San Francisco Bay Times - October 30, 2014

October 30-November 12, 2014 | www.sfbaytimes.com

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GOLDEN AT Nation’s First LGBT Chamber of Commerce Celebrates 40 Years of Service

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By Dawn Ackerman, Robb Fleischer and Paul Pendergast On behalf of the Board of Directors, Past Presidents, Staff and Membership, we welcome you to the Golden Gate Business Association’s 40th A nniversar y special commemorative issue, made possible through the generosity of our friends at the San Francisco Bay Times.

Dawn Ackerman

Robb Fleischer

In 1974, as the streets of t he Cast ro were awakening to a movement that would forever change San Francisco, California and the world, there were also several courageous

entrepreneurs who decided that it was time that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender business owners needed to stand and be counted. When they created the GGBA, it was the spark that began a worldwide movement.

Because of those forward-thinking entrepreneurs, there are now 38 LGBT Chambers of Commerce across the United States. Beyond our borders, there are now 15 LGBT Chambers spanning the globe that are not only addressing the economic development needs of their respective communities, but they are also serving as beacons of hope for equal rights, greater respect and inclusiveness.

These are exciting times for our community. They are also incredibly exciting times for our LGBT business community as we begin a new chapter

PHOTO BY RINK

Golden Gate Business Association Welcomes You to GGBA’s 40th Anniversary Celebration!

Women of GGBA at a recent monthly Make Contact networking event

in creating jobs, driving commerce to our LGBT brother and sister businesses, and showing the business world that being inclusive of our community

leads to innovation, financial growth and community empowerment.

Anniversaries are a unique and wonderful opportunity to celebrate the

GGBA was established in 1974 by f i f t y-fou r men a nd women who were small business and real estate owners. They were aware, in the early days of gay liberation, that their issues as business Roger Gross owners were not being articulated or addressed.

It is significant that the early printed materials of the Association did not use the terms “gay,” “lesbian” or “homosexual,” though the materials did talk about “our community.” Their mission statement read: “We, a group of business people, join together in an association for mutual aid, communication and working together to promote business and to establish relationships with other business people and associations.” Theirs was the first act of leadership for GGBA. The GGBA was the f irst business league of its kind at that time, and became the model for the wealth of later associations that organized across the country. Rick Stokes, and then John Schmidt, served as President.

At the GGBA installation dinner in 1976, John Schmidt asked then mayor George Moscone to speak. Mayor Moscone came. That was my f irst GGBA event, and it was a very heady affair. The air was electric. At that time it was unheard of for a mayor to address our community. The mayor’s presence marked our coming out as a community, and acknowledged the GLBT community as a valid political and social block. It also established GGBA as the leadership of that block.

We were the leaders in the community, and we showed that LGBT activists were not people on the fringe, but were people in the mainstream. We showed that we were everywhere—in all walks of life, in all neighborhoods and in all trades and in all professions. We marched in the Gay Day parades under banners of our trades and professions.

As leaders in the community, we paid attention to what was happening in the larger community in order to monitor what affected us as business people and as citizens.

In the late 1970s, our Community Relations Committee, under the leadership of Jerry Robinson, established the Police Awareness Program.

GGBA’s Jason Holstein, Managing Director; Lu Xun, Events Coordinator; and Eric Goforth, President.

GGBA members worked with members of the Police Academy and spent a Saturday evening with them, taking them to dinner and drinks and talking about themselves, their lives and concerns, so that new police officers had the opportunity to know LGBT people on a human level. It was no longer “me” and “them,” it was “us,” and we were a community.

In this way, as role models we were human beings, and we therefore challenged the stereotypes of who gay and lesbian citizens are.

In 1979, GGBA with Arthur Lazare as President spoke out against then World Airways for its homophobic corporate policies and led a boycott against them. We secured one of the f irst corporate non-discrimination policies for gay and lesbians. Special interests? No! Basic human rights and solid business policy-leadership? Yes! Around that time too, the President of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce was publicly making homophobic remarks. We challenged those remarks, and began a dialogue with the Chamber of Commerce that not too much later resulted in the Chamber coming out in favor of AB1, a gay/lesbian non-discrimination bill. We took

GGBA volunteers welcome attendees to the 2014 GGBA Business Expo

PHOTO COURTESY OF GGBA

By Roger Gross

PHOTO BY RINK

GGBA: Leading the Way for LGBT Businesses and Our Community for Four Decades

an activist leadership role and said this behavior is not OK. As business leaders, we were active participants in establishing the Small Business Network, as well as being prime movers in the creation of the Small Business Advisory Commission. We led the way to find a place for small business interests in the larger corporate business community of San Francisco.

As a business organization too, we were the first LGBT organization to establish a Code of Ethics by which all members agreed to abide. This was an act of leadership. The GGBA Code of Ethics became the model that was used by other such business groups at a time when being identified as an LGBT business was tainted by assumptions of sloppy business practices and simply trading on our identification.

We were also aware of our need as business people and community leaders to take care of our own. There were no philanthropic organizations that addressed the altruistic needs within our community. On the contrary, the mainstream philanthropies shied away from LGBT issues because of homophobia and simply because of the lack of consciousness of our needs, concerns and issues.

past while we connect with the present. Even more exciting is that there is much to be accomplished in the future and we want you to be a part of it! We invite you to join the GGBA as we embark on our next 40 years of creating access to opportunity.

Together we will build even stronger LGBT businesses that will benefit our employees, our families and our communities. Joining us is just a ‘click’ away at ggba.com Continued success to all of us!

Dawn Ackerman of OutSmart Office Solutions is the Vice President of GGBA. Robb Fleischer of AMSI Real Estate Services is GGBA’s incoming President. Paul Pendergast of Pendergast Consulting Group is the Chair of GGBA’s Public Policy Committee.

In 1980, we established the GGBA Foundation, which provided seed money to worthy charitable, educational and cultural projects within our community. We were the first.

The GGBA Foundation was built on the cornerstone of responsible philanthropy: administrative costs were kept to a minimum and organizations were accountable to us for the use of the grant money. We helped our recipients learn fiscal responsibility and the need for budgets and reporting.

We helped them conduct their affairs in a business-like manner. We were role models. The GGBA Foundation has since become the Horizons Foundation, a well-respected leader in LGBT philanthropy nationally.

The mid-80s were a diff icult time for us as a community, as well as an organization. GGBA was devastated by the deaths of our leaders and our members. It was a time for us as an organization and as a community to step back, re-group and reorganize in order to weather the devastating storm that was upon us. Under the leadership of Dave Wharton, and a very dedicated and hard-working board, this organization survived and continued in its position as spokesperson for issues of concern to the LGBT business community.

GGBA reemerged in the 1990s somewhat changed. While GGBA was originally an organization of small business people and commercial property owners, GGBA was now far more inclusive. It welcomed everyone interested in business—owners, employees, small businesses and corporations.

While there was room for everyone, we continued to focus on the unique needs of our small business heritage.

GGBA started its highly successful Business Exchange Network under the presidency of Paul Pendergast and the leadership of Joel Goodrich.

GGBA volunteers greet guests at Mega Make Contact.

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PHOTO BY RINK

A f inal heritage, which is obvious but must be articulated, is our inclusiveness. There is room for everyone in GGBA— liberals, conservatives, professionals, tradespeople, business owners and employees. We are a nonpartisan organization. To be a member, one only needs to care about our community, about responsible business, and about making ours a more conscious and stronger community.

