Thursday, November 18, 2021 edition of the Bay Area Reporter, America's LGBTQ newspaper

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Senior housing update

Assembly race hits Castro

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Chick-fil-A opens near SF city line

Vol. 51 • No. 46 • November 18-24, 2021

Tenants fight ‘devastating’ Ellis Act evictions

by Matthew S. Bajko

L

ong reviled by LGBTQ community members, chicken sandwich purveyor Chickfil-A is opening its newest Bay Area location mere minutes away from San Francisco’s city line. Perched above Interstate 280 in Daly City, the chain’s distinctive red signage is hard to miss by drivers headed to San Francisco International Airport, Silicon Valley, or the San Mateo coast.

The Chick-fil-A Serramonte Center opens its doors November 18 at 6 Serramonte Center on Callan Boulevard outside of the shopping mall.

It is across the parking lot from the entrance to Macy’s and brings the number of Chick-fil-A locations in the Bay Area to 21, according to the company, as another East Bay location also opens Thursday.

Susanna Choe, the mother of three children with her husband, Philip, is the local operator of the new Peninsula location a two-minute drive outside of San Francisco. In an emailed statement to the Bay Area Reporter, she invited See page 12 >>

Larry Kuester, left, Lynn Nielsen, and Paul Mooney, all residents at 3661 19th Street, talk to supporters outside their home during a November 15 protest about their pending Ellis Act evictions.

Rick Gerharter

by John Ferrannini

P

aul Mooney, a resident of a majorityLGBTQ apartment building next to Mission Dolores Park, was rallying the community against a plan to evict his entire

building on November 16 when he himself was served with an eviction notice.

“A process server came to the rally to catch tenants and serve them,” Mooney, 51, told the Bay Area Reporter the following day, saying another tenant was also served at that time.

“I’ve lost so much sleep worrying about it and thinking where I might go. I don’t want to leave. I love this city.”

Yet Mooney might have to leave if the efforts See page 12 >>

Report flags housing issues in Castro, neighboring communities Courtesy the publications

The Bay Area Reporter, Tagg magazine, and the Washington Blade are three of the six LGBTQ publications involved in a new collaborative funded by Google.

B.A.R. joins queer media collaborative

by Cynthia Laird The Bay Area Reporter will be one six publications in a new LGBTQ media venture that’s being initially funded by the Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge.

Local Media Foundation announced November 16 the launch of Word Is Out: The Queer Media Collaborative. Funding from Google News Initiatives is $200,000, according to Nancy Lane, CEO of Local Media Association, which will serve as the managing See page 12 >>

Construction continues on a 44-unit condo project at 2238 Market Street, the site of a former mortuary.

Rick Gerharter

by Matthew S. Bajko

W

ould Harvey Milk, who organized the LGBTQ residents flocking to San Francisco’s Castro district in the 1970s into a potent political force that helped elect him as the city’s first gay elected leader, be able to afford to live in the City by

the Bay today? It is a question his presentday successor on the Board of Supervisors, gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, poses at the start of a report he commissioned that examines how to construct more housing in the various neighborhoods he represents.

“It seems more likely than not that, after snapping some photos of the Golden Gate

Bridge, enjoying the views from the top of Twin Peaks and maybe taking a ride on the Ferris wheel in Golden Gate Park, they would have concluded that the rent here is just too high and set off to find a more affordable place to make their home and their mark,” writes See page 10 >>

<< Election 2022

2 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

t

Oakland councilwoman Thao jumps into mayor’s race

by Cynthia Laird

A

n Oakland City Councilwoman formally entered the 2022 mayor’s race November 10, pledging to make change and bring the city together.

Sheng Thao, currently the mayor pro tem on the council, planned to make her announcement in West Oakland after her campaign sent out a news release. She would be the second councilmember to announce a mayoral run. Mayor Libby Schaaf is termed out of office.

Attending the West Oakland event to endorse Thao’s candidacy were Attorney General Rob Bonta, his wife, Assemblywoman Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), former councilman Dick Spees, and leaders of the Oakland Firefighters Association and Alameda Labor Council.

“My values, commitment to service, and drive to make a difference are rooted in where I come from,” Thao stated in the release. “As councilmember, I’m inspired every day about the chance to make change for those who need it most. And I’ve shown it’s possible to be progressive and effective at City Hall. That’s how I’ve brought the council together to break gridlock and deliver real progressive victories on affordable housing, homelessness, and public safety.”

Thao, 35, represents District 4 on the council, which includes the Montclair, Crestmont, Dimond, and Piedmont Pines neighborhoods. She first won election in 2018 and is the first Hmong American woman to be elected to a city council in the state of California and the first Hmong to be elected in the city of Oakland. A straight ally, Thao is a single mom and domestic violence survivor.

Prior to winning election to the City Council, Thao served as chief of staff to lesbian at-large City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan,

Jane Philomen Cleland

Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor announced his campaign in early October.

Courtesy Thao for Mayor campaign

Oakland mayoral candidate Sheng Thao

who twice ran unsuccessful bids to become the East Bay city’s mayor.

It had been speculated that Kaplan, now vice mayor, would again launch a mayoral bid in 2022 but she endorsed Thao last week.

In a text message to the Bay Area Reporter, Kaplan praised her council colleague.

“I have worked with her closely and have experienced her thoughtfulness and her commitment to serve everyone in our community,” Kaplan wrote. “She is a dedicated, smart, effective leader.”

Thao was recently in the news when she changed her mind on funding for police academies in Oakland. As the San Francisco Chronicle reported in September, the council decided to add an extra academy to increase the number of officers on

the streets. Thao had opposed the extra academy in June, but said she would be open to it in the future.

Residents throughout the city — including some in Thao’s district – had pressured leaders to add more police resources, the paper reported. The additional police academy passed 6-2, with council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Councilmember Carroll Fife voting against it.

Bas has also endorsed Thao, according to the release.

Rob Bonta explained why he’s supporting Thao.

“Sheng Thao’s life experience, her deep understanding of the challenges facing our communities, and her broad record of progressive change at City Hall have prepared her to lead this great city,” stated Rob Bonta, who represented Oakland in the state

Assembly for nearly a decade. “Sheng is the true public safety candidate, because she knows we need better public safety, not just more officers on the streets. She knows we need prevention, community investment, and to address the root causes of crime to stop the violence. When she is mayor, I look forward to working with Sheng on smart, sensible, progressive solutions to make Oakland safer and more just for all.”

Added Mia Bonta, who succeeded her husband in the Assembly after Governor Gavin Newsom tapped Rob Bonta to be attorney general: “I’m fired up to be supporting Sheng Thao for Oakland mayor.

Sheng is bold, inspiring, creative, and incredibly effective. Her dedication to children, youth, and families, and to lifting up our diverse communities is second to none. She will make Oakland proud as mayor.”

Thao is not the only City Council member who aspires to be mayor.

In early October, District 6 Councilman Loren Taylor announced he was running. Taylor’s district includes the neighborhoods of Havenscourt and Millsmont. He is married to Erica Taylor and the couple have two children.

A few hours before Thao’s announcement, Taylor’s campaign

sent out a list of 10 women civic leaders who have endorsed him.

They include former city councilwoman Pat Kernighan, former Oakland school board member Jumoke Hinton Hodge, former Oakland police commissioner Ginale Harris, and the Reverend Dr. Jacqueline Thompson, senior pastor at Allen Temple Baptist Church.

“It’s an honor to have this particular list of Oakland leaders endorse me,” Taylor, 44, stated in a news release. “Together they represent the very best of The Town’s municipal, civic, and religious organizations.”

Another candidate has also entered the race. Allyssa Victory announced her campaign November 2. If elected, she would be Oakland’s first Black female mayor. According to her campaign, Victory (born Villanueva, she stated in a release) has been endorsed by several queer leaders, including gay San Leandro Vice Mayor Victor Aguilar Jr., and gay San Leandro school board member James Aguilar (no relation), and nonbinary New Haven Unified School District board member Mel Sheun-Mallory. Victory has also been endorsed by Albany Mayor Ge’Nell Gary, currently the only Black woman mayor in the East Bay.t

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t Breed taking steps to open supervised drug site

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 3

by John Ferrannini

M

ayor London Breed’s office is taking steps to potentially open a supervised consumption facility – a victory for advocates who’ve been pushing her to declare a state of emergency around San Francisco’s drug overdose crisis.

The San Francisco Chronicle broke the story November 16.

Subsequently, Breed spokesperson Jordan Wilson told the Bay Area Reporter that Breed introduced legislation to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that, if approved, authorizes the purchase of a site in the Tenderloin that could be used for that purpose.

The site, at the corner of Geary and Hyde streets, consists of an 8,875 square foot building and an adjacent 2,186 square foot parking lot, Wilson stated. It would be purchased with Proposition C funds for $6.3 million.

“The legislation is not prescriptive about what kind of services would be provided on the site,” Wilson stated, but its purchase is “an initial step toward [the] possibility” of opening a supervised consumption facility there.

“The city is pursuing a policy that could allow the opening of the first safe consumption site in San Francisco to address the overdose crisis in our city, as early as spring of next year,” Wilson stated. “We are discussing with our nonprofit partners their ability to open and operate safe consumption programs directly for those in need.”

The city government is also exploring the creation of a program to partner with nonprofits in operating the facility, “identifying potential locations, and developing a strategy to ensure surrounding areas see a noticeable difference on

Rick Gerharter

Mayor London Breed has introduced legislation for the city to purchase a building that could be used for a supervised injection facility.

our streets,” Wilson stated.

“In addition to board approval, we will examine other steps before deciding on opening a safe consumption site on a portion of this property [at Geary and Hyde], including reaching out to appropriate state and federal government authorities,” Wilson continued.

The move comes weeks after the board unanimously passed District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney’s resolution October 26 calling upon Breed to declare a state of emergency around the city’s drug overdose crisis, as the B.A.R. previously reported. Haney’s District 6 includes the Tenderloin.

Haney, who is also running for the state Assembly seat that was vacated when Assemblyman David Chiu became city attorney, introduced the state of emergency resolution in September urging mayoral action in order to pave the way for the city to

authorize, fund, and implement supervised consumption facilities.

“I think the resolution we just passed had an impact,” Haney told the B.A.R. “People are dying everyday from overdoses and public drug use is rampant. The Tenderloin is ground zero for the overdose epidemic. We have to get people inside and off the streets safely and into care and treatment now. We can’t wait any longer,” he stated. “Safe injection sites save lives, and if the mayor and city attorney are prepared to move forward, which I hope they are, I will work closely with the neighborhood and health care providers to make sure we do it effectively and safely.

Let’s move forward, it’ll save lives.”

Supervised consumption sites, or supervised injection facilities, are places where drug users can consume pre-obtained drugs under the eye of trained staff. Advocates argue

it is necessary to implement in San Francisco, where the number of accidental drug overdoses dramatically rose from 259 in 2018 to 712 in 2020 — and is on track for a similar death toll this year.

Breed declared a state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic on February 25, 2020, before a single case had been confirmed in San Francisco; but in 2020, the city lost more than twice as many people to accidental drug overdoses than to COVID-19.

Legal support from the city would be necessary to potentially prevent the operators of the site from being prosecuted under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Signed by thenPresident Ronald Reagan as part of the war on drugs, that law made managing or maintaining a “druginvolved premises” (i.e., where illegal drugs are openly used) a federal crime. (The penalties enacted in that law were expanded by the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act of 2003, which was introduced by then-Senator Joe Biden, who is now president, and signed by then-President George W. Bush.)

For this reason, Breed had heretofore been supportive of opening supervised consumption facilities only if laws were changed first. An effort by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to do just that has been delayed until at least January.

In a statement November 16, Wiener wrote, “I applaud Mayor Breed’s decision to move forward with the purchase of a site to use for any number of the behavioral health needs we have in San Francisco, including a potential safe consumption site.”

“Right now, a huge amount of drug use in San Francisco occurs on our streets,” Wiener continued. “Safe consumption sites bring people in off of the streets and are a harm re-

duction measure so people can use more safely. They save countless lives; data from the sites operating across the world tells us this. Trained staff members administer supplies like clean needles and Narcan, which reverses overdoses. Drug testing kits are available, too. Once people are ready, they can also use these sites to get connected to treatment and other important resources.”

Haney introduced his emergency resolution at the urging of longtime gay activist Gary McCoy, who once battled addiction himself.

McCoy, who is director of policy and public affairs for HealthRIGHT 360 and co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club, held a hunger strike in front of City Hall in August urging action, as the B.A.R. previously reported.

Speaking to the B.A.R. November 16, McCoy said he’s “still processing” the development but it’s “great news.”

“I think a lot of us advocates had heard rumblings for the last couple of weeks, but were not sure until today,” he said. “I haven’t spoken to the mayor yet. I did call the mayor’s office, though, and thanked the staff. ... It’s a big deal for people who use drugs and people who struggle.”

McCoy said he’s “very excited” about the possibility.

“I think it’s very brave given the legality everyone in the country is dealing with,” he said, adding he is grateful for Chiu’s support.

When asked if he’d heard Chiu was going to support the opening of a facility, McCoy told the B.A.R. that “I haven’t heard he would support in his capacity as city attorney, but I’ve heard he’s working on it – he certainly supported it as an assemblymember, and even sat with me in See page 9 >>

<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

Volume 51, Number 46 November 18-24, 2021 www.ebar.com

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SF needs affordable housing

A

new poll shows San Francisco residents are deeply dissatisfied with the city’s failure to keep up with the growing need for affordable housing and are sick of real estate developers forcing working families from the homes they have lived in for years, replacing them with expensive condominiums. Meanwhile, a special report on housing in District 8, which includes the LGBTQ Castro neighborhood, makes clear that new housing is scarce there. As we report this week, “According to the report, 1,465 new housing units have been built in the last 10 years in District 8, representing 5.2% of the total new units citywide, and only 306 were affordable. Of the 527 new units approved to be built in District 8, only 146 are to be affordably priced, noted the report, which at 28% is below the city’s 30% threshold for all new housing units being built to be affordable.”

The poll, commissioned by the Tenants and Owners Development Corporation, or TODCO, and done by David Binder Research, surveyed 600 registered San Francisco voters between November 4-8 by phone. According to the results, 56% said that the city is already building enough market-rate housing, while just 29% think the city is building enough affordable housing to meet demand. According to TODCO, the poll’s findings serve as another piece of evidence that frustration with the lack of new affordable housing has reached a crescendo. Residents want more affordable housing, it noted in a news release, and are eager for the government to subsidize the construction of more affordable housing. The survey also revealed that just 35% agree that the city is building enough housing overall, while 57% disagree.

But the battle over housing takes many twists and turns. The Board of Supervisors recently rejected housing projects in the city. The most recent, a 495unit apartment building on a valet parking lot at 469 Stevenson Street, provoked anger from some, while others praised the board’s action as a stand against gentrification. The project would have included 73 below-market-rate affordable units. TODCO was against the project, which District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, in whose district the project would have been located, supported. The eight members of the board voted to at least temporarily quash the project, claiming that environmental and seismic questions needed to be resolved. While the project wouldn’t have displaced any resi-

Courtesy D8 housing report

A report commissioned by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman looked at housing in District 8.

dents, opponents argued that they feared gentrification as a result, which they said would lead to higher housing prices in the neighborhood. But here’s the thing: while the majority of units would have been market rate, dozens wouldn’t. Perhaps Haney should have fought for a higher percentage of affordable units; his predecessors, Jane Kim and Chris Daly, were adept at getting more affordable housing included in District 6 projects.

