 at 1600 Fillmore, where it remained until 1959, when redevelopment forced a move to 1801 Fillmore. The owners from 1949 until it closed in 1968 were listed as Arthur and Ruth Rosinsky. A genealogical

database shows that Arthur Rosinsky was Jewish, born in Russia and emigrated as a child in 1922, so the owners didn’t appear to be either African-American or gay. I contacted the authors of Gay by the Bay. As closely as Prof. Stryker could recall, the reference originated in conversations with founding GLBT Historical Society members Willie Walker and Eric Garber. The book was published 25 years ago and time had faded the memory. There was, however, a reference to the Big Glass in a contest listing closed gay bars for the 21st anniversary of Club Dori, published in the SF Sentinel on Dec. 8, 1983. The historian Damon Scott mentioned the bar in his historical context statement Sexing the City: The

Development of Sexual Identity– Based Subcultures in San Francisco, 1933–1979. I contacted him concerning this mention. He said he has come to understand the Big Glass was not black-owned. Regarding gay patronage, however, he pointed me toward an interesting note in materials from José Sarria’s supervisorial campaign, housed with Sarria’s papers at the GLBT Historical Society’s archives. The note, signed by someone named Hortense, is dated Oct. 10, 1961 and says: “Jose, Why don’t you go up to the Big Glass @ Sutter & Fillmore Sts. Its (sic) predomantly (sic) gay. You will have to talk to the people who own the place Ruth & Art. I’m awfully sorry that I don’t have any wait (sic) there or I would intercede for you. At least if they permit you to leave a poster thats (sic) something! I’m telling everyone I know. Hortense”

Not strictly gay

Scott told me that there was, however, no mention of the Big Glass in a list of campaign sites also in the Sarria papers. He also pointed me toward the GLBT Historical Society’s oral histories, which discuss gay participation in the Fillmore’s nightlife. One such oral history was with Larry Howell by Martin Meeker and, referring to the Gourmet Breakfast Club (1650 Post) said: “The Gourmet over on Fillmore Street, I used to dance there after hours in the early ’50s. It was up-

stairs…the gays just flocked there Harlem of the West at two in the morning….There was A wonderful source for learning gay dancing…a lot of gay women about the nightlife in the Fillmore went there too. It was fun!...It was during the 1950s and ’60s is the on Post Street right off of Fillmore book Harlem of the West - The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era by Elizaand nearby was another wellbeth Pepin Silva and Lewis Watts, known place called the Plantawhich has just entered its fourth tion where jazz musicians used to edition. The book has sumptuous play. Gays went there somewhat. It photographs of clubs like Leola wasn’t strictly gay.” King’s Blue Mirror and the Long The Gourmet Breakfast Club was Bar. It covers the era of the Japanese closed by the State Board of Equalinternment camps and the rise of ization after a raid for serving liquor the African-American neighborafter hours on March 29, 1953. hood. There are photographs of LitAnother oral history with Gene tle Richard with Jimi Hendrix at the Carles, recorded by Jim Duggins, Fillmore in October 1964 and the discusses jazz performances in the murals created by gay artist Harry Fillmore: Smith at Jimbo’s Bop City. “Jim Duggin: I got…crazy over At the website associated with the Dinah Washington….And she used book (www.harlemofthewestsf.com) to come (to)… Leola Keyes’ Blue there are interviews of interest as well. Mirror... on Fillmore…. In one of the interviews musician Gene Carles: Frank Jackson There was a place discusses a photo called the Long at the Texas PlayBar…there was house with Elizaalways a few... a beth Pepin Silva: smattering of gay people in there. “Silva: That …And then evenguy’s a female tually they got impersonator? this guy ... he was Jackson: Fea black female immale impersonpersonator.” ator. Look at this. An oral hisSee his make-up? tory with Gerald He wore heavy Fabian recounted make-up. appearances by Silva: Talking Billie Holiday: to Lottie the “There was ... Body? I can’t remember Jackson: with the name of that Lottie The Body.” bar, it…was right on Fillmore and The Fillmore of Billie Holiday the jazz era was an appeared there incredible place several times in – a place that was the ’40s and we ripped from the went to see her…. city by redevelopit was a jazz bar. ment. Its history is But, there was a intersectional and huge gay crowd at as such is a hisour table and she tory of Africanknew it and it was American, Japaperfectly acceptnese, Jewish –and able.” yes, LGBT– San Aside from the Francisco. Many Gourmet Break- An article on the raid on Kelly’s of the bars in the fast Club, there Club, San Francisco Chronicle. Fillmore may not was also a pre- September 22, 1956. have been gay bars dominately lesas we currently bian club in the understand it, but neighborhood, Kelly’s Club (also there was definitely a LGBT presence known as the Alamo Club, at 800 in the neighborhood. As February is Fulton). It was raided and closed not only Black History Month, but on September 22, 1956. In the the month in which we celebrate ValChronicle article about the raid, entine’s Day, we can look back at this it says police reported: “They saw era with love and remember how the men dancing with men and wommany groups in the neighborhood en dancing with women.” Thirty treated one another with kindness six women were arrested for “freand mutual respect.t quenting a house of ill repute” and only four plead not guilty. The author would like to thank The raid came just as the DaughElizabeth Pepin Silva, Lewis Watts, Damon Scott and Peter Stein. ters of Bilitis were beginning to publish The Ladder, and Del MarThe authors of Harlem of the tin wrote about the arrests and adWest will be at the Bayview Opera vocated “Don’t Plead Guilty” in an House on Feb. 29 at 6pm and Kaleiarticle regarding what to do in case doscope Coffee in Point Richmond of arrest. The DOB also had an aton March 27 at 7pm. Details at: torney speak to the organization https://heydaybooks.com/event/ on the topic on October 23, 1956.