GGBA provides a forum where everyone can come together to find a common ground and develop a common language. That gives us our strength and is our contribution to the community.

Attorney Roger Gross co-founded the GGBA Foundation and served as its first board President.

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©2014, KEITH HARING FOUNDATION

October 30-November 12, 2014 | www.sfbaytimes.com

KEITH HARING THE POLITICAL LINE November 8, 2014 - February 16, 2015 Herbst Exhibition Galleries, de Young Museum Golden Gate Park BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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Keith Haring: The Political Line Reveals the LGBT Artist’s Activism The first major Keith Haring show on the West Coast in nearly two decades, Keith Haring: The Political Line reveals the LGBT artist’s activist side.

Although Haring (1958–1990) died of AIDS at the age of 31, he created an impressive body of unmistakable work that still resonates. Working across a variety of media, including subway drawings, paintings and sculptures, Haring particularly devoted himself to messages of social justice and change.

Keith Haring: The Political Line will have its U.S. premiere on November 8 at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Many of the works are on loan from The Keith Haring Foundation, New York, with supplemental loans from public and private collections.

Several pieces have not been published or on public view since the artist’s death. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s director Colin B. Bailey notes, “We are particularly pleased to profile Keith Haring’s artwork in San Francisco; we sense that it will appeal to a younger generation who will appreciate his honest and passionate commitment to addressing contemporary issues through art.”

The Political Line is based on and named after guest curator Dieter Buchhart’s exhibition, which was presented at

Keith Haring

had a dream that ‘nothing is an end, because it always can be the basis for something new and different.’”

the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in the summer of 2013. The de Young exhibition is curated by Dieter Buchhart in collaboration with Julian Cox, founding curator of photography and chief administrative curator at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

“It is amazing that the question of social justice and change that Keith Haring devoted himself to has not been addressed before in a major exhibition,” says Buchhart. “Haring understood that art was for everybody. He fought for the individual and against dictatorship, racism and capitalism. He was no utopian, but he

The Political Line will feature more than 130 works of art, including large-scale paintings (on tarpaulins and canvases), sculptures and a number of the artist’s subway drawings, among other works. The exhibition will create a narrative that explores the artist’s responses to nuclear disarmament, racial inequality, the excesses of capitalism, environmental degradation, and other issues of deep personal concern to the artist.

In San Francisco, Haring’s work has long been a part of the city’s visual culture, so it is fitting that the show should make its U.S. debut here. Haring created works for diverse venues in San Francisco during his lifetime, including murals for DV8, an under-

All Images: ©2014, Keith Haring Foundation

ground club once located in the South of Market neighborhood, and a huge, multi-panel painting for the South of Market Childcare Center. Haring’s outdoor sculpture “Untitled (Three Dancing Figures)” (1989), located at Third Street and Howard, is a prominent feature of the Moscone Center; and his triptych altarpiece “The Life of Christ” (1990) is installed in the AIDS Chapel at Grace Cathedral.

Haring fought tirelessly to end the AIDS epidemic in his work and personal life. He established The Keith Haring Foundation in 1989 and enlisted his imagery during the last years of his life to speak about his own illness and to generate activism and awareness about AIDS. By the time of his death, he had achieved international fame. His inf luence on his own generation and those that have followed is a testament to his enduring vision.

For tickets and additional information, please visit http://deyoung. famsf.org/haring The San Francisco Bay Times is proud to be a Media Sponsor of Keith Haring: The Political Line, November 8, 2014– February 16, 2015 @ the de Young’s Herbst Exhibition Galleries.

Interview with Keith Haring: The Political Line Co-Curator Julian Cox Julian Cox, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s founding curator of photography and chief administrative curator, recently took time to talk with us about K e i t h H a r i n g ’s pop art and politics ahead of the opening of the exhibit Keith Haring: T he Political Line at the de Young.

Julian Cox S a n Fr a nc i sc o Bay Ti me s: Please talk about Haring’s selfportraits, of which he made many. What do you think they reveal about the artist?

Julian Cox: Haring made self-portraits in a variety of media and particularly relished turning the camera on himself. The many Polaroid SX-70 self-portraits that he made between 1980 and 1988 reveal his impish, shape-shifting identity. While Haring enjoyed performing and play-acting, the best of his self-portraits (such as the 1985 painting on page 3 of the San Francisco Bay Times) show a more serious side.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you speak to the recurring symbols and motifs in Haring’s work, their possible meaning, and his study of semiotics at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City?

Julian Cox: Haring studied semiotics at SVA and reveled in exploring the power of words and linguistic systems.

He was a close friend of William Burroughs and Brion Gysin, who inspired his interest in language and its symbolism. As for the symbols and visual vocabulary that proliferate in his work, Haring remarked in his journals: “I paint images that are derivative of my personal exploration. I leave it up to others to decipher them.”

S a n Fr a nc i sc o Bay Ti me s: Can you expound on Haring’s views of capitalism and his own struggle with commercialism and consumerism?

Julian Cox: Haring was an outspoken opponent of the negative effects of capitalism, and he railed against consumerist excess in his art. As his career blossomed, however, he became more conscious of the complications of money and was never entirely comfortable with his commercial and art world success.

S a n Fr a nc i sc o Bay Ti me s: Please offer a little background about the powerful “Reagan: 4

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Julian Cox: Haring was very indebted to Andy Warhol as a friend and guide in matters of art and life. They had a tremendous respect for each other and Warhol went out of his way to support the younger artist’s career.

Upon Warhol’s death in 1987, Haring reflected in his journal: “He became a teacher for a generation of artists now, and in the future, who grew up on Pop, who watched television since they were born, who ‘understand’ digital knowledge.” Haring also had a warm (but competitive) relationship with Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose work he admired greatly.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you explain the significance of the pink triangle (see page 29), and the impact it has made on v iewers?W hat are some of the ways i n wh ich Haring has contributed to the fight against the AIDS epidemic?

Ready To Kill” image. Can you talk about Haring’s use of this medium?

Julian Cox: Haring was absolute in his desire for his work and its message to reach as wide an audience as possible. Some of his earliest street works after art school were collages composed of cut-up headlines from the New York Post that were cheaply photocopied and pasted up on walls and lampposts, guerilla-style.

S a n Fr a n cisco Bay Times: Can you describe Haring’s views on apa r t heid, r a c i a l i nequ a l ity, and the motifs he uses in the next two images shown here?

Julian Cox: Haring resisted and campaigned against racism in all its forms. He was deeply affected by the racial intolerance that his friends, including the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, experienced in their everyday lives. He understood how his art could serve the causes that he cared about. His monumental acrylic-oncanvas painting Untitled (Apartheid), 1984, was made into posters, badges,

and t-shirts and sold widely to help support the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa and the release of its most vociferous opponent, Nelson Mandela.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you speak to Haring’s relationship with fellow artists, and how they inf luenced and inspired each other?

Julian Cox: Hari n g c a mpa i g ne d v igorously and r a i sed f u nd s for AIDS research (a l o n g s i d e a r t i s t friends such as Andy Warhol) and he addressed the condition head-on in his art.

The triangular pink canvas that he created for Silence=Death i s u n m a t c he d i n poignancy and execution. It is a profoundly moving work that combines joy and despair in equal measure.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you describe the format Haring uses in the layout of the four panel image (see page 29)? Why do you suspect he employs this sort of composition? What are its strengths?

