San Francisco Bay Times - February 27, 2020 GGBA

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020) February 27–March 11, 2020 | http://sfbaytimes.com

Friday, March 6, 2020 W Hotel, San Francisco | 9 am – 1:30 pm GGBA Special Section, pages 4–6 San Francisco’s Preeminent Annual Event Connecting LGBT Small Businesses with Supplier Diversity Personnel

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2020: PRIDE TURNS 50

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

SF Pride 2020 Kickoff at City Hall Photos by Rink and Paul Margolis City officials, including Mayor London Breed, Clair Farley of the Office of Transgender Initiatives, and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, kicked off SF Pride 2020 at City Hall on February 18. The city’s official band, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, performed at the event, which was held on the Mayor’s Balcony overlooking the Rotunda.

“LGBTQ Pride Month is one of my favorite times of year, because it is truly San Francisco at its best,” Mayor Breed said. “It is a celebration of the community’s hard-fought progress and the legacy of strength, resilience, and leadership against all odds. Today, we are kicking off the historic anniversary of 50 years of Pride. It is an important milestone of our achievements and a reminder of the work we still have ahead to reach full equality.”

Farley said, “In looking back at the last 50 years of LGBTQ liberation, I am reminded how we stand on the shoulders of those that came before us. From Harvey Milk to Marsha P. Johnson, from Compton’s to the Trans March, we have an incredible history and a responsibility to keep moving forward and addressing the inequities still facing trans people of color, our trans youth, and LGBTQ immigrants. Today we celebrate, tomorrow we get back to work.”

Fred Lopez, the newly named Executive Director of SF Pride, was also in attendance. He said, “We’re incredibly honored to have the support of the Mayor’s office, as well as all city agencies, to make San Francisco’s largest outdoor event possible. It is only through collaboration and partnerships that San Francisco Pride can continue to thrive. We are working hard to make 2020 one of the most fabulous Pride celebrations San Francisco has ever seen.”

The 50th anniversary Celebration and Parade, with the theme “Generations of Hope,” will fill the streets of downtown San Francisco from the Embarcadero to City Hall on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28. http://www.sfpride.org/

Community Grand Marshal Public Vote Underway for 2020 SF Pride Public voting is now taking place to decide who will be the Community Grand Marshals of the 2020 San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration and Parade. The nominees are as follows: Individuals Terry Beswick The Executive Director of the GLBT Historical Society, Beswick was a cofounder of ACT UP in San Francisco and the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District.

He advocated for HIV/ AIDS research and treatment with Project Inform, the Human Rights Campaign, and the White House Office of HIV/AIDS Policy.

StormMiguel Florez Florez is a Xicanx trans filmmaker, musician, and producer who has been making queer art for more than 30 years. Among his projects is the award-winning MAJOR!, about Black trans activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, and The Whistle, a documentary about lesbian youth from the 1970s and 1980s in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Jolene Linsangan Linsangan’s signature party for womxn, launched in 2013, five years later found its permanent Friday night home at Jolene’s Bar and Restaurant on 16th Street in the Mission. Her vision is to create a safe, comfortable, and accepting space for queers from all walks of life and from every part of the world.

Toni Newman The Executive Director of St. James Infirmary, Newman previously served as the Development Director for Maitri Compassionate Care HIV/

AIDS hospice. Her 2011 Lambda Literary Award-nominated memoir, I Rise - The Transformation of Toni Newman, has been featured in Ebony and The Advocate.

Baruch Porras-Hernandez A writer, stand-up comedian, illustrator, and the author of the small poetry collections I Miss You, Delicate, and Lovers of the Deep Friend Circle, PorrasHernandez recently performed his sold-out solo show Love in the Time of Piñatas with Epic Party Theatre. He is the founder of the Latinx literary showcase ¿Dónde está mi gente? and a founding member of the QTPOC. Gabby Rivera Bronx-born Puerto Rican author Rivera is the first Latina to write for Marvel Comics, penning the series America. Her debut novel Juliet Takes a Breath was republished by Penguin Random House. She is planning a podcast, gabby rivera’s joy revolution, for launch this year.

Aria Sa’id Sa’id is the founder and Executive Director of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District. She is also the founder of the Kween Culture Initiative, a project to empower Black transgender women. Sa’id is the youngest Black transgender woman to receive a resolution from the California legislature and the first appointed to a San Francisco government policy role.

Zwazzi Sowö Sowö’s first experience as a civil rights activist was at the age of 10, when she joined Martin Luther King, Jr., in marching for fair housing in the southwest neighborhoods of Chicago, where she was raised. A resident of San Francisco since 1985, she helped to establish the Bayard

Rustin Black LGBT political voice and the And Castro for All protest.

Lavender Seniors Lavender Seniors of the East Bay has been a pioneer organization since 1994 and celebrated its 25th anniversary of serving the LGBTQ elder community in November 2018.

Rev. Dr. Janie Spahr The founder of the Marin Spectrum LGBT Center in 1982, Spahr served as its Executive Director for 10 years. In 2015, it merged with the Marin AIDS Project to become the Spahr Center. She currently works with Trans HeartLine, a Marin County healing house for individuals who have just had genderaffirmation surgery.

Lance Toma Toma is the CEO of the San Francisco Community Health Center (formerly API Wellness), a primary medical and behavioral health care clinic in the Tenderloin. He is the co-chair of the San Francisco HIV/AIDS Providers Network, co-chair of the board of NMAC, and is on the board of CenterLink, the national coalition of LGBTQ community centers.

Organizations Compton’s Transgender Culture District Founded in 2017 by Black transgender women, the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District is the first legally recognized transgender district in the world.

Frameline Established in 1977, Frameline presents the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the world’s largest and longest-running festival of its kind.

LGBT Asylum Project The LGBT Asylum Project is the only San Francisco nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to providing accessible legal representation for LGBT asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or HIV status.

Shanti Shanti is a pioneering nonprofit that builds human connections to reduce isolation and improve quality of life. Through programs such as the LGBTQ Aging and Abilities Support Network and the Margot Murphy Women’s Cancer Program, Shanti currently serves more than 2100 clients annually, more than half of whom are LGBTQ.

Members of the public are allowed to vote for one individual and one organization.

Voting closes on March 10 at Noon.

To cast your votes, please go to: https://bit.ly/2T1AUU0

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F EBRUARY 27, 2020

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Friday, March 6, 2020 | W Hotel, San Francisco | 9 am – 1:30 pm

Message from the President of GGBA

By Gina Grahame

About 46 years ago, in 1974, a small group of gay bar owners in the Castro gathered together in a small room, around a common goal: to create an organization of, for, and in support of gay business owners. A community where LGBT small business owners would be free to be their entire selves; where they could meet, talk, network, and laugh with likeminded individuals. Where they could build their personal lives as well as their business.

In the decades since then, thousands of GGBA members have done just that. I joined the GGBA about six years, upon leaving my corporate job and while preparing to launch my own business. Being able to talk about my business plans at GGBA events, I was able to fine-tune my vision and develop my elevator pitch.

So, when that right opportunity presented itself with a potential client, I was ready. I’m also proud to say I’ve met many of my closest friends through the GGBA. We hang out together, camp together, laugh together, and talk about the challenges and successes of our businesses together.

As the GGBA continues to create new opportunities for LGBTQ & allied members to meet, share, and network, we want to be sure never to lose sight of the fun factor.

This year’s Power Lunch is embracing the ‘business casual’ style of San Francisco. We’re so excited to have the band Proud Mary: A Credence QUEERwater Revival kick off the event by kicking up the energy.

May’s Mega-Make Contact, taking place on March 5 at El Valenciano in the Mission as part of Small Business Week, will have salsa dancing. Bring your best girl or guy, or possibly meet one when you’re there, and get ready to have a great time.

Gina Grahame

And later this summer, we’re in discussions to have a ‘70s themed Make Contact to celebrate the grand opening of one of our member’s newest locations. If your closet doesn’t include bell bottoms, tie dye, or puka shell necklaces, then head on over to the Haight and start planning your outfit— platform shoes optional.

What you get out of the GGBA is directly related to what you put into it. I wouldn’t trade the relationships I’ve created through the GGBA for anything. I wish the same for you. Come join us.

Gina Grahame, the Founder and CEO of the Grahame Institute of Strategic Communication, is the President of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA).

Grahame also serves as a Communication Coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Transgender Advisory Committee of the City and County of San Francisco.

Power Lunch 2020: Diversity at the W Hotel in San Francisco Friday, March 6, 9 am–1:30 pm

The Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) has always attracted fiercely authentic people looking to make connections in new ways. In 2015, the Power Lunch was launched to celebrate LGBTQ owned businesses and to bring together all facets of the LGBTQ+ and allied business community. In its 6th year, the GGBA is excited to bring together members, Certified LGBT Business Enterprises, supplier diversity officials at leading corporations, public agency procurement officers, and elected officials to celebrate this year’s theme: diversity.

We invite you to join the fun and make business connections at the Power Lunch 2020 (PL2020).

Day Darmet Catering Day Darmet Catering provides corporate catering services, including to Fortune 500 companies, featuring global cuisine. f lexability A social impact firm, flexability is focused on the employment of individuals with disabilities and others who experience barriers in the workplace. Flexability helps employers to develop and improve the hiring and retention of talented candidates in many industries nationally.

4 Directions Consulting and Coaching This firm combines consulting and leadership coaching by offering planning and strategy, change management, emotional intelligence, practical training, facilitation, and more.

Here is what you can expect: The Power of the Power Pitch The Power Pitch is a fast-paced, interactive program where certified LGBTBEs present their products and services on stage. All PL2020 attendees are invited to watch a presenter pitch their company to a select panel of procurement officers from some of California’s leading companies representing various industries.

Power Pitch participants have generated millions of dollars in new revenue and opened up new verticals for their businesses. With the support of the National LGBT Chamber and Wells Fargo Foundation, the GGBA is excited to announce that this program is expanding into the Power Pitch Series.

Launching at PL2020 and continuing throughout the rest of the year, the Power Pitch Series is giving the opportunity for dozens of LGBTBEs to pitch in front of people they can do business with!

Ignite 360 Ignite is an insights and strategy firm offering consulting on consumer/user behavior to companies large and small. The focus is on innovation, shopper insights, and brand strategy/communication with an emphasis on storytelling and empathy building. The outcome is the ignition clients need to drive their business forward.

Ready State A digital marking agency, Ready State takes an investigative approach to marketing for brands including Airbnb, Torani, Google, HPE, and Cisco.

The following are just some of the businesses that will be participating in the Power Pitch on March 6 at PL2020: Brand|Pride For 20 years, this lesbianowned LGBTQ certified branding solutions company has guided hundreds of businesses on their quest to find the best promotional items to achieve goals of building brand loyalty. cébé IT & Knowledge Management This business offers consulting in IT strategy and innovation, along with cloud computing, business process improvement, and enterprise knowledge management.

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Power Lunch Expo The Power Lunch quickly emerged as GGBA’s signature annual event and has since evolved to include an expo of GGBA partners and members. The Power Expo provides GGBA member businesses with a platform to engage closely with the Power Lunch audience so they can showcase their products and services.

The Power Expo is open from 9 am–Noon on March 6. We invite you to come explore the Power of the Expo!

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The Lunch: Diversity in Business Panel Michael Gunther Founder and Managing Partner of Collaboration Business Consulting Gunther leads a team of highly skilled business professionals dedicated to inspiring, educating, and empowering proactive business leaders to achieve breakthrough performance. He understands what it takes to build impactful, purposeful, and authentic collaboration that gets results.

His clients are re-energized with a newfound passion for their work and the confidence to lead their teams to build profitable, sustainable businesses.

Charles Orgbon, III Consultant, Deloitte & Touche LLP Orgbon works within Deloitte’s Risk & Financial Advisory Services, where he specializes in sustainability risk services and environmental liability. He develops enterprise solutions for his Fortune 500 and public-sector clients that improve business processes, maximize revenue, manage costs, and address risks, while also mitigating social and environmental impacts.

More specifically, he helps clients with sustainability and GHG (greenhouse gas) reporting, materiality and stakeholder engagement, reporting data analysis, supply chain transparency, environmental asset disclosures, environmental remediation, and environmental, health, and safety strategy and compliance.

Minna Tao - Vice President and Director of Community & Business Initiatives, Recology Tao joined Recology in 2011. Prior to her current position, she served as General Manager for Recology Golden Gate and Recology Oakland, as well as serving as the Business Process Improvement Manager at the corporate office. Before joining Recology, she worked as an Assistant Controller for United Commercial Bank, a Deputy Assessor Recorder for the City and County of San Francisco, a Financial Services Manager at VeriSign, and as Senior Vice President at the Bank of America.

Power Lunch ‘Make Contact’ Kick Off The GGBA is moving the Make Contact in March to coincide with the kick off of the PL2020. This month, participants will be making connections at the top of the Bank of America building! Come and get to know GGBA’s financial service members like host Naomi Evans-Jalloh of Merrill Lynch. Join us on Thursday, March 5, from 6 pm–8 pm as the GGBA kicks off Power Lunch 2020!

RSVP is required.

Register at https://ggba.com/

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

GGBA Board of Directors

Gina Grahame: President and Executive Committee Chair Grahame Institute of Stragetic Communication

Dr. Krystal Drwencke: Vice President & Membership Co-Chair Ascent Sports Chiropractic

Aaron Lander: Secretary Bay Area Green Tours

Tony ArchuletaPerkins: Treasurer Eclat Group

Magdalena Rodriguez: Finance Committee Chair PRO Internacional Inc.

Introducing the CEO High-Performing Acceleration Program The GGBA Foundation is proud to announce the launch of the CEO HighPerforming Acceleration Program (HPAP), which is a new deep-dive program centered on three key initiatives:

Michael Gunther: Collaboration Business Consulting

Anna Colibri: Communications Co-Chair Colibri Digital Marketing

How It Works

The Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) Foundation has a storied history that now goes back four decades.

The HPAP’s eight-month program guides participants through the central roadblocks of scaling a small business to achieve twice their current annual revenue as well as long-term stability. The workshops and coaching sessions provide value and insights to business owners who can start to implement these skills from day one in their companies. The subjects include:

Launch and Historic Firsts In 1980, the GGBA created a foundation to act as the philanthropic arm of the association. In that first year, the foundation made two modest but historic grants of $500, including one to the Lesbian Rights Project, which later became the influential National Center for Lesbian Rights.

In 1982, the foundation became the first of its kind in the U.S. to make a grant to an AIDS service provider: the Kaposi’s Sarcoma Research and Education Foundation, later known as the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. It also was the first foundation to grant support to the inaugural Gay Games, when a handful of out gay athletes competed openly at Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park.

• Introduction to the Program and Clarifying Your Strategic Growth Plan; • Identifying and Assessing Business Opportunities and Gaps; • Budget and Financial Foundations; • Marketing Strategy and Ideal Client Profile(s);

Over the next few years, the GGBA Foundation issued grants to a litany of historic LGBTQ organizations and causes including Gay American Indians, Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights, Community United Against Violence, the Academy Award winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, and Lyon-Martin Health Services, which provides nonjudgmental access to health care and is an essential part of life for many transgender, genderqueer, LGBTQ, women, and people of color in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In 1988, the foundation spun off to become the Horizons Foundation, which has gone on to give over $48 million dollars in grants and is a top 10 funder of the LGBTQ movement.

A New Foundation Continuing to Make History In 2017, the GGBA created a new, 501c3 foundation to promote diversity by funding educational opportunities for the LGBT and allied business community of the Bay Area.

The board of this new foundation is filled with professionals who are also lifelong proponents of the LGBTQ business community, including a number of past GGBA presidents and board members.

In 2020, the GGBA Foundation will launch the CEO High Performance Acceleration Program: a first of its kind training program designed to help a small group of LGBT business enterprises to achieve breakthrough performance.

GGBA Foundation Board Jerry Becerra, President The President of the Barbary Insurance Brokerage, Becerra has been a licensed property and casualty insurance agent since 1983. “There are a lot of things that work for generating business but the real secret is hard work and consistency,” he shares about his success. “However, if I had to give one piece of advice, it is to be an active member in your community.

We sell a promise to help in tough times, and the best way to prove you will be there then is to be there now.”

