10
Windy City fun
Housing op-art
ARTS
7
15
21
2018 Fine Art
Nightlife Events
The
www.ebar.com
Since 1971, the newspaper of record for the San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQ community
Vol. 48 • No. 52 • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
SF mayor reflects on first six months
Breed mulls changes to LGBT panel
Breed pushes LGBT priorities
by Alex Madison
by Matthew S. Bajko
M
ayor London Breed has some ideas for revamping the stagnant San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s LGBT Advisory Committee, but during an editorial board meeting with the Bay Area Reporter, she echoed the same reasoning that HRC staffers gave for the panel’s hiatus. The questions to the mayor came after the B.A.R. reported in November that the 12-member LGBT advisory panel has only met a handful of times in the last two years. The panel’s spokesman, David Carrington Miree, a gay man, explained that the committee hasn’t had enough members present at the meetings to satisfy the required quorum, or minimum number of people needed, preventing the committee from voting or conducting business. He said it was due to the growing
W During a walking tour of the Castro in August, Mayor London Breed, left, heard neighborhood concerns from Ken Jones, Sandra Zuniga from San Francisco’s Fix-It Team, and Andrea Aiello, executive director of the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District.
See page 5 >>
hen she ran in the spring to be elected mayor of San Francisco, London Breed listed a number of LGBT priorities that she planned to focus on should she be elected to Room 200 at City Hall. She called for building a homeless shelter dedicated to the needs of LGBTQ youth where they could access myriad services to assist them in moving off the streets and into permanent housing. Breed, at the time the board president and District 5 supervisor representing the Western Addition and the Haight, also pledged to improve unsafe conditions in single-roomoccupancy hotels. Many LGBT residents, in particular transgender individuals, call the buildings home. See page 5 >>
Rick Gerharter
Kendell confident in NCLR’s future by Heather Cassell
I CNN
President Donald Trump
Trump delivers rough year for LGBTs by Lisa Keen
G
ay Republican Richard Grenell was having trouble getting confirmed as ambassador to Germany last year; this year, his name was floated as a possible choice for White House chief of staff. In 2017, the LGBT community shuddered as President Donald Trump appointed Jeff See page 12 >>
t’s been nearly a year of celebration, heartfelt gratitude, and sadness as the National Center for Lesbian Right’s longtime leader Kate Kendell has been saying her goodbyes. On March 15, Kendell announced she was leaving the nonprofit after 22 years at the helm of the organization that has been advocating to LGBT legal rights for four decades. Her last day is December 31. “I will miss NCLR every single day and so much about this job,” said Kendell in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “I’m reconciled to the fact that I will miss this job and I’m resolute that it is the right time for me and for the organization. “I will be forever grateful to the San Francisco LGBT community for making it possible for me to have a life that I never could have imagined,” she added. Kendell, 58, first arrived at NCLR as its legal director in 1994 before stepping into her role as executive director two years later, serving a total of 24 years at the agency. For many, Kendell was a national leader and spokeswoman as NCLR shone a legal light on the most vulnerable in the LGBT community, particularly transgender individuals and people of color. Her departure announcement sent shockwaves through the LGBT community, where many questioned, “What would NCLR be
Rick Gerharter
Kate Kendell spoke at this year’s Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club Pride Breakfast, where she received the Jim Foster Lifetime Achievement Award.
without Kate?” “They said that about me,” said lesbian former San Francisco supervisor Roberta Achtenberg, who served as the organization’s second executive director and is Kendell’s predecessor. “The organization thrived, was healthy, and went into directions that none of us could have ever imagined. “I think that we are destined for the same kind of growth, improvement, and forward projectory that we enjoyed under Kate’s leadership. Our next leader will take us to the places that we need to go with a feminist leadership
style,” Achtenberg added. Kendell is the organization’s third leader since it’s founding in 1977 by Donna Hitchens, now a retired San Francisco Superior Court judge. Hitchens started NCLR as a project of Equal Rights Advocates, a San Francisco-based women’s rights legal advocacy organization. NCLR’s board launched the search for a new executive director April 1. Earlier this month, Kendell announced in an email to donors that the organization appointed Cindy Myers, a lesbian and seasoned nonprofit administration expert, as interim executive director. Myers, 61, said that taking this role was the “most significant thing I will have done in my professional life because of the impact NCLR has had on the world.” She noted Kendell’s accomplishments and called her one of the LGBT movement’s “most prominent queer women leaders.” “I’m honoring her legacy with a steady hand at the head of NCLR until we bring on NCLR’s next dynamic leader to change the world for our community,” Myers said.
In the spotlight
Kendell was at the forefront of the fight for same-sex marriage with then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and was one of his key advisers for the “Winter of Love,” which See page 11 >>
{ FIRST OF THREE SECTIONS }
The Holidays are Here! Rates as low as
6.99% APR* Apply Today! Visit SanFrancicoFCU.com, call 415.615.7088 or stop by a branch.
Get the best of everything wrapped into one card – because you deserve it. No Annual Fee No Balance Transfer Fee 1% Cash Back on Purchases No Interest Charged for 25 days No Foreign Transaction Fees *Rates are subject to change. All loans subject to credit approval. Federally Insured by NCUA. Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lending. Loans subject to credit approval.
<< Community News
2 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
SF trans initiatives office looks to 2019 by Alex Madison
S
an Francisco’s Office of Transgender Initiatives had a big year in 2018 establishing the Transgender Advisory Committee, making recommendations to the mayor, and responding to federal attacks against the community. For 2019, it has even more on its plate and is rolling out new projects. The office’s three full-time staff members spoke to the Bay Area Reporter about next year’s priorities, which include an expansion of professional development services for trans individuals, the roll out of an economic fellowship pilot program for transgender immigrants, and an official TAC advocacy day, among other things. The trans office was launched two years ago by the late mayor Ed Lee and is believed to be the first such municipal office of its kind. A significant day for the office in 2018 was last month when Mayor London Breed declared November Transgender Awareness Month in San Francisco. Earlier that week, the 13-member TAC, which was established in April, met with Breed for the first time to lay out its recommendations. “That was a huge first in allowing trans community members to have a seat at the table and address these issues and having them be heard,” said Maceo Persson, a queer trans man who is civic engagement and operations manager at the office. With a solid year behind them, the team is hoping to have an even stronger one coming up. One responsibility of the office next year will be aiding other city departments to adhere to Breed’s recent directive that ordered all city agencies and departments that collect demographic data to include the option of nonbinary on all forms. This will be a major undertaking for the office come 2019, Persson said. Clair Farley, a trans woman who’s director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives, told the B.A.R. that the total city grants for “important” trans programs is close to $2.5 million this year. One of the biggest priorities of both TAC and the office will be finding ways to secure and expand housing services for the trans community. “We find that housing continues to be the number one barrier for the community,” said Farley. “One in every five trans people are homeless.
We want to make sure our office is prioritizing this and want to make sure to connect people to resources that are safe.” An aspect of this includes working with Trans Activists for Justice and Accountability, or TAJA’s Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to providing trans-specific services and fighting for trans rights. The coalition received a two-year $150,000 grant from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development. A portion of the grant will be dedicated to surveying local homeless shelters, Navigation Centers, and single-room-occupancy hotels to better understand how they are serving the trans community and to identify gaps in services. “We are looking at individual access around making the shelters more accessible, bathroom access, shower facilities, and how to engage other shelters and make sure there are resources available,” Farley said. The information from the survey will help inform training sessions for shelter staff. Just a few weeks ago, about 40 employees from various shelters and Navigation Centers gathered at the San Francisco Public Library for general cultural competency training, led by Farley’s office. Danielle Castro, board chair of TAJA’s Coalition, said grants like these are vital in mitigating trans homelessness and getting trans people into safe housing options. The coalition is named after a transgender woman killed in 2015. “It’s really important to have services for the trans community especially because of the level of violence that we face and the barriers that exist to accessing social services including safe housing,” said Castro, who identifies as a trans person. In terms of housing, the trans office will also focus next year on additional stipends and rental subsidies for trans-specific housing.
Other priorities
Other items on the office’s plate include an expansion of workforce development programming for trans people in the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, which will roll out in July. The trans office, partnering with the city’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, was awarded $160,000 from add-back funds for one year. The funds will expand services already provided by the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, TGI Justice Project, and the
Turn your fireplace into an efficient area heater with a gas fireplace insert—simple, clean, eco-friendly, and convenient!
plan to launch that business.” Something that will tie various trans resources together and that the office is working on with the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs is a trans web portal. The navigation portal would act as a one-stop-shop to connect trans people to housing, workforce, and other trans-related services. “There are a lot of challenges connecting people to services and follow up, and we are hoping we can create more connection and a tool for organizations to communicate with one another and a simplified one-stop-shop for community members, residents, and organizations to visit,” Farley said. The web portal is in a very preliminary stage, and no start date has been set.
Taking on Trump
Courtesy SF Office of Transgender Initiatives
Pau Crego, left, Clair Farley, and Maceo Persson of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives have several projects lined up for 2019.
San Francisco Community Health Center’s Polk Street office. “When you look at the history of the Tenderloin and SOMA, the trans community doesn’t have access to pathways to economic development and self sufficiency,” Farley said. “We want to provide pathways to jobs and provide life skills for trans individuals to reach their goals, whether that’s going back to school or transitioning to a new job.” The expansion is expected to serve 150 trans people who will receive one-on-one help. Another way the office is supporting workforce development is through a pilot economic fellowship program for transgender immigrants. In January, the office will welcome three fellows who will participate in the 21-week program. The idea is for them to develop professional skills through placement with local nonprofits. “We will work with them to create individual work plans to help accomplish their goals,” Pau Crego,
a trans person who’s director of policy and programs at the trans office, said. “LGBT immigrants face unique barriers, language barriers and navigating a new employment system that they didn’t have access to in their past countries of origin.” The fellows were recruited by El/ La Para TransLatinas, a San Francisco nonprofit dedicated to advocating for transgender Latinas’ rights and providing the community services. All three of the fellows will attend English as a Second Language courses at City College of San Francisco and some will receive guidance in their quest to gain asylum and get a work visa. After the fellowship ends, the goal is to connect the fellows to permanent employment. Farley said she hopes to expand the program to 10 fellows for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. “One [fellow] wants to develop their own catering business,” Crego said. “She will be working at learning English and at the same time working with El/La to develop a business
The office is also gearing up for its response to attacks on the trans community by President Donald Trump and his administration. An example of this is the Trump administration’s recent efforts to strip federal recognition of trans people. The New York Times reported in October that the administration prepared a proposal to limit the identification of a person’s gender to include only “male” or “female” that is listed at birth. Persson said Breed declaring November as Transgender Awareness Month was in direct response to this attack. He also mentioned Trump’s signing of a memorandum in May that served as an implementation plan for his policy to ban transgender people from serving openly in the military. “We are working hard to respond to these attacks and making sure that the country knows San Francisco is a city that doesn’t tolerate discrimination and that we support our diverse communities,” he said. A first for the office will be TAC’s advocacy day that is planned to take place in conjunction with Transgender Day of Visibility in March. It’s a day when TAC will bring transgender community members to City Hall to share their stories with the Board of Supervisors. TAC will also share their community recommendations with the BOS that day. The office has a big year ahead of them, but they are ready to tackle their goals. “We have a lot of work ahead of us,” Farley said.t
OKELL’S FIREPLACE
Floor Model Accessory Sale*! All in-stock screens, andirons, and toolsets are 30-50% off! *Sale price is for accessory floor models only. Special orders are not included. All sales final. Pay in full at time of purchase.
415-626-1110
t
New Showroom Address! 130 Russ Street, San Francisco
okellsfireplace.com
New Year's
OPEN SUNDAYS , ay ! In nd y rr Mo 4th Hu ds y 1 ! En ar m le nu 9p Sa Ja at
Monday - Sunday 10am - 9pm
Super Sale!
6
years 15 • no interest • no money down %off
plus
‡‡
*
• no minimum purchase
On purchases with your Ashley Advantage™ credit card from 12/27/2018 to 1/14/2019. Equal monthly payments required for 72 months. Ashley Furniture does not require a down payment, however, sales tax and delivery charges are due at time of purchase. *See below for details.
COMING SOON TO SAN JOSE!
Now Only
ALTARI Sofa
Sales Associates
Get it Today! No Credit Needed!
YEARS
INCLUDES 15% OFF‡‡
or
Regular Price $69999
NOW HIRING!
6
59499
$
9
$
SPECIAL FINANCING§ PLUS!
PER MONTH FOR 72 MONTHS.*
DUBLIN
FAIRFIELD Exit Green Valley 4865 Auto Plaza Ct Fairfield, CA 94534 707-864-3537
facebook.com/AshleyHSDublin
facebook.com/AshleyHSFairfield
CONCORD Exit at Concord, next to Trader Joe’s 2201 John Glenn Dr Concord, CA 94520 925-521-1977
facebook.com/AshleyHSConcord
EMERYVILLE In the East Baybridge Shopping Center 3839 Emery St., Ste. 300 Emeryville, CA 94608 510-292-4339
facebook.com/AshleyHSEmeryville
FOLSOM Located in the Broadstone Plaza 2799 E Bidwell St Folsom, CA 95630 916-986-9200
LATHROP OUTLET STORE 18290 Harlan Rd. Lathrop, CA 95330 209-707-2177 facebook.com/ AshleyHSOutletLathrop
MILPITAS In McCarthy Ranch 128 Ranch Dr Milpitas, CA 95035 408-262-6860 facebook.com/AshleyHSMilpitas
FRESNO
MODESTO
facebook.com/AshleyHSFresno
PLUS!
‡‡
facebook.com/AshleyHSFolsom
7502 N. Blackstone Ave Fresno, CA 93720 559-283-8251
SPECIAL FINANCING§
3
18
YEARS
MONTHS
PLUS!
PLUS!
SPECIAL FINANCING§
SPECIAL FINANCING§
% 15 20 25 30 OFF OFF OFF OFF %
‡
7885 Dublin Blvd., Dublin, CA 94568 925-660-0480
5
YEARS
3900 Sisk Rd., Ste B Modesto, CA 95356 209-248-6152 facebook.com/AshleyHSModesto
% ‡‡
% ‡‡
REDDING
SACRAMENTO
VISALIA
1405 Dana Drive Redding, CA 96003 530-222-7707
Located at the Promenade in Natomas 3667 N Freeway Blvd Sacramento, CA 95834 916-419-8906
3850 S. Mooney Blvd Visalia, CA 93277 559-697-6399
facebook.com/AshleyHSRedding
ROHNERT PARK
‡‡
facebook.com/AshleyHSVisalia
facebook.com/AshleyHSSacramento
Exit Rohnert Park Expwy, across from Costco 6001 Redwood Dr Rohnert Park, CA 94928 707-586-1649
707 Bayshore Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94124 415-467-4414
facebook.com/AshleyHSRohnertPark
facebook.com/AshleyHSSanFrancisco
Follow us at @AshleyHomeStoreWest
ROSEVILLE
STOCKTON
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK: Monday - Sunday 10am - 9pm
Highland Reserve Marketplace 10349 Fairway Dr Roseville, CA 95678 916-953-5757
facebook.com/AshleyHSRoseville
SAN FRANCISCO
In the Park West Place Shopping Center 10904 Trinity Parkway, Stockton, CA 95219 209-313-2187
“Se Habla Español” www.AshleyHomeStore.com
facebook.com/AshleyHSStockton
*Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. Ashley HomeStore does not require a down payment, however, sales tax and delivery charges are due at time of purchase if the purchase is made with your Ashley Advantage™ Credit Card. No interest will be charged on promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of months in promo period until promo is paid in full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a non-promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for their applicable terms. Promotional purchases of merchandise will be charged to account when merchandise is delivered. Subject to credit approval. ‡Monthly payment shown is equal to the purchase price, excluding taxes and delivery, divided by the number of months in the promo period, rounded to the next highest whole dollar, and only applies to the selected financing option shown. If you make your payments by the due date each month, the monthly payment shown should allow you to pay off this purchase within the promo period if this balance is the only balance on your account during the promo period. If you have other balances on your account, this monthly payment will be added to the minimum payment applicable to those balances. ††Ashley HomeStore does not require a down payment, however, sales tax and delivery charges are due at time of purchase if the purchase is made with your Ashley Advantage™ Credit Card. Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on the promo purchase if you pay the promo purchase amount in full within 18 Months. If you do not, interest will be charged on the promo purchase from the purchase date. Depending on purchase amount, promotion length and payment allocation, the required minimum monthly payments may or may not pay off purchase by end of promotional period. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases and, after promotion ends, to promotional balance. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for their applicable terms. Promotional purchases of merchandise will be charged to account when merchandise is delivered. Subject to credit approval. §Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required. See store for details. ‡‡Previous purchases excluded. Cannot be combined with any other promotion or discount. Discount offers exclude Tempur-Pedic®, Stearns & Foster® and Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid™ mattress sets, floor models, clearance items, sales tax, furniture protection plans, warranty, delivery fee, Manager’s Special pricing, Advertised Special pricing, and 14 Piece Packages and cannot be combined with financing specials. Effective 1/1/2018, all mattress and box springs are subject to a $10.50 per unit CA recycling fee. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. Stoneledge Furniture LLC. many times has multiple offers, promotions, discounts and financing specials occurring at the same time; these are allowed to only be used either/or and not both or combined with each other. Although every precaution is taken, errors in price and/or specification may occur in print. We reserve the right to correct any such errors. Picture may not represent item exactly as shown, advertised items may not be on display at all locations. Some restrictions may apply. Available only at participating locations. ±Leather Match upholstery features top-grain leather in the seating areas and skillfully matched vinyl everywhere else. Ashley HomeStores are independently owned and operated. ©2019 Ashley HomeStores, Ltd. Promotional Start Date: December 27, 2018. Expires: January 14, 2019.
<< Community News
4 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Ring in new year at Commonwealth Club compiled by Cynthia Laird
F
or the first time ever, the Commonwealth Club will celebrate its premier Embarcadero location with a New Year’s Eve party Monday, December 31. Attendees will walk the red carpet and then enjoy indulgent cuisine, high-end spirits, lively entertainment, and some of the best views of the fireworks. The party, which runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., includes three separate event spaces, unlimited cocktails, a midnight balloon drop, dancing, and more. DJ St. John from 99.7 will be spinning tunes. The club’s offices are located at 110 The Embarcadero; party checkin will be via the club’s back door at 115 Steuart Street. Public transportation or Uber or Lyft are highly encouraged. Attire is sparkly, no jeans, and guests must be 21 or older. Tickets are $399 and available at www.commonwealthclub.org.
Free Muni and other transit options for NYE
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will offer free rides on New Year’s Eve from 8 p.m. Monday, December 31, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, January 1. “We wish all San Francisco residents, workers, and visitors a safe and happy new year. That’s why we
The Commonwealth Club’s New Year’s Eve party will include great views of the fireworks show.
partnered with 76 to once again make Muni free on the last night of the year,” Ed Reiskin, SFMTA director of transportation, said in a news release. “So celebrate the end of 2018 without the worry of drinking and driving.” The free Muni program includes all Muni lines and routes. Additionally, Owl service frequency will be doubled on several routes and extra Metro shuttles will run from West Portal to Fourth and King streets until 2:15 a.m. Cable car service will be provided by buses after about 6 p.m., as will service on the F Market trolley line.