Julian Cox: As a child, Haring loved the cartoons of Charles Schulz (continued on page 29)

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Join us for another year of excitement!

Election Day Cometh he, Mark Leno and I all grew up in Milwaukee, just not at the same time!)

I have previously written in my column about various candidates for local office. In summary, here are my endorsements for some of the more competitive races:

Do Ask, Do Tell Zoe Dunning Tuesday, November 4, is Election Day here in California. This year brings the opportunity to elect or re-elect all of our statewide constitutional officers: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Controller, Insurance Commissioner and Superintendent of Public Instruction. If there is a Democratic sweep (as expected), five of these eight elected positions, including some of the most powerful (Governor, Attorney General), will come from the Bay Area.

Not to mention that our two Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, are also from the Bay Area.

www.outandequal.org

The sweep would be a testament to the strength of the Bay Area’s political bench and power of the local Democratic Party County Central Committees support of our candidates and ability to get out the vote. Also, as they say in the song “New York, New York”— if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. The fact that California Democratic Party Chair John Burton lives in San Francisco does not hurt.

(Although it’s not widely known that

David Chiu for Assembly District 17: I feel he is more effective at bringing together multiple perspectives and creating pragmatic legislations, which will be critically important in Sacramento as one of a body of 80 Assemblymembers.

Mark Murphy, Shamann Walton and Emily Murase for School Board: Emily has been an effective Commissioner on the board, and I am impressed with the passion, knowledge and commitment of the two newcomers, Mark and Shamann. Additionally, Mark Murphy would be the first gay man on the School Board in many years and brings a perspective currently missing.

Thea Selby, Amy Bacharach, and Rodrigo Santos for Community College Board: Thea and Amy were both in my Emerge California training cohort and were two of my closest friends and colleagues in the program, which trains Democratic women to run for and win elected office. Rodrigo brings a much-needed understanding of finance, governance and controls, which will help ensure the sustainability and viability of our City College.

The local propositions can be confusing.

I have received literally dozens of mailers from various campaigns these past four weeks, and rarely do they paint a complete picture. I’ll highlight a few here that I think are important to San Francisco.

Propositions A and B will go a long way to providing the resources needed to make Muni more functional. I have shared the frustration with my fellow Muni riders—unreliable bus schedules, lengthy wait times, poor service. I empathize with those who are hesitant to throw more money at a system that is broken, but I also know it won’t fix itself without addressing its infrastructure needs. Prop A allows the City to issue general obligation bonds and to use this money to implement many of the infrastructure repairs and improvements identified by the Transportation Task Force. These include the construction of transit-only lanes and separated bikeways, installation of new boarding islands, accessible platforms, escalators at Muni/BART stops, pedestrian signals and bicycle parking, and the upgrade of our Muni maintenance facilities. Prop B ties Muni funding to population density so that we are ensuring that our transportation system keeps up with demand.

Proposition E is otherwise known as the Soda Tax. You have likely seen a gazillion billboards throughout the city profiling small business owners stating their opposition to Prop E. You can thank the American Beverage Association (ABA) for all of that.

Determined to make sure no other city in the U.S. even considers putting another soda tax measure on the ballot, they are pouring in thousands and thousands of dollars to defeat Prop E. I won’t get into all the specific scientific research here—I encourage you to look at your voter guide. I will simply state that I agree that sugary beverages are a significant contributor to childhood diabetes and obesity and a threat (continued on page 28)

Some Reflections on the Demise of the Bay Guardian and the Death of Ted Gullicksen keeping people housed, but when it came to crafting and enacting legislation at the ballot box or in City Hall, he was brilliant and disciplined.

A San Francisco Kind of Democrat Rafael Mandelman October 14, 2014, was an awful day, the kind of awful you remember for years. I had flown down to Los Angeles that morning to speak to an audience at Cerritos Community College about San Francisco’s battles with the ACCJC. As I got out of the car at Cerritos, I happened to check my iPhone and saw the news breaking on Facebook that, after nearly five decades of raising hell, the San Francisco Bay Guardian was no more. And then, just hours later, my phone brought the further horrible news that the city’s leading tenant activist, Ted Gullicksen, had been found dead in his bed.

I am not sure when I first met Ted, though it must have been in the early years of the last decade when I was getting involved in the local Democratic Clubs and he was regularly out at election time making the rounds of those clubs, pitching a pro-tenant reform or speaking up against yet another scheme to roll back rent control.

It has always amused me that, for some on the right, Ted was somehow the embodiment of San Francisco’s “extreme” Left. To the contrary, in my experience, he was always incredibly pragmatic. The only thing extreme about him was his commitment to 6

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I have been reading the Bay Guardian since I was in high school, but it is as an adult—as a political activist and candidate—that I really came to appreciate and rely on the paper. It was for decades the primary vehicle for communicating with progressive voters. Its readership relied on the Guardian to cover important local political stories that the Chronicle and the Examiner would not cover and, at election time, to help identify the reform-minded candidates who would challenge the too-cozy relationships between politicians and the wealthiest private interests.

For the last two weeks, friends and foes of the San Francisco Left have been speculating about the likely impact of the loss of these two pillars of progressive politics. In an October 19 Chronicle piece, Heather Knight painted a portrait of a movement adrift and in decline, with the shuttering of the Guardian and the death of Gullicksen two more blows to a beleaguered movement that, in Knight’s account, has been “hemorrhaging for years.”

Tim Red mond (on h is blog at www.48hillsonline.org) and Randy Shaw (on his at www.beyondchron.org) have each from their own perspectives argued that Knight both overstates the past strength of progressives and understates their current influence. As on so many things, I tend to agree with Aaron Peskin, who likens San Francisco politics to a pendulum that has swung toward the moneyed interests, but will inevitably make its way back toward reform. He told Knight: “You could have easily said the exact same thing in 1999, but everybody got sick and tired of City Hall and the pendulum swung the other way.”

Of course, there is abundant evidence that, whatever may be happening to the institutions that historically sustained the Left, its values remain deeply embedded in the City’s DNA. That evidence notably includes the successful campaigns over the last two years to control waterfront development and the resilience of David Campos’ assembly campaign, which, by drawing sharp contrasts with Chiu’s more moderate positioning, appears to have largely or entirely erased a double-digit deficit in the polls. One could add to that list the Board of Supervisors’ recent 7-4 passage of Campos’ legislation to regulate tenant buyouts, a longtime priority of and fitting posthumous tribute to Ted Gullicksen.

In his October 22 post-mortem on the Guardian, Chronicle columnist Carl Nolte surveyed the various supposed causes of the Guardian’s demise: “Economics, the decline of print and the shift to the Internet killed it, the blogsters and Twitterati all said.” But Nolte disagrees: “I think they were wrong.

Nobody killed the Bay Guardian. It died of hardening of the arteries. It died of old age.”

There is a ring of truth to Nolte’s analysis, and an implicit challenge to our generation: to take a progressive tradition that made the San Francisco we know and love and to build new institutions capable of renewing and sustaining that tradition in the 21st century.

Meanwhile, at least for this election, the Guardian’s endorsements remain posted online at www.sfbg.com. And don’t forget: Campos for Assembly, and Yes on G, for Gullicksen.

Rafael Mandelman was elected to the San Francisco Community College Board of Trustees in 2012. He is a partner at Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP.

