February 22, 2024 edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

‘'Winter of Love' turns 20

'The New Look'

ARTS

Survey for queer seniors

ARTS

Maurice Vellekoop

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Serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities since 1971

Vol. 54 • No. 8 • February 22-28, 2024 John Ferrannini

Advisory council hopes to help rural LGBTQ Californians Courtesy the candidate

Candidate Alex Monteiro

Bi Black candidates aim for the Statehouse by Matthew S. Bajko

os Angeles County residents Alex Monteiro and Sade Elhawary are representative of two different camps of political candidates. An immigrant and member of the Hawthorne City Council, Monteiro is seeking to move up to a higher office, while Elhawary, born to immigrant parents and raised in Los Angeles, is mounting her first electoral campaign. At 63, Monteiro would be one of the older members of the California Legislature should he win his bid for the open Senate District 35 seat. Elhawary, 36, would be among its younger members should she prevail in her race for the open Assembly District 57 seat. See page 9 >>

by John Ferrannini

new council made up of representatives of queer community groups statewide will be advising the state Legislative LGBTQ Caucus as it determines lawmaking priorities. The council made its debut at a noontime news conference February 20 on the west steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento. Lesbian state Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (DStockton), chair of the LGBTQ caucus, said that the goal is to bring further representation to the needs of LGBTQs outside major urban centers, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, and bear the brunt of homophobic and transphobic attacks in the state. See page 8 >>

B.A.R. election endorsements President: Joseph R. Biden Jr. U.S. Senate: Barbara Lee Congress (Bay Area): Dist. 2: Jared Huffman Dist. 4: Mike Thompson Dist. 8: John Garamendi Dist. 9: Josh Harder Dist. 10: Mark DeSaulnier Dist. 11: Nancy Pelosi Dist. 12: Lateefah Simon Dist. 14: Eric Swalwell Dist. 15: Kevin Mullin Dist. 16: Evan Low Dist. 17: Ro Khanna Dist. 18: Zoe Lofgren CA Assembly Dist. 14: Buffy Wicks Dist. 16: Rebecca Bauer-Kahan Dist. 17: Matt Haney Dist. 18: Mia Bonta Dist. 19: Catherine Stefani

Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, chair of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, spoke at a February 20 news conference outside the state Capitol in Sacramento about a new LGBTQ advisory council that will help the caucus determine priorities.

CALIFORNIA PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

Dist. 20: Liz Ortega Dist. 21: Diane Papan Dist. 24: Alex Lee Dist. 25: Ash Kalra Dist. 26: Patrick Ahrens

Alameda County Board of Education Area 2: Angela Normand San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee AD 17: Trevor Chandler, Vick Chung, Matt Dorsey, Peter Gallotta, Emma Heiken, Jane Kim, Jeremy Lee, Anita Martinez, Michael Nguyen, Joshua Rudy Ochoa, Sal Rosselli, Joe Sangirardi, Sydney Simpson, Luis Zamora

CA Senate Dist. 3: Christopher Cabaldon Dist. 7: Jovanka Beckles Dist. 9: Marisol Rubio Dist. 11: Scott Wiener Dist. 13: Josh Becker Dist. 15: Dave Cortese Dist. 17: John Laird

AD 19: Michela Alioto-Pier, Dan Calamuci, Connie Chan, Mike Chen, Sandra Lee Fewer, Natalie Gee, Parag Gupta, Hene Kelly, Gordon Mar, Mano Raju,

SF Judges Seat 1: Michael Isaku Begert Seat 13: Patrick Thompson

SAN FRANCISCO PROPS Yes on: A, C, D, G No on: B, E, F

Alameda County Judge Seat 12: Michael Johnson OTHER RACES Alameda County Board of Supervisors Dist. 4: Jennifer Esteen Dist. 5: John Bauters

CALIFORNIA PROPS Yes on: 1

Remember to vote by March 5!

Courtesy the candidate

Assembly candidate Catherine Stefani

Leg candidates support LGBTQ museum funding by John Ferrannini

andidates running in the March primary for California legislative seats are supportive of continuing to keep funds earmarked for a full-scale, freestanding LGBTQ history museum in the Golden State. It’s been nearly three years since San Francisco’s mayor first announced she was budgeting money for the project. The San Francisco-based GLBT Historical Society has long sought a larger, permanent home for its collections. Right now the society operates a small storefront museum at 4127 18th Street in the heart of the LGBTQ Castro neighborhood. See page 8 >>

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<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

CA AG sued over title of anti-trans measure by John Ferrannini

conservative group is suing the state of California over the title and summary Attorney General Rob Bonta assigned to its ballot measure on transgender minors. As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, Protect Kids California is now gathering signatures for a ballot measure that would ban trans minors from receiving gender-affirming care; ban trans girls from female competitive sports, locker rooms and bathrooms; and require public schools to disclose students’ gender identities to parents if they say they are different than their sex at birth. In preparing a ballot title and summary for the measure, Bonta titled it “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth.” Liberty Justice Center filed the lawsuit February 13 in Sacramento County Superior Court on behalf of Protect Kids California. The anti-trans group had previously announced that it planned to file the suit. “Regardless of the perspective or content of a ballot initiative, Californians are owed a neutral title and summary of that initiative as part of their core political speech,” Emily Rae, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, stated in a news release. “It is a threat to our system of government to allow individuals in positions of power to wield that power to silence, discredit, and shame those they disagree with.

Rick Gerharter

A person sits with a transgender flag at last year’s Trans March. The group Protect Kids California has filed a lawsuit requesting that the title and summary of its anti-trans initiative be changed.

Ultimately, Rob Bonta owes it to Californians to uphold his duty as attorney general – without injecting bias or prejudice into the matter.” The suit requests the court to force Bonta to issue another title and summary. “Respondent has demonstrated that he personally, and in his official capacity, is opposed to any kind of notification by a public school to a parent or guardian that his or her child is exhibiting signs of gender dysphoria when the child asks the school to publicly treat

him or her as the opposite sex with a new name or pronouns, and to allow the child to use the sex-segregated facilities of the opposite sex,” the civil complaint states. “This parent notification requirement is one of the principal aspects of the Initiative.” The lawsuit also requests that if the court agrees and orders the title changed, Protect Kids California be given 180 additional days for signature gathering without discounting signatures already collected.

“Respondent’s decision makes it harder for ballot proponents to share their message and get signatures,” the complaint states, referring to Bonta. “By infringing Petitioners’ soliciting of signatures and by using government power to compel ideological speech, then Respondent’s actions doubly trigger strict scrutiny. His actions cannot clear that lofty bar.” In a statement to the B.A.R. February 16, Bonta’s office stood by how it decided to title and summarize the ballot measure.

“Under California law, the Attorney General’s office is responsible for issuing official titles and summaries describing the chief purpose and points of every proposed initiative submitted in compliance with procedural requirements,” an unnamed spokesperson stated. “We take this responsibility seriously and stand by our title and summary for this measure. However, we cannot comment on pending litigation.” Jay Reed of Protect Kids California stated to the B.A.R., “We find Attorney General Rob Bonta’s title and summary for our proposed initiative laughable. Not only is the attorney general showing his bias, but he is also factually inaccurate. Our goal is to protect all kids across the state of California. We look forward to arguing our complaint in court.” Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang disagreed. “This initiative proposed by a fringe group of anti-LGBTQ+ extremists deeply restricts the civil rights of transgender youth and their families in California,” Hoang, a gay man, stated. “We believe that the title and summary are accurate and state quite clearly what the initiative seeks to accomplish.” Hoang was among the signatories on a letter to the editor sent to the B.A.R. in which the LGBTQ advocates said they were “continuing to actively monitor the proposed ballot measure and stand ready to take any essential action necessary to prevent its advancement.” t

Marin County’s Spahr Center closes by John Ferrannini

week after stating that rumors of closure were “misinformation,” the Spahr Center’s executive director announced its programs are “indefinitely

suspended” as of February 16. Joe Tuohy, leader of the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS center in Marin County, made the announcement in conjunction with Amy Schroeder, the chair of the center’s board of directors.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share with you the news that effective today, due to ongoing financial difficulties, The Spahr Center has indefinitely suspended all programs,” they stated in an email sent out Friday. “Along with the Executive

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Director, the Board of Directors made the difficult decision to lay off most of the staff yesterday. They are a dedicated and passionate group who together embarked on an incredible journey to serve the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities in Marin County. They have our deepest gratitude for their commitment to Spahr’s mission and clients.” Two exceptions will be the Ryan White HIV Services team, which “will remain in place for the next week to transition clients to the County of Marin for continued care and support,” they stated, and the food pantry, which will be open Wednesday through Friday next week only. Tuohy, who took over as executive director last spring, had told the B.A.R. February 9 that no layoffs were expected and that it was “misinformation” that the center would be closing. He did state February 8, “You will be receiving information about program changes and The Spahr Center soon,” while warning that the center’s finances were “not sustainable.” “As for the future of The Spahr Center, we have entered into conversations about a strategic partnership with a community partner. The hope is this partnership could ensure the viability of our programs and services moving forward. We will share more information when the time is appropriate,” the February 16 statement continued. “While this news may come as a disappointment, please know that the decision was made with careful consideration, and our commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities remains steadfast.” In January, the center had just moved from Corte Madera to its new location at 1575 Francisco Boulevard East, in San Rafael. As the B.A.R. previously reported, a news release stated that the move would increase the center’s physical space by approximately 30%, allowing for designated program areas for its food pantry, community support gatherings, case management, harm reduction, and mental health services. Located in the heart of San Rafael’s Canal District, the new building positions the center to better serve

Courtesy Spahr Center

Spahr Center Executive Director Joe Tuohy announced the agency’s closure February 16.

the priority population of LGBTQ+ Latino/a youth and families, according to the release. “This move is part of our strategic plan,” Tuohy stated at the time. “Our center is expanding and so we need more space and more staff. We are thrilled for this move and we look forward to sharing our new and improved space with our community.” The center’s most recent IRS Form 990, from 2022, shows a deficit of $104,618. There were $2,578,835 in expenses and $2,474,217 in revenue. The center only had $488,086 in assets, based on its tax filing. Of the revenue, 52.9% came from contributions and 46.8% came from program services. The rest – $148 – was from investment income. People with questions can still contact the center via email. “For any inquiries regarding The Spahr Center and its programs, please direct your questions to info@ thespahrcenter.org. This inbox is monitored regularly,” the joint statement concluded. “While this may mark the end of one chapter, we are filled with hope and optimism for the future of the LGBTQ+ community. Together we’ve achieved great things, and we have no doubt that your continued dedication and passion will lead to even greater successes in the years to come.” t

Health News >>

February 22-28, 2024 • Bay Area Repor ter • 3

CA surveys its older LGBTQ residents by Matthew S. Bajko

or the first time California is surveying its older LGBTQ residents to find out what issues they are dealing with as they age. The response to it has already surpassed expectations. The UCSF researchers conducting the survey, Annesa Flentje, Ph.D., and Carol Dawson-Rose, Ph.D., on behalf of the California Department of Aging noted on its introductory page they expected about 2,000 people to participate by the time it concludes on March 31. They had reached that amount a little over a month after the survey went live online in early January. As of February 14, the number of people surveyed had surpassed 2,640. “We had an inkling there would be great interest in this because it really hasn’t been done,” said Susan DeMarois, a straight ally who is director of the state agency. “We are so happy there is this response. It really shows there is a need for this survey on this population statewide.” There is no cap to how many people can take the survey before it concludes next month. “There is no baseline for data on this population, so the survey will be all the more richer from having more people who participate. There is no limit,” said DeMarois, 58, who was appointed director of her agency on November 1, 2021. “Absolutely, this is the first time our department has done this.” The state agency budgeted $899,304 toward the survey and expects to begin reporting out its findings later this year. Respondents are asked about myriad concerns, from their health issues and in-

From LinkedIn

Susan DeMarois, director of the California Department of Aging, encourages older LGBTQs in the state to take the agency’s first-ever survey geared toward them.

surance coverage to living arrangements, social activities, and relationships. The questions also inquire about such varied topics as HIV status and transportation to employment and end-oflife matters. Anyone age 50 and older who identifies under the LGBTQIA+ acronym and lives in California can fill out the survey, which should take about 20 minutes to complete. The age range is purposefully broad, noted DeMarois, due to the agency wanting to gather information from people at different stages of their older adult lives, whether in their 50s approaching retirement age or well into their golden years. “We are sort of straddling meeting cur-

rent needs and projecting future needs. It is a wide age swath,” she said. “Part of it is we want to know what you and your husband might need down the road. At the same time we really want to hear from people in their 70s and 80s today.” The agency is also striving to reach a geographically diverse set of respondents to the survey. In addition to partnering with LGBTQ senior service providers in urban centers, such as San Francisco-based Openhouse, it is also working with its network of 33 Area Agencies on Aging to spread the word about the survey. “We have come at it from lots of angles so people hear about it through whatever channels they rely on,” said DeMarois. “We also hope people in their 40s and 50s share this information about the survey with someone in their 60s, 70s, or 80s.” In his last email as the LGBT+ senior program manager for the Spahr Center in Marin County, Bill Blackburn encouraged people to take the survey. “If you live in California, are over 50yo (ahem) and identify as LGBTQI or A, I encourage you to participate,” wrote Blackburn, who was laid off in early February as the nonprofit service provider is facing a financial crisis. “Completely confidential, with no way of tracking you, the survey aims to shed light on our unique challenges, hopes and contributions. Your engagement will directly improve resources, services and policies available to us.”