The fireworks show will start at midnight from a barge south of the Ferry Building. Motorists should anticipate delays in the area from about 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. No closures or re-routes are planned. SFMTA and the San Francisco Police Department will monitor for any necessary re-routes. For more details, including schedules and stops, visit www. sfmta.com/nye. For people planning to ride BART, it will not be free but will offer extended service until 3 a.m. In a news release, the agency said that standard weekday service
will run December 31 until 8 p.m., though some extra commuter trains will be canceled. Special service to and from San Francisco starts at 8 p.m. and extends to 3 a.m. Trains will run every 20 minutes after midnight with extra trains standing by in downtown San Francisco after the fireworks show. To minimize platform overcrowding at the Embarcadero, Montgomery, and West Oakland stations, beginning at 8 p.m. trains will skip stops into and out of San Francisco as follows: Antioch and Richmond trains heading into the city will not stop at Embarcadero. People should exit at Montgomery for the fireworks show. Dublin/Pleasanton and South
t
Fremont/Warm Springs trains will not stop at Montgomery. People should exit at Embarcadero station for the fireworks show. Trains from Millbrae, Daly City, and San Francisco International Airport will stop at all stations in San Francisco. After the fireworks end, Antioch and Richmond line trains will not stop at Embarcadero Station. Use Montgomery station to catch these trains. Dublin/Pleasanton and South Fremont/Warm Springs line trains will not stop at Montgomery Street. Use Embarcadero station to catch these trains. Dublin/Pleasanton and South Fremont/Warm Springs line trains will not stop at West Oakland. The first East Bay stop will be Lake Merritt station. People will need to change to a SF-bound train at Lake Merritt if they need to return to West Oakland. Millbrae, Daly City, and SFO passengers should use the Montgomery station. For more information, visit https://www.bart.gov/. For people planning to take Caltrain into San Francisco on New Year’s Eve, it will operate a regular weekday schedule with extra service for the fireworks show. Caltrain will provide free service after 8 p.m. until the last train departs San Francisco at 2 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.caltrain.com/.t
Man who stole rainbow flag back in jail by Alex Madison
T
he man convicted of stealing a rainbow flag from the Guerneville Plaza flagpole in June has been
arrested for violating his probation relating to the petty theft charge. Vincent Joseph O’Sullivan, 56, is currently serving 120 days in the Sonoma County Sheriff ’s Office Main
Adult Detention Center for two probation violations, according to a spokesman for the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office. “The defendant allegedly had two
Twice a year, in January and July, representatives from the Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco pocket billiards organizations come together to compete in a statewide pocket billiard competition called the West Coast Challenge (WCC). Each city sends their championship team, eight individual competitors, four women finalists and a Hi-Lo (Scotch Doubles) team to compete in this three-day tournament.
dirty drug tests,” said Brian Staebell, chief deputy district attorney of the Sonoma County DA’s office. In July, O’Sullivan was sentenced in Sonoma County Superior Court in Santa Rosa to 36 months probation and 100 hours of community service for stealing the flag. According to Staebell, the probation office filed the allegation of violation against O’Sullivan October 29. He then had a violation of probation hearing on December 5 based on “two positive tests for methamphetamine.” “At the end of the hearing the court found him in violation and remanded him,” Staebell said. O’Sullivan’s attorney for the petty theft case, Chris Chouteau, declined to comment. As previously reported by the Bay Area Reporter, O’Sullivan also faces a hate crime charge for another incident in May where he threatened to “bomb the gay people in Guerneville” at a local Safeway store, authorities said. He targeted one individual who was the victim in this case, a gay male employee of the Starbucks located inside the Guerneville Safeway store off Highway 116. Other threats and language allegedly used by O’Sullivan during the incident included, “I am going to kill all the motherfucking gays,” and “I am going to blow you up you motherfucking faggot,” according to Robert Maddock, the deputy district attorney who formerly prosecuted the case. O’Sullivan pleaded not guilty to the hate crime charge at his arraignment July 12. He was expected back
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department
Vincent Joseph O’Sullivan
in court December 24, for a motion to dismiss hearing. Martin Woods, O’Sullivan’s attorney regarding the hate crime charge, did not respond to a request for comment from the B.A.R. Beth Streets, a straight ally who started a Flag Supporters group that replaced the stolen rainbow flag and has also been following O’Sullivan’s case very closely, said he also did not complete any of his community service. She said she had been told about O’Sullivan’s drug use, and the probation violations confirmed it. Prior to O’Sullivan’s conviction for stealing the flag, the flag had been stolen about a half dozen times since it was first put up in June 2017. For Streets and the community, she said this experience has been an “up and down roller coaster,” and said she continued to raise the rainbow flag to “help a community that was starting to feel rightfully fearful.” “Hate can never win,” she said.t
January 4–6, 2019 Hotel Whitcomb Grand Ballroom 1231 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
Exclusive Media Sponsor
@eBARnews
t <<
From the Cover>>
LGBT panel
From page 1
number of other LGBT organizations that do not have as many rules and regulations over convening as governmental agencies. The committee usually meets monthly except for December and June, in recognition of Pride Month, but has only met five times in the last two years. When the B.A.R. sat down with Breed for an editorial board meeting in early December, she was asked what she would like to see happen with the committee and if she has considered shifting it from HRC’s leadership to the Office of Transgender Initiatives. A recommendation of the LGBTQ+ Cultural Heritage Strategy, expected to be adopted by city leaders next year, is to expand the services of the trans office to include LGBs. The mayor first addressed why she believes the panel has been unable to rally its members. “I am very concerned that the members who are on this body are not participating in this effort and I think it has a lot to do with that there are a lot of other things going on and initiatives people are working on,” Breed said. This was similar to responses given by Miree and Susan Belinda Christian, a lesbian who is chair of the HRC. Miree previously stated, “so many other LGBT advocacy
<<
LGBT priorities
From page 1
Another priority Breed named should she become mayor was improving the safety of LGBTQ seniors in city shelters. To do so, she promised to provide LGBTQ-targeted services and cultural competency training for shelter staff. And she said she would be open to expanding the role of her mayoral adviser on transgender issues into a position focused on a wide array of LGBT initiatives. Six months after becoming the first African-American woman elected mayor of the city, Breed is working to fulfill her LGBT campaign promises. During a recent editorial board meeting with the Bay Area Reporter, Breed laid out several steps she and her administration have taken since her July swearing in to address the needs of the city’s LGBT community. “That’s really what I am here for, is to work on the challenges we have here in San Francisco to make San Francisco a better city for each and every one of us,” said Breed, 44, who briefly served as acting mayor following the death of the late mayor Ed Lee last December due to her being board president. (Her board colleagues in January voted to replace Breed as mayor with former District 2 supervisor Mark Farrell, saying they did not want someone running in the special election triggered by Lee’s sudden death to serve in the position. Breed went on to defeat gay former state lawmaker and city supervisor Mark Leno, outgoing District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim, and several other candidates in the June contest.) During her first 169 days in office Breed has several LGBT accomplishments to point to, most recently declaring the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band the city’s official band at the request of gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. Last month she flew the transgender flag at City Hall for the first time and declared November as Transgender Awareness Month. In October, Breed issued a directive ordering city agencies and departments to expand the gender options on their intake forms to include the option of nonbinary in addition to male and female. It also required there be gender-neutral
groups in the city have less restrictions and rules and regulations. It’s easier for people to navigate that environment than the rules and heavily regulated government-sanctioned committees.” Christian said she and other commissioners were looking to revamp the advisory panel. She would like it to align its work with the commission’s. The mayor then mentioned the work being done at the Office of Transgender Initiatives and followed with, “In some ways [the LGBT Advisory Committee] is probably just taken for granted because there are so many different organizations that are organizing and advocating for a number of different initiatives.” A solution she proposed was to designate leaders of LGBT nonprofits or someone on their staff to participate on the advisory committee. “For example the LGBT center’s executive director can designate themselves or someone who works for them and allow them to incorporate it as part of their job responsibilities. That way we get a real commitment,” Breed said. Although she is not looking at including this as a requirement of a nonprofit’s contract with the city, she explained the first step is getting nonprofits to agree to the idea.
Nonprofits respond
Some San Francisco nonprofit leaders had their own opinions on
options for titles and pronouns and a line allowing people to list their chosen name. She also that month declined an invite to attend a U.S. Conference of Mayors event in Alabama due to the state being on the city’s banned travel list for having anti-LGBT laws on its books. It came as Breed faced criticism for not publicly denouncing a school board candidate she had endorsed who suspended her campaign after her past transphobic comments resurfaced. Overall, Breed said that her time as mayor “has not only been a whirlwind but it’s been, so far, the time of my life.”
Campaign promises works in progress
As for her campaign promises on LGBT issues, most are still works in progress or have been altered due to budgetary constraints or other concerns. For instance, rather than open a freestanding LGBT youth homeless shelter, Breed is aiming to open a Navigation Center focused on housing all transitional age youth, 18 to 24, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. “We are in the process of trying to identify a location,” said Breed, adding that her “preference is to find, at this point, any location that we could possibly get in the city. As you know the challenges of opening shelters and Navigation Centers it’s really hard.” Her spokesman, Jeff Cretan, told the B.A.R. that the city has already allocated $1 million toward the facility and will increase its ongoing funding to $3.4 million starting in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. “There will be services for LGBT and trans youth as a part of it,” he explained, adding that dedicating some of the beds for trans youth is under discussion. Clair Farley, director of the transgender office, added that agencies that serve LGBT youth, such as the LGBT Community Center, Larkin Street Youth Services, and LYRIC, short for the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center, would be able to be on site at the shelter to provide assistance to the youth. “And so the Navigation Center would act as kind of another place where there is a hub of services where all these organizations that
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 5
the mayor’s suggestion. Bill Hirsh, executive director of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and co-chair of the HIV/AIDS Provider Network, said the idea could come with challenges. “Nonprofits already have a lot on their plate,” Hirsh, a gay man, said, though he mentioned that nonprofits are always looking to innovate and are open to new ideas that improve how they serve the community. Rebecca Rolfe, executive director of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, said she has never heard of this idea before, but that she may be agreeable to it after learning more. “A lot of what we do is work to identify issues within the community and to bring community voices, both to identify them and solve problems,” Rolfe, a lesbian, said. “We would have to have some conversations about what the expectations with that group is moving forward, what they want them to accomplish, and see what HRC thinks about that, as they have historically led them.” When the mayor was asked if she has considered having the Office of Transgender Initiatives add the LGBT advisory committee to its portfolio, she said that conversation has happened, but that she is hesitant to do so until the office has additional resources to expand. She also mentioned that the trans office is already working on initiatives
Jane Philomen Cleland
Mayor London Breed
are working in collaborative could really work together with HSH to best identify how do we get younger people off the streets,” said Farley, referring to the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. As for creating a shelter specifically for transgender homeless individuals, Breed did not rule it out. The city already funds Jazzie’s Place, a 24-bed shelter for LGBT adults, but there is a waiting list to be assigned one of the beds. “I think that what we are looking at is one specifically for the trans community and delivering services and resources,” said Breed. Yet the mayor didn’t allocate any of the $181 million windfall the city is receiving in a one-time infusion of funding toward a transgender or LGBT homeless shelter when she announced last Thursday her plan for spending the funds. She has proposed using $56 million for temporary shelter and treatment programs, including $27 million for a new 200-bed Shelter Access For Everyone (SAFE) emergency homeless shelter. “It is still fluid. Things could change but not currently,” said Cretan, who told the B.A.R. after the funding proposal was announced that a transgender shelter “is something we could look at in the future.” As for inspecting the city’s SROs, Breed said the issue of ensuring the facilities are livable doesn’t just affect LGBT residents but all tenants in the buildings. “We are working with DBI to prioritize inspections and address the issues with those buildings in
that support the lesbian and gay community. Her reluctance comes from not wanting the trans office to divert from its original purpose. “I don’t want the office to get away from its ultimate mission of what it’s there to do and start to fold in additional things to do without additional resources associated with that, but I am also open to ideas of what people may want to see for the purposes of making sure we are delivering on the promises that we are making that are important to our LGBTQ community,” Breed said. Maceo Persson, a trans person who is the civic engagement and operations manager at the trans office, said conversations about expanding the office to address the needs of LGBs has started at City Hall, but that he appreciates the mayor’s comments about the office not losing site of its purpose. “They are very much early conversations,” Persson said. “A lot of the work we do already does include the LGB community. Our office is often called on to take on, and advocate on, LGB issues. That scope isn’t new for us.”
Streamlining nonprofit efforts
Breed also expressed her desire to see the city’s nonprofits collaborate more effectively in providing community services. “Ultimately we shouldn’t work
general,” said Breed, referring to the Department of Building Inspection. “I have not differentiated one population versus the other. I am just working on making sure these buildings are in good repair.” Tackling the concerns LGBT people have expressed about how they are treated in the city’s shelters is furthest along in terms of being accomplished. The Mayor’s Office of Transgender Initiatives and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development received a two-year grant at $200,000 per year to evaluate the shelters. To help with the work, the offices awarded the funding to the Trans Activists for Justice and Accountability Coalition, known as TAJA’s Coalition and named after a transgender woman killed in 2015. (Under a subcontract with the grant, EL/LA Para Trans Latina is receiving $50,000 annually to support violence prevention programming.) The group has been tasked to “do some evaluation of the existing shelter programs in terms of access to the trans community to better understand what the community needs as well as to better train providers in terms of trans inclusion,” explained Farley. “So we are really hoping to use that feedback from the community to support the initiatives that the mayor is spearheading so that the resources really help the community.” Farley’s office also recently trained 60 providers contracted with the city’s homeless services department on LGBT cultural competency. She said the agency plans to host the trainings twice a year. “I am hoping we can work through this TAJA grant to travel to all of the shelter sites to do training,” said Farley. “So my team will be working closely with the organization because this is a top priority of mine and the mayor’s to make sure our community feels safe in accessing our services, and it is only through that we will be able to determine where the gaps are.” The goal, said Farley, is to ensure “if anyone was to access these services they will feel safe.” Asked about retooling Farley’s position into overseeing a broader office on LGBT initiatives, similar to what Santa Clara County has created, Breed expressed some
counter to one another,” Breed said. “We should be working together because there are a lot of great organizations out there.” She emphasized creating a more streamlined approach to collaboration similar to when she was executive director of the African American Art and Culture Complex. There, she scheduled regular meetings with heads of various nonprofits to create a year-round event calendar. One example of that was a holiday fair at the center, she said. Multiple organizations came together to put on the event. The YMCA of San Francisco provided face painting, for instance, while other organizations planned the stage performances and other festivities. The center also helped streamline the giveaway of backpacks by community groups. What the mayor doesn’t want to see is multiple organizations putting on the same event and not utilizing resources to the best of all the nonprofits’ abilities. “All these organizations have the same people going from place to place to place and also it is not really identifying well what is really best for this kid, this might not be the right program fit for this kid,” Breed said. She continued, “It’s a collaborative effort where we are serving the community in a more effective way and a more organized way.” See page 12 >>
hesitancy about doing so. A draft version of the planning department’s LGBTQ+ Cultural Heritage Strategy, which should be adopted by the city in early 2019, proposes that the office’s prerogative be expanded, as the B.A.R. first reported in September. (See story, page 2.) There has been some talk of moving the LGBT committee tasked with advising the city’s Human Rights Commission over to Farley’s office, which is housed in the LGBT center. That advisory body, however, has only met five times in the last two years, as the B.A.R. reported in November, and Breed is looking at other ideas for how to make it more effective. (See story, page 1.) Despite her narrow job title, Farley already has been working on a number of issues that impact the larger LGBT community and not just transgender individuals, as Breed noted. But at the end of the day both Farley and Breed want to ensure that the main focus of the office is addressing the specific needs of the trans community, which is disproportionately impacted by discrimination, joblessness, and housing instability. “In fact, Clair’s been working on a number of initiatives and always inclusive of all members of the LGBT community,” said Breed. “But, I think that the reason why this office was created in the first place is because, I think, the trans community really felt as if they were oftentimes getting left out of the services and the support and just were forgotten in the process of advocacy for things that mattered to them that in some instances might be different from what matters to the larger group as a whole.” Breed stressed that she doesn’t “want the office to get away from its ultimate mission of what it is there to do and start to, you know, fold in additional things to do without additional resources associated with that.” Nonetheless, Breed said she was open to hearing people’s suggestions on how the city can best meet the needs of the LGBT community. “But I am also just really open to ideas of what people may want to see for the purposes of, you know, just making sure that we are delivering on the promises that we are making that are important to our LGBT community as a whole,” she said.t
<< Open Forum
t ICE must explain Hernandez death
6 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Volume 48, Number 52 December 26, 2018January 2, 2019 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • Alex Madison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Erin Blackwell • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Brent Calderwood • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani • Dan Renzi Christina DiEdoardo • Richard Dodds Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger Michael McDonagh • Juanita MORE! David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Sean Piverger • Lois Pearlman Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr Adam Sandel • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Tony Taylor • Sari Staver Jim Stewart • Sean Timberlake • Andre Torrez Ronn Vigh • Charlie Wagner • Ed Walsh Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Jose Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd • Jo-Lynn Otto Rich Stadtmiller • Kelly Sullivan • Fred Rowe Steven Underhil • Dallis Willard • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small Bogitini VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937 NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863
LEGAL COUNSEL Paul H. Melbostad, Esq.
Bay Area Reporter 44 Gough Street, Suite 204 San Francisco, CA 94103 415.861.5019 • www.ebar.com A division of BAR Media, Inc. © 2018 President: Michael M. Yamashita Director: Scott Wazlowski
News Editor • news@ebar.com Arts Editor • arts@ebar.com Out & About listings • jim@ebar.com Advertising • scott@ebar.com Letters • letters@ebar.com Published weekly. Bay Area Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement which the publisher believes is in poor taste or which advertises illegal items which might result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, philosophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. Advertising rates available upon request. Our list of subscribers and advertisers is confidential and is not sold. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, and writers published herein is neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.
I
t’s imperative that the federal government uphold its responsibilities and release documentation on the death of Roxsana Hernandez, a transgender woman who died while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Transgender Law Center last month filed a notice of wrongful death tort claim in New Mexico, where she died, the first step in holding all parties responsible for Hernandez’s death accountable. Earlier this month, TLC, along with the Law Office of Andrew R. Free, the Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project, and Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, received some powerful help from Democratic Senators Kamala Harris (California), Tom Udall (New Mexico), and Martin Heinrich (New Mexico), who sent a letter to ICE acting Director Ronald D. Vitiello, urging the immediate public release of a death review and supporting documentation on Hernandez’s case. Vitiello needs to complete this as soon as possible. Hernandez, 33, was a Honduran and asylum seeker who arrived with a caravan organized by Diversidad Sin Fronteras. She arrived in Tijuana and sought asylum by presenting herself at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in May, according to TLC. She was held in federal custody “in the notoriously cold holding areas, known as ‘hieleras,’ growing increasingly ill as a result of the inhumane conditions,” the agency stated in a news release. “She was repeatedly denied access to medical care she begged for, only able to see a doctor after days of vomiting and diarrhea.” Like the recent deaths of a 7-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy in the custody of
Customs and Border Protection, the federal government is too slow to release information about people who die in their facilities. Although in the case of the boy, who died ChristCourtesy TLC mas Eve, federal Roxsana Hernandez authorities issued the information quicker, a result of the fierce criticism agencies took after days of delay on reporting the young girl’s death. In this context, authorities are long overdue in addressing Hernandez’s case – she died in May and critical information is still lacking. It’s just another example of the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant bias combined with its anti-trans agenda. Disturbing information has come to the attention of TLC after it paid for an independent autopsy. As we previously reported, the autopsy “found that ‘Ms. Hernandez endured physical assault and abuse while in custody. Specifically, forensic evidence indicates she was handcuffed so tightly as to cause deep tissue bruising and struck repeatedly on the back and rib cage by an asp [baton] or similar instrument while her hands were restrained behind her back.’” TLC filed its tort claim because ICE hasn’t been forthcoming with information. “ICE is obligated to release information including the review and autopsy of Roxsana’s
death,” Lynly Egyes, TLC’s director of litigation and counsel on the case, told us. “We are waiting for the government to do their job.” Egyes added that ICE has surpassed its 30 days after death requirement to release the information. In their letter, the senators called out ICE and accused the agency of being “uncooperative in releasing information about Ms. Hernandez’s death.” “This violates congressional requirements,” they wrote. “Congress requires ICE to publish an initial report, for public release, on each in-custody death within 30 days and similarly for a final report within 60 days. It has been over 180 days since Ms. Hernandez was pronounced dead and no such report has been publicly released.” More importantly, Harris, Udall, and Heinrich linked ICE’s inaction to the pervasive problem of anti-trans violence. “ICE’s failure to release this report diminishes the systemic, traumatic, and in this case fatal, violence that transgender individuals experience daily as a result of their gender identity,” the senators wrote. ICE and the Border Patrol must release their reports immediately. And next month, when the new Congress convenes, it should investigate not only the federal agencies and their officers, but also the contractors involved. Training on sexual orientation and gender identity is also needed, as the senators noted in their letter. More broadly, however, ICE and the Border Patrol must stop mistreating asylum seekers. Since the Trump administration policy requires detaining migrants crossing the border, it must provide humanitarian and medical services to those people. With at least three in-custody deaths, it’s glaringly obvious the system is not working as it should.t
Don’t forget immigrant kids by Jim Mitulski
L
ast week in church, we sang a Christmas carol familiar to some, about providing a warm and safe place for a refugee child displaced by government and rendered temporarily without a home. “Away in a manger No crib for His bed The little Lord Jesus Lay down His sweet head The stars in the sky Look down where He lay The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay.” It’s a children’s song, a lullaby, and the sentiments aren’t very sophisticated. A later verse asks the baby Jesus to “Bless all the dear children in thy tender care.” Whether or not we observe this season as a religious holiday, it isn’t hard to find images of Jesus and his parents, Mary and Joseph, everywhere: in stores, on lawns, outside churches, sometimes even in public spaces. This year, I am feeling mocked by these images – rather than comforted – because it seems easier to love our sentimental image of this family instead of loving modern immigrant families whose situations parallel the one in the Christmas story. Even the many ways that the season is observed in secular ways as a time of honoring children do not seem as concerned with the plight of families exercising the human right of migration. I recognize that not everyone celebrates Christmas – and certainly not as a religious holiday. My concern is that we are immersed, willingly or not, in the stories, the images, the songs, the decorations that tell the Christmas story without awakening in us an awareness of what the characters are telling us. I just relocated back to the Bay Area last month. But for the prior months since the summer, I had been gathering every Wednesday for a half-hour protest, vigil, and demonstration on the town square in Needham, Massachusetts where I had been working. We started meeting shortly after U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw issued an injunction against the family separation policy that had begun earlier under the Trump administration. In order to discourage migrants from Central American countries from seeking refuge or asylum by presenting
Courtesy Jim Mitulski
A photo of Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin, who died in Customs and Border Patrol custody earlier this month, was displayed at the Island United Church in Foster City.
themselves at the Southern border, about 2,400 children were routinely separated from their parents, with no plan on how to reunite the families. So, we gathered each week to demand that every child be reunited and to draw attention in a public place to the ongoing plight of immigrants. Anywhere from 20 to 80 people were present each week, depending on the week, as we made our public witness in our little town in Massachusetts. We were all involved in other things too, but this was our commitment: to pressure our elected officials, to educate and raise consciousness, and to raise funds for families through groups like http://www.RAICES.org. We gathered to refute President Donald Trump’s statement that “The United States will not be a migrant camp and it will not be a refugee holding facility. ... Not on my watch.” Only 92 percent of the children have been reunited with their families; some may never be. We gathered so that we ourselves would not forget these children. One week, when the number of children not yet reunited was 555, we just counted from one to 555 to remind us of how many children were still lost in the system. It took 10 minutes just to count and it seared into our spirits a different perspective on the world. Our weekly protests may not have changed public policy, but here is how it has changed me. Now when I hear the familiar Christmas carols, when I see mangers and nativity statues, I am not content to think only about a family 2,000 years ago. And when I tell the
Christmas story, I stress the political as well as the spiritual aspects. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were undomiciled as Mary was giving birth. Later they fled for their lives – without papers or documentation – to Egypt to escape violence and corruption. Had they not left and become asylum seekers and refugees, Jesus would surely have been killed. And here’s the child I care as much about now. On December 6, 7-year-old Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin tried to cross the U.S. border in the care of her father in a small caravan from Guatemala. On December 7, Jakelin died in the custody of Customs and Border Protection from dehydration. What if she had been greeted with a welcome rather than detained as a criminal? If she had gotten medical care immediately, she would still be alive. Attempting to distract attention from this tragedy, government officials have cited the dangers of the journey as a reason people should not be traveling to seek asylum or refuge. Such a response is reminiscent of the same rhetoric used to blame people with HIV/AIDS as being somehow at fault for their situation. We are all culpable in Jakelin’s death and we must address the issues about why people are seeking refuge here and re-examine and refashion our strategy to one of welcome and inclusion. The generous Christmas spirit that we strive for in this season calls us out and demands that we provide sanctuary, not prison.(An 8-yearold Guatemalan boy died in U.S. custody on Christmas Eve.) We hung a picture of Jakelin in our church in Foster City on a recent Sunday. We repeated her name out loud. There is no celebration of the baby Jesus without acknowledging our role in her death and committing to the well-being of children and adults who turn to us in need. This Christmas season especially, we need cradles, not cages. And the angels are singing a new song this year. They are tired of singing “Gloria in excelsis Deo.” They offer a new kind of Christmas carol, and they invite us to join the chorus: “No Hate! No Fear! Immigrants are welcome here! No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here.”t The Reverend Jim Mitulski is the major gifts officer for the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley and the interim pastor of Island United Church United Church of Christ in Foster City.
t
Politics>>
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 7
Op-art focuses on Bay Area housing crisis by Matthew S. Bajko
L
ess than half of LGBT households are homeowners, as saving for a down payment on a house is a struggle for many renters. According to research by Freddie Mac, LGBT households are 15 percent less likely to own a home compared to the national rate of 64.3 percent. The issue is particularly acute in the Bay Area, one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. According to real estate website Zillow, the average cost of
a San Francisco home is nearly $1.4 million. To end the year, the Political Notebook asked graphic artist Alfred Twu, 34, to create an op-ed art piece on a topic of their choosing. Twu, a renter who just became president of the East Bay Young Democrats after coming up short in a bid for a Berkeley City Council seat last month, zeroed in on the housing crisis. “It would be nice to one day do that. I just don’t see it happening,” Twu, who is nonbinary, said of buying a home someday.