Left: Billie Holiday at the New Orleans Swing Club, San Francisco Chronicle, February 26, 1950. Right: Dinah Washington at the Longbar, San Francisco Chronicle, June 28, 1950.

Cabaret>>

February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 25

Jenn Colella

From page 23

Colella was nervous about meeting Bass in person. Not because she was intimidated by meeting the inspiration for her role, Colella explained in a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter, but because she’d done some research in preparing for the part. “We first met up in La Jolla, where the show played before Broadway,” recalls Colella, who will make her San Francisco debut at Feinstein’s at the Nikko next weekend. “She spotted me across the room and came over and says ‘I believe you’re playing me.’ Then she began telling all these stories that I already know because I sing about them onstage. She hadn’t seen the show yet. But I’d done my homework and I knew that she was this very rightwing Texas Republican woman. “At one point, she put her hand on my shoulder, and she said ‘You’re so pretty, do you have a boyfriend?’ “I told her, no, that I had a girlfriend. And she removed her hand right away.” But, similarly to how Come From Away seems to raise audiences’ faith in humanity, Colella says that, over what is now five years of acquaintance, she’s seen Bass become much more open and comfortable. “She’s spent time with me and my partner and embraced it in a way that was quite lovely. It’s been so great to watch her heart soften through getting to know me. “I’m super out and proud,” says Colella, who seems a bit surprised that she’s never performed in San Francisco before. But coming out didn’t come easy, Colella, 45, explains. After growing up and attending college in South Carolina, she moved to California to study theater at U.C. Irvine and try to break into the film and television industry. “There’s not so much theater work in Los Angeles,” says Colella, “So while I was in school and auditioning, I started to work as a standup comic. I had one toe out at that point, but in some it made me want to stay in the closet. There’s a very straight male energy to the comedy clubs. And I was opening for people like Andrew Dice Clay. I can handle it, but I don’t like it. Guys would call out women they thought were gay in the audience, make fun of gay men. They didn’t treat each other well either, making fun of other comics’ material, stealing each others’ jokes. A lot of that scene is pretty much the opposite of everything I believe in.” At the same time, actually performing on stage, solo was a boon to Colella, both professionally and personally. “Doing stand-up, for me, created a deep sense of courageousness.