Lance Dorsey, Secretary Dorsey is the Senior Manager of Inclusive Hiring at the McKesson Corporation. In 2018 he received a Supplier Diversity Award from the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council for his “unparalleled contribution, passion, and leadership on WRMSDC’s recruiting efforts and Northern California strategy,” and for his work in mentoring minority businesses.

9:00 am–9:30 am 9:30 am–11:30 am

• Building the Sales Infrastructure to Achieve Goals; • Strategic Communication and Presentation Skills.

• to gather a small group of highly motivated LGBT, WBE (Women Business Enterprise), and MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) business owners from various industries; • to guide each of them through their unique business growth challenges; • and to accelerate individual performances for each to reach a new level of success.

Stacey Blanda: Board Member Golden State Warriors Community Foundation

The GGBA Foundation

Power Lunch Schedule

Olga Garcia: Membership Co-Chair CG Moving Company

Dawn Ackerman, Treasurer Ackerman is the President and CEO of Outsmart Office Solutions, one of the first companies to become certified as a National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) LGBT Business Enterprise. The business was awarded the 2012 Supplier of the Year by the NGLCC. She is a pastpresident of the GGBA, past-president of the LAGLCC (Los Angeles LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce), and the 2017 Legacy Award winner from the NGLCC for her decades of tireless advocacy for the LGBT business community.

Robb Fleischer An American Marketing Systems Inc. (AMSI) CEO, CFO, and Broker, Fleischer is a past president of the GGBA and has been an out advocate for, and representative of, the LGBT business community in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1983.

Networking & Expo Power Pitches & Expo

11:30 am–11:45 am 11:45 pm–12:45 pm 12:45 pm–1:30 pm

Each month’s session includes roundtable discussions, facilitator interaction, progress tracking, peer accountability, high intensity training, and individual coaching sessions via industry leading speakers and coaches. Additionally, each participant receives one-on-one coaching sessions between the monthly class sessions.

Partners and Sponsors The HPAP is brought to life with the assistance of the GGBA’s incredible partners, each with a long history of helping and advocating for LGBT businesses. They include Wells Fargo ( https://www.wellsfargo.com/ ) and the Granite Solutions Groupe ( https://www. granitesolutionsgroupe.com/ ).

The Team The GGBA Foundation has enlisted industry leading talent to oversee the creation, development, and implementation of the program. Key amongst those are Collaboration LLC ( https://collaboration-llc.com/ –a business consulting firm founded by Michael Gunther–and the Grahame Institute of Strategic Communication ( https://www.thegisc.com/ ), founded

by GGBA President Gina Grahame. (continued on page 26)

Audry deLucia A former president of the GGBA, deLucia is the Co-Owner and President of ellaprint, a full-service award and commercial printing manufacturer.

Jay Greene Greene, JD, CPA, is an attorney at his namesake San Francisco-based The Greene Law Firm, which handles estate, probate, and elder law.

Stacey Blanda Blanda since 2013 has been a Controller for the Golden State Warriors.

To donate to, or to learn more about, the GGBA Foundation, contact GGBAFoundation@ggba.com Additional information is also at https://www.ggbafoundation.org/

Networking & Music from Proud Mary Lunch & Guided Networking on Diversity Diversity Panel & GGBA Wrap Up

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F EBRUARY 27, 2020

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Message from Leadership

Why Join the GGBA? GGBA CALENDAR

By Olga Garcia CG Moving Company has been a member of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) since 2013. We fully support our clients, friends, and relatives who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. By joining the GGBA, we found a group of other business owners who support each other. We found several business mentors and advocates for minority-owned businesses. We have also found many of our vendors through the GGBA, and we always make sure to use companies that are members. CG Moving Company hires and buys from women, minority, and LGBTQ+ owned businesses.

The GGBA is unlike any other chamber of commerce that we have been a part of. This year, under the leadership of Gina Grahame, we have industry-focused mixers. As business owners, we all have busy schedules and this allows us to determine if a mixer focuses on an industry we serve.

When I meet other business owners, business representatives, and nonprofit representatives and connect with them, we may not be a good fit for their needs, but there may be other ways in

GGBA Member Spotlight This month’s spotlight Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) member business is Granite Solutions Groupe (GSG), which since its founding in 1998 has steadily grown from a small consulting firm based in San Francisco to having a national and global presence supporting the financial services and healthcare sectors with advisory, business transformation, and operational consulting solutions with operations in San Francisco; Charlotte; New York; Minneapolis; Bangalore, India; and Cape Town, South Africa. The firm’s year-over-year sales growth has averaged between 10–15% annually for the past 10 years, allowing it to grow by hiring additional team members who represent an extremely diverse ethnic, gender, multi-racial, and LGBTQ set of backgrounds.

Since its inception, GSG has created more than 3000 jobs supporting the firm’s clients’ strategic growth initiatives.

“Community” is one of GSG’s seven core values that encourages its employees, consultants, clients, and community leaders to give back to the communities where they work and live. (The other core values are Diversity, Relationships, Integrity, Consistency, Efficiency, and Quality.)

GSG is the largest certified LGBT-owned business enterprise in the San Francisco Bay Area as measured by employees and revenue. It was the first such business to formally adopt the U.N. Free & Equal Business Standards of Conduct. As GSG continues to grow and expand its footprint in the U.S. and abroad, the firm is developing the next generation of leaders to foster a culture of giving back and to provide inspiration for doing the right thing for GSG’s communities, families, and employees.

For these and other achievements, GSG received the U.S. Bank’s Inaugural Supplier of the Year award in 2019 (Business Wire story on the award: https:// bwnews.pr/2v9liVx ). As a result of this award, the U.S. Bank is sending GSG’s CEO Dan L’Abbe to Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business executive program, “Growing an Established Diverse Company,” in May of this year. GSG also just became a Platinum Circle Corporate Sponsor of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), taking the firm’s investment in LGBTQ business sponsorship to the national level.

That is only one example of a GSG sponsorship. GSG sponsors the GGBA as well as Guide Dogs for the Blind, the NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the 6

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which we can complement each other. I always make sure to promote and support other business owners.

The GGBA has been a source of business development for both our company and our personal careers by connecting us to resources. We found out about a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification through the GGBA. This allowed us to apply and receive a contract for moving services with Super Bowl 50 when it was hosted in the San Francisco Bay Area!

We were also connected to Google’s and the Tuck School of Business’ (Dartmouth) Digital Excellence Program through an event that GGBA recommended to us. Our digital presence and awareness improved tremendously after our learning experiences there.

The GGBA has a culture of inclusiveness and openness. As an immigrant woman, I personally feel in a safe place with other minorities at the GGBA. I have found strength in supporting this community.

Olga Garcia is the Customer Service Manager at CG Moving Company https://www.cgmovingcompany.com/

Granite Solutions Groupe

American Cancer Society, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American National Red Cross, the San FranciscoMarin Food Bank, AIDS/LifeCycle, the Horizons Foundation, John Henning PACT Adoption Alliance, the National Minority & Supplier Diversity Council, the Human Rights Campaign, the South Carolina EMS Memorial Ride, and the Vail Place mental health resource in Minnesota.

In addition, GSG dedicates one day per quarter for its team members to work in the community to support various local organizations in San Francisco, Charlotte, Minneapolis, New York, Bangalore, and Cape Town, working side by side with other volunteers to give their muscle and intellect in delivering on the mission of those organizations. For every client or consultant event that GSG hosts in various cities, the firm donates funds on behalf of each attendee to a local charity and matches the funds to increase the positive impact in those communities.

GSG’s Chief Client Officer John Henning heads up the team that spends the most time with the firm’s clients. He has worked tirelessly with GSG’s clients to increase awareness and engagement for diversity and inclusion efforts.

GGBA: Why did your business partner Dan L’Abbe decide to create the GSG? John Henning: My business partner Dan L’Abbe founded the firm in 1998 in response to the need for experienced, polished, and professional consultants who could deliver high quality outcomes in the lead up to Y2K, and built the firm on a reputation of quality, integrity, and consistency. In 2000 I joined the firm as an investor and advisor, then joined as a fulltime employee and officer of the firm running business development in 2002. The idea of building a business with someone I admired and enjoyed being with, and serving an industry that we both enjoyed, was very appealing to me, and having the opportunity to create a culture with a leader like Dan is what inspires me to jump out of bed every day to this day.

GGBA: Speaking of role models, who are some of yours, and especially those who helped to inf luence your business?

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For more information about these and other Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) events, please visit the association’s website ( https://ggba.com/ ) or email events@ggba.com Make Contact Mixer - Financial Services & Power Lunch Kick Off March 5, 6 pm–8 pm Host: Naomi Evans-Jalloh of Merrill Lynch 555 California Street, 44th Floor, San Francisco Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2v8KPhu Power Lunch 2020 March 6 The theme for 2020 will be “Diversity.”

W San Francisco Hotel 181 3rd Street https://bit.ly/2T2IiNK GGBA Member Roundtable April 14, 5:30 pm–6 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2T8HkzR Make Contact Mixer HR/Health/ERG Spotlight April 14, 6 pm–8 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2HRwmt3 New Member & Ambassador Orientations May 5, 5:30 pm–6 pm El Valenciano 1153 Valencia Street, San Francisco Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2HPYCfH MEGA Make Contact Mixer In Conjunction with Small Business Week/Multicultural Spotlight May 5, 6 pm–8 pm El Valenciano 1153 Valencia Street, San Francisco Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2wz28IX

John Henning: I know this may sound corny and old-fashioned, but one of my role models is Abraham Lincoln. His commitment to education, hard work, building partnerships across enemy lines, and doing the right thing for the future of humankind is the type of life I would like to emulate.

As for those who influenced my business, there are really two heroes. One is Dale Carnegie who wrote How to Win Friends and Influence People, and if you’re not familiar with the theme, it’s really all about being your genuine self and being fully present with the people you come into contact with and do business with. That kind of drive to really know your customers and feel where they’re coming from is what builds genuine relationships that can last a lifetime.

The other would have to be Dan L’Abbe.

Without Dan’s constant persistence and drive to achieve a higher standard of excellence, none of the people on his team would be where they are today. With his kind and generous spirit mixed with his steady hand and drive to succeed, we all know we can achieve our goals.

GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member?

John Henning: GSG decided to join the GGBA as a result of the NGLCC. We had become members of the NGLCC and certified our business as an LGBT certified firm in 2009. When we were up for renewal in 2011, the team at the NGLCC let us know that they would waive our certification fee if we became members of the local chapter, the GGBA. So, we went through the process and met the GGBA and became members. From there, we got to know the chamber through events, and

Make Contact Mixer - Business Services Spotlight June 9, 6 pm–8 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/3c2v4JS GGBA Member Roundtable July 14, 5:30 pm–6 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/32khwEY Make Contact Mixer Marketing Spotlight July 14, 6 pm–8 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/38We7yD New Member & Ambassador Orientations August 11, 5:30 pm–6 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/3a1iVTk Make Contact Mixer - Startup Spotlight August 11, 6 pm–8 pm Location TBD Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2Pk8AKv became interested in doing more locally to give back to the LGBTQ community in the Bay Area.

GGBA: How has being a member of the GGBA helped your business so far?

John Henning: While GSG has never received any direct business leads from the GGBA, we have been exposed to the local LGBTQ community, its needs, and unique challenges through a lens that wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for our increased involvement with the GGBA. The experience has given us prominence and exposure with key clients across the industry, and the deepening relationship with the NGLCC as a result of our involvement with the GGBA has been rewarding. Increased industry (continued on page 26)

Lift UP SF Empowers Behavioral Health Consumers riences, integrated services acknowledge we are all whole people with interrelated challenges and interrelated strengths. We build them together.

From the Frontlines Brett Andrews San Francisco has remarkably low unemployment overall at 1.9%.

That prosperity and stability are not shared equitably across our community. A high cost of living, driven primarily by housing expenses, is straining many of our longtime residents and San Francisco’s most vulnerable groups.

African Americans and other communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, people with behavioral health disorders, and people living with HIV are all overrepresented among those who are unemployed. People in these groups also bring home lower than average salaries, placing them at high risk for displacement and homelessness.

Thus, it’s no surprise when it’s these same groups of people that are overrepresented among San Francisco’s unhoused. But that’s not all. People with lower incomes also have significantly higher rates, two to three times, of mental health issues and disorders.

It’s a circular argument Lift UP SF (Lifting Up Peers for a Brighter Tomorrow) and integrated service providers like PRC seek to disrupt. Instead of holding people back because they’ve had difficult expe-

Lift UP SF is a shining example of this integration at work. It puts behavioral health consumers—people in and exiting mental health and substance use treatment programs, but also their family members and caregivers—on a living wage career track. It empowers them to frame and professionalize this “lived experience” through a comprehensive training curriculum, peer group support services, traineeships, and individualized placement support. At PRC over 30 trainees, graduates, and family members of substance use and mental health treatment services are currently on-track through Lift UP SF to secure professional roles like Social and Human Service Assistants, Case Workers, Case Managers, Client Advocates, Family SelfSufficiency Specialists, and Independent Living Specialists, among others.

But it’s the multifaceted value-add proposition that makes integrated strategies so impactful.

Leveraging the experience of people with lived experience in mental health, substance use, and public health systems doesn’t just make sense; it’s proven to result in better outcomes for consumers on both sides of the interaction. First, paid or volunteer employment—community engagement, a sense of belonging, and mutual responsibility— is a key component of successful recovery from mental health and substance use disorders, particularly methamphetamine addiction.

Second, peer specialists with lived experience also have a unique credibility and capacity to support those struggling to see their way through to another day of sobriety or treatment: sharing the same vocabulary and embodying an accessible vision of success.

Third, this type of job training program critically reaches into those most experiencing under/unemployment and provides more than a living wage; an increasing economic outlook seeds hope, and a career trajectory positions behavioral health consumers to make the most successful transition into healthy and independent living.

Fourth, not only are we excited to see decreased unemployment among Bay Area residents impacted by mental illness, substance use dis-

Now Is the Time to Get a Real ID and accountability, field offices will still be put to the test. Those long lines we successfully shortened could reappear because the only way to get a Real ID is to visit a local DMV office.

order, and HIV/AIDS on the horizon, but also expedited treatment program and supported living exits make room for more people to access San Francisco’s needed, but limited, treatment services.

Finally, in San Francisco, we are in dire need of qualified, compassionate professionals ready to dive in and help the San Francisco Bay Area and its public and nonprofit health service providers to address our city’s most pressing issues. The worker shortage in behavioral health settings across San Francisco is harming the people we most need to support, and cyclical problems require bold moves.

San Francisco needs more investments like this; strategies that reach vulnerable populations on multiple levels build sustainable solutions from the inside and out. Lift UP SF is a drop in the bucket, but I’m proud to be lifting up a diverse, representative pool of qualified, culturally competent health and social service sector employees.

With more than 17 partners— from Castro Country Club and the City of San Francisco Community Behavioral Health Services to Native American Health Center, Mission Neighborhood Health Center, and Alameda and Contra Costa County Behavioral Health Programs—signed on and seeking to fill peer staffing shortages through Lift UP SF, I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s build on that.

Leading PRC since 2003, Brett Andrews has overseen PRC’s evolution from a small HIV/ AIDS legal service agency to an integrated social and behavioral health provider bent on fighting poverty, stigma and isolation by uplifting marginalized adults and affecting the social conditions of health. He holds an M.A. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from George Washington University, received the San Francisco Pride Celebration’s Heritage Award for 10+ years of service in 2017, and was appointed to the San Francisco Mayor’s Methamphetamine Task Force. https://prcsf.org/

Strengthening Youth Voting Will Strengthen Our Democracy OUSD (Oakland Unified School District) students are politically engaged and aware of the social issues that adversely impact their school, neighborhoods, and communities; and our youth are asking for their voices to be heard and their needs to be included.

At its peak in 2018, people were waiting hours— sometimes all day—to do anything at the DMV. And at the time, the demand for Real IDs was just beginning. Since then, more employees have been hired, technology has improved, processes have been streamlined, and several locations have expanded hours, such as opening at 7 am or on Saturdays.