“The only realistic path to that is to get a lot more housing built and owner condos become cheaper.” Their artwork features Apple’s new circular headquarters and a freeway that runs through San Francisco, crosses the Bay Bridge and heads east. Directional signage features destinations drawing Bay Area residents with their cheaper housing options. “One thing I really wanted to make the point of is how all the time we talk about housing when the real issue we’ve got to look at is jobs and housing,” said Twu, noting that “all these great jobs have come into the region, but we haven’t built nearly enough housing and it spills over to one city after another.”t
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
415-781-6500 *Certified by the California State Bar 400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA
THIS IS THE
san francisco
Columbariu M Funeral Home and
formerly the Neptune Society
We’ve expanded our services and kept the spirit and tradition.
Call (415) 771-0717 One Loraine Court between Stanyan & Arguello
FD 1306
COA 660
<< Community News
t Debunking digital inclusion
8 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
by Belo Cipriani
A
Everything to ring in
s a blind man, I often get asked by strangers, “Do blind people enjoy videos?” And my answer is always, “Hell yes!” Whether it’s listening to stand up on YouTube, or binging on my latest guilty pleasure on Netflix, TV shows and movies are a big part of my life. Of course, before I can even enjoy a show, the digital platform needs to be accessible to my software, and videos need to offer descriptive audio for the blind – a feature that narrates the non-spoken parts of a video. Then, and only then, can I enjoy TV shows and films. Through digital inclusion, more and more businesses are making their content accessible, and I have served as an accessibility consultant for many companies. However, before I am an access specialist and advocate, I am a consumer. So, when I heard about GayMovie Database – a new, online database of over 1,000 TV shows, as well as short and long movies of interest to the LGBTQ community – I was all over it. Using my screen reader for the blind, I logged on to http://www. GayMovieDB.com and ran into a few issues. For starters, some of the buttons and graphics on the site were not labeled, and thus, undetectable to my assistive software. I did, though, find names of movies on the site, but I was unsure if they contained descriptive audio for the blind or closed captioning for the hearing impaired. I reached out to GayMovie Database for questions on the access of the 9:20 AMsite and movies, and received a quick response from Brandon Taylor, who is 26, gay, and the creative director for the company. “Unfortunately,” he said, “due to the API [application program interface] we are using for our information, there isn’t an easy way to incorporate it into the site. “I still have the developer looking for a way to make it happen, though,” he added. Taylor said that most titles purchased through the site will have captions. In addition, movies
VALENCIA CYCLERY
VALENCIA We’ve got more bikes in stock & CYCLERY ready to ride than any shop in SF! 479 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA Spring Sale on noW! (415) 431-5365 www.cliffsvariety.com
Cliffs-New Years.indd 1
12/18/18
Spring Sale on noW!
VALENCIA VALENCIA We’veVALENCIA got more bikes in stock & VALENCIA CYCLERY ready toCYCLERY ride than any shop in SF! CYCLERY CLEARANCE SALE ON NOW! CYCLERY Kid’s
Road
Kid’s
Hybrid/City Hybrid/City
Hybrid/City road
2016 WINNER
Kid’s
“Love, Simon” is one of the many movies listed on GayMovieDB.com.
accessed through affiliate websites, such as Amazon and iTunes, would list the availability of accessibility features. While some of the platform was accessible via my assistive software, most of it was not. Finding movie titles became a giant task and I grew frustrated with the site. LGBT ally and attorney Albert Elia, 44, who is with Californiabased TRE Legal, a civil rights law firm that specializes in access for the blind and other disabled people, believes ignorance is a major reason companies stumble. “The businesses that have the most difficulty meeting accessibility standards,” he said, “are those that ignore them until they receive complaints from the disability community. They have difficulty complying with those standards because, having ignored accessibility until their platforms are released to the public, they have to retrofit their code to address access barriers at the same time that they are addressing other non-accessibility bugs or issues discovered by non-disabled users.” Elia, who is blind and a former software developer, believes the trend in the law is moving toward requiring digital accessibility according to technical standards. However, the U.S. does not yet have a set of federal technical requirements. “The EU and Ontario, Canada do have specific technical requirements and some U.S. state laws offer broader protection for persons with disabilities than the ADA and other U.S. federal laws,” he said, referring to the European Union.
“The more likely that a business can be said to be offering a service, even if that service is selling products or information, the more persuasive is the argument that the service must be accessible in order to ensure that it is offered in a nondiscriminatory manner,” he said. Elia pointed out that accessibility costs could be minimized if access is considered from the get-go. For example, companies can add accessibility testing to their processes, hire software developers with accessibility experience, use website templates that can be labeled for assistive software readability, and require vendors to warrant that their products meet accessibility best practices. On September 13, Orlando Entertainment Group, LLC announced the launch of GayMovie Database. The news release read as follows: “Orlando Entertainment Group, LLC, is pleased to launch GayMovie Database, the most comprehensive and easily navigable online database of over 1,000 titles of interest to the LGBTQ community.” Because I explored this site as a consumer, I can only say that it was not easy to navigate for a blind person – and nothing has changed after a few months. It is ironic that a company looking to fill a diversity gap in the entertainment space missed out on engaging the biggest minority group – people with disabilities. Perhaps someday soon, it will address its access problems. When that time comes, I will be happy to review the platform again.t
VAL VAL CYC CYC Spring
We’veSpring got more bikes in stock & Spring Sale on noW! Sale on noW! We’ve got more bikes in stock & Sale on noW! readySpring to ride thangot any shop ininSF! We’ve more bikes stock & We’ve got more bikes in stock ready-to-ride than any shop in&SF! Hybrid/City Kid’s We’ve got more bikes in stock & ready to any ride thanin any ready to MANY ride than shop SF!shop in SF! ON SALE! ready to ride than any shop in SF! Hybrid/City
Courtesy Fox 2000 Pictures
Belo Cipriani is an award-winning author and prize-winning journalist. His new book, “Firsts: Coming of Age Stories by People with Disabilities,” is now available. Learn more at www.olebbooks.com.
Corrections
Kid’s
Kid’s Mountain
Now Open Thursday to 7pm!
road Mountain HAPPY HOUR PRICES! Mountain Hybrid/City
Jane Philomen Cleland
The photo accompanying the December 20 article “Vallejo LGBTs discuss Tanzanian crackdown” road Mountain Every Thursday inroad April between 4 & 7pmMountain contained incorrect caption information in the print edition. It should have read, “Leaders of Vallejo’s sisNow Open Thursday to 7pm! take 20% OFF all parts, accessories & clothing.* ter city organizations (l to r) Kathy Brehm, Brenda Now Open Thursday to 7pm! Now Open Thursday to 7pm! J. Crawford, Carole Cullum, Pelton Stewart, Elissa *Sales limited to stock on hand. Shanks Stewart, and Paula Bauer met recently with Every Thursday in April between 4 & 7pm LGBT community members.” Every Thursday April between 4 & 7pm Every Thursday in April between 4 &in7pm take 20%Thursday OFF all parts, accessories & clothing.* Now Open to 7pm! take accessories 20% OFF all &parts, accessories & clothing.* take 20% OFF all parts, clothing.*
HAPPY HOUR PRICES! road Mountain N.Y.’s Resolution:
The December 20 article, “Jewish camp designates all-gender cabins,” should have stated that two cabins will be designated all-gender; it is not yet known which particular cabins. Additionally, the article should have stated 13 percent of respondents said they wanted the camp to offer the allgender cabins. The online versions have been updated.
HAPPY HOUR HAPPY HOUR PRICES! V AL Get Your Butt On PRICES!
CYC Bicycle! to stock on hand.>> HAPPYa HOUR PRICES! *Sales limitedObituaries Spring *Sales limited to stock on *Sales hand. limited to stock on hand.
Every Thursday in April between 4 & 7pm got take 20% OFF all parts, accessories We’ve & clothing.* with an illness. He is survived by his sister, living the life he wanted and working Peter John “Pete”
at m ride his dream job: wine maker. Pete worked *Sales limited to stock on hand. Sonia; his nephew, Patrick; his great-niece at wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Elephteria; and many friends worldwide. Barbara counties and Chile before taking March 16, 1967 – November 30, 2018 Pete touched the lives of so many in his skills and expertise to Temecula Valley deep and profound ways, and his passing Winery Management. Peter John “Pete” has left a void in our hearts and lives. Pete Let’s rejoice in all that he brought to Constantine Mouwas a kind, caring, generous, intelligent, our lives; and celebrate his life, love, spirit, 1065 (Btwn & 107721st Valencia 1065 & 1077 Valencia & 22nd(Btwn St.) •21st SF & 22nd St.) • SF sis (March 16, 1967 humble, and beautiful human being and memories, and amazing smile. He’ll forever (•Btwn 1065 &SALES 1077415-550-6600 Valencia 21st & 22nd St. )415-550-6601 • SF Hybrid/City – November 30, SALES 415-550-6600 • REPAIRS REPAIRS 415-550-6601 soul who loved unconditionally. It’s difbe in our hearts, memories, and loved. 2018) passed away ficult to reconcile his premature passing, [Editor’s note: Due to a production error, SALES 415-550-6600 • REPAIRS 415-550-6601 Mon-Sat Sun 11-5 Mon.Sat. 10-6, Thu. 10-7, Sun. 11-5 Mon.- Sat. 10-6,10-6, Thu. 10-7, Sun. 11-5 surrounded by his but we should find comfort and solace in last week’s print edition of this obituary family and love on Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 • Closed 4PM NY Eve and all day NY Day knowing he lived his life to the fullest, unincluded the wrong photo. We regret the November 30, 2018 1065 & 1077 Valencia (Btwn 21st & 22nd St.) • SF abashedly and unapologetic; he was, finally, mistake.] in Las Vegas, Nevada after a brief battle
VALENCIA CYCLERY VALENCIA CYCLERY VALENCIA CYCLERY VALENCIA CYCLERY
ready to Maria Christina; his nieces, Christina and Constantine Mousis
VALENCIA CYCLERY
1065 & 1077 Valencia (Btwn 21st & 22nd St.) • SF SALES 415-550-6600 • REPAIRS 415-550-6601 1077 Thu. Valencia (Btwn & 22nd St.) • SF Mon.-1065 Sat.&10-6, 10-7, Sun.21st 11-5
VALENCIA CYCLERY valenciacyclery.com valenciacyclery.com
SALES 415-550-6600 • REPAIRS 415-550-6601 Mon.- Sat. 10-6, Thu. 10-7, Sun. 11-5 valenciacyclery.com
valenciacyclery.com SALES 415-550-6600 • REPAIRS 415-550-6601
valenciacyclery.com
Mon.- Sat. 10-6, Thu. 10-7, Sun. 11-5
ValenciaCyclery_122718.indd 1
12/20/18 11:30 AM
road
Commentary>>
t Vigil shows SF’s broken policy
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 9
Saving space beautifully! Call Now to Make an Appointment with a Wallbed Expert!
2 Convenient Locations
550 15th Street Suite #2 San Francisco 415-854-7748 2515 S. El Camino Real San Mateo 650-264-9541 Christina A. DiEdoardo
Newly Designed Location
Attendees at the annual Interfaith Homeless Persons Memorial gathered December 21 for a vigil at United Nations Plaza in San Francisco.
by Christina A. DiEdoardo
O
n the longest night of the year, about 400 people gathered at United Nations Plaza in Civic Center to remember the names and honor the lives of some of the most forgotten people in San Francisco – the homeless who die each year on the city’s cold streets. “Pray for the people forced to sleep on the street,” Kelley Cutler, an organizer with the Coalition on Homelessness, said at the December 21 vigil. “Pray harder for us to have the courage to examine our own complicity in perpetuating
homelessness.” As a full Solstice moon shone down on the gathering, speaker after speaker read the names of the fallen, who ranged in age from their early 20s to older people in their 60s and 70s. The event was non-political and focused on the spiritual dimension of the city’s housing crisis – and on the lives of those who paid the ultimate price for our community’s collective failure to address it. Still, it’s not hard to see the signs of that broken policy all around us. A San Francisco Police Department mobile command center
Accessories and More From
Largest Selection of Murphy Wallbeds In Town!
(cop-speak for a weaponized RV) was parked steps away from where I stood with the other vigil attendWallbeds_053118.indd ees. It has sat there in U.N. Plaza for months as part of the city’s campaign of harassment against the homeless in Civic Center and the Tenderloin, where police and San Francisco Public Works employees continually roust encampments and sleepers despite there being over 1,000 names on the wait list for city shelters. A fountain in U.N. Plaza that homeless in the area used as a common area for at least a decade has been fenced off by city workers. That’s why it’s hard for me and many other activists to cheer See page 13 >>
Resolve to give back by Roger Brigham
Y
ou’ve bah-humbugged your way through holiday shopping, had the unavoidable Trumpcentered free-for-all dinner table discussion with your family during a festive feast, and now are having a little me time trying to decide on a worthy New Year’s resolution. My suggestion? Take up coaching. Now, now, hear me out. You already enjoy playing sports, you already enjoy watching sports – but what are you doing to give back to sports by using sports to make the world a better place for others? This is a different world than any of us grew up in. The proliferation of technology and social media have led to decreasing social skills and an increasing sense of isolation in today’s youth. Studies indicate depression and mental disorders are on the rise in our youth but increasingly it goes unreported, undiagnosed and untreated – especially with boys. A sports program can provide a network of support and a sense of family, of belonging – but the people running the programs need to be more focused on athlete well-being than game results. There were a lot of things that were in the news last year in the sports world that indicate youth sports these days do not always offer the great and supportive experience they should. Take wrestling, the main sport of my youth. In Texas, a transgender boy had to wrestle in the girls state
San Francisco Gay Softball League Commissioner Vincent Fuqua
high school tournament and in Ohio another transgender boy quit his team after his coach outed him to his teammates, who then bullied him incessantly. In New Jersey an AfricanAmerican wrestler was forced to cut off his dreadlocks during his match when the mat official deemed his hair guard unacceptable. I was lucky. I never had to deal with that kind of crap when I wrestled in high school and college. Teammates had my back and I respected my coaches. All of the success I’ve had in life, from going to the Olympics to being nominated for a Pulitzer to having a fantastic husband and home, I credit
SFMurphyBeds.com
1
5/30/18 10:46 AM
®
99
$
Drain Clean Special* to the skills and confidence I acquired through wrestling. And if you know anything about your sport and have a positive, encouraging attitude, you can make a positive difference in the lives of many young students – especially at-risk youth such as gays and transgender kids. Vincent Fuqua, who works in the San Francisco Department of Public Health, is best known in our community as the longtime commissioner of the San Francisco Gay Softball League, and earlier this year he was named to the national gay softball Hall of Fame for his work in adult gay softball. But he said nothing quite compares to working with younger athletes. “I coached a Little League baseball team,” Fuqua told me. “It was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had in my life – just to be able to support them and give them positive feedback. If athletes get involved in sports, whether it’s an individual sport like track and tennis or it’s a team sport, it gives them a chance to interact with adults who treat them with respect. You help them with their self-esteem.” It was the kind of support Fuqua could have used as a child but did not experience. “I was a very shy kid when I joined the softball league,” Fuqua said. “I had my issues about being gay and my own issues about being black. I was afraid to get involved with sports even though I wanted to when I was younger. Gay softball changed me so much. It helped me with my own confidence in myself. It was an opportunity to play something I enjoyed without thinking I See page 13 >>
Call us 24/7
415-993-9523 Main line service up to 100’, with access point. Warranty included. May not be combined with other offers. Service limited to San Francisco County resident, 8am to 7pm.
A locally owned and operated franchise. Lic# 974194
www.MrRooter-SFO.com
<< Travel
10 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
t
Chicago offers museums, biking, and gay scene by Ed Walsh
Chicago used to have a couple of gay saunas in the heart of Boystown but the oldest, Man’s Country, closed a year ago. Steamworks, part of the same ownership of Steamworks in Berkeley, is still going strong (http://www.steamworksbaths.com/). The gays aren’t just in Boystown. North along the lakefront Uptown, Edgewater, Andersonville, and Rogers Park are all popular gay neighborhoods. In the Uptown neighborhood, Big Chicks (http://www.bigchicks. com/) is a rustic, friendly locals bar where you can meet for a drink and sample some tasty bar food. Touché bar (https://touchechicago.com/) has been going strong in the Edgewater neighborhood since 1977. It is a popular leather and bear cruise bar with a backroom.
I
t was a pivotal moment in Victor Salvo’s life that would eventually give birth to a Chicago landmark. The longtime activist read a brief profile in Time magazine in 1999 on Alan Turing, the British mathematician who helped break the Nazi Enigma code. Turing was gay and died by suicide after being convicted of engaging in homosexual sex. “It went through me like a hot spear,” said Salvo, a gay man who had survived a suicide attempt as a teenager. “I just screamed out in agony like I saw my mother being murdered.” Salvo’s dogged activism in Chicago’s LGBT community earned him a place in the city’s LGBT Hall of Fame. “Who was I to be in the Hall of Fame when no one knew who he was?” Salvo said of Turing. That obsession led eventually to the Legacy Walk, 40 bronze plaques dedicated primarily to prominent LGBT people and a few to historical events, including Stonewall. The plaques were placed on rainbow-colored pylons that were installed in the North Halsted neighborhood, more commonly known as Boystown. The first plaque was installed for Turing, whose story has since gained more attention, including the 2014 movie “The Imitation Game.” Three San Francisco figures are among those featured with a plaque: Harvey Milk, Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell and Leonard Matlovich, who became an activist after the Air Force discharged him for being gay. Plans are in the works to open an LGBT visitors center in the Boystown neighborhood that will contain some of the plaques that will be rotated off the street pylons as new plaques take their place. While the visitors center is two years away, the Windy City has long been LGBT-friendly, attracting Midwesterners in search of a big city gay scene as well as tourists from all over the world. In sharp contrast to San Francisco, the city’s downtown streets and parks are clean with a much less visible homeless population. During a visit in late August, despite the warm summer weather, I saw only one homeless encampment, which consisted of one pup tent. It looked like just one person was living there. Chicago has come a long way. Native Americans knew it as swampland where an onion plant grew. The city’s name is derived from an Indian word for onion. One of the earliest explorers, Jacques Marquette, saw beyond the onion plants and admired the strategic importance of Lake Michigan, with two rivers running through the land that
Untitled-10 1
Accommodations Ed Walsh
Big Bus guide Austin Echols, left foreground, points out the view of the Chicago Theater on a tour earlier this year.
would eventually become America’s third-largest city. By the mid 1800s, Chicago became the world’s fastest growing city. From 1840 to 1870, the city’s population grew from a mere 4,000 residents to nearly 300,000. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 didn’t slow down the trend. By 1890, the city boasted more than a million residents. The fire ultimately left the city with an architectural legacy that draws visitors from all over the world. The city was reborn after the fire but in brick, stone, and steel. By the way, the fire is believed to have started in, or around, the O’Leary family barn but there was no evidence of the legend that it started as a result of a cow kicking over a lantern. Chicago makes the most out of its greatest asset, Lake Michigan. The city lined the lakefront with parks, beaches, and bike paths. The lake is only about a 20-minute walk from Boystown but the unofficial gay beach, the Kathy Osterman Beach, is about two miles to the north. Osterman was a former city alderman who was a strong ally of the LGBT community. The beach was renamed in her honor in 1993, a year after her death from cancer at the age of 49.
Take a tour
For first-time visitors to the city, one of the best ways to get around without getting lost is on a bus, bicycle, or walking tour. The Legacy Walk offers a walking tour of the plaques that you can request through its website. For a nominal fee, a guide will take you or your group around for a walking LGBT history tour (http://www.legacyprojectchicago.org/). The Chicago Cultural Center, in a former downtown library building, offers free walking tours of the city through the Chicago Greeter program. Google the center’s website for more information. On a recent trip, I took Bobby’s Bike Hike (www.bobbysbikehike. com), which included a history lesson of the city’s downtown and Gold Coast neighborhood and the city’s famed – and free – Lincoln Park Zoo before heading back downtown along the lakefront bicycle path. Several different companies operate bus tours throughout the city. Some will let you hop on/hop off at various attractions. I took the double decker Big Bus Chicago (http://www.bigbustours.com/en/ chicago), which, thanks to guide
12/18/18 11:20 AM
Austin Echols, was both entertaining and very informative. I took the whole tour without hoping off and later took a bus or the subway to the attractions I wanted to see. Speaking of the bus and subway, both are very good ways of getting around in Chicago. The subway, including the famed El, or elevated track trains, is the best way to travel when there is traffic. The city has bus service that, unlike Muni, moves quickly. A three-day pass for $20 is a good option for visitors, as you won’t need to worry about having the exact $2.25 fare. Chicago has a bikesharing program similar to San Francisco’s Ford Bike system. Chicago’s program is called Divvy Bikes (www.divvybikes.com). The bikes are a fun way to explore the city. They offer a deal for $15 to use a bike for a 24-hour period for a maximum ride of three hours at a time, which is more than enough time to get anywhere in the city. The app shows you where the nearest station is where you can dock the bike. You can use the bike all day, just be sure to dock it at least once every three hours. You can dock the bike and immediately take out the same bike or another one at the docking station. The bike path along the lake is one of the best urban bike paths in the world. A large stretch of the path north of downtown was being repaved when I visited in August, but bikers were detoured on the grassy area next to the path. A number of companies offer river cruises. I took the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise that provided a great architectural history of the city known for its high
rises. The Chicago River used to be a virtual sewer as businesses and apartment buildings dumped their sewage and other waste into the river. But now the river is cleaner, and all new construction is required to include a public riverwalk. If you expected that a world-class city like Chicago would have worldclass museums, you would be right. The biggest museum in the city, and what many would say is the best, is the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago (https://www.msichicago.org/). Although off the beaten path, a few miles from downtown, the trek is worth it. There is also the Art Institute of Chicago, known for its Impressionist exhibits and more (http://www.artic.edu).