TODCO is also not the only community organization in the area. In an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle, representatives of the Mid-Market Coalition, a group of 11 resident-led and resident-serving organizations, wrote that their voice was “consistently minimized in the conversation about the proposed development, undermining a years-long effort by community members of SOMA and the Tenderloin to bring new benefits to our neighborhoods.” The authors called on the supervisors to build more affordable housing in their own districts, which is something we’ve long advocated but seems to be going nowhere. Supervisors cave to opponents when affordable projects are proposed, and that’s often the end of it. Residents across

t

the city need to realize that the housing crisis – and it is a crisis – won’t be adequately addressed if the city continues to reject projects and residents continue to oppose them.

But it’s not only the lack of housing construction that’s contributing to the housing crisis – evictions are once again returning to the city.

We report this week on an Ellis Act eviction taking place at 3661 19th Street, adjacent to Mission Dolores Park. Seniors, LGBTQs, Asian Americans, and working class tenants who live there are all at risk. The 12-unit rent-controlled building is one of the largest to be targeted under the Ellis Act, a state law that allows the owner to evict tenants if they take the property off the rental market. This would displace many people and is another example of why the state law needs to be reformed.

We would like to see the supervisors commit to affordable housing projects throughout the city, and they should try to get as high a percentage of affordable units as possible in a mixed-use proposal.

A change in style

The old saying “better late than never” certainly applies here. Effective immediately, the news section of the Bay Area Reporter is updating its style guidelines in order to be more gender expansive. We generally follow the Associated Press Stylebook, with some exceptions when situations warrant them. After discussing the issue, we have decided to change.

Beginning with some articles in this week’s issue, but more completely next week, we will drop gendered references like spokesman, spokeswoman, councilman, councilwoman, assemblymen, assemblywoman, congressman, congresswoman, etc. They will be identified as spokesperson, councilmember, assemblymember, congressmember, etc. We will note a person’s gender if it’s germane to the story, such as “the first out woman to hold office,” and situations like that.

In recent weeks, some readers have contacted us to ask about our style and why we stuck with what is clearly outdated language.

With this being Transgender Awareness Week, it made sense to update our style guidelines. As we have done for many years, the news section will continue to ask interview subjects how they identify under the LGBTQ umbrella or as straight allies, and report however they choose to identify and use the pronouns they prefer.

Thanks to those readers who contacted us – we’re listening.t

David Campos’ story

by Gwenn Craig and Esperanza Macias

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I

f elected, David Campos would be the first formerly undocumented, Latinx, and LGBTQ person to ever represent San Francisco in the California State Assembly. As a community, we know that representation matters.

Equity, intersectionality, and lived experiences matter, not just abstractly, but as active reflections of our values. As queer and trans progressives who seek to hold political and corporate power accountable, political values, policy positions, and a track record that backs those positions up, matter too.

Lived experiences shape the policies, priorities, and perspectives of our elected leaders. We work to elect queer leaders because they have “walked in our shoes.” Over Campos’ history of introducing and implementing progressive legislation in the LGBTQ community when he represented District 9 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, we know he will continue to promote our concerns. However, few recognize that Campos’ footprints are also a product of his experience as an immigrant.

Growing up in Guatemala, Campos witnessed this country’s increased militarism, torture, and violence. Like countless immigrants whose lives were threatened, Campos’ parents made the painful decision to protect their family and seek safety and opportunity in the United States.

For many who only know about Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, from a distance, Campos brings firsthand experience. First when he was 11, his family tried to cross the border, hiding in the empty tombs of a cemetery. They were caught, sent to an immigration center, and spent a week in jail be-

fore being deported back to Guatemala.

When he was 15, Campos, his mother, and sisters tried again.

Carrying his 5-year-old sister while his mom took his 8-year-old sister, they walked all night, wondering if they would Rick Gerharter finish their jourCampos was all smiles ney alive. Eventuat his Assembly ally arriving in Los campaign office opening November 13. Angeles, Campos and his family slept on the floor of a friend’s house for over a month before his dad, who had arrived in the U.S. earlier to try and find work, found a tiny apartment.

Seeing his parents struggle to make ends meet as a janitor and factory worker, Campos learned, at a visceral level, the plight of workers in California.

But the original problem remained: Campos was still undocumented.

Stanford University accepted him as an international student, where he survived on loans and grants. For two years, he lived in constant fear of deportation. Finally in his junior year, Campos obtained documentation to stay in the United States and apply for citizenship.

Campos’ lived experience mirrors that of countless immigrants who face the same fears: first from their countries of origin, and then from deportation. He can “walk in the shoes” of the many nameless immigrants who fight for freedom and opportunity today. What bet-

ter time to bring this intersectional experience to the California Assembly?

In “The Hope Speech,” the late Harvey Milk spoke about the many young gay people in “Altoona, Pennsylvanias and the Richmond, Minnesotas” that needed hope “for a better world, for a better tomorrow, for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great.” Campos’ story extends Milk’s visionary reach to the Guatemalas, Mexicos, and Nicaraguas of the world, all of which need hope.

So it was fitting that then-supervisor Campos introduced legislation to name the new San Francisco International Airport terminal Harvey Milk Terminal 1 to extend Milk’s message of hope as a welcome to visitors.

Campos’ track record and life experiences link San Francisco as a sanctuary city for both the LGBTQ and immigrant communities. It’s time for San Francisco to recognize how our diversity and intersectionality are values that can be embodied by the lived experiences of our elected candidates.

Please join us in supporting David Campos for California State Assembly. For more information on his campaign, visit https:// camposforus.com/t Gwenn Craig is a former president of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, a former San Francisco police commissioner, and worked with Harvey Milk as co-manager of the 1978 campaign against the Briggs initiative.

Esperanza Macias is a former vice president of the Milk club, was the Northern California field coordinator of the No on Knight Campaign in 2000, and is the current director of policy and communications of Instituto Familiar de la Raza.

Craig and Macias have been joined in a life partnership for the past 19 years.

t

Politics >>

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

Castro takes center stage in Assembly race

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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

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Christopher Robledo

San Francisco Supervisor and Assembly candidate Matt Haney, third from right, spoke to constituents at his campaign office open house in the former Pottery Barn space at Market and Castro streets on Wednesday, November 10.

by Matthew S. Bajko

S

ignaling the importance of the LGBTQ vote in the special election for San Francisco’s open 17th District Assembly seat, two of the top contenders have opened their campaign headquarters in the heart of the city’s Castro LGBTQ district.

Moved into the high-profile vacant retail space at the corner of Castro and Market streets is District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney. Formerly home to Pottery Barn, it was the site where gay former state legislator and county supervisor Mark Leno headquartered his ultimately unsuccessful mayoral bid in 2018.

The storefront at 2390 Market Street was also where that fall thenHouse Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and David Campos, then-chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, operated the local party’s efforts that helped flip control of the House back to the Democrats and returned Pelosi to the speakership. Now, as he runs again for the Assembly seat, Campos is renting the empty storefront at 541 Castro Street.

It also has previously been used for a campaign headquarters. It was where gay former supervisor Jeff Sheehy ran unsuccessfully to keep the District 8 board seat in 2018.

Looking to return out San Francisco leadership to the Assembly, Campos told the Bay Area Reporter that it was important for him to center his campaign in the Castro.

“This seat is extremely important for the LGBTQ community. It is important to have allies but there is nothing like having LGBTQ representation,” said Campos, on leave as chief of staff to District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

As for Haney, a straight ally, he told the B.A.R. the Castro is “an important cultural heart of this Assembly district. This district is important to me, as a state legislator I intend to be a champion for the LGBT community and this neighborhood. The Castro has been hit really hard by this pandemic, so this is a way to bring in people who will go to the small businesses and support this neighborhood.”

The Assembly seat became vacant after David Chiu stepped down November 1 to become San Francisco’s first Asian American city attorney. Mayor London Breed tapped him for the position after she named former city attorney Dennis Herrera the new general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

The two other straight candidates also running to succeed Chiu – City College of San Francisco trustee Thea Selby and former Obama administration staffer Bilal Mahmood – are expected to open their campaign headquarters by early 2022.

Selby, endorsed last week by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, told the B.A.R. she has yet to decide what part of the district she will lease a space in.

“As a small business person I have quite a few thoughts and ideas about it but haven’t made a decision about it. There are a lot of empty storefronts, which is a very sad thing, so where to put your money is actually an important question,” said Selby, who is using her office at Fox Plaza as a de facto campaign HQ for the time being.

Even if she ends up outside the Castro, Selby said she intends to focus on LGBTQ voters in the campaign.

“There is no person who runs in San Francisco who can ignore the LGBTQ vote because it is incredibly important,” she said.

A spokeswoman for Bilal’s campaign told the B.A.R. it would open its HQ early next year and isn’t yet ready to announce where it will be located.

Election date set

As expected, Governor Gavin Newsom last Friday set the special primary election for the Assembly seat February 15. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote then the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff race April 19.

The primary has been combined on the same ballot as that of the recall of three city school board members – board President Gabriela López, Vice President Faauuga Moliga, and Commissioner Alison Collins – and the municipal race for assessorrecorder. Following her decision to name Carmen Chu city administrator, Breed appointed Joaquin Torres as the new assessor-recorder. He is now seeking to serve out the remainder of Chu’s term through early 2023.

With the special election date set, the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club is holding its endorsement vote for all three races on the ballot Monday, November 22. Its political action committee will meet Friday to make its recommendations ahead of the membership vote.

Tom Ammiano, who became the last gay person to represent the Assembly district when he was termed out in 2014, is once again backing Campos’ bid to serve in the Legislature. He had supported him seven years ago when Campos lost to Chiu.

Noting that Campos’ HQ is just doors away from where the late gay supervisor Harvey Milk had mounted his historic runs in the 1970s for elected office, including a failed bid for state Assembly, Ammiano told the B.A.R. he hopes Campos can follow in Milk’s footsteps to become the city’s first Assembly member Professional headshots / profile pics who is a gay Latino and formerly undocumented immigrant.

Weddings / Events “It is criminal that San Francisco has never had Latinx representation in the Legislature,” said Ammiano.

“I spent six years in Sacramento and I think David has the opportunity 415 370 7152 • StevenUnderhill.com and the skills to start a squad and help the party to move to the left.”

Also backing Campos in the race is City College board president Shanell Williams, a Black bisexual woman who worked on his first Assembly race as a field organizer. She told the B.A.R. at his HQ opening November 13 that it’s no surprise to see the campaigns decide on the Castro as a focal point.

“The LGBTQ vote is critical in this race,” said Williams, adding that Campos “deserves the support of this community.”

At Haney’s HQ opening November 10, gay Castro business owner and longtime nightlife advocate Terrance Alan popped in to hear what the candidate had to say. A coowner of the currently closed Flore cafe down the street, Alan told the B.A.R. he remains undecided about which of the candidates to support.

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<< Commentary

6 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

The darkness before the dawn

by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

F

or 22 years, transgender people have gathered near the end of November to honor those lost due to anti-transgender violence over the year for the Transgender Day of Remembrance. What started as a humble memorial has grown into an event observed worldwide.

This year, TDOR will note the passing of 375 people across the world who were killed due to antitransgender violence, 46 of those being in the United States. I wish I could say those are final numbers, but the rate at which these deaths have occurred tells me that the toll will surely tick upward between the evening I write this, and the day this is published. This is more than one person killed every day – with nearly one death a week in the United States.

The latest as of this writing is Jenny De Leon, a homeless trans Latina from Florida. De Leon is one of four known anti-transgender killings in the Sunshine State this year, following Alexus Braxton, Keri Washington, and Royal Poetical Starz.

De Leon was just 25 years old.

Her death, as well as the death of 28-year-old Marquiisha Lawrence in Greenville, South Carolina, make 2021 the deadliest year on record.

2020 saw 44 deaths, making it at the time the deadliest year on record, surpassing 2019. I think you can see the trend.

Indeed, the last five years or so have seen staggering numbers of anti-transgender killings, particularly in the United States. As has been the case at least since I started tracking anti-transgender murders in 1998, those killed are almost exclusively young Black or Latina trans women.

Back when I started TDOR, it was harder to find reports of antitransgender killings. The media didn’t report our deaths all that often, or would often misgender and use our deadnames rather than our names by which people knew us. We did not have the networks we have today, allowing us to share the news

Christine Smith

as rapidly as we do. As a result, the number of deaths appeared to rise through the 1990s and early 2000s due to the simple fact that we could find out about deaths that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.

Today, however, I don’t believe this is often the case: rather, there may well be a growing number of anti-transgender killings. What’s more, while I am still just as horrified by these deaths as I was way back when, I have long since stopped being shocked.

In the last few years, our world has changed.

Transgender people, once a curiosity at best, became move visible. We began to show up on television, in the news, in politics, and on Main Street. With that visibility came both a certain level of mainstream acceptance, as well as a growing target by those looking for someone to demonize.

The religious right lost on samesex marriage and needed a new group on which to focus its moral

panic. We were there, and it has found it oh, so easy to rehash every 1970s-era anti-gay argument onto transgender people. Now it is transgender people who are the sexual predators in bathrooms, and who are recruiting others into our numbers. It is a time of Anita Bryant and John Briggs once more. (Bryant led anti-gay crusades across the country, Briggs spearheaded a ballot initiative in California that would have barred gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools. It was defeated.)

Not only is this the deadliest year in terms of anti-transgender violence, but it is also the worst year for anti-transgender legislation being introduced – and being passed – in states across the country. There will surely be more, as well as the possibility of bills pressed at the federal level in future years. It’s highly likely that many will attempt similar avenues as Texas’ recent ban on most abortions, perhaps even putting a bounty on the heads of our caregivers.

Meanwhile, popular culture,

which so recently was getting better on trans representation, has fallen silent; all the while comedians like Dave Chappelle take home fat paychecks from anti-transgender screeds disguised as comedy.

t

I find it remarkably hard to hold onto hope in these dark times.

There is so little out there to be had.

Yet I also know I have to. I simply must press on.

For every trans kid who will get their first article of clothing that matches their gender identity, who will see a trans person somewhere and recognize themselves, or who will take their first precious steps out into the world as themselves, I have to hope that they will see a better world than this one.

I have to hope that, for all the hatred out there focused at us, there is still room to overcome it. I have to believe that the more people see us and learn about us, the ignorance that sits behind the hatred will diminish.

More than anything else, I need to clutch onto the hope that people will see us as humans, worthy of life. That the hundreds who have died worldwide, as well as the dozens in the United States, will not have died in vain.

This year, this Transgender Day of Remembrance, I ask for one thing: be there for each other, and hold space for all – both those we’ve lost, and those who remain.t

Gwen Smith wishes every TDOR will be the last. You’ll find her at www.gwensmith.com.