There’s no one else to blame if you screw up. The moments you’re failing are quite devastating. But you realize you can win the audience back with the next joke if you hold on and keep working.” In addition to heading to New York and breaking into Broadway (She’s been in a wide range of musi-

cals, from Urban Cowboy, to Chaplin, to If/Then), Colella has played recurring roles in several television series, including Madam Secretary and the current hit Evil. “But my love is really the theater,” she says. And her favorite role? “I am Peter Pan!” says Colella, who has played the ageless boy in her own 20s, 30s and 40s (including recently in Sacramento). “I get better each time because I can bring more depth and emotion to it. Kids don’t care that the part is played by a woman. They just believe that I’m Peter Pan.” From Neverland to Gander and beyond, Colella continues to fly high, hinting at a big Broadway announcement she expects to make come autumn. In the meantime, she’s touring with her cabaret act. “It’s got some of my musical theater songs, but it’s about me and how I got to where I am, so there’s rock and roll and pop music that’s had an impact on my life as well. “I’m super excited about playing in San Francisco,” Colella enthuses. “And I’m hoping that there’s a really enthusiastic audience of great women who will want to invite me out afterwards!”t Jenn Colella at Feinstein’s at the Nikko, Fri-Sat, Feb. 28 & 29, 8pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. $50-$65. www.feinsteinsatthenikko.com

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26 • Bay Area Reporter • February 20-26, 2020

Topic Studios Matthew Placek

John Cameron Mitchell

From page 23

day in a sold-out show at Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. He’ll perform Hedwig’s hits and other repertoire in his The Origin of Love tour. Steadily working on other projects, among them directing Nicole Kidman’s Oscar-nominated performance in Rabbit Hole and, more recently, playing recurring television roles in shows including Girls, The Good Fight and Shrill, Mitchell also created an original podcast musical, Anthem: Homonculus. But while Mitchell, 56, has maintained a relatively low public profile, his magnificent, mutilated alter ego has seen her star rise stratospherically. The East German genderqueer rocker that Mitchell created with composer Stephen Trask, and based in part on his own early life as a peripatetic military kid, debuted Off-Broadway in 1998 and three years later hit cinemas in a film adaptation starring Mitchell. Now a cult classic enshrined in

the Criterion Collection, the Hedwig movie was a box office bomb in its original release. But it caught the attention of underground artlings at scruffy independent theater companies around the world, leading to a plethora of stage productions, which in turn raised the profile of the film while both rode the swelling wave of cultural attention to the complexities of gender and sexuality. A sweet sixteen years from Hedwig’s dinky beginnings, her dinky dinky was standing proud in a celebrated Broadway production that won Tony awards for Best Revival, Best Featured Actress (Bay Area native Lena Hall) and Best Leading Actor (Neil Patrick Harris). During the year-plus Broadway run and subsequent national tour, Hedwig was also played by Andrew Rannells, Michael C. Hall, Taye Diggs, and Darren Criss. In New York, Mitchell himself took on the role for three months. The global fan base who discovered Mitchell by way of Hedwig might well assume the show was his Broadway debut. In fact, Mitchell

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Glenn Close, John Cameron Mitchell and Patti LuPone in illustrations promoting Mitchell’s Anthem: Homunculus podcast.

was quietly working away before Hedwig as well as after, as a musical Broadway baby playing Huckleberry Finn in Big River and originating the role of Dickon in The Secret Garden. He was also featured in a dramatic role in Six Degrees of Separation. “As a kid,” Mitchell told the Bay Area Reporter, “My earliest taste in music came from my parents’ small record collection, which included some Broadway cast albums. Later on I got into Bowie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, especially as I was exploring my sexuality after I moved to New York. But like a lot of theater people, I never really felt torn between different kinds of music. I can get into it all.”