Nightlife
The North Halsted or Boystown neighborhood is still where you will find the biggest concentration of LGBT nightlife. Halsted Street is the Castro Street of Chicago. The Halsted Street mainstays are Sidetrack (http://www.sidetrackchicago.com/), which includes seven separate rooms and rooftop patio. The bar has been around for 35 years but looks new thanks to ongoing renovations. Popular nights include Monday, Friday, and Sunday show tunes and TRL Tuesdays with music videos from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Roscoe’s (http:// roscoes.com/) is another Boystown mainstay kitty-corner from Sidetrack. The newly renovated space boasts a lively dance area, karaoke, and amateur drag contests. The Closet (https://www.theclosetchicago.com/), about a 10-minute walk away on N. Broadway, used to be the city’s lesbian bar. While it is still popular with women, it is more mixed now.
Ed Walsh
The Harvey Milk plaque is among many honoring LGBT people along the Legacy Walk in Boystown.
On my recent visit, I had the pleasure of staying at the Best Western Hawthorne Terrace (http:// www.hawthorneterrace.com/), which was perfectly situated just a short walk to the heart of Boystown. It deservedly gets kudos for being one of the best hotels in the city with reasonable rates that start at about $85. City Suites Chicago (https://chicagocitysuites.com) is another hotel in Boystown and just steps from the Belmont El stop. Rates start at a very reasonable $72. If you prefer a smaller hotel feel, check out Villa Toscano (http:// thevillatoscana.com). The eightroom inn is in the heart of Boystown with rates over the slower winter months for as little as $69.
Getting there and around
Chicago’s largest airport, O’Hare International, as well as the smaller Midway, are serviced by the city’s subway system. It will take you about 45 minutes to get to downtown on the train from O’Hare and about 25 minutes from Midway. Southwest flies nonstop to Midway from San Francisco International Airport and is a good option as it’s a little closer to the city. Public transit in Chicago is so good that a car is more trouble than it is worth. If you really need to get somewhere in a hurry, Uber and Lyft cars are everywhere all the time.
Eating out
Chicago has some of the best restaurants in the world and is known as the birthplace for casual eating favorites including both deep dish and thin-crust pizza. Ceres’ Table (www.cerestable.com) is a chic Italian restaurant with delicious gourmet pizza. If you are in the mood for elegant French cuisine, check out Chez Moi (http://www.chezmoichicago.com/) on N. Halsted Street about two miles south of Boystown. In downtown Chicago, the Revival Food Hall (www.revivalfoodhall. com) features 15 different restaurant stands under one roof. It is a great one-stop-shop for all the best food in Chicago. More than a quarter of Chicago’s population is Latino and you can get a great sampling of Latin cuisine in Latin City (www.latinicity.com). Like the Revival Food Hall, it is made up of several individual food stands. In the heart of Boystown, Wood (http:// woodchicago.com/) is known for its creative cocktails and superb brunch. The Split Rail (www.splitrailchicago.com) is known for filling comfort food and a bargain happy hour. Fried chicken is one of its specialties.t For more information, visit www.choosechicago.com. Be sure to click on the LGBT section.
t <<
From the Cover>>
NCLR
From page 1
vaulted the issue into the spotlight in 2004. Newsom had returned from watching then-President George W. Bush’s State of the Union speech in Washington, D.C., where Bush talked about a federal amendment banning same-sex marriage, and ordered city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The battle ensued for more than a decade. It was finally won in California in 2013, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Proposition 8, the state’s same-sex marriage ban, on a technicality. Two years later Kendell led NCLR as part of the team that brought Obergefell v. Hodges before the U.S. Supreme Court. That case legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Between January 2012 and February 2014, plaintiffs in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee filed federal district court cases that culminated in Obergefell v. Hodges. NCLR represented the couples from Tennessee. “Kate was a force whose advocacy and leadership gave us the courage to marry over 4,000 same-sex couples [in 2004],” Newsom, now the California’s governor-elect, said in a statement when Kendell announced her departure from NCLR. He noted marriage equality as just one item on a long list of Kendell and NCLR’s accomplishments. “I am grateful for her counsel and friendship, and for her decades of bold leadership at the forefront of the movement for equality,” Newsom added. The legal fight involved same-sex couples who wanted to marry. “We just felt that we should have the right to do what other adults get to do in the culture,” said Diane Sabin, 66, about why she and her wife, author Jewelle Gomez, 70, joined the In re Marriage Case as one of 12 plaintiff couples. Sabin was a longtime NCLR board member. The In re Marriage Case led to the California Supreme Court overturning Proposition 22, which banned same-sex marriage in the state’s constitution, in 2008. That paved the way for same-sex couples to marry in the Golden State, beginning in June. The passage of Prop 8 that November, however, halted the weddings and ensured the legal fight would continue. “It was probably one of the deepest honors that I’ve had in my life to be able to be a part of that particular lawsuit,” Sabin said of In re Marriage, calling the experience working with Kendell and NCLR’s legal director Shannon Minter “magnificent.” Minter credited Kendell with being a “dream boss.” “It’s just been a joy. I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the whole movement. We had just an amazing partnership,” said Minter, who is a trans man. “She’s been a dream boss in every way. “Whoever comes along next will have some big shoes to fill, but I think the person will also get the benefit of an enormous reservoir of good will that she has built up,” he added. Minter said Kendell has left a strong foundation for the nonprofit. “We feel very confident moving forward,” he said. “We are all very committed to honoring her legacy and her vision.”
Significant cases
Other significant cases NCLR was involved with focused on the rights of families and free speech issues. Pavan v. Smith was about a married Arkansas same-sex couple’s denial of their right to have both parents’ names on their children’s birth certificates, regardless of biological connection. In 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of
NCLR and the couple, citing that the Arkansas Supreme Court “directly flouted Obergefell,” Kendell wrote in a NCLR blog post. E.L. v. V.L. involved a former couple’s fight over child visitation. When the women broke up, the biological mother, E.L., kept V.L. from seeing the children. V.L. sought visitation in Alabama, where the family lived. E.L. opposed her request, arguing that the Georgia adoption was invalid in Alabama. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed Alabama’s Supreme Court, which had issued an order refusing to recognize V.L.’s Georgia adoption, and declared that it is “void.” In Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, the Christian group filed a lawsuit against UC Hastings College of the Law, arguing that its non-discrimination policy violated the group’s First Amendment right to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian students. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the challenge to Hastings’ policy of requiring all funded student groups to be open to all students.
Dog mauling case
The case of Diane Whipple, a lesbian who lived in Pacific Heights and was mauled to death by her neighbor’s dog in 2001, dominated news coverage in San Francisco for years. Kendell aided Sharon Smith, who at the time was Whipple’s partner, in the aftermath. It was a media circus as Robert Noel and Marjorie Knoller, a married couple who owned two dogs, one of which attacked Whipple, faced criminal charges and a trial in Los Angeles. Aside from the criminal prosecution, the case made LGBT history when Smith was allowed to proceed with a wrongful death civil suit as a domestic partner. NCLR joined attorney Michael Cardoza to fight for Smith’s right to sue. (Noel, convicted along with Knoller, for the fatal dog mauling of Whipple, died June 22 on his 77th birthday.) “She is a real hero,” Smith said of Kendell. “She has this great combination of strength, knowledge, and compassion. I just felt like we are going to get this done and we did.” Knoller, who was with the dogs during the hallway attack, was convicted of second-degree murder. Now 63, Knoller is up for parole next year after having served more than 17 years in jail and state prison. “In 2001, there were hardly any protections for our relationships under state law,” Kendell wrote in 2011 on the organization’s blog memorializing Whipple and praising Smith’s courage on the 10-year anniversary of Whipple’s death. More recently, NCLR has fought President Donald Trump’s attacks on the LGBT community, including suing the president over his trans military ban. There are many legal fights for queer immigrant rights, family rights, youth, elders, sports, and transgender rights the agency has taken on. “Those projects were launched in response to seeing a need that needed to be met and power that needed to be created or needed to be made space for in those communities,” said Kendell, noting that it was the foundational approach the organization took before she got there. She built upon that, she said, asking questions: “Who is at risk for being left behind? Whose issues need to be pushed to the forefront? Who do we need to empower?” Then she and her team took those questions and put them into action through projects and litigation.
Prop 8 disappointment
The passage of Prop 8 10 years ago was a bitter blow for the LGBT community and Kendell personally. She served on the No on 8 campaign’s executive committee and
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 11
Courtesy NCLR
Kate Kendell took part in the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. in January.
was one of the public faces of the campaign. “We were able to turn that around,” she said of the years after the loss. “In some ways, I think Prop 8 galvanized a whole new generation of LGBTQ people to engage in the movement who thought that fight had already been won.” Additionally, she isn’t sure “we would have won marriage as quickly as [we] did,” but she still wishes the community didn’t have to go through that devastation, which she felt acutely. There are issues she regrets she did not fully address during her tenure. She wishes she could have done more for immigration rights and protecting people of color, particularly transgender women of color, she told the B.A.R. Despite these disappointments, she remains in awe of the major cultural shift she’s lived through and contributed to changing. “I could not have imagined that we would have had as much forward movement as we had, particularly around issues like marriage, or just in the place of the culture as LGBTQ people,” said Kendell, reflecting on 1994 when she landed at NCLR. Gay characters on TV were a rarity. Today, more entertainers are out and there are a wide range of LGBT characters on TV, some played by LGBTs themselves. In real life, Kendell’s still amazed how quickly marriage equality happened and the awareness and conversation around transgender issues, especially among transgender youth, who are often, but not always, fully able to express their gender identity, she said. “I am stunned every day at how lucky I am,” said Kendell. “What a place of privilege it has been to have had this role and to have had a front row seat to not only witness the amazing changes but bringing those changes into life.”
The making of Kendell
Kendell discovered law with a Time-Life book that showed up in her parent’s mailbox when she was a pre-teen. “I just devoured it,” she said. “I was fascinated by it.” It was the spark that was fanned by Mrs. Miller, her current events teacher in the eighth or ninth grade, who taught her about abolitionists, feminists, and civil rights leaders, she said. Mrs. Miller was “quite a radical for Ogden, Utah” recalled Kendell. “She was not Mormon. She was clearly a little bit wild. She was fantastic. “She introduced me to Sojourner Truth, Cesar Chavez, Malcolm X, and Frederick Douglass,” she continued. “I just remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, these people can do this. You can actually use the law and your passion for justice to help change people’s futures.’” Kendell didn’t know how to achieve her dream. Her parents
couldn’t guide her. She was the first in her family to go to college, much less law school. “I never saw my mother or my father read a book of any import or even a newspaper,” Kendell told an audience at a farewell event at the Women’s Building on November 16, according to a recording of the event provided by NCLR. “It was a very anti-intellectual household.” Kendell was interviewed by lesbian retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell. Kendell grew up as the eldest of three siblings – her sister and her half-brother – with her mother and stepfather. Her father died when she was 1 and a half years old. She was raised Mormon, which she credited for providing excellent leadership training in her formative years, but she knew she was different. “I felt like my parents tried to do their best even though they felt like, ‘Oh, we have a giraffe. We don’t know how to raise a giraffe, but we are going to try our very best,’” she told the crowd, laughing. She put herself through college and law school at the University of Utah in the 1980s, where she was one of three closeted lesbians who were out only to each other. “I was no profile in courage in law school,” Kendell told the audience. After law school, she landed at Utah’s biggest corporate law firm. Kendell, who wasn’t out for fear of what it would do to her career, worked for the firm for about three years but hated it. “Being at a private firm provided me with the foundation for me to be an effective legal director at NCLR,” she said. Eventually, she found exactly what she was looking for in the back of a law magazine: an employment advertisement for Utah’s first American Civil Liberties Union office. The first day Kendell walked into the office, Carol Gnade, who was the development director and later the executive director of the Utah ACLU, exchanged pleasantries and cut to the chase, “So, Kate, are you a lesbian?” she asked. Freaked out, Kendell meekly said, “Yes,” she told the audience. “I was like, holy shit now what?” she said. “But it was so liberating to be in that kind of environment.”
Taking on the right-wing
Over the years, Achtenberg has been impressed by Kendell’s ability to face-off with right-wing leaders. During Kendell’s early tenure at NCLR she went toe-to-toe with the late conservative Southern Baptist pastor Jerry Falwell on national TV about lesbian comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who came out on her sitcom “Ellen” in 1997. “She was very, very good at doing battle with the right wing,” said Achtenberg. “She’s made numerous television appearances that made me very, very proud of her and proud of us.”
The ACLU also brought Kendell together with her wife of 25 years, Sandy Holmes, at one of its conferences. Kendell is a mother to three children, including her eldest daughter from her first relationship and two children with Holmes. She is also a grandmother.
The future
Kendell isn’t sure what the future holds for her at the moment, but it’s certainly not retirement. “Whatever I do it will be full-time employment,” she said. “That’s just the gear that I run in and seek to do.” Kendell leaves NCLR on solid ground financially. During her tenure, its annual budget grew from $500,000 to more than $5 million, according to the organization’s March 15 news release announcing her departure. The organization has a nearly 30-person staff with offices in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. It has a 12-member board, two advisory councils, and an advisory committee. Kendell’s proud that NCLR has grown into a “national legal powerhouse that really works for an intersectional and deeply collaborative perspective to really improve and change the futures for some of the most vulnerable in our community,” she said. Sabin believes that Kendell is leaving with one last lesson. One to figure out “planning, legacy, and honoring people who have done ... magnificent work,” she said. Achtenberg said NCLR will carry on the work. “She understood the institutional imperative. At the same time, she led with personal charm, extraordinary charisma, and wise leadership,” she said. When she closes the door behind her on New Year’s Eve day, she is leaving a clear path for NCLR’s next executive director to take the organization to new heights. “I am confident in much of the same way I’m sure Donna and Roberta decided to roll the dice and give me the benefit of the doubt. I’ll do the same for the next person,” said Kendell. “I expect that they will both honor the legacy of everyone who has come before [them] and they will also in their own way build on that legacy and make their mark.” Much work will need to be done as hard-won rights are being dismantled by Trump and his administration. “I think the big issues for the LGBTQ community going forward will be the issues that we are seeing nationally playing out,” said Kendell, talking about the intersectionality of race with every aspect of the LGBT community from gender to poverty. “If we as a nation do not come to terms with our history ... not only will LGBTQ people not succeed and arguably fall short, but the future of all of us is at risk.”t
<< National News
12 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
<<
Sessions as attorney general. This year, Trump fired him, but the community still had reason to worry. Add to these the long-dreaded retirement of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, the sudden fall and hospitalization of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the strained and studied avoidance by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in answering questions about legal protections for LGBT people. Then consider the Trump administration’s relentless pursuit of policies to exclude transgender people – from the military, from the Affordable Care Act, and from protections in education and medical care. It was a rough year for the community. It was a tough year for the nation, too. Several of Trump’s closest advisers were convicted of lying to Congress and the FBI during investigations of whether the Trump campaign may have actively worked with Russian operatives to win Trump’s election in 2016. The investigation continues and seems to be drawing a tighter and tighter circle around the president himself. One of those convicted advisers, Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen, fingered the president as having directed him to violate federal campaign finance laws to cover up Trump’s extramarital affairs during the last weeks of the 2016 election. Trump’s erratic foreign policy schemes have caused the U.S.’s image and role in global affairs to plummet, and his outspoken affection for Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and other authoritarian figures has both baffled and worried many people. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said Trump has formed a “new axis of evil” with Russia and Saudi Arabia in thwarting efforts to address climate change. So, 2018 has not been the country’s finest hour or the LGBT community’s “golden age.” It’s hard to believe that, just three years ago, the LGBT community could make a good argument for a golden age. The federal Defense of Marriage Act was gone; same-sex couples could marry in all 50 states; LGBT people could serve in the military; and the administration of then-president Barack Obama made it clear, through its actions and words, that it would fight for equal protection and opportunity for LGBT people. Not all that has changed, and there have been some moments that, if not golden, were bright and shiny. Thanks to an enormous amount of work by legal and political activists, the community can arguably boast that it held its ground. Here are the 10 stories that illustrate some of the LGBT community’s biggest gains and pains from 2018.
Dems win the House
It is hard to overstate the importance of having Democrats
<<
Kavanaugh confirmed
Rough year
From page 1
LGBT panel
From page 5
Though Hirsh said there are always ways to improve collaboration and that he does agree with Breed, he also noted that nonprofits already work together in ways that folks at City Hall aren’t always aware of. “Nonprofits do a great deal of collaboration, we do that in many ways,” he said. “It is really the folks working in the nonprofit community that have the institutional knowledge that people who come and go in City Hall don’t always appreciate.” To better coordinate services,
RickGerharter
Nancy Pelosi is expected to become House speaker in January.
win enough seats November 6 to become the majority party in the House of Representatives starting January 3. First, a Democratic majority in the House stops attempts by anti-gay Republicans to pass anti-LGBT legislation. Among other things, they tried to ban medical transition treatment for transgender service members with gender dysphoria, restrict help for LGBT people under the Affordable Care Act, and allow religious-oriented adoption services to discriminate against same-sex couples. Having a Democratic-controlled House will mean that such legislation is unlikely to see any movement, and it means pro-LGBT legislation has a chance. It also means that there is an opportunity for the House to provide a check on Trump’s erratic and, many suspect, illegal activities as the nation’s leader.
There were plenty of reasons for the LGBT community to be skeptical of Kavanaugh going into his confirmation hearings. During the hearings, things only got worse. Set aside (if possible) the allegations from three women that, as a student, Kavanaugh sexually assaulted them. He studiously evaded questions about whether he would discriminate against someone because they were gay and said he couldn’t remember “specifics” about his involvement in anti-LGBT actions he took in the administration of President George W. Bush. The Human Rights Campaign and others assessed Kavanaugh as a “direct threat to the constitutional rights” of LGBT Americans. The Republicancontrolled Senate confirmed him in October by a vote of 50-48.
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retired in June.
Kennedy retires
Kennedy did not have the best LGBT voting record on the U.S. Supreme Court (that honor goes to Ginsburg), but he provided the crucial fifth vote for, and eloquently wrote, the most historic and significant decisions in support of equal rights for LGBT people in the past two decades. Think Romer (antigay initiatives), Lawrence (sodomy bans), Windsor (Defense of Marriage Act), Obergefell (marriage). He was 82 and he retired. That not only meant the loss of Kennedy, it meant turning his seat over to an ultraconservative replacement and tipping the balance decidedly away from the trend of progressive attitudes toward LGBT people as equal citizens. Just weeks after that ultraconservative, Kavanaugh, took his seat, 85-year-old Ginsburg fell and was hospitalized, alarming progressives everywhere that Trump might get to name a third right-wing conservative to the court. Ginsburg’s back at work and attended the premiere December 12 of “On the Basis of Sex,” a new feature film about her work to establish equal protection for women.
Hirsh said, for example that at monthly HAPN meetings staff highlight any new programs of member agencies to “better connect folks to those services.” He also said ALRP collaborates with various organizations to advance the city’s Getting to Zero initiative. The Getting to Zero initiative aims to make San Francisco the first city to eliminate new HIV infections, deaths due to HIV/AIDS, and stigma against people living with HIV. It relies on a three-prong strategy of expanded access to PrEP, rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy, and engaging and retaining HIVpositive people in care. “It’s an incredible collaboration
transgender people. Anti-LGBT activists tried in three states this year to put such a measure on the ballot but only in Massachusetts did they succeed in forcing a vote. The measure, known as Question 3, asked voters whether they wanted to keep a 2-yearold law that requires all places of public accommodation (restrooms, hotels, restaurants, etc.) to provide access to people “consistent with the person’s gender identity.” Voters said yes, 68 percent to 32 percent.
U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell
Gay ambassador
NBC News
Emily’s List
Congresswoman-elect Sharice Davids
LGBT candidates win
Bill Wilson
to pay for his border wall. Instead of protecting LGBT people, the Trump administration has taken every opportunity to oppose protections for LGBT people and has created its own opportunities to injure transgender people. Trump has continued to push for banning transgender people from the military, declared that federal law prohibiting discrimination based on “sex” in employment does not prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, and even banned the use of the word “transgender” in budget documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also announced it would no longer interpret the Affordable Care Act to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. And the beat goes on.
t
It wasn’t just the record number of LGBT candidates that were elected November 6 that impressed, it was the extraordinary number of “firsts” for the community: The first openly bisexual member and second openly LGBT member of the U.S. Senate (Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona), the first openly gay man to be elected governor (Jared Polis of Colorado), and the first openly LGBT members of Congress from Minnesota (Angie Craig), New Hampshire (Chris Pappas), and Kansas (Sharice Davids). By the time the votes in most of the states were counted, the House and Senate boasted their largest number ever of openly LGBT members (two in the Senate and eight in the House). The eight victories in the House represented 20 percent of the 40 seats the Democrats won to secure the majority control in that chamber.
GOP keeps Senate
The Republican-controlled Senate has been eager to rubber stamp Trump’s ultra-conservative nominees to the Supreme Court. The Senate has showed no stomach for providing a check on Trump’s questionable activities. Republican leaders appear willing to let Trump shut down the government to fund a wall along the Mexican border, cozy up to the nation’s long-standing global adversaries, and lie repeatedly to the American public.
Attacks on trans people
One of Trump’s campaign promises, repeated on several occasions, was to “protect” the LGBT community. Apparently, he meant that in the same way he meant Mexico was going among an array of providers for us to address the health needs of people living with HIV to really make a huge difference,” Hirsh said. Rolfe said she doesn’t disagree with the mayor’s comments, but that she doesn’t know a nonprofit that doesn’t work with others. The LGBT center currently has 50 to 70 “active, deep collaborations” and that each of its programs has relationships with different organizations, she said. “In my experience most nonprofits do work collaboratively and successfully out of their desire to better serve the community” Rolfe said. Both Rolfe and Hirsh said a big challenge that nonprofits that
Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips
Court dodges cake issue
The key conflict between LGBT people and businesses that would like to refuse them service is a growing concern, and many thought it would be settled last June when the Supreme Court issued its decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado. It wasn’t. The high court dodged the central issue of the case – can a vendor claim a religious belief in order to circumvent a law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations. In a 7-2 decision, the majority ruled only that the record of this particular dispute reflected there had been significant hostility shown by the Colorado Commission on Human Rights for baker Jack Phillips’ religious views against marriage for same-sex couples. Phillips was absolved of his original human rights law violation. But what impressed many LGBT legal activists was the statement in the decision, written by Kennedy, that said, “Our society has come to the recognition that gay persons and gay couples cannot be treated as social outcasts or as inferior in dignity and worth. For that reason, the laws and the Constitution can, and in some instances must, protect them in the exercise of their civil rights. The exercise of their freedom on terms equal to others must be given great weight and respect by the courts.” It was an important sentiment to hear from the court and, in addition to Kennedy and the court’s more progressive justices, Chief Justice John Roberts and conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch signed on.
