March 11, 2021 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter

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AIDS activist Tryfan Llwyd dies

PR rep takes final bow

LGBTQs join immigrant panel

ARTS

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Queer Black Theater

The

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

Vol. 51 • No. 10 • March 11-17, 2021

More funding set for Black trans groups

by John Ferrannini

S Courtesy CA Prevention Training Center

Dr. Ina Park of UCSF

Report : Some Syphilis diagnoses rise in 2020

by John Ferrannini

T

he final rates for sexually transmitted disease diagnoses in San Francisco last year show a rise in many iterations of syphilis, part of a troubling nationwide trend, officials said.

The December 2020 STD report, which includes year-end numbers, was released by the San Francisco Department of Public Health March 5.

Cases of syphilis citywide declined from 1,864 in 2019 to 1,730 in 2020. However, cases of syphilis in women rose from 158 to 178, which precipitated a rise in congenital syphilis (four to five cases). Congenital syphilis is when a person with syphilis passes the infection on to their baby during pregnancy.

Also on the rise were cases of latent syphilis heretofore unknown (96 to 211), and late-latent cases (235 to 246).

Dr. Ina Park, a straight ally who is an associate professor at the UCSF School of Medicine, told the Bay Area Reporter that the increases are significant from a public health perspective.

“In terms of formal statistical significance, I can’t do that on the fly, but the increase of syphilis among women – 13% – is significant,” Park said. “The congenital syphilis I know are small numbers, but of public health and clinical significance: it’s huge. It’s huge because for years there were zero cases in San Francisco and this for years mirrors what’s happening nationally.”

Cases of congenital syphilis nationwide have risen 261% from 2013 to 2018 (the most recent See page 4 >>

Share your B.A.R. memories

by Cynthia Laird

T

he Bay Area Reporter will mark its 50th anniversary next month and we want to hear from you, our readers.

We’re inviting readers to send in brief emails about what the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading LGBTQ newspaper means to you. Was there a particular story that grabbed your attention or spurred you to action? Why is a publication devoted to covering the queer community important to you?

Send in your comments and include your name and a daytime phone, the latter for verification only. You can also send in a photo of yourself. Email to news@ebar.com with BAR 50 in the subject line. Please try to keep your comments to 150-200 words.

The deadline for submissions is March 25.

The B.A.R.’s special 50th anniversary issue will be published April 1 (no foolin’). t

an Francisco will be redirecting $2.2 million from law enforcement to invest in Black-led and transgender-serving organizations over the next two years, according to a March 11 announcement from the office of Mayor London Breed and Sheryl Evans Davis, the executive director of the city’s Human Rights Commission.

The funding is one part of Breed’s Dream Keeper Initiative, which is reinvesting $120 million from law enforcement to the city’s Black community over two years.

“With the Dream Keeper’s significant investment in the Black community, we knew that it was critical to provide dedicated funding to address the unique needs in the Black transgender community,” Breed stated in a news release. “I am committed to ensuring Black trans people can thrive in San Francisco and that organizations have the resources to deliver services that the community needs, which is why we are investing in the Black trans-led organizations that have been doing this work for years.”

The Bay Area Reporter reported last December that city officials were seeking proposals for $1.6 million in grants for the trans community. Applications were due in January and awardees notified before they could

Rick Gerharter

A Black Trans Lives Matter street mural was installed in the Tenderloin last August.

start receiving grant funding February 1, running through January 31, 2023.

The city’s HRC had opened up the process for both nonprofits and social service agencies to submit proposals for $1.375 million to be divided by three organizations.

But the March 11 announcement includes both more funding and more grant awardees than had originally been announced.

According to Sarah Owens, a deputy press director with the mayor’s office, subsequent meetings with SF HRC led to a commitment that at least 5% of Dream Keeper Initiative funding would go toward the LGBTQ com-

munity, which led to additional funding for the Black-led and trans-serving organizations.

“As the funding amounts for the LGBTQ community increased, the city was able to offer awards to additional Black trans-serving organizations,” Owens stated.

The Transgender District, TGI Justice Project, TAJA’s Coalition, the Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center, and PRC are all beneficiaries. They have been allocated $717,500; $687,500; $250,000; $200,000; and $225,000, respectively.

“The Transgender District is incredibly honored to help create high impact solutions toward the disparity that Black transgender people face in San Francisco,” Aria Sa’id, a trans woman who is the executive director of the district, stated in the release. “While San Francisco is a premiere city for the acceptance of queer and transgender people, the data has not shifted over the last 30 years in regards to what we face including increased rate of homelessness, abject poverty and marginalization.

“We have a multi-pronged strategy to make immediate changes for our community that promote the empowerment of Black and Brown transgender people and include creation of innovative solutions to advance housing, economic advancement and cultural enrichment for and by our community,” Sa’id added. t

New Mission Station captain meets a beleaguered Castro

by John Ferrannini

M

ission Station’s new captain is spending at least some of her first weeks on the job reconnecting with the communities she serves in central San Francisco.

“It’s been absolutely fantastic,” Captain Rachel Moran told the Bay Area Reporter. “It’s great reconnecting with staff at the station and going out to talk with the community from a captain’s perspective. It’s good for your soul – great, but busy, let me tell you.”

As the B.A.R. reported last month, Moran, who’d been an officer at Mission Station for about a decade until being transferred to the special victims unit for a year and a half, returned to become the first woman to lead the station February 20. In addition to the Mission district, the station serves part of the Castro and Noe Valley.

“I don’t stay at the station,” Moran said. “I love to go to the deli, get coffee, and I’m out there.”

Moran had said she was scheduled to meet with Masood Samereie, a straight ally who is president of the Castro Merchants, March 9.

“If I have time prior to that we can do it sooner,” she said.

Samereie told the B.A.R. he indeed had the chance to meet with Moran on March 2.

“She is excited and ready to tackle the issues on hand here in the district in collaboration with the neighborhood business and residents organizations,” Samereie stated. “She knows and we all know no one person can resolve all of our issues, but she is committed to do all she can to help us resolve challenges we face on daily bases in the Castro district, including drug dealing and open drug use on our streets, helping unhoused by offering services, break-ins, burglary and theft.”

Subsequently, Moran gave brief remarks at the beginning of the March 4 Castro Merchants meeting.

“I’m really excited to be here and in the community of Mission Station,” Moran said. “I’m coming back home – the officers are the same, the supervisors are the same and the community is the same, obviously.”

Behind Moran, who appeared via Zoom, were some greenery.

Courtesy SFPD

Mission Station Captain Rachel Moran

“I brought plants, I brought pictures and I’m here – God willing – to address your problems.” she added. “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.”

Dave Karraker, a gay man who is a spokesperson for and board member of the Castro Merchants, confirmed that Moran will be attending the association’s monthly membership meeting again in April and will give a presentation. He stated he also had the chance to meet with her.

“She will be an exceptional resource in addressing the issues currently facing the Castro,” Karraker stated in an email. “Of particular note during our meetings with Captain Moran is her pledge to focus on tackling the very obvious problem of the district’s unhoused, particularly those who are actively using drugs and those with mental health challenges. These individuals are creating an environment where small business employees, residents, and visitors to the neighborhood don’t feel safe, and based on our research are also suspected to be the individuals responsible for a great deal of crime in the area – particularly malicious mischief/vandalism.”

San Francisco Police Department communications director Matt Dorsey confirmed that Mo-

ran will be going on an official merchant walk. As the B.A.R. previously reported, neighborhood leaders and city officials such as Samereie; Tom Temprano, a gay aide to gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman; Matt Donahue, a bisexual assistant district attorney who is the DA office’s liaison to the Castro; and David Burke, a straight ally who is District 8 community liaison, have been going on these walks to identify issues to address in the neighborhood.

Terry Asten Bennett, the general manager and one of the owners of Cliff’s Variety in the Castro, said March 1 that she planned to meet with Moran March 3.

“I have found when I make myself known to the new captains they are more responsive when I have a need,” Asten Bennett, a straight ally, stated. “I think it is important to humanize yourself so that it reminds people that you are not just a statistic but a living human being.”

After that meeting, Asten Bennett stated, “It was great. She is very open and personable. She was honest about her goals and limitations for the department.”

Safety in the Castro at a crossroads

As Karraker mentioned, one major issue that the Castro neighborhood faces is the number of unhoused people there, some of whom have mental health challenges.

“The businesses and the residents of the Castro understand quite clearly that the current environment simply cannot continue if we want to preserve one of the most iconic neighborhoods in the city and a global beacon for the LGBTQ community,” Karraker stated.

Richard Wigen, a gay man who is a 35-year resident of the Castro and retired social worker, told the B.A.R. that street conditions in the area this past year are the worst he’s seen. He said that while the Healthy Streets Operations Center sometimes comes to clear homeless encampments, they often reappear in the same spot shortly thereafter – something he said he thought police had the authority to stop after HSOC teams had done their work.

See page 4 >>

<< Obituaries

t AIDS activist Tryfan Morys Eibhlyn Llwyd dies 2 • Bay Area Reporter • March 11-17, 2021

by Tyler Breisacher

A

IDS activist and longtime antiimperialist organizer Tryfan Morys Eibhlyn Llwyd died March 3 in Louisville, Kentucky at the age of 70. Survivors said the death was due to natural causes, and not related to COVID-19.

When Llwyd, who identified as nonbinary or genderqueer, lived in San Francisco, they were one of the central figures in the emergence of militant AIDS activism in San Francisco, starting with the AIDS Action Pledge in 1986 (which became ACT UP/San Francisco in 1988), noted queer historian Gerard Koskovich.

Llwyd moved back to San Francisco (they had lived here for a time earlier) after testing positive for HIV in 1987 because there was a more supportive community for HIVpositive people, as well as a growing activist movement of which they quickly became a key part, according to their friends Margaret and Melinda Power.

Llwyd organized or participated in several high-profile protests and actions that helped bring HIV/ AIDS to the attention of the public.

Waiyde Palmer, a queer man who

was also part of the movement at the time, said in a phone interview that a 1987 protest at Burroughs Wellcome’s West Coast headquarters was the first protest march of its kind, and “set the tone for what was to come.”

Burroughs Wellcome was the company manufacturing AZT, the only HIV/AIDS treatment available at the time, and had set its price at thousands of dollars per month.

Protesters from AIDS Action Pledge and Citizens for Medical Justice “walked from San Francisco to Burlingame over a three-day period, staying at churches, and having teach-ins at each place to educate the community at large about what they were doing and why they were doing it,” Palmer recalled.

When they got to the Burroughs Wellcome building in Burlingame, after failing to get inside, they climbed onto the roof of the building, eventually leading to seven arrests. It’s unclear if Llywd was among those arrested.