SmArT, eFFeCTive LeADerSHiP Vote with pride By noVeMBer 4

daVid Chiu

SCott wiener▼

ASSembly, DISTrIcT 17

SuPervISOr, DISTrIcT 8

Mark Farrell SuPerviSor, DiSTriCT 2

katy tang

SuPerviSor, DiSTriCT 4

Malia Cohen

Mark Murphy ▼ BoArD oF eDuCATion

SuPerviSor, DiSTriCT 10

CarMen Chu

ASSeSSor-reCorDer

niCk JoSeFowitz BArT BoArD

Carol kingSley

SuPerior CourT JuDGe

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aMy BaCharaCh CiTy CoLLeGe

rodrigo SantoS CiTy CoLLeGe

thea SelBy

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USe the FUll alice endorSementS below when yoU vote San FranciSco candidateS Assessor-Recorder: Carmen Chu

board oF edUcation

Supervisor, District 2: Mark Farrell

city college board oF trUSteeS Amy Bacharach, 2-year seat Rodrigo Santos, 4-year seat Thea Selby, 4-year seat

Supervisor, District 4: Katy Tang Supervisor, District 8: Scott Wiener▼ Supervisor, District 10: Malia Cohen Superior Court Judge, Office 20: Carol Kingsley BART Board, District 8: Nick Josefowitz

Mark Murphy▼

State candidateS Governor: Jerry Brown

local ballot meaSUreS

State ballot meaSUreS

YES

PROP A: Transportation Bond

YES

PROP 1: Water Bond

YES

PROP B: Muni Funding

YES

PROP 2: Rainy Day Fund

YES

PROP C: Children’s Programs

YES

YES

PROP D: Retirement Benefits

PROP 45: Make Health Insurers Justify Rates

Treasurer: John Chiang

YES

PROP E: Creating a Healthy SF!

NO POSITION

PROP 46: No Position

Attorney General: Kamala Harris

YES

PROP F: Pier 70 Redevelopment

YES

PROP 47: Reform Sentencing

NO POSITION

PROP G: No Position

YES

NO

PROP H: Against Playgrounds

PROP 48: Approve Tribal Gaming Compromise

YES

PROP I: For Playgrounds

YES

PROP J: Raise Minimum Wage

YES

PROP K: Affordable Housing

NO

PROP L: Outdated Transit Policies

Lieutenant Governor: Gavin Newsom Secretary of State: Alex Padilla Controller: Betty Yee

aSSembly candidateS State Assembly, District 17:

Insurance Commissioner: Dave Jones

David Chiu

Board of Equalization, District 2: Fiona Ma

State Assembly, District 19: Phil Ting

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tom Torlakson

▼ indicates that the candidate is LGBT

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I Would Be Honored to Serve as Your Next Judge on the San Francisco Superior Court

By Carol Kingsley

San Franciscans deserve to have the most qualified and experienced candidate possible as their next judge on the Superior Court. I aim to take my 30 plus years of experience in the law, in public service, and life to provide all parties in the court with fair and equal justice. I am the only candidate with substantial legal experience that directly transfers to the bench.

I have been a lawyer for more than 30 years, including partnerships at three San Francisco Candidate Carol Kingsley law firms. I am also a small business owner of Kingsley Mediation Services. For the past 11 years, I have served as a neutral mediator working with conflicting parties to resolve hundreds of disputes outside of costly and time-consuming litigation.

At the court, my mediation skills will help interested litigants avoid the time and expense of lengthy trials in this period of crowded and underfunded courts.

Also, I am an experienced hearing officer who, as a member of the Police Commission, has conducted evidentiary hearings and determined guilt and penalty in serious police discipline cases, using the same essential skills and temperament required of a Superior Court judge.

My public service and work in San Francisco complement my legal quali-

fications. City Attorney Louise Renne appointed me to the Ethics Commission, where I served as Chair for two terms and helped strengthen lobbying rules and established public financing of local campaigns.

I was also appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom to the San Francisco Police Commission, where I worked to resolve a large backlog of serious police misconduct cases.

Supporters Lou Fischer, Zoe Dunning and Pam Grey with

While President of the candidate Carol Kingsley (2nd from right) San Francisco Women decades, the Center and I have helped Lawyers’ A lliance, I helped to create a waiting room in the to push for more than 30 new state and Hall of Justice so that children have local laws in California to help reduce a safe place to go when their parents the number of gun deaths. are in court, especially important in criminal cases. The children’s waiting Finally, it is critically important that room was so successful in addressing we strive for gender equity on the an unmet need that another was estab- bench. Women are graduating from lished in the Civic Center San Francis- law school at greater percentages than co Superior Court building, and other men, but our judiciary does not recourts nationwide have replicated the flect that reality. With the retirement of Judge Charlotte Woolard from the concept.

San Francisco Court, we have the opOn a personal note, I know what it’s like portunity to at least maintain the perto be a victim of violent crime. In 1993, centage of women on the court with my husband Jack Berman was mur- my election. dered in the 101 California Street mass killings in downtown San Francisco. Please vote for me as “the most expeSince that time, I have raised our then rienced and best qualified”(San Fran15-month-old son as a single mother. cisco Chronicle endorsement) candidate This tragedy propelled me into action in the judge’s race. to make our communities safer and, with others, to found the Law Center Against Violence. Over the past two

For more information about Carol Kingsley and to get involved in her campaign, please visit http://www.kingsley4judge.com/

Beat Poet Allen Ginsberg Inspired an Entire Generation

Rainbow Honor Walk Dr. Bill Lipsky In an era when American taste-makers applauded verse that described a doe as “a deer, a female dear,” Allen Ginsberg, just 30 years old, published his first book, Howl and Other Poems, in 1956. An impassioned, unsparing wail of anguish about “the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness,” by conformity and by the norms of middle-class society, it simply was not everybody’s cup of tea (a drink with jam and bread).

David Perry oversees the Rainbow Honor Walk series. He is co-founder and cochair of the nonprofit R a inbow Honor Walk, which has created a landmark memorial in the Castro to heroes and heroines of the LGBT community.

He is also the CEO and Founder of Dav id Perr y & A ssociates, http://www.davidperry.com/ 8

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Almost immediately, the guardians of other people’s propriety set upon the work and those who believed in it. First, customs officials impounded the poem’s second printing when it arrived in San Francisco. The United States district attorney declined to begin condemnation proceedings, so the books were released to their owners. Next, an undercover police officer bought a copy, then arrested and jailed Shig Murao, manager of City Lights bookstore, for selling him obscene literature. Poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti later was arrested for publishing it.

At the subsequent obscenity trial, the defense argued simply that it was “not the poet but what he observes which is revealed as obscene.”

The Court decided the work had “redeeming social importance;” the accused were found not guilty. At that point, previously censored works, including Tropic of Cancer

by Henry Miller and D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterly’s Lover, could be sold in the United States. They were and to great acclaim. Eventually, the ruling became a precedent for the United States Supreme Court when it established the criteria to determine if a publication can or cannot legitimately be subject to state regulation.

Now considered to be one of the g reatest A mer ica n poems ever written,“Howl” became “the mantra of a generation” caught up in a society being shaped by the cookie cutters of

modern times. Translated into more than twenty-two languages, it was among the most widely read poems of the 20th century. Although most poets are known only to a few admirers, Ginsberg, like Walt Whitman before him, was familiar to millions who had not read any of his poetry.