Identifying gaps

The intent of the survey is to identify gaps in the needs of the state’s LGBTQ

older population and highlight priorities for both the state aging department and lawmakers in Sacramento. It also ties into the state’s Master Plan for Aging, a 10-year blueprint mapping out numerous initiatives and steps policymakers can take to assist people as they age in the Golden State. It is used as a basis for what goals the aging department sets during each twoyear session in the Legislature. The plan does take into account the needs of the LGBTQ community, and the survey findings will further bolster the initiatives the state agency undertakes in the years to come. “I fully expect something notable relative to the LGBTQ community as a result of this survey we will focus on in the next two years,” said DeMarois, who noted she and her staff met with the 12-member Legislative LGBTQ Caucus to apprise them about the survey. “We briefed the LGBTQ caucus, which is larger than it has ever been in the history of the state. They are very interested in this and very interested in legislation that includes the older adult population.” Because the U.S. census doesn’t ask about people’s sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) on the forms used for the decennial count of the country’s population, there is no exact picture of how many Californians over the age of 50 are LGBTQ. UCLA School of Law think tank the Williams Institute released a report last year estimating the number of LGBTQ adults age 18 and older living in California was 1,459,600. Throughout the U.S. it estimated the LGBTQ adult population to be a little more than 13.9 million, with people

age 50 and older accounting for 4.5%. “I don’t know what the population of LGBTQ seniors is in California,” acknowledged DeMarois, who added that her agency does ask about SOGI on various forms it uses, though answering the questions is voluntary. “We are interested in collecting more accurate data.” One of the first government entities to survey LGBTQ older adults was San Francisco, which released its report in 2014, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported. Santa Clara County released the findings of its own survey in 2021. The state of Oregon published the findings of a survey on its LGBTQ senior population in 2021. California’s survey was initially to be rolled out last year, but it got pushed back to 2024 due to a desire to translate it into multiple languages. It is offered in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Chinese. In producing the survey, the state’s aging department partnered with Openhouse and UCSF’s Sexual and Gender Minority Health Equity Lab. Also assisting on it were two centers based at UC Berkeley, the Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services and the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society. “We are really hungry to learn more and put it into action,” said DeMarois. “We hope as early as this summer to share some of the preliminary findings.” Survey participants will be eligible to win one of 40 $25 gift cards chosen by random drawing. The winners are to be notified by June 1. To access the survey online, visit aging.ca.gov/Survey_of_LGBTQIA/. t

Puerto Vallarta leaders start new health center P

uerto Vallarta gay business leaders are establishing a new LGBTQ program named Vallarta Gay+ Community Center. It replaces SETAC, the Mexican resort city’s LGBTQ center that effectively closed in December amid financial troubles and allegations of mismanagement. Don Pickens, a former San Franciscan and owner of the upscale LGBTQ boutique hotel Casa Cupula, agreed to help lead the new organization that will take over the essential health services provided by SETAC. The old center focused on health and wellness and ran the city’s PrEP program. “With teeth tightly clenched, I have agreed to lend my name to the paperwork as legal representative and board president of the new Vallarta Gay+ Community Center, along with an amazing collection of movers and shakers,” Pickens wrote in a Facebook post on February 14. Pickens noted he is working with support from Jet De La Isla, owner of Jet’s Gay Youth Hostel and Jet’s Private Boat Tours; Javier Jimenez, Vallarta Pride president and owner of Mr. Flamingo, Industry, Wet, and La Margarita; Mike Owens, owner of Studs

Bear & Leather Bar, who will serve as the organization’s secretary; and Mikel Joseph Alvarez, owner of Thrive IV and MedSpa, who will be the center’s treasurer. The organization’s executive director is Realtor Fer Bolanos Cruz. For now, the new center is operating in a donated space out of Thrive IV and MedSpa, in the gay-popular Zona Romantica neighborhood, just south of downtown Puerto Vallarta. It is on Basilio Badillo Street, just two blocks from the gayest intersection in the city where Mr. Flamingo, CC Slaughters, and Paco’s Ranch are located. Pickens noted the outpouring of support since SETAC’s troubles came to light in December, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported. (https://www.ebar.com/story. php?ch=news&sc=news&id=330788) “I’ve lived and run my business here in Vallarta for 21 years and have participated in at least four gay business associations and three HIV/AIDS service organizations and seen ’em come and seen ’em go,” he wrote. “I’ve never seen our community pull together like this and it is so heartwarming!” Pickens continued, “SETAC for 14 years provided health and community services to the community, a huge achievement! They were distributing

Ed Walsh

Casa Cupula owner Don Pickens has agreed to help lead the new Vallarta Gay+ Community Center in Puerto Vallarta.

PrEP to 700 men and we couldn’t sit back and do nothing as they were un-

able to continue the program. We have already seen over 100 patients and will

keep the meds coming. See page 8 >>

Vote On or By March 5! For full list of endorsements visit AliceBToklas.org

ENDORSEMENTS

by Ed Walsh

Barbara Lee for US Senate

Scott Wiener for State Senate District 11

Joe Sangirardi Catherine Stefani for Assembly District 19

Luis Zamora for DCCC District 17

Ad Paid for By Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club PAC. Committee major funding from: 1. Frontline USA (FEC ID# C00422774) ($10,000) 2. Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP ($6,000) 3. Matt Haney for Assembly 2024 ($5,500) – Contributors include SEIU United Healthcare Workers West PAC ($10,900), California Teachers Association for Better Citizenship ($10,900) Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.

<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

Volume 54, Number 8 February 22-28, 2024 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 & NIGHTLIFE EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • John Ferrannini CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christopher J. Beale • Robert Brokl Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Philip Campbell • Heather Cassell Michael Flanagan •Jim Gladstone Liz Highleyman • Brandon Judell • Lisa Keen Philip Mayard • Laura Moreno David-Elijah Nahmod • J.L. Odom • Paul Parish Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Adam Sandel Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Charlie Wagner Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland Rick Gerharter • Gooch Jose A. Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Rich Stadtmiller Christopher Robledo • Fred Rowe Shot in the City • Steven Underhill • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Christine Smith

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SF DCCC recommendations

he San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee may be the most influential political group that many voters have never heard of. The committee, a mix of specific elected officials or their representatives and Democrats elected by voters in Assembly districts, makes important endorsements and uses its platform to share those recommendations via mailers and other efforts. The committee also takes public stands on important issues. This year will see a significant change in the makeup of the DCCC, as it’s known. While elected officials have long run for the regular seats, this year there aren’t as many. (We’ve opined in the past that most elected officials have enough to do with their day jobs and should leave the central committee to grassroots Democrats, but they certainly have the right to run.) Additionally, several incumbents are not seeking reelection. In short, the March 5 election will likely see a lot of new members, and we believe that’s a good thing. There are two main slates of candidates running: the more progressive Labor and Working Families and the more moderate SF Democrats for Change. We’re recommending some candidates from each, as well as a few elected officials. Significantly, nearly all of our endorsed candidates support supervised consumption sites, which allow people to use their own drugs under the supervision of trained staff. Below are our recommendations.

Assembly District 17

The 17th Assembly District covers the eastern half of the city and voters can select up to 14 candidates. There are a lot of LGBTQ candidates running, and most of them returned our endorsement questionnaire. Those who identified as part of the queer community are: Trevor Chandler, City College of San Francisco Trustee Vick Chung, District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, Peter Gallotta, Jeremy Lee, Michael Nguyen, Joshua Rudy Ochoa, Sal Rosselli, Joe Sangirardi, Sydney Simpson, and Luis Zamora. Additionally, Emma Heiken stated that while she tends toward the heterosexual, she believes gender and sexuality are a spectrum and has been attracted to women and nonbinary individuals. Each of these candidates brings an important perspective to the DCCC, especially with LGBTQ rights under attack in other areas of the state. Gallotta, who’s running on the progressive slate, wrote, “We need city leaders to stop play-

Courtesy the candidates

DCCC candidates in the 17th Assembly District include Vick Chung, left, Michael Nguyen, and Luis Zamora.

ing the blame game and focus on the needs of everyday people in our community: artists, drag queens, small business owners, working families, renters, seniors, and everyone who is struggling to make ends meet.” Chung, who is pansexual and nonbinary, is also running on the progressive slate. In response to our question about what they would do to help elect LGBTQ people in San Francisco, they stated they hope to empower more student leaders, “particularly queer, Black, and Brown students who are rooted in ethnic and social justice studies – to engage as organizers within the system and to seed aspirations for them to run for office.” Rosselli, a longtime labor leader, is running on the progressive slate. He noted that the city needs LGBTQ+ elected officials and that the slate hopes to empower young people. On the more moderate slate is Chandler, who’s also running for District 9 supervisor in November. We asked candidates how they would mobilize the Democratic Party to urge people to vote to repeal the “zombie” Proposition 8 language that remains in the state constitution. It will be on the November ballot. He stated that he would mobilize DCCC resources to make calls throughout the state to educate and persuade voters.

That’s another key part of the central committee’s role, and had been used successfully in past elections under gay former co-chair David Campos. Chandler did have some qualifications regarding supervised injection sites, and stated that they needed to be implemented “thoughtfully.” But he did note that he supports an all-of-the-above approach to addressing addiction. Zamora is also running on the more moderate slate. He’s worked with the state Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus and expanded queer representation by codifying and requiring LGBTQ representation from central California, “a historically neglected part of our state and an area that is experiencing a record number of anti-LGBTQ actions,” he wrote. Straight allies who we recommend in AD 17 are former supervisor Jane Kim and union organizer Anita Martinez, an elected member of the City College board. Both have done significant things to support the LGBTQ community. Kim worked with transgender leaders to create the Transgender District, the first of its kind in the nation. Martinez argued for implementation of the City College board’s resolution passed in 2020 to name a building after the late gay supervisor Harry Britt. See page 8 >>

Lee is the choice for US Senate by Bevan Dufty & Carolyn Wysinger

News Editor • news@ebar.com Arts Editor • arts@ebar.com Out & About listings • jim@ebar.com Advertising • scott@ebar.com Letters • letters@ebar.com Published weekly. Bay Area Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement which the publisher believes is in poor taste or which advertises illegal items which might result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, philosophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. Advertising rates available upon request. Our list of subscribers and advertisers is confidential and is not sold. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, and writers published herein is neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.

s Bay Area LGBTQ elected officials, we are proud that both of San Francisco’s LGBTQ Democratic clubs – Harvey Milk and Alice B. Toklas – have endorsed Congressmember Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) for the U.S. Senate. Lee has shown the world that she leads with a strong moral compass, not a weather vane. As the only member of Congress who voted against giving the president unlimited war powers after 9/11 – Lee had the courage to stand alone and history has proved her right. More recently, she has called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Lee’s entire life is a testament to her good fight against injustice and inequality. Lee grew up in segregated El Paso, Texas with a father who was a veteran of two wars and a mother who broke many glass ceilings in the South. Lee understands our struggles because she’s lived them. She escaped an abusive marriage with her two sons, and for a time she lived on public assistance. Child care was unaffordable, so she had to bring her boys with her to classes at Mills College. What’s more, Lee persevered to lift her family out of poverty because she was able to move into housing, and through a Housing and Urban Development Department program she was able to purchase that house and graduate from Mills and then receive a degree in social work from UC Berkeley. Lee knows first-hand that affordable housing is vital to help families thrive in these incredibly expensive times. As an ally, Lee has always been in the vanguard in terms of the LGBTQ civil rights movement, the fight against HIV/AIDS, and standing up for reproductive freedom. Lee was a leader in legislating PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, working successfully with then-President George W. Bush. PEPFAR represents the largest commit-

Rick Gerharter

Congressmember Barbara Lee, center, talked with supporters at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center February 17 at a get-out-the-vote effort.

ment by any nation to address a single disease, HIV/AIDS. Over 20-plus years, more than 25 million lives have been saved in Africa and other developing countries. PEPFAR has also created a health infrastructure that would not exist otherwise and this helped nations lessen mortality rates for COVID, as well. In Congress, Lee has been the strongest advocate for prevention, effective services, and treatment as Black and Latino men who have sex with men still represent the largest number of new HIV infections domestically. In the history of our country, only two Black women have ever been elected to the U.S. Senate, Carol Mosley Braun of Illinois and Kamala Harris, the former San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, and current vice president. Lee is uniquely qualified to be California’s senator because she brings per-

spectives and life experience that simply aren’t represented. And she is a brilliant legislator and proven bipartisan bridge builder. Lee’s mentor was the trailblazing Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm of New York, the first Black woman elected to the House of Representatives and the first to run for president. Lee has run an inclusive, positive, and empowering campaign across California. Chisholm once said: “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” Lee has unquestionably dedicated her life to service, and we would be so fortunate to have her working for the people of California as our senator. t Bevan Dufty, a gay man, is president of the BART Board of Directors. Carolyn Wysinger, a lesbian, is mayor pro tem of the city of El Cerrito.

Politics >>

February 22-28, 2024 • Bay Area Repor ter • 5

Muslim voter guide raises alarm over ‘parental rights’ issue by Matthew S. Bajko

voter guide produced by Bay Area Muslims is raising alarms for its grading candidates on if they back “parental rights,” a euphemism used by those opposed to rights for LGBTQ youth, especially those who are transgender or nonbinary. One local gay Muslim official is calling on those candidates recommended in the guide to repudiate it. The Muslim American Alliance released the 34-page guide earlier this month, with recommendations in various races in the Bay Area and northern Central Valley. It describes itself as “a set of Bay Area Muslim community activists with the aim of influencing American politics to adopt policies with values compatible or at least accepting of ours, irrespective of the state of the political pendulum.” It gave certain candidates letter grades on three issues, including on their support of a ceasefire to Israel’s bombing of Gaza and if they oppose Hindu nationalism in India, known as Hindutva. The third category uses the catchall phrase “Protecting Parental Rights” without specifically using the term “transgender youth.” Instead, the voter guide explains the issue as having to do with “the recent calls for overriding parental consent for underage children to make life-altering medical decisions has the community quite shaken. Most people in the community wish to safeguard the right to make decisions to protect children from the influence and impact of these ideologies, especially in the educational and sports environment.” Candidates were given an A grade for “explicitly championing for parental rights.” They received a B grade if they agreed “that the consent of parents must be sought before prescribing puberty blockers or before performing sex change surgeries on under-18 children, or agrees that biological males cannot be in women’s sports or locker rooms or are endorsed by a Parental Right organization.” Many candidates’ grades aren’t included in the guide, though brief blurbs about their positions are included. The favorable grades for candidates who support the anti-trans policies infuriated Harris Mojadedi, a gay Afghan American who serves on the ChabotLas Positas Community College District board in Alameda County. Seeking an elected seat on his Democratic County Central Committee on the March primary ballot, Mojadedi refused to take part in the voting guide when he was contacted by one of the alliance members. Instead, he expressed his disgust about being asked if he supported “parental rights.” “This voter guide is very disturbing and specifically calls out any elected officials that have been sympathetic and/ or supported LGBTQ+ rights,” said Mojadedi, who alerted the Bay Area Reporter to it. “As the first out Muslim American elected, I feel disgusted by these right wing attempts to infiltrate this community. From this voter guide, it appears that this group is attempting to enact anti-LGBTQ+ policies in the Bay Area.” Long an organizer in the East Bay’s Muslim community, Mojadedi told the B.A.R. he had yet to encounter parental rights as being a top issue for local Muslims. Rather, ensuring school districts taught about the community and recognized its religious holidays have been the locus of advocacy efforts. “Yes it is about LGBTQ rights. But I think the much bigger story is these vulnerable populations are being misfed or reading disinformation,” he said. “Unfortunately, the LGBTQ community is being cast as an escape goat.” Mojadedi is now calling on those candidates recommended in the voter guide to reject it.

Jesus didn’t discriminate so neither do we.