Assemblymember Phil Ting The number of Real IDs issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles is lagging behind projected demand. If you anticipate needing one, I advise you go to the DMV now because I expect the lines to worsen as we get closer to the summer months.

Beginning October 1, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is requiring individuals to have a Real ID to board a domestic flight without a passport, or to enter a federal facility, such as a military base. It’s an added public safety measure to deter terrorism.

So far, only 7 million out of an estimated 16 million Californians have gotten their Real ID. That means DMV will have to process more than a million applications every month to issue the new identification cards in time.

While the budget oversight hearings I’ve led held DMV accountable for various missteps and resulted in reduced wait times, I worry that even with the additional state resources 8

Today, those efforts have paid off. Many field offices have shorter wait times in the afternoons, under an hour in most cases, making it easier to walk in without an appointment. Yes, walk in without an appointment. Please take advantage of this slower period and get your Real ID today.

You can ensure your visit to the DMV goes smoothly by bringing the right documents with you. You will need: • an identity document, such as a valid passport or original birth certificate; • a social security card or W-2 form; • two proofs of residency, such as a utility or cell phone bill, bank statement, or mortgage bill.

To save time, you can even start your Real ID application online and check the real time wait times for each office on the DMV website ( www.dmv.ca.gov ).

I cannot predict how long these shorter wait times will last, but know a deluge of late applications is expected as October nears. I will continue to monitor the situation and am ready to step in again, if necessary.

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City.

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Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan One of the challenges facing our democracy is the underrepresentation of the needs of youth. From the horrors of stop-and-frisk committed against Black and Brown teenagers, to devastating cuts to education, to the lack of action on climate change endangering our future, the needs of young people need to be more included in our decision making.

As a result, I am honored to be in solidarity with a large coalition of Oakland youth, with whom we are now working together to change our laws, to provide teenagers aged 16–17 the opportunity to vote in local school board elections. We recently initiated the proposal, and it will come to the Oakland City Council to consider placing it on the November 2020 ballot.

California currently allows 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote in efforts to boost turn-out. At age 16, young people in California can drive, work without restrictions, and pay taxes on their employment, as well as take care of their siblings, translate for their parents, and contribute to the family income. Youth under the age of 18 are making vital contributions to society every day, including leading with solutions and bold action on global climate change, gun violence, improving their schools, and more.

In Oakland, 16 and 17-year-old young adults cannot vote in School Board elections, despite the impact that decisions made by School Board Directors can have on students.

Students are the primary recipients and stakeholders of the services provided by schools, and their experiences, needs, and concerns should inform district policy and the priorities of School Board members.

Oakland students receive hundreds of instruction hours on the values of democracy and civic engagement, and this will be an opportunity to put these lessons into practice, integrating actual voting responsibility into the learning process and their educational experience.

Approximately 70% of voters in the neighboring city of Berkeley recently voted to allow persons aged 16 and 17-years-old to vote in school board elections. We must recognize the value of young adults and the positive impact this can have in building longterm participation in our democracy. Let’s help Oakland youth have the voice and rights they deserve for a better future!

Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://twitter.com/Kaplan4Oakland ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/ ).

From South Carolina on Saturday to Super Tuesday in Denmark— Oops, I Mean California runner Joseph Biden, we could be in for something of a surprise. As it stands now, according to a poll released by Monmouth University, likely California Democratic primary voters are propping up Sanders with 24%, with Biden second at 17%.

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter Are you ready for some Primary Election? Good, because next Tuesday, March 3, is the California Democratic Primary Election. As now one of 14 states holding primary elections on March 3, California has voters who are not likely to telegraph any Super Tuesday surprises in the majority interest to dump Trump.

After all, there is virtually no love lost between Californians and Colt 45. As the most populace and diverse near nation-state, we’re just not that into him. However, if there is a surprise, it will be which of the surviving 8 Democratic presidential candidates from former throngs of 20+ contenders will take the Golden State’s brass ring.

With Senator Bernie Sanders winning the Nevada Democratic caucuses and holding a narrowing lead in recent polls for first place over former vice president and former front-

That’s quite a gap, but not nearly as wide as has been reported in other polls at nearly 18 points. Will Biden be the new comeback kid? Or, will California be the bluest and largest electorate to deliver some sweet Valencia orange primary juice to a non-Democrat democratic socialist?

If so, and Sanders remains the oddson favorite to eventually win the Democratic Party nomination, is it possible that an avowed socialist from Vermont can defeat an avowed authoritarian, unabashed cheater, and forever impeached president hell-bent on doing anything he wants or can to reach a second-term rule?

Have American voters really swung so far to the left of the left for some dreamy down with the rich, anticapitalist socialist-Bolshevik revolutionary upheaval of all governing systems in the name of income and justice equality for poor people, people of color, and women? Is rejecting the ardent now or never democratic socialist route to freedom a stance for the status quo? If you’re under 45 years old, the socialist siren song is strong. If you’re over 45, and consistently vote, not so much.

California is over 2,501 miles away from South Carolina, both literally as well as figuratively when consider-

ing political makeup. Furthermore, South Carolina is absolutely not Denmark. (Sanders, when asked whether Americans would support a socialist, has mentioned accomplishments in Denmark. This Nordic country has an extensive social support system.)

For all of the punditry, analysis, polling, and just plain marvel regarding the not-so-new power of the African American and emerging Latinx voter blocks speculated to determine the ultimate primary winner—and those blocks hanging in there, but slightly waning affection, for Biden—South Carolina’s Democratic Presidential Primary on Saturday, February 29, will likely be a sobering, come to Jesus moment.

The once and perhaps future moderate forebearer Biden is still maintaining a cozy, but dropping, lead in South Carolina, with Sanders closing in for a second place or surge to first place finish. My guess is that Biden is likely to come out on top. 55+ aged Black voters just aren’t that into socialism. They are much less into Trump, and are less likely to gamble on socialist radicalism to get rid of him.

than encouraging pre-Democratic Primary Debate in Nevada. Ouch.

It was certainly not a paid TV commercial ad-worthy debate debut performance.

Then again, maybe that will be the price to pay. Still, I think the Sanders crowd will be in for a come to Jesus awakening in South Carolina. Of course, the rudest awakening of all could be a Bloomberg upset in South Carolina. He is peeling away Black support from Biden at a pretty decent clip. Well, at least before a less

It’s a cliffhanger for sure; more than a bit of a nail biter. Just the fate of the republic on the line. No small matter.

We know that whoever wins the most Super Tuesday primaries is the likely nominee whom we must ensure wins back the White House. Democratic socialist or not, right?

Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights and marriage equality. A Co-Founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

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The Rainbow Did That: Remembering Gilbert Baker Photos by Rink The GLBT Historical Society Museum presented, on Thursday, February 20, a panel discussion entitled The Rainbow Did That: Remembering Gilbert Baker. Friends and contemporaries of Baker– including social activist Charley Beal, professional flag maker James Ferrigan, filmmaker Vincent Guzzone, artist Carol Leigh, community activist Ken Jones, and moderator Cast Brayton aka Sister Mary Media–shared memories and “secrets” recalling the life of the creator of the iconic rainbow flag.

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Every Moment a Marriage Equality Moment: Breakfast with My Dad at His Retirement Community chance my dad and I ate with the Paulsons again. We soon learned that our prior breakfast with the Paulsons had been anything but ordinary for them.

A few minutes after we sat down, Mrs. Paulson turned to me and asked, “Was that your wife we met yesterday?” I said, “No, you may be thinking of my sister. You met my husband John at breakfast the other day.”

Mrs. Paulson looked at me puzzled and said, “Why do you call him your husband, when that’s against the will of God?” Taken aback, I explained, “I call him my husband because we love each other, we’re spending the rest of our lives together, and we’re legally married.”

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney You never know for sure what awaits you at breakfast time at my 96-year-old dad’s Southern California retirement community, where John and I visited over the recent Presidents’ Day weekend. And I don’t mean whether it’ll be fried eggs or pancakes; I mean the conversation around the breakfast table.

One morning my dad, my sister (who was also visiting), John, and I dined with two other residents: Mr. and Mrs. Paulson, a couple I had met on a previous visit with my dad on my own. Our breakfast was unremarkable. I introduced John and my sister to the Paulsons, who told us about their children and grandchildren, not an unusual experience.

On the final morning of our visit, John skipped breakfast, and by

She turned to her husband and asked, “That’s not the same as our marriage, is it?” Mr. Paulson, apparently knowing the desired response, responded, “No.” At which Mrs. Paulson continued on with me: “Why do you call it a legal marriage, when it’s not recognized by our church?”

I explained, “We weren’t married in your church. We were married in City Hall, and our marriage is legally recognized in all 50 states.” She persisted, “But why would you want to get married when it goes against the Bible?”

“We got married for the same reason that most people do—we love each other, we’re committed to each other, and we’re spending our lives together,” I said. “Marriage comes with many rights and responsibilities, and that’s part of how we are able to care for each other in sickness and in health. We are married under the law.”

Befuddled and clearly not getting the answer she wanted, Mrs. Paulson turned to my father who had been listening intently but had said nothing. Her eyes seemed to say to my dad, “Do you hear what I’m hearing?

Surely as his father you’re not OK with this?”

Not missing a beat, Dad met her gaze and said, “And they can legally adopt children too!”

At that, Mrs. Paulson returned to her bacon and eggs.

I responded that he had too. “We’re a team. We’re a family.”

After breakfast, Dad said nothing to me about what had transpired and proceeded to his room to take his morning nap. When John and I finished packing and returned to his room to say goodbye, I awakened Dad from his slumber. Before I could say anything, Dad, still half-asleep, exclaimed with a wry smile, “Be sure to tell John what happened at breakfast! You handled it expertly.”

I told Dad, “I love you.” He said, “I love you too. More than ever.”

Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

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Mine Is a Dog’s Life!

Photos Courtesy of Tim Seelig

Dr. Tim Seelig Sometimes we get all wrapped up in what we do professionally. But, in the end, what we do does not define us. The most important thing in life is not what we do, but who we are.

What I do is defined behind a baton or a curtain, or off the podium.

I have not managed a human relationship that has lasted “til death do us part.” There is one thing that has been, and will be, with me until I cross that rainbow bridge. (I’m so sorry “Anonymous” made that up. “It’s not my very favorite.”) The constant companions in my life, other than music and grandchildren, are dogs! I figure that of my 69 years on this planet, I’ve had the companionship of a dog for at least 59 of them! I paused for college and graduate school. They frowned on dogs in the dorms and first set of tiny apartments.

In my early years, I grew up with Honey Boy. He was a not-so-bright Cocker Spaniel. I later came to know that is redundant for Cocker Spaniels with the notable exception of the three Cockers who won the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1921, 1940, 1941 (same dog), and 1954. Then there was Schatze, the too smart for her own good schipperke. She was adorable and hyper.

Both of those were outside dogs.

After I left home, Mom and Dad got a Schnauzer and never strayed from that breed. They also moved indoors! Not my parents, the dogs.

As soon as I married and had a place to call home, I started in with

other poultry delicacy, ended “Duckie’s” life abruptly.

We had a cat named Kitty who wandered the Southwest Houston neighborhoods. We had obligatory goldfish and bettas. Their final swim was down the toilet upon their demise. I’m embarrassed to say we bought the kids those sad little turtles who had their shells painted.

They were not a hearty lot. We “released” them in a local creek.

The kids were certain they would thrive there and become Galapagos worthy in no time. There were birds and a lizard or two. It would be much later when Corianna gifted her daughter Clara with a bearded dragon named Princess Shimmer.

She went from eating crickets to frozen field mice as she grew 5x her size. But I get ahead of myself.

After our divorce, my ex-wife did not continue the pet menagTim and Grace erie. On the other hand, I did. My first rescue occurred once I settled in Dallas with Louis. It also began the habit of changing the names they were given in the various shelters. She was named “Brittany.”

That was not going to work for us. We changed her name to Miss Mona Pearl. Miss Mona for the part Dolly Parton played in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and because her coloring was a little pearlish.

Then came the three hamsters: Muffy, Fluffy, and Buffy. Around Easter, one morning, the kids went in to see the trio only to discover that one of them had killed the other two in a scene to rival the Game of Throne’s Red Wedding.

They were obviously traumatized.

We released the survivor near the same creek as the turtle to fend for his murdering self; obviously, a death sentence in itself. Feeling terrible about it, their grandparents, visiting from out of town, decided to replace the hamsters with something completely different, a duck, before leaving to go home.

“Duckie” began life in the very hamster cage that was the scene of the previous murders. Ducks grow quickly. They basically eat and poop. “Duckie” grew into the laundry basket, the sides of which he soon could look over. He would sit in the front yard while we picked weeds. Then, one sad day, the neighbor dog, apparently having visions of Duck a l’Orange or some

Our children were very clear on the circle of life from an early age.

She easily became my best friend.

She was a beautiful fluffy white and gray mutt. When I started work at the Turtle Creek Chorale, we officed at the Sammons Center for the Arts. The executive director, Joanna St. Angelo, was a dog lover and met Mona the day I rescued her. After introducing her, I was about to leave and Joanna asked, “Where are you going?” I told her I was going to take Mona and leave her home. Joanna said, “You just rescued her from the SPCA, you can’t abandon her at home. She’s staying here.”

And that began the next 17 years of Mona’s “Canine in Residency” program. She was the perfect office dog. She would go to the elevator, wait patiently for someone to come out or in, and ride to other floors—there were only four. She knew other workers had treats in their desks for her. Then, she would work her way back up to my office or someone would call, “Mona’s on the first floor.” Everyone loved her so much.

When she was finally unable to function any longer due to health issues, she went on a week-long

goodbye tour of all the people who loved her.

All over Dallas.

We had a large number of family and friends gather after hours at the vet Tim and Grace to hold her— and each other—as she left us. A friend of mine painted a huge portrait that still hangs to this day in my home.

No dog could live up to Mona Pearl. Or so I thought. After Mona left us (no, I am still not a fan of the Rainbow Bridge), my then partner Shawn and I went down to the SPCA “ just to look.” There she was, in a little round enclosure like a play pen. She was quiet (most likely on drugs) and adorable. She was nothing like Mona. She was short-haired, more like a beagle, but solid blonde.

We took her into a little room and she jumped up in our lap—it was so special (we are fully aware of rescue dog training—make sure to jump in every potential owner’s lap, look lovingly into their eyes and, if they indicate they would like such a thing, give them a gentle kiss indicating they had made the right choice and should not leave without you).

Well, she was great, but we didn’t want to take the first dog they had obviously placed at the front door as a “resist this” temptation. We told the volunteer to put her back.

We wanted to shop around to see if there might be something better.

When we returned, she was not in her cage. We literally asked the attendant, “Where is our dog?”

We’d spent all of a half hour with her and all of a sudden, she was ours. Well, she was in a room with other people. We were sure she was not in their lap or giving longing looks and kisses. They made a big mistake, they put her back in the cage to go look around at other choices, just as we had done! Whew.

We snatched her up and headed for the check-out stand! She was ours.

Her shelter name was Carmel. We named her Carmella.

She made the trip to California with her “brothers” Big Daddy and Little Bear.

When Shawn walked the three dogs in San Francisco, people asked for his card, assuming he was a dog walker. We were to learn that few people in San Francisco actually own three dogs.

Grace

Tim and Grace

Miss Mona Pearl

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Carmella weathered the breakup of Tim and Shawn and left her brothers behind. It was just me and Carmella for almost a year and a half. She was the best partner in every way. When she met Dan, she pulled out her shelter training, and with one jump in his lap and one longing look, had him absolutely wrapped around his finger. He said to me, “Having grown up with cats, I never knew I was a dog person, but I am now.”

PHOTO BY DAVE EARL

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation

making sure they had pets. I always said it was for the kids. In reality, it was as much for me. Of course, we had dogs—most notably, Miss La De Da. In later years, my daughter Corianna would laughingly say they should have known I was gay when I chose that name.

Tim with Little Bear, Big Daddy, and Carmella

Dan ran to the pet store to do the things he thought would win her over. He purchased one of those plastic stick things that helps you propel a tennis ball across the dog park for your dog to fetch. It was awesome. Dan would fling the ball and then go fetch it himself.

Carmella had absolutely no interest in “dog things” or exercise. Chip off this dad’s block. He would also play this game where, knowing she had to go pee, would whisper to her.