Given the Trump administration’s actions against the LGBT community, it was probably a surprise to some that the president nominated a gay person to become ambassador to one of the U.S.’s largest allies, Germany. But Grenell supported Trump during the primaries and they share a fondness for frequent caustic Twitter posts. After stalling for seven months, the U.S. Senate in April finally confirmed Grenell by a vote of 56-42. Grenell has represented Trump’s politics vigorously in Germany, saying he wants to “empower other conservatives” in Europe, and expressing particular interest in Austria’s new far-right chancellor Sebastian Kurz, which Time magazine says brought “a movement that was founded by neo-Nazis back into a position of power.” Some media reports say Trump has been very pleased with Grenell and might be considering him for chief of staff, if Trump decides to let go his new acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney.
Sessions fired
The LGBT community doesn’t often win ballot battles, and this year saw the first-ever statewide ballot measure specific to protections for
Everyone saw it coming and, sure enough, the day after the November 6 elections, Trump fired Sessions, his attorney general. Trump had expressed a litany of complaints with Sessions, going back to almost the same month he named the former U.S. senator and prominent campaign supporter to the post. Sessions had a well-established reputation of opposing equal rights for LGBT people before he took over the top spot at the Department of Justice and, during his brief tenure there, he managed to extend that reputation. But there was nothing to celebrate. Trump replaced him with Matthew Whitaker, a right-wing evangelical activist who waged a “politically motivated witch hunt” in Iowa against politicos who supported marriage for same-sex couples. Now, Trump has replaced Whitaker with William Barr, who served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush. Legal activists say the LGBT community can expect Barr to continue with much the same hostility to LGBT civil rights as Sessions showed.t
contract with the city face is the issues surrounding their contract and the process of getting their contracts certified. The difficulties associated with contract certification can often delay the process of the organizations receiving city funding, Hirsh said. A number of nonprofits are sometimes unable to meet payroll, or their invoices, and some have to accrue additional costs, like taking out a line of credit, to meet these costs, Hirsh added. Rolfe, who sits on the Nonprofit Working Group, a city task force committee, said one contracting problem is that the city considers expenses associated with
collaboration administrative funds, not programming funds. “The city has a cap on indirect costs that they see as administrative costs,” Rolfe said. “It’s hard when there is a limit on those expenses when those limited funds have to support collaborative efforts and the business and administrative work of the partners.” However, the committee is exploring new contract models, Rolfe said, and how the contracts are structured in order to create flexibility for nonprofits. Both Rolfe and Hirsh are open to working with the mayor on more collaboration efforts.t
Massachusetts victory
t <<
Commentary>>
Resist!
From page 9
recent statements by Mayor London Breed that she intends to spend the city’s unexpected windfall on the homeless. Given that her signature policy has been to make the already-miserable lives of those who lack shelter even more so by sending police to smash their encampments and cart away their belongings, it’s difficult to believe she intends anything other than more of the same. Maybe that will change in 2019. If it doesn’t, it sadly seems certain we’ll have an even longer list of names to read at next year’s vigil.
Days of Auld Lang Syne
Since this is the last Resist column for 2018, it seems the appropriate time to review some of the events discussed in its pages this year – and what happened to some of the protagonists. In two actions in January, Refuse Fascism, Occupy SF, and Code Pink occupied the sally port of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters in San Francisco, disrupting operations and setting the stage for Occupy ICE SF, which reportedly forced the agency to suspend operations there for a week in July. The February 14 massacre of 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland,
<<
Jock Talk
From page 9
wasn’t good enough.” Good coaches let their athletes know they believe in them and they should believe in themselves. Let them know the work they put in to improve themselves will pay off in the long run. Teach them how to compete effectively for things that are worth competing for – and how
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 13
Florida galvanized gun control advocates in San Francisco and across the country. This column (and the Bay Area Reporter) joined activists in demanding an end to the gun shows at the Cow Palace arena, which is owned by the state, in Daly City. While efforts to end the arms trafficking at the Cow Palace go back a decade or more, for the first time queer youth from Bay Area high schools took a leadership role at actions at the arena and at City Hall. Their efforts did not go unnoticed by area politicos. On May 21, gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) introduced Senate Bill 221, which would have banned the sale of guns and ammunition at the Cow Palace. While both the Senate and the Assembly approved the bill, it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown, who claimed that the board of the Cow Palace was in a better position to make decisions on this issue than the popularly-elected Legislature. Of course, since the Cow Palace’s board serves at the pleasure of the governor, all that meant was that the governor was substituting his own judgment for that of the people. Then again, Brown will be out of office as of January 7, when Gavin Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco, succeeds him as governor. Wiener has promised to
file the bill again in 2019. In March, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions came to California to incite sedition among the state’s law enforcement officers by declaring our sanctuary laws “unconstitutional.” While he was here, his minions filed suit against the state. Alas for the Keebler Elf, U.S. District Judge John Mendez upheld the state’s statutory scheme except the portion that penalized private employers who cooperated with immigration officers. In November, President Donald Trump forced out Sessions. That June, sex workers and their allies gathered in Oakland to march against the Fight Online Sex Trafficking and the Stop Online Sex Trafficking Acts (FOSTA/ SESTA) and efforts by federal, state, and local prosecutors to shut down websites used by sex workers to mitigate the risks in their jobs. Three cars tried to ram the march, two of which were stopped by attendees putting their bodies (and in one case, a knife into a back tire) of the vehicles, but one got through and struck several bike riders, apparently intentionally. In early August, Rebeccalyn Mir Bilodeau, the owner of Wicked Grounds (a leather and kinkfriendly coffeehouse in the South of Market neighborhood), together with a horde of local kinksters, faced down a $6 billion corporation and made it blink, forcing
Starbucks to abandon its plans for an outlet at 1222 Harrison Street after a contentious public meeting. Later that month, the Proud Boys – nobody’s favorite band of white supremacist fascists – had their asses collectively handed to them by Cat Brooks, Tur-Ha Ak, and several thousand people in Oakland after the group made the spectacularly ill-advised decision to hold a meet-up at Make Westing, a bar in Oakland, where they were told they weren’t welcome. Shortly thereafter, Jason Van Dyke – who claimed to be the attorney for the Proud Boys despite being listed on the website of the State Bar of Texas as “retired” – threatened to sue your columnist and the B.A.R. unless we retracted the column and promised to no longer refer to the Proud Boys as white supremacists or fascists. We declined to do either, but the promised lawsuit has yet to arrive, perhaps because Van Dyke has since had problems of his own. After Proud Boy founder Gavin McInnes stepped away from the group following a fracas on the streets of New York City, Van Dyke briefly took over as leader, only to be mocked on Twitter when Proud Boy documents, which supposedly had been redacted before they were released on his watch, turned out to bear the names of the organization’s top lieutenants. He stepped down from leadership
of the group shortly thereafter and on Friday, December 21, Texas media reported that Van Dyke was currently a fugitive from justice after failing to appear in court in a misdemeanor case where he is a defendant. On a happier note, two decades of work for local indigenous activists reached fruition in mid-September as the city finally removed the controversial “Early Days” statue, which previously stood next to the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library in Civic Center. In December, Trump’s cabinet continued to hemorrhage loyalists, as Defense Secretary James Mattis, who previously opposed allowing transgender troops to serve openly, Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, who set the stage for the administration’s abusive immigration policies when he was secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, among others, fled Washington. After the administration refused to sign off on any spending deal that didn’t include funding for a border wall, a deal-killer for Democrats and many Republicans, the federal government partially shut down on December 21.t
to do it while exhibiting and receiving respect. “As a coach, our job is to encourage them and give them positive feedback,” Fuqua, 49, said. “I get the competitiveness that we all have, but I believe you can be competitive and still have respect and character. At-risk kids need encouragement. They need to believe in themselves and believe in the people around them. Our world can be so negative.
Let them know no matter what, I’ll be there for you.” Fuqua told me about a kid with whom he worked on hitting skills. The kid kept swinging and missing, and then when he connected, the ball mastered Fuqua. “He was so upset,” Fuqua said. “He kept apologizing. Really upset. I told him, ‘No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s all right. You did what I asked you to.’”
When I teach wrestling, I’m really just using that as a medium. I’m really teaching kids how to survive and thrive in life, how to deal with adversity and stay focused no matter how crappy things get. You know – the things that were especially important for me as I came to terms with my sexual orientation and the world’s often-cold disdain for folks like me. “A lot of kids don’t believe in
themselves,” Fuqua said. “If we can help them believe in themselves, we can change lives.” You can help change those lives and you can help those kids believe in themselves – if you’re resolved to do it. I believe in you and I believe you can do it.t
Classifieds Cleaning Services>>
Movers>>
Tech Support
CLEANING PROFESSIONAL
27 Years Exp. (415) 794-4411 Roger Miller
Ralph Doore 415-867-4657
Professional 30+ years exp Virus/Malware GONE! Device setup Mobile Support Network & wireless setup Discreet
FEELING DIRTY? Housecleaning Richard 415-255-0389
Jobs Offered>> ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER FOR ARCHITECT SF
Work on all phases of architectural projects: conceptual/ schematic design, building/ zone code research, construction documentation. Jobsite: San Francisco, CA. To apply, email resume to careers@architect-sf.com Job Code: 06
Tech Support>>
Yelp reviews
35 PUC # 176618
MACINTOSH HELP •Home OR OFFICE •27 YEARS EXPERIENCE
SFMACMAN.com RICK
415.821.1792
Vacation>>
Hauling>>
(415) 441-1054 Large Truck
To place your classified ad, call
415-861-5019
Then go have a drink & relax...
Celebrating 34 Years of Fabulous Travel Arrangements! 4115 19th Street San Francisco, CA 94114
11am-5pm (PST) M-F, Closed on Weekends
415.626.1169 www.nowvoyager.com
Contact the columnist at jocktalkroger@yahoo.com.
Legal Notices>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-554444
In the matter of the application of: KELVIN EUCHARIS MATAU PETERIKA, PO BOX 280042, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner KELVIN EUCHARIS MATAU PETERIKA, is requesting that the name KELVIN EUCHARIS MATAU PETERIKA, be changed to KELVIN EUCHARIS PETERIKA MATA’U. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 17th of January 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-554443
In the matter of the application of: ORLANDO TODD HOLMON, PO Box 401011, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94140, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ORLANDO TODD HOLMON, is requesting that the name ORLANDO TODD HOLMON AKA ORLANDO JOCK TOLBERT AKA ORLANDO J. TOLBERT, be changed to ORLANDO JOCK TOLBERT. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 15th of January 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038419500
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TERUYA RAMEN, 3944 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed YINGHAN LIU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038419300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: K & M MANAGEMENT GROUP, 321 NOE ST #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MAX E. MENDOZA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/30/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/18.
HAULING 24/7 –
Got a tip? Email me at christina@diedoardolaw.com.
DEC 06, 13, 20 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038418300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CARNEY’S PLASTERING, 1485 BAYSHORE BLVD #114, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed WILBERT T. CARNEY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/22/00. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038412100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RECRAFT, 240 SAN BENITO AVE #11, SAN BRUNO, CA 94066. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SALEEM AZAM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038410500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: J R STRAIGHT DRYWALL, 175 ORIZABA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed VALENTIN J. RODRIGUEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038412300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JANE RICHEY PHOTOGRAPHY, 70 CONRAD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LESLIE JANE RICHEY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/89. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038412900
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOKNA, 639 44TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AHMED GABALLAH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038414300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: QUARTET FILMS, 730 10TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CENTIGRADE INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/13/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038403900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HELIBITES, 1049 MARKET ST #103, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SFF HOLDINGS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/20/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/20/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018
See page 14 >>
<< Legals
14 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
<<
Legal Notices
From page 13
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038404000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FILLMONIAN DARK PRODUCTS, 1049 MARKET ST, #403, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed HSF HOLDINGS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/20/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/20/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038410200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: S2H SUPPLY; S2H ELECTRIC SUPPLY; CONSTTANT, 1063 FOLSOM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SPEEDY’S HARDWARE, (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/12/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038411100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CALIFORNIA DETAILING, 340 FELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CALIFORNIA DETAILING INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/13/90. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038411200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CONNECT TELEHEALTH AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGY GROUP, 1849 GEARY BLVD #15502, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DR. JESSICA GROBERIO PSYCHOLOGIST, A PROFESSIONAL CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038419000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LAGUNA, 602 HAYES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited partnership, and is signed LAGUNA HAYES VALLEY, LP. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038413100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BENTE, 333 BEALE ST #8H, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JLT INVESTMENTS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/20/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038402200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOLIDAY INN FISHERMAN’S WHARF, 495 BEACH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DCP SF COLUMBUS AVE OWNER LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/31/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/19/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038407400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JUST KIDS DAYCARE, 5731 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JUST KIDS DAYCARE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038407600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JUST KIDS PRESCHOOL, 5727 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JUST KIDS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038412700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAIDENSF; EXTRA NOODLES, 555 CALIFORNIA ST #4925, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MAIDEN LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038394000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TWO SONS SANDWICHES, 2249 17TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DELI SPOT DISTRICT, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/13/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038398200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ZHUO KITCHEN, 1380 9TH AVE., SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ZHUO KITCHEN LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/13/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/15/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038413000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JANCHAY’S BISTRO, 400 WALLER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JANCHAY THAI, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/27/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038400400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN FRANCISCO TOMORROW, 5537 MISSION ST #201, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SAN FRANCISCO TOMORROW (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/09/70. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/16/18.
DEC 06, 13, 20, 27, 2018 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF SCOTT CLARENCE ST. JOHN FKA SCOTT CLARENCE LINN IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-18-302406
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of SCOTT CLARENCE ST. JOHN FKA SCOTT CLARENCE LINN. A Petition for Probate has been filed by HELENE M. ARTELIS ST. JOHN in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that HELENE M. ARTELIS ST. JOHN 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: Jan 02, 2019, 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: PAUL M. LAMARTINA 300040, HAAS NAJARIAN, LLP, 58 Maiden Lane, 2nd Flr, San Francisco, CA 94108; Ph. (415) 788-6330.
DEC 13, 20, 27, 2018 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-554453
In the matter of the application of: IAKONA ANTHONY SIMPLICIANO, 869 ROLPH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner IAKONA ANTHONY SIMPLICIANO, is requesting that the name IAKONA ANTHONY SIMPLICIANO, be changed to IAKONA ANTHONY SIMPLICIANO THOMAS. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 15th of January 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-554467
In the matter of the application of: KIM CHRISTINE PAULINE BETTY BARBARA EHLER, P.O. BOX 170643, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner KIM CHRISTINE PAULINE BETTY BARBARA EHLER, is requesting that the name KIM CHRISTINE PAULINE BETTY BARBARA EHLER, be changed to NINA MORITZIA RÁABÉ. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 31th of January 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038428100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAIL, 3011 20TH ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GLORIA LIN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/07/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038418200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE TWO WHEEL MOM, 1624 48TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SUZANNE HARTLEY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038426300
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KIVOON COACHING, 1590 FULTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed INNA BUSCHELL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/06/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038426500
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: INTENTION TO DETAIL, 140 A LINDA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RENEE ALORIS LAROSE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/03/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/06/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038425600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DER STUDIOS, 50 MENDELL ST STE 10, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ERIK DER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/04/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/05/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2018
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038413300
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038436500
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038423300
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038431800
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COLIBRI SPACE DEZINE, 1600 15TH ST #532, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KAREN M. CERDA-SEGURA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/27/18.
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AMY & AMY BEAUTY SALON, 1728 SACRAMENTO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EMILIE THE TU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/97. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/04/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038426900
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TACOS Y PUPUSAS LOS TRINOS, 4384 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SANTOS H. PEREZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/11/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/14/18.
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALEXANDER KLEINBERG, LMFT, 999 SUTTER ST # 307, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ALEXANDER KLEINBERG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/10/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038434600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BAY AREA COMMUNICATION ACCESS, 443 TEHAMA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed ARNITA DOBBINS & KEVIN MOGG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/83. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/06/18.
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TIP TOP CLUB, 3776 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed FRANCISCO MENDOZA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/11/78. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/13/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038425500
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038432500
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: POLICEONE COM, 200 GREEN ST #200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed THE PRAETORIAN GROUP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/00. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/05/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038424300
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VAPOR ROOM, 79 9TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed VRC CMT, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/03/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/04/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038422200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AIDS TREATMENT & RESEARCH INFO; SAN FRANCISCO PROJECT INFORM, 25 TAYLOR ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SAN FRANCISCO PROJECT INFORM (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/25/00. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038407900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OMA SUSHI, 330 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SFSHINELAND LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038426600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALLIANCE BJJ SAN FRANCISCO - SOMA, 141 11TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ALLIANCE BJJ SAN FRANCISCO, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/06/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/06/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038428000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ESKER CONSULTING, 401 LAKE ST #102, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ESKER CONSULTING (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/07/18.
DEC 13, 20, 27, JAN 03, 2019 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF WALTER ROBERT FRANKLIN SCHUCHARDT IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-18-302387
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of WALTER ROBERT FRANKLIN SCHUCHARDT. A Petition for Probate has been filed by DAVID COFFING in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that DAVID COFFING 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: Feb 19, 2019, 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: ALMA SOONGI BECK (197383) & JANELLE F. ALLEN (284683), LAKIN SPEARS, LLP, 2400 GENG RD #110, PALO ALTO, CA 94303; Ph. (650) 328-7000.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DIAZ SANTOS CLEANING, 1159 FITZGERALD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CARLOS A. DIAZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/12/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038434400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAGNA CARPET CLEANING, 1045 MISSION ST, #487 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AVIAD BRACHA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/13/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/13/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038434200
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 4 PAWS WALKS, 567 HAIGHT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KEVIN ROSATI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/13/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/13/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038432900
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ATOMIQ CONDIMENTS, 490 COLLINGWOOD ST #7, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAMES KOVACS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038432700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EASY CLEANERS, 1667 LEAVENWORTH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed EDMOND KWONG & PAK SHING WAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/05/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038437000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DENTAL STUDIO, 260 STOCKTON ST, 4TH FLR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed JARROD C. CORNEHL, DDS PC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/17/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038437100
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CASTRO DENTAL GROUP, 375 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CORNEHL DENTAL CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/07/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/17/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038429400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOLDEN, 30 7TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GOLDEN RECURSION INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/18/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/10/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038422100
t
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038436700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NORTH BEACH MEDIATION, 408 COLUMBUS AVE #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed STELLA FEY EPLING & JAMES J. MCBRIDE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/14/18.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037050000
The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: TONGS LAUNDRETTE, 1667 LEAVENWORTH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by YONG ZENG. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/14/16.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038444600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CARDINAL INTERIORS, 1700 CALIFORNIA ST #330, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PATRICIA A. PROSES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/89. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on12/21/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038440800
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CD PROPERTIES, 550 27TH ST #203, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHRIS DITTENHAFER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/19/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038429200
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BUSY BEE CO, 5432 GEARY BLVD #245, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRIAN LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/23/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/10/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038440400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COAST SF, 742 14TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed KEMPER AND ASSOCIATES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/14/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/19/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038415600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PARAGON BUILDING MAINTENANCE, 412 15TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MERCHANT REAL ESTATE INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/28/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038413600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NAPO SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, 530 DIVISADERO ST #158, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS-SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/88. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038442000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WATERLOO BEVERAGES, PIER 50, TERRY FRANCOIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SAN FRANCISCO BEVERAGES DISTRIBUTION INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/20/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/20/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038444900
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CMO LABS, 100 PINE ST #325, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DAVID BURK IDEAS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/17/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/21/18.
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-036054700
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BOYS DELI INC, 315 MONTGOMERY ST # 0101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BOYS DELI INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/03/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/18.
The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: MUSIC FOR SF, 52 OVIEDO CT. PACIFICA, CA 94044. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by LAURA WARNER. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/22/14.
DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019
DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019
@eBARnews
17
2018 film
17
18
18
‘Mario’ bros.
Holiday music
2018 music
Vol. 48 • No. 52 • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Rick Gerharter
www.ebar.com/arts
2018, the year in Bay Area art by Sura Wood
T
hey say the unexamined life is one not worth living, but we won’t allow the same to be said of this past year in art. Herewith, some thoughts on 2018. See page 20 >>
Julian Schnabel stands amidst his paintings and sculptures at the Palace of the Legion of Honor, site of “Symbols of Actual Life.”
Paula Poundstone: “I can’t help but talk about the mess we’re in.”
Esa-Pekka Salonen was named Music Director Designate of the San Francisco Symphony.
Symphony wrap-up by Philip Campbell
Paula does NYE
Andrew Eccles
by Sari Staver Courtesy the artist
L
ooking back at the San Francisco Symphony’s 2018-19 season so far, it is hard to find many highlights that could outshine the announcement early in December of a new Music Director to replace Michael Tilson Thomas when he steps down in 2020. SFS administration and the search committee held their cards close, so the sudden naming of Esa-Pekka Salonen was all the more surprising. The appointment itself took little time to digest. Upon reflection, it seemed self-evident. Salonen is universally admired and adventurous, very much in the MTT mold, and a talented composer as well. We just didn’t know he was available. See page 16 >>
P
aula Poundstone brings her quirky, self-deprecating sense of humor to the Sydney Goldstein Theater (formerly the Nourse) in San Francisco for her annual New Year’s Eve show. See page 20 >>
{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }
<< Out There
16 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Playlist for thirsty ears
by Roberto Friedman
E
ven though this is an end-of-year playlist, not one of these 10 recordings was released in 2018! How’s them apples! Still, here’s music that quenched our aural thirst as we worked through the year. Blossom Dearie, “Blossom Dearie: Four Classic Albums Plus” (2 CDs, Avid, 2009), comprising “Blossom Dearie,” “Blossom Dearie Plays for Dancing,” “Tracks from her group album The Blue Stars of France,” “Once Upon a Summertime,” “Give Him the Ooh-La-La” and one track from “King Pleasure Sings.” Cirque du Soleil, “Volta” (CDS, 2017). Cirque scores are often characterized by endless synthesizer noodling and nonsense vocals. But music for the latest spectacle under the Big Top next to the ballpark was composed by Anthony Gonzalez of the French electronica band M83 (“Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming”). More than a handful of tracks hold our interest as electronica, even without the gyrating acrobats and lithesome gymnasts.