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B

ob Ross, the founding publisher of the Bay Area Reporter, died December 10, 2003 of complications from diabetes. He was 69. Ross, a gay man, rose from a chef to publishing the country’s oldest and largest LGBTQ newspaper, as the December 18 issue of the paper noted. Mr. Ross started the B.A.R. in April 1971 with his friend, Paul Bentley, who left the venture after a few years, leaving Mr. Ross to oversee it. The newspaper grew in stature and influence over the years. During the early days of the AIDS epidemic, the B.A.R. was often the only source of news about the disease before it was covered in mainstream publications. After Mr. Ross’ passing,

the paper’s longtime attorney, Thomas E. Horn, became publisher until 2013, when then-general manager Michael Yamashita took the reins. He later bought the paper, becoming one of the few gay people of color to own and oversee an LGBTQ publication. Today, the B.A.R. has survived the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to support from donors via a crowdfunding campaign and other grants. Most recently, it was announced November 16 that the B.A.R. is part of a Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge collaborative that includes five other queer publications. To read the issue, go to https://archive.org/details/BAR_20031218/mode/2up.

t

Community News>>

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

TDOR observed in San Mateo County compiled by Cynthia Laird

can join live on Zoom at tinyurl. com/RCC21TDOR

T

he LGBTQ Commission in San Mateo County will hold a virtual event in observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance Friday, November 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The county raised the trans flag during an in-person event November 15 outside the County Center in Redwood City.

The San Mateo County Pride Center, which operates as a program of StarVista, will collaborate on the TDOR event, noted Tanya Beat, director of the LGBTQ Commission.

Bay Area speakers for the virtual event will include Anjali Rimi, founder of Parivar Bay Area; Blossom Brown, coach and activist; and Sera Fernando, chief delivery officer for Silicon Valley Pride. They will be in a moderated panel with Dana Johnson. Poets Dena Rod and Hilary Cruz Mejia will also be appearing, and introductory remarks will be delivered by trans Lutheran Bishop Megan Rohrer. Beat said that the commission is transitioning TDOR to include resilience along with remembrance.

TDOR was started by Gwendolyn Ann Smith 22 years ago as a way to call attention to anti-trans violence.

Smith also writes the Transmissions column for the Bay Area Reporter and this week noted that there have been 46 anti-trans killings in the U.S. so far this year. (See Transmissions.)

For more information about the virtual event and to register, go to https://bit.ly/3wVMPFp. As the Bay Area Reporter noted in last week’s News Briefs, Rohrer will be participating at another TDOR event in the Bay Area on November 20.

Transgender District to observe TDOR

The Transgender District in San Francisco will mark Transgender Day of Remembrance with a vigil and call to action Saturday, November 20, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at CounterPulse, 80 Turk Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

A news release stated that 2021 has been reported “the deadliest year for the transgender community” globally, with over 375 trans people reported killed across the world, according to the Transgender Murder Monitoring report for November. Of the 46 trans people killed so far in the U.S. this year, they have overwhelmingly been Black trans women.

<<

Political Notebook

From page 5

Alan said it not only makes sense for the two Assembly candidates to base their campaigns in the Castro, but also is good for the neighborhood as it struggles to come out of the COVID pandemic.

“I am very glad that the home of LGBTQ rights is recognized by both campaigns as the springboard to success. Our community had to fight for health care access, political access, and federal rights,” noted Alan. “It’s really good to have our community recognized by having the campaigns here.”

Matt Dorsey, a gay man who is now a chief spokesman for the city’s police department, is personally supporting Haney in the race as he lives in his supervisor district. Formerly a top spokesman in the city attorney’s office, Dorsey recalled standing above the entrance to the Castro Muni station many election days helping to rally support for various candidates over the years and for himself when he sought a seat on the local Democratic Party’s governing body.

Club OMG gets HRC, Showtime grant

Courtesy LGBTQ Commission/Tanya Beat

San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine, left, and Jenna Weiner, program director from Adolescent Counseling Service/Outlet and the San Mateo County Pride Center, stood in front of the transgender flag that was raised at the County Center in Redwood City.

“With over 375 transgender people’s lives being taken this year, it is important that the world, namely our allies, siren that the pandemic of society often unaddressed is a culture of transphobia,” stated Aria Sa’id, president and chief strategist of the Transgender District. “There’s a way that people believe that because we are more visible, and more of us are empowered, that the genocide of transgender people, especially transgender women of color, isn’t as pervasive as it is. We’re still very much fighting for the ability to breathe, and exist, in a world and planet that simply does not want us to.”

Jupiter Peraza, director of social justice and empowerment initiatives with the district, stated that while TDOR is a day to honor and remember those lives lost, more is needed.

“However, it is also a day in which we call on our government to address an epidemic of discrimination and violence against a historically marginalized community,” Peraza stated. “We cannot allow these violent and fatal occurrences to continue without proper and transformative justice.”

To learn more about the Transgender District, go to https://www. transgenderdistrictsf.com/.

“I think it is testimony to the activism and energy of the Castro in San Francisco politics,” Dorsey said of the neighborhood being a central focus in the Assembly race.

“For the 30 years I have lived here, it has been the epicenter of political campaigns. It is the first place you go for signatures to get on the ballot and the last place you go to hold signs on election day.”

Gay San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board member Manny Yekutiel dropped by both Haney and Campos’ HQ openings. The owner of Manny’s cafe and event space in the Mission district, Yekutiel is remaining neutral in the race and plans to co-host a debate with the candidates January 20.

No matter the outcome of the race, the contest will be a winning one for local Castro businesses patronized by the candidates’ volunteers and their campaigns over the coming months, noted Yekutiel, formerly a small business commissioner in the city.

“It shows how central District 8 and the Castro is in this election and in all of our city elections,” he said.t

TDOR event in East Bay

The Rainbow Community Center in Contra Costa County will host a Transgender Day of Remembrance event Saturday, November 20, at 7 p.m. The in-person remembrance will be held in the social hall at East County Shared Ministry, 200 E. Leland Road in Pittsburg. Masks are required and physical distancing will be observed.

The observance will honor those who have lost their lives to antitransgender violence, discrimination, or suicide, a flyer stated.

A number of local churches and synagogues are co-hosting the event.

For those who can’t make it, they

Club OMG, an LGBTQ bar in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood, is a recipient of a small business grant from the Human Rights Campaign and Showtime.

The Queer to Stay: An LGBTQ+ Business Preservation Initiative supports and uplifts small businesses that focus on LGBTQ+ people of color, women, and the transgender community and have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a news release stated.

“It is crucial to preserve affirming, welcoming spaces and services for LGBTQ+ people. This initiative celebrates and supports the community by identifying and donating to multiple marginalized LGBTQ+owned and –serving small businesses around the country,” stated Nicole Cozier, HRC senior vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

HRC spokesperson Aryn Fields could not say the amount of the grant.

“We aren’t able to give the exact figure, but I can say it is enough to help a small business get through a few months of bills/rent,” Fields stated in an email to the B.A.R. Club OMG was shut down for 15 months due to the pandemic.

The release stated that the grant will keep the bar from closing.

Rakesh Modi, co-owner of Club OMG, stated that the establishment provides a safe space to the LGBTQ+ community, “especially the Latinx queer community.”

“The club provides a source of livelihood for several transgender Latina and drag Latin performers,”

Modi stated. “It is also a safe space for the predominantly immigrant community to come together; to have a sense of belonging; and to find like-minded folks who speak their language and come from the same cultural background to celebrate joys and festivals and to share loss.”

Club OMG was one of numerous establishments across the country to receive a grant. Others in California include Cuties, Nickel Diner, Stuzo Clothing, and Ellen D. Management in Los Angeles and Gossip Grill in San Diego.

LGBTQ high school seniors can apply for scholarship

George Thomas Dave, the founder and CEO of kombucha company GT’s Living Foods, has announced the inaugural Synergy Scholarship.

The scholarship is now open to current California-based high school seniors who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. According to a news release, it is designed to empower educational opportunities within this community while encouraging aspiring businesspeople to achieve their dreams.

The scholarship, underwritten by the GT Dave Foundation, will fund a $250,000 commitment to help winners pay for higher education over the next five years, the release stated.

Dave, known as GT, came out as gay at 13. The release stated that through strength and perseverance, Dave, now 44, channeled his creativity, unique point of view, and identity into the company that today holds the rank as the number one kombucha brand in the world.

The application deadline is December 31. For more information and to apply, go to https://bit. ly/3qBNACt.t

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<< Community News

8 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

t

1st woman to head Mission Station departs

by John Ferrannini

S

an Francisco Police Department Commander Rachel Moran, the first woman to serve as captain of the San Francisco Police Department’s Mission Station, departed from that role effective November 13.

Moran, a straight ally, made the announcement she’d be leaving at the Castro Merchants Association meeting November 4, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported.

In a subsequent phone interview, Moran told the B.A.R. that she’d been promoted to commander – one of eight citywide – also effective November 13 and would be taking the reins as commander of field operations for the SFPD’s Golden Gate Division.

The patrol division of the SFPD

Courtesy SFPD

SFPD Commander Rachel Moran has ended her tenure as captain of Mission Station.

is divided into two divisions: the Metro Division, which covers Mission Station and other stations on the eastside, and the Golden Gate Division, which covers the Bayview, Park, Richmond, Ingleside, and

Taraval stations.

“I get basically half the city and the other commander also takes half,” Moran said. “It’s a good thing.”

SFPD Chief William Scott, also a straight ally, stated to the B.A.R. that he has “every confidence” in Moran’s “continued success on SFPD’s command staff.”

“Rachel Moran embodies the values of ‘safety with respect’ that SFPD stands for, and I think San Francisco residents and police officers alike have been incredibly well served by her leadership. I have every confidence in her continued success on SFPD’s command staff.”

Lieutenant Gavin McEachern, a 32-year veteran of the force, was Moran’s choice to succeed her in an acting capacity overseeing Mission Station. McEachern served as head

of the Honda motorcycle unit, the two squads of which patrol the city.

Moran had only been head of Mission Station since February 20, as the B.A.R. reported at the time.

“When I came, I’d told you it was like coming back home,” she reminded the B.A.R. “It’s very bittersweet to be leaving.”

Moran said that she is “really touched at just how much the community cares for each other and how they want the community to be a good place to live or own a business.”

She added how grateful she was to work with the officers at the station, which she said was one of the city’s busiest.

“I got to work with some of the most amazing officers at Mission Station who are so dedicated to the community,” Moran said. “They

could leave, but the core officers at Mission Station are some of the best in the city.”

Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, whose district overlaps with Mission Station in the Castro neighborhood, paid tribute to her in a farewell statement.

“Over the past year I have had the privilege to work closely with Captain Moran on issues impacting residents and merchants in the Castro, Mission Dolores, and Noe Valley,” Mandelman stated. “She has been a true and excellent partner in addressing the public safety concerns of the folks I represent.”

The SFPD has not responded to an interview request for McEachern, and a question about the timetable for choosing a new permanent captain for Mission Station.t

Doc believes 2nd woman may be naturally cured of HIV

by Liz Highleyman

A

woman in Argentina appears to be the second person to naturally eliminate HIV without a stem cell transplant, according to a recent medical journal report. Last year,

the same research team announced that Sacramento resident Loreen Willenberg was the first person known to naturally clear the virus.

After extensive testing, Dr. Xu Yu of Massachusetts General Hospital and the Ragon Institute, and col-

leagues think the anonymous woman, dubbed the Esperanza patient after her city in Argentina, may have achieved a so-called sterilizing cure, meaning no residual intact HIV. “These findings, especially with the identification of a second case, indi-

cate there may be an actionable path to a sterilizing cure for people who are not able to do this on their own,” Yu said in a university press release.

Elite controllers

While antiretroviral therapy (ART) can keep HIV replication suppressed as long as treatment continues, the virus inserts its genetic blueprints, known as a provirus, into the chromosomes of immune cells and establishes a latent reservoir. These proviruses lie dormant in resting CD4 T-cells during treatment, but they can start churning out new virus when antiretrovirals are stopped.

Only two people are widely regarded as cured of HIV: the late former San Francisco resident Timothy Ray Brown (the Berlin patient) and Adam Castillejo (the London patient). Both received stem cell transplants from donors with an uncommon genetic mutation that blocks HIV from entering cells. But this procedure is too dangerous for people who don’t need it to treat life-threatening cancer. (Brown died in September 2020 after his leukemia relapsed.)

Over the years, researchers have identified a small number of people, known as elite controllers, who seem to have unusually potent immune responses and manage to control HIV without ART. Such individuals typically have very low or undetectable viral load according to standard tests, but researchers can usually find residual virus using more sensitive methods.

But Willenberg and the Esperanza patient are special cases. Willenberg was diagnosed with HIV in 1992 and has maintained control of

Courtesy Ragon Institute

Dr. Xu Yu

the virus for decades without treatment. As described in a report published last year, Yu’s team was unable to find any intact HIV proviruses in more than 1.5 billion of her blood and gut cells, indicating that her immune system may have cleared the viral reservoir.

“I believe Loreen might indeed meet anyone’s definition of a cure,” study co-author Dr. Steven Deeks of UCSF said at the time.

Now, Yu and colleagues appear to have found a second exceptional controller. The 30-year-old woman was first diagnosed with HIV in March 2013. Over eight years of follow-up, standard tests repeatedly showed an undetectable viral load.

She only used antiretrovirals for six months during her first pregnancy.

After the baby was born, free of HIV, she stopped treatment.

The researchers sequenced 1.19 billion peripheral blood cells and 503 million cells from placental tissue, but they were unable to locate any intact HIV. Although they did find seven defective proviruses, a test known as See page 9 >>

Obituaries >> James “Jim” Edward Doherty Jr. March 4, 1955 – September 8, 2021

James “Jim” Edward Doherty Jr. of San Francisco passed away at his home on September 9, 2021, age 66.

Jim was born on March 4, 1955 to James Doherty and Dorothy (Schletzbaum) Doherty in Longview, Washington. Jim graduated from Robert Long High School and was the senior class valedictorian. He also graduated from Lower Columbia College and the University of Washington with a major in political science and a minor in social work, with honors. After college, Jim served his community as a social worker and then moved to San

Francisco to pursue a lifelong career as a travel counselor. He worked for various agencies including American Express Corporate Travel and retired in 2005.

Jim was a keen conversationalist and loved to discuss politics, travel, social issues, and astrology. Jim also traveled worldwide and he lived in both Honolulu, Hawaii and Florence, Italy. Jim’s smile and wit will be missed by his family, dear friends, and work colleagues.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, William Doherty, and Robert Doherty.

Jim is survived by his brother, Steven Doherty of Willows, California, and five nieces and nephews in Washington.

A memorial celebration will take place in early 2022 in San Francisco.

For information, email gbchristian@ gmail.com.

Community News>>

t CA high court to hear case on LGBTQ senior law

by John Ferrannini

T

he California Supreme Court agreed to review a case about the constitutionality of a provision of gay state Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) LGBTQ Senior Bill of Rights that requires employees at senior care facilities to address residents by their preferred names and pronouns.

Review was granted unanimously November 10. As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, a threejudge panel of the state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento came to a unanimous decision in July, in the case of Taking Offense v. California, that the requirement is unconstitutional under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution’s protections of freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion.

“We agree with Taking Offense that ... the pronoun provision, is a contentbased restriction of speech that does not survive strict scrutiny,” Justice Elena J. Duarte stated in the lower court ruling. “A person’s right to speak freely prohibits the government from compelling adoption of a government message and protects the right of citizens to refrain from speaking.”

In a concurring opinion, Justice Ronald B. Robie stated that the goal of the LGBTQ Senior Bill of Rights was laudable but that it “went too far.” He suggested the Legislature try again.

Democratic lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates disagreed with the appeal court’s decision, arguing that it violates the right of LGBTQ Californians to non-discrimination. Wiener – who authored the bill codifying the requirements in 2017 – stated to the B.A.R. after the decision that “Deliberately misgendering a transgender person isn’t just a matter of opinion, and it’s not simply ‘disrespectful, discourteous, or insulting.’ Rather, it’s straight-up harassment. And, it erases an individual’s fundamental humanity, particularly one as vulnerable as a trans senior in a nursing home. This

misguided decision cannot be allowed to stand.”