She would cock her head like the Victrola dog.

Years later, she had a sudden, virulent onset of pancreatitis. It took a week for the condition to turn dire. There was nothing to be done.

We decided on a pet hospice company to come to our home, put her to sleep, and then carry her out— in her favorite blanket. Dan and I simply could not face it. To our rescue came Corianna. We took our beloved Carmella to her house with a favorite blanket, said wailing goodbyes, and left her. Corianna snuggled her as she left this world we know. So brave, that daughter of mine. Pet hospice in home euthanasia is such a warm loving way to say goodbye.

Dan and I were inconsolable. I felt I needed at least six months to properly grieve before looking for another dog. In reality, that lasted about two weeks before I started perusing the internet sites looking at dogs up for adoption. I would sit at the end of the sofa, trying to hide my searches from Dan, who was doing the same thing at Carmella his end. We just didn’t want the other to know.

Finally, one day Dan said, “Are you looking at puppy porn again?”

I turned my laptop to show row after row of adorable dogs awaiting homes. From that time on, our puppy porn searches were done together in an open relationship.

Then we took the search out into the various shelters around the Bay Area. Of course, there is always a dog to fall in love with. I’ve been a consistent monthly donor to the SPCA for ages. Corianna and I would cry every single time the (continued on page 26)

Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men.

We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community.

The Bay Times is proud to be the only newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco that is 100% owned and operated by LGBT individuals.

Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

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Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

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CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews, Karen E. Bardsley, David Landis, Jan Wahl

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman on February 11 introduced an ordinance requiring the Department of Public Health to update their minimum health and safety standards for commercial adult sex venues and to remove current regulations requiring the monitoring of patrons’ sexual activities and prohibiting the presence of private rooms and closed doors.

Mandelman wrote: “During the 1970s and early 80s, bathhouses were a focal point of gay social life. They were a place to cruise but were also an important community meeting place where friends would gather to share stories, dance to the latest disco hits, or watch a live show. Performers like Bette Midler and Barry Manilow famously got their starts in the baths.

In many ways, bathhouses symbolized the newfound freedom to live out, proud, and happy lives that gay men from previous generations had never experienced.”

That was all to abruptly change.

In 1984, in an attempt to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS, the City of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against the operators of bathhouses, citing them as a public health nuisance.

The court concluded that these businesses did present a public health risk, and issued an order allowing the businesses to remain open only if they employed monitors to prevent unsafe sex from occurring and removed most doors to individual video cubicles, booths, or rooms.

Much of this period was chronicled in the pages of the San Francisco Bay Times. Memorably, journalists Michael Helquist and Rick

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Deborah Svoboda, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers.

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Osmon were asked to research San Francisco’s baths, adult bookstores, theaters, and sex clubs for men at the height of public debate about these establishments. As columnist Dr. Bill Lipsky later wrote: “The Helquist/ Osmon investigation was so noteworthy that their work was published—again—nearly two decades later, in the peer-reviewed Journal of Homosexuality (Volume 44, 2003, Issue 3–4).”

As he pointed out, during the time that these regulations have been in place, a handful of adult sex venues have opened and operate in San Francisco, providing access to safer sex educational materials and supplies and HIV and STD testing, and in doing so, assisting rather than impeding efforts to control the transmission of HIV.

Although technically the bathhouses could have remained open under the court-mandated conditions, all of them closed. For many gay men, this marked the end to an era of sexual freedom and further devastated an already reeling community.

Mandelman shared that, in 1997, the Department of Public Health adopted minimum standards governing the operation of sex clubs and parties. These minimum standards, much like the court order that preceded them, required that all areas of commercial sex clubs, as well as patrons’ sexual activities, be monitored by staff, and prohibited sex clubs and parties from having locking booths, cubicles, or rooms. The minimum standards that are in effect today at places such as EROS include these same restrictions.

He added that the city has also made great strides in Getting to Zero new HIV infections ( https://bit. ly/3857DMQ ), employing an array of new tools to prevent transmission of the virus. “These include the broad availability of PrEP, rapid access to antiretroviral therapy for people newly Albrecht Dürer The Men’s Bath Men connecting with men in bathhouses can be verified diagnosed with HIV, and back to the 15th century, and the tradition of public baths increased viral suppression dates back to the 6th century BC. among people living with HIV through increased Public Health extensively in draftretention in care,” he explained. “Given these public health ing this ordinance, and I would like to thank Director Colfax and Public advances, it is time that we align our Health Department Policy Director public health policy with present day Israel Nieves-Rivera in particular for science.” their openness to these changes. We If the ordinance passes, the new minhave also consulted with community imum health and safety standards and industry stakeholders, including governing the operation of comthe San Francisco AIDS Foundation, mercial adult sex venues would have and I want to thank Laura Thomas to be adopted by no later than July and Joshua O’Neal from the San 1, 2020—interestingly, putting the Francisco AIDS Foundation for their momentum at around the time of guidance. I also want to thank Blade June Pride. There would, however, Bannon, Race Bannon, and the be a public notice and public commany community members who have ment process. been advocating for these changes for their advocacy support, and Tom Mandelman concluded, “We have Temprano in my office for his work.” consulted with the Department of

“Since the enactment of the minimum standards, queer individuals and community groups have argued that the regulations were invasive, unfair, and unnecessary,” Mandelman said. “Without private rooms, the advocates have argued, people instead have unsafe sex in other venues without safe sex education and supplies.”

PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978

Supervisor Mandelman Introduces Ordinance That Could Bring Gay Bathhouse Culture Back to SF

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow I’m Blue, No Matter Who As soon as I mentioned to you that I decided to pin my hopes for defeating Trump on megabucks Bloomberg, I was inundated with horrible videos and quotes from years gone by—some of them old enough to dismiss and some of them relatively recent. The worst was his flip and dehumanizing remarks about transgender women.

Bloomberg was trying to make the point (I guess) that Democrats should be less vocal about politically correct controversies such as the bathroom wars, and more focused on health care and issues of mass popular concern.

You know what? Of course, we don’t want our general election nominee setting himself or herself up as an easy target by ignoring health care, climate change, inequality, and other core aspects of the Democratic platform.

But that emphasis can be maintained without abandoning GLBT issues.

Let’s face it. Our concerns are never going to be written into the first paragraph of anyone’s presidential stump speech to begin with. But in the process of relegating us to the backburner, Bloomberg demeaned transgender women as “men in dresses” and ridiculed the insidious attack on transgender lives that the bathroom paradigm represents. It was shocking to see and hear, and he did it with a mocking sneer. Was there a larger context to these remarks? Maybe, but not that I’ve read about.

We Must Win For the record, the Human Rights Campaign has posted a lengthy questionnaire, addressed in full by all the candidates. Mike Bloomberg is certainly a friend to our community, despite a discouraging refusal to require equal benefits from New York City contractors back in the day (based on a legal conflict with federal pension laws that the then-mayor didn’t want to litigate). Like the other Democratic challengers, he will immediately reinstate transgender troops, fight for the Equality Act, start putting good judges back on the bench, and all the other good things you can think of. By all means check out the HRC website for these GLBT position papers, although your eyes will glaze over after just a few pages of boilerplate gay rights political speak.

At any rate, I am left again with the dilemma of whom to support. Not only is Bernie a weak general election candidate with short coattails for our embattled Senate challengers, but he also now seems to have thrown Florida to Trump by singing the praises of Fidel Castro on 60 Minutes for God’s sake.

Oh yes, Castro might have turned Cuba into a Soviet style exemplar of political repression, complete with assassinations, secret prisons, state-controlled media, civilian spies, and dictatorship. But check out those literacy rates! And everyone has health care!

Florida, I remind you, is a swing state with 29 electoral votes. Only Texas (38) and California (55) have more, while New York is tied at 29. By the way, Texas will not turn blue this year, so Florida—with its heavy concentration of Cuban refugees and their extended families—is the only major electoral jackpot in play.

In the end, I’ve decided to vote for Warren, after my wife spent hours walking neighborhoods to canvas for her while I lounged at home drinking wine and binge-watching Bancroft on BritBox. It’s the least I could do, although Mel kindly put no pressure on me. I gave a few more bucks to Pete the other day, but again, I don’t think he can win. I’m also counting on Mike to follow through with his pledge to pour resources into the general election regardless of whether or not he represents the party.

I Miss Scalia

So, here’s the big news of the week. On Monday, February 24, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear another highly significant GLBT case, one that pits the City of Philadelphia against Catholic Social Services (CSS) over the question of placing foster kids with gay couples. The city contracts with about 30 agencies for fostering, many of them religious in nature, yet CSS is the only organization that has refused to consider married same-sex couples as foster parents. Philadelphia, in turn, has a rule forbidding the city to do business with groups that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, ergo CSS was struck from Philly’s go-to list.

The ensuing litigation went up through the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which ruled unanimously in favor of the City of Brotherly Love. Now, that victory is hanging from a thread, given that four conservative justices have already signaled their hostility to a hugely important precedent at stake in the legal underpinnings of the case.

That 5–4 precedent, ironically authored by our quixotic foe, Antonin Scalia, in 1990, says that you can’t use your religion as an excuse to ignore generally applicable laws. Sounds reasonable. I mean, I can’t tell the traffic cop that The Flying Spaghetti Monster mandates a 100-mph speed limit and successfully avoid a ticket on First Amendment grounds even though I am an ordained minister of His church. (Which I am.) So, when two Oregon men were fired for using peyote, Scalia ruled that they were not allowed to claim a religious exemption to the state’s unemployment benefits rules even if their drug use was tied to a religious rite. The case is called Smith v. Unemployment Division, and conservatives have hated it for lo these many years (as has the ACLU at times).

Justices Gorsuch, Alito, Thomas, and Kavanaugh are looking to overrule this decision, and Chief Justice Roberts is very likely in agreement. Without it, religious loopholes under the First Amendment, already fraying at the edges, could widen beyond repair. Civil rights laws and city ordinances alike will be toothless, leaving our community vulnerable to unchecked discrimination from Christian bakers, from homophobic schools and organizations, and, well, from anyone who can raise even the most tepid faith-based qualm.

Worse, our efforts to legislate protections under federal law will be to no avail if, say, a statute like the Equality Act, once passed, could be easily challenged under the Constitution.

There are several anti-Smith lawsuits heading for the High Court. I just read a New Republic article about George Ricks, an Idaho contractor who refuses to provide the state with his social security number, which he believes is the mark of the devil. Not surprisingly, George has been denied a contractor’s license, lost all his lawsuits, and his petition is now under review by the justices. I have no idea whether or not the Court would accept review of this one, but if I were a conservative justice, I’d rather get rid of the Smith precedent with a case like Devout Catholics v Slightly Perverted Gay Couple than I would with a case like Satanist v Idaho Bureaucrat.

Circuit Breakers I have a few other pieces of legal news, and I can’t find any updates on the transgender military case out of Marsha Pechman’s courtroom in Washington State. Pechman recently issued a deadline of February 14 for the government to cough up documents that detail the thought process that led to General Jim Mattis’ anti-transgender policy. Presumably there was little to show, but I don’t know what happened ... yet. (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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World’s Premier All-Male Drag Ballet Company Mixes High Art with Delicious Satire Jacques D’Aniels. Nadia Doumiafeyva. Nina Enimenimynimova. These legendary (faux!) stars of the ballet, along with their full company of danseurs extraordinaires in Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, will return to Cal Performances in Berkeley on March 14–15 for savagely funny satire married with seriously stunning ballet.

From Off-Off Broadway to Berkeley The Trocks, as they are often affectionately called, consist of statuesque, glamorous male dancers in the iconic, if fictional, roles of prima ballerinas. The company made their Berkeley debut in the 1970s, just a few years after their launch and initial performances in late-late shows at Off-Off Broadway lofts.

“Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and Cal Performances have a long and happy history together, the company having made its Berkeley debut in 1976, only two years after its founding,” Cal Performances Executive and Artistic Director Jeremy Geffen recently told the San Francisco Bay Times.

He added, “During the intervening decades, the Trocks have been instrumental in helping bring gay culture and drag arts to the American mainstream. Simply put, they are brilliant dancers. What’s more, they are terrific fun.”

Hard Work Pays Off Many New Yorkers think so, too. The Trocks’ early shows quickly garnered critical acclaim in the Big Apple, leading the grassroots company to think beyond their humble, yet memorable, beginnings.

The company found management, qualified for the National Endowment for the Arts Touring Program, and hired a full-time teacher and ballet mistress to oversee daily classes and rehearsals. Also, for the 1975–1976 season, they made their first extended tours of Canada and the U.S., leading to those first magical Berkeley performances. Packing, unpacking, and repacking tutus and drops, stocking giant sized toe shoes by the case, and running for planes and chartered buses all became routine parts of life.

The hard work paid off, though. By mid 1975, the Trocks’ inspired blend of their loving knowledge of dance, their comic approach, and the astounding fact that men can, indeed, dance en pointe without falling flat on their faces, was being noted both nationally and internationally.

Fans in the British Royal Family Since those beginnings, the Trocks have established themselves as a major dance phenomenon throughout the world.

They have participated in dance festivals in Bodrum (Turkey), Bogota, Holland, Finland, San Luis Potosi, Madrid, Montreal, New York City, Paris, Lyon, Rome, Spoleto, Turin, and Vienna.

Awards that the Trocks have won over the years include for best classical repertoire from the prestigious Critic’s Circle National Dance Awards (2007, U.K.), the Theatrical Managers Award (2006, U.K.), and the 2007 Positano Award (Italy) for excellence in dance. In December 2008, the Trocks appeared in London at the 80th anniversary Royal Variety Performance to aid the Entertainment Artistes’ Benevolent Fund. It was attended by members of the British royal family who cheered them on.

Classical Action in New York City; the Life Ball in Vienna, Austria; Dancers for Life in Toronto, Canada; London’s Stonewall Gala; and Germany’s AIDS Tanz Gala.

In addition, the Trocks have given, or participated in, special benefit performances for Connecticut Ballet Theater, Ballet Hawaii, Indianapolis Ballet Theater, Rochester City Ballet, Dancers in Transition (NYC), Sadler’s Wells Theater in London, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center and Young Audiences/Arts for Learning Organization, and the Ali Forney Center, benefiting homeless gay youths in New York City. In 2009, the Trocks gave a benefit performance for Thailand’s Queen Sirikit’s Scholarship Fund in Bangkok, which helps finance schooling for children of impoverished Thai families. The benefit helped to raise over four hundred thousand dollars!

Still ‘On Point’ The original concept of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo has not changed. It is a company of professional male dancers performing the full range of the ballet and modern dance repertoire, including classical and original works in faithful renditions of the manners and conceits of those dance styles.

The comedy is achieved by incorporating and exaggerating the foibles, accidents, and underlying incongruities of serious dance. The fact that men dance all the parts—robust bodies delicately balancing on toes as swans, sylphs, water sprites, romantic princesses, angst-ridden Victorian ladies— enhances, rather than mocks, the spirit of dance as an art form, delighting and amusing the most knowledgeable, as well as novices, in the audiences.

For the future, there are plans for new works in the repertoire: new cities, states, and countries to perform in; and for the continuation of the Trocks’ original purpose: to bring the pleasure of dance to the widest possible audience. They will, as they have done for over four decades, “Keep on Trockin’.”

Berkeley Program

Benefits for LGBTQ Organizations and More

Swan Lake, Act II (Tchaikovsky) Pas de Deux or Modern Work to be announced Le Grand Pas de Quatre ( Pugni) Walpurgisnacht (Gounod)

The company appears in benefits for international AIDS organizations such as DRA (Dancers Responding to AIDS);

For tickets and more information about the Trocks’ Cal Performances shows at Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus, go to: https://bit.ly/2Vlh2gy

LGBTQ Night OUT with the Trocks!

The San Francisco Bay Times is proud to be sponsoring Cal Performances’ first ever LGBTQ Night OUT! It will take place on Saturday, March 14, officially starting at 8 pm in Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. Those who arrive early, however, will be treated to a Pre-Performance Talk given by Tory Dobrin, the Artistic Director of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

Then comes the show featuring the world-famous “Trocks,” the dazzling all-male drag ballet company. That alone will be spectacular, but the evening won’t end there.