Ginsberg simply overwhelmed the Babbittry and ticky tacky of his generation. In an era of button down shirts and buttoned up minds, he was openly homosexual—when it was illegal in every state. Born into a Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey, in 1926, he died a Buddhist in New York City in 1997.

During an era of cold war, “red scares,” loyalty oaths and enforced conformity, he was an outspoken advocate of free speech and free love, peace, and the unconventional. He believed in the importance of individual thoughts and experiences, and in the founding principle that democracy begins with the raising of a single voice.

Throughout his life, Ginsberg refused to accept the dominant, acquiescent, materialistic culture without question.

As a founding member of the Beats, his generation’s most influential literary movement, and later as the selfproclaimed “old auntie of the Beat Generation,” he valued art above money, peace above conf lict, free love over monogamy (or monotony, as he put it), and poetry above all. He (continued on page 28)

The Race for CA Assembly District 17

Candidates David Chiu and David Campos Make Their Case for SF Bay Times Readers David Chiu:

David Campos:

the reunification of LGBT immigrant families, and have been proud to appoint a number of stellar LGBT city commissioners.

For the past six years, I have served as President of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. During that time, I have been honored to work with residents across our city from all backgrounds, including our wonderfully diverse LGBT communities, to build consensus and deliver innovative solutions for the toughest challenges facing San Francisco.

In this final week leading up to the November election, it is critical that we, as members of the LGBT community, ask ourselves the following question: Which candidates on the ballot are going to champion—and not just support— LGBT rights?

But San Francisco still faces real challenges. We are in the midst of an affordability crisis that is making living in San Francisco increasingly difficult for our most vulnerable residents, including LGBT tenants and seniors who have lived here for decades. I want to go to the State Assembly to fight for the resources San Francisco needs to address this crisis. For too many years, we have seen repeated cuts to state funding for the things San Franciscans need the most: to build more affordable housing, fix our broken transit system, and improve our public schools. I want to take my record of effectively delivering for San Franciscans to Sacramento to make sure our City gets its fair share.

As a lifelong LGBT ally who fought against the passage of DOMA as a Congressional staffer in the mid-1990s and later was a co-founder of Asian Pacific Islander Equality, I have been incredibly humbled by the support our campaign has received from many local LGBT leaders. I am also proud to be endorsed by the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, Supervisor Scott Wiener, former City Treasurer Susan Leal, and San Francisco’s other major LGBT newspaper, the Bay Area Reporter. I hope you will join them, along with over 100 endorsements from 4 San Francisco Mayors, elected officials, newspapers, Democratic, labor and advocacy organizations supporting our campaign. Please visit www.

VoteDavidChiu.com or our Castro campaign headquarters to learn more.

During these times, we’ve made sure City Hall continues to deliver for our LGBT communities. As President of the Board, during difficult budget times, I supported local funding to backfill federal cuts to HIV/AIDS programs, to shore up the finances of the LGBT Community Center, and to assist vulnerable LGBT youth at nonprofits like LYRIC and Larkin Street Youth Services. I also authored legislation to guarantee greater diversity on our city’s boards and commissions, advocated for

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PHOTO BY RINK

When I was elected to office in 2008, San Francisco was at a crossroads. City Hall was dysfunctional; the Great Recession brought double-digit unemployment rates and large budget deficits; housing construction had ground to a halt. Since then, I’ve worked with two Mayors and our Board of Supervisors to champion economic policies that helped to create 70,000 diverse jobs; San Francisco now has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. We now have a stable budget, the largest in our city’s history with a significant social safety net for our most vulnerable residents. I’ve also worked to move forward a pipeline of 50,000 new homes to be built in the coming years, including public housing and affordable housing for low-income and working families.

There is much at stake. At the state level, it is going to be vital to implement and enforce AB 1266, passed by Assemblymember Ammiano, which addresses the exclusion of transgender students from classes and activities, and clarifies existing anti-discrimination law to provide clear protections to transgender students.

We must also push for new protection against bullying in schools, and work to defeat discrimination in jobs, housing and health care against our trans brothers and sisters.

Supervisors David Chiu and David Campos spoke at the State Assembly Debate, sponsored by the Alice B Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and the Harvard Club, at the LGBT Center on March 12. Chiu told the overflow crowd that he would be a better Assemblyman because he is more adept at getting legislation passed, and Campos said that he would be a better Assemblyman because he is more dedicated to, and successful at, the fight against gentrification.

This is why I believe it is important that authentic LGBT voices are elected to the State Assembly. The Assembly District I am running for, the one sought

by Harvey Milk, has a long tradition of electing LGBT representatives. Since 1996, we have been represented by Carole Migden, Mark Leno and Tom Ammiano.

This is more important today than ever because LGBT representation in Sacramento is being threatened by term limits.

As LGBT Caucus Chair Rich Gordon has said, the LGBT Caucus in the State Legislature is in jeopardy of shrinking by 25%. Already, the LGBT Caucus is smaller than the Women’s, Black, API and Latino Caucuses. With both Speaker Perez and Tom Ammiano termed out, it could shrink to just six members—a scant 5% of the state legislature.

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In the past decade, Equality California has tracked legislation of critical interest to the LGBT community. Of the 114 bills it tracked, over 55% were authored and sponsored by members of the LGBT Caucus. The strength of the LGBT Caucus is vital to our community.

In San Francisco, as an openly gay elected official, I have worked with the community for our shared values. Together, we are working to make the HIV prevention medication PrEP available to all. We fought back and won when Facebook tried to change their name policy blocking transpeople and drag queens from accessing their pages. We passed first of its kind equal housing legislation incentivizing developers to implement national LGBT policies.

We are also working hard to create the first-ever LGBT homeless shelter. We created an LGBT Senior Task Force. We helped keep the LGBT Center financially afloat and open, fought to protect HIV and AIDS funding, and worked to restore funding for community organizations such as LYRIC, El/La Para Trans Latinas, Aguilas, and Community United Against Violence.

San Franciscans have led the nation in the civil rights movement of our time, and we should be proud of our achievements, but there is so much left to do in order to create full equality for the LGBT community. It is hard to imagine that with two representatives in the Assembly, San Francisco would not have a member of the LGBT Community as one of them.

We need LGBT elected representatives who are going to be committed to full equality for our community, and I look forward to doing that with your support. http://www.davidcampossf.com/

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Robert Wilson Mikhail Baryshnikov Willem Dafoe The Old Woman

By Daniil Kharms Direction, Set Design, Lighting Concept: Robert Wilson Adapted by Darryl Pinckney

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Betty’s List, Bay Times, and the Oakland A’s present

What Does an Unstable World Mean for the Markets?

In fact, since the year 2000, investors have experienced: • The bursting of the technology stock price “bubble” • The tragic attacks of September 11, 2001

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• Two recessions and two severe bear markets

Money Matters

• A run-up and then massive decline in home values across much of the nation

Brandon Miller and Joanne Jordan

• A deep financial crisis that proved to be a major setback to the global economy

The past few months have seen a number of troubling situations develop around the world. Russia’s involvement in the Ukrainian conf lict has continued, and recently airstrikes began against the Islamic state extremist group in Syria. The growing list of global concerns may add to a sense of unease for investors.

• The highest unemployment rate in nearly 30 years

Despite these issues, stock markets continued to soar to new highs through the middle of 2014 with the Dow Jones Industrial Average topping 17,000 for the first time on July 3, 2014. Is this a sign that investors are in denial about potential problems that may be brewing? Or does it tell us that investors can look past geopolitical risks and focus more on fundamental factors when investing?

