Support grows for renovation at Castro dog park

by Sari Staver

Community support is gaining steam for proposed renovations at the Eureka Valley Dog Play Area.

The park, located at 100 Collingwood Street adjacent to the Eureka Valley Recreation Center, is one of 35 dog parks in San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, which operates them.

Members of the Eureka Valley Dog Owners Group, a nonprofit offshoot of the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, has been convening a series of meetings to discuss renovations to the dog play area. At the first meeting in March, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, many attendees commented on the stench as a major issue to be addressed.

Other complaints include the lack of separate space for small dogs, whose owners often worry that their pooches will be injured by much larger dogs; safety and security; access for disabled people; shade protection; improved plantings and foliage; and clean, easily accessed water.

While still in the planning stages, drawings presented by the Eureka Valley Dog Owners Group have brought hope for change. The architectural renderings were done by J. Lee Stickles, a landscape architect whose firm TS Studio has offered volunteer help to get the proposal off the ground.

Community enthusiasm was apparent when over 60 people, mostly local dog owners and neighbors, met for the second community meeting April 25 at the park clubhouse to offer input on the project.

When new drawings of proposed models for park improvements were unveiled, attendees seemed pleased.

Stephanie Kastner, who lives around the corner but doesn’t bring her two terriers to the park, said, “Wow! Looks great. I’m impressed.” Kastner, a professional fundraiser, said she was interested in learning about volunteer opportunities for the project.

One of the preliminary designs shows a grassy area for all dogs and another area for small dogs. There’s a native grassy area with dog safe edible grass and boulders with dog safe plantings. There is a water source, accessible security gate, and shade trees in the design.

The second preliminary design shows dog play areas, fixed seating with lighting, stabilized granite surfacing, micro-clover with eco-lawn mix or non-toxic Astroturf, water source, accessible security gate, edible grasses, and canopy trees.

Some skeptics doubt whether EVDOG will actually be able to put together the money needed, estimated to be up to $1 million. The funds would probably be a combination of private fundraising and grants.

One dog owner, who has been coming to the park with a dog twice a day for several decades but asked that her name not be used, told the B.A.R. she has “heard this all before” and doubts that the current group will succeed.

“Who are these people?” she asked. “They don’t use this park so how do they know what we need?” She added that similar proposals have been made over the years, but all fizzled for lack of funding.

Another anonymous dog owner, who attended the recent meeting, expressed her displeasure by placing several Post-it notes on the proposed drawings, urging others to “boycott” the proposed changes. One of the notes nixed the idea of artificial turf.

Several people complained that a renovation would mean the park would have to close as long as four to 12 months. But MRocket, a vol- unteer for EVDOG, pointed out that one possibility would be to do construction in phases, which would be more expensive but would enable parts of the park to remain open during the build out.

The proposals unveiled at the meeting were suggestions of “what is possible,” said Rocket, a lesbian who founded Bay Woof (https://www. baywoof.org/) in 2007. Rocket said her organization isn’t involved with EVDOG but she helps the group with community outreach. The Bay Woof Foundation, a nonprofit, publishes a free monthly emagazine and a directory of local dog parks. Support for community-funded projects such as this came from Rec and Park, which cited similar projects that have been done at other dog parks in the city.

Commenting on the role of community fundraising to improve San Francisco’s parks, Tamara Barak Aparton, director of communications and public affairs at Rec and Park, stated in an email to the B.A.R., “Many of the city’s great public spaces are the result of a community vision brought to life through philanthropy.”

“Neighbors raised about $27 million for Francisco Park, which opened a year ago. In the case of India Basin Waterfront Park, fundraising is a key part of transforming a formerly dilapidated shoreline in the Bayview into a vibrant public space that reflects the needs and values of local residents,” Aparton wrote. “We regularly work with nonprofits and community groups to renovate parks and playgrounds all over San Francisco, in every neighborhood, from Hilltop Park in the Bayview to playgrounds all over the city through the LetsPlaySF! initiative.”

Aparton cited two comparable projects to the dog play area with similar fundraising goals. One is the children’s playground in Sue Bierman Park, which opened in 2013 “thanks to neighborhood groups raising about $1 million in private funding to design and build it,” she wrote.