Anthems & Origins

The Origin of Love Tour, proceeds from which Mitchell is using to help pay for his mother’s treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, finds him paying tribute to some of those rockers, sharing stories about his own life and the creation of Hedwig, many of which bleed together in fascinating ways. Prior performances of the concert have received rapturous reviews, praising not only the passionately delivered musical numbers, but also Mitchell’s candor, costumes and penchant for crowdsurfing. Mitchell’s openness to crossing boundaries and exploring alternate avenues of self-expression has most recently manifested in Anthem: Homonculus. Originally conceived as a stage sequel to Hedwig, the project – at once Mitchell’s most fantastic and most autobiographical– morphed into a six-hour podcast serial featuring 31 original songs, created in collaboration with composer Bryan Weller. “It’s structured,” explains Mitch-

ell, “as an internet radio telethon hosted by my character Ceann, who is trying to raise money for brain tumor treatment.” The story cuts to flashbacks of Ceann’s family life and romantic history, for which Mitchell drew on his own experiences, as well as a series of interplanetary hallucinations. Ceann’s Alzheimer-suffering mother, like Mitchell’s own, is a one-time anti-abortion activist. She’s played by Glenn Close, part of a starry cast that also includes Patti Lupone, Cynthia Erivo, Marion Cotillard and Laurie Anderson (as the tumor). Available via the subscription podcast service Luminary (www. luminarypodcasts.com), Anthem: Homonculus will also be featured in a marathon listening event (with Mitchell and Weller in attendance) at the Roxie Theater on Sunday,

March 1. While Mitchell says he aspires to eventually bringing a version of Homonculus to the stage, he knows it will likely be a long time coming. “That’s okay,” he says. “The sort of projects I do sometimes need a while to catch on. Hedwig was around for quite some time. Audiences eventually found her. The podcast has a pay wall and that’s making it hard to generate the kind of audience I was hoping for. But it’s out there and I think people will discover it in good time. I’ve learned to be patient about my work.”t The Origin of Love Tour: Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall, BerkeleyFebruary 29, 8pm. UC Berkeley campus. www.calperformances.org Anthem: Homonculus Marathon, March 1, 2pm to 9pm (with dinner

John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig

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February 20-26, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 27

Shining Stars

Photos by

Steven Underhill

Bar crawl @ SoMa bars M

embers of the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District and bar patrons enjoyed a South of Market bar crawl on February 6, with District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, Leather Cultural District representatives and supporters Beth Hunt, Honey Mahogany, B.A.R. Leather columnist Race Bannon and others in the entourage visited the Powerhouse, the Hole in the Wall Saloon, the Stud, and the SF Eagle. See plenty more photos on BARtab’s Facebook page, facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife. See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at StevenUnderhill.com.

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call (415) 370-7152 or visit www.StevenUnderhill.com

Polyglamorous @ Public Works

For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Fri 21 Comedy Returns @ El Rio

Thu 20 Beso Latinx @ Jolene’s Von Kiss hosts a new night at the queer nightclub. 9pm-2am. 2700 16th St. at Harrison. www.jolenessf.com

Greater Sirens @ The Ivy Room, Albany With Butterfly Knives and The Elegant Bachelors. $8-$10. 8pm. 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. www.ivyroom.com

Thursday Night Live @ SF Eagle Rock bands at the leather bar. Feb 20: Bong Kitty, Tight Pants and the Dynamite, The Tall Boys. Feb 27: The Alternating Currents, Sutras and Grotesque. $8. 9pm-12am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. sf-eagle.com

Mickey Joseph, Chad Opitz, Geneva Rust-Orta, Jeanette Marin, and host Lisa Geduldig share their latest standup wit. $10-$20. 7pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Glama’s Good Drag @ Oasis Glamamore’s new drag night. $10. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. sfoasis.com

Hot Tuna & David Bromberg Quintet @ The Fillmore The veteran blues-rock-folk bands perform. $45. 9pm. Also Feb 22. 1806 Geary St. at Fillmore. thefillmore.com

Jocko Homo @ SF Eagle Jock strap fun at the famed leather bar with host Suppositori Spelling, DJ Garry Alexander, Steamworks Berkeley swag and prizes. $5-$8. 9pm-2am. 398 12th St. sf-eagle.com