Wiener stated to the B.A.R. November 11 that “I’m thrilled that the Supreme Court is reviewing this atrocious ruling by the Court of Appeal.”

“The lower court ruling authorizes harassment and bullying of frail trans seniors in nursing homes – seniors who are least likely to be able to stick up for themselves,” Wiener continued. “That ruling must be overturned.”

As the B.A.R. previously reported, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a petition of review with the state’s high court August 25 in defense of the law in which he asked the court to review “the Court of Appeal’s erroneous decision, and restore SB 219’s protections for LGBTQ seniors and other long-term care facility residents.”

Subsequently, as the B.A.R. also reported, gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced a nonbinding resolution calling for the state Supreme Court to overturn the lower court decision, which the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed unanimously September 14.

“The intentional misgendering of trans and gender-nonconforming people is a harmful act that no one, especially vulnerable people living in long-term care facilities, should face,” Mandelman stated at the time.

Mandelman stated to the B.A.R. that he is “glad that the California Supreme Court will revisit, and hopefully reverse, this dangerously misguided decision.”

“The appeals court paved the way for vulnerable LGBTQ seniors in California’s long-term care facilities to experience serious harassment and harm when it removed protections against intentional misgendering,” Mandelman stated.

Bonta did not return a request for comment.

David Llewellyn Jr., the attorney for Taking Offense, also did not return a request for comment by

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 9

press time.

The LGBTQ Senior Bill of Rights was signed into law four years ago by then-Governor Jerry Brown. The law is intended to protect LGBTQ seniors from being discriminated against in long-term care facilities throughout the state.

Modeled after a similar policy that San Francisco officials adopted several years earlier, it requires employees at such facilities to allow same-sex couples to live together and, until the July decision, to use the preferred names and pronouns of transgender

residents. There was a misdemeanor penalty of up to a $2,500 fine and six months in jail for violating the latter provision, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The appeal court did uphold a part of the law that held it is not unlawful for transgender residents to be assigned rooms in accordance with their gender identity, unless they request otherwise, when room assignments are based on gender.

The appellate decision will stay in effect until the state Supreme Court renders its judgment.t

Andrew Dupont

The California Supreme Court will review a lower court’s ruling that declared part of the LGBTQ Senior Bill of Rights unconstitutional.

ons from Thomas Kingery, LGBTQ Programs Coordinator/Community Liaison. mitian, an advocate of the LGBTQ Initiative, will provide his unique insights into the

ese Crazy Times’ by Dr. Fred Luskin, Stanford Forgiveness Project. ork through honoring our physical and mental health. He offers easily practiced skills r perceived.

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HIV cured

From page 8

AVENIDAS LGBTQ EVENTS

WORKSHOP 2

LEGAL ISSUES The Avenidas Rainbow Collective offers a variety of ways for members of the LGBTQ community to get together, meet new people, talk and Attorney Diana Dean Gendotti enjoy each other’s company.

Diana Gendotti is an estate planning and trust administration offer: attorney who has been licensed for 31We years, and has an Gay Men’s Group office in Los Altos. She will highlight theWalking critical aspects of Lesbian Social Group estate planning, especially Elder as itEmpowerment relates toandLGBTQ issues.

Connections Group any questions! areBring rare, they offer clues burning that may Song Appreciation Group help researchers find a cure for other people living with HIV. Study results suggest that a specific type of killer T-cell response common to both women may have cleared the virus, and it’s possible other people have also achieved a sterilizing cure, according to Yu. If researchers can better understand these exceptional responses, they might be able to develop therapies that mimic them in more typical people with progressive HIV. “We are now looking toward the possibility of inducing this kind of immunity in persons on ART through vaccination, with the goal of educating their immune systems to be able to control the virus without ART,” Yu said.t

LGBTQ MeetUp Group

an outgrowth assay failed to retrieve nni Castaldo, STRONG Instructor, will lead We everyone in aand quick also host parties eventsand such as: any virus capable ofStanding replication from 150 million resting CD4 cells. d for the next workshop.

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sibility that a sterilizing cure may be an extremely rare but possible outcome of HIV-1 infection,” the researchers concluded. But they also sounded a note of caution. “Absence of evidence for intact HIV-1 proviruses in large numbers of cells is not evidence of absence of HIV-1 infection,” they wrote.

“A sterilizing cure of HIV-1 can never be empirically proved.”

nd Keenan Murray, Clues to a cure

Although individuals like the Sacramento and Esperanza patients

ation, how to overdrug sites change.Supervised Discussion why some people support during my hunger strike for a bit Gender at City Hall.” ntation Chiu spokesperson Jen Kwart stated that the city attorney’s office swer honestly! is providing legal advice to the city

<<

From page 3

on this matter.

“The city is proposing to purchase a property for behavioral health services, which could potentially include a safe consumption site, among a number of other uses,” she stated. “We are working to provide city policymakers with the best possible legal advice on this issue and look forward to conversations with the appropriate state and federal government authorities.”

David Campos, a gay man who is currently on leave as chief of staff to San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin; Thea Selby, a straight ally

WORKSHOP 4

PRIDE party Holiday party with white elephant gift exchange Annual conference featuring industry experts Tours and more!

BUILD YOUR VILLAGE Facilitators: Jenn Chan and Loretta Austin, Avenidas Community is especially important right now. Building and strengthening your village will help you thrive. Discover who is a City College of San Franopportunities with our intergenerational cisco trustee; and Bilal Mahmood, afor new connections Participants enjoy gathering for lunches, visits to museums, straight ally who is a former Obama walking groups and more! Learn We hope youwhere join us for our exploration! pen pal program and social groups. tonext find administration official, are all also running for the open Assembly seat community resources and how to build a safe space. vacated by Chiu earlier this month.

In a statement, Campos told the B.A.R. that “as the person who first proposed opening a supervised injection site five years ago, I applaud Mayor Breed for taking this step. We cannot afford to lose another life to the overdose crisis. This needs to open as soon as humanly possible.”

Selby stated to the B.A.R. November 17 that she is “thrilled to see the leadership that opening up a supervised injection site shows,” adding that “we have done this before – with gay marriage and Gavin Newsom.

Sometimes the laws are not just and this is one of those situations.”

Mahmood did not return a request for comment.t

To find out what fun we’re up to, call (650) 289-5400, visit www.avenidas.org or email LGBTQ@avenidas.org. You can sign up to receive our newsletter as well so you’ll never miss another great event!

e County of Santa Clara Office of reflection on the significance of d share more about the County’s way to build a strong, vibrant

of Santa Clara, Office of LGBTQ Affairs

With support from the County of Santa Clara, Office of LGBTQ Affairs

(650) 289-5400 • www.avenidas.org

www.avenidas.org

(650) 289-5400

<< From the Cover

10 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

<<

t

In-lieu fees criticized

D8 housing

From page 1

Mandelman in his introductory letter, referring to Milk and his partner Scott Smith.

Noting “it’s an unsettling hypothetical,” Mandelman points out it is the current reality for many of those LGBTQ individuals, who like Milk, migrated to San Francisco five decades ago and planted roots in the city but now find themselves priced out of the local housing and rental market in their senior years. According to the report the median rent in District 8 was between $4,680 and $5,310 as of December 2019, while the average cost to buy a home was between $1.44 and $1.81 million.

Many of Milk’s contemporaries, writes Mandelman, now face being “priced out of our City by the Bay or are hanging on by their fingernails in a rent-controlled unit, their only protection from being exiled from San Francisco in their golden years.” The reality for “too many young people who still flock to San Francisco looking for the queer Oz that Harvey made,” adds Mandelman, is they “find themselves sleeping in a doorway.”

Simply titled “District 8 Housing Opportunities Report,” the 40-page document examines the various housing issues confronting the Castro, Eureka Valley, Duboce Triangle, Noe Valley, Corbett Heights, Diamond Heights, Glen Park and parts of the Mission Dolores and Twin Peaks neighborhoods. It acknowledges that the Costanoan and Ohlone tribes were the first to settle in those areas of the city, which would go on to being settled and developed by waves of successive immigrants.

Conducted by consulting firm Street Level Advisors, with assistance from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, the report highlights how the 75,055 residents of District 8 as of 2018 are “impacted by the current housing crisis, both directly and indirectly, with significant risk of displacement and housing insecurity.” It also noted that District 8 has a higher homeownership rate than the city overall (42.5% to 37.6%), with a correspondingly lower rate of renters (57.5% to 62.4%).

The report determined that approximately 53% of District 8’s residential units are rent controlled, greater than the 37% of all such units citywide. Another 2,247 housing units in District 8 are subsidized, income-targeted units affordable to low- and moderate- income households, it noted, representing close to 6% of all housing units in the district. (That is less than the 9% share of such units citywide.)

Unsurprisingly for a report covering neighborhoods long favored

Matthew S. Bajko

The building at 2775 Market Street converted four garages into new units.

by gay men and other LGBTQ community members, District 8 has a greater percentage of male residents than the city overall (56% to 51%), with the highest percentages found in the Castro/Upper Market neighborhoods, according to the report.

It added that there is a similarly higher percentage of male residents over the age of 65 (49.5% to 45%), also in and around the Castro district, than the city overall. Meanwhile, District 8 residents are more likely than citywide residents to live with someone they are unrelated to (17.2% versus 14.6% of all people), including an unmarried partner (5.8% versus 3.3%), according to the report.

Because the U.S. census doesn’t ask about sexual orientation or gender identity, there is no accurate data on the exact number of LGBTQ people living in the Castro or other District 8 neighborhoods, though city officials estimate that LGBTQ people account for roughly 12% of the 875,114 people currently living in San Francisco.

Just 15% of the district’s 36,247 households in 2018 were families with children, slightly less than the citywide average of 16.8%. Approximately 3,778 people, just over 5% of all District 8 residents, are seniors age 65 and older living alone, which the report noted is half the citywide average of 10.7%.

While the report noted that fewer District 8 residents over the age of 18 were living in poverty in the past year compared to the city overall, it did find “a significantly high percentage of seniors (18% to 24%) living between Castro and Dolores streets, south of Market to 22nd, were living below poverty levels, well over the citywide average (13.1%).”

According to the report, 1,465 new housing units have been built in the last 10 years in District 8, representing 5.2% of the total new units citywide,

and only 306 were affordable. Of the 527 new units approved to be built in District 8, only 146 are to be affordably priced, noted the report, which at 28% is below the city’s 30% threshold for all new housing units being built to be affordable.

“There has been a ton of displacement and there remain a ton of long-term tenants who have a lot of fear about being evicted and having nowhere in San Francisco where they can afford to live,” Mandelman told the Bay Area Reporter in discussing why there was a need for the housing report and his reaction to its conclusions and suggestions.

“Some of the interesting things that came out of the report are the small sites program, and in fact affordable housing development in general, hasn’t been as successful in District 8 as it should have been.”

The small sites program sets aside money for the city or nonprofit groups to acquire smaller buildings with five to 25 units in order to preserve them as affordable housing.

Unlike other LGBTQ neighborhoods in the city, such as the Tenderloin and South of Market, there isn’t a nonprofit housing developer solely focused on District 8.

Mandelman has been in talks with Habitat for Humanity to do more small-scale infill projects in District 8. It oversaw a project that brought eight new units of housing to Amber Drive in Diamond Heights, and Mandelman told the B.A.R. he believes there are additional sites where such a project would be feasible.

“I think we should do that as it makes sense for District 8,” he said.

The Castro

One area of the district that has seen considerable housing development in recent decades has been the Castro, particularly along the upper

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Market Street corridor. A number of mixed-use developments with housing above ground-floor retail spaces have been built, with some including on-site below-marketrate units either for sale or to rent.

The newest will be the 44-unit condo project at 2238 Market Street by the Prado Group Inc. It broke ground in July 2019 and is repurposing a former mortuary and its parking lot into housing and sidewalkfronting storefronts, with five of the condo units to be sold as affordable.

Initially to be completed in early 2021, the homes are now slated to begin selling toward the end of the year. Several other housing projects are moving forward in the upper Market Street corridor.

Two years after property owner Ty Bash first revealed plans to demolish the brick building that for years had housed Sparky’s Diner on Church Street to build a 22-unit housing development, he is now seeking permits for a 24-unit building at 240250 Church Street that would house current tenant Thorough Bread and Pastry in a brand new retail space.

Two of the homes would be sold as affordable, while Bash is proposing to also pay an in-lieu fee to the city toward building additional affordable units off-site. A hearing is tentatively set before the planning commission on December 2.

Affordable housing developer Mercy Housing and Openhouse, a nonprofit provider of LGBTQ senior services in San Francisco, are developing a 120-plus unit building of affordable housing aimed at LGBTQ seniors at 1939 Market Street, with construction likely to begin in 2023. The city acquired the triangular 7,840 square foot lot at Market and Duboce Avenue not far from the LGBTQ-affirming senior housing on Laguna Street overseen by Mercy and Openhouse.

According to the housing report most of the housing gains in District 8 since 2010 (between 20-30%) have been centered around Castro Street south of Market and west toward Twin Peaks. Meanwhile, Duboce Triangle (-4.7%) and the Liberty Street area of the Mission (-13.4%) lost significant population since 2010, it found.

One solution property owners have turned to for adding new units in their existing buildings is converting garage spaces into housing.

The building at 2775 Market Street, for example, added four new units recently via such a conversion.

The city’s planning commission in October rejected complaints from neighbors of 642 Alvarado Street who argued the owner of the 34-unit Noe Valley building should not be allowed to turn 19 of its existing 35 parking spaces into nine new housing units. With such conversions increasingly popular with building owners, the supervisors recently voted to restrict landlords from removing existing laundry, parking, or storage areas in order to build accessory dwelling units.

A proposal not recommended in the report but long advocated for by some affordable housing advocates is to require developers to include their required belowmarket-rate units on site instead of being able to pay an in-lieu fee that the city can use to build the housing elsewhere. The issue has come up with a controversial market-rate housing project proposed for the hillside at the intersection of Diamond Heights Boulevard and Diamond Street.

Developer On Diamond LLC is seeking approval to build 24 new luxury homes and intends to pay close to $3 million to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development so it doesn’t have to set aside some as affordable housing. Nearby residents are opposing the plans, arguing the entire project should be affordable.

A hearing before the planning commission has been delayed for months, with the latest scheduled date being Thursday, December 2.

Developer Marc Babsin recently told the B.A.R. that he and the project opponents “are in conversations” about reaching a compromise.

“We are in desperate need of housing in San Francisco, particularly family housing,” he said.

“This project is all three-bedroom homes, which is family housing.

Noe Valley, Glen Park, and Diamond Heights have produced no projects of 20 or more homes in the last four decades.”

The in-fill project is representative of the various difficulties that can arise with housing developments not only in District 8 but anywhere in the city. Competing interests often collide and lead to protracted fights over design issues and the inclusion or omission of on-site affordable units.

“We need to have more affordable housing in the district,” argued Ozzie Rohm, a co-founder of the Noe Neighborhood Council. “The way to get more affordable housing is not to count on the generosity of developers giving us one or two units per the market-rate units they have built.”

The District 8 housing report identified 64 sites with likely housing development potential across the city’s central neighborhoods, allowing for about 3,196 new units of housing based on current zoning. Of those, it estimated that 623 would be below-market-rate units.