“They started off with zero public funds. They also applied for and were awarded a $250,000 Community Opportunity Fund grant, she wrote. “Another is the Presidio Heights playground renovation; a neighborhood group raised about $1 million in private funding to renovate the playground, which reopened in 2010.”

Rocket urged neighborhood residents and dog owners to offer their feedback and ideas by filling out the park user survey accessible through EVDOG’s website.

In a Facebook post, Rocket wrote, “The more people who participate, the better and stronger the dog community becomes in the process of working together.”

For more about the proposals, visit the EVDOG website or its Facebook page, which has the same name. t

The third and last community meeting in this series will be held on Wednesday, May 24, at 6 p.m. at the Eureka Valley Rec Room, 100 Collingwood Street.

“I hope the district attorney will reconsider her decision and I hope that her initial decision on May 1 and subsequent change of mind on May 8, does not compromise the prosecutorial integrity of the case,” Walton added.

The supervisors have an ally in gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), another Jenkins backer, who on Sunday called for the release of the video evidence after not doing so in an earlier statement last week.

What changed was an interview with Anthony in the San Francisco Standard. In that interview, Anthony did not elaborate on anything Brown had done to threaten him.

“In recent days, a steady stream of information has become public regarding the shooting death of Banko Brown, resulting in significant public doubt about the security guard’s claim of self-defense,” Wiener stated. “This shooting has caused profound and growing concern in the community, particularly among Black and transgender San Franciscans. Transparency with the public is critical. Therefore, I am calling for evidence concerning Banko Brown’s death – including video and witness statements – to be released to the public.”

Changing tacks

Jenkins herself has changed tacks, though that doesn’t mean the videos will be forthcoming anytime soon. In her first statement May 1, she emphasized that “the evidence clearly shows that the suspect believed he was in mortal danger and acted in self-defense. We cannot bring forward charges when there is credible evidence of reasonable selfdefense.”

When she spoke to the B.A.R. May 4 during a 10-minute phone interview, she emphasized the ongoing nature of the investigation.

“While we opted not to charge this case earlier this week when we discharged it, we asked SFPD to conduct further investigation,” Jenkins said at that time. “It’s still an ongoing investigation, still an open case, so I’m not yet at the point [when] I can publicly reveal all of the facts.”

Jenkins issued another statement May 8, stating, “Last week, I announced that charges were not being filed as careful review of all of the evidence gathered at that point did not meet the prosecution’s burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the suspect in the case was guilty of a crime.

“Although the investigation was ongoing, we had to make a charging decision by 4:00PM on May 1st because the suspect was being held in custody,” Jenkins added. “By law, a suspect that is in custody must be charged within 72 hours and can not be held indefinitely as that would violate due process. At that time, we

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discharged the case, and asked the San Francisco Police Department to gather more evidence before making a final decision.”

Jenkins was set to appear at a meeting of the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club at Manny’s in the Mission neighborhood May 8 for a discussion, featuring Engardio and others, about the “crisis in our streets.” The event was postponed at the last minute – but not before protesters from the Young Women’s Freedom Center showed up. The agency has been facilitating vigils and rallies regarding the case.

“Due to last minute scheduling conflicts, we are unfortunately rescheduling this evening’s program,” Alice stated in an email sent out 18 minutes after the event had been scheduled to begin. “We are currently working on a new date for this important conversation.”

The club told the B.A.R. that the event’s postponement was not due to Jenkins but to another speaker they didn’t want to identify.

Jenkins describes videos

Jenkins did agree to speak to the videos during her call with the B.A.R.

“I can say that this began as an ordinary shoplifting, and at the point when the security guard indicated that the things didn’t need to leave the building, it escalated to a robbery,” Jenkins said.

The DA then claimed it was an Estes robbery, referring to People of the State of California v. Estes (1983). This is a type of robbery where someone attempting to shoplift is approached by security at a store and the shoplifter uses force to get away. This led to an altercation, Jenkins said.

“During the altercation there were threats and the security guard, at a point, articulated that he believed he needed to act in self-defense,” Jenkins said. “That’s the most I can say with respect to the facts.” said that in her experience, conflict between alleged shoplifters and security guards happens frequently.

“Young people go in, something is taken out of the store, and it’s a tussle with loss prevention, and they get battery charges or robbery charges,” she said, adding that she can’t speak to this particular case because the video has not been released, but did note that “it’s not Banko going in there, holding up the place.”