In 1989, when Llywd was on the steering committee that put together the group Stop AIDS Now Or Else, they and about 80 other protesters blocked traffic on the

Rick Gerharter

Tryfan Morys Eibhlyn Llwyd participated at a 1988 AIDS Action Pledge protest at the San Francisco offices of then-U.S. Senator Alan Cranston.

Golden Gate Bridge, holding a banner reading, “AIDS Genocide; Silence Death; Fight Back.” Later that year, the group disrupted the opening night of the San Francisco Opera season.

“That really lit the fire under a lot of people. It was very controversial,” Palmer said. “At the time, the opening of the San Francisco Opera was on par with the Oscars.”

In 1990, ACT UP/San Francisco

joined other ACT UP chapters from around the country to protest at a meeting of the American Medical Association in Chicago.

Research assistant

At the same time, Llwyd was working as a research assistant at the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. Susan Kegeles, an ally and emeritus professor of medicine, recalled that they were “a really

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thoughtful analytical contrarian” who wasn’t afraid to speak out.

After the first antibody tests for HIV became available, Kegeles published research saying that many gay men weren’t planning to tell their partners about their status if they tested positive.

She recalled Llwyd pulling her aside to say, “You really have to think through the implications of how you interpret your research findings.” The concern proved to be well-founded, she said.

“I started getting some people thinking that this meant that gay men were going to be doing terrible things, they would contract it, and wouldn’t tell their sex partners, and isn’t this terrible,” recalled Kegeles.

She took the advice and in followup research, highlighted the intense stigma that led people to hide their status, not just from partners, but from everyone they knew.

“After that, I did a lot of interviews about this story. And I then was talking about the stigma of living with HIV and how you had to hide it from everybody,” Kegeles said. That lesson about being careful about possible implications of published research stuck with her, and she passed it on to many other scholars.

Terry Beswick, a gay man and executive director of the GLBT Historical Society, wrote in a Facebook post that Llwyd was “a deeply principled warrior in the ACT UP San Francisco mold, steadfast in their resolve to draw connections between fighting AIDS and racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and other social justice movements.”

In a phone interview, Beswick added that Llwyd was a little older than many other members and had activism experience from the 1970s, which made them a mentor to many people and “the moral compass of ACT UP.” Sean McShee, a gay man who met Llwyd in the mid-to-late 1970s, said San Francisco’s gay culture at the time was split between the “clones” who were seen as reformist Democrats or assimilationists, and “freaks” who tended to be exhippies and “cultural radicals as well as more hardline political radicals.”

Llwyd fell on the “freak” side of that split, McShee said, but also had a great sense of humor. He recalled Llwyd describing a man they’d slept with, saying, “The only thing we had in common is that we were both in love with his body.”

Margaret Power, who first met Llwyd in the anti-imperialist Prairie Fire Organizing Committee, said they were often effective at keeping political disagreements within an organization in check. “Tryfan really always kept pushing people to keep sight of the larger picture: ‘What is our overall goal here? Let’s work things out. Let’s promote unity,’” she said. “That was one of their major strengths.”

See page 10 >>

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<< Business News

4 • Bay Area Reporter • March 11-17, 2021

Gay arts public relations rep takes his bow

by Matthew S. Bajko

A

fter 35 years of being a publicist for arts groups and other Bay Area-based clients, gay marketing professional Charles Zukow is retiring as of March 31 and shuttering his firm Charles Zukow Associates.

Zukow started out as an actor, landing small parts in the gay 1982 film “Making Love” and other movies. He also performed with the L.A. Stage Company and worked in the music industry.

A job with Bill Lanese Advertising and Public Relations brought him to San Francisco. He later was hired as the PR director for the San Francisco International Film Festival. In 1990, he joined Browne Abrams Public Relations and worked his way up to become a partner and eventually take over the firm in 2002.

His clients over the years have included the now-defunct North Beach cabaret show “Beach Blanket Babylon,” the traveling acrobatic circuses presented by Cirque du Soleil, and the American Conservatory Theater in Union Square.

<<

<<

Charles Zukow is retiring and closing his public relations firm.

Gay chocolatier Michael Benner has been named a 2021 6 Star Grand Master best chocolatier and confectioner in the U.S. by the International Chocolate Salon. It follows his Bourbon Caramel Pecan bar being named earlier this year as the Best Chocolate Bar by the culinary group.

The grand master award is based on the combined total number of Gold and

Moran also noted that two officers who’d been injured last month are back on the job.

On February 21, around 5 a.m., two officers at 21st and Castro streets who were conducting a burglary surveillance operation detained Sergio Lugo, a 41-year-old man.

“I spoke with one of the officers that day, one who I already knew from Mission Station,” Moran said. “I spoke to the other who’d been stabbed, later.

They’re both back at work.”

In a news release, the SFPD stated that Lugo had originally been cooperative.

“During the struggle, Lugo produced an edged weapon and lunged toward one of the officers,” the news release states. “Lugo stabbed the officer in his left hand and left knee. A second officer injured his hand during the struggle. Following the assault, officers were able to place Lugo into handcuffs and restrain him. The officers and Lugo were transported to a local hospital where they were all treated for nonlife-threatening injuries.”

Lugo was later transported to San Francisco County Jail and booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon against a police officer; resisting an executive officer and arrest; resisting arrest resulting in serious injury to an officer; brandishing a deadly weapon; and possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and burglary tools.

Police Chief William Scott (whose office did not make him available to comment for this story) stated that the weapon was an X-Acto knife, “which has an extremely sharp razor.”

“Violent attacks on our police officers are unacceptable,” Scott stated in the release. “X-Acto knives are unassuming, but when used as weapons are easily concealed and exceedingly dangerous. We’re grateful that our officers’ injuries were not more severe than they were, and our thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families for a speedy recovery from their injuries.”

Lugo was arraigned February 19 and pleaded not guilty, according to the San Francisco Public Defender’s office.

Lugo’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Alexandra Pray, told the B.A.R. March 2 that “from our perspective, Mr. Lugo was acting in self-defense and it’s not even clear he was using the knife in self-defense; it was a chaotic scene where the officers were on top

of him and they went too far in trying to physically subdue him.”

“I think the [SFPD] news release is true, but it leaves out important details,” Pray said. “When Mr. Lugo was detained, [police] thought he might commit a burglary, but he had not committed any crime as far as they knew or suspected. I don’t believe the officer was stabbed in the knee. A second officer injured his hand due to punching Mr. Lugo 15-20 times while another officer restrained him; so, it was pretty one sided. The alleged stabbing was in response to a physical altercation, but prior to [Lugo] being punched in the face.”

When asked for its comment regarding Pray’s remarks, SFPD spokesman Sergeant Michael Andraychak stated, “We will not be making any further comments on the investigation.”

Although she touted her walks around the precinct, Moran said that whether foot or car beat patrols are better in general depends upon the context.

“In theory, I love foot beats, but we’re an understaffed department right now, and a foot beat officer can’t respond one mile away to a highpriority call,” Moran said. “That’s what we’re faced with. The city and the community need both, but the question has to be ‘what are our resources?’”

A 2020 report from the Matrix Consulting Group (https://www. sanfranciscopolice.org/sites/default/ files/2021-02/SFPDStaffingStudyReport20210304.pdf) on SFPD staffing found that the city was short 265 police officers.

Moran said that the understaffing has consequences.

“Our department does a great job on Priority A emergencies,” she said.

“On a lower priority C call, our re-

sponse times are not what San Franciscans should expect.”

Dorsey said that Mayor London Breed is insistent that while she redirects some money away from the police department and asks for budget cuts across-the-board, she will not be firing police officers.

“There’s a vocal group of active community members arguing to not just defund, but to abolish policing,” Dorsey said. “The mayor’s got our back.”

Jeff Cretan, Breed’s spokesman, supported that assessment.

“Every department was required to submit proposed budgets to meet target reductions, and the mayor will take all of those proposals into consideration as the budget is crafted over the next few months,” Cretan stated to the B.A.R. “These departmental budgets, like the one the Police Department submitted, are only proposals, and so no cuts or final decisions have been made yet. The mayor has made clear that she is not supportive of laying off police officers, and she will not be doing so as part of her budget when it’s introduced.”

But the understaffing problem may soon get much worse anyway, Dorsey said.

“There is a large cohort from the 1990s because [then-President] Bill Clinton made a commitment to put 100,000 police on America’s streets,” Dorsey said. “The government funded that, and now that Clinton cohort is coming on retirement age.”

Moran became a member of the SFPD at that same time, she said.

When asked why she’d wanted to be in law enforcement at the beginning, she said, “Oh man, honestly the answer I’d give you in 1994 and today is still the same.”

“I like helping people,” she said. “I don’t like bullies.” t

ing 2017–2018, the P&S syphilis rate among women increased 30.4%.”

Park said that the increase in syphilis among women “intersects with the crystal meth epidemic and intersects with the Central Valley as well.”

“There has been a crystal meth epidemic in the Central Valley for years, with Fresno being a hotspot,” Park explained. “Congenital syphilis infections are known to be associated with maternal meth/substance use, homelessness, lack of access to prenatal care, incarceration. So there is an intersection of the crystal meth epidemic with the rise of syphilis in women, which has led to increases in congenital syphilis.”

According to Park’s book, “Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science,

History and Surprising Secrets of STDs,” Fresno had recorded two cases of congenital syphilis in 2011, “similar to other neighboring counties in the Central Valley.”

“By 2015, that number had increased to 42. That year the number of congenital cases in Fresno exceeded every other county in California, including Los Angeles County, which has a population ten times its size,” Park wrote. In 2017, the number rose to 60 before it began to fall. In 2019, the most recent year for which numbers are available, there were 42 cases again in Fresno County of congenital syphilis and 335 cases of syphilis among all women of childbearing age, down from 563 in 2016.

“These are things we didn’t see 20

years ago,” she cautioned. “Most disturbing of the things I see, we’re seeing more of these unknown, latent and late-latent cases.” These are syphilis infections that were not caught at the more acute stages.

“People aren’t getting caught at the early stages of infection,” Park said. “When we get testing ramped up back to what it was before [COVID-19], I really feel syphilis is going to go through the roof.”

have dramatically declined and it’s most likely the decline in testing that is behind the decrease in case counts,” Cohen said, using the acronym for sexually transmitted infections. “It could be a change in behaviors that is decreasing community transmission of STIs, but I am quite concerned, because HIV and STI screening is one of our core strategies for promoting healthy sexual lives.”

The B.A.R. at the time did not have hard testing numbers to report, but subsequent to that article, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation responded to a request for comment about the tests performed at its Magnet sexual health clinic at Strut in the Castro.

Mission captain

Syphilis

From page 1

year for which numbers are available), according to researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Much of that rise is occurring in Southern and Western states.

In 2018, according to CDC statistics, California had one of the highest rates of syphilis in the nation, second only to the District of Columbia (No. 1) and Nevada (No. 2).