Feb. 20-27, 2020

Sat 22

Nightlife Events

or email stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com Trade: Twins @ The Stud Toronto party invades SoMa, with a twin theme, so pair up; DJs Oscar Pineda, Scooter McCright and William Francis. $15. 10pm-4am. 299 9th St. www.studsf.com

You Betta Work Comedy Fiesta @ San Mateo County Pride Center Jesus U Betta Work hosts the monthly gigglefest, 7:30pm, donations. 1021 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo. www.jesusubettawork.com

Sat 22 Heavy Petting Zoo @ Brix, Oakland

Winter onesie-land dance party for furries, friends, and Burning Man art car fans and supporters, with DJs Dane, Dulce Vita, Funky Breezy, Kayja, Neon Bunny, Suprimo and Nick Stene; onesies, furry costumes and Burner attire welcome. $10-$20. 9pm-4am. 581 5th St., Oakland. www.eventbrite.com www.brix581.com

Mango @ El Rio The popular women’s T-dance features groovy funk with DJs Edaj, Marcella, Olga and La Coqui. $8-$10. 2pm-8:30pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

PopTart @ Oasis

Retro Night @ 440 Castro

D’Arcy Drollinger’s new drag night pays tribute to Lizzo, with cohost Sue Casa. $10. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Jim Hopkins plays classic pop oldies, with vintage music videos. 9pm-2am. 44 Castro St. www.the440.com

Sun 23

Wed 26

Dragpocalypse @ The Stud Quarterly doomsday drag show with Lola Lewdovico, Nitrix Oxide, Chester Vanderbox, and Polly Amber Ross. $7$10. 9:30pm-2am. 299 9th St. www.studsf.com

Lovers @ Oasis A night of Performing Couples, with Miss Shugana and Madd-Dogg 20/20. $25-$40. 6pm. 298 11th St. sfoasis.com

Winter Onesieland @ Powerhouse Themed long underwear and onesie night, with best dressed contest and DJ Koji Tare. $5. 9pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Mon 24 Munro's at Midnight @ Midnight Sun Drag night with Mercedez Munro. No cover. 10pm. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com

Underwear Night @ 440 Strip down to your skivvies at the popular men's night. 9pm-2am. 440 Castro St. www.the440.com

Bedtime Stories @ SF Eagle Salon and variety show with hosts Nella Pudin and Eric Mueller. $5-$10. 8pm-11pm. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Miss Kitty's Trivia Night @ Wild Side West The weekly fun night at the Bernal Heights bar includes prizes, hosted by Kitty Tapata. No cover. 7pm-10pm. 424 Cortland St. wildsidewest.com

Thu 27 Beso Latinx @ Jolene’s Von Kiss hosts and LGBTQ party for Latinx peeps. 9pm-2am. 2700 16th St. at Harrison. www.jolenessf.com

Curious at the End @ The Stud Apocalyptic Cabaret with a show by Nicole Jost and Carson Beker. $15. Doors 6pm, show 7pm. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

David Sanborn @ Yoshi’s Oakland The popular jazz saxophinist performs with his band. $36-$80, 8pm & 10pm. Feb 28 8pm & 10pm. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. www.yoshis.com

Polyglamorous @ Public Works

Tue 25

The groovy dance party celebrates five years at the spacious SoMa loft, with guest-DJs Derrick Carter and Holographic, plus residents Beya, Mark O’Brien and Major. $10-$30. 10pm4am. 161 Erie St. www.bigneon.com

Drag Bingo @ Club 1220, Walnut Creek

Thump @ White Horse, Oakland

Holotta Tymes and Saki Samora cohost the East Bay game night. 7pm. 1220 Pine St., Walnut Creek. www.club1220.com

Weekly electro music night with DJ Matthew Baker and guests. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave. www.whitehorsebar.com

MY MOMENT

to savor!

Discover more ways to play and enjoy new luxury accommodations, our world-class spa and salon, award-winning dining, gaming and entertainment! Experience every moment, all in one great destination.

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JOB TITLE: MY MOMENT MY SAVOR