“We have to create legislation that armed security guards should not exist in San Francisco,” Arroyo said. “There’s nothing of so much value in Walgreens to rationalize taking a person’s life. It looks like it was $14 worth of candy and there’s no excuse for a murder even, especially, if there was no weapon.”

District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, a straight ally, introduced legislation May 9 to limit the use of guns by security guards. Engardio told the B.A.R. that while he’s not yet read it, “so I can’t speak to it directly,” he does not believe that security guards should be allowed to carry lethal weapons.

“They haven’t had the rigorous training of police officers who follow strict protocols overseen by an independent police commission,” he said. “There is no item worth protecting at the cost of human life. A non-lethal taser could be considered for extreme cases when someone needs to be subdued after posing a physical or lethal threat to people in the store.”

Gay District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who represents the district where the killing happened, told the B.A.R. he also had not had the chance to read it yet as of May 9.

Jenkins told the B.A.R. that she’s open to society figuring out whether armed security in stores is appropriate.

“I believe it’s a discussion we, as a society or a community, need to engage in,” Jenkins said.

“We’ve seen the tragedy that results on all ends of the spectrum,” she added, before making a reference to the killing of gay security guard Gavin Boston in the city’s Japantown in January, on which the B.A.R. also reported.

“I don’t feel I’m in a position to articulate at this moment what should happen but I’m willing to engage in a conversation as a community.”

‘I’m not deferring’

Jenkins told the B.A.R. May 4 the community should trust her decision not to charge Anthony, one which has become a lightning rod in the city, touching on the already salient issues of race, class, homelessness, alleged shoplifting, and the LGBTQ community.

In the phone interview, she noted that the investigation into Brown’s killing is ongoing and didn’t rule out making a different decision on bringing charges.

When asked about demands she change her mind, Jenkins told the B.A.R., “I’m not deferring to someone else’s expertise or judgment call.”

Jenkins had stressed to the B.A.R. last week that her office “ethically” cannot release the security camera video that relatives and colleagues of Brown’s are demanding be released.

“It’s not about me being open or willing – ethically that’s not appropriate for me to do,” she said. “It’s an open case, an ongoing investigation. We don’t release evidence to the public. … Should we charge that case, I will open myself up to the defense saying we’ve tainted the jury.”

Arroyo told the B.A.R. that the tapes need to be seen because of the “fearmongering” around Black and LGBTQ people, particularly those unhoused, that has marked public discussion of Brown’s death and the events that led up to it.

“Folks are saying very mean, nasty, hurtful things that have no fact to it, and so by people not seeing the video, it’s perpetuating violence against the trans and LGBTQ community and Black young people, people navigating poverty or houselessness,” Arroyo said, when informed of Jenkins’ remarks.

Jenkins said she has a record of supporting the LGBTQ community and asks for its trust, noting she spent over two years in the DA’s hate crimes office. She was appointed to lead the office last summer by Mayor London Breed after Jenkins helped spearhead the recall of self-styled progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin – and elected by the voters in November to a term of her own.

“I certainly believe we, as a city, have to do more to be more supportive and to engage,” Jenkins said. “You can’t know what someone needs unless you engage with them.”

Meeting with Brown family

Jenkins said she had a “long meeting” with Brown’s father, Terry, and his stepmother, and that they were informed before the decision to drop the charge was publicly announced.

“I have had the opportunity to meet with Banko’s father and stepmother. We had a long meeting. Prior to the decision being announced I made sure the office made contact with them over the phone,” said Jenkins. “We could not get them into the office; we had trouble getting in touch initially. But we did not release anything about our decision till members of my office had spoken directly with the family.”

John Burris, the family’s lawyer, told the B.A.R. May 4 that Brown’s relatives strongly disagree with Jenkins’ decision and are also upset at being denied access to the security camera footage.

When asked if a lawsuit will happen, Burris replied, “The family hired me to look into the case and that’s what I’m doing.”

First things first, he said that he wants the videos to be made available for viewing.

Community responses

Brown’s killing touches on a number of issues San Francisco has been grappling with in recent years, with people on many sides of the issue agreeing the city has to do better.

His death has received responses from the city’s LGBTQ organizations and leaders.

The Alice and the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic clubs released statements in recent days expressing outrage at the death of Brown. The Alice club called his death “a tragic loss” and “preventable.”