Come and see Dignity/SF, which affirms that she wasn’t given the language used and supports LGBTQ+ folks. regarding parental rights. She said she Catholic liturgy Sundays at 5pm, 1329 7th Avenue had told the person that her stance is (Immediately off the N Judah line) a child should be allowed to go to their school’s health center and have a private conversation with the medical worker there about whatever issues they are facing. If they “feel safe” having them contact their parents, “then that is fine, great,” said Rubio, adding that “if a child doesn’t feel safe then the health care Come for the service and stay for the fellowship. worker can make that decision to prodignitysf@gmail.com for more details tect the child. That was the stipulation Instagram @dignitysanfrancisco † Facebook @DignitySF I gave, because there are some cultural things.” Rubio told the B.A.R. that she supports the policy adopted by state lawAttorney at Law makers making California a “refuge state” for trans kids and their families fleeing discriminatory laws in their home states that block their access to • Divorce w/emphasis on gender-affirming care. Real Estate & Business Divisions “Some kids have gotten punished • Domestic Partnerships, Support & Custody and even killed. We don’t want that to • Probate and Wills happen,” said Rubio. www.SchneiderLawSF.com The voter guide also recommends in the race for the District 4 seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors *Certified by the California State Bar Jennifer Esteen, a co-parent with her wife. It notes she “released an extremely 315 Montgomery St., Ste. 1025, San Francisco, CA 94104 strong statement on Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire.” Though she is “against parental rights for children,” it said Esteen “supports parental rights for minors (under Vice President of Advertising 13’s).” Asked about the description of advertising@ebar.com her stance on the issue, Esteen told the B.A.R. that both “the questions and the depiction are super problematic.” Like Rubio, Esteen said she “wasn’t given anything in writing” when contacted for the guide and “was rushed to answer.” Esteen stressed to the B.A.R. that she believes in gender-affirming care for both young people and 44 Gough Street #302, San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 829-8937 • www.ebar.com adults. She also noted she has no issue with parents not being notified when high school students seek services at their school’s health clinic. “As a parent and nurse I recognize that parents are often deferred to when youth younger than 13 (and younger than 18 in lots of cases) are receiving care but that also begins the age where privacy is respected and children can ask to be seen in doctor’s offices without their parents or other adult caregivers in the room,” wrote Esteen in an emailed reply. “I emphasized my respect for young people to make their own When you plan your life celebration and lasting remembrance in decisions because this is how and advance, you can design every detail of your own unique memorial when they can seek safety, guidance and provide your loved ones with true peace of mind. Planning ahead and information when they are enWhen your celebration lasting protectsyou your plan loved ones fromlife unnecessary stress and and financial burden, tering the medical system.” When you remembrance plan your celebration and lasting in allowing themlife to focus on what will matter most at design that remembrance time—you. in advance, you can every In a follow-up phone interview, advance, you can design every detail of your own unique memorial detail ofusyour owntheunique memorial andlegacy provide Esteen said if she had been given the Contact today about beautiful ways to create a lasting voting guide language about parenatyour theloved San Francisco Columbarium. and provide loved ones with true peace mind. Planning ahead your ones with true peace ofof mind. Planning tal rights then she would probably protects your loved ones from unnecessary stress and financial ahead protectsProudly yourserving loved onesCommunity. from unnecessary burden, the LGBT have declined to respond. She said them focus on whatburden, will matter most them at thattotime—you. she had pressed the person who allowing had stresstoand financial allowing called her for more specificity about focus on what will matter most at that time—you. their questioning. Contact us today about the beautiful ways to create a lasting legacy “They asked me if men could at the San Contact FranciscousColumbarium. come into the locker room. I said, today about the beautiful ways to create ‘So you mean transgender people?’ a lasting legacy at the San Francisco Columbarium. But they wouldn’t say it,” recalled One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717 Esteen. Proudly serving our Community. SanFranciscoColumbarium.com As for repudiating the recomProudly serving the LGBT Community. mendation, Esteen told the B.A.R. FD 1306 / COA 660 she sees the situation as a way to have a conversation with those in the Muslim community about LGBTQ issues. While it may seem contradictory, Esteen noted the alliance did endorse a queer mom even though she doesn’t align with its position on parental rights. “I think there is a lot of space for One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717 education,” said Esteen. “I think I

dignity | san francisco

Courtesy of MAA

The Muslim American Alliance’s March voting guide talks about parental rights and also endorses several LGBTQ candidates who support trans youth.

“I would encourage them to repudiate this endorsement,” he said. “I want anyone, whether Democrat, LGBTQ-plus or allies, to repudiate this endorsement.” The B.A.R.’s emailed requests for comment from the Muslim American Alliance bounced back with a message they could not be delivered. A call to the contact number included in the voter guide was not returned by the paper’s print deadline Wednesday at noon.

Queer parents receive recommendations

Oddly, the guide does recommend voters support not only myriad elected leaders who are straight allies and have backed LGBTQ rights but also a number of LGBTQ leaders, several of whom are queer parents, running in next month’s election. In the East Bay race for the open District 7 state Senate seat spanning western Contra Costa and Alameda counties, it recommends Jovanka Beckles, a co-parent with her wife. However, the guide says nothing about Beckles’ stance in terms of parental rights. It merely says she “has been an active and vocal supporter of the ceasefire.” Beckles and her campaign did not respond to the B.A.R.’s request for comment about the guide. In the race for the open District 9 state Senate seat that also includes parts of both East Bay counties, the voter guide recommends single parent Marisol Rubio, a gender-nonconforming, demisexual, biromantic who serves on the San Ramon City Council. The guide initially had noted Rubio’s being “vocal against the genocide in Gaza and a supporter of Palestinian human rights. She supports safe gender-assigned bathrooms.” After being alerted to the voting guide’s explanation about her position on the issue by the B.A.R., and having a chance to read it over the weekend, Rubio said she contacted the alliance to express her concerns about it. “After reviewing the language under Parental Consent, I expressed deep concern about the language with the person who contacted me. They are revising the language. Thank you for bringing this to my attention,” Rubio wrote in a follow-up email. As of Tuesday, the voting guide blurb about Rubio had been revised to remove the reference to bathrooms. Instead, it said she “is better on all issues compared to Tim Grayson,” the Democratic assemblymember who is also seeking the seat. Asked by the B.A.R. to be put in touch with her contact with the alliance, Rubio said the person had told her they preferred not to have their contact information shared. When she was first contacted about the voting guide, Rubio told the B.A.R.

Barry Schneider

family law specialist*

415-781-6500

Scott W. Wazlowski

! e s i t dver

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PlanningAhead Ahead isisSimple Planning Simple The benefits are immense.

Planning Ahead is Simple The benefits are immense. The benefits are immense.

always welcome an opportunity to talk to people about LGBTQ issues as a caregiver and a parent.” t

SanFranciscoColumbarium.com FD 1306 / COA 660

<< Commentary

6 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

Bad intentions, bad compromises by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

regularly discuss the astounding amount of legislation put forth by lawmakers across the country aimed squarely at trans rights. To date, 467 bills have been introduced in statehouses in the U.S., and so far, three of those have passed. Yes, it is only February, and we’re within 133 bills of tying last year, and well above all antitrans bills from 2018-2022, combined. Yet, among all these bathroom bills, sports bans, and “parental rights” bills, there is another element at play. In 2023, Indiana introduced 17 anti-trans bills. Of those, four passed. One of those was House Bill 1608, which disallowed school staff members and others from providing any instruction about human sexuality to students from pre-K to third grade. It also requires parental notification if a student wants to change their name or pronouns. On the surface, one might think this seems like a rational compromise. No need to talk about sex to kids that young, surely. Days ago, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) launched an online portal called Eyes on Education. (https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/ education-liberty/) On it, anyone can provide a report via the site’s “Educational Transparency Form,” detailing “objectionable curricula, policies, or programs affecting children.” Yes, anyone. There are no safeguards to the form.

Christine Smith

One can turn in a false report if they do not like a teacher, or a student, or, well, anyone. If it appears credible, that person may see their accusation published, with the threat of the attorney general’s office investigating. It is, of course, too soon to see what this will fully entail, but I am certain that this will cause many educators to be all that more careful about what they say, for fear that they could see their name listed on this site, as well as the AG’s goons at their door. That said, the site already lists materials from each of the state’s school districts, also known as corporations, including critical race theory and diversity, inclusion, and equity materials, items related to the Black Lives Matter movement and, yes, genderrelated policies.

In one, there’s a photo of a Black Pride/LGBTQ Pride flag in a school building. Another complains about a slide discussing gender stereotypes. One more, from Mooresville High School, is a complaint letter from Barbara Coffey, a concerned grandmother, claiming that her granddaughters are very uncomfortable using the girls’ facilities “with boys in there.” At the close of the letter, Coffey writes, “I understand that HR 14-56 died last year but perhaps it’s time to revitalize that.” She was referring to a bathroom bill that would have made it a Class B misdemeanor for people to use public restrooms not in accordance with their sex assigned at birth. So now, a bill that did not pass the Legislature is, in essence, being advocated by a grandparent, thanks to the attorney general’s website. And it’s not just Indiana. Consider House Bill 11 in Utah, which passed in spite of a veto from Republican Governor Spencer Cox. It requires any students suspected of playing on a sports team that doesn’t match “the biological, physical condition of being male or female, determined by an individual’s genetics and anatomy at birth,” to provide a copy of their birth certificate. After a federal judge blocked the bill, a change allowed trans girls to play on teams consistent with their

gender identity. Of course, they had to plead their case to a hand-picked School Activity Eligibility Commission. Maybe some would see that as a rational compromise. Natalie Cline, a member of the Utah State Board of Education, recently posted on her X account a photo of a student playing basketball. The girl wears her hair short, and the player is somewhat muscular. Cline captioned the image, implying that the player should not have been on the girls’ basketball team. Spurred on by Cline’s post, the student in question has faced harassment and cyberbullying. That player is a cisgender girl. It didn’t matter that the law now has a commission to determine who can play: a member of the board of education could step in to make up their own mind – and spur others to action. In both of these cases, and many, many more, the specifics of the law, ultimately, do not matter. People in power will act regardless, and harm anyone they deem not to be masculine or feminine enough. Which brings me to the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA. This is a federal bill currently in Congress. It would require online platforms to protect kids from content that may be harmful to them. So, what content would that be? Consider the words of co-sponsor

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), who sees KOSA as key to “protecting minor children from the transgender in this culture and that influence.” Indeed, Blackburn sees the internet as a place where children are “indoctrinated.” “They’re hearing things at school and then they’re getting onto YouTube to watch a video, and all of a sudden this comes to them,” says Blackburn. KOSA is supported by a number of major players, including Nintendo and Microsoft. Additionally, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and The Trevor Project, among others, have signaled that they will not oppose the bill. KOSA, until recently, allowed state attorneys general – like Rokita of Indiana – to enforce the bill, but a recent change moves that enforcement to the Federal Trade Commission. Yet state AGs still can act on other portions of this bill, and the FTC is subject to the whims of whoever sits in the Oval Office – meaning all it would take is a GOP presidency to enforce this in the worst of ways. As we have seen, even a compromise will not hold back the worst of intentions. The time to beat KOSA is now, before it is in the hands of attorneys general like Rokita and others, and before it affects everyone’s freedom online. t Gwen Smith does not recommend swamping the Eyes on Education site with junk reports. You’ll find her at www.gwensmith.com

Cathedral City to hold 8th LGBT Days event compiled by Cynthia Laird

alifornia’s Pride season kicks off with the eighth annual LGBT Days in Cathedral City March 8-10. Cathedral City in the Coachella Valley neighbors LGBTQ favorite Palm Springs and boasts the popular CCBC gay resort as well as other attractions. The Pride celebration is presented by Agua Caliente Casinos, and features live performances, the parade of beds, a champagne brunch bash, craft vendors, and much more, organizers stated in a news release. Friday, March 8, features the official Pride flag raising and lighting of City Hall and a free screening of Mike Nichols’ “The Birdcage” (1996). Other weekend events include a comedy show March 9, and the bed parade and bed race March 10, starting at 10 a.m. The unique parade features teams running festively decorated beds down Avenue Lalo Guerrero, cheered on by well-wishers as they compete for prizes and local infamy, the release noted. A champagne brunch follows. For tickets and more information, visit cathedralcitylgbtdays.com.

SF Pride to hold Ken Jones Awards program

San Francisco Pride will hold its annual Ken Jones Awards program Thursday, February 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Cityscape Lounge at the Hilton Union Square, 333 O’Farrell Street. The awards program is named in honor of Jones, a gay Black man who died in January 2021 at the age of 70. Jones was a key to desegregation of LGBTQ activism and served as the first African American chair of the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Committee, as SF Pride was then known, in 1980. Several community members will be honored. Michelle Alcedo, a queer woman of color, will receive the 10 Years of Service Award for her work on behalf of LGBTQ seniors. The Pride Creativity Award will go to Marcel Pardo Ariza, a trans visual artist. Marsha Levine, the former longtime

Courtesy Cathedral City LGBT Days

A drag artist does the cannonball at Cathedral City’s 2023 LGBT Days festivities.

manager of the Pride parade, will receive the Teddy Witherington Award. Yoseñio V. Lewis, a Latino of African descent trans man, will receive the Pride Freedom Award. He’s a consultant, speaker, and health educator. The Audrey Joseph LGBTQ Entertainment Award will go to Dennis McMillian, a gay man better known as Sister Dana Van Iquity of the drag nun group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Longtime social service worker Zwazzi Sowö will receive the Gilbert Baker Founders Award. She’s also a former SF Pride board member who worked to increase a Black presence at the Pride celebration, including the first Soul of Pride stage. Stephen Torres, a queer Latino man, will be honored with the Pride Community Award. Torres formerly served on the San Francisco Entertainment Commission and as advisory board executive co-chair of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District. He stepped down from both roles and is running for District 9 super-

visor this year. Adela Vázquez, a Cuban born trans woman, will receive the José Julio Sarria History Maker Award. Her work focused on health disparities and workplace discrimination in the trans community. Now retired, she facilitates a support group at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation for older trans women. Tickets for the program are $50 and can be purchased at http://tinyurl.com/ dzzpa2jp.

Gay chorus will celebrate Black trans joy

The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus will hold its Memory Keepers oral history initiative “Centering Black Trans Joy” Thursday, February 29, at 7 p.m. at the chorus’ new home, the Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia Street. This is the second of the Memory Keepers programs, a news release stated. The program will be hosted by Breonna McCree and Carlo Gomez Artea-

ga, co-executive directors of the Transgender District. Featured speakers will be Shayron Grayson, Andrea Horne, and Fresh Lev White. Chorus officials noted that Memory Keepers aims to uplift and preserve the stories of LGBTQ+ elders in order to foster intergenerational connection among queer communities and allies, as well as inspire a bigger, brighter future by learning and understanding the community’s collective history. “San Francisco’s queer history is a rich and complex tapestry that involves so many impactful icons and instances almost lost to history,” stated Jacob Stensberg, a gay man who is SFGMC artistic director. In addition to a 90-minute interactive panel discussion, attendees are encouraged to remain afterward and record their own stories about queer history in the Bay Area. Volunteers will be on hand to audio or video-record anyone with a story to tell and a desire to share it, the release stated. Tickets are pay what you can, ranging from $10 to $50, with $30 the recommended amount. For tickets and more information, go to http://tinyurl. com/2tymksyh

lent Disco station via flysfo.com/disco.