<<
2018 SFS
From page 15
He received the title Music Director Designate immediately, and SFS audiences will get a chance to see him in action this coming Jan. 18-20, when he takes the podium for concerts featuring a West Coast premiere, R. Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra,” and “Four Legends from the Kalevala” by Sibelius. Salonen replaces Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla, who had to postpone her SFS debut due to the birth of her first child. He will also return in the 2019-20 season to conduct at least two weeks of concerts before beginning full-time in 2020. MTT’s next and final season will, rightfully, be all about him. It should be spectacular; 25 years constitute an historic legacy, and we can expect the kind of classy celebration the SFS is so good at. From now until then, we are hardly calling MTT a lame duck, two words that simply don’t belong in a sentence with his name. Since September, fearless leader has already helmed a two-week Stravinsky Festival, conducted his own deeply moving “From the Diary of Anne Frank” with luminous soprano Isabel Leonard narrating, and led the orchestra and award-winning SFS Chorus in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth in honor of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There have been some equally impressive evenings spent at Davies Symphony Hall this year with guest conductors and artists, notably Manfred Honeck conducting Dvorak’s exciting Eighth Symphony, with Norwegian cellist Truls Mork making his long-overdue SFS debut playing Prokofiev’s Sinfonia concertante. Young violin virtuoso and You-
STEVE_2x5_16149.indd 1
12/10/18 11:35 AM
Keith Jarrett, “A Multitude of Angels” (4 CDs, ECM, 2016). Solo improvisatory piano in four Italian cities: Modena, Ferrara, Torino and Genova. On track 2 in Modena, it’s as if Jarrett constructs an elaborate, multi-tier cake, then pushes it right off the banquet table. Smashed sweets for all. Morrissey, “Low in High School” (BMG, 2017). “Jacky’s Only Happy When She’s Up on the Stage.” We all know a Jacky. Roberto Musci, “Tower of Silence” (Music from Memory, 2016). African folk melodies whose strength is in their gentleness. Lesson for 2019. Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange” (Universal, 2012). It’s not a new album, so imagine our crazy delight when Taylor Mac sang a spirited rendition of “Super Rich Kids” as part of his “Holiday Sauce” mash-up this year at the Curran. “Too many bottles of this wine we can’t pronounce,/Too many bowls of that green, no Lucky Charms./The maids come around too much,/ Parents ain’t around enough./Too many joy rides in Daddy’s Jaguar,/
Luke Ratray
Gil Shaham will play the Prokofiev First Violin Concerto in February.
Tube sensation Ray Chen returned to DSH with conductor Cristian Macelaru making his SFS debut, conducting the SFS co-commission & world premiere of Kevin Puts’ evocative Suite from his opera “Silent Night.” Piano superstar and bold fashionista Yuja Wang said yes to the dress one more time when she tore through Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in the middle of September. Japanese-born violinist Karen Gomyo made her SFS debut in November with a searing account of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Young Czech conductor Jakub Hrusa made a second appearance with the SFS after his memorable debut the year before. More than a few thought he was deservedly in the running for the Music Director’s job. Looking forward to the new year, more guest conductors will make a
t
Too many white lies and white lines./Super rich kids with nothing but loose ends,/Super rich kids with nothing but fake friends.” In the orange album’s “Lost,” Ocean takes it all away. “Lost, lost in the heat of it all,/Girl, you know you’re lost,/Lost in the thrill of it all./Miami, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Spain, lost./Los Angeles, India, lost on a train, lost.” And truly found. Max Richter, “The Blue Notebooks” (DG, 2014), “uses music to keep alive the idea that there is somewhere to go next, a new place to think, and a new way to listen,” liner notes by Paul Morley. Roches, “Moonswept” (429 Records, 2007). “I had that chance to leave this mess,/but isn’t it funny how I stayed put,/saddled up and harnessed, caught horse./Instead I chose to call it love, this hard drive./I am riding into the sunset.” (“Instead I Chose,” words by Suzzy Roche, music by Terre Roche.) Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld, “And Still They Move” from “Never Were the Way She Was” (Constellation, 2015). Hiroshi Yoshimura, “Music for Nine Post Cards” (Import, 2017). Out of the darkness, into the light! Onward & upward to 2019 ~ OT.t special beginning in January, with New York Philharmonic Music Director Jaap van Zweden conducting Mozart and Bruckner mid-month, and Resident Conductor of the SFS and Music Director of the SFS Youth Orchestra Christian Reif leading Prokofiev’s galvanic Symphony No. 5 Jan. 24-26. Full of the composer’s sweeping melodies and tangy harmonies, the Fifth is an emotional workout and modern masterpiece. Revered SFS Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt closes the month with Beethoven’s Sixth “Pastoral” Symphony and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, “Scottish.” The maestro has been making an annual return to DSH since his tenure as Music Director, 1985-95. He never seems to get older, which is most encouraging to longtime admirers. MTT is back on the podium in February with a favorite colleague, Gil Shaham, essaying some more Prokofiev with the boldly contrasted moods of the First Violin Concerto. The program concludes with Tchaikovsky’s thrillingly dramatic Fourth Symphony. Another violin superstar, Christian Tetzlaff joins MTT in March for Mozart’s Concerto No. 3. The concert includes Ravel’s charming “Le Tombeau de Couperin” and Sibelius’ richly melodic Symphony No. 2. Later in the season MTT conducts music of Debussy with pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin, director. In May and June he leads two concerts devoted to Mahler’s Symphonies 7 & 9. We will preview more as the dates approach, but fans of Mahler and MTT’s extraordinary interpretations should make plans soon. We have our resident world-renowned expert in charge for one more season, 2019-20.t
t
Film>>
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 17
The year in film, 2018
Courtesy the filmmakers
Scene from director Bryan Singer’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
by David Lamble
2018
has proved to be a banner year for LGBTQ-themed films, many screening locally at Bay Area film festivals such as Frameline and Berlin & Beyond. Below, find my picks, a baker’s dozen of truly fine films, 1. “Bohemian Rhapsody” This outstanding bio-pic on openly gay British rocker Freddie Mercury, lead singer for UK rockers Queen, tops my second-week picks for Best Films of 2018. In this Bryan Singer production, we follow young Freddie (sublime Rami Malek), born in Zanzibar to Pakistani parents, as he carves out a career in the volatile early-70s world of UK bands known for flamboyant dress and hairstyles. This is a captivating mix of pop music history, upbeat immigrant story, high-wire coming out tale, and rousing London concert, Freddie and Queen a huge hit at the 1985 Live Aid concert. 2. “Cold War” Cannes awardwinning director Pawel Pawlikowski celebrates the European Communist-era relationship of his composer dad and singer mom with this fractured fairy tale. This boy-
never-quite-gets-girl tale is laced with sprightly numbers that deftly parody the Stalinist propaganda machine and its determination to bend every human element empire to deadly dull purpose. 3. “Boys Cry” This brutal little drama, shot by brothers Damiano & Fabio D’Innocenzo, focuses on the ambitions of two handsome pizza delivery boys. An accident propels these future waiter-bartenders from school to a precarious niche on a local crime don’s hit-list. Matteo Olivetti and Andrea Carpenzano play the cocky Mirko and Manola, doomed youth trapped in a hood far tougher than they suspect. 4. “On the Basis of Sex” The improbable rise of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg is recalled in this nuanced narrative drama. Ginsberg (Felicity Jones) overcomes male privilege in the courtroom throughout her inspiring career. Judge: “The word ‘woman’ does not appear even once in the US Constitution.” RBG: “Nor does the word ‘freedom,’ Your Honor.” 5. “Buddies” 1985 gay treasure returns in a splendid new DVD/
BluRay release. The first AIDSthemed drama was the inspiration of gay filmmaking pioneer Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. 6. “Shoplifters” Hirokazu Koreeda (“Nobody Knows,” 2004) returns with a Cannes award-winner. A boy and girl are informally adopted by a quirky clan who engage in petty crime to survive. The story hinges on a radical redefinition of the meaning of family and ties that really bind. 7. “Studio 54” Director Matt Tyrnauer zooms in on Studio 54’s celebrity owners Steve Rubell (dead from AIDS, 1989) and Ian Schrager, who met at college and lived to showcase the exhilarating highs and deadly lows of the club scene. Celebs like Elton John and Grace Jones bumped up against common guys and gals lucky enough to get past the velvet rope. 8. “Conversations with Gay Elders” Veteran director David Weissman delivers a deceptively simple 70-minute chat with a gay everyman. The life of Kerby Lauderdale covers a host of moving moments: discovering his sexual identity at summer camp, a college romance, a
lengthy hetero marriage, and finally, a 14-year relationship with an HIV+ male partner. Never maudlin, this is a frank discussion between two adults. 9. “If Beale Street Could Talk” “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins adapts gay African-American novelist James Baldwin’s novel. After a long lapse following his premature death, Baldwin’s work has roared back into fashion. 10. “Postcards from London” When the handsome but shy redhead Jim (Harris Dickinson) leaves his provincial home for the bright lights of London’s Soho, he falls in with a gang of male escorts who give him a crash course in the art world’s dark side. Jim is a young stud paid by older men to breathe excitement back into canvasses that fetch princely sums at art auctions. Written and directed by Steve McLean, this is both a sexy art appreciation course and a primer on the influence of passionate homosexuality on the evolution of painting styles. 11. “Mr. Gay Syria” Directorwriter Ayse Toprak offers a joyful plunge into the upside-down lives of LGBTQ refugees from the Muslim Middle East. The hero in war-torn Syria is a handsome 24-year-old barber. Husein has great
fashion sense, along with an ex-wife, a young daughter, and the desire to live as an open gay man with a male partner. A chilling scene unfolds when one of Husein’s overhears a family member threatening his life unless he “swear[s] on the Koran that you’re not gay!” 12. “Dream Boat” Director Tristan Ferland Milewski blends the experiences, beauty tips and hissy-fits on a yearly cruise whose passenger list is limited to gay men from countries hostile to gays. The passengers include an Indian man fleeing an arranged marriage; a Palestinian escaping police persecution; a wheelchair-bound man remembering his able-bodied youth while enjoying shipboard solace with his male partner; an HIV+ Austrian who finds the cruise a hedonistic escape from life; and a Polish bodybuilder escaping loneliness amid the glitter and frenzied playtime. 13. “Welcome to Germany” In director-screenwriter Simon Verhoeven’s frisky family-centered comedy/drama, Angelika invites a young African refugee to live in the basement of their Munich home, upsetting Angelika and Richard’s adult children, and putting their marriage at risk.t
Courtesy the filmmakers
Scene from director-writer Ayse Toprak’s “Mr. Gay Syria.”
Soccer studs are ‘the perfect couple’ by Brian Bromberger
I
f you wonder why so few current professional athletes come out of the closet, you’d do well to watch “Mario,” released on DVD by Wolfe Video after a successful screening at Frameline. This film reveals the psychological and romantic toll taken on players who deny their sexuality both to themselves and the people around them, not to mention the license it gives for team homophobia and management cowardice. “Mario” doesn’t offer any solutions to these problems, but does expose the harsh reality of toxic masculinity and the sports world’s resistance to letting players be their authentic selves, which winds up sacrificing talent in the name of profit. Mario Luthi (Max Hubacher) is a young player in the Bern Soccer Club in Switzerland, training hard to advance to a professional league in Germany. Suddenly he is confronted with a new striker from Hanover, Germany, the gorgeous, dark-haired Leon Saldo (Aaron Altaras), who is competing for the same promotion. Seeing an advantage in putting them together, the club assigns them to share an apartment as roommates, giving Leon a place to live and Mario freedom from traveling back to his rural
Steven Underhill
home. This gives him some needed distance from his father coach, who lives vicariously through him. Initially wary, they become friends. Mario’s father announces cluelessly, “They’re the perfect couple on the field.” So preoccupied with soccer he is oblivious to his orientation, Mario even makes a platonic girlfriend out of his BFF Jenny (Jessy Moravec). Mario and Leon become lovers after a night of beer and videogames, but know they must keep their affair secret. Mario does come out to his father, who is rejecting, and his mother, who is supportive. Inevitably, word leaks out about their romance, with a porno picture attached to Mario’s locker
Aaron Altaras plays gorgeous, dark-haired soccer player Leon Saldo in “Mario.”
and bullying from teammates (hot guys in bona fide football scenes), leading to a meeting with the club management, who claim not to care about the gay issue but are worried about cohesion, the sponsors, fan reaction, and the team’s public image. Mario, with the support of his agent, repudiates the anonymous allegation, and starts being seen in public with women, adopting Jenny as his beard. Leon also denies the affair, but, long comfortable being gay, is increasingly uneasy with remaining closeted. He resents the taunts of his teammates, which ultimately lead
to a confrontation. He sees his relationship with Mario as love (“I don’t care what they say”), not just sex. Mario, wanting to achieve his lifelong dream, is willing to compromise, leading to a rupture with Leon. Having convinced the club he is straight, they advance him to a professional team in Germany, with Jenny coming along as both support and cover for him. What will happen to Mario and his relationship with Leon? Co-screenwriter and director Marcel Gisler made the well-regarded documentary “Electroboy,” about gay model, party organizer, and electronic music composer Florian Burkhardt. He invests the picture with conviction and authenticity. At two hours, “Mario” is a bit long, but it never drags because of the sizzling chemistry between Hubacher and Altaras. You really care whether their relationship can be salvaged. In some ways this is a conventional movie about forbidden romance, somewhat predictable yet heart-wrenching. But it effectively illustrates the pressures applied to young athletes to conform and put their careers ahead of any private satisfaction. Both Hubacher and Altaras exude charisma. Hubacher won the Swiss equivalent of an Oscar, and Altaras skillfully captures the sheer exhaustion and exasperation of living a lie. Both actors are thoroughly believable in their erotic sensuality, honesty, and loving tenderness in how they interact
with each other. The situation between the characters is so painful because it is so realistic. While the struggles of the gay athlete remain primary, they don’t overwhelm the joyful moments of two young men discovering love.t
Since 1977
Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all day Open 24/7 3991-A 17thSt Market & Castro, San Francisco
415-864-9795
<< Music
18 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
2018: Best classical recordings
t
by Tim Pfaff
W
hat recording company would allow one of its major stars to release his first CD in three years devoted largely to transcriptions of music the most famous of which was Isolde’s Liebestod and the most tangential a Busoni transcription of a Liszt work for organ based on a faux chorale Meyerbeer wrote for his opera “Le Prophete?” Sony let Igor Levit record “Igor Levit, Life” and had a hit on its hands. Few recordings of 2018 drew such immediate and lasting attention. A reflection on the accidental death of one of Levit’s closest friends, the artist Hannes Malte Mahler, the music is rendered at a level of concentration and focus rarely encountered. It’s unlikely fare to nail you to your chair, but it’s Record of the Year to be sure. Christophe Rousset, by contrast as prodigious a recording artist as there is, characteristically released recordings of out-of-the-way operas such as Salieri’s “Les Horaces” and (a comparative mainstay) Lully’s “Alceste,” but returned to his roots as a harpsichordist for a two-CD set of Louis Couperin’s “Nouvelles Suites de Clavecin” (Harmonia Mundi). Performing on a vintage, priceless 17th-century harpsichord, Rousset showed the kind of profound rapport with an instrument with sensitivities and moods of its own that only the greatest players have. The sense of presence in the playing defied any notions of this being “old” music.
Perhaps it’s because Yo-Yo Ma has played and recorded the Bach Solo Cello Suites so often (and, recently, in surprising venues) that his latest, for Sony, is rightly called “Six Evolutions.” It’s as knowing, free and transporting as musicmaking gets. The Debussy Year ended with 10 carefully crafted sets from Harmonia Mundi, calling on the services of their greatest artists, that opened up new worlds of sound in the music of the composer who dedicated his life to doing just that. While they’re all essential, I would be less than truthful if I didn’t say that the Jerusalem Quartet’s performance of Debussy’s only string quartet turned a piece I once admired to one I couldn’t stop listening to, urgent, strong and dismissive of notions of the composer as a mere impressionist or colorist. In our time we’ve come to see that, like Debussy’s, Schubert’s “pretty” music as often as not takes us to the limits of what can be endured emotionally. His “Death and the Maiden” Quartet plumbs
the depths. Performed with nuance and bite on historically appropriate music by the Chiaroscuro Quartet (BIS), it speaks as it arguably never has before – and you listen, rapt. Unsurprisingly, recordings celebrating the Leonard Bernstein Year appeared in dizzying profusion, with all the kinds of music he composed represented. Most important was Antonio Pappano’s “Bernstein: The Three Symphonies” (Warner). It was one of the composer’s deepest desires to be remembered as a “serious” composer (too, of course), and Pappano came forth with readings that will keep these pieces in the repertoire, including a “Kaddish” that finally proved its unqualified greatness. Daniel Harding and his Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra came out with a Mahler Fifth (Harmonia Mundi) as bracing, steady and endlessly satisfying as his Ninth last year. Teodor Currentzis, the bad boy-wannabe of conductors whose individuality has resulted in as many accidents as revelations, unleashed a blistering Mahler Sixth (Sony) that
leaves the score intact if listeners a wreck, the way most Mahler Sixth lovers want it. Two baritones, Gerald Finley and Christian Gerhaher, are duking it out in as gentlemanly way as possible for the title of greatest baritone (if not vocalist) singing-actor today, both winning in their individual ways. On recording, Gerhaher took a giant step forward with “Frage” (Sony), the first installment of a complete recording of Schumann songs that promises to be finished before we’re all huddling on the coasts of South Dakota. The main item is the Kerner Lieder, but, as has become the wont of this most penetrating of interpreters, these performances are the last word in refinement, if in a way that is rightly deemed devastating. In a duet recording with Lea Desandre, French soprano Sabine Devieilhe brought the year to a thrilling close with “Handel: Italian Cantatas” (Erato), led by Emmanuel Haim and Le Concert D’Astree. This is music from the young Handel’s growth spurt into full ma-
turity in Italy, and its vitality is unflagging. Devieilhe’s performance of “Lucrezia” supplants all others. A bit of a duff year for opera recordings did include the premiere recording of “Edward II” (Oehms), Andrea Lorenzo Scartizzini’s Christopher Marlowe-based, gay-themed opera. It did what recordings should: show the mettle of music whose stage-worthiness has been proved definitively. Are you listening, Mr. Shilvock? Still, opera recording of the year was the scorching Madrid performance of Britten’s “Death in Venice” (Naxos) in its finest recording to date. More soon. In a year when remixes and remasters continued apace, DG’s of Rafael Kubelik’s legendary complete Mahler symphony cycle worked its technological magic on ageless interpretations that most warranted remastering. Ditto “The Beatles” (“The White Album”), which allowed technology to catch up to where the Fab Four were decades ago, and has rarely left my player for long.t
Merry Christmas recordings!
by Jason Victor Serinus
I
’ve been doing these holiday music roundups for so long that I’ve lost track of what century we’re in. Before it’s too late, I invite you to take a read and a listen. Happy holidays! Rolando Villazón: Feliz Navidad (Deutsche Grammophon) On our “Star Turn of 2018” recording, tenor Villazon, a Merola Opera Program alum, sounds as good as ever in his collection of mostly standard Christmas tunes. His accent on English-language selections that include Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” is charming, and his characteristic dark tone is balanced by some lovely soft touches. Villazón’s Spanish in José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” and other selections is refreshingly idiomatic and sometimes thrillingly spirited, and what I believe to a high B in the French version of Adam’s
“O Holy Night” is sustained and solid. Lovely contributions from the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra and guest vocalists, with tracks recorded in multiple studios and spliced together with a bit of audible layering and digital ring. Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain: Apollo’s Fire, Jeannette Sorrell (Apollo’s Fire) Indefatigable Cleveland Baroque Orchestra Apollo’s Fire, under Sorrell’s leadership, brings fine voices and periodinstrument artistry to traditional Appalachian melodies from the Sugarloaf Mountain region at the northern tip of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Because this is the region where both Sorrell and soprano Amanda Powell spent their formative years, these beautiful arrangements ring with truth and sincerity. With instruments that range from fiddle and hammered dulcimer to Medieval Vielle and Medieval bag-
pipe, the recording may play loose with Appalachian authenticity, but it is a delight nonetheless. Available as a high-resolution download in lovely sound, this recording’s beauty will bring joy year-round. The Mystery of Christmas: Ora Singers (Harmonia Mundi) Centuries-separated versions of “O magnum mysterium” by Byrd and Lauridsen are typical of this a cappella recording’s fascinating mix of medieval and Renaissance melodies with contemporary choral melodies by Peacock, Williams, Weir, Macmillan, Rutter, Sametz and others. Nothing is standard or taken for granted. Highly recommended for both the refreshing repertoire and director-conductor Suzi Digby’s impeccable blend of 20+ voices, capped by radiant sopranos with minimal vibrato. Putamayo Presents Joy to the World (Putamayo) When a world
music holiday album begins with Nossa Bossa Nova’s Portugueselanguage “The First Noel,” and continues with Arspop’s “Astrol del Ciel” (“Silent Night”), Frederick de Grandpre’s French croon of “Noel avec Toi,” Roman Street’s pop fusion “Little Drummer Boy,” Leon Redbone’s “Christmas Island,” and a Haitian-tinged “Frosty the Snowman,” you know it’s going to lighten any holiday celebration you may hold. A few of these tracks are a bit tacky, but the compilation as a whole is lots of fun. Christmas Kiss: Diana Panton (2xHD Fusion) If you like a smooth-voiced jazz vocalist with a smiling tease in her little girl voice, and can handle a Christmas recording that begins with the line, “There’s a very good reason why the holiday season/ Is the perfect time for a boy and girl to fall in love,” this one could be for you. Available in various high resolutions including DSD64, it’s certainly the best-recorded seasonal reissue you’ll encounter this year. Anyone into a 21st-century version of lounge music – how about your brother with the built-in bar in his basement who lives with his wife and their 25 children in rural Montana? – will eat up this nicely done recording. Bach: Music for Christmas (Musik zu Weihnachten) Vol. 1 (Brilliant Classics) The liner notes I’ve received with this compilation of presumably older recordings contain no information about the sources, but no matter. Lovers of classical music will rejoice that after encountering lots of pop fare, there’s a reasonably priced Bach
reissue available that includes Bach’s entire Christmas Oratorio plus other pieces. These recordings will not replace the best recently minted period-instrument recordings with star soloists, but the voices are nonetheless fetching. And it’s Bach, for goodness sake, which means it’s some of the most beautiful and spiritually-rich holiday fare you’ll encounter. Folkjul II: A Swedish Folk Christmas (BIS) Here’s another fine-sounding high-resolution recording with unusual fare, at least for North Americans. Gunnar Idenstam and the St. Jacobs Chamber Choir (St. Jacobs Kammarkör) have performed Folkjul concerts more or less each year since 2002. Reflecting the sometimes uneasy merger of Swedish peasant folk culture and Christianity, the concerts mix old melodies with others newly composed. I love the juxtaposition of light folk instruments with the organ of Eric Ericsonhallen in Stockholm. Less comforting is speculation about what die-hard Christians did to peasants who refused to sign onto the program. But you won’t hear any of that amongst these lovely selections. Songs of Winter and Christmas: Papagena (Somm) Papagena is five women with truly sweet, quintessentially English light voices who mix traditional Irish, German, English, and Ukrainian melodies with everything from Joni Mitchell’s “The River” to contemporary melodies. You’ll never hear an a cappella arrangement of “In dulci jubilo” like Matthew Culloton’s recorded here. Extremely nice and soothing, especially in hi-rez.t
To keep from slipping on the ice, polar bears have fur on the bottoms of their feet. You may have to hold onto a friend.