While the CDC states that “[Men who have sex with men] continued to account for the majority of [primary and secondary] syphilis cases in 2018 … During 2014-2018 the P&S syphilis rate among women more than doubled (172.7% increase). Dur-

Honor Roll

Silver awards plus star ratings throughout the previous year at TasteTV Chocolate Salons held across the country.

The outcomes of standalone competitions to award various best chocolate concoctions, from bars to caramels, are also factored into the decision.

In 2017, Benner launched his Michael’s Chocolates with his husband, Curtis Wallis. The couple live in San Francisco’s LGBTQ Castro district, while Benner makes his chocolate treats from a shared kitchen in South San Francisco.

For Easter this year Benner has created a chocolate bunny adorned in a lime-green knitted sweater ($20). All online orders of $72 or more ship free in the U.S. To make a purchase, visit https:// www.michaelschocolates.com/. t

made a difference in the community.

I look forward to the next act.”

Zukow plans to travel with his husband, John, spend more time with their six grandchildren, and continue his passion for theater, cooking, and gardening. Kevin Kopjak, a gay man who is vice president of public relations and marketing at Zukow’s firm, will be opening his own San Fran-

“I am the luckiest guy in the world!

I love my job and have had an incredible career,” stated Zukow in announcing his decision to retire. “Over the years, I have had the honor and privilege of working with some of the best and brightest – from staff who have inspired me every day and groundbreaking theatre clients to non-profits organizations that have

From page 1

“It seems like there’s a problem with that,” Wigen said.

Dorsey stated that HSOC can only take a “services-led approach” because “there are no re-encampment laws in San Francisco.”

“SFPD officers can assist in preventing re-encampment through enforcement of violations under the guidelines provided by [the Department of Public Health] under current public health orders,” he stated. “Should a large encampment re-emerge in an area, the process to resolve it is reinitiated again by [the Healthy Streets Operations Center], again led by [the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing], [the Homeless Outreach Team] and [the Department of Public Health] with support from [the Department of Public Works] and SFPD.” The homelessness crisis comes alongside a wave of crime, such as burglaries, which have plagued the area since the start of COVID-19 pandemic-associated lockdowns and restrictions. The merchants have even gone so far as to create a spreadsheet of 94 windows that have been broken since the beginning of last year.

Moran said that station leaders have identified and are implementing three specific law enforcement strategies for the area they cover. The first is the use of investigative teams and “innovative technology to apprehend suspects;” the second is surveillance of the area in plainclothes, which has been going on primarily from 2 to 6 a.m. but may soon expand to other hours; and the third is working with neighborhood groups to prevent crime from occurring in the first place.

Moran hopes to encourage neighborhoods to organize, block by block, to protect themselves.

Peter Prato

cisco-based entertainment and lifestyle public relations firm, Prismatic Communications, April 1.

“I owe my entire career in public relations to Charly, and I know there are many others who can say the same,” stated Kopjak. “Through his passion and dedication, he has forever changed the public relations industry and his impact on our lives and community will be felt for years to come.

As I embark on opening my own firm, I will forever be grateful for the knowledge and values he has instilled in me over the past 17.5 years.”

t

Courtesy Terry Asten Bennett

Cliff’s Variety is one store in the Castro that has had its windows smashed.

“Over the past one to two years we have officers who’ve been able to get neighborhood blocks together, all over the Mission, to the Castro to Noe Valley,” Moran said. “When neighborhoods and the police collaborate together, it’s very successful. Organizing blocks, cameras, and lighting have been significant; it seems simple but things like trimming trees [to see people] have gotten success. Take a good look, call your neighbor, own your block. We want to give power to the people in homes.”

Police department also challenged

COVID impacts testing rates

Park echoed what Dr. Stephanie Cohen, a straight ally who is the medical director of the DPH’s City Clinic in the South of Market neighborhood, told the B.A.R. earlier this year.

“We know that STI testing rates

Got a tip on LGBTQ business news? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail m.bajko@ ebar.com.

See page 10 >>

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<< Open Forum

6 • Bay Area Reporter • March 11-17, 2021

Volume 51, Number 10 March 11-17, 2021 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 CULTURE EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • John Ferrannini CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tavo Amador • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Philip Campbell • Heather Cassell Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone Liz Highleyman • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • David Lamble David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith •Sari Staver • Charlie Wagner Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood

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t

Breed should rescind commission pick S

an Francisco Mayor London The three members of the suBreed should rescind her nomipervisors’ powerful rules commitnation of Christina Dikas for a seat tee agree that an LGBTQ person is on the Historic Preservation Comneeded on the historic preservation mission. The panel, to which the panel. All three members, Chair AarBoard of Supervisors just voted to on Peskin, and Supervisors Rafael appoint or reappoint three straight Mandelman and Connie Chan, told members, will have no LGBTQ peous they would oppose Dikas’ nomiple on it should Dikas’ nomination nation, which means that it would be successful. We reported March 5 be forwarded to the full board with a Screengrab that Breed had nominated Dikas, an negative recommendation.

Mayor London architectural historian and cultural Given the situation, the best move Breed resources planner, to the seat previfor the mayor would be to rescind ously held by Jonathan Pearlman, the nomination and find a qualified a gay man whose term had expired. But there LGBTQ person for the commission. was another gay man serving on the commisIn other news, Breed did nominate Carol sion, Aaron Hyland, whom Breed could have Isen, who is LGBTQ, to become the permanent nominated to fill Pearlman’s seat. Hyland’s term director of the Department of Huhas also now expired and he is no longer on the man Resources. We expect Isen panel. Several community leaders had requestto be confirmed by the Board of ed that she nominate Hyland to the vacancy.

Supervisors as she seems to have Late last month, Breed’s spokesman told us that broad support from organized the mayor would take queer representation into labor and other groups. She has consideration for this fourth spot. But that apextensive experience in collective parently did not happen. bargaining, which is key to the emThe lack of LGBTQ representation on the ployee unions. She has also served Historic Preservation Commission comes as nuas acting head of the department merous queer historic issues are expected to go since last October. before the advisory panel in the coming months, It’s disconcerting that the from landmarking of LGBTQ historical sites to LGBTQ community has to condesignating queer-owned legacy businesses. It is stantly reiterate the need for queer imperative that the community is represented on representation on boards and commissions, the body. It’s unclear why the mayor chose to reand proves the need for ongoing organizing nominate the two straight members but not the and participation in civic affairs. (Department two gay ones. It’s also unclear why she could not heads are a different matter and the city is forfind a qualified LGBTQ person for this last opentunate to have several out leaders.) It is through ing. Either way, it’s a big blow to the commuexperience serving on advisory panels that nity, which is striving for representation on city people get involved in city government. When boards and commissions. The Board of Supervithe mayor nominates only straight people, the sors seems to understand this – it just approved LGBTQ community, and the city, lose out.

three queer people of color for the Immigrant On board with SOGI audit Rights Commission. (It names 11 people to that We are fully on board with a letter several panel while the mayor gets to select four.)

state lawmakers sent to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee this week requesting an audit of the California Department of Public Health to examine its procedures to collect, report and utilize data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) of California residents. The letter, signed by straight and out legislators, includes requests not only to look at SOGI data related to COVID-19, but other SOGI information that the state health department should be collecting.

This goes back to Assemblyman David Chiu’s 2015 legislation, which was delayed by several years at the request of CDPH. The pandemic, of course, has only shown why this information is so important. “According to a research brief published on March 20, 2020 from the Human Rights Campaign, those in the LGBTQ community are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. HRC found that LGBTQ people are more likely to work in jobs in highly affected industries, often with more exposure and/ or higher economic sensitivity to the COVID-19 crisis,” the letter states.

“Unfortunately, CDPH has not made public any SOGI data around COVID-19 as it has with other demographic data fields like race and ethnicity,” the letter continues.

We’ve reported on issues related to the SOGI data collection problem, both inside CDPH and the providers and labs it works with.

The audit request is broad in scope and will take time (we might even all be vaccinated!) but it’s critical that CDPH is examined in terms of what data is being collected and what is done with it.

Gay state Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) is on the joint committee that received the letter, and he’s signaled his support for the audit. The other committee members should do the same, and prioritize it to begin as soon as possible since much of it is COVID-related. t

And the rent goes on

by Reese Aaron Isbell

A

s we recognize the anniversary of the first shutdown, I want to share with you an update on rental housing dynamics during Year I of the COVID-19 pandemic and where we are heading into Year II. Given everyone’s initial collective hope for our “new normal” to be temporary, many early legislative efforts included longago sunset clauses or were date-specific. Hence, more recent work by our elected officials has been to extend and/or update early emergency measures, although with some consideration for wholesale reviews of responses given time and accumulating impact.

At the beginning of the shutdown a year ago, San Francisco Mayor London Breed ordered a citywide moratorium on residential evictions related to any financial impacts caused by COVID-19. This temporary eviction moratorium was then extended monthly as the pandemic continued, along with additional protections and provisions by the mayor and Board of Supervisors throughout the last year. Emergency legislation for a temporary rent freeze also prohibited some rent increases between the months of April and October 2020. Contact the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (https://sf.gov/departments/mayors-officehousing-and-community-development), your district supervisor (https://sfbos.org/), or one of the many local housing rights organizations for more specific details on the city’s legislative response.

At the state level, Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act, emergency legislation to further extend into June statewide eviction protections passed in 2020 for Californians. It also establishes the California Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which will allocate rental assistance to both tenants and property owners. There are many intricate details in the language of this complex legislation and more information on it can be retrieved by contacting one of the members of San Francisco’s state legislative delegation – gay Senator Scott Wiener (https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/) and Assemblymen Phil Ting (https://a19.asmdc. org/) and David Chiu (https://a17.asmdc.org/).

Federally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered a temporary halt of evictions nationwide last year, which has similarly

Rick Gerharter

A sign advertises an apartment for rent last spring on Church Street.

been extended on an ongoing basis. However, recently a federal judge in Texas – appointed by former President Donald Trump – ruled that this effort by the CDC was unconstitutional. This led to an appeal by the Justice Department under President Joe Biden, a total 180 from the support the lawsuit had been given from the Trump Justice Department.

Another reason elections matter, Biden has not been wasting time and his COVID-19 relief legislation passed both houses of Congress, with another vote needed in the House to approve changes made in the Senate. This will provide money and support to people throughout the country trying to stay in their homes, as well as the cities and state governments working to provide assistance. The National Low Income Housing Coalition provides excellent information on the intricacies of this aptly-named American Rescue Plan on its website at https://nlihc.org/. It also hosts a running update for any local, state, and national actions being taken. Wherever you may be located, check in with local housing-rights groups in your area for relevant details pertaining to your locality and direct situation.