SFO debuts ‘Silent Disco’ in Milk terminal

The city of Santa Clara has openings on several boards and commissions and is seeking applicants. According to a news release, there are four full-term openings, ending June 30, 2028, on the board of library trustees (two), civil service commission (one), and the parks and recreation commission (one). There are two partial terms on the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee (one ending June 30, 2025), and the cultural commission (one ending June 30, 2027). The positions are all voluntary. Applicants need to be residents of the city. Applications are due Friday, March 12, at 5 p.m. A tentative date of April 16 is set to conduct interviews. For more information and to apply, go to http://tinyurl.com/32vkmwd7. t

San Francisco International Airport launched its “quiet airport” program in 2018 to reduce terminal noise. Now, it’s debuting “Silent Disco,” in which passengers can dance along to San Francisco-themed music using their headphones. Dubbed “San Fran-disco,” the silent dance party runs through March 15 in the post-security area of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, a news release stated. People can join the party on the dance floor, located near the Johnston & Murphy store – look for the disco ball, the release stated. Connect headphones to your mobile device and authenticate to SFO’s free Wi-Fi network #SFO Silent Disco. Then, press the play button. Travelers can also access the SFO Si-

Give OUT Day moving to May

San Francisco-based Horizons Foundation, which manages the popular Give OUT Day that raises funds for LGBTQ nonprofits, has announced this year’s online giving program is moving to May. The program raises funds for queer nonprofits in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Give OUT Day had been held during Pride Month in June, but Horizons officials noted in a statement that many organizations have fundraising campaigns of their own at that time and the backto-back events limited creativity and flexibility. Most of those who responded to a survey expressed a preference for May, Horizons’ statement read. “Get ready for an epic monthlong Give OUT Day campaign in May, culminating with a spectacular grand finale event on Thursday, May 30,” Horizons stated. Nonprofits can register to participate beginning Monday, February 26. For more information, go to horizonsfoundation.org.

City of Santa Clara seeks commissioners

Community News >>

February 22-28, 2024 • Bay Area Repor ter • 7

SF officials celebrate ‘Winter of Love’ at 20 by John Ferrannini

ame-sex couples sat next to one another as San Francisco Mayor London Breed recalled that magical moment 20 years ago when they could wed at City Hall. The “Winter of Love,” sparked by then-mayor Gavin Newsom ordering city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, ushered in a month of joy before the weddings were halted by the California Supreme Court. On Valentine’s Day, Breed and other city officials recalled the historic time. Afterward, same-sex couples married or renewed their vows. D’Arcy Drollinger, the city’s drag laureate, married Scott Wilson and Jorge Jimenez after Breed presided over a renewal of wedding vows between San Francisco Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford and her wife, Beverly Ford, and between John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, two gay men who were married the first day same-sex weddings were conducted at City Hall on February 12, 2004. “I’m already married 22 years, but

the first time we got married as man and wife,” Ford, a trans woman, told the Bay Area Reporter. “We renewed our vows after 10 years.” Lewis and Gaffney were featured in a B.A.R. story February 7 recalling the historic events from 20 years ago. Breed said nearly 200 couples were getting married at City Hall on Valentine’s Day. She’d solicited interested couples, whether same-sex or opposite-sex, to sign up via her Threads account several weeks ago. “City Hall is the place to be every Valentine’s Day,” she said, noting the large number of couples getting married and taking pictures throughout the Beaux Arts building. “What is the common thread that brings us here today? The power of love.” The event was also a reunion of sorts for those who fought the marriage equality fight. The San Francisco City Attorney’s office not only defended the city when the marriages started, but sued the state afterward alleging the state of California was discriminating. The case went to the state Supreme Court and the city won, but in November 2008, the voters de-

John Ferrannini

San Francisco drag laureate D’Arcy Drollinger, center, officiated over the marriage of Jorge Jimenez, left, and Scott Wilson, February 14 during the city’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of the “Winter of Love.”

cided to pass Proposition 8, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. That, too, was challenged in court during a federal trial in 2010 that de-

John Ferrannini

San Francisco Mayor London Breed, center, renewed the wedding vows of San Francisco Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford, right, and her spouse, Beverly, during the February 14 “Winter of Love” 20th anniversary event at City Hall.

clared Prop 8 unconstitutional. (Thenfederal judge Vaughn Walker presided over that trial and publicly came out as gay afterward.) After appealing to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the trial court, in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the court ruling vacating Prop 8 to go into effect, determining those defending the proposition lacked standing to appeal. (Under then-state attorney general Kamala Harris, the state of California would not defend Prop 8 against the suit. Harris is now vice president.) Two years later, in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the discriminatory laws of the states that had not, on their own, legalized same-sex marriage. Among those who spoke at City Hall was Dennis Herrera, who was city attorney at the time. “San Francisco knows how to celebrate – how to celebrate love and Valentine’s Day,” he said. “This is a terrific reminder of the fight we fought 20 years ago.” José Cisneros, a gay man who is the city’s elected treasurer, said he was a city employee back in 2004 when he

was deputized to perform marriages, including 30 one day that first weekend. “You’ve never seen this building look the way it did that day,” he said. “Anywhere you looked you could see a wedding going on.” Matt Dorsey, a gay man who now represents District 6 on the city’s Board of Supervisors, was Herrera’s press liaison at the time. “We as a city, as a city attorney’s office, put discrimination on trial,” Dorsey said. “It was the first time a government argued a compelling state interest.” Dorsey said that “no court had ever seen this kind of stuff.” Speaking to the B.A.R. at the event held on the mayor’s balcony, Dorsey said he not only remembers the joy of when the samesex marriages were going on, but the sadness when they stopped. “The day after the [state] Supreme Court stopped the marriages, the next morning, it was like a mausoleum in here,” he said. “Thank God we can look back in hindsight that we finally saw marriage equality.” t

CDC report examines HIV risk in trans women by Liz Highleyman

everal factors, including discrimination, homelessness, and violence, help explain why transgender women have a higher risk for HIV, according to a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “To accelerate health equity, leaders of health care institutions should better recognize transgender patients’ health disparities and work to remediate barriers to primary and preventive care,” B. Kaye Hayes and colleagues wrote in a summary for Public Health Reports. “Transgender people’s health can thrive both when

they are free to express who they are and when they are able to access affirming health care services.” The findings, described in seven articles in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, come from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women project (NHBS-Trans). More than 1,600 participants in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle were interviewed about their HIV risk and underwent HIV testing during 2019-2020. Nearly 90% were women of color. The new findings confirm that transgender women – especially

Olansky, courtesy AIDSVu; Kanny, CDC

Epidemiologists Evelyn Olansky, MPH, left, and Dafna Kanny, Ph.D., were part of a team that did research on HIV risk and trans women.

Black and Latina trans women – have a disproportionately high HIV rate. Among those surveyed, 42% had been diagnosed with HIV, far above the rate for gay and bisexual men. But this varied greatly by race/ethnicity: 62% of Black trans women and 35% of Latina trans women tested positive for HIV, compared with 17% of white trans women. HIV prevalence also varied by city, ranging from 21% in Seattle to 58% in Atlanta; San Francisco was in the middle, at 41%. HIV care indicators were promising, but respondents had more trouble accessing gender-related care. A majority of trans women living with HIV (63%) received HIV care within a month after diagnosis and most (90%) were currently on antiretroviral treatment. More than 70% were taking gender-affirming hormones, while another 20% said they wanted to do so, and over half said they wanted, but had not received, gender-affirming surgery. One in five reported using non-prescription hormones, which could become increasingly common as some states restrict or ban gender-affirming care. “Hormone treatment can cost hundreds of dollars to initiate even when insured and might come from a culturally insensitive provider. As a result, many transgender persons choose to independently obtain and administer their own hormone treatment,” wrote study author Evelyn Olansky, MPH, who is trans, and her colleagues. “Even if the dangers of using nonprescription hormones

are known, the dangers of stigmatizing and unsupportive experiences in health care and high medical costs

might be more salient for those who desire hormonal treatment.” See page 8 >>

We Want To Buy Our Apartment And Avoid Eviction, organized by Jeanine Reisbig

Seniors Jeanine, Age 72, and Gale, Age 75, would love to stay in the apartment they’ve lived in for 43 years. Please donate to their GoFundMe page so they can buy their apartment and continue living there. Note: any amount will help. If you don’t have much money, even small donations are great!!! The cost of real estate in San Francisco is pretty high, hence the $300,000.00 goal. If you are not comfortable making an online donation, you can snail mail your donation to: Jeanine Reisbig, 584 Castro St. #231. San Francisco CA 94114. Please make out your check to Jeanine Reisbig. www.gofundme.com/f/we-want-to-buy-our-apartment-and-avoid-eviction

<< Community News

8 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

CDC report

From page 7

Among the 902 HIV-negative survey respondents, over 90% said they knew about PrEP and nearly 60% had discussed it with a health care provider, but only 32% had recently used it. PrEP use ranged from 17% in Seattle to 46% in San Francisco. Of note, Black and Latina trans women were more likely to use PrEP than white trans women – the opposite of PrEP uptake among gay and bi men. Trans women who received gender-affirming health care were more likely to discuss and use PrEP. Concern about interactions with hormones is a potential barrier to PrEP use, the research authors suggested, though studies have not found this to be a problem. “Improving access to gender-affirming care for transgender women and training health care providers that serve transgender women to incorporate HIV prevention, including PrEP, into their services are strategies that might help increase PrEP use among transgender women,” Elana

Advisory council

From page 1

“We are not just congregated in urban areas, but we are all across the state,” Eggman said. “People feel under attack. They don’t have the allies they might. The community is not as strong as they’d like.” Hopefully, the new council will help advocates “get ahead of the nastiness,” Eggman added. The Bay Area Reporter asked Eggman and gay Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego), the vice chair of the caucus, how the council will help fight a proposed anti-trans initiative that is currently in the signature-gathering process for the November ballot. As the B.A.R. previously reported, the most recent development is that the conservative group behind the measure is suing the state in Sacramento County Superior Court over the title and summary Attorney General Rob Bonta assigned to the proposed initiative on transgender minors.

Puerto Vallarta

From page 3

“It’s going to take months to form a legal A.C. (not-for-profit) and to find a permanent facility to build up to offering all the STI testing and treatment programs SETAC offered,” the hotel owner wrote, referring to sexually transmitted infections. Pickens noted the support from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Trans women who participated in the nationwide survey reported several socioeconomic factors, or social determinants of health, linked to HIV risk. Poverty, unstable housing, employment discrimination, and violence can both increase the likelihood

of acquiring HIV and make it more difficult to access medical care. Around two-thirds of respondents were living in poverty, 17% incarcerated in the last 12 months or 58% at some point in their lives, 40% said they experienced severe food insecurity, 31% had been homeless for a month or more during the past year, and 17% had no health insurance. A large majority (70%) reported that they had experienced some type of trans-related discrimination during the past year. More than 30% said they had difficulty finding a job, 10% said they were fired because they were transgender, and 14% said they had been evicted or denied housing due to their gender identity. More than half (54%) reported gender-based verbal abuse or harassment, 27% reported physical abuse, and 15% reported sexual violence or forced sex. These challenges had a negative effect on trans women’s mental health, the survey found. More than a quarter reported recent psychological distress and 18% said they had considered suicide during the

past year. Three-quarters said they had a high level of support from significant others or friends, but less than half had support from their family. More than 20% said they did not have a health care provider with whom they could discuss issues related to their gender identity. Looking at sexual risk factors, 77% reported anal sex during the past year – and 55% reported condomless anal sex – but only 14% reported vaginal sex. Just over a third reported exchanging sex for money or drugs. Trans women who reported social disadvantages, substance use, or psychological distress were more likely to say they had condomless sex. On the other hand, injection drug use and use of non-sterile syringes to administer hormones were uncommon. A limitation of this analysis is that the survey did not include a representative sample of transgender women in the United States. In particular, those who are employed, stably housed, and do not have other social disadvantages were likely under-

represented. A subset of participants were asked to recruit others from their community, so their social determinants of health may have been similar. A majority of trans women in the U.S. are white (versus 11% in this survey) and the 40% HIV prevalence rate is about twice that reported in previous studies. Nonetheless, the report underscores that trans women are at greater risk for HIV due to multiple intersecting factors. “Data from NHBS-Trans have reaffirmed that transgender women need to be a priority population in preventing HIV infection,” Dafna Kanny, Ph.D., and colleagues wrote. “The disproportionate effect of HIV infection among transgender women is the result of a complex layering of syndemics, and more remains to be understood. NHBS-Trans highlights the social and economic factors that are contributing to this disparity.” The full CDC report is available here. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ volumes/73/su/pdfs/su7301-H.pdf. t

Protect Kids California is now gathering signatures for the initiative that would ban trans minors from receiving gender-affirming care; ban trans girls from female competitive sports, locker rooms and bathrooms; and require public schools to disclose students’ gender identities to parents if they say they are different from their sex at birth. In preparing a ballot title and summary for the measure, Bonta titled it “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth.” “We certainly stand opposed to that effort. We hope people decline to sign,” Ward said. “It is a hateful and regressive initiative. If you see anyone gathering signatures outside grocery stores, decline to sign.” Ward said that “next steps” will be considered if the initiative qualifies. The pending suit is asking a judge to grant proponents a new title and restart the 180-day signature-gathering phase. Tony Hoang, a gay man who is the executive director of Equality California, the statewide LGBTQ rights group, referred to the initiative in his remarks,

saying, “we are seeing attempts to ... pass oppressive policies and erase our identities, but we refuse to be erased.” “California must lead by example,” he added. “Every single person in the LGBTQ+ community has the right to embrace their authentic selves.” Representatives of the various organizations involved spoke about the need for the advisory council. The advisory council has representatives of 12 organizations, according to Jacob Fraker, the legislative consultant for the LGBTQ caucus. They are Equality California, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, TruEvolution, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the TransLatin@ Coalition, TransFamily Support Services, the Center for Immigrant Protection, Queer Humboldt, UC Merced, the Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance and GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society. Three more that he did not name will likely be added, he stated. The groups converged from up and

down the Golden State, painting a picture of the need for solidarity between urban and rural California. Officials said events for LGBTQ youth often have to be shut down because of death threats, while allies also are sometimes terrorized. As the B.A.R. previously reported, a San Bernardino County woman and ally was shot to death August 18 after a man reportedly removed a Pride flag from outside her clothing store and the woman confronted him about it. Ariel Savage, a trans woman who is public relations manager for Riversidebased TruEvolution, said, “I thought the only way to live my truth fully was to move to Los Angeles or San Francisco.” TruEvolution helps with affordable housing in Riverside and Stanislaus counties, she explained, and is opening the doors to a new community center in the Inland Empire. “These attacks are targeting the most vulnerable among us, particularly transgender youth,” Savage said. “I look forward to the incredibly important work we will all be doing together.”