A key issue made clear in the housing report is the lack of large undeveloped lots in District 8 that could be redeveloped with a sizable housing project of 50-plus units.

Some of the few potential sites are parking lots owned by religious groups and suburban-styled shopping plazas with large parking lots in the Castro and Diamond Heights.

With the Safeway in the Castro in the news of late for closing its doors at night reportedly in response to increased shoplifting, there is renewed talk of seeing its upper Market Street site be redeveloped to bring in housing. Previous discussions of such a possibility faltered due to the property being owned by different parties.

Even though a 2019 voter-approved bond measure that Mandelman backed directed $600 million for affordable housing to supervisorial districts like his that have seen high numbers of evictions but few new below-market-units be built, he conceded there aren’t that many opportunities to build such projects in District 8.

“I think we need to find more of those sites that are good for taxcredit funded projects,” he said.

“Undeveloped lots are the sweet spots for significant affordable housing projects.”t

To read the housing report or download a copy, go to https://bit. ly/2Ye21kq

Community News>>

t New SF LGBTQ senior housing eyes 2026 opening

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 11

by Matthew S. Bajko

A

new development set to bring 130-plus units of affordable housing aimed at LGBTQ seniors in San Francisco is eyeing an opening date as soon as 2026. In the meantime, several other housing projects in Southern California are opening for LGBTQ seniors.

Affordable housing developer Mercy Housing and Openhouse, a nonprofit provider of LGBTQ senior services in San Francisco, are developing their third building of affordable housing aimed at LGBTQ seniors at 1939 Market Street. The city acquired the triangular 7,840 square foot lot at Market and Duboce Avenue not far from the LGBTQ-affirming senior housing on Laguna Street overseen by Mercy and Openhouse.

As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, construction on the project could begin as soon as 2023.

Mercy expects to select an architect by the end of 2021 and a general contractor around January for the project, currently slated to have 133 homes for low-income seniors and seniors exiting homelessness.

During a recent virtual seminar that Openhouse hosted, the agency’s executive director indicated the building could see its first tenants move in sometime in 2026 at the earliest.

“If we are lucky,” said Kathleen Sullivan, who joined the agency this summer, “it is going to take, minimum, five years to develop that housing and probably more like seven years.”

Such projects often take a decade “to come to fruition,” Sullivan cautioned, adding, “some people say it is a marathon; I say it is an ultramarathon.”

That was the case with the opening this week of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s 98-unit Ariadne Getty Foundation Senior Housing. The 70,000 square foot building at 1127 North Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood has 98 affordable units for seniors ages 62 and above. Sullivan had worked on the project, part of a campus that also has housing for LGBTQ youth, when she was the center’s director of senior services in the 2010s.

“This is probably the most important home I’ve ever had,” stated resident Lisa Chilton in a news release about the opening of the building. “For 10 years, whether it was renting a room or sleeping on various sofas, I had been in many other people’s space, trying to stay small, and following their schedules.

My new home is my sanctuary. It is safety. It is my place of peace.”

Built in partnership with affordable housing developer Thomas Safran & Associates, the center noted the new building “represents the culmination of years of planning and diligence to build an intergenerational campus bringing together LGBTQ youth, seniors, and housing in a unified setting.”

Getty, whose two children are both gay, noted in a statement that the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated myriad issues confronting LGBTQ seniors who were already facing disproportionate rates of homelessness prior to the health crisis.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic deepened disparities, making the Ariadne Getty Foundation Senior Housing an urgent need not only for the Los Angeles community but as an example and inspiration for communities nationwide,” she stated.

At the other end of the housing spectrum, Los Angeles-based real estate development company KOAR International LLC broke ground November 5 on 122 luxury apartments in the LGBTQ retirement mecca of Palm Springs. Dubbed Living Out Palm Springs, the resort project will be marketed to LGBTQ+ community members and

Rick Gerharter

This site at 1939 Market Street was purchased by the city and will become affordable LGBTQ-welcoming senior housing and include units for those who are HIV-positive.

The communal kitchen will be used by LGBTQ seniors at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Ariadne Getty Foundation Senior Housing.

their allies aged 55 and older.

A site map of the project on its website at https://livingout.com/ residences/ shows the Y-shaped building surrounded by landscaped outdoor areas featuring spas, a pool, dog play area, and tennis courts.

try. Tenants are expected to begin moving into their units in late 2023.

“Knowing that too many LGBTQ+ seniors live in unsafe or even openly hostile environments, we wanted to address this issue that is near and dear to us by creating

MARKET

The one to two bedroom units will range in size from 1,100 square feet to 1,700 square feet, with each having either a balcony or patio space.

It is the company’s inaugural retirement community, which it plans to replicate in cities across the coun-

your

Courtesy LA LGBT Center

business

a safe and beautiful community for those 55 and over. The Living Out development will be the first of its kind in the Southern California area,” said KOAR co-owner Loren S. Ostrow, who serves on the L.A. center’s board.t

to

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<< From the Cover

12 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

<<

Evictions

From page 1

of the Tenderloin Housing Clinic to fight the Ellis Act evictions at 3661 19th Street fail.

The building was bought by two limited liability corporations in August 2018: 3661 19th Street LLC (two-thirds) and VR Investments LLC (one-third). These, in turn, are owned by a group of trusts. The trustees of the former are Jeff Pollack, Edith Wong, and Pierre and Tracy Malak, and the trustee of the latter is Ryan C. Fong.

Mooney said that one of two previous owners, Jane Ballesteros of Pinole, had assured the tenants that “she was looking for a good buyer who’d take good care of us.”

The other previous owner was Andrew Winchek, also of Pinole.

Ballesteros could not be reached for comment. Winchek said, “I’m really shocked by their [the new owners’] behavior. I’m shocked,” but wouldn’t say more as of press time.

“That turned out not to be true,” Mooney wryly added, saying that within months of buying the 12unit, rent-controlled building, the new owners began the process of trying to evict its tenants.

“I believe it was about three months when we got our first Ellis Act notice,” Mooney said.

The Ellis Act, signed into law by then-Governor George Deukmejian in 1985, prevents municipalities from banning evictions if the

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Media Collaborative

From page 1

partner for the initiative. Lane told the B.A.R. that the amount is the maximum for this current round of funding. Google also announced the collaboration that day.

B.A.R. publisher Michael Yamashita said he was glad the paper will be part of the project.

“It’s an honor to be one of the founding members of the Queer Media Collective and I’m grateful for the guidance of the Local Media Association and the financial support of the Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge,” Yamashita stated. “Our eventual goal is to collaborate on a foundation for cultivating LGBTQ journalism and ensuring sustainability for LGBTQ news outlets across the country. No one can effectively report on the issues that affect LGBTQ people better than LGBTQ news professionals

property owner decides to go out of business as a landlord. It was one of the few forms of eviction allowed to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Mooney and the other tenants want city officials to support state Assembly Bill 854, which would establish a five-year holding period before an owner can invoke the Ellis Act, extended to 10 years if they’ve done it before to another building (as is the case with these owners).

“We call on our elected officials to support this bill, which will help protect residents from real estate speculators,” a news release stated.

“We also call on the city to release the funds from Proposition I for the small sites program to purchase buildings like ours for affordable housing. Preserving existing affordable homes at a time of unhinged inequality and stopping real estate vultures from profiting off our displacement should be every electeds top priority.”

Mooney said that after a year, the owners withdrew from the process due to technical issues with their eviction, formally called an unlawful detainer lawsuit. In October 2020, they tried again and the residents of the building were able to get a one-year extension due to age and disability concerns. However, that extension ran out last month, Mooney said.

Steve Collier, a gay man who is an attorney with the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, took the case.

“The Tenderloin Housing Clinic represents tenants in no-fault evictions, especially Ellis Act evictions, so they were referred to us and we took it on,” Collier said. “We’ll try to get the case thrown out based on non-compliance with the rent ordinances in the Ellis Act.” Collier told the B.A.R. that the LLCs are involved individually in other unlawful detainers throughout the city.

For example, 3661 19th Street LLC owns a property on Castro Street that contains five units, according to Collier.

Pollack, Wong, and Fong did not respond to requests for comment.

On behalf of the Malaks, Pierre Malak declined a request for comment.

Mooney wasn’t the only tenant to be served at the November 15 news conference. Larry Kuester, a 67-year-old gay man who has lived in the building since 1990, also received a notice.

Now retired, Kuester told the B.A.R. he may become homeless if he’s evicted. He said that having once worked for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, “I’ve seen what can happen when the safety net fails.”

Kuester sweeps in front of the building three times a week.

“I’ve been doing that at least 1015 years. It’s just my way of trying to keep the neighborhood nice,” he said. “I’m not sure if you’ve been to Dolores Park on the weekends,

but it’s kind of party central, and there’s a lot of trash that blows in the neighborhood from the party. So it’s a constant struggle.”

The property contains 24 bedrooms in its 12 units, according to a news release from Mooney. Ten of the units are occupied and six house LGBTQ tenants.

The “mix of senior, LGBTQ, Asian American, and working class tenants” have lived in their homes at the site an average of 20 years, Mooney said. Mooney is close to the average himself, having moved to the building 18 years ago.

It is Mooney’s third residence in San Francisco since he moved to the City by the Bay in 1999 at the age of 29 from New York.

“I love my neighborhood – I go to the Castro all the time. I love this city and the sense of community it offers gay people like me,” Mooney said. “I got very involved in the gay community when I was younger.”

Longtime B.A.R. readers may remember Mooney as the spokesman for the community group And Castro For All, which was responsible for the boycott of gay landlord and bar owner Les Natali’s Badlands after allegations that he discriminated against Black people seeking to patronize the establishment. A 2004 report by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission found that Badlands was discriminating against African Americans, but the findings were never official because the HRC executive director at the

time did not sign off on the staff report. Natali and the complainants eventually reached a confidential settlement. Badlands closed in 2020, though a new bar is slated to open at its location.

After his work with And Castro For All, Mooney became involved in the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, which was one of the organizations represented at the November 15 rally.

The Milk club did not respond to a request for comment November 16.

Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman was also at the rally. A 40-page report Mandelman commissioned to examine the various housing issues confronting his district noted that the city’s small sites program has not been used as effectively as it could be in District 8, as the B.A.R. reports this week.

“We are seeing an uptick in evictions as emergency tenant protections expire, with longtime residents being pushed out of their homes and out of San Francisco at an alarming rate,” he stated. “The eviction of seniors, queer people, people of color, and working class San Franciscans from this building is a glaring example of why we need to strengthen our housing preservation programs in San Francisco and reform the Ellis Act at the state level.”

Kuester said he doesn’t know what he’ll do if Collier isn’t successful.

“It’s devastating,” he said.t

themselves, especially during these politically and economically challenging times.”

LGBTQ+ publishers participating in the collaborative said they have been left out of industry labs and initiatives during a time when they need the help the most, a news release stated. The Queer Media Collaborative, or QMC, seeks to change that with a first-of-its-kind business collaboration that will focus on business sustainability and producing great journalism, the release stated. Many publications saw a steep decline in advertising revenue when the COVID-19 pandemic started last March.

“We are so excited about this unique collaboration for LGBTQ+ media,” stated Ebone Bell, owner and editor of Tagg magazine, a national Black queer womanowned publication that is part of the project. “This group of media has often been left out of national

partnerships, and is new to the philanthropic side of journalism funding. This provides a great opportunity to uplift and transform legacy and new LGBTQ+ media.”

Word Is Out marks the seventh news industry collaboration incubated by LMA and LMF. The collaborative will build on the successful model of Word In Black, which is made up of 10 leading Black publishers in America. Word In Black also received funding from Google News Initiatives. Lane said that initiative received $300,000, which was the maximum for that round of funding.

In addition to the B.A.R. and Tagg, the other publications will be: the Dallas Voice, the premier media source for LGBTQ Texas; Q Voice News in Long Beach, California, an online publication; the Washington Blade in Washington, D.C., a weekly LGBTQ publication; and the Windy City Times in Chicago, an LGBTQ

newspaper and website that covers Chicago and its suburbs.

Publishers are in the early stages of planning and setting goals, the release stated. The group plans to hire a part-time project manager and will focus on audience listening surveys to better understand the needs of the LGBTQ+ community.

Funding from Google will cover the initial research and the role of the project manager.

The collaborative will launch a national website and newsletter, supported by a membership model; sponsorships; branded content; and journalism funded by philanthropy.

The publishers will look to expand to other LGBTQ+ publishers as funding allows, the release stated, but lessons learned will be shared with all.

LMA brings all media together to share, network, collaborate and more. More than 3,000 newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, digital-

only publications, and research and development partners engage with LMA as members or constituents of its programs. As a 501(c)(6) trade association, LMA is focused on the business side of local media. Its programs and labs focus on revenue growth and new business models.

LMA helps local media companies develop their strategies via cuttingedge programs, conferences, webinars, research and training.

LMF serves as the innovation and transformation affiliate of LMA. More than 2,000 local media executives have participated in progressive and innovative LMF programs.

Incorporating its four strategic pillars – business transformation, journalism funded by philanthropy, industry collaboration, and sustainability for publishers of color – LMF helps provide local media companies the strategies and resources for meaningful innovation and impactful journalism projects.t

<<

SFGMC rehearse for concert

Rick Gerharter

S

t

tate Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) made remarks to members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, who joined a rehearsal November 15 at the chorus’ National LGBTQ Center for the Arts.

The chorus recognized Wiener’s successful efforts to

secure $2.2 million in state funding for the rehabilitation of the arts center, which is home to the chorus.

Next up for the group is its “Home for the Holidays” concerts at the Castro Theatre December 24. For more information, visit https://www.sfgmc.org/

Chick Fil-A

From page 1

everyone in the local community to stop by in the coming days.

“Everyone is welcome at Chick-filA Serramonte Center. We’re excited to serve the community in our new Daly City restaurant, and we look forward to providing a remarkable dining experience,” stated Choe.

But most LGBTQ area residents are unlikely to be walking through the doors anytime soon. Many in the community refuse to eat at Chick-fil-A due to its past history of supporting organizations that promote discredited conversion therapy programs aimed at making LGBTQ people straight.

“It is sort of a poke in the eye, but I also think Northern California is not the right place for them,” gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, the lone LGBTQ member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, said of the high-profile location for the new Daly City outpost.

Mandelman told the B.A.R. he has not heard of the company seeking a permit to open in San Francisco, and a company spokesperson did not respond to a question about its plans for expanding into the city.

Under San Francisco’s strict rules governing chain stores, it is unclear

if Chick-fil-A could win approval to open in the City by the Bay. Despite the company’s continued growth in the region, so much so it now advertises on local television, Mandelman said, “My hope would be they would be terribly unsuccessful because the Bay Area would reject what they stand for.”

He has never eaten at a Chick-filA and Mandelman said he has no plans to do so anytime soon due to the company’s having “a really bad history of supporting anti-San Francisco values, anti-California values, and supporting people who are fundamentally hostile to queer people.”

As the B.A.R. noted two years ago, the Atlanta-based company became a flashpoint in the controversy over same-sex marriage in 2012, when CEO Dan Cathy announced his opposition to it. The Cathy family donated millions of dollars to groups that promoted conversion therapy and opposed same-sex marriage.

In November 2019 Chick-filA announced it would no longer donate to two organizations – the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes – that have routinely been criticized for their positions on LGBTQ rights. While the decision brought the company See page 13 >>

t

Community News>>

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

Federal hate crime charged in Oregon Grindr beating

by John Ferrannini

A

n Oregon man was charged with a federal hate crime after he allegedly used Grindr to attack a gay man, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice.