Back in San Francisco, through a roundtable I organized with Mayor Breed and our local HIV/AIDS community services, we have seen an augmentation of an initial $1 million budget allocation to help people living with HIV pay their monthly rent into a larger assistance pro-

gram. Now another $4 million in rental subsidies and support will be provided to both those living with HIV and Transgender San Franciscans throughout the City. Visit the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) website (https://sf.gov/departments/ mayors-office-housing-and-community-development) for more information on the city’s housing developments and policies.

Another major focus of mine has been upgrading the Rent Board’s technological capacities. Given these discussions, and with a silver lining nod to social distancing requirements, I am pleased to say that over the last year this push was put on the fast track. New technical innovations and initiatives are beginning to be incorporated into meeting the current needs of the public.

We have also been deliberating budget priorities while implementing new programs and directives from City Hall.

I want to thank the department staff who have been instrumental in seamlessly continuing support for both landlords and tenants, just as it has for the last 40 years, while meeting these challenging times. If you would like more information on any of the above matters or other landlord/tenant issues generally, you can find many answers, along with direct ways to contact staff for assistance, on the Rent Board’s website, www. sfrb.org.

Rent Board personnel, your elected officials, and housing-rights organizations have all been working diligently during Year I of the pandemic. They continue that service into Year II. For the majority of San Franciscans, paying a monthly rent is part of the cost of simply continuing to live in the city they call home. And while the rent does go on and on, there are many agencies and personnel laboring steadfastly to keep everyone in their homes. If you are confronted with difficulties in your own specific housing situation, know that you are not alone and that it is OK to reach out to any and all of these above government and community resources. t

Reese Aaron Isbell is an unemployed tenant living with his husband in the Tenderloin/ Lower Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco and serves as a commissioner on the San Francisco Rent Board, www.sfrb.org.

t

Politics >>

March 11-17, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

San Francisco supervisors seat out immigrant rights panelists

by Matthew S. Bajko

T

hree LGBTQ community leaders have won appointment to San Francisco’s Immigrant Rights Commission, helping to double queer representation on the civic advisory body. At its March 9 meeting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted 11-0 to seat the trio of out applicants along with three straight people seeking to be reappointed.

Commissioner Jessy Ruiz Navarro, who is originally from Mexico and the advisory body’s lone transgender member, secured her reappointment. When she joined in 2019 Navarro was the panel’s first commissioner whose primary language isn’t English.

Joining the commission is artist Lucia Obregon Matzer, a queer immigrant from Guatemala who became a U.S. citizen four years ago, and gay Walnut Creek resident Luis Zamora, who works in San Francisco as a facilities supervisor at law firm Morgan Lewis & Brockus LLP and is the current public policy chair for the Golden Gate Business Association, the country’s oldest LGBTQ chamber of commerce.

Matzer is the community leadership development manager at the Mission Economic Development Agency, while Navarro works for the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center. They join gay Filipino American Franklin M. Ricarte on the commission.

The supervisors also seated on a 10-0 vote Sarah Souza, an administrative aide to District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, to the advisory panel. The Brazilian immigrant is the first DACA participant to be seated as a city commissioner.

Peskin recused himself from voting on Souza but voted for the other applicants.

He had fully recused himself when the rules committee, which he chairs, took up all of the appointments.

Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who is vice chair of rules, and District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan had recommended to their colleagues which of the eight applicants should be named to the seven seats currently available on the 15-member immigrant rights commission. (The board names 11 people to it; the mayor appoints the other four.)

They also suggested three of its current commissioners – Haregu Gaime, Ryan Khojasteh, and Elahe Enssani – be reappointed. Gaime, a naturalized citizen from Eritrea, is an immigration attorney. Khojasteh, a San Francisco assistant district attorney, is the son of Iranian immigrants, while Enssani is a SF State professor who was born in Tehran, Iran.

Navarro, Zamora, and Gaime were granted residency waivers in order to serve on the commission.

Matzer and Souza are serving in seats designated for immigrants with terms that expire this June 6.

The five other applicants are serving

Ruiz, courtesy immigrant rights commission Zamora and Matzer, courtesy Facebook

Three LGBTQ people were approved by the Board of Supervisors to join the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission: Jessy Ruiz Navarro, left, who currently sits on it; and Luis Zamora and Lucia Obregon Matzer.

two-year terms that expire on June 6, 2022.

White House key to Milk national monument

For the former location of the late gay supervisor Harvey Milk’s camera store and residence in San Francisco’s LGBTQ Castro district to become a national park site, the Biden-Harris administration will be key. Either President Joe Biden or a President Kamala Harris, should the vice president succeed her governing partner, could sign off on making the property at 575 Castro Street a federal landmark.

As the Bay Area Reporter’s Political Notes online column first reported March 5, the National Parks Conservation Association is interested in acquiring the site in order to preserve it in perpetuity. The idea is to designate it as a national monument, akin to the Stonewall National Monument in New York City.

It encompasses Christopher Park in front of the gay bar the Stonewall Inn, a national historic landmark where patrons rioted against police harassment in 1969. While the site of Milk’s Castro Camera store is a San Francisco city landmark, it currently does not have any federal recognition for its importance to LGBTQ history.

Representatives for the parks association and the LLC that owns the property where Milk waged his campaigns for political office in the 1970s declined to provide details about their plans for the property when contacted by the B.A.R. Mandelman acknowledged he had recently met with the national nonprofit and the local GLBT Historical Society about their idea for creating a Milk national monument.

What is known is the Human Rights Campaign, which has operated a store and action center at 575 Castro Street since 2011, will move out of the historic storefront by the end of April as its lease was not renewed. The national LGBTQ rights organization has had a store in the Castro for 16 years.

For years LGBTQ preservations have talked about the possibility of seeing the Milk site become an anchor for a federal LGBTQ histori-

cal district in the Castro that could one day include other significant properties in the neighborhood.

The LLC owns the Milk site and the building next door at 565 Castro Street, which houses Hand Job Nail & Spa. Both buildings have residential units about the storefronts, and an open-air parking lot spans the rear section of the two properties.

It is conceivable of seeing a deal hammered out where the LLC, whose manager is James Nunemacher, the founder and CEO of Vanguard Properties, offers the building where Milk worked and lived as a national park site in exchange for being allowed to build a denser mixed-use development on the rest of the site. Or both properties could be acquired by preservationists to be used as a visitors’ center and museum to tell the story of Milk, the first gay person elected to public office in California, and the role the Castro neighborhood has played in LGBTQ history.

For anything to happen while Biden is in office, the president will need to be supportive of the plan as he has the authority to establish national monuments under the Antiquities Act. (Congress can also pass legislation establishing monuments but the process is usually politically complicated.)

“There are a lot of steps that have to be figured out. We will also need to engage the president on the project and really call on him to take this step in recognition of LGBTQ history more broadly but more specifically for Harvey Milk and his contributions,” said Terry Beswick, executive director of the GLBT Historical Society. “We are kind of hoping the vice president will be an ally on this too because of her connections to San Francisco.”

Harris, who recently sold her loftstyle condo South of Market, had served as the city’s first female district attorney in the 2000s. t Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion. This week’s column reported on the potential plans for the Harvey Milk historic site.

Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes.

Letters >> Tired of SOGI coverage

I am so tired of this constant whining about “California not tracking COVID vaccinations in LGBTQ residents” [March 4].

What’s the big deal here? The virus knows nothing of sex or gender. It’s not known to be spread through sexual activity. The bottom line is that almost everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, sexual preference,

or color should ultimately be vaccinated. I never cease to be amazed at the gay community’s desire to always make everything about us. I got my shots so I’m less likely to fall prey to the plague – my sexual preference had nothing to do with it.

Ed Rose San Francisco

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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Celebrating our Sexuality and Love as Gifts of God Liturgy & Social: Every Sunday 5pm First Sunday Movie Night Second Sunday Potluck Supper Third Wednesday Faith Sharing Group 1329 Seventh Avenue † info@dignitysanfrancisco.org Follow us on Facebook!

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

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If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.  Have any other health problems.  Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.  BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

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Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.  Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

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<< Community News

10 • Bay Area Reporter • March 11-17, 2021

<<

Syphilis report

From page 4

According to spokesperson Chad Ngo, the number of visits to the clinic that had a chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis test (or two or all of these) decreased from 23,110 in 2019 to 13,013 in 2020.

Further, Magnet conducted 10,418 HIV tests in 2020, compared to 19,190 in 2019.

And indeed, experts agree that the decline in many STD diagnoses reflects this decline in testing.

Gonorrhea rates were down to 4,109 in 2020 from 5,571 in 2019.

Male rectal gonorrhea cases were

<<

Llwyd

From page 2

In 1990, Llwyd became the third national coordinator of ACT NOW (the AIDS Coalition to Network Organize and Win), a coalition of ACT UP chapters and other groups around the country.

Llwyd announced their new name on Facebook last November where they wrote that they now identified as a “nonbinary or genderqueer member of the transgender community.”

“I have been on this journey since

down to 1,160 in 2020 from 1,562 in 2019.

Chlamydia rates were down to 5,735 in 2020 from 9,454 in 2019.

Male rectal chlamydia cases were down to 1,565 in 2020 from 2,428 in 2019.

Of particular concern to Park, however, is the fact that at City Clinic there were more people diagnosed as HIV-positive in 2020 than in 2019 (38 to 32) even though testing had declined by more than half at that location (2,670 tests in 2020 compared to 5,795 tests in 2019).

“At City Clinic, the percent positivity of the tests in 2019 was 0.5% and in 2020 was 1.4%,” Park calculated,

adding that the pandemic could have impacted the result in two ways.

“In the past, folks could go to City Clinic to be tested because they requested it,” Park said. “Now, the people that were coming in to be tested had to be symptomatic of an STI. What I’m thinking is that these positive tests reflect folks who have been at higher risk. I hope it doesn’t reflect folks having a gap in their PrEP because of the pandemic, and became positive. I hope it doesn’t.”

Still, like Cohen, Park noted that public health experts need to think ahead to the potential confluence of untreated STIs, antibiotic resistant STIs, and the expected resurgence of

socializing this year and beyond, without demonizing sex.

“Some people, sexually, are going to make up for lost time,” Park said.

“I think that we see this coming and we need to get access to screening ramped up and nip this in the bud before we get an outbreak of antibacterial resistant gonorrhea.”

I was 7 years old,” Llwyd wrote.

They also wrote that they were keeping the Facebook page for Arawn Eibhlyn Lloyd, their previous name, “because I am not ready to give him up.” It was under that name that they were known during their San Francisco activism days.

Their name changes were in recognition of their Welsh ancestry, they wrote.

Beswick said the GLBT Historical Society’s collection of Llywd’s papers will be renamed soon, though anyone searching for them under their old name will still be able to

find them.

Llwyd was born in Paris, Kentucky in 1951.