Jacob Daruvala of the Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, also based in the Inland Empire, said, “We are proud to stand here with our queer fam from up and down the state today.” Lark M. Doolan, the executive director of Queer Humboldt, said that he is “grateful that differences [between urban and rural queer communities] are being revealed in this setting.” “Queer people belong in every city, every classroom, every sports team,” he said. “We will never have queer liberation without being liberated from all forms of ableism, aging and all forms of body terrorism.” Added Ward, “We’re not lost here in a Sacramento bubble.” Though a media advisory stated that the news conference would also address priority legislation, this was not discussed. Ward did say that a resolution to commemorate transgender visibility would be introduced March 18. t

of New York, which has been the largest funder of SETAC for over 10 years, totaling almost $200,000. Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola has pledged a matching gift of $20,000 on top of an initial $10,000 startup donation, according to Pickens. Studs owner Owens wrote on Facebook, “I’m so excited to share this new organization with all of you. As many of you know, I have been involved in HIV/AIDS support organizations for almost 29 years since my younger

brother, Tim, died of AIDS in 1995.”

luxurious 48 foot gay-owned yacht operated by Vallarta Yacht Rentals. A minimum $400 donation is requested, 100% of which will go to support the new Vallarta Gay+ Community Center. The center is working with the Casa Jojo Foundation, whose website http://tinyurl.com/5bch799z (https://casajojofoundation.org/ vallartagay%2B community-ctr) is set up to take online donations. Pickens noted that as a full 501(c)3

based in Texas, the Casa Jojo Foundation can qualify for corporate matching gift programs. In a Facebook text message to the B.A.R. on January 10, Paco Arjona, SETAC’s executive director, insisted that contrary to reports, SETAC had not closed. “SETAC is not closed, you will hear soon about all, gracias.” Arjona wrote. A follow-up text to him last week was not returned by press time. t amuci, Kelly, and Raju support supervised consumption sites. We asked that question because getting public buy-in for any site will be necessary, though it appears that an actual facility is nowhere near opening. State legislation by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to allow San Francisco to implement a pilot program has been vetoed and there are no immediate plans for him to bring back the proposal. We think all of these endorsed candidates would serve city Democrats well. Many of them have new ideas for increasing voter turnout and engaging people with the political process. At a time of polarization in states across the country and in Washington, D.C., local party committees like the DCCC can reflect San Francisco’s values. As an aside, we did send our questionnaire to several candidates for the Republican County Central Committee who requested it. None were returned. t the project, but city leaders have balked at the multimillion-dollar price tag the property owner has sought for it. The GLBT Historical Society told the B.A.R. in October that it should be

Morris and co-authors wrote. In San Francisco, the Department of Public Health’s latest HIV epidemiology annual report (https://www. ebar.com/story.php?330147) shows that trans women accounted for 6% of people living with HIV and 3% of those newly diagnosed with HIV in 2022. More than 90% of those diagnosed in 2021 were linked to care within a month, but just 73% had achieved viral suppression within a year (compared with 89% for gay men). Among those screened for PrEP at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, trans women were most likely to schedule an appointment and receive a prescription (76% and 55%, respectively) but least likely to still be taking PrEP three months later (9%).

Socioeconomic factors

Fundraisers

One of the first fundraisers was scheduled for February 21 at Oasis Condominiums in the El Caloso neighborhood east of downtown. The minimum donation to attend the event was about $35. Organizers hoped to raise $20,000. Paul Crist, owner of Hotel Mercurio, is organizing a fundraiser cruise Friday, March 1, on the

are: former supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, Dan Calamuci, District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan, former supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer,

Natalie Gee, Parag Gupta, Hene Kelly, former supervisor Gordon Mar, and elected Public Defender Mano Raju.

Most of these candidates are with the progressive slate. Fewer, who’s a former member of the DCCC, pointed out that the body brought an important voice to issues she was dealing with as a former school board member and supervisor. But she also thinks it’s a platform to introduce non-elected people to the political process. She has long supported LGBTQ youth and young women through mentorship and leadership development. Gupta stated that he cut his teeth in San Francisco politics in 1999 by working on the No on Knight initiative, the state’s first ban on same-sex marriage, which was eventually overturned. A first-time candidate, Gupta indicated he would need to learn more about supervised injection sites. He does, however, support Wellness Hubs that are planned for the Mission, Tenderloin, and South of Market that would offer services to those with addiction issues, though not consuming drugs on site. Mar, Chan, Gee, Alioto-Pier, Cal-

tied to the neighborhood if the most feasible space for its museum, archives, and offices can be found in another neighborhood important to the city’s LGBTQ history, such as the Polk Gulch. The society’s archives and offices are located in a building downtown.

As the B.A.R. has extensively reported, the search for a location for the museum in San Francisco has been underway for several years. Despite $17.5 million in state and city funds earmarked for the project, officials have not been able to find a suitable site. And

while society officials said they are ready to bid on a request for proposal, or RFP, for the money, it is unclear if that process can proceed without a location first being acquired. A vacant retail space on upper Market Street at the intersection with Castro Street has long been eyed for

Editorial

From page 4

Assembly District 19

This Assembly district covers the west side of San Francisco and voters can choose up to 10 candidates. This district does not have as many out candidates, so we considered mostly straight allies. The one gay candidate who did return our questionnaire, Mike Chen, has our endorsement. He ran before in 2020 but came up short. We’d like to see him be successful this time. Regarding the Prop 8 repeal measure, Chen stated the DCCC’s role will be to turn out San Francisco voters, who voted 90% for the proposition to enshrine abortion rights into the constitution in 2022, and to turn out Democrats across the state by phone banking and coordinating with strategically important legislative races. Straight allies who we endorsed

Museum funding

From page 1

The society would prefer a location in the Castro, executive director Roberto Ordeñana, a gay man, told the Bay Area Reporter last year, but isn’t necessarily

Courtesy the candidates

DCCC candidates in the 19th Assembly District include Michela Alioto-Pier, left, Mike Chen, and Natalie Gee.

See page 9 >>

t <<

Community News>>

February 22-28, 2024 • Bay Area Repor ter • 9

Museum funding

From page 8

allowed to bid for an RFP before a site is found. Reached for comment January 23, Andrew Shaffer, a gay man who is the society’s director of development and communications, referred the paper to Victor Ruiz-Cornejo, a gay man who advises San Francisco Mayor London Breed on LGBTQ issues. “The city is taking the lead on site selection for this project,” Shaffer wrote. When he was asked for an update the same day, Ruiz-Cornejo replied he didn’t “have an update to share at the moment, but I am happy to reach back out once I do.” Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro on the Board of Supervisors, has been engaged in the site selection process for the museum since 2018. He also didn’t have anything to add when contacted by the B.A.R. this month. “We’re continuing to look at spaces and hope to have settled on one in the next few months,” Mandelman stated. He did not reply to follow-up questions about whether the earmarked funds are safe, considering the current projected state and city budget deficits, and another as to whether there’s a particular site that has a good chance of being settled on in the next few months. The city has budgeted $12 million for a museum, while gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) secured $5.5 million in state funds for it, as the B.A.R. previously reported. In San Francisco, Breed asked city

Courtesy the candidate

State legislative candidates David Lee, left, Jovanka Beckles, Kathryn Lybarger, Dan Kalb, and Christopher Cabaldon all support state funding for an LGBTQ museum.

departments in December for 10% cuts across the board. A deficit of about $800 million is expected over the next two fiscal years, and Breed has said it could reach $1 billion by Fiscal Year 2028.

‘YES and YES’

The state is also facing a budget deficit of as much as $73 billion, according to reports this week, and it remains to be seen if, or how much, state funding will be available for capital projects. In its questionnaire, the B.A.R. asked legislative candidates if they support state funding for an LGBTQ history museum in San Francisco or elsewhere in the state, and whether they would author legislation to that effect. Six candidates for seats in San Francisco, the East Bay, and North Bay responded.

Bi candidates

From page 1

While they may be at different stages in their adult lives, Monteiro and Elhawary share several similarities as candidates. Both are Black and bisexual running in legislative districts without an LGBTQ-identified neighborhood to draw a base of support from as they vie to survive crowded races on the March 5 primary ballot, where only the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election in November. If elected, Monteiro would be only the second bi man and second Black male member of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus; he also would be the first out Black man elected to the Legislature’s upper chamber. Should she prevail, Elhawary would be the first out Black woman among the affinity group’s members - she is also Latina - and one of the first bi-identified female legislators. As the Bay Area Reporter’s Political Notebook column reported in January, Monteiro and Elhawary are among a record number of both bi-identified and LGBTQ legislative candidates running in primary races next month. There are at least 30 out contenders for either an Assembly or Senate seat this year, with eight from the bisexual community. “If I become a senator, I will be a champion not just for LGBTQ issues but for social or equity issues,” said Monteiro, who earned a master’s degree in education with Counseling at California State University, Dominguez Hills. “We

Courtesy the candidate

Candidate Sade Elhawary

should have the same rights as every other citizen. That is what I am going to fight for in Sacramento.” Elhawary, who lives in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, added about seeing more bi-identified lawmakers, “We are opening up our government, in this case, to have more representation in a way we need and deserve.” In recent interviews with the B.A.R. Monteiro and Elhawary both addressed how they have navigated their decision to run publicly as out candidates in districts where their racial identities have received more attention than their sexual orientation. Neither identifies as being a member of the LGBTQ community in their candidate bios posted to their campaign websites, but both have sought endorsements from groups that work to elect LGBTQ candidates. “I will be a champion of the LGBTQplus community. The reasons I haven’t

District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani, a straight ally who has queer siblings, is running to replace outgoing Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) in the 19th Assembly District that covers the western portion of the city. Stefani told the B.A.R., “Yes, I support this effort.” “This is not specific legislation I have yet to look into, but is something I would be eager to discuss further with LGBTQ+ advocates, organizations and residents throughout the state,” she continued. Stefani, a Democrat, is running against educator and fellow Democrat David Lee, a straight ally who has taught at San Francisco State University and Laney College, part of the East Bay’s Peralta Community College District. Lee stated in response to the same query that he “would be interested in pursuing

legislation about this.” “I would definitely support state funding for a LGBTQ history museum in San Francisco,” he stated. Queer former Richmond city councilmember Jovanka Beckles is an elected member of the AC Transit board who is running to succeed termed out state Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) in the East Bay’s 7th Senate District, which spans western Contra Costa and Alameda counties. She’s also in favor. “Yes, I would” support the project, she wrote. Her opponents did as well. California Labor Federation President Kathryn Lybarger, who identifies as both lesbian and queer, stated she “would be proud to lead this effort.” Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb, a straight ally, replied, “YES and

YES. Great idea. Very happy to support (and author) this legislation. Might also need a State budget play to help with capital funding for this new institution.” Gay former West Sacramento mayor Christopher Cabaldon, who is seeking the open District 3 Senate seat currently held by retiring Napa Democrat Bill Dodd, went into further detail. “LGBTQ history is intertwined with American and California history, and people should have the opportunity to learn about the hard fought battles and the human lives impacted by centuries of bigotry and intolerance,” Cabaldon stated. “I would be proud to author such legislation with my colleagues in the Bay Area.” Dodd’s district sprawls across a number of counties, from Contra Costa and Sonoma to Yolo and Sacramento. t

come out is because, I don’t know, I haven’t had that full courage,” said Monteiro, who is out of the closet personally and professionally but hadn’t made a point of seeking elected office as a bi man during his previous campaigns. “But I have lived my life the way I wanted. If people ask me the question, I will give them the right answer.” For Elhawary, a foster mom who prefers the term “fluid” when it comes to her sexual orientation, it wasn’t something she felt she could easily explain in her campaign bio, which she kept rather brief. Plus, when she was recruited by the group Close the Gap, aimed at electing more women to state legislative seats, to run it was more to do with her being a biracial community leader, said Elhawary, living in a district with large Black and Latino populations. She later came to realize how significant it would be seeing a candidate who identifies as a part of the bi community win election to the seat. To date, the only bi member of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus has been Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose), who is seeking a third two-year term this year. “I think it is important we not feel there has to be part of our identity that is a secret or somehow hidden,” said Elhawary. “I think really being able to celebrate everyone and the various ways we love each other and various ways we find happiness is huge.” She is one of five people running for the Assembly seat, along with fellow bisexual candidate Dulce Vasquez.

Named after the British Nigerian singer Sade, Elhawary grew up the oldest of three girls in Northeast Los Angeles. Her mom is from Guatemala, while her dad is Egyptian. The couple divorced when Elhawary was 8 years old. She graduated UCLA with an African American studies degree in 2010 and then received a master’s in education from Harvard in 2011. Currently self-employed focused on youth and community engagement, she co-owns JADE Strategies. She has gotten more comfortable talking about her sexual orientation publicly since starting her campaign nearly a year ago, especially as LGBTQ rights have come under increasing attacks. “Seeing currently the attacks from the right, especially on our trans brothers and sisters, we really need to be thoughtful about how do we go above and beyond in the work we are doing in a state like California, which is so incredibly progressive, to make sure we aren’t allowing folks to, I think, in a lot of ways not just attack us but really dismantle a lot of our rights we have been working so hard for for so many years,” said Elhawary. Out of the closet since high school, Elhawary told the B.A.R. she is not used to having to share that aspect of her life since it is “just a part” of her identity. At the same time, it isn’t something she shies away from when asked. “I am looking forward to being someone representing our community in various facets, being Black and La-

tina and being LGBTQ,” said Elhawary, who for years has been involved in a local group for young Black Democrats. She had worked for a community group founded by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who endorsed her in the Assembly race. It was during a Thanksgiving trip in 2022 when Elhawary made the decision to seek public office herself. “I have been doing the work behind the scenes. I have been doing the work to uplift the community and uplift young people,” said Elhawary.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RACHEL RIGGIN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/12/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/26/2024.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402378

An international upbringing

Born in Cape Verde, a former African colony of Portugal, Monteiro moved to Lisbon at age 14. His family moved to the U.S. in 1984 when his father retired as a skipper of global shipping vessels and oil tankers. Monteiro earned a B.A. in Spanish and history from the University of Rhode Island in 1990 and went to work for the health department in Boston. A key factor in his hiring is he is fluent in French, Cape Verde Creole, Portuguese, English, and Spanish. “They needed someone to work with doctors and nurses at housing projects and teach young mothers how to care for babies. Boston had an infant mortality rate that compared to third world countries,” recalled Monteiro. t A longer version of this story is online at ebar.com.