Dealing with distractions As history shows, there are always areas of concern at home and abroad.

• U.S. involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

just a reaction to developments that is quickly overcome by other fundamental factors, or whether the event will create a secular change in the markets.

The S&P 500 Financial sector index peaked at 509.55 in February 2007, and then dropped to below 100 in early 2009. As of September 2014, it is back above 300, but a long way from its peak. The crisis clearly had a negative impact on that sector of the market that lingers to this day.

At a broader level, however, the stock market has more than recovered the ground it lost from 2007 to 2009. At the end of August, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at more than 17,000, 20% higher than the peak it achieved prior to the downturn that began in 2007.

Bad news is part of the landscape

It follows a long-term trend. Going back in history, the value of the stock market as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen over time.

There have been periods of decline. But the market has historically overcome these setbacks. From World Wars to the Great Depression to the Arab Oil Embargo of the 1970s to the tragedy of 9/11, business continues and companies keep finding ways to generate profits.

While today’s headlines shouldn’t be ignored, be careful not to let them be overly influential as you position your portfolio for the long run.

Today, major events across the globe can be felt close to home in a large and diverse, yet interconnected, world. Investors are wise to stay abreast of how specific issues may impact their investment decisions. The question is whether the impact on the markets will be

Brandon Miller, CFP, and Joanne Jordan, CFP, are financial consultants at Brio Financial Group, A Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Inc. in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

• Continued tensions in other areas of the Middle East These are among the biggest headline issues that have come into play in the past 15 years. The stock market clearly suffered through some of those periods, with bear markets occurring from 2000 to 2002 and again from late 2007 to early 2009. Yet, the markets recovered as they have throughout history.

Which Car Gets Your Vote, The Kia Sorento or the Volkswagen Passat?

It says it is serious about improving quality, and that is the only way it will achieve its world-domination sales goals.

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The Kia is the one still getting its name out there. It is funny that many of the clients whom I help to buy cars shy away from the Kia brand, and I get it. For instance, as a real estate agent, would you gamble that your clients would look past a marque’s uncertain reputation and see the goodness of the car you are ferrying them around in, all while a comparable Mercedes-Benz or BMW with a few miles on it is equally in reach and instantly connotes status?

Volkswagen we all know, and like the candidate who has been proven untrue, VW is healing a dented image.

But it is also funny how ma ny of my normally carVW Passat bl i nd cl ient s have ruled out Vo l k s w a g e n , because they k no w s o m e one who has had a terrible time with their 2000 -something Passat or Jetta or Golf.

It is like trying to pitch American cars, which by default seem Kia Sorento to be verboten.

The 2015 Passat does deserve consideration. It is notably roomy, and rear legroom in particular is limo-like.

Nice, but the aforementioned severity does show up in plastics that are unkind to the touch. It is like the candidate who is attractive but not so relatable; the Passat looks good, but its hard surfaces remind you of the separation between you and what is around you.

By comparison, the 2015 Sorento is as warm as a “Morning In America” Reagan ad. Climb in, and your knees come to rest against an armrest and center console that are both softly padded—just the thing for soothing them after the Passat’s hard ridges. The Sorento’s handling is less controlled than the VW’s, but it smoothes over bumps like a well-oiled PR machine.

The VW does not gloss over things, while the Kia makes you feel like you’ve come home again.

The trip computers in each read that the Passat’s diesel engine more than doubled the Kia’s guzzling nine-mpg average, which in fairness is in the range of other gas V6s on SF’s hills.

An equal number of buyers are choosing Passats and Sorentos; these vehicles are very different, but an election between their personalities would be a nail-biter.

See you at the polls on November 4!

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant at www.gaycarguy.com. Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com

Joanne Jordan Reflects on Her Success as an ICU Nurse Turned Financial Adviser Pro Joanne Jordan is no stranger to the LGBT community or to this paper.

She’s a monthly contributor for us, an active philanthropist within San Francisco, and a co-owner of one of the largest independent Private Wealth firms within Ameriprise Financial Services. We asked Joanne to reflect upon her impressive career and success in the business world.

San Francisco Bay Times: I understand that you had a career transition to become a financial advisor. Please tell us about that.

Joanne Jordan: I was an ICU nurse for many years and decided to leave health care and pursue another career.

I knew I wanted to do something that would challenge me and I still work closely with people. It’s always been important to me to do something that helps others and, after much thought and soul searching, a career as a financial advisor was the perfect fit. I have never looked back or regretted my decision. I feel so fortunate that I have had a wonderful career that I have loved. I am forever grateful for the trust and confidence of my friends and colleagues who believed in me and initially helped me grow my practice.

San Francisco Bay Times: We know that you service a large LGBT clientele within the Bay Area and are very active within our local community. How are LGBT financial planning needs unique?

Joanne Jordan: LGBT planning is ever changing. Now that marriage is

legal in California, the landscape has changed, but there are still unique needs. I seem to spend more time discussing cash flow and how to merge couples’ finances, community property and the titling of investments, legacy planning and tax planning with my LGBT clients, but these differences really apply to any non-traditional family.

San Francisco Bay Times: Do you believe LGBT individuals seek LGBT advisors?

Joanne Jordan: I think the LGBT community seeks advisors that are experienced and knowledgeable about the issues that are specific to our unique needs. There are instances where this is an LGBT advisor, but that’s not always the case. Our firm has always focused on the unique needs of non-traditional families, and our entire team is very knowledgeable in this area, regardless of sexual orientation.

San Francisco Bay Times: What top three tips do you have for someone who is hoping to start their own business?

Joanne Jordan: First, create a business plan so you know where you want to go and how you plan to get there.

Small businesses are challenging and there are a lot of roles you must fill.

Many small business owners are not always as good at running the business and this is where they may face some challenges. The second tip is therefore to take stock and self-assess. If you have a weakness, find a way to educate yourself, or find a person to join your team and fill the gap. Thirdly, have a cash reserve to get you through times when business may not be a lucrative.

San Francisco Bay Times: If you knew then what you know now, what would you tell your 18-year-old self?

For me, personally, I became a planner largely to work with women and to help them feel empowered about their finances. I feel the financial planning field is a wonderful career for women as it plays well to strengths that come naturally to many of us, like making connections with people and approaching decisions holistically.

Joanne Jordan: Be brave and follow your heart. Don’t worry so much about what other people think, and don’t believe them when they say, “You can’t do that.”

San Francisco Bay Times: What three things, people or roles have contributed the most to your success?

Joanne Jordan: My spouse Jan, my friends and family, my dogs.

Joanne Jordan: My spouse Jan, my business partner Brandon, and my former career as an ICU nurse.

San Francisco Bay Times: What three things could you not live without?

Joanne Jordan is a financial columnist for the “San Francsico Bay Times” and is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group, www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/briofinancial-group/

Joanne Jordan (left), with her wife Jan Robertson

The San Francisco Bay Times congratulates Joanne Jordan on her impressive career and years of dedication to her clients, friends and community.

BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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New Survey Identifies Aging Concerns in the LGBT Community

Aging in Community Our parents’ generation prided themselves on being independent. But most of us boomers who have lovingly provided years of support and caregiving for frail or ill parents know firsthand what a struggle it is to help elderly parents remain in their homes. These intimate and challenging experiences assisting our aging parents, along with the prospect of our own longevity, have created concerns about our ability to age well and to continue to live healthy, active meaningful lives.