After losing their mother to suicide at 8 years old, they were raised by their aunt and uncle in Kentucky. They studied English literature at the University of Kentucky, and shortly thereafter moved to San Diego, California, then to San Francisco, where they connected with the gay liberation movement of the 1970s. They also spent a few years teaching English as a second language, both in Japan and in San Francisco.

Llwyd moved to Chicago in the mid-1980s and took the Central American Pledge of Resistance, a pledge of opposition to U.S. intervention in Central America. They were also active in supporting Puerto Rican political prisoners, and the John Brown Anti-Klan Committee.

Margaret Power said that Llwyd’s lifelong commitment to anti-racism was probably a response to the casual racism they witnessed from their family while growing up in Kentucky.

Llywd moved back to Kentucky when their aunt who raised them

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. The name and address of the court is: MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, 3501 Civic Center Dr., San Rafael, CA 94913. The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, is: RANDY WARREN, LEGAL PAYMENT SERVICES LLC, 18124 WEDGE PARKWAY #940, RENO, NV 89511; (415) 225-3258.

October 28, 2020 Clerk, by W. Simmons; James M. Kim, Deputy.

#841, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CRISTIANO DE BARROS CORREIA FACANHA is requesting that the name CRISTIANO DE BARROS CORREIA FACANHA be changed to CRISTIANO FACANHA. 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 March 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

Racial, ethnic disparities

The numbers also show racial and ethnic disparities in case-positivity rates, reflecting the health care treatment and outcome disparities the COVID pandemic has illuminated.

The report classifies individuals as Asian/PI, African American, Hispan-

t

ic, and White.

For example, the case rate of early syphilis among whites is 141.7 per 100,000 people, and among Asian/PIs is 57.2. Among Hispanics, however, the case rate is 268.5 and among African Americans the case rate is 376.2.

Similar case rate disparities exist in the rates for gonorrhea and chlamydia.

“The data were stark in the racial disparities in infection rate between African American and Hispanic communities compared to white and Asian communities,” Park said. “Understanding as well from the vaccine roll out, there is distrust, and we have to reach out to serve.” t

became sick, around 2000. While living there, they became a Buddhist and studied at the Furnace Mountain Zen Center, as well as doing a lot of personal writing.

Llywd is survived by their brother Jim Jeffries, 72, of West Valley City, Utah; and two cats, Bernie and Widget.

Friends are working on organizing an online memorial service in the coming weeks, and hope to have one in person in Kentucky later in the year if COVID-19 restrictions allow. t

Legals>> SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF MARIN NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: SUSAN WHITE, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: LEGAL PAYMENT SERVICES LLC CASE NO. 2002695

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

FEB 18, 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021 SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: KEISHON SCOTT, YOU ARE BEING SUED. PETITIONER’S NAME IS: JANET SCOTT CASE NO. FDI-21-794347

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnerships, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), or by contacting your local county bar association.

NOTICE: The restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment entered, or the court makes further orders. These orders are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. The name and address of the court is: SAN FRANCISCO SUPERIOR COURT – UNIFIED FAMILY COURT, 400 MCALLISTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: JANET SCOTT, 328 ALIDA WAY #10, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080.

January 20, 2021, Clerk, by Mechel Agustin.

FEB 18, 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021

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SUMMONS (CITATION JUDICIAL) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: CLOUD OF GOODS, INC, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; PUNSRI ABEYWICKREMA, AN INDIVIDUAL; AND DOES 1 THROUGH 20, INCLUSIVE; YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: REXFORD INDUSTRIAL REALTY, L.P. CASE NO. 37-2020-00015401-CL-BC-CTL

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 of 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 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. The name and address of the court is: SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT, 330 WEST BROADWAY, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101. The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or the plaintiff without an attorney, is: CYNTHIA D. STELZER (SBN 228462), KIMBALL, TIREY & ST. JOHN LLP, 7676 HAZARD CENTER DR #900, SAN DIEGO, CA 92108; (619) 231-1422. May 27, 2020, Clerk,

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ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556111 In the matter of the application of CRISTIANO DE BARROS CORREIA FACANHA, 1655 MISSION ST

FEB 18, 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039235500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as RUSSIAN HILL DOG GROOMING EXPRESS, 2178 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed RUSSIAN HILL DOG GROOMING EXPRESS, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/19/08. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/02/21.

FEB 18, 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039237400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BUENA VISTA SEAFOOD LLC; 1 FISH 2 FISH MARKET; 63 BUENA VISTA TERRACE #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BUENA VISTA SEAFOOD LLC. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/15/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/20.

FEB 18, 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039252400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as TOKAIDO ARTS, 1581 WEBSTER ST #202, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROBERT W. HSU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/04/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/11/21.

FEB 18, 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021 SUMMONS STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF CHARLESTON IN THE FAMILY COURT FOR TE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT. DOCKET NO.: 2020-DR-10-3041 SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES VERSUS JOSHUA GEORGE AND KELLY PETERS, DEFENDANTS. IN THE INTEREST OF: MINOR CHILD BORN 2013. TO DEFENDANT: JOSHUA GEORGE. TO DEFENDANT: JOSHUA GEORGE. YOU ARE HERBY SUMMONED YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action filed with the Clerk of the Court for CHARLESTON County on DECEMBER 3, 2020. Upon proof of interest, a copy of the Complaint will be delivered to your Answer to the Complaint on the Plaintiff, the South Carolina Department of Social Services, at office of its Attorney, Newton I. Howle, Jr., Legal Department of the Charleston County Department of Social Services, 3366 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405 within thirty (30) days of this publication, exclusive of the date of service. If you fail to answer within the time set forth above, the Plaintiff will proceed to seek relief from the Court,. NEWTON I. HOWLE, JR., SC BAR #2729, 3366 RIVERS AVENUE, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29405, Telephone #843-339-8761.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556102

In the matter of the application of LAURANCE L. LEE & SOFIA M. TOUAMI, 130 VICKSBURG ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114 for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner LAURANCE L. LEE & SOFIA M. TOUAMI are requesting that the name ELYSIA TOUAMI LEE be changed to ELYSIA LEE TOUAMI. 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 8th of APRIL 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN

FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556137

In the matter of the application of CHARLES BARRY MIIN, 339 WOOLSEY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CHARLES BARRY MIIN is requesting that the name CHARLES BARRY MIIN be changed to CHARLES BARRY SUN. 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 6th of APRIL 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039251300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as FOCUS PRESS, 567 BAY ST #1054, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KENNETH LO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/21.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039231800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CRITICAL GROWTH GAMES, 1478 33RD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JEFFREY HAYES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/19/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039249700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CLOVER HEIGHTS PUBLISHERS; CLOVER HEIGHTS PUBLISHING, 29A CASELLI AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ELLEN J. LEONARD. 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 02/10/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039248600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ADAPT FITNESS, 1395 HAMPSHIRE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MELISSA ASHLEY M. PERAZA. 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 02/10/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039250700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BRIGHT WINDOW CLEANING AND CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, 349 SAN CARLOS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EDGAR S MOSQUEDA CRESPO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/07/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039255200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CONNECTION COURIER COMPANY, 339 HEAD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHAU N. LY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/18/98. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039231000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MIKE’S MARKET, 2200 SILVER AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PHAYNARITH PANH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/02/20.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039245100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BRAIN HOLE ENTERTAINMENT, 200 BROADWAY #106, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TIANXIANG XIONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/22/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/08/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039236400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MONEY FAST, 3376 24TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ALFA BROS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/21/13.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039253500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE HOME TENDERS, 99 FERNWOOD DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BERLUTI ENTERPRISES 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 02/12/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039253300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THEISEN GLASS & QUALITY GLASS & MIRROR DIV, 301 POTRERO AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103.

This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed THEISEN GLASS CO. INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/09/73.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039259600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as FOREST DELIVERY, 1635-A ROLLINS RD, BURLINGAME, CA 94010. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed FOREST RESTAURANT SUPPLY INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/17/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039249400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as APOTHECARIUM, 2029 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed RHMT, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/20/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039258000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as GREEN HEART FOODS, 2565 3RD ST #313, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed THE FIRE SOCIETY 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 02/17/21.

FEB 25, MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF CURTIS C. CHAN; AND PETITION FOR PROBATE OF LOST WILL IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES20-304118

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of CURTIS C. CHAN. A Petition for Probate has been filed by JEAN-PAUL WEST LACOUNT in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that JEAN-PAUL WEST LACOUNT be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: MARCH 23, 2021, 9:00 am, Dept.

204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you

March 11-17, 2021• Bay Area Reporter • 11

must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: GARY K. MACHADO (SBN 253915) PATRICK J. LARSEN (SBN 278835), WATSON & MACHADO LLP, 425 CALIFORNIA ST, 25TH FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104; Ph. (415) 362-0900.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556134

In the matter of the application of RANDOLPH MARTIN VARGAS, 739 VALENCIA ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner RANDOLPH MARTIN VARGAS is requesting that the name RANDOLPH MARTIN VARGAS be changed to BRANDOL MARTIN VARGAS BORRELL. 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 6th of APRIL 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556151

In the matter of the application of THOMAS PATRICK MOONEY & ELIZABETH RACHAEL BULLOCK, 2221 MORAGA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner THOMAS PATRICK MOONEY & ELIZABETH RACHAEL BULLOCK is requesting that the name JOHN PATRICK O’MOONEY be changed to JOHN PATRICK MOONEY. 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 13th of APRIL 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039238900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as THOMAS BRENDA P. DDS, 2299 POST ST #101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRENDA PEOPLES THOMAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/04/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/04/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039252600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as AQUINO’S PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING, 338 BOSWORTH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LINDA A. AQUINO RODRIGUEZ. 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 02/11/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039252600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as INA BOTANICALS & TEA, 1766 43RD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BERNADETTE AGUIRRE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/08/21.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/22/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039274400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as GENEFACTOR, 26 CAMELLIA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GENE LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/09. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039274000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SURF HOTEL, 2265 LOMBARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NARANJIBHAI PATEL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/96.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039244500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SRI THAI CUISINE, 4621 LINCOLN WAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed SIRIWAT CHITKLAEW &

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SONGPHOL AMORNRIT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/23/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/08/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039268700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as HENRYS HUNAN RESTAURANT, 1708 CHURCH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed EDDY & JEFFS HUNAN INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/23/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039269900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CALG LLP, 96 JESSIE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a limited liability partnership, and is signed BENJAMIN FEUER (GENERAL PARTNER OF CALIFORNIA APPELLATE LAW GROUP LLP) & ANNA-ROSE MATHIESON (GENERAL PARTNER OF CALIFORNIA APPELLATE LAW GROUP LLP). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/24/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039248800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS OF CALIFORNIA, FOUR EMBARCADERO CENTER #1400, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed EPICALI LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/23/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/21.