Legals>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558506

In the matter of the application of ROGER NAISHIN HUANG, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ROGER NAISHIN HUANG is requesting that the name ROGER NAISHIN HUANG AKA NAI SHINE HUANG be changed to ROGER NAISHIN HUANG. 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 30th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558507

In the matter of the application of BRENDA ROBLEDO ARGUELLO, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner BRENDA ROBLEDO ARGUELLO is requesting that the name LIAM HANSEL ROBLEDO ARGUELLO be changed to LIAM HANSEL LOPEZ ROBLEDO. 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 30th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558508 In the matter of the application of BIANCA NIGRI, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner BIANCA NIGRI is requesting that the name BIANCA NIGRI be changed to BIANCA ANETE APPEL. 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 30th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558509

In the matter of the application of XILIN ZHU, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner XILIN ZHU is requesting that the name WEIDONG ZHANG be changed to KODY ZHU. 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 30th of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402328

The following person(s) is/are doing business as DERIC TRANSPORTATION,894 ROLPH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112 . This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KA SHING CHAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/08/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402367

The following person(s) is/are doing business as DUKE PLANT & DESIGN, 1223 FITZGERALD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LISA DUKE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/22/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/22/2024.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402396

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SIMPLYMUZING ENTERPRISES, 3161 B 23RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed THOMAS FERRAIUOLO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402386

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THIRD THING, 11 CHRISTOPHER DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LORENZO TAMAYO-LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402408

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ADUNA ACADEMY, 1535 EDDY ST #315, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed COUMBA DIOUF. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/25/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402426

The following person(s) is/are doing business as DISCO DOG, 593 HAIGHT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402135

The following person(s) is/are doing business as NEVER TOO LATE PROJECT, 110 PORTOLA DR #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SABRINA RAPHAEL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/14/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/22/2023.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402164

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MEDESTHETICSRX SF, 2300 SUTTER ST #303, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RIKKI LAUREN ROBINSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/27/2023.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402375

The following person(s) is/are doing business as NAILS STORY, 1299 PACIFIC AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DEAR NAILS INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/22/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CAMERON HOME BUILDERS, 450 LINDEN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CAMERON BUILDERS SF (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/04/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402390 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ARTISAN TRAVEL, 434 UNION ST #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ARTISAN TRAVEL INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/2001. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402398

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ELLAPRINT; ELLAPRINT.COM; ELLAFONT; ZBALANCE; ZBALANCE, INC., 184 PRECITA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ZBALANCE, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/29/2003. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

<< Classifieds

10 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402421

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ACAI R, 1130 OCEAN AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed TANCHAN CORPORATION (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/26/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/26/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402433

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ANXIETY RELIEF CLINIC, 885 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed WESTON SCOTT FERRER, MD INCORP. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/26/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402438

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CALIFORNIA DETAILING, 1825 FOLSOM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CALIFORNIA DETAILING II, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402414

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BEST COAST COLLECTIVE, 595 PACIFIC AVE, FL 4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed AVENUE 8 INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/26/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402207

The following person(s) is/are doing business as YOUTH SF, 4722 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed FRIENDS OF ST STEPHENS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/08/2013. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/29/2023.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402393

The following person(s) is/are doing business as HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS - UNION SQUARE, 235 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited partnership, and is signed SURESH PATEL GENERAL PARTNER OF RAJPUTANA LODGING LP. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/16/2018. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402356

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ALASKA REFRIGERATION, AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING CO., 1651 27TH AVE, OAKLAND, CA 94601. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed DAGOBERTO T. SANCHEZ & ALISON J. SIEGEL SANCHEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/1986. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/19/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402358

petitioner TREVOR BRETT HUGHES-WHITE is requesting that the name TREVOR BRETT HUGHES-WHITE be changed to TREVOR BRETT HUGHES WHITE. 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 MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

OF SAN FRANCISCO (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/20/1994. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/2024.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558512

The following person(s) is/are doing business as COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY CARE, 1426 FILLMORE ST #207, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed GOLDEN GATE HEALTHCARE LLC (UT). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

In the matter of the application of QOHLE GREY MARTINEZ, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner QOHLE GREY MARTINEZ is requesting that the name QOHLE GREY MARTINEZ be changed to QOHLE PHOENIX GRAY. 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 30th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558537

In the matter of the application of CAROLINE MARSALA HATCH-BERENS & GLENN ANTHONY BERENS, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioners CAROLINE MARSALA HATCHBERENS & GLENN ANTHONY BERENS are requesting that the name AJAX LEE HATCH-BERENS be changed to AJAX JAMES HATCH-BERENS. 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 9th of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558476

In the matter of the application of MICHAEL OLUSEGUN EJITOKUN, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner MICHAEL OLUSEGUN EJITOKUN is requesting that the name MICHAEL OLUSEGUN EJITOKUN be changed to MICKAELLE OLUSEGUN ADELEKE. 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 11th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558533

In the matter of the application of ANDREENA JANAE NISPEROS REYES, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ANDREENA JANAE NISPEROS REYES is requesting that the name ANDREENA JANAE NISPEROS REYES be changed to ANDREENA JANAE NISPEROS. 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 7th of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558535

In the matter of the application of ANAKIN MATEO SALTO, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ANAKIN MATEO SALTO is requesting that the name ANAKIN MATEO SALTO be changed to ANAKIN MATEO NISPEROS. 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 7th of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402407

The following person(s) is/are doing business as E’PUME STUDIO, 601 4TH ST UNIT 206, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed E’PUME STUDIO LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/05/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/19/2024.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SMAART GALLERY & STUDIO, 1045 SUTTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STEVEN M ALLEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/2024.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402379

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402406

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as KHAO TIEW, 272 CLAREMONT BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed OLAGHOA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/23/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402391

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as REBELEA PUBLICATIONS, 1379 45TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STEVEN LEINER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402218

The following person(s) is/are doing business as TERRAFORM COLLECTIVE, 351 BUENA VISTA AVE E, UNIT 306E, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TERRAFORM COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/08/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/2024.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BEST FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, 118 BRIGHTON AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHNNY WILLIAMS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/02/2024.

SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOTICE TO RESPONDENT:SCOTT MOULTON, AN INDIVIDUAL; AND DOES 1-10, INCLUSIVE, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: STAR ONE CREDIT UNION CASE NO. CGC-23-606473

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402480

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2024

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web Site (www.lawhelpcalifornia. org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. The attorney for Plaintiff: BARRY A. SMITH (SBN 48697), BUCHALTER, LLP, 1000 WILSHIRE BLVD #1500, LOS ANGELES, CA 90017; (213) 891-0700. May 12, 2023, Clerk of the Court, Jeffrey Flores, Deputy.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558519

In the matter of the application of HOANG MY HO, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner HOANG MY HO is requesting that the name HOANG MY HO be changed to MYA HOANG. 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 30th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558505

In the matter of the application of JORDANA TAYLOR MACKENZIE LUSK, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner JORDANA TAYLOR MACKENZIE LUSK is requesting that the name JORDANA TAYLOR MACKENZIE LUSK be changed to GRACE OLIVIA DIAMOND. 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 25th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558529 In the matter of the application of TREVOR BRETT HUGHES-WHITE, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as DEEP SEA MEDITATION CENTER AND HUMANITARIAN AID, 22 SOUTH PARK ST #220, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed REBECCA LOUISE BRADSHAW. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/16/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402470

The following person(s) is/are doing business as GOLDEN CLAW AMUSEMENT, 1706 32ND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GOLDEN HONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402490

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BETA HUANG ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC, 2388 35TH AVE #201, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BETA HUANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/01/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402372

The following person(s) is/are doing business as FOHRM INTERIORS, 275 NEVADA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed COURTNEY FOHRMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/22/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402381

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402452

The following person(s) is/are doing business as AURA FIRE SAFETY, 1288 COLUMBUS AVE #130, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BC PROJECTS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/30/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 603792

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CASABLANCA MARKET, 28971 HOPKINS ST #6, HAYWARD, CA 94545. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed IMPORT MARKET & GIFTS, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/12/2004. The statement was filed with the City and County of Alameda, CA on 02/02/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402432

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LEGACY NORTH BEACH BAR, 1326 GRANT AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SUGAR MACK INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402459

The following person(s) is/are doing business as TWO DELULUS LLC, 1177 MARKET ST #1115, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TWO DELULUS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/30/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402497

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MOTEL 6 OCEAN BEACH, 1234 GREAT HWY,SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 1270 GREAT HWY, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/18/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/02/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NO: (PROB C §§19040(B), 19052) IN RE THE ABBY P. CHAPMAN REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST CREATED JULY 17, 2014, BY ABBY P. CHAPMAN, DECEDENT. Notice is hereby given to the creditors and contingent creditors of the above-named decedent, Abby P. Chapman, that all persons having claims against the decedent are required to file them with the Superior Court, at 400 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, and mail or deliver a copy to Carl E. Borders III, as Trustee of Abby P. Chapman Revocable Trust dated July 17, 2014, of which the decedent was the grantor, c/o B. Kyle Childress, Attorney, 1459 18th Street, No. 301, San Francisco, CA 94107, within the later of four (4) months after February 15,, 2024, or, if notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, 60 days after the date this notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, or you must petition to file a late claim as provided in Probate Code §19103. A claim form may be obtained from the court clerk. For your protection, you are encouraged to file your claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested. By: B. Kyle Childress Attorney for Carl E. Borders III, Trustee of the Abby P. Chapman Revocable Trust dated July 17, 2024

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402469

The following person(s) is/are doing business as GATES AND BRIDGES PRESCHOOL, 1601 10TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed INFANT DEVELOPMENT CENTER

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402528

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SILVER CAFE, 4300 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JANETTE B. YEAR. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/2008. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/06/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402553

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CALVIN GONG CHIROPRACTIC, 2305 VAN NESS AVE #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CALVIN GONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/02/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/09/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402559

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BUSY BLOOMER, 52 RAUSCH ST #102, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DENISE JOLLY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/05/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402515

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SONITROL OF SAN FRANCISCO, 250 EXECUTIVE PARK BLVD #4500, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed KIMBERLITE CORPORATION (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/05/2002. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402543

The following person(s) is/are doing business as RODEREX M-ATSARA-P D-LIGHT, 883 46TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed FILOMENA P. BARTOLOME & LOYD L. BARTOLOME. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/07/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/07/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402439

The following person(s) is/are doing business as VANITY BEAUTY LOUNGE, 3 EMBARCADERO CENTER LOBBY LEVEL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BEAUTIFULLY DIVINE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402527

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MIGHTY CHIA, 534 NAPLES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MIGHTY CHIA (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/06/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/06/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402429

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402536

In the matter of the application of TINAI MILLS, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner TINAI MILLS is requesting that the name ROMEO DEONARD REEVES JR. be changed to ROMEO PAOLI MILLS. 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 MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558544

In the matter of the application of CAROL DIMELING GEE, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner CAROL DIMELING GEE is requesting that the name CAROL DIMELING GEE be changed to CAROL DIMELING. 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 9th of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558485

In the matter of the application of CHARMAINE GUTU, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner XERXES GUTU is requesting that the name XERXES IOANE GUTU be changed to BRIAN AOE’E GUTU, JR. 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 16 th of APRIL 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558459

In the matter of the application of SHEELA GONJI & HARSHAVARDHAN SABBINENI, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioners SHEELA GONJI & HARSHAVARDHAN SABBINENI are requesting that the name SINDHU SAI SABBINENI be changed to ISHA SABBINENI. 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 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402331

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BINU BONU, 230 WEST PORTAL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BINU BONU INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/2024.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as KILLEEN CONCRETE, 120 CLEMENT ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHAWN GROARKE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 07, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402505

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402516

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558515

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402471

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ELECTRIC WORKS, 131 SEVILLE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TRILLIUM FINE ARTS PRESS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/28/2007. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/2024.

FEB 08, 15, 22, 29, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as EAGLE HANDYMAN SERVICES, 307 JUSTIN DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOSUE D. ALONZO DEL AGUILA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/05/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/2024.

02/01/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/2024.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as STAR LIGHT, 447 SUTTER ST #800, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TANYA E. LEKHTMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402512

The following person(s) is/are doing business as PORTFOLIO SOLUTIONS.IO, 1664 FULTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHERYL DENKER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402514 The following person(s) is/are doing business as RT, 204 LEE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RODNEY TUPAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

The following person(s) is/are doing business as GOLDEN GATE GOODIES; EEVEE’S LEMON SQUEEZE, 601 VAN NESS AVE #E317, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TWO DEER LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/06/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/07/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402445

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE HEALING HEARTH, 1310 MINNESOTA ST #209, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TASWERKS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/15/2005. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/30/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402563

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LOUDER RESTAURANT SF, 620 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109 . This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ANCHALEE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/12/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/2024.

FEB 15, 22, 29, MAR 7, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558563

In the matter of the application of CHAD MICHAEL JAMES, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner CHAD MICHAEL JAMES is requesting that the name CHAD MICHAEL JAMES be changed to RADEN JAMES. 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 14th of MARCH 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558562

In the matter of the application of HANA O’NEILL AKA HANNAH O’NEILL, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner HANA O’NEILL AKA HANNAH O’NEILL is requesting that the name HANA JUDITH MCCUAIG O’NEILL AKA HANNAH JUDITH MCCUAIG O’NEILL be changed to HANA JUDITH MCCUAIG O’NEILL. 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 16th of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558574

In the matter of the application of J.C. GINER, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner J.C. GINER is requesting that the name JUANITA CLARA be changed to J. CRISTINA. 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 23rd of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402592

The following person(s) is/are doing business as TINT NAIL SPA, 1262 MASON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BINH THAI TRIEU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/15/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/14/2024.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402413

The following person(s) is/are doing business as HULU WA BISTRO, 3970 B 17TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed HULU WA INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/25/2024.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402427

The following person(s) is/are doing business as KOHAN ARCHITECTURE; KOHAN, 490 POST ST #1135, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed THE KOHAN GROUP, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/2024.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402607

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ADITI INDIAN CUISINE, 1101 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SRI SAI AMMA BHAVAN (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/16/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/16/2024.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402410

The following person(s) is/are doing business as OLIVES HANDYMAN LLC, 193 GLADSTONE DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed OLIVES HANDYMAN LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/25/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/25/2024.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402574

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MLD STUDIO, 1300 25TH ST #200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MLD STUDIO (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/2024.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-0402095

The following person(s) is/are doing business as OUT THE ROAD, 2636 SAN BRUNO AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 2636 SAN BRUNO LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/25/2023.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

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In the matter of the application of KITTIPONG PHOLSITH, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner KITTIPONG PHOLSITH is requesting that the name KITTIPONG PHOLSITH be changed to KEN PHOLSITH. 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 21st of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

2ND AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-23-557698

In the matter of the2nd amended application of ELIZABET YAH DMOO AKA ELIZABET YAH, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ELIZABET YAH DMOO AKA ELIZABET YAH is requesting that the name ELIZABET YAH DMOO AKA ELIZABET YAH be changed to ELIZABET YAH. 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 21th of MARCH 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 22, 29, MAR 7, 14, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-24-558572

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In the matter of the application of JAMES NAPOLI AKA JAMES ANTHONY NAPOLI, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner JAMES NAPOLI AKA JAMES ANTHONY CoveCommunity-1x2.5.indd 1 NAPOLI is requesting that the name JAMES NAPOLI AKA JAMES ANTHONY NAPOLI be changed to JAMES ANTHONY NAPOLI. 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 23rd of MAY 2024 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

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Both photos: Apple+ TV

by Brian Bromberger

“A

ll I ever wanted was to design the most beautiful women’s clothing that ever existed,” proclaims French fashion genius Christian Dior in the new 10-episode limited series, “The New Look,” now streaming on Apple+ TV. The series chronicles how Paris reclaimed its title as the capital of haute couture, launching modern fashion, after the disastrous World War II Nazi occupation. This metamorphosis is depicted through the eyes of history’s two greatest designers, the promising up-and-coming young upstart Dior rivaling the world’s most famous clothes/perfume icon, Coco Chanel, whose fortunes declined after the war ended. The goal was to create beauty out of post-war gloom and horror (i.e. the French Vichy government’s deportation of 76,000 Jews to concentration camps) with Dior exclaiming, “For those of us who lived through the chaos of war, creation was survival. People need to feel, dream. We can create a new world for them. It is our way forward.” If only the series could have matched the excitement and vision Dior expressed.