“Banko Brown experienced far too many failures of systems that were built to support marginalized communities,” the Alice club stated. “These systems must be reimagined to truly serve the people they purport to help, Banko Brown cared about his community, and despite his own struggles, was an advocate for improved access to housing and supportive services for his community.”

Its statement issued May 3 did not directly address Jenkins’ charging decision in the case. But Alice leaders did state, “The call to action is clear – Black San Francisco residents, especially Black trans community members –deserve better.”

Milk club leaders also called Brown’s murder “tragic and senseless.” The more progressive political group had issued its statement May 1 just prior to news breaking about Jenkins’ discharge decision.

“We are outraged [to] see the targeted violence against the trans community continue even in San Francisco a historically safe space for the LGBTQ community,” the club posted to Facebook. “We demand change NOW! Rest in Power, Banko Brown.”

Misgendering

The Milk club also blasted city agencies, including the police and medical examiner, along with the media, for initially misgendering and deadnaming Brown. It called on city officials and reporters “to do better” and issue apologies for making such “hurtful mistakes.”

Owunna added they use the “creative forces as a way to really unleash and connect to their higher potential.”

Participants at the retreat do many exercises involving imagery, movement, and ritual “to really hone in on that creative power,” Redd said.

Founding Owunna and Redd founded The Rainbow Serpent as a Black LGBTQ book club during lockdown in the early days of COVID-19 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“We really started to think about the world and our place in it,” Redd said.

Owunna and Redd chose to name the organization The Rainbow Serpent because it holds multiple meanings. For example, the rainbow represents the colors of the chakras (a Sanskrit word that means wheel or cycle) and the Pride flag. The serpent, which is present in many African traditions, is a “spiritual evolutionary energy that’s embedded in the body,” Redd said.

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Arroyo,

co-executive director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center,

“We thought that rainbow serpent would help evoke the energy work that we’re hoping to do with really harnessing power, connecting to power, and using it to shift and change things,” Redd said. “We thought that the rainbow serpent would be the icon or symbol that would help us do that.”

The book club quickly grew, with people participating across the United States, England, and Nigeria, which inspired them to create The Rainbow Serpent to do bigger projects. One of those projects was the film “Obi Mbu (The Primordial House),” a 30-minute experimental dance film inspired by Nze Chukwukadibia E. Nwafor’s teachings and book “Leopards of the Magical Dawn: Science and the Cosmological Foundations of lgbo Culture,” about the lgbo tribe and culture in southeastern Nigeria, and the late Malidoma Somé, a spiritual teacher from Dano, Burkina Faso, Africa.

Somé’s 1993 interview for M.E.N. magazine, “Gays: Guardians of the Gates,” explores the issue of queer African spiritual traditions in depth. The story and the film are “a retelling of a

“What I would ask is that this city trust that because I have a dedication, and I’ve demonstrated dedication to victims of crime for years, that they would know if I believe someone is guilty of a crime and we can prove it, I would proceed with charging that case,” said Jenkins.

Nigerian myth about the origin of the world,” said Redd. Completed in 2021, the film continues to tour the U.S.

The collective, which has a core of 20 members, went on to produce public art shows, exhibits, and curations of artists’ works at galleries, museums, and events and works in the U.S.

In addition to the core members, The Rainbow Serpent is also a decentralized group of artists who come together to work and support each other, Owunna and Redd said. Each artist brings a different artistic specialty to The Rainbow Serpent.

They estimate the organization has produced about 200 different events in three years by participating artists. The artwork projects and retreats are supported by grants, private donations, and commissions and sales of artworks, prints, and tickets to events, including this summer’s forthcoming live performance, “The Four World Ages,” at The Yard in Martha’s Vineyard in July, they said. Redd declined to disclose the organization’s annual budget. The organization operated under a fiscal sponsor 1Hood Media Academy until it was granted nonprofit

“The family is not happy at all with her decision,” Burris said. “They’re disgusted with her. … They thought her explanations and justifications for not charging were not supported by the evidence and they were disappointed that they didn’t let her see the videos, which doesn’t make a lot of sense since she decided not to charge the case.” status as Rainbow Serpent Inc. by the IRS this year, Redd said.

Importance of the work

Redd believes the work that he, Owunna, and the artists are doing at The Rainbow Serpent are not only important spiritually, but politically too.