MAR 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF RAYMOND C. YIN (AKA RAYMOND YIN) IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-20-303725

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of RAYMOND C. YIN (AKA RAYMOND YIN), C/O MARISSA C. SMITH (SBN#275382), 4306 GEARY BLVD #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. A Petition for Probate has been filed by RAYMOND C. YIN (AKA RAYMOND YIN) in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that JACQUELINE L. YIN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 29, 2021, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: JACQUELINE L. YIN, 4306 GEARY BLVD #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118; Ph. (415) 742-4522.

MAR 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556161

In the matter of the application of ANDRES MORENO, 365 WILDE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ANDRES MORENO is requesting that the name ANDRES MORENO be changed to ANDREW MAXIMILIAN FRIEXA. 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 29th of APRIL 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556052

In the matter of the application of ANAHIT ABRAHAMI PASKEVICHYAN ARAKELYAN, 1071 MISSISSIPPI ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ANAHIT ABRAHAMI PASKEVICHYAN ARAKELYAN is requesting that the name ANAHIT ABRAHAMI PASKEVICHYAN ARAKELYAN be changed to ANAHIT ABRAHAMI PASKEVICHYAN. 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 29th of APRIL 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039256900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ON CALL PROJECT MANAGEMENT, 132 PARNASSUS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOANA PROCTOR GRAY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/02/88. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/17/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039263300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE FIDDLE MERCANTILE, 305 SHOTWELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRANDON SCOTT

GODMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/08/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039275800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as EXCELSIOR WELDING COMPANY, 261 MUNICH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROBERTO CARLOS ACEVEDO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/11/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039280100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as JPG YOGA, 1569 DOLORES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN PAUL GAUER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/02/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039283000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as APEX SOFTWARE SERVICES, 1535 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AARON SADINO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/18/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/03/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039278600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SLK TRADING CO., 899 41ST AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by individual, and is signed SHIKAI LI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/20/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/01/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039269000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BRIDGES TO MENTAL WELLNESS, 754 ATHENS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KARIMAH ADISA THOMAS. 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 02/24/21.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039244100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE TECH TRIFECTA, 46 SUMNER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RYN MEINZER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/21.

The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039268000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as PIZZA INFERNO; GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE PASTA; PARMA PIZZAIOLO; PASTA INFERNO; 1800 FILLMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed 1800 FILLMORE CORP (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 02/23/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039281500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PORTOLA GROCERY OUTLET, 1390 SILVER AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed FDC FOOD INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/17/16. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/02/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039277800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PETER PANOS, 109 GEARY ST FL 2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed PANOS ARISTAKESSIAN & SALPIE ARISTAKESSIAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/13/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/01/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039285700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as COTE OUEST BISTRO, 2953 BAKER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MARLAU LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/10/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/05/21.

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021

MAR 11, 18, 25, APR 1 2021 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS – GENERAL INFORMATION BART HEADQUARTERS’ (“BHQ”) PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR BART’S PROPERTY AT 2150 WEBSTER ST, OAKLAND, CA RFP NO. 6M4736 The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (hereinafter referred to as “BART” or “District”) is a California Rapid Transit District that intends to engage the services of a Property Management Company (“CONTRACTOR”) to provide services hereinafter described for its newly acquired Property located at 2150 Webster St., Oakland, CA 94612 (the “Property”). BART presently intends to enter into a five-year agreement, with two one-year extension options.

Accordingly, BART is now accepting proposals from proposers (“Proposers”) for consideration for the selection of a CONTRACTOR to implement the Scope of Services specified in Section II below of this Request for Proposals (“RFP”).

Sealed proposals must be received by BART by 2:00 PM local time on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Proposals shall be submitted to the following address: District Secretary’s Office San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 300 Lakeside Drive, 23rd Floor Oakland, CA 94612 REQUIRED REGISTRATION ON THE BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL Prospective Bidders or Interested Parties (including prospective Subcontractors of any tier) who are not currently registered on the BART Procurement Portal to do business with BART are required to register on the BART Procurement Portal online at https://suppliers.bart.gov in order to download the Contract Documents (including Contract Drawings and Contract Specifications), updates, and any Addenda issued on line and be added to the Online Planholders List for this solicitation.

If a Prospective Bidder is a joint venture or a partnership, such entity must register on the BART Procurement Portal with the entity’s Tax Identification Number (“TIN”) and download the Contract Documents so as to be listed as an Online Planholder under the entity’s name prior to submitting its Bid, in order for the entity to be eligible for award of this Contract.

Prospective Bidders or Interested Parties may also purchase printed copies of the Contract Documents from the District Secretary’s Office by downloading the Contract Documents’ Order Form from the BART Procurement Portal website and submitting the completed Contract Documents’ Order Form to the District Secretary’s Office. Prospective Bidders or Interested Parties must be registered on the BART Procurement Portal to do business with BART in order to be able to download the Contract Documents’ Order Form. Downloading the Contract Documents’ Order Form will automatically make a Prospective Bidder or Interested Party an Online Planholder. In order to be an Online Planholder and be eligible for award of this Contract, a Prospective Bidder must either: i) download the Contract Documents for this solicitation from the BART Procurement Portal or ii) download the Contract Documents’ Order Form with which to purchase the Contract Documents directly from the District Secretary’s Office.

BIDDERS WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED ON THE BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A BID AND DID NOT OBTAIN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS FOR THIS SOLICITATION EITHER ON LINE OR DIRECTLY THROUGH THE DISTRICT SECRETARY’S OFFICE IN

ORDER TO BE LISTED AS AN ONLINE PLANHOLDER FOR THIS SOLICITATION, WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD OF THIS CONTRACT. BIDDERS MAY OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THE AWARD OF THIS CONTRACT BY CHECKING THE BART WEBSITE AT https://www.bart.gov/about/ bod FOR CONTRACTS SCHEDULED TO BE PRESENTED BY STAFF TO THE BART BOARD FOR AWARD CONSIDERATION. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING Due to COVD-19 restrictions, a virtual Pre-Proposal Conference and Networking Session will be held on Monday, March 8, 2021. The meeting will convene promptly at 2:00 PM, local time, via video conferencing.

To RSVP for this Conference, please email Erica Elkington at eelking@bart.gov for the invitation link. Please indicate whether or not your firm is interested in attending a site visit of 2150 Webster in your RSVP email. To be eligible for a site visit, please email a copy of your firm’s California Department of Real Estate Brokers license number.

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM Declaration of Eligibility for Small Business Preference: Proposers that seek to qualify for the Small Business preference shall complete the Declaration of Eligibility for Small Business Preference included in the Price Proposal Form (Exhibit 4). Small Business Proposers that fail to complete the Declaration of Eligibility for Small Business Preference may not be eligible for the Small Business preference.

Small Business Prime Preference: Proposers who are certified as a Small Business (SBs) by the California Department of General Services (DGS) will be considered for eligibility for a Small Business preference during evaluation for determining Award of the Agreement. Such Small Businesses will be granted reduction in their Proposal Prices, for evaluation purposes only, of 5% of the Proposal Price of the lowest responsible Proposer up to a maximum of $150,000.

Following such a reduction, all proposals will be compared and Award will be made to the responsive Proposer with the lowest evaluated price. The Agreement award will be for the amount of the original proposal.

Small Business Solicitation: To the extent that the CONTRACTOR solicits bids and/or proposals from third parties to perform any of the Scope of Services (Third-Party Bids), at least one-third (1/3) of the solicitations shall be to SBs and if there is no availability of SBs in the requisite service category to attain the required one-third (1/3), then CONTRACTOR shall send the solicitation to all SBs in such requisite service category. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this section shall not apply to emergencies. A “SB” is a business that is listed in the DGS database for SBs including Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBEs), as indicated by the DGS, or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs), certified by the National Lesbian and Gay Chamber of Commerce or the California Public Utilities Commission and certified as a SB by the DGS. Small Business Preference: SBs who submit Third-Party Bids will be considered for eligibility for a Small Business preference during evaluation for determining award of such third-party agreement. Such SBs will be granted reduction in their Third-Party Bid, for evaluation purposes only, of 5% of the proposal price of the lowest responsible Third-Party Bid up to a maximum of $150,000. BART will determine which third-party is awarded the third-party agreement. s John A. Mazza John Mazza, Director of Procurement 3/11/21 CNS-3447089# BAY AREA REPORTER

picture

New Conservatory Theatre Centre and streaming through March 24.

H. Adam Harris’ sweet, vulnerable tenor speaking voice effortlessly pulls the listener in to the present-day story of a politically active gay Black man who, under the pressure of the pandemic, needs to move back to Kansas to shelter in place with his conservative parents in the home he grew up in.

While many listeners will relate to specific details of Jesse’s sometimes conflicted intersectional identity, it’s hard to imagine anyone who has lived through this past year not connecting with the sense of eddying frustration, swirling self-examination and moments of eerie stillness that Rivers captures in the rhythms and recursions of his writing, smoothly brought to life by Adams and director ShawnJ West. The collage-like video component of the production is attractive, but inconsequential, unnecessary gilding on a lovely sonic lily.

Interlude; Video and audio, streaming ondemand. Through March 24. Pay what you can. www.nctcsf.org

by Jim Gladstone

A

s playwrights, actors and voices in support of the arts, queer Black artists are bringing heartfelt and sometimes harrowing work to the Bay Area and national theater scene in the week ahead with streaming audio and video productions.

According to rising playwright Erika Dickerson-Dispenza, New Orleanians who spoke out about government neglect and unpreparedness in the wake of Hurricane Katrina were prophets. “They were prophets,” she emphasizes, “who were not listened to.”

In San Francisco last week for rehearsals and filming of the SF Playhouse/ Lorraine Hansberry Theater production her play [hieroglyph], about a 13-year-old New Orleanian girl displaced to Chicago in the wake of Katrina, Dickerson-Dispenza, herself a black, queer New Orleans native, pointed to the devastating 2005 storm as a harbinger of things to come— from the institutional unpreparedness that led to America’s embarrassing year- long coronavirus fumble; to the blithe blindness about climate change that has left thousands of Mississippi households still without potable water after last month’s unseasonable Southern freeze.

Asked whether she felt audiences would be willing to focus on one national trauma in the midst of another, Dickerson-Dispenza said she thought it was essential. And she suggested that we need to pay attention to overarching themes in our national conduct rather than chopping history into momentous individual events.

“There’s a difference between remembering something and learning from it,” she stressed.

“Nationally, we have learned nothing. Government failure has only gotten worse since Katrina.”

[hieroglyph] playwright Erika Dickerson-Dispenza

Heartfelt, harrowing work

This Saturday only, from Noon to 1pm, The San Francisco Mime Troupe welcomes all-comers to its 2020 online fundraiser, cheekily titled The Red Star at the End of the Tunnel. Even if you’re not personally ready to go the Full Commie (I’m keepWhile Dickerson-Dispenza currently lives penza to work as an audioplay, ing my red star to myself), log in in Chicago, over the past year she’s spent more which will be offered as a free for a keynote address from Coltime than usual in her native New Orleans. on-demand stream and downman Domingo.