Numerous studies have identified factors unique to LGBT older adults and seniors that can be cause for a more intense level of concern and a source of ongoing distress. LGBT older adults are more likely than their heterosexual peers to live alone and not to have spouses or adult children to assist them in later life. We know from our caregiving experience with aging and frail family members that spouses and adult children are both the primary caregivers for seniors and an essential resource for social and financial assistance. How can we not be concerned about aging?

A recent national survey (“Out and Visible: The Experiences and Attitudes of LGBT Older Adults, Ages 45 -75,” Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders, 10/6/14, http://www. sageusa.org/resources/publications. cfm?ID=214) explored age-related concerns among 1857 LGBT and 519 heterosexual people aged 45 to 75. It found significant differences in the level of concern. LGBT survey participants exhibit significantly higher levels of concern than their heterosexual peers about their ability to care for themselves as they grow old. Here are some key findings from the report:

I just have more time for them.

Pottery artist and community volunteer, Richard Williams has more time now; time to create and enjoy his friends. Freed from life’s chores like cleaning and cooking which are provided by The Sequoias, he invests his time in his real love, throwing pottery. Call Candiece at (415) 351-7900 to learn more and how to manage future health care costs.

Be passionate!

• LGBT older people fear that discrimination will be a barrier to accessing and receiving quality health care. Transgender people fear they will be denied medical treatment.

• LGBT people report experiencing significantly more concern about growing old alone, being lonely and not having someone to care for them.

• 40% of LGBT participants report that their support networks have become smaller over time compared to 27% of heterosexuals.

• LGBT older adults report fearing and experiencing more discrimination in housing and age-specific care environments.

• 40% of LGBT older adults fear that discrimination will be a barrier to work or volunteer activities.

While the concerns and fears expressed in the survey are distressing, there is something positive to consider.

Fears and concerns can be the impetus for action. We can take heart that the San Francisco Bay Area is home to a small, but growing, network of LGBT aging and LGBT inclusive senior serving agencies and organizations such as Openhouse, San Francisco Village, Community Living Campaign, Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, and the Black Coalition on AIDS/Rafiki Wellness.

Aging well isn’t so much about independence as interdependence. We can

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• More than half of the surveyed LGBT people were very or extremely concerned about not having enough financial resources to live on as they age. LGBT older women were significantly more concerned than heterosexual women.

The survey concludes with recommendations to create more LGBT welcoming environments in aging and senior services by providing cultural competency training to mainstream providers and proposes that “LGBT aging programs can fill the gap, but these types of supports need more funding support and widespread expansion.”

My passions haven’t changed.

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Representatives Manuel Martinez and Charlie Levan from Openhouse staffed an information table at the LGBT Homeless Conect held at the SF LGBT Community Center on October 17.

LGBT Resources for Seniors • Openhouse: 415-296-8995 openhouse-sf.org/ • Family Caregiver Alliance: 415-434-3388 www.caregiver.org • Institute on Aging: 415-7504111, www.ioaging.org/ • National Resource Center on LGBT Aging www.lgbtagingcenter.org/ • Project Open Hand San Francisco: Nutrition Services, 415-447-2300 www.openhand.org/ • SAGE: 212-741-2247 www.sageusa.org/about/ • Shanti Project, Inc: HIV Services and Life Threatening Illnesses, 415-674-4700 www.shanti.org/ Alzheimer’s Association Programs and Services: • 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-2723900, www.alz.org/norcal/; Online Community: www. alzheimersblog.org/lgbt-forum • Memory Clinic, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center: 408-5306900, mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/facilities/region/santaclara/area_master/ departments/memoryclinic/ index.jsp

Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the Aging in Community column. For her summary of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: sf baytimes.com/ challenges-and-opportunties

turn fear into advocacy and concern into community building. Take action and get involved.

Dr. Marcy Adelman, a clinical psychologist in private practice, is co-founder of the nonprofit organization Openhouse and was a leading member of the San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force.

Visit the Openhouse website openhouse-sf.org for more about upcoming events and activities for LGBT seniors!

PHOTO BY RINK

Marcy Adelman

What a Difference a Decade Makes: The 10 Year Anniversary of the Marriage Caravan Ten years ago this month, Marriage Equality USA leaders decided to channel the seemingly boundless energy of the San Francisco Winter of Love into a nationwide bus tour—the Marriage Equality Express—nicknamed “the caravan.”

The caravan’s purpose was to give people across our nation the opportunity to meet LGBTQ couples, their friends, and family, see our common humanity, and to hear our real life stories of how marriage discrimination harms LGBTQ people.

The 44 caravan riders included binational couples, whose relationships and families were torn apart or threatened because of DOMA; military veteran couples who had served under the burden of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; parents of LGBTQ people; children of LGBTQ couples; and ministers. The group was racially diverse, with AfricanAmericans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and mixed race Americans all playing active and visible roles.

We were thrilled to join the caravan.

The caravan’s stops across the country varied widely. We joined local activists to conduct rallies in Reno, Denver, and St. Louis. In Washington DC, we put on the f irst national marriage equality rally. The national rally featured personal stories from all the caravan’s riders and speeches by DC Congressional delegate and civil rights legend Eleanor Holmes Nor-

Marriage Equality John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, Marriage Equality USA ton and California State Senator Mark Leno.

We also participated in local community events in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Columbus, Ohio. One unusual stop was at the Silver Bells Wedding Chapel in Reno, Nevada, where same-sex couples from the caravan, fully dressed in wedding attire, asked to get married. After the somewhat stunned receptionist declined, we switched partners so that we were different sex couples, and asked if the chapel could marry us. She responded they could.

We explained that although we were friends with our new “partners,” we had years-long, loving, committed relationships with our real partners. The event illuminated the arbitrariness and absurdity of these exclusionary laws—and made front-page news.

• • •

Everywhere we went, we utilized the media. The San Francisco Chronicle dispatched a reporter and photographer to travel with us and ran reports from the caravan daily. The caravan was usually the lead story on the local television news wherever we went. Even when there were small crowds for events, the local news stations and newspapers came out, enabling us to further our goal of putting a human face of the issue. C-SPAN 2 broadcast the entire rally nationwide.

• • •

What a difference a decade makes.

Ten years ago, none of the states on the caravan’s itinerary had marriage equality. Now, nearly all of them do: California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Key provisions of DOMA are now history, and Congress has repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

More work lies ahead, but the caravan contributed in its own unique way to the success the movement enjoys today. It continues to demonstrate that every step LGBTQ people, their friends, and family take—and every mile we log along this journey—bring us closer to our common goal of full nationwide equality.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for nearly three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. They are leaders in the nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Take the Marital Plunge future as everything evolves, including you and your partner? Do you ever wonder why so many celebrity marriages fail; indeed, why so many celebrities seem to have a succession of marriages during the years they are in the limelight? What do you imagine causes this?

Why do you want to get married?

What is it that drives you, calls to you, and makes you sure you are doing the right thing?

Are your motives emotional, spiritual, physical, political, financial, or something else? How do you know?

Have you discussed any of these things with your partner? With your spiritual advisor, therapist, best friend—with your own inner guide?

Is marriage something you have always wanted, or did you just recently come to this desire? Is the strength of your desire for marriage the same as that of your partner?