“It’s important politically for us to be doing this work,” he said, putting it into context of the current “intense backlash against LGBTQ people and LGBTQ rights.”

Redd pointed to the more than 470 anti-LGBTQ bills across the U.S. attacking queer and transgender people and Uganda’s current anti-gay bill passed by the East African country’s parliament.

“I think it’s important to have people who are standing up to say, ‘No. We have an important place in this culture. We have an important place in this world. We have an important lesson that we have to teach,’” Redd continued.

The Esalen Institute educational team explained, “As Pride Month approaches in June, this event holds even greater significance in light of the troubling antiLGBTQ legislation and the persistent

David Serrano Sewell, the executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told the B.A.R. May 3 that Brown was initially not known to be transgender; hence the deadnaming in the agency’s first news releases about the incident.

However, his death certificate has since been updated. Serrano Sewell said. He said upon time of death “we look at medical records, drivers licenses and any other ID.” Upon learning Brown’s first name from media reports, it was added to their report. t shadow of anti-Black violence sweeping the nation. By creating a space for healing, empowerment, and unity, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering inclusivity, understanding, and love.”

Redd said, “I think it’s important for our example, to remind people, even on the continent, that LGBTQ people were an important part of history, an important part of all kinds of community contexts, and an important part of the spiritual life in many different places around the continent.”

In the traditions of African, Native Americans, and other Indigenous queer people Owunna and Redd see themselves as “Black LGBTQ modern-day healers.”

“African rituals are certainly an important but overlooked part of our global spiritual heritage,” said Redd, who was invited by the Esalen Institute to bring his teachings to the center. “As we thought about this mission of how to bring these traditional knowledge systems to the world, retreats seem to be a natural part of that development.”

Owunna added they are using African cosmological traditions “as a way to heal our community, other communities, and hopefully the world in a much larger sense.”

The retreat attracts a diverse community of people interested in African cosmology and spirituality. About 30 attendees participated in the first retreat, Redd said.

Some participants, speaking to Redd in a recorded testimonial after the October 2022 retreat, marveled at the connectedness, healing, community, and digging deeper into America’s connection to Africa.

Patrick McCallum said in the recording he appreciated how Owunna and

<< Castro Theatre

From page 2 the Friends of the Castro Theatre Coalition in opposition to the proposed changes, which would allow the theater to sometimes operate as a concert venue.

At issue at the hearing was whether the supervisors should change the Historic Preservation Commission’s recommended interior landmarking to give further protection to the current seats – protection that had been argued could

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From page 4

“We are excited to bring together the dynamic drag community and passionate LGBTQ+ advocates for this fun and important event, especially with the increased attacks on the trans community, drag performers, and efforts to undermine our democracy,” stated Alison Goh, president of the League of Women Voters San Francisco. “Our goal is to engage

Notebook

Another advantage to having the election be delayed is it is now coinciding with a presidential election year, likely to draw more progressive and younger voters to the polls. They could give Middleton an advantage over her GOP opponent, state Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa).

“Frankly, with this district the way it was actually drawn, it is better to be running in an election year,” said Middleton.

Last year, two out candidates seeking seats that overlap with the Senate seat fell short. In the case of bisexual Palm Springs City Councilmember Christy Holstege, she lost her bid for an Assembly seat by 85 votes and will again be running against Assemblymember Greg Wallis (R-Palm Springs) in 2024.

Gay U.S. House candidate Will Rol-

Legals>>

Redd demystified African rituals.

“People are frightened of Africa, and you are opening [it] up,” said McCallum, whom Redd and Owunna identified as a 69-year-old straight man. “I think it’s a gift for all of us to experience it.

“We have such a rich African connection in this country,” he continued, pointing to blues, jazz, art, and dance and that generally, many Americans don’t go deeper into the connection to Africa. “There is somewhere back in there, kind of the African traditions that have luckily come to this country.”

Afi Shepard-Staley, whom Owunna and Redd identified as a 49-year-old straight Black woman, said in the recording that she didn’t know what to expect but that the weekend exceeded her expectations. She spoke about how Owunna and effectively halt APE’s plans.

The hearing had five public comments; three were supportive of the amendment, one was opposed, and one was critical of the conservancy and the cultural district.