“I’ve developed an even deeper understandload from The Public Theater The openly gay star and ing of how the poor response to Katrina conbeginning on April 13. sometime director of televitinues to impact life there, even today.” [hieroglyph] Video on desion’s Fear the Walking Dead [hieroglyph] is actually the second play in mand, 3/13 – 4/3. Tickets from has a long history in Bay Area Dickerson-Dispenza’s planned 10-part series $15. www.sfplayhouse.org theater, including originating about the post-Katrina diaspora. But echoing shadow/land Audio on Colman Domingo roles in Passing Strange at the the disorderly jumble of life amidst disaster, its demand, from 4/13. Free. with SF Mime Troupe Berkeley Rep which later moved world premiere production –staged for camwww.publictheater.org to Broadway, performing with eras last week and streaming on-demand from Theatre Rhinoceros, American Conservatory Interlude @ NCTC this Saturday night through April 3– will be Theatre, Theatreworks, and the San Jose Rep. “Do I want a new world, or is available to most audiences beSome of Domingo’s earliest stage appearmy problem that I’m still pining fore they’ve had a chance to see ances were with the Mime Troupe’s Youth for the old one?” These ambivathe first installment, shadow/ Theater Project, which celebrates its 25th anlent overlapping questions are land. (Despite their connecniversary this year. Live music and a real-time posed by Jesse, the avatar of playtions, the two plays are written episodes of SFMT’s satirical radio drama Tales wright Harrison David Rivers in to work as stand-alone shows). of the Resistance will also be featured. the plaintive, intimate wash of First staged in New York in The Red Star At The End of the Tunnel video introspection accompanied by 2019, shadow/land, which takes and audio-streams Saturday, March 13. 12pma stream of associated visuals in place as Katrina bears down on 1pm. Free tickets, donations encouraged.

Interlude, a tender, inventive new New Orleans, was significantly Actor H. Adam Harris www.sfmt.orgt monologue produced by the rewritten by Dickerson-Dis- in NCTC’s Interlude

Queer Black theater in the Bay Area

Edward Chen and Tseng Jing-Hua in Your Name Engraved Herein

Your Name Engraved Herein Taiwan gay film’s hits and misses

by Brian Bromberger

H

is 2019 film, Your Name Engraved Herein, which just started streaming on Netflix this month, argues that once Taiwan switched over to a multi-party democratic system, freedom of speech and press also were embedded, so people began expressing who they were and wanted to be, despite remaining a culturally conservative society.

Mime time

Liu’s film begins in 1987; though homosexuality is still ostracized socially, a sense of individuality is burgeoning. Despite taking decades to blossom, it is this questioning of authority and defiance against a stifling tradition that will eventually permit marriage equality.

The film opens with a bloodied and bruised A-han (Edward Chen) talking to priest Fr. Oliver (Fabio Grangeen) about his fight with fellow student Wang, called Birdy (Tseng Jing-Hua) at the Catholic boarding school they both attend.

Flashbacks reveal they had met at a swimming pool training session and both are involved in the school marching band, headed by Fr. Oliver.

Birdy is a thrill-seeking free spirit, a James Dean-like rebel, modeling himself on the unstable Vietnam veteran, played by Matthew Modine, in the 1984 movie Birdy. Birdy comes to the aid of an effeminate, presumably gay student when a bunch of his classmates physically attack him and attempt to set his genitals on fire with a cigarette lighter, raising suspicions about his own sexual proclivities.

The quiet, soft-spoken A-han is starting to recognize he is gay and is attracted to the impulsive but seemingly self-assured Birdy. Fr. Oliver, an émigré to Taiwan under mysterious circumstances, becomes his confidante, acting more like a therapist than a priest, as Ahan tries to reconcile his faith with his emerging sexuality, even in vain later romancing a female friend.

What the film portrays excellently is the push and pull of erotic attraction, in which both characters are simultaneously enticed and repelled by each other, as all their emotions of love, pain, shame, and desire conflict with each other. Liu is superb at showing how repressed passion can be displayed in small sensuous touches such as a hand caress on a shoulder.

Meanwhile, their relationship is complicated the next semester when the school goes co-ed and Birdy starts dating a female agitator student, nicknamed Ban-Ban (Mimi Shao), which leads to A-han’s jealousy, sense of betrayal, and dissension with Birdy.

But despite his rebelliousness, Birdy cannot accept himself as gay, even after two of the best scenes in the movie, a shower episode where

Writing the first draft of LGBTQ history... ...since 1971.

America’s longest continuously-published and highest circulation LGBTQ newspaper will publish its 50th anniversary edition on April 1.

Advertising space reservations are now being accepted. Call Scott Wazlowski at 415-829-8937 or email advertising@ebar.com for more information.t

they become nominally intimate and kiss each other, and a brief vacation to a secluded seaside cove where the couple go skinny-dipping and lie naked on the beach talking about their dreams. Both encounters lead Birdy to withdraw from A-han and intensify his relationship with Ban-Ban. The penultimate tear-inducing incident in this middle section of the movie is a pleading A-han phoning Birdy, singing a song (with the aid of vocalist Crowd Lu), “Your Name Engraved Herein” (whose music video has been viewed over two million times on YouTube), written for him, confessing his love.

Your Name is one of those films that is good, but with a little more effort in the screenplay and editing, could have been great. The movie feels disjointed in the way the flashbacks are presented, distorting time elements; at intervals one isn’t sure if Birdy is supporting or rejecting A-Han. Much is initially made about the lifting of martial law, but the politics is very soon sidelined –and towards the end forgotten– by the romance of the couple.

Yet despite these deficiencies, the film is eminently watchable, especially the second half, aided by the attractiveness of the two main protagonists, who construct a believable erotic chemistry.

Released before the May 2019 legislation, Your Name is the highest-grossing queer film in Taiwanese history (about $3.2 million), a milestone which alone reveals how attitudes have changed since 1987.t

50 Read the full review on www.ebar.com

A warm welcome back

from our cold-blooded icon.

Reconnect with your Academy favorites.

From Claude the albino alligator to the wildflowers on the roof, the building is bursting with life.

You’re invited to come explore.

Reopening to the public on March 17! Members see it first— join or renew now for exclusive access from March 15–16.

Make your reservation at calacademy.org.

30913-CAS-Evergreen-2021-Welcome-Claude-Bay Area Parent-9.75x16-03.04.21-FA.indd 1

3/4/21 4:37 PM

<< TV

14 • Bay Area Reporter • March 11-17, 2021

Locally-made, with love.

Space, grace, erased

t

by Victoria A. Brownworth

T

Gay-owned, locally in SF! FREE DELIVERY IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY 1-844-23-COCOA 1-844-23-26262 Winner Best Chocolatier in America Award, ‘20 & ‘21 Winner Good Food Award, 2018

M i c h a e l s c h o c o l at e s . c o M

Let’s talk cannabis.

CASTRO • MARINA • SOMA

he category is: Done.

On March 5, the Disneyowned FX announced the Emmyand Peabody-winning Pose will end with the third season. The final season will consist of an abbreviated seven episodes and debut Sunday, May 2, at 10 p.m. with two episodes.

The series finale will air June 6, for Pride Month.

There have only been two TV series telling the story of the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and ‘90s: the current British series It’s a Sin and Pose. So this is a loss. But the show’s creators were upbeat.

Murphy and Pose executive producer and director Janet Mock moved to Netflix last year. Pose cocreator Steven Canals remains at Disney where he is working on another LGBTQ-themed show. “‘Write the TV show you want to watch!’ That’s what I was told in 2014 while completing my MFA in screenwriting,” Canals said in a statement March 5.

“At the time we weren’t seeing very many Black and Latinx characters – that happened to also be LGBTQ+-– populating screens. And so I wrote the first draft of a pilot the ‘younger me’ deserved.”

Canals said, “Pose was conceived as a love letter to the underground New York ballroom community, to my beloved New York, to my queer and trans family, to myself. I, along with my incredible collaborators, never intended on changing the TV landscape. I simply wanted to tell an honest story about family, resilience and love. How fortunate am I to have done that for three seasons.”

Pose also made TV history. Billy Porter became the first openly gay man to win the lead actor Emmy for his role as EmCee Pray Tell. Janet Mock became the first trans woman of color hired as a writer on a TV series, as well as the first transgender woman of color to write and direct a TV episode. Pose also starred more trans actors in trans roles than any other scripted series.

SERVING OUR FULL MENU!!

Orphan Andy’s is open from 10am-7pm daily, now with seating indoors...

...and in partnership with Twin Peaks serving food at their sidewalk tables from 11am-7pm.

3991-A 17th Street, Market & Castro 415-864-9795

For All Mankind

If you are up in the air for a new series to binge, the Apple+ series For All Mankind will take you into the outer limits (see what we did there?)

–and with a bold and multi-faceted queer storyline.

The series’ premise is unique. The first crewed mission to the moon during the space race in the late 1960s was a success for NASA and the U.S. But what if that space race never ended?

For All Mankind puts the Soviets in control. A cosmonaut is the first person to land on the moon. NASA’s morale is shattered, but American can-do spirit prevails. Yet with the Soviets emphasizing diversity by including a woman in subsequent landings, the U.S. is forced to keep up. So unlike what happened in our actual history, women and people of color who were largely excluded from the initial decades of U.S. space exploration are now in the frame.

The first real American woman in space was Sally Ride–a lesbian. Subsequently many American women astronauts have been lesbians. There was even a lesbian space drama in 2019 and 2020 between lesbian astronaut Anne McClain and her estranged spouse, Summer Worden.

In For All Mankind, one of the main characters, astronaut Ellen Waverly (Jodi Balfour), is a closeted lesbian. She’s in a relationship with Pam Horton (Meghan Leathers), a bartender.

In season one, Ellen’s sexuality is

hidden from most of her colleagues.

She has a beard –a gay man, Larry Wilson (Nate Corddry), a NASA engineer– who poses as her boyfriend and later as her husband. If you like space stories, you’ll like this one.

MSM Ignores Trans Murders

In 2020, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) identified at least 44 transgender or gender nonconforming people who were brutally killed in the U.S., marking the deadliest year on record. The majority of victims were trans people of color. Yet despite this disproportionate number of murders of trans people, national news media virtually ignored the killings. One cable network, Fox News, deliberately misrepresented the epidemic of violence against trans women in particular as “fake news.”

A new Media Matters analysis of 2020 broadcast and cable TV news found that networks discussed antitrans violence for only 54 minutes across 23 segments. Less than an hour of coverage in the whole of 2020. That is only a little more than a minute per victim over the entire national news platform in the U.S. PBS covered transgender murders in various segments in May, June, August, October and November for a total of nearly 30 minutes– more than half the time as all other networks combined. (Those reports

by PBS are available online on PBS. com and YouTube.)