Post-Performance Reception After the Trocks make their last curtain call, there will be an exclusive after-party reception on the elegant Mezzanine Level (second floor) of Zellerbach. It will include “Instagrammable” moments, wine, and light snacks.

Guests can meet members of the Trocks. The emcee will be Michelle Meow of the Michelle Meow Show, and the special guests for this portion of the event will be the Rebel Kings.

(This drag king band is the legendary Oakland-based White Horse Bar’s “Resident Kings.” To learn more: https://therebelkingsofoak.wixsite.com/rkoakland )

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Members of the Cal Performances team will also be on hand to share information about the organization’s rich history and upcoming performances with LGBTQ artists.

• Come as you are—glamour is encouraged!

• Connect with other LGBTQ community members and allies.

• Mix and mingle.

• And have a great Night OUT! The Cal Performances LGBTQ Night OUT post-performance reception is free with the purchase of March 14 performance tickets. The space is limited, though, and requires RSVP. Tickets for the performance start at $38 and are available at the Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall, by calling 510642-9988, and at https://bit.ly/3c97KKy Groups of 10 or more will receive a 15% discount off single ticket prices. Some restrictions apply. Contact the Ticket Office at 510-642-9988 for more information.

If you purchase your tickets online, you will be prompted to RSVP for the Reception once you place your ticket(s) in the cart. https://calperformances.org/nightout/

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Tory Dobrin of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo Looks Back at 40 Years of Ballet Gone Drag Tory Dobrin is a legend among the Trocks, aka the all-male drag Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The Los Angeles native first joined the troupe of talented boy ballerinas in 1980 as a dancer. His introduction to the art form goes back to the 1960s when, as a high school student, his physical education prospects were limited, with only the dance class having an opening.

dancers all the time. We program new ballets into theaters where we have a history.

As it turns out, his teacher was a modern dance pro from New York who was influenced by dance phenom Martha Graham.

Dobrin was an ace, who eventually went to the Étienne Decroux school in Paris, named after the famous French actor and mime.

This gives the performance a fresh approach.

No one is required to do a role exactly as someone else has done it (speaking of the comedy, in this case; the ballet steps are essentially the same).

Once with the Trocks, Dobrin worked his way up through the ranks and is now the company’s Artistic Director.

We caught up with him ahead of the Trocks’ March 14–15 shows for Cal Performances in Berkeley.

San Francisco Bay Times: Was Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo the first ever all-male ballet company?

Or perhaps the first male drag ballet company?

Tory Dobrin: Drag was prevalent in clubs and bars and Off-Off Broadway venues for decades in New York, San Francisco, and other cities. Larry Ree, a member of Charles Ludlam’s The Ridiculous Theatrical Company in New York City, was a sometime dancer who danced in drag, on pointe, in some of the productions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He formed an all-male group called The Trockadero Gloxinia Ballet Company, which performed at La Mama in the East Village of New York City.

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo Photos by Zoran Jelenic

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo was formed by members of this company who broke away to explore the outlook by addressing actual dance/comedy issues as well as drag. It was a type of expansion of the art form.

The name was in homage to ballet history when there were several Ballet Russe companies fighting over the legacy of Sergei Diaghilev (who died in 1929) and his Ballet Russe company.

The first performances of the Trocks were held in a loft in the meat-packing district in New York City of a group associated with The Mattachine Society, one of the first gay political organizations in the U.S. San Francisco Bay Times: The company made its Berkeley debut in 1976. Wasn’t that during the company’s first or second national tour?

UC Berkeley, Zellerbach Hall

Tory Dobrin: Betty Connors, the Director of Cal Performances from 1945 to 1979, put Trockadero on the map. Because she booked the company to dance at Zellerbach, the company suddenly had the status and approval to garner other performances. If it had not been for her, it is possible the Trockadero would not have been able to establish itself in the touring dance arena. We are very, very grateful to her.

She took a chance. Drag was certainly not in the mainstream at that time. Her legacy in the performing arts as someone who supported all sorts of artistic expressions is well established. She had great vision, integrity, and passion.

San Francisco Bay Times: What is new about this year’s performances?

Tory Dobrin: The company adds new repertory and, of course, has new

The dancers are also comedians. One dancer/comedian has a completely different take on another colleague in the same role, for instance. Just as Lucille Ball and Gracie Allen would tackle material in a very different way, we have the same dynamic within the group.

San Francisco Bay Times: Many ballet norms seem so heavily gendered— from the tutus on one side to the figure-forming tights on the other.

Do you think that ballet in general is becoming more gender f luid in terms of costuming and other aspects of performances, perhaps as a result of your inf luential company?

Tory Dobrin: Just as societal views about the LGBT community have evolved over the years, so too has our queer community.

Society (and consequently dance/ballet as well) has changed so much since the founding of the Trockadero in 1974. It is hard to answer this question fully here.

The Trockadero received a lot of push back from the dance community for the first 25 years of its existence as something that was not acceptable to dance, to the image of the male dancer, and how we approached performances. This changed over time.

Perseverance is the key to our success.

Gay and lesbian issues have been in the forefront of society these past decades with issues like gays in the military, gay marriage, gay adoption, and now a gay person having success in a bid of the presidency, etc.; society has changed a lot.

The company has changed with the times.

The technique of the dancers has expanded, and the energy in the performances has expanded. We have changed along with society ... but we remain close to what we are: an all-male comedy ballet company that dances in drag.

San Francisco Bay Times: We’ve read that the Trocks have performed at many benefits over the years, supporting the fight against HIV/ AIDS and more. What are some of the nonprofits and other organizations/ groups that you’ve supported over the years?

Tory Dobrin: Many organizations have asked us to participate in benefits to help raise money, such as the LGBT Community Center in New York City, the Ali Forney Center, SAGE USA (for gay and lesbian seniors), as well as organizations in the U.K. Local organizations often buy block tickets to see the performance as a way to raise money, with the dancers often attending receptions after the performance, among other things.

Lately we have expanded our reach to offer educational workshops for homeless gay and lesbian youths as well as gay and lesbian seniors. The participants discover that comedy and drag are secret weapons for enlightenment, and that dance/drag have no boundaries for race, gender, sexual preference, and age.

When I joined in 1980, there were never any children in the audience. Never. Now the performances have lots of kids who come to see the show. They love the comedy, love the dance aspect, and accept the drag aspect without question. The performances inspire them to look at things very differently than in the past. To me, this is the most inspiring and telling of how society has changed for the better.

Tory Dobrin will give a Pre-Performance Talk ahead of the March 14 LGBTQ Night OUT: https://calperformances.org/nightout/

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Dan Ashley of ABC7 News Pays It Back with Rock the CASA It is sometimes hard to find constants in the fast-paced Bay Area, given the high turnover of jobs, living arrangements, small businesses, and more. Perhaps that is one reason it can be comforting to turn on the news—yes, even with the disheartening headlines—and see trusted anchors like Dan Ashley of ABC7. Even when the news is depressing, Ashley makes a connection with viewers that, like Walter Cronkite for previous generations, offers some sense of stability and reassurance. As for Conkite, Lester Holt, and other talented journalists, their ease belies great skill and dedication to their work and communities.

Ashley takes this a step further with his remarkable amount of volunteer work for nonprofits. He has donated his time to the AIDS Walk SF, for example, for nearly the past quarter of a century! One of his great passions is helping kids. We have to wonder that this inspiration came, at least in part, from the fact that he worked his way through high school and college mowing lawns, making ice cream cream (at Swensen’s Ice Cream Factory), and working as an ice-skating instructor. The ice cream gig introduced him to a mentor who recognized Ashley’s work ethic and charisma. Ashley has never forgotten the sense of confidence this instilled, and hopes to nurture it in others.

A notable example of such efforts is Rock the CASA, an annual evening of music for children in need. This year’s event, to take place on March 7 at the Lesher Center for Performing Arts in Walnut Creek, will benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), the Friends of Camp Concord, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Boys & Girls Club. Ashley and his band will perform, along with special guest Rick Springfield. We recently caught up with Ashley, who shared more about the event and his life and work.

San Francisco Bay Times: This year will mark the 6th annual Rock the CASA. What are some of your favorite memories from past years?

On stage at the Lesher Center for Performing Arts

Dan Ashley: It is hard to believe that this will be our 6th year of staging Rock the CASA. There have been so many memorable moments. Our first year featured the late Eddie Money who was a friend of mine and he was the perfect person to headline our inaugural event. I remember being completely stressed out that year because we were creating a new and very complicated evening from scratch. The next year, REO Speedwagon headlined the show and I was so impressed by how kind and engaging every member of the band was. They were so into the event and were very generous, even donating all of their t-shirt sales from that evening to RTC. It was about $2500 and they were so nice to be that supportive. Each year, there have been some very special and memorable moments and I have no doubt that this year’s concert with Rick Springfield will produce many more.

San Francisco Bay Times: How did you first learn about CASA of Contra Costa County? Please share a few words about the importance of this organization and the other nonprofits that the concert benefits.

Dan Ashley: I first become aware of the work that CASA does three decades ago when I was working in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s called Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) in the Palmetto State and does amazing work to help children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect. I have served on the CASA board in Contra Costa County for many years and believe deeply in the work it does. I feel the same about the other beneficiaries of Rock the CASA. I also serve on the board of Friends of Camp Concord, which sends underserved kids to summer camp at Lake Tahoe every year. In the 22-years that I’ve hosted a golf tournament to raise money for FOCC (Friends of Camp Concord) we have sent 10,000 children to camp, all expenses paid, as of this past summer. Big Brothers Big Sisters has a big impact on young people by offering mentor relationships with caring adults. And, finally, the Boys and Girls Club, which offers meaningful after school programs that educate and inspire.

San Francisco Bay Times: Rick Springfield, not unlike yourself, is such a Renaissance man, given that he’s a writer, actor, singer, and more. What is your favorite song of his, and what aspect of his career resonates with you the most?

Dan Ashley with Rock the CASA 2019 featured guest Patti LaBelle

Dan Ashley: Rick really has had a remarkable and unusual career. He has so many great songs. Like everyone, I really like “Jessie’s Girl” that is often considered the perfect pop song because of its structure, lyric, and hook. “I’ve Done Everything for You” and “Love Somebody” are two other terrific songs in my mind.

San Francisco Bay Times: You’ve been the evening anchor at ABC7 News for the past 25 years and have seen and covered so much around the Bay Area and the world. But it’s also given you a platform to be involved in our community in so many meaningful ways, hasn’t it?

Dan Ashley: It really has and I am so grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had over the years to report important events to our viewers whether they happen here, around the country, or even around the world. As you know, a reporter’s life is a joy and a privilege, not only because of the unforgettable events we witness and document, but also because of the unique place we are able to occupy in the community. How fortunate to be able to use that amazing platform to help worthy organizations raise money and awareness to truly make a difference in the lives of others. I am so grateful to be able to support a wide range of charitable organizations and, on top of that, create one as well to benefit young people who need our help.

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This ‘mo friendly Midwestern town is home to the University of Missouri and has a bustling nightlife scene with a multitude of gay-friendly spots.

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San Francisco Bay Times: Your namesake band is also thriving now, with new single releases. Please tell us a bit about those songs.

Dan Ashley: You are kind to ask. While my first love and greatest passion in life has always been journalism and my role as evening anchor at ABC7, music has been a joyful pursuit when I’m not working. More than that, it is also another way (continued on page 19) ANSWER ON PAGE 26

KIT’N KITTY’S

A) Independence, MO

Dan Ashley with Melissa Etheridge at Rock the CASA 2018

B) Kansas City, MO

C) St. Louis, MO

D) Columbia, MO

Karin Jaffie, aka Kit/Kitty Tapata, won the title of Mr. Gay San Francisco in 2011 and has earned many other honors since.

Connect with Jaffie via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ktapata

Photos courtesy of Dan Ashley

Dan Ashley’s Rock the CASA: Six Years of Helping Bay Area Children in Need One of the most magical and memorable events of late winter is Dan Ashley’s Rock the CASA, an evening of music benefiting children in need. This year’s fundraiser, which will be held on March 7 at the Lesher Center for Performing Arts in Walnut Creek, will feature Rick Springfield! Yes, that Rick Springfield who was everything from a Tiger Beat pinup to the crooner of 1980s teen love anthems to an actor starring with the likes of Meryl Streep to the author of a New York Times best-selling memoir.

Springfield is also an LGBTQ ally whom members of our San Francisco Bay Times team enjoyed at a San Diego LGBT Pride concert just a few years ago. We don’t know what his workout regime is like, but it must be impressive, as he still exudes major coolness and appeal.

You can see for yourself, as Lesher’s intimate Hofmann Theatre has just 785 seats, and therefore allows for a more up close and personal experience for all attendees. Consider that the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco has 2203 seats. The Castro Theatre has 1400 seats. Those are both beautiful venues that offer good views of the stage, so just imagine how amazingly intense it is to see world class performers at the Lesher, which is just an easy and short (about 9 minutes, no hills) walk from the Walnut Creek BART station.

History Now in its sixth year, Rock the CASA combines Ashley’s passions in music, philanthropy, community and helping children. We can vouch for Ashley’s love of family and music, as he and his talented band played in

our 2018 and 2019 San Francisco Bay Times-”Betty’s List” Pride Parade contingents. At least one of his sons was there too, clearly proud of his dad and helping out in any way possible.

The inaugural Rock the CASA concert was held in June 2015 and was billed as “an evening of music to support children in need.” That night, before a capacity crowd, legendary rocker Eddie Money took the stage. The night was an overwhelming success and set the groundwork for the next concert in March of 2016. That evening, multi-platinum band REO Speedwagon performed for a sold-out concert experience not typically seen in Walnut Creek.

Together, those first two events raised over $150,000 for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Contra Costa County and Friends of Camp Concord (FOCC).

Purpose Rock the CASA is a California nonprofit public charity founded by Ashley for the purpose of benefiting charitable organizations that serve children in need.

Beneficiaries This year’s beneficiaries are the following: CASA of Contra Costa County CASA’s program recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interest of abused, neglected, and abandoned youth in the foster care system. Each year, nearly 1,000 youth, from the ages 0–21, come into the foster care system and are under the court’s care because they are unable to live safely at home.

On average, CASA serves 150 of the

toughest cases or 15% of these youth at risk.

Since 1982, CASA volunteers have been the voice in court and represented the best interests of thousands of abused, neglected, and abandoned youth. Most importantly, CASA volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the youth is placed in a safe, permanent home.

Friends of Camp Concord FOCC was established in 1983 and is dedicated to raising funds to give underprivileged youth one of the most meaningful camp experiences available and does so in one of the most beautiful settings in the world: Lake Tahoe. Through FOCC, kids get to spend a week in the wilderness, participate in activities that emphasize safety, health, education, and character development.

Some of the kids have never left their urban and suburban environments. Camp Concord opens a new world to them—swimming in the lake, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and boating. The activities are specially designed to provide challenges, promote teamwork and social skills, and build self-esteem. One of the best things about Camp Concord is that no one—not even the counselors—know which kids are on FOCC scholarship. They are simply “campers” for the week. FOCC believes every child in our community, regardless of financial ability, should have the opportunity to spend a week at a camp like this.

Boys & Girls Club of Contra Costa County Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s research shows that young people who attend a Club regularly tend to

Dan Ashley with ABC7 colleagues at the San Francisco AIDS Walk

do better than their peers nationally.

For instance: • 68% of Club 12th graders volunteer at least once per month, while 39% of 12th graders nationally do so.

• 27% of Club girls in middle school are physically active each day, compared with 23% of middleschool girls nationally. 42% of Club boys in middle school exercise daily, while 37% of middleschool boys nationally do so.

• 73% of low-income Club members ages 12 to 17 who attend the Club regularly report receiving mostly As and Bs, compared to 69% of their peers nationally.

• 12th-grade Club members are more than twice as likely to express an interest in a STEM career as 12th graders nationally (56% of 12th-grade Club members vs. 25% of 12th graders nationally).

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes and monitors meaningful matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. Big Brothers Big Sisters develops positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.

As Ashley says, “A lot of people do well; the truly fortunate do good.”