“We would ask you to move this on with the revised language we requested and thank you for adding that,” Stephen Torres, one of the executive co-chairs of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, said during public comment. “There have been conversations, some hopeful and educate voters on the importance of continuing to fight for a more just and equitable community for all Californians, and encourage them to participate in the democratic process.”

Tickets are $125 for league members and $225 for non-league members and can be purchased at dragfordemocracy.org.

Local Audubon group to change name

The Golden Gate Audubon Society’s lins lost to conservative Congressmember Ken Calvert (R-Corona) by 11,100 votes in the 41st District that includes a large part of Palm Springs. The former federal prosecutor is expected to announce this month if he will run again in 2024.

Banner year for out candidates

Having all three on the same ballot could boost their chances, bringing even more attention to their respective races in the Coachella Valley. Next year is shaping up to be a banner year for out federal and statehouse candidates throughout Riverside County, with five already seeking legislative seats and gay Congressman Mark Takano (D-Riverside) set to run for reelection.

“I think we will have some really strong enthusiasm in our community,” said Middleton.

Adding to the electoral interest from LGBTQ voters will be the expected re-

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Redd created a space for “letting go of things that don’t serve us anymore and stepping into these visions of what our higher selves are calling us into.

“It’s really powerful,” she said.

Marsalis Gibson, whom Owunna and Redd identified as a 27-year-old queer person, said in the recording, “I do want to bring back a couple of original practices and I will incorporate those into my everyday.” in our estimation, in addressing some of the other concerns raised by Supervisor [Aaron] Peskin and Supervisor Mandelman in terms of trying to find a compromise, or alternatives.”

Owunna and Redd said they hope people will leave the retreat excited to learn more about African rituals, explore the questions raised at the retreat, and how they can apply what they learned in their own lives.

“I would like people to be just more aware of the energy and power that surrounds them at all times,” Redd said.

Mike Murray, a gay Castro resident, called in during public comment to criticize the conservancy’s plan.

“The cultural district and the conservancy are not engaging the community and their comments don’t represent the community,” Murray said. “This plan is not new. It is an old plan repackaged as membership has voted in favor of dropping “Audubon” from its name and selecting a new name that better conveys its mission to protect birds and their habitat. The move mirrors actions taken by other independent Audubon chapters after a reevaluation of John James Audubon’s suitability as a figurehead for a 21st century organization given his history as a slave owner, opponent of abolition, and robber of Native American graves, according to a news release from the local organization. peal on the November 2024 ballot of Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2008 that defined marriage in California as between a man and a woman. Although later ruled unconstitutional by a federal court, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, LGBTQ advocates want to strike Prop 8’s language from the state’s constitution should a federal right to same-sex marriage be overturned.

“We will not lose that race,” predicted Middleton of the Prop 8 repeal campaign.

While the 19th Senate District sprawls from the I-10 corridor to the Nevada border – “There is a whole lot of desert there,” noted Middleton – 75% of the population lives along the freeway. The voter makeup is 37% Democrats, 35% Republicans, and 28% decline to state, she said, though former President Donald Trump would have won the new district by a few thousand votes in 2020, according to an analysis Middleton’s campaign did.

Owunna said he hopes retreat participants leave with a toolkit with some practical rituals that they can “implement in their own daily lives and ritual practices.”

Future Due to the rainbow serpent’s prevalence in Indigenous cultures, such as Australia’s aboriginal people, Redd hopes to revive “Indigenous heritage and traditions that have been lost or minimized,” as well as recognize the “many ways in which LGBTQ people” are “marginalized in our contemporary world,” he said.

“We think the work we’re doing can have a true global impact and can be picked up in many different places,” he continued. “We hope to participate in that.”

To date, Redd said 20 people have registered for the retreat. There are 15 a press release. It includes no funding. They have made no progress on their goal of raising $20-$40 million to restore the theater. The plan demands the owners sell their property to the conservancy or give them a 60-year lease without any money. The owners have said they are not interested in the offer.”

On behalf of the cultural district, Torres told the B.A.R. that he approves of the committee’s decision.

“We hope this illustrates to the board that drastic and irrevocable changes to

The National Audubon Society has decided to keep the name, that group announced in March.

“The challenges facing Bay Area birds in the 21st century are greater than ever and we need a name that will help us build the broadest coalition possible to protect them,” stated Glenn Phillips, president of the Golden Gate chapter.