The criminal complaint in the case of the United States v. Daniel Andrew McGee is sealed, but federal prosecutors in a November 16 news release alleged that McGee, of Springfield, Oregon, tried to kill his unnamed victim.

“McGee and his victim met using Grindr, a social media and network-

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Chick Fil-A

From page 12

some praise among LGBTQ advocates, it came under renewed criticism this year after it was reported that the Dan and Rhonda Cathy Foundation had been donating nearly $6,000 a year to the National Christian Charitable Foundation, a vocal opponent of passing federal LGBTQ protections.

The company, which famously closes on Sundays in observance of its religious roots, is not the only fast-food brand whose donations have come under fire for undermining LGBTQ rights. As Business Insider noted in June the political action committees run by McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and parent company Yum Brands of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut all have donated thousands of dollars to congressional Republicans who have voted against LGBTQ bills.

A spokesperson for Chick-fil-A told the B.A.R. the company “is proud to be represented by more than 200,000 diverse team members nationwide, and we strive to be a positive influence in our local communities. In celebration of the Chick-fil-A Serramonte Center opening, Chick-fil-A will donate $25,000 to Feeding America, where the funds will be distributed to partners within the greater Bay Area to aid in the fight against hunger.”

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David J. Canepa, a straight ally who represents Daly City, years ago had raised objections when Chick-fil-A first started opening on the Peninsula. But he later dropped his opposition when the

Courtesy DOJ

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged an Oregon man with a federal hate crime.

ing application designed for, and used primarily by, gay men,” federal prosecutors stated in the release. “On July 5, after agreeing to meet, McGee entered his victim’s apartment and

proceeded to assault the man with a wooden club over a period of several minutes. Despite the victim’s pleas for McGee to stop, McGee continued striking the man repeatedly in the head with the club. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.”

Investigation from the FBI and the Eugene Police Department revealed that McGee had been searching for and viewing “graphically violent anti-gay material” on the internet, “including videos of anti-gay attacks,” the release states.

“McGee also used the internet to plan the assault, purchasing the

weapon and other materials online,” the release states. “In addition, McGee searched online for suggestions about how to get away with murder and how murderers avoid getting caught.”

McGee was arrested by FBI agents November 15 and appeared before a magistrate judge with the U.S. Court for the District of Oregon.

Later that day, McGee was ordered detained until the trial, according to court documents.

Gavin W. Bruce, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Oregon district; and Cameron A. Bell, a trial attorney with the justice department’s civil rights

division, will be prosecuting the case.

The federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act added real or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability to the list of characteristics protected by federal hate crime statutes, which had included race, color, religion and national origin since 1968. It was signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in 2009. Shepard was a gay college student who was beaten to death in Wyoming in 1998.

Byrd was a Black man decapitated by white supremacists in Texas, also in 1998.t

company revised its foundational giving and began donating to local food banks each time it opened a new location.

He told the B.A.R. the situation isn’t ideal but he wasn’t going to fight the chain’s latest location, even if he has no intention of eating there. It might make sense, Canepa added, for the company to target its giving to nonprofits addressing hunger in the LGBTQ community.

“I know some folks in San Francisco, even here, are sort of disappointed and upset. For me, personally, the company’s illustrious history is one that has just been horrible. We know that,” said Canepa. “Are they choir boys and girls?

Probably not, but at the end of the day they changed their policies and this is where we find ourselves.”

Chain remains a target

Yet Chick-fil-A remains a target of LGBTQ advocates and their allies who continue to boycott it. Bisexual Livermore City Councilmember Brittni Kiick fielded irate phone calls from her constituents due to her voting in July in support of allowing the chain to open in the East Bay city.

The council’s vote was unanimous since the company had met the local requirements it needed to in order to open. Nonetheless, Kiick recognized the “harm done to the LGBTQ community by Chickfil-A” at the meeting and suggested that residents “vote with their dollars and get their fried chicken elsewhere,” as Bay City News reported at the time.

Councilmember Bob Carling said at the meeting, “I don’t see that Chick-fil-A’s past practices and statements reflect the values that we

Matthew S. Bajko

Chick-fil-A will open its new Daly City location November 18.

hold in Livermore.” Like Kiick, he said he “will not be participating in buying fried chicken at Chick-fil-A.” Speaking to the B.A.R. this week, Kiick said rejecting the chain’s application would have been a “political stunt” and could have opened the door for local business owners to also have permits denied if a councilmember didn’t like their political donation history.

“I had lots of private conversations with community members explaining as a councilmember, if I were to vote no on something like that as a political statement then

it becomes a slippery slope,” said Kiick, one of the organizers of the city’s annual Pride event, which drew 5,000 attendees last month.

The increased tax revenue Chick-fil-A will bring in to the city’s coffers Kiick wants to see help fund affordable housing in Livermore and other needed projects. She also directed those upset at Chick-fil-A to contact their state and federal representatives to demand they support laws banning conversion therapy.

In California, a ban on the practice with youth under the age of

ment was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/19/21.

and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/20/21.

18 took effect in 2014. But gay Assemblymember Evan Low (DCampbell) has been unable to get state legislators to extend the ban to adults, while efforts in Congress to ban the anti-LGBTQ practice across the U.S. have stalled.

“Conversion therapy should absolutely be banned nationwide, but as a local elected official, I don’t have control over those bans,” said Kiick.

“What we should be doing rather than fighting about Chick-fil-A is asking politicians in the Legislature and Congress to ban conversion therapy.”t

Legals>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556693

In the matter of the application of SHANKAR DHAKAL & GITA PANERU, 225 HYDE ST #407, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioners SHANKAR DHAKAL & GITA PANERU is requesting that the name AROGYA DHAKAL be changed to PRANAV DHAKAL. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 7th of DECEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556689

In the matter of the application of ALEXANDER WILLIAM MOSIAK, 163 FAIRMOUNT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ALEXANDER WILLIAM MOSIAK is requesting that the name ALEXANDER WILLIAM MOSIAK be changed to ALEXEI OSTAPOVICH MOSIAK. 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 4th of JANUARY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556682

In the matter of the application of MARITELL RAMIREZ VILLAVICENCIO, 1153 GENEVA AVE #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner MARITELL RAMIREZ VILLAVICENCIO is requesting that the name MARITELL RAMIREZ VILLAVICENCIO AKA MARITELL RAMIREZ be changed to MARITELL VILLAVICENCIO. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N

on the 30th of NOVEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039523100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CAPRICHO, 829 MOULTRIE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JULIAN BILLOTTE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/94. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/19/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039523000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as GOOD REAL ESTATE TEAM, 891 BEACH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GRANT IBANA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/19/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/19/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039524200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ERIN ELIZABETH HAIR STUDIO, 2668 GREAT HIGHWAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ERIN ARIAS. 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 10/21/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039522900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as TRES CHIC HAIR STYLE, 234 WEST PORTAL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AICHA ELHATTAB. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/07/20. The state-

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039524300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUM IT BOOKKEEPERS, 25 SIERRA ST #W301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed VASANTHA NAGANATHAN. 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 10/21/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039526300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as APMEDIATIONSF, 576 2ND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRUNO AUGUSTUS PEGUESE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/25/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039506100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LATIN AMERICAN WORKOUT, 1242 S. VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAIME MARTINEZ-CASTRO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/29/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/30/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039523200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BIG JOE LOGISTICS AND POWER, 1438 GREEN ST #5B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed RACKUP LOGISTICS AND LIFTS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/20/21. The statement was filed with the City

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039525400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as STUFF; AUNT BILL’S STUFF; 150 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed STUFF INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/22/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039525100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CRATOS, 1489 WEBSTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CRATOS PORTABLE CHARGERS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/21/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/22/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039507800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as F8, 1192 FOLSOM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103.

This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CITY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GROUP INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/11/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/30/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039519400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as YO YO HAIR SALON, 4409 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed CHIEN MING CHIU & WYNNIE WONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/15/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/15/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039522000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CGL BUILDERS, 262 SUNSET PARKWAY, NOVATO, CA 94947. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CHIRAIRO GROUP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/18/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039524100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as TVEST FINANCE, 265 EDDY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed RACHIEROO GROUP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/19/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/21/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039524700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as FIBEROLOGIES, 2562 SUTTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HAMERKOP 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 10/22/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039518700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CANIHAN FAMILY CELLARS, 1815 JONES ST #5, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CANIHAN WINES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/16/06. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/14/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

<< Legals

14 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039516400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SILVER SPUR, 1914 IRVING ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SHOTSKI LLC (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/13/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039522300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as TAILORFADE, 230 6TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DAPPER & DETAILED 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 10/19/21.

OCT 28, NOV 04, 11, 18, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556698

In the matter of the application of CHERRY MARY SHEEDY, 391 ELLIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CHERRY MARY SHEEDY is requesting that the name CHERRY MARY SHEEDY be changed to SHANNON MARY OBERPRILLER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 9th of DECEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556577

In the matter of the application of SLAWOMIR MACIEJ LIGUS, 875 VERMONT ST #101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner SLAWOMIR MACIEJ LIGUS is requesting that the name SLAWOMIR MACIEJ LIGUS be changed to OOZIE LIGUS. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 11th of JANUARY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556718

In the matter of the application of RALEIGHA SAMUELLA GARCIA, 750 HARRISON ST #804, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner RALEIGHA SAMUELLA GARCIA is requesting that the name RALEIGHA SAMUELLA GARCIA be changed to MARICELLA SAMANTHA MAXWELL. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103 on the 16th of DECEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039522700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as G AND G CUSTOM ART AND STUDIO, 437 CAMPBELL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GUILLERMO FLAMENCO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/19/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039526100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as 380; FREE PRESS MUSIC, 850 OAK ST #5, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHRISTIE HARBINSKI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/14/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/25/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039527300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LADIES FIRST NAILS, 601 TARAVAL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed THOA THI NGUYEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/14/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/26/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039531600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as E YE’S PLUMBING, 335 VERNON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EUGENE JIAN WEI YE. 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 10/29/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039527100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as VALE JUICE CO., 2769 BRYANT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DOMINIC ALLING. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/28/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/26/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-093527400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BSR EATS, 50 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BSR EATS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/26/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039529700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MARKIEDOODLE, 273 SUSSEX ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed STARFISH LIBERATION ARMY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/28/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

FILE A-039525700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as GURUNG KITCHEN, 1033 IRVING ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SOLTI RESTAURANT 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 10/25/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039532800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE G SPA, 490 POST ST #1703, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed OFFICE MD (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/01/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039512300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as D&R KITCHEN, 2368 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MERAKII MANAGEMENT LLC (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/28/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/06/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039524900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as NUEVO ARGENT, 5880 3RD ST #517, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DNAP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/11/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/22/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039518900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as HEY BEAUTIFUL, 2500 POLK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HEY BEAUTIFUL LCC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/14/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039534400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ALLUVIUM ESTATE, 201 MISSION ST #2350, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed VIGNA DEI GATTI PARTNERS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/04/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/02/21.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039209100

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as THE NAIL PLACE, 2500 POLK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109.

This business was conducted by an individual and signed by NGOC TUYET THUY TRAN. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/01/20.

NOV 04, 11, 18, 25, 2021

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF GARY HOIUM IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-21-304904

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of GARY HOIUM AKA GARY ROBERT HOIUM, C/O DIANE KAER, KAER LAW PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, 14665 GALAXIE AVE #120, APPLE VALLEY, MN 55124. A Petition for Probate has been filed by BARBARA J. KEREAKOS in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that BARBARA J. KEREAKOS 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: December 01, 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: DIANE KAER, KAER LAW PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, 14665 GALAXIE AVE #120, APPLE VALLEY, MN 55124; Ph. (952) 432-4131.

NOV 11, 18, 25, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556723

In the matter of the application of HANH THI MY NGUYEN, 344 HOLLOWAY AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner HANH THI MY NGUYEN is requesting that the name HANH THI MY NGUYEN be changed to ARIEL HANH NGUYEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103N on the 16th of DECEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556729

In the matter of the application of SAFWAN OLAIBAH, 3122 CESAR CHAVEZ, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner SAFWAN OLAIBAH is requesting that the name SAFWAN KHALED OLAIBAH be changed to SAMMY TYRA COONEY. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103N on the 21st of DECEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039533000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as K3 FIRST AID AND CPR SERVICES, 1029 KEYS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KURA COHEN. 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 11/01/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039535800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as HOLISTIC PSYCHIC THERAPY, 631 HAIGHT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LORETTA TENNIS. 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 11/02/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039531900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BINGO TRAVEL, 937 HAIGHT ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOPHIE LEUNG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/16/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/29/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039526500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as TJK AND ASSOCIATES, 501 DELANCY ST #106, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TIMOTHY J. KORZEP. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/95. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/25/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039539500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ON THE GROUND CATERING, 957 CONNECTICUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOY WILLIAMS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/05/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/05/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039532100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CASTILLO VALTIERRA & ASSOCIATES, 1284 S VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANTHONY VALTIERRA. 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 10/29/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039534700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as TURNING HEADS COLLECTIVE, 520 HAMPSHIRE ST #216, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed JEANETTE AU, DIOANNA DEEM & DARON SESSION. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/29/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/02/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039537700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as JASON’S ANTIQUES, 2157 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed CHENGJUN ZHANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/04/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039534100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MOSSER HOTEL, THE, 54 4TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MOSSER VICTORIAN HOTEL INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/02/07. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/02/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039536700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE FINERIE, 2591 26TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PROJECT MO LLC (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/03/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/03/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039541400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as NAMASTE SF INDIAN CUISINE, 1968 LOMBARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed NAMASTE SF 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 11/08/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039534000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MOSSER TOWERS, 350 TURK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CENTRAL TOWERS JOINT VENTURES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/02/07. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/02/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039534900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as RAVENPICTURES PHOTOGRAPHIC LLC, 630 EDINBURGH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed RAVENPICTURES PHOTOGRAPHIC 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 11/02/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039538900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as FIDDLE FIG CAFÉ, 790 LOMBARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FIDDLE FIG CAFÉ LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/04/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/04/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039404700

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as VEO OPTICS, 1799 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123.

This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by RESTUA VISION (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/12/21.

NOV 11, 18, 25, DEC 02, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039529800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as POTA SF, 2125 BRYANT ST #101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHUZHEN ZHANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/02/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/28/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039543400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CB CONSULTING AND MANAGEMENT, 405 DAVIS CT #2306, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LUN JUNG HSU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/09/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039545300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as KEY MAN, 916 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EKATERINA ZHULANOVA. 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 11/10/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039544100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as FAWKSTALES RECORD LABEL, 1222 HARRISON ST #6611, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHRISTOPHER GILIC. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/03/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/09/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039546800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as VMEI1.COM, 625 LEAVENWORTH ST #302, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed VILMA ANG. 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 11/12/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039539700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BOSWICK ENTERPRISES, 1359 8TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DAVID MAGIDSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/06/88. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/05/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039547500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CALIFORNIA VETERANS FOOD BANK, 520 GEARY ST #104, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AMBER NICOLE FREDERICK. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/12/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/12/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039542800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as FROME, 2298 PACIFIC AVE #1S, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KACY CATHERINE DAPP. 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 11/09/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039548900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LE HARDWOOD FLOORS, 325 FRANKLIN ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MAI V LE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/30/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/15/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039549000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUMIWARE CERAMICS, 578 26TH AVE #11, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRIANNA SANTO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/04/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/15/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039545700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ALMADURA, 1022 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CHARLIE’S EATS AND DINING INCORPORATED (CA). The registrant(s)

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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 11/10/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039547400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as OPERATION ELF, BAY AREA, 915 NAPLES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CARING HEROES, 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 11/12/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039545600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as HONEY AND STARDUST, 1843 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HONEY AND STARDUST LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/10/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039546100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PROTOFY, 130 COLLINS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FY768 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 11/10/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039548700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as UNIQUE CONCEPT, 2400 YORBA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed YIP ENTERPRISES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/12/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/12/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039549400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as O-MEGALICIOUS, 5698 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed POUNCIL LLC (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/15/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/15/21.