We all have a chance to give back to the community by helping some of the most vulnerable among us, and while also enjoying a great evening of music. For more information about Dan Ashley’s Rock the CASA and to purchase tickets: http://rockthecasa.org/

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area

(continued from page 18) for me to connect with our viewers and for them to connect with me. I hear it all the time.

That’s how I approach music—as a way to connect with people as a storyteller much like I am on television. The single “What Really Matters” is a direct reflection of what I’ve seen as a reporter for the past 35-years—both the good and the bad. The Christmas song I released this season, “My Favorite Time of Year,” was a joy to record. It was written and released by an English band about a dozen years ago. I found it quite by accident and the British songwriter who composed it was all too happy to have me cover it. The newest song that I just released for Valentine’s Day is called “Lucky Stars” and it is a very personal song that literally came to me in the middle of the night as I awoke with a sense of deep gratitude for the special woman in my life.

San Francisco Bay Times: For the past few years, you and your band have been a favorite addition to our San Francisco Bay Times Pride Parade contingent. Are you working with the same musicians?

Dan Ashley: I have been so proud, pun intended, to have been able to be part of the San Francisco Bay Times contingent in the Pride Parade. It’s such an important event and such a beautiful celebration and we are glad to be a part of it. My band is truly amazing. They are all professional musicians who have toured and performed with some of the biggest acts in the world including Mariah Carey, Santana, Pablo Cruise, Isaac Hayes, and more.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you give us a preview of what you might be performing at this year’s Rock the CASA? And will there be any surprises for audience goers this year? Over the years, for example, Rick Springfield has performed with members of his late 60s/early 70s band Zoot. You don’t have to spill the beans on any big surprises, but maybe if there will be any, you could give us a hint?!

Dan Ashley: We have a great performance planned to get things started before Rick takes the stage with some huge classic hits, several of my songs, and a special tribute to some-

one who has a unique place in Rock the CASA history that I think people will really appreciate.

San Francisco Bay Times: Rock the CASA is all about the kids— those who will benefit from the concert. Do you get to meet some of the children who have been helped by the fundraiser and, if so, what is that experience like for you?

Dan Ashley: Over the years, I have met several of the children that the Rock the CASA beneficiary organizations have helped and it is always so heartwarming and, more than that, a touchstone and a reminder that the help for these deserving young people is badly needed and is making a real difference.

San Francisco Bay Times: It is hard to think of Rock the CASA without thinking of Walnut Creek. Your event brings such joy and energy to this East Bay city, which is getting to be better known for its great restaurants and entertainment venues.

Was it always your first choice as a location for the benefit concert?

Above: Dan Ashley and members of his band

Dan Ashley: Walnut Creek is, admittedly, in the San Francisco Pride Parade. Photos by near and dear to my heart. It’s where I live Sandy Morris and I knew from the start that I wanted to because there is so much to do and host Rock the CASA there. I briefly considso much to accomplish. I absolutely ered staging the event in the city, but it ultilove my work and am proud to repmately made the most sense to stage it in The resent ABC7 as an anchor and as a Creek! It’s been a perfect match for the event and the Lesher Center for Performing Arts is a member of the community. I believe this year will be my 25th as emcee of fabulous venue that suits us perfectly.

AIDS Walk and I wouldn’t miss that San Francisco Bay Times: Your schedmagnificent event for the world. Even ule is always incredibly busy. What though we have made, thankfully, Dan Ashley and members of his band on stage at Rock the CASA other projects are you working on remarkable progress with HIV/AIDS, now? Do you have any other concerts there is still a lot of work to do to rid with some very famous guests (Sammy Hagar, planned? And will you be at AIDS Walk the world of this terrible disease once and for Brian Boitano, Branford Marsalis, to name a few), SF again later this year? all—so I’ll be there for as long as they’ll have and to continue to find interesting and important me! Other projects include expanding my stories to report with my own boots on the ground, Dan Ashley: I do tend to burn the canpod/webcast called “What Really Matters” which is something that I just love to do. dle at both ends a bit, but that’s a good thing S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Imperial Council of San Francisco Coronation 55

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

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“Disco in the Jungle” was the theme for the Imperial Council’s Coronation 55 held on Saturday evening, February 22, at the Park Central Hotel attracting a sold-out crowd. Empress Baby Shaques Munro and Emperor Terrill Grimes Muno hosted the evening and its culmination in the crowning of the new Reigning Royals, Empress 55 Mimi Osa and Emperor 48 After Norton William Buckley.

Queen Mother Nicole Murray Ramirez, who expressed thoughtful words of reflection, stood with San Francisco Bay Times’ own Empress Donna Sachet as crowns were placed.

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The annual Cemetery Pilgrimage was held the next morning on Sunday, February 23, as the entourage visited the Colma gravesite of José Sarria, Empress I. The entire Coronation Weekend, deemed a great success by all, always includes multiple functions and is the high point of the Council’s annual calendar.

Donna’s Chronicles

By Donna Sachet

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”

–Albert Einstein

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t times, we are critical of those who run for office or titles in our community, seemingly only for the glory and acclaim, reveling in the visibility and privileges, however limited, that come with the job, parading around with that sash, crown, pin, or other marker that sets them apart. There are times, however, that rightfully serve as an opportunity to receive peer recognition, earned through public service and selfless dedication to higher ideals. Imperial Coronation is such an occasion.

We watched with pride and exhilaration as San Francisco Imperial Coronation LV: Disco in the Jungle gathered supporters from across the continent to the Park Central Hotel to celebrate the reign of Emperor XLVII, A.N., Terrill Grimes Munro & Absolute Empress LIV Baby Shaques Munro. For the uninitiated, this is an evening full of pageantry, tradition, and camaraderie, starting with a formal color guard and singing of the national anthems of Mexico, Canada, and the United States (all top notch vocals), the thematic entrance of the Reigning Monarchs and their attendants, and the parade of the International Court Council and Queen Mother of the Americas Nicole the Great and King Father of the Americas Terry Sidie.

Entertainment included solo performances, group numbers, candidate presentations, and the always colorful walks of visiting courts and organizations. Sumptuous gowns, ornate costumes, and overthe-top jewelry were everywhere! Photographs elsewhere in this publication will give you a glimpse of the display. It may be known as an unusually long evening, but this one seemed to fly by, a credit to the organization and discipline behind the scenes. Of the many magical moments we will cherish were the thirtieth anniversary presentations of Absolute Empress XXV Marlena (truly beloved by so many), twentieth anniversary of Emperor XXVIII, A.N., John Carrillo, fifteenth of Emperor XXXIII, A.N., John Richard Daniel & Absolute Empress XL Tiger Lily, and tenth of Emperor XXXVIII, A.N., Stephen Dorsey & Absolute Empress XLV Renita Valdez (a sentimental favorite pair).

And yes, this was the twenty-fifth anniversary of our own crowning as Absolute Empress XXX with Emperor XXIII, A.N., Brian Benamati, so we performed a whimsical song from Hairspray with altered lyrics and wearing a silver gown with 24-foot cape. We definitely felt the love and thank all in attendance and from far away for their appreciation and good wishes. Time moves on so quickly; don’t let petty issues damper the joys of life!

Joining us at our table were Absolute Empress XXIX Anita Martini, Emperor Carmine Caruso of Idaho, Sister Roma, Richard Sablatura, Jeff Doney, Ducky Hiers, Mark Smith, first-time attendee Rusty Best, and Michael Loftis. Our report on the past weekend would not be complete without a huge thank you to Michael, who came to town specifically to support us in all of the Imperial appearances and to add his own special theatrical flair to the events. One could not hope for a more caring or attentive friend.

Space limits our ability to cover all the events surrounding Imperial Coronation in detail, but suffice it to say, locals and visitors alike had a full menu from which to choose. From the in-Town Show and Awards on Wednesday night at Hamburger Mary’s and Out-of-Town Show at the host hotel on Friday to the Monarchs’ Anniversary Celebrations at The Ha-Ra Club and Lookout’s Lounge (featuring memorabilia from our Reign with Brian Benamati) and Victory Brunch back at the host hotel, we were everywhere and the San Francisco bars were very busy.

One of the final events of the weekend was the annual Pilgrimage to Colma early Sunday morning, when many of us visit the gravesites of Emperor Joshua Norton and Empress I José Sarria, Founder of the Imperial Court.

These two individuals, each historic in their own way, are buried just feet apart in Woodlawn Cemetery and decades ago the Emperors of San Francisco began this annual event, continued to this day by them and co-emceed by this Empress. When José led the Pilgrimage, it was always done with certain solemnity and tradition, but also with a generous dose of humor, in keeping with the camp and fun of drag. We are committed to continuing that unique combination of elements and so we were joined on Sunday by the LGBT Freedom Band, members of the Night Ministry, musician Robert Sunshine and Full House, violinist Kippy Marks, and co-emcee Emperor XXXVI, A.N., John Weber. We payed dutiful respect to the past and injected just enough humor to keep the crowd engaged.

Don’t miss this unique event next year!

Imperial Coronation itself ended with the announcement of the results of the previous Saturday’s public voting and crowning of the new Reigning Emperor William Bulkley and Reigning Empress Mimi Osa! Congratulations to them both and best wishes for a successful year! And thanks to candidate for Empress Migitte Nielsen, who ran a great campaign and has contributed regularly to the vitality of the City. We encourage all to watch for the new Monarchs and to join the Imperial Court in its calendar of events, raising needed funds for worthy organizations and adding to the lively pace of the City we love.

Don’t think the clock stops after Imperial Coronation! Far from it! This Thursday,

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

Calendar a/la Sachet Thursday, February 27 EQCA Kick-Off Reception Jolene’s, 2700 16th Street 6–8 pm Free! https://www.eqca.org/ Friday, February 28 RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 Premiere Party The maniacal competition continues ...

Hosted by Sister Roma & Honey Mahogany Lookout, 3600 16th Street 8–9:30 pm http://www.lookoutsf.com/ Saturday, March 7 Krewe de Kinque’s Bal Masque XVII: Diners, Divas, & Dives Fabulous New Orleans style party benefits Compton’s Transgender Cultural District The Café, 2369 Market Street 6–9:30 pm $20 & up https://bit.ly/2HUKKB5

Equality California hosts a reception, 6–8 pm, at Jolene’s, 2700 16th Street, with Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and this humble columnist and former EQCA Board member. Enjoy complimentary appetizers, Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails, and La Crema wines while learning about the upcoming EQCA Awards and Gala in May and the important work this group continues to do fighting for full equality for our LGBTQ Community.

Make sure to mark your calendar with all the events listed here, but particularly Saturday, March 7, when Renée Lubin and additional members of the cast of long-running Beach Blanket Babylon join Krewe de Kinque for Bal Masque XVII: Diners, Divas & Dives at the Café. KdK King Aja MonetAshton and Queen Kelly Rose complete a year of fun and fundraising with an outrageous party embracing the spirit of Mardi Gras right here in the Castro! The theme is hilarious, the costumes and performances will be phenomenal, and the price is right!

So, join us!

Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com

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Gay Actor Shines in Guatemalan Romantic Drama

Film Gary M. Kramer Out gay actor Enrique Salanic makes an indelible film debut as the title character in director Li Cheng’s excellent romantic drama José, opening March 13 at the Roxie Theater.

As a gay teenager eking out a life with his religious single mother (Ana Cecila Mota), José works at a restaurant and spends what little free time he has hooking up with guys he meets via an app—when his phone can get a signal. When José has a tryst with Luis (Manolo Herrera), he falls in love. However, while Luis wants José to run away with him, José is conflicted about leaving his mother alone.

José is a sparse drama extremely well told by director Li Cheng (who cowrote and produced the film with George F. Roberson). Much of the action consists of following José around town, at home or at work, or having sex, often in a rent-by-thehour establishment. Salanic gives a remarkable performance, expressing José’s tenderness with Luis—kissing him in bed, or being affectionate during a motorcycle ride—as well as his emotions and longing in reflective scenes of him alone.

In a recent interview via WhatsApp, Salanic explained that he created a backstory for the character after talking to people from different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds: “José realized he can’t go to university because he doesn’t have the economic resources. He may think he’s experienced sexually, but he’s only had spontaneous sex. Luis is something different. He changes José’s heart and mind and the way he sees his life. That changes his perspective in how he behaves from that point on.”

He continued, “It was a very huge responsibility to convey the emotions.

Most of the time you don’t see José happy or smiling—but you don’t see him crying either. He goes through life knowing not that he has to be tough but that he has to endure and accept whatever life throws at him.”

Being gay in Guatemala is difficult and the actor indicated that his native country is a conservative, homophobic place, where members of the LGBTQ community are often killed for being queer. He acknowledged this, but also the strength and inspiration he got from the interviews he did.

“The people I met knew how to behave and move in a homophobic and conservative society,” he said.

“They knew what to say, do, and how to be. It was impressive that all those strategies made them survive and some have become activists, who have come out to speak up for others who cannot do the same.”

He added, “I am openly gay. The director was concerned about bringing the film to Guatemala. And he asked if I wanted to become a martyr. I appreciated his concern, but at the same time, I am aware of the process of having loving parents who have accepted me and I feel very fortunate, while I know many friends who have come out and most are kicked out of their houses or face a 22

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tough economic situation. There are so many people who want to come out but are afraid to because of society. That’s why I feel it is important to be openly gay. José doesn’t have a father. I have parents and siblings who support me, and I am privileged to have good partners. Life has been kind, which in José’s case, is the completely opposite.”

Moreover, Salanic is Mayan, and he feels his background was equally important for portraying José on screen. He observed, “Coming from an indigenous background gave me more courage to do [the film], because the thought is that indigenous people are just part of their culture, and that they can’t be intellectual. This was to show that you can do whatever you want and achieve your dreams. Indigenous people aren’t seen on the big screen.”

The actor then discussed his heritage and how it influenced the film. “In the Mesoamerican lands, homosexu-

ality was OK because you could handle the feminine/masculine duality.

But there are other parts of Mesoamerica where it was not accepted at all, and you were punished. There were cultures that did accept it versus Europeans who came and were punished. There is the scene of José and Luis in bed, looking at each other, that resembles Mayan kings. This reference came from Black Rocks, and it’s an archeological museum in Guatemala City. This rock could have many interpretations and one is that they are two Mayan kings who just or are about to kiss each other. I told Li [the director] about it and he put that in the scene in the film.” © 2020 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

Pet Camp Pittie Party Valentine’s Day week was not pitiful but instead pittie-full for dog lovers who attended the Pet Camp Pittie Party on Tuesday, February 11.

Pitbull pups were the stars of this fundraiser, which took place at The Pet Camp Meadow, 525 Phelps Street. Attendees enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres, while four-leggers received treats. A swag bag with extra goodies for all was another coveted part of the fun evening. Pet Camp—known for its first rate dog boarding, daycare, training and more—matched every dollar that was spent at the event, which advertised it was for “well-behaved guests (and that includes the humans too).” https://www.petcamp.com/

Take Me Home with You! “My name is Auggie. Come visit me and I’ll probably climb right into your lap! I’m 11 years young and am looking for my second chance. My ideal home would be somewhere quiet and calm, where I can relax and enjoy my golden years. If you’re looking for a true friend and someone to cuddle with on these cold winter nights, I would love to meet you.”

Auggie is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Auggie.

To meet Auggie, as well as other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit:

Auggie

San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-522-3500 Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat–Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt!

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions

YOU TOO CAN BE A WINNER!

LaTonya Lawson and Frien

Subscribe to the San Francisco Bay Times e-mail list: https://bit.ly/2XDNnh7 Subscribers enter the REPLY TO WIN! online competition for a chance to win event tickets, services and products we announce.

ds Lisbet h Tellefsen, Ericka Huggins and Cheryl Ward Rock the CASA at 2019

Virginia Patr ik Gallineaux and Gary at Academy of Friends 2019

e Goans with Patti Tess Hansen and Gaylynn A 2019.

LaBelle at Rock the CAS

Keith Freedma n wit h his neph ew and nephew gir lfriend at Fa ’s lsettos.

on hen, Clayt at th, John C Ted Mayla d Weston Har tman on Lepak an nket Babyl Beach Bla

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By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Be careful not to leap over Leap Year, because this February we add the 29th to the month!”