It was announced that 65% of the local group’s membership favored the name change, according to the release.

“I expect this race in 2024 to be extremely close,” predicted Middleton. “I would be very surprised if this race gets called on election night.”

Beckles kicks off East Bay Senate bid

Lesbian AC Transit board member Jovanka Beckles, a former Richmond city councilmember, will officially launch her campaign for the East Bay’s open 7th District Senate seat this weekend. She is vying to become the first out Black woman to serve in the Legislature.

Renumbered during the 2020 redistricting process, the district spans western Contra Costa and Alameda counties from Rodeo south to the San Leandro border. It largely mirrors the one now held by Senator Nancy Skinner (DBerkeley), who will be termed out of her 9th Senate District seat next year.

Also seeking the seat is queer union leader Kathryn Lybarger. Either of the

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APR 20, 27, MAY 04, more spaces available. The entry fee is $625 to $4,885 per person, depending on accommodation, for the all-inclusive retreat. Some scholarships are available. To register for the retreat, visit https:// tinyurl.com/yse3ucke.

Registration for the Rainbow Serpent October 21-23 retreat is not open yet.

Redd will also teach a workshop, “Energizing Your 9 Bodies: An Exploration of Ancient Egyptian Myth-Science,” on May 22, from 7 to 9 p.m., at The Berkeley Alembic, 2820 Seventh Street. To reserve a space, visit.

Check The Rainbow Serpent website or follow the organization on Instagram for updates about events and retreats. For more information, contact rainbowserpentcollective@gmail.com. t the Castro Theatre are not necessary for either the theater or the community’s future or vitality and the revised landmark language should be acceptable terms by which any vendor can operate beneficially and in good faith to our community’s needs,” he stated.

“We look forward to being in front of the full board and appreciate the thoughtful consideration of all the supervisors,” Torres stated.

Mandelman and the conservancy did not respond to requests for comment. t

Golden Gate Audubon leaders believe a new name will better communicate the work of the organization and the opportunities available to Bay Area residents to engage in protecting birds, the release stated. The organization will now launch a process to select a new name. It plans to solicit pro bono services and resources for the process of rebranding.

For more information on the Golden Gate Audubon Society, visit goldengateaudubon.org. t women would be the first LGBTQ state legislator from the East Bay should they be elected.

Other Democrats in the race are Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb and former Assemblymember Sandré Swanson. The top two vote-getters in next March’s primary race will face off on the November 2024 ballot for the legislative seat.

Among those joining Beckles to kickoff her bid Saturday, May 13, are gay Pinole Mayor Devin Murphy, Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, and Alfred Twu, a nonbinary queer Democratic Party leader who backed Beckles when she ran for an Assembly seat in 2018.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. in Richmond’s John F. Kennedy Park near the intersection of Cutting Boulevard and South 39th Street. RSVPs are being accepted at https://www.mobilize.us/jovanka4casenate/event/562724/t

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-23-557891

In the matter of the application of ZHI LI HONG & PIN CHIA HSIUNG, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioners ZHI LI HONG & PIN CHIA HSIUNG are requesting that the name KAYLAN HONG be changed to KYLAN HONG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 15th of JUNE 2023 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

APR 27, MAY 04, 11, 18, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-23-557900

In the matter of the application of JUAN FRANCISCO VERAMENDI ARBOCCO, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner JUAN FRANCISCO VERAMENDI ARBOCCO is requesting that the name JUAN FRANCISCO VERAMENDI ARBOCCO be changed to JUAN FRANCISCO VERAMENDI ARBOCCO FERRER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 18th of JULY 2023 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

APR 27, MAY 04, 11, 18, 2023

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/12/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/12/2023.

APR 20, 27, MAY 04, 11, 2023

CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SENDAS CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/28/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/13/2023. APR 20, 27, MAY 04, 11, 2023

103N on the 25th of MAY 2023 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

APR 27, MAY 04, 11, 18, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-23-557904

In the matter of the application of ALEXIS ASONYA MAFNAS, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ALEXIS ASONYA MAFNAS is requesting that the name ALEXIS ASONYA MAFNAS be changed to ALEXIS ASONYA GASPERECZ. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 8th of JUNE 2023 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

APR 27, MAY 04, 11, 18, 2023