Vive la revolution

The series opens in 1955, when Chanel (Juliette Binoche) returned to Paris to reopen her atelier house, launching her first collection after a seven-year Swiss exile. She speaks to journalists, haughtily declaring, “Christian Dior ruined French couture and I’m coming back to save it.” Simultaneously, Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) is being honored at the Sorbonne, the first fashion designer to receive such an accolade. A student in the audience asks him, “Was it true you designed dresses for the Nazi wives and girlfriends while Chanel closed shop during the war?”

‘The New Look’

Dior vs Chanel miniseries’ wardrobe malfunction

Ben Mendelsohn and John Malkovich in ‘The New Look’

Dior responds, “Yes. I was a nobody, working for Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich, in his usual halting delivery with a miserable French accent). For those who lived through the darkest four years of our lives, we did sell our designs to the Nazis to survive. There is the truth, but there’s always another truth that lives behind it.” Suddenly, in a flashback, it’s 1943. Besides creating much prized ball gowns, Dior provides a safe house for his beloved younger sister Catherine (Maisie Williams) and friends, fearless members of the French Resistance. She’s captured, sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp, and brutally tortured for the duration of the war. Meanwhile, Chanel, after closing her shop, lives at the Nazi-controlled Ritz Hotel. Using her Nazi connections, she obtains her nephew’s release from a POW camp. She’s invited to steal beautiful items from wealthy Jewish family’s apartments seized by the Nazis. She has an affair with a German aristocrat/spy, code name Spatz (Claes Bang, the perfect villain).

Maurice Vellekoop

Graphic memoirist’s ‘I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together’ by Gregg Shapiro

GBTQ graphic (as in illustrated) memoirs are nothing new. But it took Alison Bechdel’s award-winning 2006 book “Fun Home” to bring the genre to mainstream audiences, thereby generating mass public appeal and appreciation. Since then, books such as Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer” and Alice Oseman’s graphic

novel “Heartstopper” have brought increased attention to both non-fiction and fiction LGBTQ works. Maurice Vellekoop’s marvelous graphic memoir “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together” (Pantheon/Penguin Random House), out this month, is a perfect addition to the genre. A powerfully rendered personal story of growing up in a religiously conservative home in Canada, being the artistic one in a straitlaced family, finding necessary creative outlets for expression and, eventually, self-acceptance.

He introduces her to Heinrich Himmler, who wants to do business with Chanel. She attempts to use Vichy’s Aryan laws to eliminate her Jewish business partners so she can claim sole ownership of her company. At S.S. General Schellenberg’s request, she travels to Madrid in a bizarre plan to forge peace between Germany and Britain behind Hitler’s back. She tries to meet with Winston Churchill, whom she knows personally, but fails, when he doesn’t arrive.

Rise from the ashes

The series follows three strands. Primarily, Dior’s rise to fame as he stars in Lelong’s exhibition of hope, after Paris’s liberation, a fashion show of over 200 dolls dressed in designer outfits, because there was insufficient fabric available for female models. Dior separates from Lelong and founds his own fashion house on Avenue Montaigne. This leads to his famous postwar show, which became known as “The New Look,” epitomized by his iconic Bar Suit, a tribute to Dior’s mother’s

Gregg Shapiro: Maurice, I first became aware of your work with your fabulous 1997 homoerotic primer, “Maurice Vellekoop’s ABC Book,” which you wrote about in the “Deep Magic” chapter of your new graphic memoir “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together.” Maurice Vellekoop: The “ABC Book” pictures a series of homoerotic encounters between various gay stereotypes, arranged alphabetically with very simple rhyming text. For example, “E is for Executives reaching their goals, F is for Firemen sliding down poles.” It’s a naughty riff on Little Golden Books, but for an adult audience. It was inspired by the subversive work of both Edward Gorey and the great homoerotic artist Tom of Finland, who is such an inspiration. Tom’s world, much as I love it, is relentlessly macho. I wanted my playful vision of gay sex to be more inclusive, so, in addition to all the bikers and cops, I drew some hairdressers and interior decorators having hot sex too! In the memoir, you also wrote about the early influence of Charles Schulz and Walt Disney on your imagination and your work. Were there graphic novelists, such as Alison Bechdel or Marjane Satrapi, who also influenced you and how you approached “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together”?

Christian Dior couture recreated for ‘The New Look’

garden. It was named by Camilla Snow (Glenn Close, marvelous), Harper’s Bazaar editor-inchief, the Anna Wintour of her era. Looking for fashion’s new leader, she heralds a great collection “to rise from the ashes of war.” Secondly, we witness Chanel’s attempts to exonerate or rather excuse herself from her wartime collaboration with the Nazis, and fights to regain sole control over her company in a nasty fight with her Jewish partners. Finally, we trace what happens to Catherine after her release from Ravensbruck. She later will inspire Dior’s new perfume, named Miss Dior, in her honor.

Couture collaborator

Half the series is a World War II thriller in which fashion takes a secondary seat. It’s the more successful segment of the series. The second half is thwarted by the series’ schizoid nature. Dior See page 12 >>

In my career as a magazine illustrator, I’ve drawn inspiration from a wide variety of sources. One artist I love is Arthur Getz, who did New Yorker covers from the 1940s to the 1970s. His sense of light and mood is something I’m always striving to emulate. In the world of comics, yes, definitely Bechdel; less so Satrapi, much as I revere her. Legendary Canadian comics artist Seth is a big influence. I love his book, “It’s a Good Life if You Don’t Weaken.” I borrowed the page design and layout of “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together” from it. TV also played a role in your formative years. Do you know if Carol Burnett is aware of your drawings of her and that she’s in your book? Good question! I’ll have to get the publisher to send her a copy. I met her very briefly in New York in the 1990s. Bob Mackie, who famously designed every single costume for her weekly variety show, was having a retrospective at FIT, so I knew Carol would be there for the opening night. At the entrance I spotted her, and, blushing like a twelve-year-old, handed her a copy of my book “Vellevision,” pointing out there was a drawing of her on the cover. She flashed that dazzling smile, said thanks, handed the book to her assistant, and went in. See page 13 >>

<< TV

12 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

Group scenes

The Lavender Tube on ‘Couple to Throuple,’ ‘Girls5eva’ and more

Peacock

CBS

Fox

Left: The cast of ‘Girls5eva’ Middle Left: Contestants on ‘Couple to Throuple’ Middle Right: Taylor Tomlinson on ‘After Midnight’ Right: Niecy Nash-Betts at the Emmys

by Victoria A. Brownworth

ry January has turned seamlessly into Lent, but we can’t give up everything fun, can we? Here’s some fun viewing to keep you sated.

Fab five

“Girls5eva” is a musical comedy series that first premiered in May 2021 on Peacock. When a one-hit-wonder girl group from the ’90s gets sampled by a young rapper, its members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot. “Girls5eva” follows the four women, past and present. This series had two great underrated seasons and then disappeared, but now there’s a new season. The cast is awesome, including a lot of singers with receipts: Grammy-winning Sara Bareilles is Dawn, the “chill one” of Girls5eva, who now works at her brother’s Italian restaurant and has a son with her husband. Busy Philipps is Summer, the self-proclaimed “hot one” of Girls5eva, now married and neglected by her husband. She lives in a mansion with her daughter, Stevia (yes, Stevia). Former “Saturday Night Live” writer Paula Pell is Gloria, the “always working one,” now a dentist divorced

‘The New Look’

From page 11

comes across as a timid, conflicted, creatively blocked figure unwilling to make the hard decisions to become the premier designer he longs to be. However, the more serious shortcoming is how writer/director Todd Kessler channels Chanel. She’s rightfully portrayed as a traitorous collabo-

from her wife, Caroline. Caroline is played by Janine Brito, a San Francisco stand-up comedian and on-air correspondent for “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell,” who is also Pell’s real-life wife. Tony winner Renée Elise Goldsberry is Wickie, the “fierce one,” who pretends to have a glamorous life, but is scraping by as an airport employee. In addition to Pell and Brito, there are other gays in the cast, including multiple Tony and Grammy nominee Andrew Rannells. There’s singing, dancing, drama-ing and it’s all pretty hilarious. Catch up on the first two seasons before the new season drops March 14 on Netflix and Peacock.

Swingers

“I’m bisexual and he’s more of a ‘don’t knock it till you try it’ sexual,” says one of the men in a male couple on Peacock’s new striving-for-edgy series, “Couple to Throuple.” The new dating series has couples looking to expand their relationships by adding a third person and dipping their toes and more into the world of the ménage. To help “get your poly on,”’ the couples will choose from one of 14 frisky options to play with. Expect a lot of mixing, matching and bicuriousity. rator, but we’re supposed to sympathize with her, because she’s a survivor clawing to the top, who overcame devastating childhood poverty in an orphanage and overt male sexism. The dilemma is that she’s totally ruthless, willing to throw anyone under the train to maintain her position. Kessler seems determined almost to revise and minimize her Nazi past, despite contrary extensive evidence.

And yes, everyone is young and hot and there are bathing suits galore. Hosted by Scott Evans and guided by Sex and Relationship expert Shamyra Howard, these four curious couples navigate the world of polyamory. Set at a remote tropical resort, the couples will meet, mingle, and date a group of singles, many of whom are experienced in polyamory. With three times the fun, the feelings –and of course the drama– these relationships are put through the ultimate test to see if they are the perfect match. Safe words are set, boundaries are delineated, and couples discover what they can and cannot handle. At the end of their time in this fantasy paradise, the couples will decide if their hearts have room for more than just “the one” and commit as a throuple, go home as they arrived, or leave separately. The ten-episode season will roll out in weekly batches of three, naturally.

Taylor, made

If you want to stay up late for laughs, watch the only woman on late night, Taylor Tomlinson, on her new CBS late-night show “After Midnight,” after “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Tomlinson also has a new Netflix special, “Have It All,” in which she

Juliette Binoche (one of the world’s great actresses, incapable of giving a bad performance) tries to find her humanity in this thoroughly unlikable character, but it’s almost distasteful and in later episodes tiresome to watch Chanel lie and cheat repeatedly to get what she wants. Binoche adds some zesty, snappish wit to the dialogue, but due to Chanel’s egomania, we can’t empathize with her motivations or her “rehabilitation.”

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talks about dream jobs, finding a perfect partner and dealing with anxiety, while asking the age-old question: “Can you really have it all?” Tomlinson also talks about bisexuality and exploring sexuality, and dives in by querying, “So, anyway, I’ve been trying to figure out if I’m bisexual, or if I just binged ‘Euphoria’ too fast.” Yes, she’s funny.

That tracks

The new CBS series “Tracker,” which debuted after that monumental Super Bowl, has the butchest lesbian on TV as one of the main characters: Abby McEnany used to identify as a lesbian, but now refers to herself as a “queer dyke” and she plays PI Velma Bruin. More on this series next time, but it’s worth a look. Star Justin Hartley, who plays bounty hunter Colter Shaw, is the hottie actor of the triplets from “This Is Us.” Casting Society announced Emmy Award winner and out queer actress Niecy Nash-Betts will host the 39th Artios Awards in Los Angeles Thursday, March 7. The annual awards celebration honors the contributions of casting professionals in film, television (scripted and unscripted), commercials and theater. “We are honored and excited to have Niecy as our esteemed host in Los Angeles,” said Destiny Lilly,

Pas d’assez gay

Then there’s the gay connection which is minimized. Dior has a longterm partner Jacques (David Kammenos) who is at his side, mostly as a lackey, either following Dior’s orders or acting as his go-between. Dior is very discreet, only acknowledging Jacques to in-the-know friends. We see nothing about how the couple met or what it was like to be a gay couple under Nazi rule. Also, during this period, Dior has contact with other later celebrated designers such as Pierre Cardin (who works for a few years under Dior), Balmain, and Balenciaga, all of whom were gay, yet you’d never glean that understanding from the series. This closeted feel is complicated by Ben Mendelsohn, who doesn’t seem the least bit gay. He’s miscast, primarily because at age 54 he looks too old as the fresh face of a new generation. During the wartime period, he’s 20 years past Dior’s actual age. Mendelsohn is older now than when Dior died in 1957 due to a heart attack at age 52. He’s simply the wrong fit here as Dior. Only Maisie Williams as the

CSA President in a press statement. “Her dynamic presence, charm, and boundless energy promise to infuse the evening with laughter and heart. Niecy has consistently been a huge advocate for the work we do as casting professionals, so it’s a privilege to celebrate the most important night of the year for us with her.” Nash-Betts currently stars in Ava DuVernay’s feature film, “Origin,” an adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s book, “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent.” Nash-Betts is also the host of Fox’s game show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” which recently wrapped production on its third season, and lends her voice to the second season of Netflix’s “Human Resources.” Nash-Betts recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her portrayal of Glenda Cleveland in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix limited series, “Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer” based on the life of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. This is a powerful discourse between Nash-Betts and filmmaker Ava DuVernay; perfect Black History Month viewing.t

Read the full column, with trailers and video clips, on www.ebar.com. courageous and heartbreaking Catherine scores an acting triumph. For a series supposedly focusing on fashion design, we learn little about its artistry, why the New Look was so revolutionary, transforming Dior into a couture rock star, or how Dior originated his dresses. As one might expect, the costumes are glorious, as is the recreation of the actual New Look fashion show, with the current house of Dior formulating many of the gowns. Unsurprisingly, today’s Chanel house declined to participate. The production design is engrossing as we experience what it was like to live in Paris during the Nazi occupation. For those enthralled with fashion, there’s enough entertaining glitz and melodrama to keep one returning week after week. But for people less enamored by haute couture, the whole enterprise might seem sluggish with few rewards. Although the beauty and intrigue can intermittently be captivating, Dior deserves better.t www.tv.apple.com

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Juliette Binoche and Claes Bang in ‘The New Look’

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February 22-28, 2024 • Bay Area Repor ter • 13

Caleb Nichols

Queer musician brings indie rock to SF Noise Pop Festival

Lenny Gonzales

Musician Caleb Nichols

by J.L. Odom

an Francisco’s longstanding music and culture festival, Noise Pop, is just around the corner, with a plethora of artists, bands and events scheduled in various Bay Area venues from February 22 to March 3. The festival, marking its 31st year, has made a habit out of showcasing Bay Area musicians, including LGBTQ artists. This year’s lineup features LBXX, a Black queer hip-hop performance artist, and alt rock-leaning Maggie Gently, a queer woman based in San Francisco. There’s also singer-songwriter Caleb Nichols, from San Luis Obispo. Nichols, queer and nonbinary, will take the stage at Kilowatt Bar on February 29. While it’s their first time participating in Noise Pop as an independent artist, they’ve previously

taken part in the festival with their former bands, the indie acts Port O’Brien and Churches. “I’ve performed all over the place,” said Nichols in a phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “All of my musical projects were based in Oakland, from 2005 through 2012, so I had a pretty good Bay Area run. That was kind of where things were based. And I think it’s sort of part of why I’m playing Noise Pop.” Nichols shared that their identity is more complicated than it used to be for them, leading to their embracing of ‘queer’ and ‘nonbinary’ to describe themselves. They explained, “It has a lot to do with my identity as an artist and as a person right now. It’s changed quite a bit in the last few years. I grew up in the ’90s –I was a teenager in the ’90s– and so the most convenient identity

for me has been ‘gay.’ But as I’ve gotten older and learned more about myself, I’m far more comfortable identifying as nonbinary. There’s a lot of stuff with my own personal journey right now that complicates the ‘gay’ label, so ‘queer’ is great.”