Now Open This holiday tradition packs a flurry of excitement you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find anywhere else. Experience the new outdoor ice rink, falling snow flurries, and more! Plus, explore the science behind the season and learn how polar bears survive in the Arctic. Open every day this holiday season. Save $4 per ticket when you buy online now through January 6. Get tickets at calacademy.org
29331-CAS-TisSeason-Polar Bear-Bay Area Reporter-9.75x16-11.29.18-FA.indd 1
11/28/18 5:32 PM
<< TV
20 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Queer rebellion hits India by David-Elijah Nahmod
land after more than a year of court battles. Ironically, the film was released before the Indian Supreme Court’s historic ruling decriminalizing same-sex relationships. Cherian said that the ruling is “the beginning of a new revolution in our social system.” As the story opens, Haris (Jason Chacko), a young gay artist who specializes in erotic male nudes, is photographing Vishnu (Rajesh Kannan), his lover, model and muse. Haris is preparing to present his graphically sexual drawings at a local gallery, and seems undisturbed by rampant religious-based homophobia. Haris has a rainbow flag prominently displayed in his apartment. Vishnu, meanwhile,
I
t’s not safe to be LGBTQ or a feminist in India. But filmmaker Jayan Cherian and his cast throw caution to the wind with the tale of a gay artist and a feminist who rebel against the societal norms of their conservative Indian city in “Ka Bodyscapes,” Cherian’s new film now available on Video On Demand platforms. Cherian faced a long and difficult battle in order to get his film screened in India. Originally banned for “glorifying gay relationships,” as well as for taking a stand for women’s rights and speaking out against the oppressive dogma of religious conservatism, “Ka Bodyscapes” was finally released in its home-
<<
2018 Fine Art
From page 15
So long, Max. The landing of Max Hollein to lead the Fine Arts Museums was a coup, and his departure a blow, the latter not unexpected, according to some wags. The man radiates competence, with charm and star quality to match; it was obvious he was going places, but maybe not so soon. He left his post after just two years to assume the top job at the Metropolitan Museum (who could blame him?) taking his elegance and charisma with him. During his brief tenure he made good on his commitment to highlight in-house curators and take a break from hosting blockbusters from European institutions undergoing renovation. He also helped keep a lid on Dede Wilsey, sparing everyone the embarrassment and gossip that landed on the front pages of the NYT arts section before he arrived. Hollein has been replaced by Thomas P, Campbell, former Director of the Met, in what appears to be some kind of CEO swap. Was this the plan all along? Hollein’s shoes will be hard to fill, even though those shoes didn’t stay long, and were made for walking, as the song goes. The award for the largest ego in history to land in San Francisco, so big it couldn’t fit into the Legion of
Honor’s courtyard, goes to Julian Schnabel, an emperor with no clothes who came bearing artworks as empty as they were gigantic. One has to acknowledge that he’s a maker of rapturously beautiful movies. His latest, “At Eternity’s Gate,” a delirious evocation of the trials, tribulations and art of Vincent Van Gogh, stars Willem Dafoe in one of the year’s best performances, In either an act of grandiosity or a concession to pragmatism, Schnabel painted the Van Gogh copies in the film himself, and who better, right? Taking the cake for the biggest mistake of 2018, YBCA killed its adventurous film program. In a criminal move, they cut loose their brilliant, widely respected film curator, Joel Shepard. Thumbs down on this one. Dudsville: “Art & China after 1989: Theater of the World.” The less said the better. Most Elusive Quarry: Andy Warhol. “Contact Warhol: Photography Without End,” a show at the Cantor Arts Center, was incomplete like its central figure, an irrepressible poseur who was hard to find. Most luscious Eames chairs assembled in one place: “The World of Charles and Ray Eames” at OMCA.
Best Museum Shows: Singular, with a terrible beauty and ferocious Technicolor imagery, the Asian Art Museum’s “A Guided Tour of Hell,” led by a Buddhist, no less, was as intense as it was compact, painting an alarming portrait of the state of play in the gardens of good and evil. “Painting is My Everything,” an endearing show, also at the Asian, in which the women of Mithila really rocked. SFMOMA’s faboo “Rene Magritte: The Fifth Season” and CJM’s mischievous “The Art of Rube Goldberg” dove into the psyches and sensibilities of their respective subjects while escorting visitors down a yellow brick road, albeit in very different directions. This year’s “hats off ” goes to Melissa Buron, curator of the Legion’s surprising “Truth and Beauty: the Pre-Raphaelites and the Old Masters.” Buron wove a compelling, accessible narrative around a fraternity of young, self-appointed British rebels most people didn’t know and thought they didn’t care about until they saw her remarkable show. Best photography showcase prize: SFMOMA, which has been giving its Pritzker Center the workout it and we deserve. Their current shows, the captivating
During his presidential campaign, Poundstone said she frequently “made fun of the sideshow” he presented. But after “that horrible thing happened” when he was elected, “I went into shock.” Poundstone had a date to perform in Alexandria, VA, on the weekend following the election. Worried that the audience might not be in any mood to laugh, Poundstone said she was happy that the evening turned out to be a “celebration of life.” Courtesy the artist “Several people told me afterwards that they Poundstone has a new podcast, “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone.” were so depressed that they wondered if they’d We reached the 58-year-old perever feel like leaving Paula Poundstone former at her home in Santa Monica the house again,” but were glad to From page 15 to see if she could give us a preview come out to a fun evening. Now, of who, other than herself, might given the entanglements with Poundstone, a longtime standup be the subject of her barbs. She Russia that have been exposed, comic, has been performing in the was evasive but conceded that “of the country has become a “tinder Bay Area since the early 1980s, when course, Trump” would be among box ready to blow,” she said. The she did improv at the now-closed the topics she would dissect. Russians’ “social media bullshit” Other Café in the Haight Ashbury. “I can’t help but talk about the has created more friction between Her career took off after she was mess we’re in,” she said. “That Americans than ever before, she discovered by the late Robin Wilasshole has a gravitational pull.” said. Still, when she goes on stage liams, who encouraged her to move Poundstone said her own reacand cops to being a Democrat, “the to Los Angeles and got her a spot on tions to Trump have resembled Republicans in the audience don’t a “Saturday Night Live” episode he the stages terminally ill patients storm out” of the theatre. In fact, hosted. Her act changes each year experience as described by psyaudience members have told her based on the news of the day, her chiatrist Elizabeth Kubler Ross: that despite political differences, current comings and goings, and denial, anger, bargaining, depres“they have so much more in cominput from the audience, which sion, and finally, acceptance. mon” than they do differences. gives the show a local flavor.
<<
is under pressure from his family to break off contact with Haris, though it’s not clear if the family is fully aware of the nature of their relationship. Concurrent with that storyline is the tale of their friend Sia (Naseera), a young woman who resents male-dominated society. At the factory where she works, women are lined up as the boss demands to know who left a bloodied sanitary pad in the women’s rest room. The women are interrogated. Sia isn’t having it. She walks off the line-up and out of the factory, and organizes a protest rally. As the rebels gather outside the factory, the woman chant that menstrual blood is not unclean, while others hold up signs proclaiming, “I am gay, I am Indian,
t
am I a criminal?” Their rally is broken up by the police in spite of the fact that they have the necessary permits. Fed up, Sia walks out on her family and goes to stay with Haris and Vishnu, but the three are soon thrown out of Haris’ apartment because they’re not “decent people.” Haris holds out hope that his gallery showing will garner him respect, but the exhibition is vandalized. “Ka Bodyscapes” is a searing film that paints a disturbing portrait of what it’s like to be queer or a woman in today’s India. The acting is as intense as the storylines, with Naseera giving a particularly strong performance. Hindi with English subtitles. Vimeo On Demand and other streaming platforms.t
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
Andy Warhol, detail from contact sheet (“Two male models posing,” used as the poster image for Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film “Querelle,” 1982). Gelatin silver print.
“Brassai” and a one-gallery affair on German anti-photographer Johannes Brus, are but the latest in a string of winners. Best Gallery Shows: “Frankenstein’s Birthday Party,” a deliciously nutty, imaginative tribute to Mary Shelley, mad science, the wages of hubris, and the monster who still stalks our dreams. (Hosfelt) “Wesley Tongson: The Journey.” (Chinese Culture Center) “Focal Points.” (SF Camerawork) Most unforgettable sights of the year: Paolo Pellgrin’s hard-to-look-at image of the hand of a police officer pushing the face of an intoxicated, Much of Poundstone’s monologue is based on her day-to-day experiences. On the morning we spoke in early December, she had just returned from her twice-weekly volunteer gig at a local nursing home, which she initially began for research for a book. After the book was published, “I felt like I’d be a real jerk if I said, ‘Well, thanks for your help,’ and did not ever return.” Besides, she said, “I love doing it.” Now that her children are grown and out of the house, Poundstone said most of her time is spent working. “I’m very busy, and I like it like that,” she said. “I complain about a lot of things, but one thing I don’t complain about is work. Whatever mood I’m in and whatever biochemical spin I’m in the midst of, I am lucky enough that I have a job that enables me to go into a theatre with people who’ve come out to laugh. In the first few minutes on stage, I’m cured.” When she gets home from a road trip, typically three nights in different cities, “I deal with the same crap everyone else does, like the cats peeing on the floor or mold growing on the ceiling.” Poundstone’s new gig, a podcast she named “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone,” has helped her solve some of her household problems. “I rent,” she explained, “and my landlord brings his nephew over to do repairs, but the poor guy can’t really do much of anything.” So when a
deaf-and-mute black man into the gutter, from his series “Heat of the Night.” (Pier 24) Josh, the shockingly realistic facsimile of the former roommate of trickster/illusionist artist Tony Matelli. Dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, he was laid out, levitating two feet off the ground, as if seized by a trance on his way to the fridge to grab a beer. (David Ireland House) Photographer Judy Dater curled in a fetal position on a barren, godforsaken prairie in Badlands, North Dakota. (de Young) Your own sweet self, stepping inside Magritte’s paintings, courtesy of virtual technology at SFMOMA’s sublime exhibition.t longtime leak turned into mold and the nephew suggested using bleach, Poundstone had a feeling his solution might not be correct. “Sure enough,” she said after inviting a mold expert to the show, “bleach is the worst thing to use, because it looks like it’s gone, but three’s a bigger problem somewhere else.” Poundstone also pokes fun at her role as a single parent. “You know how they stick something into a tree to get the sap to drip into a bucket. Raising kids is like having that same device stuck into your heart,” she said. She has accused her son of “sucking the bone marrow out of me.” Society says children are adults at age 18, “but that’s only because we wanted to send our boys to fight in Vietnam” at that age, she said. “It had nothing to do with brain development.” Poundstone turns serious when she talks about her pet peeve: parents allowing their children to spend countless hours in front of a small screen. “It clearly leads to addiction,” she said. “Studies show it can cause brain damage.” When her kids reached their last year of high school, she relented and let them get iPhones and iPads, she said. “I’m still hoping flip phones will make a comeback.”t Tickets for Paula Poundstone ($49.50-$152): www.cityboxoffice.com.
26
27
Arts Events
Shining Stars
www.ebar.com
Vol. 48 • No. 52 • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Nightlife Events
December 26, 2018-January 3, 2019
The new year brings on some new entertainments in nightlife, including New Year’s Eve parties. But mostly it’s more of the same, kind of like Groundhog Day, but with booze.
Mon 31 Lucas Francisco
Afterglow NYE @ Space 550
courtesy Jallen Rix
Listings start on page 24 >
Ministers, homophiles and raging cops How a raucous New Year’s Eve ball changed San Francisco
by Michael Flanagan
H Ball attendants arriving on December 31, 1964. (from Lewd & Lascivious)
istory sometimes seems ruled by events with unintended consequences. That certainly is the case with the Mardi Gras Ball at California Hall, which happened on December 31, 1964. It’s an event that’s been called ‘San Francisco’s Stonewall,’ a name that’s a bit misplaced. See page 23 >>
{ THIRD OF THREE SECTIONS }
@LGBTSF
@eBARnews
t
BARchive>>
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 23
Advertisement for Mardi Gras Ball, Citizens News, December, 1964 Herb Donaldson in the 60s (from Lewd & Lascivious).
<<
Homofiles
From page 21
What the two events share in common, however, is an out of control police force that couldn’t anticipate the results of their actions. The Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH), who sponsored the ball, was an organization formed out of a conference between ministers and homophile organizations in May, 1964. Liberal Christian ministers from the Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran and United Church of Christ denominations formed the organization with lesbians and gays from the Daughters of Bilitis, Mattachine Society, Tavern Guild and the (also newly formed) Society for Jallen Rix’s film Lewd & Lascivious can be seen at http://doctorrix.com/ Individual Rights. lewd-lascivious-movie/ The purpose of the organization was, according to brochures distributed by the group, to promote a It was the first organization in “continuing dialogue between the the U.S. to use ‘homosexual’ as part religious community and homoof its name. The ball was, at least in sexuals” and “disseminating accurate part, to celebrate the incorporation information about human sexuality.” of the organization.
Above: Ministers protest covered by the SF Chronicle, January, 1965. Below: Cover of Vector Magazine after the Mardi Gras Ball.
In an attempt to prevent conflict with the police (and arrests), Rev. Cecil Williams and Rev. Ted McIlvenna, who were part of the organization, met with them and attempted to get assurances that the ball would be allowed to go on. In Lewd & Lascivious, Jallen Rix’s 2012 documentary on the ball, McIlvenna says that the meetings with police was very strange, with the police asking questions like, “Do you believe that masturbation is a sin against god?” Although police eventually did issue a permit, Rix’s documentary points out that they subsequently contacted California Hall to attempt to get them to cancel the event. On the night of the ball, the police showed up with two patrol wagons, seventeen uniformed officers and around thirty plainclothes officers, according to Christopher Agee’s book Streets of San Francisco. Rix’s documentary notes that the police had both still and motion picture cameras set up and took photographs of everyone attending the ball. Because of the police harassment, out of 1500 tickets that had been sold for the event, only around 500 people braved the police to attend the event. Once the ball began, the police entered the hall repeatedly demanding to do inspections. They were allowed to do this twice in the company of members of CRH. But by 10pm, the doors swung open and a crowd of police entered the hall. They were met by Evander Smith and Herb Donaldson, who were lawyers that CRH had on scene in the event of police harassment. The lawyers asked if they had warrants and what their purpose was at the hall. As a result of this, Smith and Donaldson, as well as another lawyer and a ticket taker, were arrested. Two men were also arrested for dancing together. After the arrests, the ball began emptying out. Rix’s documentary reveals that ministers who brought attendees out of the hall to safety were also threatened with arrest. In David Weissman’s documentary, Conversations With Gay Elders, Paul Chin discusses smearing salad dressing on his car window so that he could conceal Mel Domingo, who was in drag, in his car as they left the ball. The end of the Mardi Gras Ball was not the end of the story, however. The following day the ministers held a press conference and it was covered the next day in the San Francisco Chronicle with a headline, ‘Angry Ministers Rip Police.’ On January 8 and 12, letters from married heterosexual couples who had attended the ball decried the behavior of the police. The three lawyers and the ticket taker arrested at the event went to trial, which was heavily covered by the press. Public opinion was turning against the police. That was the least of their worries, however. The ACLU defended the accused at trial, which generated more press. And Judge Leo Friedman instructed the jury to find the defendants not guilty. He further demanded that
the police turn in all photographic and motion picture evidence to be destroyed. And finally he offered to accept counter charges from the defendants. The CRH filed a countersuit for $1.5 million (it was settled a decade later for $50).
The trial, the press and the subsequent lawsuit had the effect of chastening police so that they were much more careful with regard to gay events, and, to a certain extent, gay bars. What had started as an attempt at outreach and integration with LGBT people from a group of ministers had an effect on culture throughout the city. The Council on Religion and the Homosexual continued their work for at least two decades after the Mardi Gras Ball and Rev. Cecil Williams work with the LGBTQ community and other underserved communities in the city continues to this day. I would suggest that the Mardi Gras Ball at California Hall is not San Francisco’s Stonewall, but part of the reason we didn’t need to have one here.t The author would like to thank Jallen Rix, David Weissman and Glide Memorial for their input on this article.
Photos outside of California Hall, Citizens News, January, 1965.
<< Nightlife Events
24 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Mother @ Oasis
Thu 27
Best of Baloney @ Oasis
Heklina’s popular drag show. Dec 29 is “Superheroes,” guest-star Manila Luzon. $15. 10pm-3am (11:30pm show). 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com
Nitty Gritty @ Beaux Josh Carmichael with DJ Salazer host the tattoo appreciation night. $10. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www. beauxsf.com
Onyx @ Powerhouse Early eve gathering for kink/leather men of color. 5pm-9pm. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com
Shake It Up @ Port Bar, Oakland
For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events
Erykah Badu @ The Warfield
Thu 27
The 4-time Grammy-winning neo-soul singer performs with her band. $75 and up. 8pm. 982 Market St. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com
Best of Baloney @ Oasis
Growlr @ SF Eagle
The saucy, sexy and silly men’s burlesque show presents their best acts in a four-night schedule. $27.50$50. 7pm. Thru Dec 31. 298 11th St. https://www.sfbaloney.com
Junk @ Powerhouse MrPam and Dulce de Leche cohost the weekly underwear strip night and contest.. $5. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com
Karaoke Dokey @ Flore Monty Quilla hosts the weekly amateur singing night. 9pm-12am. 2298 Market St. www.flore415.com
Literary Speakeasy @ Martuni’s The monthly reading series at the martini bar, this time with writers Pete Bailey, Spencer Tierney, Natalia Vigil, and special guest host Baruch PorrasHernandez. 7pm. 4 Valencia St.
Long Island Thursdays @ White Horse Bar, Oakland Get snockered with cheap drinks at the historic gay bar. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com
Martini Thursdays @ Trax The Haight gay bar offers cheap gin & vodka cocktails. 1437 Haight St. http://www.traxbarsf.com/
The Monster Show @ The Edge The weekly drag show with host Sue Casa, DJ MC2, themed nights and hilarious fun. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com
Picante @ The Cafe Lulu and DJ Marco’s Latin night with sexy gogo guys. 9pm-2am. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com
Beary cubby fun with dJ Paul Goodyear. $5. 8pm-2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com
Latin Explosion @ Club 21 The popular Latin club with gogo guys galore and Latin music. $10-$20. 9pm-3am. 2111 Franklin St., Oakland. www.club21oakland.com
Steam @ Powerhouse Bath house-style fun with towel-cld gogos, and more. $5. 10pm-1am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com
Taboo @ Oasis Harness party for dancing and cruising, with gogo guys and drag acts. $10 (free 10pm-11:30pm if you wear a harness). 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com
Uhaul @ Jolene’s The popular roving women’s dance party returns at the new nightclub, now weekly. 10pm-2am. 2700 16th St. at Harrison. http://jolenessf.com/
Sat 29 La Bota Loca @ Club 21, Oakland Banda Los Shakas performs live at the LGBT Latinx night. $10. 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St. club21oakland.com
Lips and Lashes Brunch @ Lookout Weekly show with soul, funk and Motown grooves hosted by Carnie Asada, with DJs Becky Knox and Pumpkin Spice. The yummy brunch menu starts at 12pm, with the show at 1:30pm. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com
Queer Karaoke @ Club OMG
Mega-DILF @ Lone Star Saloon
KJ Dana hosts the weekly singing night; unleash your inner American Idol. 8pm. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com
Bulldog Mike and MetalBob play heavy metal for daddies. $5. 9pm2am. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com
Rice Rockettes @ Lookout
Missing Persons, Annabella Bow Wow Wow @ Great Northern
Local and visiting Asian drag queens’ weekly show with DJ Philip Grasso. $5. 10:30pm show. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com
Thursday Night Live @ SF Eagle
Enjoy ‘80s pop live music night, with Gene Loves Jezebel and Trans X, too. $32. 9pm. 119 Utah St. www.thegreatnorthernsf.com
Rock bands play at the famed leather bar. $8. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com
The popular new weekly super-cruisy party; BYO, clothes check and DJed grooves. $10. 5pm-8pm. 415 10th St. https://www.facebook.com/ groups/2094886877491354/
Thievery Corporation @ The Masonic The groovy world-music masters perform; The Suffers open. $35$55. 8:30pm. Also Dec. 31, 9:30pm ($45-$75). 1111 California St. http:// sfmasonic.com/
Mon 31 NYE, see next page
Sun 30 Beer Bust @ SF Eagle The popular daytime party, where $10-$15 gets you all the beer you can drink, supporting worthy causes. 3pm-6pm. T-Dance Anarchist Disco follows, 7pm-1am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com
Big Top @ Beaux Enjoy an extra weekend night at the fun Castro nightclub, plus hot local DJs and sexy gogo guys and gals. $8. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.Beauxsf.com
Dirty Musical Sundays @ The Edge Sing along at the popular musical theatre night, with a bawdy edge; also Mondays and Wednesdays (but not dirty). 7pm-2am. 2 for 1 cocktail, 5pm-closing. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com
Domingo De Escandal @ Club OMG Weekly Latin night with drag shows hosted by Vicky Jimenez and DJ Carlitos. (Comedy Open Mic 5:30pm). 7pm-2am. 43 6th St. clubomgsf.com
Juanita’s Drag Brunch @ MORE/Jones Juanita MORE’s new daytime drag show on the restaurant’s scenic courtyard terrace, with a tasty revamped menu by chef Cory Armenta and food stylist Cole Church. Entrees $14-$21. 11am-3pm. Wednesday Fried Chicken nights, too. 620 Jones St. www.juanitamore.com
Fri 28
Erykah Badu @ The Warfield
Tue 1 Breakfast of Champions @ Great Northern Annual New Year’s Day morning party, with J. Phlip, Kim Ann Foxman, Moon Boots and more. $20-$50. 4am12pm. 119 Utah St. www.thegreatnorthernsf.com
Gaymer Night @ Midnight Sun Weekly fun night of games (video, board and other) and cocktails. 8pm12am. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com
Karaoke Night @ The Stud Sing For Your Life, with LaLa and Remi; no cover, plus raffle prize drawings. 8pm-2am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com
Karaoke Cocktails @ Ginger’s The new basement tribute to the old Ginger’s Trois hosts a weekly singing fun. 8pm-12am. 86 Hardie Place. https://www.gingers.bar/
Love Hangover @ Lone Star Saloon All-day post-NYE grooves with David Harness, Napolon and Lotus Disco. $5-$10. 12pm-9pm. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com
The weekly super-cruisy night, with clothes check. $5. 415 10th St.