When people ask why we still need a queer press, this is why. The only people telling our stories are us.t

Mayim Bialik, rad cat lady

by Gregg Shapiro

C10-0000523-LIC; C10-0000522-LIC; C10-0000515-LIC

Jodi Balfour in For All Mankind.

W

hen it comes to recognizing and embracing promising talent, the gays have been at it longer than practically everyone else. Remember the Bette Midler/Barbara Hershey movie Beaches? Remember the opening sequence with the lead characters as children? That was a young Mayim Bialik in one of her earliest film roles, playing Midler’s C.C. Bloom as a kid. Ask any of us and we’ll tell you we knew she was going to be a star.

Since then, Bialik has had her own hit network sitcom in the 1990s as the titular Blossom and stole the show in every scene in which she appeared in the even more successful 21st-century sitcom The Big Bang Theory as Amy Farrah Fowler.

She also managed to find the time to earn a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. In Call Me Kat, her first sitcom following the end of the long-running Big Bang Theory, Bialik plays Kat, the single and sassy owner of a Louisville cat café. I had the pleasure of speaking with Bialik in January 2021, shortly after the show debuted on Fox. Gregg Shapiro: Before signing on to do Call Me Kat, would you consider yourself a fan of Miranda Hart’s British sitcom Miranda, on which it’s based?

Mayim Bialik: Honwho do spend a lot of estly, I hadn’t seen it untime on their own often til Jim Parsons brought it do have to be creative to my attention towards with picturing who’s the end of Big Bang Thelistening and who cares ory. So, I did not know about them. In this case, about it until Jim said, the audience cares about “What do you think of her is how she sees it. this?” And I said, “I think it’s delightful.” He said, Your queer fans will “No, I’m not asking your Mayim Bialik in no doubt be delighted personal opinion; I’m Call Me Kat. that Cheyenne Jackson, asking for you to be part as well as Leslie Jordan, of it.” [Laughs], that was are a couple of your really the first that I heard of it. That’s Call Me Kat co-stars. Is it as much how we got here [laughs]. fun to work with them as it appears?

Oh, absolutely! What I say about One of the first things the viewLeslie Jordan is, everything that you er sees in Call Me Kat is the breakwish he’s like is what he’s like. That ing down of the fourth wall. Can is no joke. Everything he says is a you please say something about sound bite. We get to hear him be a little raunchier with his language working in that mode? because we get to see parts of him I think a lot of people don’t underthat other people don’t. He’s destand that we are literally motivated lightful, he’s hilarious. Everything by our desire to honor the original he says is an unbelievable story or Miranda for all the good that it has joke. I did not know much about brought us. I was on Blossom when Cheyenne, to be honest, before getI was a teenager, and Blossom actuting to work with him. He’s just one ally kept a video diary, so I’m used of those people…his presence and to talking at the camera [laughs], to his heart are so stunning. He’s goofy be honest. When we decided to keep and playful. He’s adorable! We have that piece of Miranda, it seemed to a great time. I wouldn’t say that if it make a lot of sense that this characwasn’t true. I would just say, “Oh, ter is a woman who is not necessarily he’s really nice to work with.”t lonely, but she is alone a lot. In that sense, breaking the fourth wall is reRead the full interview on ally her having the audience be part of her life. It’s the way that people www.ebar.com

t

Nightlife & Books>>

March 11-17, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 15

Oasis 12-hour telethon banks $250,000

From Left to Right: D’Arcy Drollinger, Heklina and Peaches Christ; Nia Politan in WandaVision gear; Valentine does Candide; D’Arcy and Ron celebrate the $200,000 mark.

by Jim Provenzano

I

n what will undoubtedly be recalled as the biggest drag fundraiser in local history, Oasis nightclub’s 12-hour three-camera marathon telethon more than doubled the initial goal by raising more than $253,000 through the club’s March 6 online event.

Streamed live from Oasis, the benefit, whose original target was a mere $100,000, also included several recorded tributes from celebrities, dignitaries and drag talents. Host and owner D’Arcy Drollinger was joined by a bevy of guest-hosts.

Just offstage, heading up the “call center,” Patti from HR (aka Michael Phyllis) offered witty comments as gogo guys and dragsters took donor calls. More funds flowed in through the online link as the entertainment cavalcade continued, with merely a few technical glitches.

Raya Light, Miss Shugana, Jordan L Moore, Dina Isis, Lindsay Slowhands, Rosie Petals, Coco Buttah, Kaikai Bee Michaels, Mad Dog 20/20 and many others performed onstage numbers. Nia Politan won our ‘most on-trend’ vote in a superheroine costume from the hit show WandaVision.

Foxxy Blue Snacks lip-synched to “Whole Lotta Woman,” and in a short interview, commented, “We get to see our art fully realized here, and we have an opportunity to help out. We have formed an ecosystem here. The House of Snacks will always show up for D’Arcy and Oasis.”

Testimonials included video messages from Supervisor Matt Haney, Mayor London Breed, Fauxnique, April Kidwell, Sasha Velour, Cindy Wilson of the B-52s, Carnie Asada, Varla Jean Merman (“We don’t want to say, ‘Remember Oasis?’”), and

a sweet riff from John Cameron Mitchell, who redid a few lyrics of “Wig in a Box” from his own musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

“Community; this is a rich, true community” said April Kidwell (Showgirls the Musical) in a touching video tribute. “I’m so proud of Oasis, how they’ve really survived, and stepped up to the plate to survive.” She also cited Baloney as a favorite. “Where else can you throw money at your hot gay friends?”

Recorded drag numbers amused as well, including Nikki Jizz’s politically charged Black Lives Matter homage, and Mutha Chuka and Dulce De Leche paired up to duoZoom-synch to Bea Arthur and Angela Lanbury’s rendition of “Bosom Buddies” from Mame.

In a charmingly minimalist video, Lil Miss Hot Mess (just out of focus) lip-synched to “Memory” with tiny toy cats on a table, followed by her reluctant real cat knocking over the toys. Lisa Frankenstein’s pink teddy bear/thrash metal video was simultaneously cute and disturbing.

Who stole the show? Drunk Drag Broadway’s “One More Day” group Zoom performance of a quarantine parody of the Les Miserables anthem stood out for its multi-tiered edit and timely lyric rewrite.

Archived Oasis numbers included Florida Man’s Harry Potter striptease as a drag Valdemort, Loma Preitta’s Billy Eilish/Carrie homage (complete with a bucket of ‘blood’), while Miss Rahni brought shimmering glamour and “Big Time Looks.”

Milita Scunt worked the crowd and death-dropped for dollars (Remember crowds?) set to a Beyoncé medley, and Valentine worked a Marie Antoinette coif and costume as he performed to Barbara Cook singing “Glitter and Be Gay” from

Candide. Ma Shugganuttz parodied Elton John’s “Rocketman” with dildo-wielding backup dancers.

Hunks appeared as well, including members of the popular Baloney Boys troupe. Some stripped for donations, auctioned off their jock straps, and one even recited Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy. Other Baloney content included an excerpt from a film about the ensemble, including footage of their saucy sexy car wash & cocktails fundraiser.

Heklina even made a return appearance, noting her current “caftans and unemployment” life in Palm Springs. Heklina joked, “Any donations in my name will keep me from moving back. You want me to stay in Palm Springs? Send money.”

And Peaches Christ popped onstage to offer some sass and sincerity, noting how, after years hosting events in now-closed venues (Rebel, The Stud), Heklina and D’Arcy “fought hard to find and build Oasis. It is just too devastating to consider that after six years this could be gone. In San Francisco, not since Josie’s Juice Joint has something like this existed. We all have an opportunity to save this.”

As the event reached $150,000, Drollinger said, “Now I have so much hope and courage, not just for Oasis. We want a real San Francisco to be here when this is over.” And as Ron (aka former Falcon porn actor Cliff Parker) stripped down to a jock strap onstage, the donations surpassed $200,000.

“I feel so KQED now,” quipped drag performer and famed gown designer Glamamore, as Drollinger showed off his ‘Marilyn in a day’ custom-made white gown. “This is so super-important,” said Glamamore. “This is where we get together; coming out at night and meeting your chosen family. This is where we

get to flourish, not just exist.”

“This is what we call progressive community giving,” said onstage guest Afrika America as she thanked $500 donor Kylie Minono.

For the 11:45 near-finale, several Bay Area drag performers took on various lip-synch roles set to “We Are the World.” Fave? Nancy French as Bob Dylan.

Said Drollinger of the event’s success, which had more than 2,400 donors, “What we’re doing now is banking on the future, so we can keep the rent paid, the bills paid, and weather the storm so we can be here when this is over.”

By midnight, with wacky late acts like Lucinda Puss, the telethon happily went overtime to reach “a quarter of a million F-ing dollars!” said Drollinger. James Callahan of Piedmont Pianos donated $2,000, bringing the total to $251,456.

Said Drollinger before the telethon’s end, “We made our goal three times over because of you. Thank you for believing in what we do.”

Donations, which at press time bumped past $260,000, are still being accepted at www.sfoasis.com

Read the full recap on www.ebar.com

n o p Ho . . . r e v o

‘Let’s Get Back To The Party’ W

ashington, D.C. writer Zak Salih’s striking literary debut chronicles the ongoing reunion of two gay men who were friends throughout childhood yet became estranged by the ebb and flow of adult life.

Sebastian Mote, an art history teacher in northern Virginia, is attending the newly Supreme Court-advocated marriage of two men with his co-worker Dani, who is eager to lift his sagging spirits. Sebastian has been melancholy since his longtime boyfriend Jake abandoned their “experiment in domesticity” in favor of a marketing job in California and left without much warning or fanfare.

At the wedding, Sebastian spies Oscar Burnham, the buddy from his younger years whose family packed up and left the area abruptly. Their reunion is a study in how much they’ve both grown up and how far apart they’ve drifted from the scared, burgeoning youth they once were.

Salih structures his novel with the alternating perspectives of conservative, relationship-friendly Sebastian and embittered, hookup app-addicted Oscar, forming a solid, character-driven foundation with frequent flashbacks filling in the details with innocent histories and broken promises. Though both men are flawed and tentative about the future, they are certain about their hardened feelings toward a younger generation of queers who didn’t have the specter of AIDS to taint their early years.

The use of volleying perspectives to form the framework within the novel is an effective style. As the story progresses, the differences between both men represent just a few of the many ways middleaged American gay men live, coexist, and survive amidst the kind of contemporary culture where the only constant is change.

This is an impressive inaugural effort from enterprising author Salih, whose polished emotive prose shows promise for future novels.t

Read Jim Piechota’s full review on www.ebar.com

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