Love was in the air at RAINBOW WORLD FUND when we celebrated VALENTINE’S DAY at Gough House, a beautiful 1889 Victorian Mansion in Pacific Heights, for lovely libations, hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Our host was RWF Executive Director Jeff Cotter. The theme of the party was “Cuban,” because we had a very special guest, Elena Schwolsky, who was in San Francisco for the release of her book WAKING IN HAVANA - A Memoir of AIDS and Healing in Cuba. Elena read from her inspirational, evocative, and emotional book and invited questions. She touched on both the history of AIDS first appearing in Cuba when homosexuality was illegal and no medicine was available, and the current policy regarding HIV/AIDS, shelter, and medicine.

She and I have a special connection in the dreadful pain of torn rotator cuffs: she had surgery for that years ago, and I had surgery a month ago and am still in a nasty, painful sling. This night was a great opportunity to learn about RWF’s work in Cuba and to meet other people who are working to make the world a better place. Elena gave a dramatic reading of sections

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from her book. In 1972, when she was a young, divorced, single mother, restless and idealistic, Elena made a decision that changed her life: leaving her eighteen-month-old son with his father, she joined hundreds of other young Americans on a work brigade in Cuba. They spent their days building cinderblock houses for workers and their nights partying and debating politics. The Cuban revolution was young, and so were they. Twenty years later, she was drawn back to this forbidden island, yearning to move out of grief following the death of her husband from AIDS. And the story builds vividly to the present.

KREWE DE KINQUE held our fabulous MARDI GRAS MAMBO BENEFIT at the Edge in the Castro on February 15 as a beer bust and New Orleans (Nawlinz) original Creole food fest. This was all about our yearly fundraiser for COMPTON’S TRANSGENDER CULTURAL DISTRICT. As everyone knew that FAT TUESDAY was just 10 days away, we distributed flyers for the BUS CRAWL & THE BAL MASQUE. KDK member Sir Thomas brought scrumptious jambalaya & cornbread. KDK member Erin Lavery was emcee, with Jack Rojo as DJ & sound and Cassie Blythe was at the door replacing the usual KDK Queen VII Sister Dana—stuck behind this wretched, burdensome sling. Lively entertainment was provided by such KDK kings and queens royalty as currently reigning KDK Queen Kelly Rose, past KDK royals King Kippy Marks, Queen Miss Chief/ Mahto Marcus, King John Weber, and King Mark Paladini, to name just a few. Plus, we enjoyed entertainment by running Imperial candidates that day to vote for our

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next Empress and Emperor, Migitte, Mimi Osa, and William Bulkley.

San Francisco’s Krewe de Kinque (KDK) Mardi Gras club is gearing up for “DINERS, DIVAS & DIVES,” the theme for BAL MASQUE XVII, to be held at The Café on Saturday, March 7, 6–9:30 pm. Known for its elaborate costumed shows and creative decor, KDK has raised funds to cover production costs, so that 100% of ticket sales and silent auction income will go to Compton’s Transgender Cultural District.

Founded in 2017, Compton’s Transgender Cultural District is the first legally recognized transgender district in the world, encompassing six blocks in the southeastern Tenderloin area and crossing over Market Street to include two blocks of 6th Street in San Francisco. Its mission is to create an urban environment that fosters the rich history, culture, legacy, and empowerment of transgender people and its deep roots in the southeastern Tenderloin neighborhood. The district aims to stabilize and economically empower the transgender community through ownership of homes, businesses, historic and cultural sites, and safe community spaces. spaces. https://bit.ly/2TduEI0 Representatives from the NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL and Golden Gate Park’s 150th Year-Long Anniversary Celebration announced on February 18 a major display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in Golden Gate Park in 2020. This is the largest display of the Quilt in San Francisco history. Some of the first truckloads of the nearly 50,000 Quilt panels began arriving to the Bay Area from Atlanta, where the Quilt has been under the care of the NAMES PROJECT FOUNDATION since 2001. The Quilt, in which its first

panels were created 33 years ago in San Francisco at the height of the AIDS epidemic to remember the names and lives of loved ones they feared history would forget, is being relocated to San Francisco under the care of the National AIDS Memorial, which is located in the heart of Golden Gate Park.

Speaking at this auspicious event were John Cunningham, Executive Director, National AIDS Memorial; Phil Ginsburg, General Manager, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department; Cleve Jones, Mike Smith & Gert McMullin, founders of the AIDS Memorial Quilt; and Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco Supervisor, District 8.

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) with a friend at Krewe de Kinque’s (KDK) Mardi Gras Mambo Party on Saturday, February 15 held at The Edge and benefiting the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District. KDK is gearing up for the organization’s annual Bal Masque, with the theme “Diners, Divas and Dives” for 2020, to be held on Saturday, March 7 at The Café. For info and tickets: https://bit.ly/3c8FtDA

Sister Dana sez, “DarnOld Trump’s latest Presidential budget, like every other budget his White House has released, includes massive cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. And yet, he has been explicitly lying to the American people, claiming in his State of the Union address and elsewhere that he will never cut Social Security and Medicare. Liar, liar, pants on fire!”

On February 18, Mayor London Breed celebrated 50 years of LGBTQ Pride and kicked off the 2020 festivities with a press conference at San Francisco City Hall, along with Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco Pride, the Office of Transgender Initiatives, and City officials. San Francisco Pride and community partners are planning anniversary events throughout 2020, culminating in SAN FRANCISCO’S PRIDE CELEBRATION AND PARADE (“Generations of Hope”) in latter June. More than a million

people are expected to join the celebrations.

We truly “Let the Good Times ROLL” (as they say in New Orleans) with San Francisco’s KREWE DE KINQUE Mardi Gras charitable club rolling on FAT TUESDAY, February 25, on a luxury bus loaded with libations, snacks, music & beads! We kicked off the party at The Edge bar with great Happy Hour drink specials.

Then we boarded the bus at 7 pm to celebrate at Trax bar in the Haight.

Next we headed to Aunt Charlie’s Lounge in the Tenderloin to make a surprise bar stop before de-boarding at the fabulous 440 Castro for a blowout closing party until 2 am. At each bar we had special live entertainment (and, of course, drunken singing on the bus all along the way). Naturally, costumes, masks, beads, leather/fetish, drag attire were all encouraged! Well, how else would one properly celebrate Mardi Gras!? (continued on page 26)

Boulevard: A Class Act designs. It’s large, but he created a room that is cozy and warm; the mosaics and blown glass create an ambience that makes the dining experience special. Everyone looks good in his lighting. And, the outside of the building matches the inside of the building.”

Opened in 1993 in the historic French mansard-roofed Audiffred Building on San Francisco’s waterfront, Boulevard exudes class, sophistication, and smells that make you want to try everything on the menu.

The design, by Pat Kuleto, still feels contemporary but with a warmth and style that draw diners into its embrace.

One of The Gay Gourmet’s favorite haunts, Boulevard delights partly because the quality of food and the level of service are always consistently first-class. It’s not just the dining experience that inspires; Boulevard also has plenty of international accolades, including two James Beard awards and the Filiale des Etats-Unis in France.

Boulevard is the kind of establishment where you’re as comfortable celebrating a special birthday or closing a business deal over lunch—or renting the Belle Epoque-style downstairs L’Avenue room for a private event. In fact, I’ve done all of the above, with great success.

According to acclaimed Chef Nancy Oakes (who, prior to Boulevard, owned the equally popular L’Avenue in the avenues), Boulevard’s success is due to “keeping a team together.

Being a good employer should be a part of the culture of any restaurant.

You find great people and hopefully they want to stay with you—and you can get a lot done that way and move forward.”

How does she source such quality products? “It takes experience,” says Oakes. “We have great producers and distributors in the Bay Area, among the best in the U.S., possibly worldwide. That’s the fun part.

There also is value in being a regular customer; it’s all about relationships.”

With Boulevard, what is she trying to achieve? “When we opened, Boulevard was a challenge, a big jump up in size from L’Avenue.

There was a core of people at L’Avenue for five years and we all opened Boulevard. That helped. I think it’s one of Pat Kuleto’s best

PHOTO BY ED ANDERSON

“When it comes to the food that I’ve created,” continues Oakes, “I tend to rely on the classics of Italian and French, but I’m curious. It should always be delicious. For instance, I don’t think the pork chop has ever been off the menu. It’s Berkshire pork and doesn’t need a lot of gussying up or brining.” (The accompanying house-made spaetzle is to die for.)

What’s next for Chef Nancy? “I’m working with chef Anna Weinberg and designer Ken Fulk to re-open Tosca Café in North Beach hopefully in April. I want to hold onto the part of San Francisco in which I grew up.

Tosca was an interesting cross section of high society meets the beatniks.

In the 60s, we went there to create the person we wanted to become.

We’ll have simple Italian offerings, but I’ll be creative with it. I want to address things that we lost, like the old Vanessi’s restaurant, which I loved. I’ve hired a great chef with passion who’s going to keep me in line! People don’t want to see Tosca changed. We’ll work hard to keep it as it is.”

At a recent lunch, we began with a glass of The Gay Gourmet’s personal favorite, the Billecart-Salmon French rosé champagne. For starters, we sampled a seasonal Dungeness crab, celery root, avocado, and grapefruit salad—a perfect blend of clean, fresh flavors. As a second course, we tried the white and yellow cheddar soufflé—light and elegant—topped with shaved winter truffles and parmesan sauce. To complement the meal, we chose Louis Michel & Fils’ French Chablis (dry, with hints of minerality) with one of the freshest king salmon offerings on the planet.

And what’s next in food trends? “I’m fascinated with the idea that your health is tied to what you eat,” states Oakes. “When you have the opportunity to incorporate things that are healthy, I try to get them on the plate. We all feel better when we eat well. For instance, we all know that sugar is not good for us in the quantity we consume. In England, some innovators have developed a sweetener from the fiber of plants. It doesn’t have a weird taste and it’s not chemical. I’m doing a project with these folks and we’ll be launching a dessert at Boulevard with zero glycemic impact.”

The accompaniments for the fish included miniature potato pancakes (reminiscent of the ones The Gay Gourmet’s mother used to make), melted leeks, arrowhead cabbage and a morel mushroom/sherry beurre blanc sauce. Absolutely divine. Even the bread is special: dark and crusty levain sourdough, with butter that is perfectly fresh (butter that goes bad in restaurants is a particular peeve of mine—that should never happen!). Since my husband grew up in Montana, we finished with a side of huckleberry buttermilk ice cream.

The presentation, in a clear glass bowl with a biscuit “spoon” dipped in chocolate, was a delight.

Oakes summarizes, “We can take care of ourselves and still enjoy food.”

In short, if you have only one chance to visit a special San Francisco restaurant that captures the essence of all that is attractive about dining in this very competitive restaurant city, it should be Boulevard.

We heard through the grapevine that Boulevard might be having challenges with its lease (like many San Francisco restaurants these days), but it looks like at least for the short term, Boulevard will continue to be around.

“We’re working things out with our landlord and hopefully, we’ll get a longer-term lease,” says Oakes.

Kurobuta Center Cut Pork Chop

Pot de Crème

Hoffman Ranch Quail

PHOTO BY NADER KHOURI

The minute you walk through the revolving door into Boulevard, Chef Nancy Oakes’ mainstay of haute American cuisine, you feel transported.

You could be in Provence, but with a modern touch and a spectacular view of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge.

Chef Nancy Oakes, Boulevard

PHOTO BY NADER KHOURI

“Food breaks down the barriers with people if we allow and nurture that.”

—Chef Nancy Oakes, Boulevard

PHOTO BY NADER KHOURI

David Landis

PHOTO BY RANDALL CORDERO

The Gay Gourmet

“I am trying to provide what I was raised to expect,” says Oakes, “a relaxing environment where you can talk with and enjoy the people with whom you’re dining. Food breaks down the barriers with people if we allow and nurture that. In this day and age where people are into their phones, it’s important to spend time with each other.”

Boulevard is located at 1 Mission Street in San Francisco, with dinners every night and lunch Monday through Friday. For information, phone 415-543-6084 or visit the website ( www.boulevardrestaurant.com ). Reservations are available through Open Table.

A Tasty Extra Morsel Rather than just profiling restaurants, I thought I’d also provide some added bonuses for foodies every so often. This month’s extra tip? A great read from prolific author Alexander McCall Smith (who wrote all those Ladies’ Detective Agency books) called The Second Worst Restaurant in France ( https://bit.ly/2PqxCYu ). It’s a breezy and fun read about a food writer-philosopher who finds a lackluster French countryside restaurant and helps to turn it into a resounding success. Highly recommended.

David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a PR executive. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF, on Twitter @david_landis, email him at: david@landispr.com or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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GGBA (continued from page 6)

ROSTOW (continued from page 15)

awareness and direct introductions from the NGLCC have led to direct business and new client relationships.

Meanwhile, I see that Trump has now managed to install 10 judges on the 29-member U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, so something like one in three of our (active) appellate deciders are Trumpers now. Check out the Los Angeles Times for a scary description of Daniel Collins, a 50-something bulldozer who has upended decorum on the court and called for a review of no less than five panel rulings in his nine months on the appellate bench.

Best of all, the involvement of our firm’s leadership and thereby inclusion of the whole GSG team in learning more about the LGBTQ business community, supplier diversity, advocacy, and inclusion has helped to reinforce our core values with our global team.

GGBA: Do you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events? Have they benefited you and your business, and would you recommend them to others?

John Henning: I travel frequently and therefore don’t have the opportunity to attend as many events as I would like. However, I do go when I am in town and don’t have other business conflicts, and they are always an enjoyable affair with some familiar faces, some new faces, and a fun atmosphere. They benefit me in that I get to learn about what other business leaders are doing to grow their companies and share stories, challenges, successes, and to discuss sensitive issues in a safe environment. I would definitely recommend going when you can; it’s always nice to meet new people and learn more about the community.

GGBA: What other advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own business?

John Henning: Have a plan. Pay attention to the numbers. Hire people who can help and get out of their way. Make sure your motivations are in line with your passion. Be willing to put business first at times and remember to take breaks and enjoy the ride!

GGBA: Is there anything else that you would like to share?

John Henning: I think the GGBA and all chambers and nonprofits serving the LGBTQ community have a unique opportunity to partner with each other to create a more cohesive network of services, programming, education, and advocacy for our brothers and sisters in the community.

I see the GGBA holding a unique position both geographically and politically to build a new model of leadership in the community over the next several years as we continue to drive to the ultimate goal where diversity and inclusion do not even need to be discussed. Until then, see you in Vegas with the NGLCC in July!

For more information about Granite Solutions Groupe: https://www.granitesolutionsgroupe.com/

SEELIG (continued from page 12) television ad came on with Sarah McLachlan singing “In the Arms of an Angel.” At one of the shelters, a volunteer pulled us aside and told us about Copper’s Dream Animal Rescue ( https://www.coppersdream.org/ ). It is a group of people who rescue dogs and put them in foster homes instead of shelters. You get to “interview” the foster parent about how the dog really is rather than the hyper-stressed environment of a shelter.

Our search didn’t take long. We found the most adorable little girl. We did a meet and greet with her foster mom who interviewed us as potential doggie daddies. We fell in love. We named her Grace because she was such a gift to us after Carmella. She is a 9-pound Chihuahua mix. She never barks.

Ever! She is the cuddliest/laziest dog ever. We say we have a stuffed animal that eats and poops.

We seriously didn’t even notice that she could have been Carmella’s twin.

Not only does she not bark, but she also doesn’t fetch. After an initial infection in her first month, she’s been a healthy doggie with one exception.

Because she obviously had lived a hard life on the street with illness and malnutrition, our vet recommended a $3,500 procedure of basically painting on faux enamel. It would last one year before needing to repeat. We elected to go with soft food and treats. Happy Grace and happy daddies here.

Grace is now around six years old.

The life expectancy of a mixed breed Chihuahua is between 15 and 20 years. With some luck, Grace will

be with Dan and me for the rest of our lives, happily bouncing between homes. What a gift. When I retire, I will absolutely add to my doggy family.

Much has been written, and movies made, about the relationship between humans and dogs. All I can say to all of them is a big Amen up in there.

I have children and grandchildren.