Vice Tuesdays @ Q Bar
Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon
Follies & Dollies @ White Horse Bar, Oakland Weekly drag show at the historic gay bar. 9:30pm-11:30pm. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com
Freeball Wednesdays @ The Cinch Free pool and drink specials at the historic neighborhood bar. 8pm-1am. 1723 Polk St. www.cinchsf.com
Miss Kitty’s Trivia Night @ Wild Side West The weekly fun night at the Bernal Heights bar includes prizes, hosted by Kitty Tapata. No cover. 7pm-10pm. 424 Cortland St. 647-3099. www.wildsidewest.com
NSA @ Club OMG Weekly underwear party at the intimate mid-Market nightclub. $1 well drinks for anyone in underwear from 9pm-10pm. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com
Drag divas, gogo studs, DJed Latin grooves and drinks. 9pm-2am (free before 10:30pm). 2344 Market St. www.clubpapi.com
Queeraoke @ El Rio
Truck Tuesdays @ Atlas
Sun 30
Play board games and win offbeat prizes at the popular sports bar. 9pm. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com
Pan Dulce @ Beaux
Home of drag shows, and hilaraoke karaoke. 9pm-1am. 1550 California St. #2. 775-0442.
Big Boy @ Lone Star Saloon
Bottoms Up Bingo @ Hi Tops
Competition for drag acts, with host Echo. 2023 Broadway. www.portbaroakland.com
Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon Beer, bears, food and DJed beats at the weekly fundraiser for various local charities. Also, see the JB Higgins exhibit of photos from the 70s of Divine, John waters and other ‘icons.’ $15. 4pm-8pm. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com
Wed 2
New Drag @ Port Bar, Oakland
Sing Out @ Encore Karaoke Lounge
Fri 28
Drag show with DJ Jaffeth. $5. 9pm2am. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com
Second annual longjohns, union-suit, onesie and other undies party, with DJ Russ Rich. $10. 9pm-2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com
Renegade @ Atlas
Jim Hopkins plays classic pop oldies, with vintage music videos. 9pm-2am. 44 Castro St. www.the440.com
Disco guru DJ Bus Station John spins grooves at the intimate retro music night. $5. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www.auntcharlieslounge.com
La Bomba Latina @ Club OMG
Onesie Party @ SF Eagle
New evening exhibit of nocturnal plants, with light shows and music. $20-$39. 5pm, thru Jan. 6. 100 John F. Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate Park. www.nightbloom.org https:// conservatoryofflowers.org
Retro Night @ 440 Castro
Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
Christmas party at the bear bar with DJ Boyshapedbox. $5. 9pm-2am. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com
DJ Lady Char spins dance grooves; gogo studs, and drink specials, too. 9pm-2am. 2023 Broadway. (510) 8232099. www.portbaroakland.com
Night Bloom @ Conservatory of Flowers
t
Queer femmes and friends dance party with hip hop, Top 40 and throwbacks at the stylish intimate bar, with DJs Val G and Iris Triska. 9pm2am. 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com
Midweek drag rave and vocal open mic, with Dulce de Leche, Rani Nothingmore, Beth bicoastal, Ginger Snap and guests. 10pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com/
Sequel @ SF Eagle Movie-viewing night with Johnny Rockitt; also Wed. 10pm. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com
Thu 3 Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon Weekly beer bust and benefit for local charities. 9pm-11pm. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com
Gym Class @ Hi Tops Enjoy whiskey shots from jockstrapped hotties and sexy sports videos at the popular sports bar. 10pm-2am. 2247 Market St. 5512500. www.HiTopsSF.com
I, Nomi @ Oasis April Kidwell returns in her hilarious solo parody performance of the lead dancer-character in the camp classic film Showgirls. $20-$30. 7pm. Thru Jan 5. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com
My So-Called Night @ Beaux Carnie Asada hosts a weekly ‘90s-themed video, dancin’, drinkin’ night, with VJs Jorge Terez. Get down with your funky bunch, and enjoy 90cent drinks. ‘90s-themed attire and costume contest. No cover. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com
Thump @ White Horse, Oakland Weekly electro music night with DJ Matthew Baker and guests. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com Want your nightlife event listed? Email events@ebar.com, at least two weeks before your event. Event photos welcome.
t
Nightlife Events>>
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 25
Kid With a Camera
NYE @ Commonwealth Club
Playmates and soul mates...
Enjoy an Embarcadero view of firewroks, a food and drink spread and live and DJed music (St. John) on the rooftop terrace. $400 and up. 9pm-1:30am. 110 The Embarcadero. https://commonwealthclub.org
San Francisco:
NYE @ Oasis
1-415-692-5774
Annual party with hosts Heklina and D’Arcy Drollinger, guest-star Jinkz Monsoon, drag acts, drinks and DJed grooves with Sergio Fedasz. $25-$35. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. sfoasis.com
18+ MegaMates.com
NYE @ Starlight Room
Mon 31
Enjoy a downtown view of celebrations, with drinks and live entertainment at a Prohibition-era-themed party. $50 -$3,000 VIP. 450 Powell St., 21st floor. starlightroomsf.com
Mango @ El Rio
NYE @ White Horse Bar, Oakland Ring in the new year at the historic East Bay gay bar. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com
Norm Lewis @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko
Mon 31
Sundance Saloon @ SOMArts
Tue 1
Breakfast of Champions @ Great Northern
The Broadway star performs two concerts, 7:30pm & 10:30pm with a New Year’s salute. $78$125 ($20 food/drink min.). Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. https://www. feinsteinsatthenikko.com/
The Queen’s Ball @ Great Northern Drag, DJs and live acts with Maya Jane Coles, Shiny Objects, Lily Ackermans Groovewell, Ah Mer Ah Su, drag queen show. $60. 9pm-3am. 119 Utah St. thegreatnorthernsf.com
Shannon and the Clams @ The New Parish, Oakland The eclectic doo-wop, surf-lectric local band headlines a New Year’s Eve show; Glitter Wizard and Once and Future Band also play. $40-$50. 8pm. 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. https://www.thenewparish.com/
Sundance Saloon @ SOMArts Cultural Center The country-western two-stepping group celebrates the New Year. $30-$40, $25 optional dinner, 7:30pm-12:30am. 934 Brannan St. at 9th. www.sundancesaloon.org
Welcome to the Future @ The Stud
Mon 31 NYE Afterglow @ Space 550 Comfort & Joy’s annual New Year’s Eve party promises glowy décor, cute and fabulous attendees, DJ magic with Allen Craig, David Harness, Power top Ramen, Xander, Ducke US, Fact.50, and drag acts. Comfort space and a big dance floor; face-painting, dayglo/neon attire suggested, clothes check and photo booth. $55-$120. 10pm-6am. 550 Barneveld Ave. www.playajoy.org
Bearracuda @ Folsom Street Foundry DJs Paul Goodyear and Pure Noise ring in the new year with the bear crowd and their pals. $25-$50. 9pm-4am. 1425 Folsom St. http://bearracuda. com/san-francisco-new-years-eve/
Bootie @ DNA Lounge
Fleetwood Macramé @ The Ivy Room, Albany New Year’s Eve concert with the Fleetwood Mac tribute band. $25. 9pm. 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. www.ivyroom.com
Glamamore’s NYE @ Powerhouse
The amazing soul singer performs with his band in a special NYE show; Quinn DeVeaux, The M-Tet open. $30$35. 8pm. Also Dec 30. 777 Valencia St. https://www.thechapelsf.com/
IN ASSOCIATION WITH SEASON PRODUCERS: LOWELL KIMBLE & TED TUCKER PRESENTS
“Fresh and delightful”
“A smash hit”
SF EXAMINER
BAY AREA REPORTER
Mango @ El Rio
Carnaval NYE @ The Armory
Neon New Year @ Port Bar, Oakland
New Year’s Eve party for deaf, hard of hearing and ASL-using allies. 18+. $5-$20. 9pm-2am. 1349 Mission St. www.DeafDance.eventbrite.com
NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER
Lee Fields and the Expressions @ The Chapel
New Year’s Eve party with the popular women’s night, with outdoor dancing, DJs Olga T, Lady Lu, La Coqui and Edaj and a midnight toast. $15-$20. 8pm2am. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com
Deaf Empowering NYE @ Center for Sex & Culture
SF ’ S FAVORITE NAUG HT Y PU PPETS RETU RN HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
New Year’s Eve with the drag host, Dulce-de-Leche, Alotta Bootie & Mary Vice; DJ BearZbub, black ties, gowns, glitter and jockstraps; champagne toast at Midnight followed by drag show. $10-$15. 10pm-1am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com
Mostly straight yet fun mash-up NYE party, with DJs Adrian A, Tyme, Airsun and a live set with Smash-Up Derby. $20-$40 and up (VIP tables). 9pm2am. 375 11th St. dnalounge.com
Costumed festive event with Brazilian samba bands and dancers, reggae, hip hop and more. $40 and up. 7pm-2am. 1800 Mission St. www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org
New Year’s Eve party with DJs/music acts Femanyst, Gayphex Twin, Adam Kraft, Marke B, Siobhan Aluvalot, VivvyAnne Forevermore, Jillian Gnarling, Nicki Jizz and others. $15. 8pm-4am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com
Carnie Asada hosts the intimate neonthemed New Year’s Eve party, with DJ Ricky Sixx. And pop-up performances. 9pm-2am. 2023 Broadway. www.portbaroakland.com
New Gear’s Eve @ SF Eagle Ring in the new year with cock rings, kink, leather and more with performer Bitch, Please and DJ Salazar. 8pm2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com
“Hilarious, high energy”
“A local tradition”
THEATRE EDDYS
SAN FRANCISCO TRAVEL
THE MUSICAL MUSIC & LYRICS BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX
BOOK BY JEFF WHITTY
BASED ON AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX
DIRECTED BY JAY MANLEY · MUSICAL DIRECTION BY MARK DIETRICH · PUPPET DIRECTION BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CHRIS MORRELL · ORCHESTRATIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS BY STEPHEN OREMUS · CHOREOGRAPHY BY AUDREY BAKER
E X TE N DE D TO JAN 13TH , 2019 BUY TICKETS AT NCTCSF.ORG BOX OFFICE: 415.861.8972 25 VAN NESS AVE AT MARKET ST AVENUE Q is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019. Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684. www.MTIShows.com. Avenue Q has not been authorized or approved by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for it’s content.
<< Arts Events
26 • Bay Area Reporter • December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019
Arts Events
December 26, 2018-January 3, 2019
That Don Reed Show @ The Marsh Berkeley
Veiled Meanings @ Contemporary Jewish Museum
The acclaimed solo performer and playwright’s sketch variety show, with stand-up, storytelling and music. $20-$100. Sat 8:30, Sun 5:30 thru Feb 2. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. www.themarsh.org
Veiled Meanings: Fashioning Jewish Dress, from the Collection of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, an exhibit of detailed clothing from dozens of countries; thru Jan 6. Also, Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo, an exhibit of the prolific tattoo artist’s work, tools and life; thru June 9. 736 Mission St. https://thecjm.org/
Mon 31 Balkan Bash @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley Édessa, True Life Trio with special guest Joe Finn and Fanfare Zambaleta perform festive music of the Balkans; beer, wine, vegetarian café menu. $25. 8pm. 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. www.ashkenaz.com
Thu 27
Avenue Q @ New Conservatory Theatre Center
For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events
Thu 27 Altai Kai @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley Virtuoso throat singers perform traditional folk music with a unique style; Australian didgeridoo musician Stephen Kent opens. $15$18. 7:30pm. 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. www.ashkenaz.com
Arcadia @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley Shotgun Players’ production of Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece that explores mathematics, landscape gardening, Byron, and the undeniable power of the human heart. $7-$52. Thru Jan 6. 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. www.shotgunplayers.org
Avenue Q @ New Conservatory Theatre Center The foul-mouth puppets are back, in the theatre company’s 6th popular production (with two casts) of Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty’s Tony-winning musical. New Year’s Eve show, too. Extended thru Jan 13. $33-$59. Wed-Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. www.nctcsf.org
Classic and New Films @ Castro Theatre Dec 27: Some Like It Hot (2:15, 7pm) and The Apartment (4:30, 9:15). Dec 28-Jan 1: 2001: A Space Odyssey. Jan 2-5: Roma. 429 Castro St. http://www.castrotheatre.com/
Dear Evan Hansen @ Curran Theatre National tour of Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s Broadway hit musical about a letter that changes lives. $75-$250. Thru Dec 30. 445 Geary St. sfcurran.com
Fever @ Center for Sex & Culture Fever: Documenting the Human Sexual Experience, a group photography exhibit curated by Anissa Malady. Tue 11am-5pm. Wed 10am-3pm, Thu 3pm-7pm and by appointment. Thru Dec. 28. 1349 Mission St. www.sexandculture.org
Michelle Meow Show @ Commonwealth Club Meow and cohost John Zipperer discuss LGBT issues with different prominent guests. Weekly, 12pm. 110 Embarcadero. www. commonwealthclub.org
Mike Pierce @ Spark Arts The artist’s exhibit of dyed scarves and silk fabric art. 4229 18th St. http://www.sparkarts.com/
World Tree of Hope @ Grace Cathedral See the Rainbow World Fund’s annual holiday tree, with 1000s of origami paper cranes, in its new location. Daily, thru Jan 6. 1100 California St. www.worldtreeofhope.org
Fri 28
Sun 30
Fool La La! @ The Marsh
Expedition Reef @ Cal. Academy of Sciences
Unique Derique’s fifth annual kidfriendly Over the Rainbow holiday show, with zany circus fun and juggling workshops. $15-$100. Fri & Wed 2pm, thru Jan 6. 1062 Valencia St. www.themarsh.org
Exhibits and planetarium shows with various live, interactive and installed exhibits. $20-$35. Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm. Sun 11am-5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. calacademy.org
Fotohoto @ Strut
GLBT Hikers @ Colma
Photographer Fabian Echevarria’s exhibit of Latinx and Beyond models. 8pm-10pm. Exhibit thru Dec. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org
Mary Poppins @ SF Playhouse The popular Broadway adaptation of the P.L. Travers book and Disney film about a magical nanny gets a local production; music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman; book by Julian Fellowes. $30-$55 and up. Thru Jan 12. 450 Post St. www.sfplayhouse.org
Older and Out @ North Berkeley Senior Center Weekly group discussion about problems for elders in the LGBT community. 3:15pm. 1901 Hearst Ave., Berkeley. pacificcenter.org
Sweet Can @ Dance Mission Theatre The kid-friendly circus-theatre troupe performs two shows, My Friend Hafiz (Dec 20-23) and Mittens & Mistletoe (Dec 26-30). $25-$75. 3316 24th St. www.sweetcanproductions.com
Sat 29 GLBT Hikers @ Purisima Creek Redwoods Enjoy a nine-mile hike through the Half Moon Bay forest, with scenic views. Carpool meets 8:45am at Market St. Safeway sign. www.sfhiking.com
A History of World War II @ The Marsh Prolific playwright and director John Fisher’s new solo show’s subtitled The D-Day Invasion to the Fall of Berlin. $20-$100. Thu 8pm, Sat 8:30pm. Extended thru Feb 2. 1062 Valencia St. www.themarshsf.com
Naughty Holiday Show @ Center for Sex & Culture Open mic comedy and art night hosted by Miss Pearlie Mae Makers. Art reception of works by Marnika Shelton. 5pm-7pm; show 8pm. 1349 Mission St. www.sexandculture.org
Wild SF Walking Tours @ Citywide Enjoy weekly informed tours of various parts of San Francisco, from Chinatown to the Haight, and a ‘radical’ and political-themed LGBTinclusive tour. Various dates and times. $15-$25. www.wildsftours.com
Join gay hikers on a visit through historic gravesites at Colma Cemetery. Meet 11:30am at Colma BART station. www.sfhiking.com
Painting is My Everything @ Asian Art Museum Art From India’s Mithila Region, thru Dec 30. Also, other exhibits of art, sculpture and antiquities. Free-$20. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 200 Larkin St. http://www.asianart.org/
Queer Tango @ Finnish Hall, Berkeley Same-sex partner tango dancing, with lessons for newbies, food/drinks. $5$10. 3:30-6:30pm. 1970 Chestnut St, Berkeley. www.finnishhall.org
t
New Year’s Gaiety @ Davies Symphony Hall Jane Lynch, Cheyenne Jackson, Peaches Christ, Edwin Outwater and the San Francisco Symphony ring in the new year with comedy and music. $60-$185. 8pm. 201 Van Ness Ave. at Grove St. sfsymphony.org
Tue 1 Connecting Threads @ JCCSF Quilts From the Social Justice Sewing Academy, an exhibit of textile art by local youth, with political themes. Mon-Fri 8am10pm, Sun 8am-8pm, thru Nov. SF Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St. www.jccsf.org
Plant Collections @ SF Botanical Garden Visit the lush gardens with displays of trees, flowers and shrubs from around the world. Monthly plant sales, plus art exhibits and gift shop. Free entry with SF proof of residency. $5-$10 for others; FREE on Christmas Day. 7:30am-closing. 9th Ave at Lincoln Way. www.sfbotanicalgarden.org
Wed 2 East Meets West @ Legion of Honor Jewels of the Maharajas from the Al Thani Collection, thru Feb 24. Also, Séraphin Soudbinine, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Framing the Body, Mummies and Medicine and other exhibits of classical and modern art. Free/$30. Lincoln Park, 100 34th Ave. legionofhonor.famsf.org
Various Events @ Oakland LGBTQ Center Social events and meetings at the new LGBTQ center include film screenings and workshops, including Bruthas Rising, trans men of color meetings, 4th Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Film screenings, 4th Saturdays, 7:30pm. Game nights, Fridays 7:30pm-11pm. Vogue sessions, first Saturdays. 3207 Lakeshore Ave. Oakland. www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org
Thu 3 Modern Art @ SF MOMA Wayne Thiebaud, Etel Adnan, Alexander Calder, Donald Judd, Louise Bourgeois and many classic Modern works. The Sea Ranch: Architecture, Envioronment and Idealism (thru April 28). Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory, thru March 31. Free/$25. Fri-Tue 10am-6pm. 151 3rd St. www.sfmoma.org
Personals Massage>>
Models>>
SEXY ASIAN $60 Jim 415-269-5707 NEW YEAR’S MASSAGE 415-350-0968
People>> PLAYMATES OR SOULMATES
Browse & Reply FREE! SF - 415-692-5774 1-888-MegaMates Free to Listen & Reply, 18+
“Not only does God play dice, but he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen.” – Stephen Hawking
ASIAN PORN STAR
33, 5’8, 140#, Massage & Play 415-845-8588
FABULOUS F**K BOY
Model looks 6’ 150# 27yrs, 8” uncut beautiful tight yummy ass. Smoky sexuality erotic male nympho. Hndsm hedonist. Str8, gay, married men at yr apt, hotel, mansion! Greek god Nick 415-290-2639. Leather fetish fantasy roleplay kink dom sub group scenes mild to wild. Pretty boy with a dirty mind, romantic & unforgettable! $400/hr, $2000 overnight negotiable.
TO PLACE YOUR PERSONALS AD, CALL 415-861-5019 FOR MORE INFO & RATES
t
Shining Stars>>
December 26, 2018-January 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 27
Shining Stars Hunky bartenders shake it up at Beaux.
Photos by Steven Underhill
Best of 2018 T
his week, we’re sharing a dozen photos from the best of prolific photographer Steven Underhill’s Shining Stars albums. See you next year! See plenty more photos on BARtab’s Facebook page, facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife. See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at StevenUnderhill.com.
Drag glamour at the California Gold Pageant at El Toro.
Suzanne Ramsey, Leigh Crow and Ruby Vixen open the Bay Area Reporter’s Besties party at Oasis.
Glamour and gowns at the annual Imperial Coronation.
Oh, Mary! at The Sisters’ Easter celebration in Golden Gate Park.
Flagging in the Park, July edition.
Filmmakers and friends at the Frameline opening night party at Terra.
Pets Are Wonderful Support gala fundraiser at The Fairmont Hotel.
Competing at the annual Mr & Miss GAPA contest at the Herbst Theatre.
Stunning performers at Cirque de Soleil’s Volta.
Drag queens from outer space in the Castro on Halloween weekend. Campaign volunteers celebrated on election night at Oasis.
Patrons at the annual Light in the Grove gala.
Shawn Ryan performs at REAF’s annual Help Is On the Way for the Holidays at the Marines’ Memorial Theatre.
Rami Malek, star of Bohemian Rhapsody, attended a Castro Theatre advance screening of the Queen/ Freddie Mercury biopic.
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For headshots, portraits or to arrange your wedding photos
call (415) 370-7152 or visit www.StevenUnderhill.com or email stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com
MY MOMENT
to celebrate!
Discover more ways to play and enjoy new luxury accommodations, our world-class spa and salon, award-winning dining, gaming and entertainment! Experience every moment, all in one great destination.
US 101 TO EXIT 484. 288 GOLF COURSE DRIVE WEST, ROHNERT PARK, CA P 707.588.7100 PLAY WITHIN YOUR LIMITS. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM, CALL 1-800-GAMBLER FOR HELP. ROHNERT PARK, CA. © 2018 GRATON RESORT & CASINO
JOB #: GRT-157243 JOB TITLE: MY MOMENT TO CELEBRATE