NOV 18, 25, DEC 02, 09, 2021

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Lena Hall as Miss Audrey in Snowpiercer

by Jim Gladstone

I

Lena Hall

Broadway’s shining star returns to Feinstein’s “It’s not just that I’ve been able to sing on the show,” she noted. “They’ve actually licensed a song I wrote and had me sing some of the songs I’ve recorded in the past.”

Those include two Radiohead songs, “Creep” and “Street Spirit (Fade Out),” which Hall included in her Obsessed series of cover EPs (available online) and which better reflect her personal musical tastes than most Broadway scores.

“I’m working on an album of my own music called Lullabies for the End of the World,” says Hall, who, in addition to Radiohead, points to Led Zeppelin, Depeche Mode and Frank Ocean as influences. “I’m going for a sound that has a lot of space in it, where the simplicity becomes complex.”

Hall’s performances at Feinstein’s will mix

Stacey Lovett

t’s doubly appropriate to catch Lena Hall at Feinstein’s at the Nikko over the Thanksgiving weekend.

First, its a ‘home for the holidays’ engagement for the local native who’s gone on to star in Broadway shows, including Kinky Boots and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, for which she won a Tony. But there’s also this: Lena Hall is big in Turkey.

That’s right. Ottomans are istanbullish on Hall, thanks to the global success of the dark, meaty science fiction drama Snowpiercer, which begins a third season on TNT on January 24.

“It’s done fine in the U.S.,” Hall says of her first television series, “But it’s been a huge hit in other parts of the world. I have Turkish fans who I hear from who want me to come perform there.”

The series, based on Parasite writer/director Bong Joon-Ho’s 2013 feature, has also racked up big ratings in China, France, the UK and Brazil. Hall plays Miss Audrey, a singer in the nightclub car of the show’s titular supersonic train; it’s a role that has exposed Hall’s impressive musical chops to audiences who might not otherwise have discovered her.

“I’m totally into sci-fi,” Hall, 41, told the Bay Area Reporter in a recent interview. “I was a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. But I have to say I still feel a little surprised that I got hired for this. I’ve always been known for musical comedy.”

While Snowpiercer is light on yucks, it’s given Hall a breakthrough chance to flex her musical muscles.

Simply marvelous Chris Conde, queer-conscious rapper

by Gregg Shapiro

the dancefloor banger “Sun,” and the political statement of “Seat at the Table.”

hris Conde, the Austin-based selfproclaimed “thicc, queer Mexican” rapper has returned with their second full-length album Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay (Fake Four Inc.), available on clear (and queer) vinyl. On this powerful followup to 2019’s Growing Up Gay, Conde draws on their various influences, something that comes across forcefully on the metal edge of “American Faggot,” the emotional rap of “Everyday,” the indie rap/pop of “Okinawa,”

Gregg Shapiro: According the liner notes, your new album Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay, “was originally a post-rock project” by you and your friend Ed (Hirschmungl) that began when you were teenagers in Annapolis, Maryland. How did it morph into a hip-hop creation?

Chris Conde: Before I wrote those liner notes, I sent the record to Ed. He said, “This album is just completely you. All of your influences are in here.” He’s known me since I

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covers and originals, but audiences should anticipate little in the way of show tunes.

Her upcoming Feinstein’s concerts’ title, however, ‘Songs From the Night Car,’ references train travel.

That said –and even with a fourth season of Snowpiercer greenlighted– Hall says she hopes to arrange her shooting schedule over the next year in a way that allows her to get back to the New York stage.

“I could not be more lucky than to have had Snowpiercer floating me through the pandemic,” she says. “But I want to be back on stage. I miss it so much. Broadway is still my community. I’ve been here for 20 years and I’m really worried about the state of the theater. The big Broadway musicals are expensive to run and I’m curious to see how long some of the shows

are going to continue to run unless tourism comes back much stronger than it has.”

Hall added, “I’ve been pretty vocal with Broadway producers about streaming shows.

It’s a way to get many more people to see something at a lower price point. Look at what happened with Hamilton. People flocked to it, and they watched it repeatedly.

“Producers sometimes say that people won’t come to see a show on Broadway if they’ve already seen it streaming. But that’s not true. There are a lot of people who can’t or don’t want to spend over $100 on a ticket to something they’re not already familiar with.

If Broadway tickets are going to stay as expensive as they are, you’re going to need streaming to convince tourists to buy tickets.”

was 16, and he said, “All of your metal, your rock, your hip-hop; all of your influences. If somebody knew you like I do, I see everything that you’ve been influenced by on this album.” I guess it’s just me starting to experiment with music. Especially really trying to create within those early teen years.

When we were creating that music in Maryland, I remember we came up to the kitchen to have a snack or something at his parents’ house, talking about what we can call this project. Not really being serious, but just being kind of dumb, and it just came out of nowhere, “Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay.”

Bands like Explosions in the Sky and Fear Before the March of Flames had come out.

Sufjan Stevens had all these long song titles.

I wanted to do something a little bit extravagant, over the top and tongue in cheek. I always kept that phrasing in my head and in a weird way it made sense for this record.

here in Austin for maybe the last 20 years. I opened up for him during SXSW event and I was rapping about being queer and overcoming internalized homophobia.

At the end of my set, I said, “Thank you for letting me be here, for letting me be who I am.

I think it’s important that people like me are on these bills like this and I appreciate your support.” I handed the mic to Bill who was next, and he was like, “That’s what’s up. That’s what hip hop is.” It was cool to get a shoutout from somebody who was as legendary as him. There was some affirmation from an older generation.

You’re now based in Austin. Are you finding support and camaraderie in both the LGBTQ and hiphop communities?

Yes. Initially I came up through the punk rock and rock and roll spheres and communities. I didn’t play my first rap set until six years ago or maybe a little bit longer. I didn’t really go to a whole lot of rap shows. I was really involved in the hardcore and indie communities. That’s where a lot of my friends were. They asked me if wanted to do my rap stuff at their show.

I said, “Okay.”

So, I didn’t come up through hip-hop. To answer your question, yes, now I feel very accepted in both communities. I’ve been surprised about how well the rap community accepts me here in Texas. There are some great people here who love what I do and encouraged it and love that I’m doing it. There was a guy named Bushwick Bill from the Geto Boys.

They were originally from Houston but then

See page 18 >>

From a forebear.

Yes! There’ve definitely been artists, like San Antonio’s Third Root, who understand and see the pedigree of influence I’ve digested from hip hop, growing up in the 1990s. Listening to Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes and them being able to see that influence on me. It’s nice to know they know where I’m coming from.

Obviously, every artist is trying to do their own thing, but I think it’s important, especially with rap, to be able to say, “This definitely comes from these people and these spaces.” I do feel very accepted in the rap community, and the LGBTQ community.

I think they love that I’m as flagrant as I am [laughs], really in your face.

I’m very unapologetically queer and subversive in that way. I don’t care who knows or who doesn’t. Part of my art comes from a place of spending so much time trying to not be gay, being so concerned about trying to be straight and fit into some sort of mold that people expect me to be in. My art came from a very spiteful place. It just explodes with an earnest urgency [laughs].t

Read the full interview, with music clips, on www.ebar.com

<< Film

16 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

Best AIDS films, part 2

1.

2.

by Brian Bromberger

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ertain films dealt with difficult even taboo issues raised by the pandemic. It’s My Party (1996) chronicles a two-day farewell party with invited friends, hosted

by Nick (Eric Roberts), a gay architect, dying of an opportunistic infection. He decides at the party’s end he will commit suicide by taking barbiturates.

A friend has invited Nick’s former lover Brandon (Gregory Harrison), who abandoned him when he tested H I V- p o s it i v e , believing he still cares and that a reconciliation might be possible.

A family feeling pervades, with death portrayed as affirming life, made bearable through the love we share with each other. Sad and subdued, avoiding melodrama, It’s My Party confronts the thorny suicide issue, which became more common as the pandemic progressed and medical treatments became less tenable.

Another forbidden subject was assisted suicide in the era before Dr. Jack Kevorkian brought prominence to the subject. The French film BPM: Beats Per Minute

(2017) centers on the AIDS activism of ACT UP Paris in 1990s France, beginning with the politics involved but shifting to individual stories of members, especially with rapidly deteriorating Jeremie and newcomer Nathan, HIV-negative, falling in love with increasingly ill veteran Sean, HIV-positive.

We watch the hectic and desperate group dynamics from the inside as strategies and conflicting goals are debated and watch how it affected members personally, often in a climate of despair so that euthanasia became a feasible alternative.

Zero Patience (1993) is an audacious Canadian musical, easily the most innovative AIDS film ever created It refutes the Patient Zero theory (long since discredited) advocated

by Randy Shilts in his book And the Band Played On, that flight attendant Gaetan Dugas was the first gay man to spread AIDS to North America.

The bizarre plot, which has the

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3.

19th-century gay Victorian explorer/adventurer Sir Richard Burton, at age 170, defies description, as do some of the raucous songs like “Pop-A-Boner” and “Butthole Duet.” This sassy scatological satire, uproariously funny, fantastical, and thought-provoking, like a gay Monty Python farce, Zero must be seen to be believed.

Most AIDS films focused on gay casualties, but a few gave perspectives from the other categories of AIDS sufferers.

Dallas Buyer’s Club (2013) is the story of Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey), a straight cowboy who had sex with an intravenous drugusing prostitute and consequently was diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-1980s. Refusing to accept his death sentence of thirty days, he eventually connected with a Mexican doctor who suggested alternative drugs to treat the disease not approved for use in the U.S. The initially homophobic (but later compassionate) Woodruff began selling these drugs to other PWAs, assisted by Rayon (Jared Leto), a transgender woman with HIV. The film was nominated for six Oscars with McConaughey (superb despite giving one of the worst acceptance speeches in Academy history) and Leto winning for their intense performances.

Dallas celebrates a faulty unsung hero who went to court to fight for his life and indirectly helped change FDA policy on access to experimental drugs for all life-threatening diseases.

Jeffrey (1995) written by gay writer Paul Rudnick and based on his stage play, presents waiter/ actor Jeffrey (Steven Weber), who has sworn off sex because of his fear of catching AIDS. He meets the charming, hunky HIV-positive Steve (Michael T. Weiss) at his gym. He must decide whether to pursue a relationship with someone likely to die.

The film is often hilarious as it also satirizes gay dating rituals, but asks serious questions about what it means to love during an epidemic.

Outstanding cameos from Nathan Lane (a horny priest), Sigourney Weaver (a Marianne Williamson/ Louise Hay spoof), Christine Baranski (a riotous straight hoedown AIDS fundraiser) and Patrick Stewart as Jeffrey’s older flamboyant designer friend add to the fun, as well as bolster the film’s message to hate AIDS, not life.

The Living End (1992) written/ directed by Gregg Araki and considered the epitome of ’90s new queer cinema, portrays two wounded gay men, one a drifter/criminal, the other a jaded film critic, both HIV-positive, who fall in love and

4.

1. It’s My Party 2. BPM: Beats Per Minute 3. Zero Patience 4. Dallas Buyer’s Club 5. Jeffrey 6. The Living End 7. Paris 05:59: Theo & Hugo 8. Parting Glances

5.

7.

6. embark on a noholds-barred road trip that includes murder and theft with the motto, “Fuck everything.”

Liberated to do whatever they want as they expect to die soon anyway, the film is jam-packed with black humor (i.e. Choose Death bumper sticker). It resembles a furious gay punk Thelma and Louise, giving full vent to the outrage and alienation experienced by gay men at that time.

The film, while not for all tastes, is willing to offend everyone, even featuring a pair of killer lesbians (a shibboleth after the bruising Basic Instinct controversy). Many critics found the film pretentious, but it counterbalances the weepiness of many AIDS films and attacks any passive waiting-to-die responses to the epidemic.

As if to counteract the prurience of Hollywood (i.e.

Philadelphia) in dealing with the gay sex issue inevitably raised

by AIDS, the French film Paris 05:59: Theo & Hugo (2016) explicitly revolves around two young gay men who meet at an underground sex club. The first 20 minutes is an orgy-like classy porno film with no dialogue, and full nudity.

Theo and Hugo exit together and start getting to know each other when Hugo reveals he is HIV-positive and may have infected Theo.

They try to find a hospital so that Theo can take prophylactic medi-

8. cine to prevent him from seroconverting. Nail-bitingly thrilling as their time to act is limited, Paris conveys genuine intimacy between the two leads.

Finally, one film avoids all the pitfalls of blame and squeamishness about sexuality.

Parting Glances (1986), concerns a gay couple, Michael (Richard Ganoung) and Robert (John Bolger), with the latter being transferred to Africa by his (closeted) employer. They have 24 hours left to process their union and decide whether to stay together before he leaves. Friends gather at a party to say farewell. Michael’s ex-boyfriend, Nick (Steve Buscemi, in a star-making performance), whom he still loves, has AIDS but doesn’t let the disease define him.

The party scene has never been equaled with flippant, witty but realistic dialogue, epitomizing New York gay urbanites in the 1980s, poking fun at every queer stereotype imaginable.

Writer/director Bill Sherwood was the gay Preston Sturges, a brilliant talent felled by AIDS in 1990 alongside Arthur Bressan; an incalculable loss for LGBTQ filmography. Revolutionary in its understatement, the Michael/Robert coupling may be the most honest believable gay relationship ever committed to film.

The film recognizes that AIDS will permanently alter the LGBTQ community in ways that now seem prophetic. With the exception of cable TV’s Angels in America, Parting Glances is the greatest narrative AIDS film.t

t

Theatre>>

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 17

Good morning, Baltimore

by David-Elijah Nahmod

H

airspray, the Tony Awardwinning musical, will perform November 23-28 at San Jose’s Center For the Performing Arts.

RuPaul’s Drag Race star Nina West heads the cast as Edna Turnblad, the role played by John Travolta in the 2007 musical film adaptation of the show, and by the legendary Divine in John Waters’ original screen outing back in 1988.

Also featured in the current cast is Toneisha Harris of The Voice as Motormouth Maybelle, Billy Dawson as Corny Collins, and Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad.

Proof of vaccination and masks are required in order to see shows at the San Jose Center.

Hairspray is Waters’ most accessible film. Most of the “trash auteur’s” output had been risqué fare with cult followings prior to 1988. Hairspray was PG-rated, and appealed to mainstream audiences. It tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size teen in 1962 Baltimore who pursues stardom on a local TV dance show while rallying against racial segregation on that same show.

West, whose real name is Andrew Levitt, first came to national prominence on season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, where he placed sixth and won Miss Congeniality. Levitt told

Jeremy Daniel

Nina West promotes Hairspray in New York City’s Times Square.

the Bay Area Reporter that he auditioned for Drag Race nine times.