They are great, of course. You can’t compare the love for them to the love for a dog. They are just different. I am so lucky to get to have both!

Hopefully, my travel log through puppydom has reminded you to do the same, remembering how pets have changed your journey.

Life would not be the same without them. There is no unconditional love like it. I have held on to my dogs through my darkest days. They absolutely have a sixth sense and know when you are sick or hurting emotionally. There is nothing quite like having your dog sense your struggle and simply snuggle up next to you—or even put a paw or a nose on your leg as a reminder that they need nothing other than your love and are there for you.

There is a National Dog Day, a National Hug Your Dog Day, and a National Spoil Your Dog Day. I’m voting for all of those to happen every day!

Dr. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 18) D) Columbia, MO

Columbia’s LGBTQ-friendly profile has risen sharply since 2015, in large part due to city initiatives like the hiring of an LGBTQ liaison to its police department.

We were fortunate to get a non-Trump three-judge panel on a transgender high school case out of Oregon recently, where the panel ruled unanimously that parents could not contest a transgender friendly school policy on Constitutional grounds.

We also dodged a bullet when the full Ninth Circuit declined to review a three-judge panel victory in a prison case out of Idaho. This case involved a transgender inmate who was denied reassignment surgery despite her doctor’s conclusion that the surgery was vital to her mental and physical health. A lower court ruled in favor of inmate Adree Edmo, and in August, the appellate court agreed that the denial of this procedure amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.

According to New York Law School professor Art Leonard, the state of Idaho is likely to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Naturally.

For the record, we are waiting, I should say dreading, the release of the Court’s opinions on whether or not sexual orientation and/or gender identity bias are subsets of “sex discrimination” for the purposes of federal workplace law, and by extension, other civil rights statutes.

As for the Catholic Social Services case we just talked about, that case will be argued next fall.

Mean Boys Mel just alerted me to the release of a toxic twitter feed by a gay Sanders campaign regional field director named Ben Mora, who has now been fired. The sick, childish, obscene, sheer nastiness of this man’s attacks on the other candidates and their families is simply unbelievable. I guess Mora tried to hide his poisonous one-liners, but someone unearthed the trove.

You will probably discover this Daily Beast story for yourselves before you read it here. But let me just give you one paragraph from the article, in case you’ve missed it: “’Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN),’ Mora has tweeted, ‘looks like her name: pained, chunky, [and] confused origin/purpose.’ Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg ‘is what happens when the therapist botches the conversion,’ and his husband, Chasten, Mora predicts, will be ‘busted for running a meth racket’ in 10 years. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a frequent sub-

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The subject of nasty, misogynistic gay male tweets reminds me of Ric Grenell, our new acting intelligence chief, who was obliged to delete a raft of comments when he started working for Mitt Romney back whenever that was. Grenell said Rachel Maddow looked like Justin Bieber and advised her to “take a breath and put on a necklace.” He said Callista Gingrich’s “hair snaps on,” said Hillary was “starting to look like Madeleine Albright,” and speculated about Michelle Obama sweating on the carpet in the East Room. His critics have called him a bully, unbearable, arrogant, rude, dishonest and deceptive. According to Reuters reporter Irwin Arieff, speaking to Huffpost in 2012: “He often lied, even more frequently offered half answers or withheld information that would weaken his case or reflect poorly on his ideological point of view ... . He was always argumentative with the press, castigating reporters for asking questions he did not like, and calling them to criticize them for writing articles he did not like.”

Guys, you know this type. Insecure, mean, catty, scared of women for whatever reason. Whether on the left or the right, it’s not a pretty sight. And Grenell, who somehow managed to get himself appointed frigging Ambassador to Germany and promptly pissed off most of the European diplomatic core, is now overseeing all our intelligence agencies despite zero expertise. It’s more than frightening. I see that this bozo has also gotten mixed up with Julian Assange and done some work for the unpalatable government of Hungary, but I don’t have the heart to pursue these subjects further.

End Piece I’m almost out of space and have nothing pithy to write about. Obviously, I can’t launch into a new legal section, even though I missed giving you an update on that Seventh Circuit birth certificate case (which we finally won). I think we’re done with politics for this column.

And I’m not going back in time to discuss a murderous gay cannibal. Plus, we’ve already denigrated two of our gay brothers, deservedly so, but still.

I’m also skipping foreign news, although I see people are scratching Croatia off their bucket lists after the town fathers of Imotski burned a carnival float doll thing that was supposed to represent two gay men and a child. In their defense, it was hideous.

See you after Super Tuesday. arostow@aol.com

SISTER DANA (continued from page 24) Sister Dana sez, “It’s getting ugly out there in the Democratic Presidential debates! Two candidates who have shied away from direct conflict in past debates, Senator Warren and former Vice President Biden, mounted a sort of tagteam onslaught on February 19 against Mr. Bloomberg—several times leaving him visibly annoyed and straining to respond.”

I came to Central Perk to hang out with all of my favorite Friends! By “friends,” I mean classic TV sitcom’s Friends—Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, and Joey. And that annoying Janice. You can see them in FRIENDS LIVE on the Oasis stage performing two brand new parodies of our favorite episodes, such as the “friend bracelet” one. Hilarious! It is playing now through March 13 at 298 11th Street, 7 pm Thursdays and Fridays. Sing with me the title tune: “I’ll be there for you.” And as Joey would say, “How YOU doin’?” https://bit.ly/32sDky6 A group of unemployed steelworkers go THE FULL MONTY in this hit Broadway musical inspired by the Oscar-nominated film. In this Americanized stage adaptation written by Terrence McNally and David Yazbek, six men decide to raise some much-needed cash by staging a striptease act. But as they aren’t exactly your typical beefcakes, what they end up creating is the most unforgettable display of pale, flabby flesh that their blue-collar town has ever seen—all while conquering their inner demons, improving their self-esteem, and learning some important lessons about friendship.

Now through March 15 at Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street. https://bit.ly/32p0HJ6 On Saturday, February 29, at 2 pm, March to Remember and Reignite Hope in The Castro District will assemble LGBTQ leaders, neighborhood organizations, historians, activists, and community members at Harvey Milk Plaza for a march through the Castro, laying black wreaths at the sites of shuttered queer spaces in the historic LGBTQ district.

Participants will call on elected officials, foundations, and philanthropists, venture capitalists as well as residents and lovers of San Francisco, to both commemorate the City’s LGBTQ vibrant past and to inspire a brighter future. Hosts include Juanita MORE!, Cleve Jones, Ken Jones, GLBT Historical Society, The SF LGBT Center, D8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, and Castro Cultural District.

The Castro Farmers’ Market Grand Opening is on Wednesday, March 11, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 pm. The Market, located on Noe Street between 16th and Beaver Streets, will be open 4–8 pm Wednesdays through November 18. https://pcfma.org/ Sister Dana sez, “Post-impeachment, Trump has declared himself the ‘chief law enforcement officer’ of America. So apparently it is now okay to be ‘above the law.’ On happier news, A.G. Barr is considering quitting over the president’s tweets about Justice Dept. investigations!”

GGBA CEO PROGRAM (continued from page 5) What Participants Will Achieve By the end of the HPAP program, participants will have developed a clear strategic direction and implementation plan for their business. They will have learned the necessary skills, solutions, and strategies necessary for their company to achieve breakthrough performance. After the training, the plan they have created will serve as a roadmap and framework to achieve their future growth goals.

Who Should Attend

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ject of Mora’s private account, is called a ‘dumb Okie,’ ‘an adult diaper fetishist’ who ‘looks like s--t’ and who lied about having Native American ancestry ‘to get into Harvard.’”

Existing business owners should consider attending if they have a strong desire to grow a scalable, profitable, and sustainable business to match their vision, but may be struggling with time, resources, skills, and knowledge to make their goals a reality.

Ready, Set, Grow!

The HPAP program is set to launch in Spring 2020.

To learn more about securing a seat in the inaugural class, contact HPAP@ggba.com

Professional Services

N ewPer spec ti ves Center for Counseling

A full service catering company serving the greater Bay Area

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

• Weddings, Commitment Ceremonies, Anniversaries and many other social occasions and corporate events • We offer Custom-Designed Menus in various cuisines with vegetarian, vegan and multi-cultural food options • Full Service Event Management 415.308.4555 www.cheatalittle.com We Give You Something To Talk About!

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

COMING UP CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS http://sfbaytimes.com/ Compiled by Blake Dillon

27 Thursday Goat NightLife @ California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive.

This evening – one in a popular ongoing series – includes food and beverage options along with DJs, live music and dancing. The program will be a tribute to these jumping, climbing, farm-favorite animals. 6pm. http://www.calacademy.org San Francisco Equality Awards Kickoff Reception @ Jolene’s, 2700 16th Street. Hon. Leslie Katz invites you to the launch party for Equality California’s annual event. 6-8pm. http://www.eqca.org

28 Friday Really Funny Comedians (Who Happen to be Female) @ Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Avenue. Meet the next crop of brilliant up-and-coming female comedians. 8pm. http://www.cobbscomedy.com

29 Saturday John Cameron Mitchell The Origin of Love Tour @ 101 Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. The Diva will take the stage for an evening of songs and stories from and inspired by the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Itch. 8pm. http://www.calperformances.org Women’s Empowerment Night @ Chase Center, One Warriors Way. Purchase your ticket for the Warriors v Wizards game and receive a unique t-shirt. Exclusive offer. Lexxi Price: 415-286-5194 or Lprice@warriors.com

MARCH – WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Gloria Pride Night @ The Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street.

A.C.T.’s Pride night for LGBT+ community members begins with drinks and mingling before the show plus an After Party with speciality drinks, DJ dancing, pop-ups, special guests, photo ops and more. 6:3010:30pm. http:///www.act-sf.org

5 Thursday GGBA March Make Contact Power Lunch Kickoff @ Merrill Lynch, 555 California Street, 44th Floor. This popular monthly networking event will also serve as the launch party for the organization’s annual power networking lunch to be held the very next day. 6-8pm. http://www.ggba.com Castro Art Walk @ Multiple Participating Castro Locations. This popular evening event, sponsored

by Castro Merchants, is held on the first Thursday of each month. Stroll from one location to another and enjoy the art and hospitality. 6-9pm. http://www.castroartwalk.com

Gaucho at Brenda’s French Soul Food @ Brenda’s, 652 Polk Street. Brenda Buenviaje’s Creole-inspired restaurant in the Tenderloin is twice the size it used to be, but the legendary brunch lines at Brenda’s French Soul Food have not abated, nor has the reputation of Buenviaje’s biscuits, chocolate-filled beignets, po-boys, and shrimp and grits. 5pm. http://www.frenchsoulfood.com

GGBA Power Lunch 2020: Diversity @ W San Francisco Hotel, 181 3rd Street. The event includes an expo area and multiple programs starting at 9am and continuing until lunch at 11:45 featuring a special panel on diversity. http://www.ggba.com

3 Tuesday ELECTION DAY Super Tuesday Election Watch Party with Gabby Giffords @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. Watch the results coming in with friends and likeminded neighbors. 5pm. http://www.welcometomannys.com FE B RUA RY 2 7 , 2 0 2 0

Castro Farmers’ Market @ Noe Street, 16th and Market. Every Wednesday from March through November, the street next to Flore and Lookout is abloom with fresh fruits and vegetables, rain or shine.

5-8pm. http://www.pcfma.org

6 Friday

Monday Happy Hour Open Mic @ Martuni’s Piano Bar, 4 Valencia @ Market. Russell Season is pleased to helm the keyboard for this weekly Monday open mic where all are encouraged to sing. 5:308:30pm. Martuni’s on Facebook

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Antigone Rising and The Muddy Roses @ Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo, Albany. The accomplished group of all-female New York natives, known for launching the nonprofit activist organization Girls Rising, will be joined by The Muddy Roses described as. “Homemade hippie tonk country music.”

8pm. http://www.ivyroom.com

The Joffrey Ballet @ 101 Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. The famed ballet company will perform works by Nicolas Blanc, Christopher Wheeldon, Stephanie Martinez and Justin Peck. 8pm. http://www.calperformances.org

7 Saturday Dan Ashley presents Rock the CASA with Rick Springfield @ Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek. An evening of music for children in need, benefiting Court Appointed Special Advocates, Friends of Camp Concord, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys & Girls Club of Contra Costa County.

8pm. https://bit.ly/2v2DyQA Robin Flowers and Libby McLaren @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison, Berkeley. Robin Flower and Libby McLaren are

Freight favorites who return with a lineup of friends including Julie Nicholas and Sheilah Glover with Danny Carnahan, Jan Martinelli and Mary Ford. 8pm. http://www.thefreight.org

8 Sunday DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME Purim Family Festival @ Jewish Community Center of SF, 3200 California. The event will offer multiple activities for families, including obstacle courses, hamantaschen decorating and performances by the popular group Octopretzel.11am1:30pm. http://www.jccsf.org International Women’s Day Concert @ Lake Merritt United Methodist Church, 1330 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland. Join the Community Women’s Orchestra for an outstanding program featuring music by Copland, Bonis and Dvorak plus a special performance by Mary Watkins of Soul of Remembrance from Five Movements of Color. 4pm. https://bit.ly/2wIW80s

9 Monday Do Ask Do Tell @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. A weekly support group for LGBTQ+ community members who were in the military. 6-7pm. http://www.sfcenter.org Pubquiz at Virgil’s Sea Room @ The Big Queer Pubzquiz, 3152 Mission Street. This 90-minute quiz, based on current events and general knowledge with a special theme round, includes five rounds in ninety minutes with free drinks and weird prizes every Monday night. 7:309:30pm. nosportstrivai@gmail.com

10 Tuesday SF LGBT Center Business Incubator Biweekly Drop-In Session @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. At this drop-in session you can meet fellow LGBTQIA entrepreneurs to brainstorm and work out projects plus meet with a business consultant to address challenges.1-3pm. http://www.sfcenter.org LGBT Asylum Project Fundraiser @ La Mediterranee Noe, 288 Noe Street. La Med’s benefit will donate 10% of all inhouse sales to support The LGBT Asylum Project. 4pm. Reservations: 415-431-7210 x1

11 Wednesday Susan Sontag: The Smartest Woman in America – Rising @ The Marsh, 1062 Valencia Street.

Portrayed by Courtney Walsh in Lynne Kaufmann’s play, America’s leading public intellectual awaits the results of her bone marrow transplant in her third bout with cancer while pondering the eternal question: Love or Work? How do you make the right choice? 7:30-8:30pm. http://www.themarsh.org Cherish The Ladies @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison, Berkeley.

Noted as one of the top Celtic groups in the world, Cherish the Ladies is an Irish-American super group that formed in New York City in 1985 to celebrate the rise of women in what had been a maledominated Irish music scene. They have since toured the world, played the White House and the Olympics, and recorded 17 outstanding albums.

8pm. http://www.thefreight.org

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STREETCAM presented by

Imperial Court Voting Day

Photos by Rink and Paul Margolis

Members and friends of the San Francisco Imperial Council were out in force on Saturday, February 15, participating in the Council’s annual Voting Day. Candidates for Emperor and Empress and their supporters staffed tables on Castro Street, and volunteers conducted the actual voting at the poll set up at Harvey Milk Plaza. After the voting concluded, volunteers celebrated at several parties held in the Castro.

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

CASTRO

http://sfbaytimes.com/

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items of the week Zavor Multicooker

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2020: What a great number!

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This past decade we saw a lot of changes in our neighborhood and the city as a whole. For us that translated into tremendous support from our regular customers and visitors from around the world. We thank you all for your support and hope that 2020 brings us clarity on our path forward and a much more inclusive and prosperous year ahead for all San Franciscans. –Terry

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

The often cold days of February sometimes need a little boost of heat in just the right area. The VHEAT whole room vintage heater form Vornado is the perfect heater for your drafty San Francisco bachelor pad. It’s the classic Vornado technology encased in a stylish metal casing that looks like something Jimi Hendrix kicked around his Haight Street flat.

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

VHEAT Vintage Heater

PHOTO BY RINK

February is a great time for bonding with our family unit, and what better way than with a good meal. We love the Zavor line of Multicookers. They serve as a Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, and Sousvide all in one. They are programmable and can reduce cooking times dramatically while reducing stress in your busy day.

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