Historic label

Nichols is on Kill Rocks Stars, the

Maurice Vellekoop

From page 11

In the “Thistletown” chapter, you wrote about how you and your sister Ingrid came out to each other. When you think about that experience today, having a queer sibling with whom to share the coming out experience, how does it make you feel? It meant the world to me to have an ally I could confide in safely at fourteen. Ingrid and I were very tight in my teens and twenties, and her artistic talent was a constant inspiration. I feel very blessed to have her in my life. And that passage is one of my favorites in the book, especially when the waitress says, “What can I get you girls?”

independent record label that’s put out albums from notables such as Bikini Kill, Nirvana, the Gossip, Team Dresch and Bratmobile. “There’s a history on the label, with artists like Elliott Smith and the Decemberists and Sleater-Kinney and Xiu Xiu,” Nichols noted. They cite artists and bands on the label, as well as others, as influences and as where their own music fits in genre-wise. “There are all those [Kill Rock Star] artists, but also my younger life was all about Pavement, and Belle and Sebastian, Stereolab, The Shins and all those things that were happening in the late ’90s [and] early 2000s. Kind of in that tradition is very much where I identify with musically,” they said. Nichols’ most recent release on Kill Rock Stars, “Let’s Look Back” (2023), features 11 songs, including the ode to queer joy “J’ai Vu La Lune!” In the song, Nichols refers to riding his bike “through the town at night,” feeling that particular elation. The lyrics include “I’m on my own and it’s all right / Several boys are on my mind / With secrets that are hard to hide / It makes me want to stay alive.” If prompted to categorize their music, they said they’d go with “indie rock” or “indie pop,” with all of it being singer-songwriter in nature. “I’m oriented towards the songwriting part, and then the textures and sounds and things come,” Nichols commented.

Intuitive process

Nichols began writing songs when they were a teenager, viewing songwriting as an intuitive process that can parallel creating a poem and poetry-writing often being more deliberate and about craft. They’ve found the relationship between the two –songwriting and poetry crafting– has developed a sort of symbiosis. “In the last five years, I’ve thought

ern readers expect from a memoir. Despite her dread, she was unfailingly supportive of the project, always ready to answer my questions, even when what I was asking was quite intimate. Have you started working on or thinking about your next book project? Yes! My book agent and I are pitching a children’s book written and illustrated by me. I’m also working on some new erotic drawings, which may end up as a book. For lots of reasons, as a young man, I didn’t think I was attractive, and I spent many years in celibacy. Now, when I look at old

more deliberately about poetry in a certain way, and music has continued to be more of an intuitive thing. But as time has gone on, both of those things feed into each other. So I try to be less deliberate in poetry and more deliberate music, and they bleed into each other,” they shared. Songs such as those on “Let’s Look Back,” have a narrative quality to them, but Nichols is consciously embarking on a different approach. “My songs have stories, and they’re not that abstract. And so I’m actually trying to be more abstract and trying to say more by saying more dispersed kinds of things with more dispersed language,” they said. Nichols is currently wrapping up their doctoral work in poetics right now, with their dissertation involving writing a book of poems alongside a book of critical commentary. They admit that their journey toward a Ph.D. in creative writing has factored into their music. “My head’s been in that literary theory world for the last few years. It’s a juxtaposition because being in an indie rock band, it’s not that at all. But I’m grateful to have both because sometimes I really need a break from thinking about stuff so much,” Nichols said. Their Noise Pop set will pull from their previously released albums and EPs, but the new material is fair game as well. At a recent Bay Area show, they debuted one of their new songs. “That could happen at Noise Pop, too,” they said. “It just depends on what the vibe is.”t Caleb Nichols performs live with Califone (headliner), Credit Electric and Fake Your Own Death at Kilowatt Bar, 3160 16th St. on Thursday, February 29, 8pm. www.noisepop.com www.kilowattbar.com www.Calebnicholsis.gay

pictures of myself, I see a pretty, rosycheeked, full-lipped twink. So, I’m drawing that character getting all the wild sex he so desperately wanted but couldn’t allow himself to have. I can’t decide whether the project is terribly sad or crazily empowering, maybe it’s a bit of both!t

Read the full interview on www.ebar.com. ‘I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together, A Memoir’ by Maurice Vellekoop, $35. penguinrandomhouse.com instagram.com/mauricevellekoop

Like a lot of gay teens, you found a safe haven in your high school’s theater department. Are you still in touch with any friends from that time, and did any others also come out? No, I’m not in touch with friends from high school. But I recently reconnected with an art school buddy who I always wondered about. He recently came out –in his late fifties– and is happily partnered. It’s never too late!

Both photos: Instagram

Above: Maurice Vellekoop’s portrait of Carol Burnett when Roddy McDowell appeared on her show as Cornelius from ‘Planet of the Apes’ Below: Maurice Vellekoop’s holiday family portrait

What do you think your parents, who are both deceased, would think of “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together”? What my dad would have thought is anyone’s guess. He was such an unusual, unpredictable creature. I’m sure he would have been proud of the accomplishment, whatever his feelings about his own portrayal. My mother was really dreading the book. She was a very private person, and the book represents a huge invasion of that privacy. Also, though she was quite literary. All the books she loved were written long ago, and she just would not understand the level of candor that mod-

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<< Film

14 • Bay Area Repor ter • February 22-28, 2024

Queer comical road trip by Kyle Amato

he film world was given a strange shock when Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen announced they’d be splitting up, each tackling their own passion projects. There seems to be no bad blood (Ethan was spotted attending the New York Film Festival premiere of “The Tragedy of Macbeth”), but the end of their partnership still feels significant. Together they directed some of the greatest American films of all time, but what was so important to them that they’d go their separate ways? While Joel’s “Macbeth” was a dramatic, blackand-white retelling of Shakespeare, Ethan has gone in the opposite direction and given us a ridiculous, breezy comedy about goofy lesbians. “Drive-Away Dolls” (the film’s true and uncensored title, “Drive-Away Dykes,” does thankfully appear onscreen) is reminiscent of the gonzo “Raising Arizona” or “The Hudsucker Proxy,” with an unabashedly queer sentiment. Written by Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke, “Dolls” (Focus Features) is stuffed to the brim with gags, pratfalls, and goofy plot twists. There are actual jokes, not just references or lines that sound like jokes. There’s a zippiness to the entire affair, with a committed ensemble cast led by Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan.

Focus Features

Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan in ‘Drive-Away Dolls’

Raucous road trip

It’s almost New Year’s Eve 1999, and the lesbians of Philly are restless. Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) is a buttoned-up type, shying away from excitement in favor of quiet stability.

Her total opposite best friend Jamie (Margaret Qualley) is always chasing a thrill, even if it means getting in hot water with her girlfriend Sukie (Beanie Feldstein). One night, Jamie goes a bit too far

and finds herself living on Marian’s couch. She decides it’s time to get out of town, and she’s taking Marian with her, despite her protests. Jamie decides to take a drive-away car meant for Tallahassee, an easy way to take a cheap road trip and not worry about getting the car back. Unbeknownst to the girls, this particular car happens to contain a very valuable package. While Jamie and Marian explore every lesbian bar down the eastern seaboard, a pair of hired goons (Joey Slotnick and C.J. Wilson) are hot on their trail, intent on delivering the briefcase to their boss (Colman Domingo). Anyone who gets in their way could meet an untimely end. Pedro Pascal also costars. Will these goons catch up with our dykes? Will Jamie’s girlfriend exact revenge? How does a senator (played by Matt Damon) factor into all this? Will Marian finally get laid? Anything could happen on the road! To spoil what’s actually going on would take away from one of the funniest moments in recent queer cinema. “Drive-Away Dolls” shows an impressive balancing act of tone. Though each character has their quirks, the jokes are never snarky or mean-spirited, allowing for moments of earned sentimentality. Each lesbian encounter feels like an homage to new queer cinema of the ’90s or a new take on gay humor, not a rip-off or exploitation of

the genre. The dynamic between Jamie and Marian feels like something right out of Alison Bechtel’s comic series “Dykes to Watch Out For,” with a free spirit and her milquetoast pal learning why they’re the way they are, and what they can do for each other. Even when the girls discover the crime saga they’ve gotten wrapped up in, they never forget their sapphic mission. As always, it’s just nice to have a gay movie that isn’t bogged down in a coming out narrative or attempts to cater to straight people. You can and will enjoy the film if you’re not queer, but a lot of the nuances might go over your head. It feels silly to talk about nuance in a film that features a dildo screwed to a kitchen wall, but I digress. For those who mostly associate the Coen brothers with “No Country for Old Men,” this film might feel totally inexplicable, but “Drive-Away Dolls” is the natural next step for one of our finest American artists. After the pandemic, who wouldn’t want to blow off steam with their wife and finally direct their dream lesbian road trip picture?t ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ screens at SF’s AMC Kabuki, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, and other Bay Area theaters beginning Feb. 22. www.focusfeatures.com

Early gay film ‘Michael’ was ahead of its time by David-Elijah Nahmod

riginally released in 1924, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s “Michael” was a film that was quite different from what audiences of the time were used to. “Michael” is about a gay artist who loses his young male lover to a golddigging woman. The film is now available on BluRay and is also streaming at Kino Now, the on-demand streaming service of distributor Kino Lorber. “Michael” was produced in Germany during the Weimar era, a time in between the world wars when German society underwent a stunning renaissance. This was a time of free artistic expression, decadence, and sexual freedom. A decade after the film was produced, the Nazis came to power, crushing the freedom that had been enjoyed and murdering millions of people, mainly Jews but also a significant number of queer people. Walter Slezak, who left Germany in 1930 and went on to enjoy prolific careers in Hollywood and on Broadway, was just 22 when he essayed the titular role in “Michael.” A handsome young man, Michael always impeccably dressed, so it’s easy to see why the famous, and decidedly older artist

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Walter Slezak and Benjamin Christensen in ‘Michael’

Claude Zoret (Benjamin Christensen) falls in love with him. Their relationship was more than platonic, though there are no kissing scenes in the film. There is some hand-holding. Things take a bad turn when Michael meets Countess Lucia Zamikow (Nora Gregor) and begins spending time with her. He falls for her and lets her use him for money. Michael spends less and less time with Zoret, who is powerless to stop his beloved “foster son” from turning away from him. Kino Lorber provides a reasonably decent print of “Michael,” though a few scenes are faded. The print should have been clearer as it was restored by the Danish Film Institute. Still, for a

film that’s a century old it looks okay. One of the most impressive aspects of “Michael” is the cinematography, which was the work of Karl Freund, who was a master with his use of the camera. He created stunningly expansive visuals for this film. Among Freund’s dozens of other credits are the legendary films “Metropolis” (1927) and “Dracula” (1931). Towards the end of his career he served as cinematographer for, of all things, the “I Love Lucy” TV series, where he was credited with giving the show its slick look. It was a look he was already perfecting when he shot “Michael.” In addition to his camera duties, Freund also has a cameo as an

art dealer in the film, his only known credit as an actor. The acting in “Michael” is naturalistic. The cast avoids the melodramatic style of acting that was so prevalent in silent films. Slezak is appropriately treacherous as Michael, but the film’s finest performance comes from Christensen, whose character ultimately becomes a tragic figure as he realizes he’s lost the love of his life. Christensen’s performance is quite moving, he and Slezak play off each other quite well. The film has a pleasant, unobtrusive musical score, and there are German intertitles, with optional English subtitles available on the disc’s menu. Also

included is an optional commentary track with film historians Amanda Doxtater and Maxine Savage, who discuss, among other things, the film’s historical significance. “Michael” is indeed a historically significant film. When it was made there was no queer cinema to speak of, only a small handful of such films had been made. That the lead characters’ homosexuality was made so apparent was a giant step forward in the annals of moviemaking. This is a film definitely worth seeing.t ‘Michael’ $21.62 BluRay, $2.99 streaming at Kino Now www.kinonow.com

“Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.”

—James Baldwin

Books & Events>>

t Josh Fernandez’s ‘The Hands that Crafted the Bomb’

Author Josh Fernandez

by Laura Moreno

osh Fernandez is a multi-talented man with an artist’s eye. His first book, “The Hands That Crafted the Bomb,” was released this week by PM Press. It is perhaps the most fascinating memoir since Errol Flynn’s 1959 autobiography “My Wicked, Wicked Ways,” documenting his own string of extraordinary experiences. Like Flynn, Fernandez has written a memoir powered by raw honesty and the intellectual ability to step back and view his life ironically. It takes a real man to be honest about oneself. This is perhaps why he is gaining a following among young people. Satan worshippers sometimes confuse him as one of them, but he is not. He wears his tattoos ironically, the way some used to wear the flag back before 9/11. “Sometimes I forget that I’m covered in Satanic tattoos,” he writes “It makes me laugh when I see them reflected at me… On the first day of class, my students always gasp. They’re horrified... What does that tattoo

mean?... It means nothing, I think. None of this does.” At the community college where he is a professor, students consider him nothing short of a lifesaver, and “one of the only LGBTQ community allies on campus.” Fernandez even launched a GoFundMe campaign for a student who didn’t have a computer. And soon he was able to present her with a new Apple laptop. He writes, “Lakeisha started crying, and I cried too. We stood in the faculty lounge crying together for a second.” Josh Fernandez speaks for many talented public school students when he enumerates the harm of being stuck with less than inspiring teachers. “The idea of education was poisoning my mind until I had to remove myself as a form of self-preservation. There’s nothing here for me, I thought. I’m not meant for this. I was traumatized by my education.” Many young people in California have a particularly difficult time as compared with the rest of the coun-

try, constantly sabotaged by endless things, including drugs. Our education system has no respect for the needs or even the dignity of students. Much of this memoir covers the pernicious racism that manifests as street violence even as it ignores, as Fernandez writes, that Africans sold their own into slavery, actually, and many free Blacks and Native Americans and others owned slaves too. “The Hands That Crafted the Bomb” details the year Fernandez found himself under investigation for “soliciting students for potentially dangerous activities” as part of an antifa club he founded on-campus, an accusation he stood firm against and eventually beat.t

February 22-28, 2024 • Bay Area Repor ter • 15

ebar.com

Read a short Q&A with Fernandez, and a book excerpt, on www.ebar. com.

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“The Hands that Crafted the Bomb” by Josh Fernandez, PM Press, $22.95. www.pmpress.org

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We recently enjoyed a fun night out at Oakland’s Town Bar & Lounge, where despite the pouring rain outside, dozens of patrons enjoyed an ’80s DJed mix, and friendly faces like barback Peter (see photo). For more nightlife diversions, and arts events galore, read our online listings, this week and every week in Going Out.

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This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.