“I didn’t give up, and they put me on,” he said with a laugh. “It was the thing that turned the key and opened up a whole different world for me.”

Levitt added that he loves Drag Race hostess RuPaul, who he called

an “incredible businessman.”

“He teaches by example,” Levitt said. “He has allowed for me and many, many other people who’ve been on the show how to stand in his example and figure out how to best navigate our own careers.”

Levitt has a background in theater.

He is from Ohio, and currently lives in Columbus. Originally, he planned to move to New York City, but after 9/11 he decided to stay in Ohio.

“Drag somehow found me in all of that,” he said. “In the interim period where I was trying to save money to move to New York, I had done a couple of shows in drag and recognized that it was a way for me to create and express myself creatively, and I went on to an almost 21-year career in drag.”

He describes Nina West as a comedy camp queen who has her basis in her theatrical roots, but who is also a character of community.

Levitt spoke of how he views Edna Turnblad, his Hairspray character.

“Edna is this very complex multi-faceted character in this large, beautiful John Waters world,” he said. “She’s the mother of Tracy, is through and through a woman at her core, and she is trying to succeed at being the best mom and the best wife that she possibly can be, while also being agoraphobic to

Drag Race’s Nina West headlines ‘Hairspray’ in San Jose its most crippling level, unable to leave her own home to go out into the real world and experience its beauty and vibrancy. And so we get to see her in this show in a certain period of her life where she is going through a lot of change.”

Hairspray is considered by some to be the only John Waters film to carry a serious message, with its cries against racism and racial segregation.

“John is providing commentary even through his own subversive lens, from things in the world that are probably more serious than we may be willing to look at,” Levitt said.

But, he points out, in addition to raising serious issues, Hairspray is a lot of fun. He refers to the show as

“bubble gum technicolor.”

He hopes that people will see the show’s message.

“I hope that people will take away the ability to know that we’re so much better together,” he said.

“We’re so much better having conversations rather than being divided. That makes such a beautiful piece of living and enjoyment, and I hope that’s what people will take from the show.”t Hairspray runs Nov. 23-28, at the Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd., San Jose. $38$98. https://broadwaysanjose.com/

Read the full article on www.ebar.com

Hairspray touring company

Randy Rainbow Gay satire king, er, queen, at the Masonic find the musical theatre parallel to any situation, be it in my personal life or on the world stage. That’s the easy part. A few times I have written songs and didn’t release them because the news had shifted to focus on something else. It’s rare, but it has happened.

Randy Rainbow

by Gregg Shapiro

F

or many like-minded people, gay and straight, there was a ray of light and joy during the four years of Trump’s reign of terror.

Shining brightly through the seemingly impenetrable dark storm clouds, Randy Rainbow burst forth with colorful parody songs and videos that provided endless sources of laughs.

His multitude of devoted fans and followers looked forward to Rainbow’s brilliantly executed audio-visual treats, as catchy as they were thought-provoking.

Hard at work on the follow-up to his 2019 debut album Hey Gurl, It’s Christmas, as well as working on the plans for his upcoming multicity concert tour –including two shows at San Francisco’s Masonic Hall on November 20– Randy was gracious enough to answer a few questions.

Gregg Shapiro: I’d like to begin by asking you to say a few words about the process of selecting a song for your parody lyrics, and if there’s ever been a song that you really wanted to use but had to abandon because it wasn’t a good fit?

Randy Rainbow: I’m a show queen! I naturally think in show tunes. I’ve just sort of been conditioned through the years, starting at home with my mom, who’s always loved the genre, to naturally

Are you bombarded by suggestions of songs to parody from friends and fans, and if so, have you ever used any of them?

Yes, and it’s led to a few repeats.

I had already done a parody of the song “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof, but then when the word “sedition” came into the zeitgeist, thanks to you-know-who, everyone was clamoring for a reprise.

The same happened with my “Kamala” parody to the tune of “Camelot,” which I’d used a few years back for Kavanaugh.

I was told that you are now busy in the recording studio working on your new album. What can you tell the readers about it?

There are some amazing collaborations on this one. I’m dueting with guest stars like Bernadette Peters, Josh Gad, Sean Hayes, and Tituss Burgess. I’ve also written two new original songs with Marc Shaiman and Alan Menken. Can you believe?! It’s called “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” and will be released later this year through Broadway Records. Stand by!

You are an incredibly prolific artist. Did being isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic cause you to be more productive or did your productivity remain the same?

Believe it or not, 2020 was a very busy year for me artistically. In addition to the videos, I began writing my first memoir, recording the new album, launching a new podcast; it goes on. I am so grateful.

Many folks baked sourdough bread during the shutdown. Are you one of them?

Hell, no! I did what everyone else in New York City does, order takeout [laughs]!

Because “45” was such an endless source of inspiration, do you find yourself missing him?

[Long pause] Are you for real right now?

What did it mean to you when Barbra Streisand tweeted about

your “Marjorie Taylor Greene” video?

Barbra has now tweeted me twice, I’ll have you know! I was even asked by her team to create a video celebrating the release of her new album. I mean. I can’t believe it! It’s Barbra! She’s my only religion.t

Randy Rainbow performs at 7:00pm and 9:30pm, November 20 at The Masonic, 1111 California St. $50-$80. www.livenation.com www.randyrainbow.com

Read the full interview on www.ebar.com

<< TV

18 • Bay Area Reporter • November 18-24, 2021

Preludes to a kiss

by Victoria A. Brownworth

T

he Brothers Osborne, T.J. and John, won vocal duo of the year at the 2021 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards.

T.J., who came out publicly as a gay man in February, kissed his boyfriend Abi Ventura after the win was announced while his brother kissed his wife, Lucie Silvas.

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This was big. Nashville may pride itself on being open to diversity, but Tennessee is one of the worst offenders when it comes to antiLGBTQ legislation. So T.J. Osborne’s public, and defiant, statement of his gayness was huge.

Osborne and his brother have also been outspoken to legislators about how Tennessee needs to

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embrace inclusion not exclusion.

Our hearts also melted when Chucky’s Jake (Zackary Arthur) and Devon (Björgvin Arnarson) shared a sweet first kiss. These two are beyond adorable as they explore their feelings for each other. More queer teen love stories, please.

We also have to give props to Chucky star Jennifer Tilly (Tiffany Valentine, Chucky’s lover and partner in crime), who at 63 is totally fine with some Left: T.J. and John Osborne Right: Smithers finds love on The Simpsons hot girl-on-girl action in the series. boss, Mr. Burns (also Shearer).

Tilly, who starred Gay Panic But now, after decades of unrein the film franchise of the Chucky Lisa Ling delved into the Cold War quited love for Mr. Burns, Smithtale, has also been touting the hit campaign to purge LGBTQ+ indiers will finally find a love that is series as “the queerest show on viduals from the government, which reciprocal. On the Nov. 21 episode, television.” is an historical tale few non-queer Smithers will kiss his new boyAnd more queer kisses still this people are familiar with. Ling also friend, billionaire fashion mogul week as Jerrie (Jesse James Keitel) meets with people who are still grapMichael De Graaf (voiced by out –one of our fave characters on Big pling with the legacy of this camactor Victor Garber).

Sky –said her goodbyes to Mark paign to turn gay people into traitors Ain’t love grand? We have long (Omar Metwally). In a poignant on the Nov. 14 episode of her CNN felt Smithers deserved to be happy. moment, Jerrie asks Mark if there series This Is Life with Lisa Ling.

We hope this is the beginning of a ever could have been something “I have always believed that the fabulous new life for him. between them. In answer, Mark more we know about each other, leaned over and kissed her, ohthe more evolved we become,” Ling Tengo Talento Mucho Talento so-tenderly. Be still, our fluttering says about the intent of her hourLocal queer Bay Area artist Josh hearts. long documentaries.

Diamonds performed alongside These evocations of realness “Gay Panic” details the aftermath dancer and bachata instructor matter in representation of our of the Lavender Scare that President Ngoc Huynh and dancer and vidLGBTQ lives. Trans feminine and Eisenhower put in motion with his eographer Carmen Veronica for nonbinary people like Keitel is in devastating Executive Order 10450, season 24 of the Spanish-language real life and portrays on Big Sky which barred “homosexuals” from reality series Tengo Talento Mucho are often in this circumstance of working in the federal government Talento. For their first performance, falling in love with a cis-het perat any level. Thousands of gay and they did a cover of “Diamonds” by son. Seeing that play out so reallesbian people were outed, reportSam Smith. istically and with real emotional ed and subsequently fired from the When they made it to the quarresonance on Big Sky has been a State Department. The order also ter finals, they performed “Cosjourney. covered private contractors and tumbres,” a traditional song by gay/ It’s been 20 years or more since we military personnel. queer artist Juan Gabriel. Josh Diafirst started talking about The SimpEisenhower’s actions spurred Joe monds said, “We told a love story sons’s Mr. Smithers (voiced by Harry McCarthy and his amanuensis Roy and had a woman leading another Shearer) being gay. In 2016, Waylon Cohn and forcibly outed thousands woman in a partner dance and just Smithers officially came out to his of queer people to devastating conlived our truth. We were happy to sequence, including many suicides. share our performance on national Alan Simpson wrote, “The sotelevision.” called ‘Red Scare’ has been the In the midst of the competition, main focus of most historians of Diamonds’ mother passed on Oct. that period of time. A lesser-known 7. He said, “I was so lost, but I knew element ... and one that harmed far my mom would want me to conmore people, was the witch-hunt tinue to follow my dream and not McCarthy and others conducted BLACK MASCULINE & go home.” against homosexuals.”

HANDSOME Diamonds said, “I am a proud Ling’s interviews make this story Very discreet, hung, Bay Area queer musician and I feel oppressively near to us now. also friendly and clean hope to share my story and inspire Watch at CNN, HBO Max or onfully vaccinated. In/out. others to stand up and be true to demand.t Cedric 510-776-5945. yourself because life is short.”

All types welcome. No Read the full column on Amen. You can watch on Estrella blocked numbers please. www.ebar.com TV, Pluto and You Tube.

Personals Models>>

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<<

Lena Hall

From page 15

Brats’ worth

Meanwhile, as Feinstein’s at the Nikko presents Lena Hall in the hotel’s ballroom venue, they’ll continue to host the now-extended run of the Brat Pack revue in their lobby level cabaret space.

The felicitously fluffy tribute to ’80s teen movies (You’ve heard of Seussical? Well, this is John Hughesical.) features a terrific young cast performing cheesily irresistible synth pop hits from before they were born and replicating nostalgic snippets of dialogue from Pretty In Pink, Say Anything, Weird Science, Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. It’s a giddy, nostalgic buttonpusher of a show for ‘the Olds’ (formerly known as Gen X). If you recall the source material as problematically White Privilegy, well, so do the producers: The energetic ensemble is pointedly multicultural, Long Duk Dong has been appropriately circumcised from the script, and, in a bit

Brat Pack

of kid-gloved overreach, the oftmisconstrued lyrics of the Vapors’ “Turning Japanese” have been rewritten without one of its title’s two words; another ill-conceived Japanese exclusion act, “Fer shur, dudes.”t Lena Hall in the Nikko Ballroom,

Nov. 26-27, 8pm. $80 lenahall.com Brat Pack Fridays and Saturdays, through Jan. 1; Thursdays, Dec. 2, 9, 16 & 30. $25-$104, Feinstein’s at the Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinssf.com

Read the full interview on www.ebar.com

t

Books & 50 in 50>>

Art as a cause

Author John R. Killacky

by Jim Provenzano

H

e’s been a dancer, an arts administrator at the center of a government censorship controversy, and is a gay man dealing with a serious disability. Local arts professionals and patrons know John R. Killacky from his work as executive director of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

In his concise collection of essays and interviews, Killacky’s Because Art: Commentary, Critique & Conversation (Onion River Press) offers behind-the-scenes perspectives on his decades of arts administration, and his own struggle to deal with physical limitations.

His insight on the successes and failures of arts funding, and government censorship at the height of the ‘NEA Four’ and Robert Mapplethorpe controversies, provide a look back at the ups and downs of funding efforts to support the arts.

Killacky’s opening essay, “Called to Serve” condenses decades of his arts and personal accomplish-

ments, from dancing with Chicago Moving Company to finding enlightenment in the Himalayan mountains with Buddhist monks.

His return to the performing arts included managing postmodern icons Trisha Brown and Laura Dean’s dance companies for a few years, all at the center of New York’s performing arts explosion, until he was recruited as performing arts curator for the Minneapolis Walker Art Center. through these years, Killacky also wrote, made films, and enjoyed a hobby of horse-cart-riding.

His perspectives on censorship, as a producer of events under the Inquisition-esque rightwing, offer unique insight. Controversies continued, specifically with media distortions (and lies) about the work of Ron Athey. The ‘Culture Wars’ raged on, but Killacky’s own battles took on a new challenge when a spinal cord tumor led to an operation that left him paralyzed.

His lengthy and painful partial recovery was aided by the use of a

November 18-24, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

mirror, since, he writes, “I learned to dance with mirrors.”

With most originally published elsewhere (including the Bay Area Reporter; see this week’s arts ‘50 years in 50 weeks’), some of the essays read more like arts conference addresses, and they are. But Killacky counters the more formal writings with personal insights into his continued journey of being disabled.

One of the results of his journey was Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories, a groundbreaking Lambda Literary Award-winning anthology Killacky co-edited with Bob Guter.

Q&As with several notable creators (Bill T. Jones, Tim Miller, Janis Ian, Judith Smith, Tony Kushner and more) make for insightful reading for anyone in the arts, and those interested in how art gets made.

Printed in clear sans-serif fonts –which usually don’t work well, but do in this case– the book itself takes on the refined quality of a contemporary exhibit catalog.

Like a sort of arts Doctor Who, the author continues to renew and regenerate. Now serving a second term as a legislator in Vermont, Killacky recently retired from his position as executive director of Burlington, Vermont’s Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.

This news, and a few mentions of COVID-19, make for a collection of writings that are both historically important and up to date.t

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2022 THE MASONIC

because art: Commentary, Critique, & Conversation by John R. Killacky (Paperback) $20. 240 pages www.phoenixbooks.biz

50 years in 50 weeks:

back, in person, and better than ever!

‘Queer Crips’ in 2003

santaskivvies.org

by Jim Provenzano

I

n the B.A.R.’s November 13 issue, John R. Killacky shares his experience in becoming disabled, and how using a wheelchair helped him gain more freedom than using a cane at age 51.

“People get confused when they see me move in and out of my chariot,” wrote Killacky. “At the State Fair, I rolled up to the Tilt-A-Whirl and stood up to join the line. The ticket-taker asked my partner, ‘Can he get on this ride?’

‘You’d better ask him,’ was his now standard reply.”

Killacky, co-editor, with Bob Guter, of the anthology Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and their Stories, would attend the release event for the book with local contributors, at San Francisco Public Library’s main branch.

Then a respected arts administrator in San Francisco, Killacky, a former dancer turned administrator for pioneering post-modern choreographer Tricia Brown, went on to work in the arts field for years before moving to Vermont, where he’s now a state legislator.

This year, Killacky published his fascinating collection of essays and interviews (including the Nov. 11, 2003 B.A.R. essay), Because Art: Commentary, Critique & Conversation (Onion River Press). See our review, also in this week’s issue.t Read more back issues at https://archive.org/details/bayareareporter

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