Do you have an understanding of what it means to be married? Where did that understanding come from?

Your parents’ marriage? A previous marriage of your own? The movies?

Literature? TV? The funnies? The tabloids?

What is a husband? What is a wife?

What is a spouse? How are these things different from a mate, a partner, a best friend? Do you have a sense of this relationship as being eternal, for a lifetime, forever?

How do you handle change, especially unexpected change? How have you and your partner handled change so far? What skills do you bring to the changing nature of the world in these times of economic uncertainty? What kind of a financial steward are you, and what kind is your partner? How are you at discussing financial matters, especially in the tough times, such as when there isn’t enough money?

Do you consider yourself a good communicator? And your partner— how is she/he? Are you as good at

Weddings Reverend Elizabeth River listening and really hearing as you are at expressing yourself? Are there subjects you tend to avoid or just be quiet about? What are they? Might these avoided subjects be a problem some day in your marriage?

Assuming love is at the bottom of your desire, how do you see this love as foundational to the strength of your marriage? How, in fact, do you define love? Is it a feeling? A noun?

A state of being? A verb? Is the love you have for your mate as strong as the love for yourself and vice versa?

Do you have love for something larger than yourself—a source, a higher power, a divine being?

What is the source of your love?

Can you answer the question: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…?”

Considering that so many marriages have “failed,” what makes you confident and clear about the strength and permanence of the marriage you want to enter into?

How will you learn and grow in the

I am not trying to give you a huge, enormous essay-question test, even though it may seem so! No, I am just thinking out loud (well, on paper) about the deeper and more mysterious truths that lurk underneath the outer choices and decisions we make, especially regarding marriage.

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Think about it: marriage is one of the most significant acts a couple ever makes. And the idea is that it is a vow, a commitment you intend to keep for the rest of your life. Yet, the world in our time is so very different from the olden days, when marriages, families, jobs and careers did last a whole lifetime. All of that has radically changed. It’s rare now, for someone to get into a job, or even a “career,” and stay in it over a whole working life. So I just wonder how couples will create long-term, committed marriages, through all the vicissitudes of life in our world.

These are just some things to think about, and to talk about with your partner. I recommend it. I do like to see couples go deeply into the whole subject of marriage before they take the important leap.

My blessings to you in your marriage, however you enter into it!

Rev. Elizabeth River is an ordained Interfaith Minister based in the North Bay. For more information, please visit www. marincoastweddings.com

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Congratulations SF Giants, World Series 2014 Champions!

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Thanks to our home team for a fabulous season.

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14

Tom Moon, MFT Wariness is a kind of innate default setting in the human brain. To keep our ancestors alive, the brain evolved a “negativity bias”—an inclination to be constantly on the alert for potential dangers. Most of us continually hear an ongoing background whisper of unease that keeps us scanning our inner and outer worlds for signs of trouble. The result is that we’re biased toward exaggerating real dangers and imagining others that don’t exist (the national hysteria over Ebola is one obvious example).

BAY TIMES OCTO B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 4

This background anxiety is so automatic that we can easily forget it’s there. Hyper vigilance may have been an adaptive way for our primate ancestors to avoid being surprised by predators, but it’s a painful and unnecessary way for modern humans to live. It exhausts us, feeds anxiety and depression, and encourages us to avoid risks and play it too safe in our lives.

But there’s a lot we can do to counteract negativity bias. The first step is to tune into it. To do that, you just pay attention to the tension in the body, or the blocks you feel from completely relaxing and letting go. One instructive exercise is to try to walk through a familiar public place that you know is safe, and try to remain in a continuously relaxed state. You’ll probably be surprised at how hard it is to do. Or sit still at home for five minutes straight while trying to feel completely open, relaxed and at peace in the present moment. This may sound easy, but in fact most people can’t do it.

Once you’re aware of how pervasive this background fear is, the next step is to focus your awareness on the present moment. When we think about the future, we worry and plan. When

we think about the past, we resent and regret. Look again at the present moment, and ask yourself, “On present evidence, how safe am I right now?” Am I breathing? Is my heart beating? In all likelihood, no one is attacking you. You’re not in the middle of a hurricane. No one is shooting at you. In short, you’re not in danger.

The present moment isn’t perfect, but you’re okay.

We can do much to lower our anxiety and stress levels by taking mindful pauses several times a day. Simply stop being occupied with the past or the future, and rest for a few breaths in the simplicity of the present. It’s possible to do this even in the middle of a busy life. While driving or riding the bus, notice that you’re okay right now. While talking with someone or working at your computer, just notice that nothing is wrong right now.

This doesn’t mean ignoring real threats or issues, or pretending that everything is perfect when it clearly isn’t. But in the middle of everything, you can usually see that you’re actually fine right now. You may be stuck in traffic. Your back may be hurting.

You may want more money or love.

But meanwhile, underneath all the wanting, all the striving, all the busyness, you can notice that, right now, the foundation of all your activities is an aliveness and an awareness that is doing fine. It’s a remarkable fact that, no matter how difficult our lives might be, in the vast majority of our moments, we are safe.

Of course it’s true that sometimes you’re really not all right. Maybe your body is in acute pain, or you’re in the middle of a personal crisis. At those times you need to do what you can to ride out the storm. But as soon as possible, notice that the core of your being is okay, like the calm place fifty feet below the surface of an agitated sea. In time, it becomes possible to sense the place in you that is always deeper than fear, always alive and present and all right. Over time, it is possible to learn to feel at home in this place. With regular practice, it becomes possible to rest in the uncomplicated safety of the present moment while still getting things done and responding to problems.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. For more information, please visit tommoon.net

Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow No Chance for Hold-Out States The fortnights f ly by, and we soar ever closer to national marriage equality. As October draws to a close, marriage is legal in 32 states, and another three states are fighting a lost battle to escape binding appellate court rulings. Those, for the record, are Kansas, Montana and South Carolina, where marriage bans can no longer survive legal review, but where officials are still pledging to “defend state law.” It’s just a matter of days really before judges in those three states slam down the gavel on these grand standing charades.

Meanwhile, some states are asking the Ninth Circuit to review its pro-marriage decision “en banc,” i.e. with a large panel of judges. Since marriage remains legal during these long shot efforts, it doesn’t really matter. Consider as well that, earlier this year, the full Ninth Circuit declined to second guess a panel that delivered one of the most powerful pro-gay rulings ever issued. Under the circumstances, and given that the High Court itself has ducked marriage equality, it’s hardly likely that the Ninth Circuit will let the marriage litigation drag on any further.

Oh. I hear some of you asking: “Ann, while you’re blathering on about the goings on in the Ninth Circuit, what about that powerful ruling you mentioned?” Of course! I was referring to SmithKline v Abbott, where Judge Stephen Reinhardt and his panel ruled that sexual orientation discrimination should be evaluated with heightened scrutiny by all federal courts in the nine-state circuit. That made antigay laws presumptively unconstitutional throughout the American West. Not bad for a day’s work, and pretty much the death knell for any Hail Mary passes from Idaho or wherever. We have seen the end zone, and there are no antigay players within fifty yards.

equality victory last August. But Florida also has a state case that could conceivably beat the federal appellate court to a decision. Arkansas also has a state case pending a ruling by the Razor Back Supremes. And though marriage cases continue at the federal district court level in other Eighth Circuit states, there are no decisions on appeal yet. I should add that Missouri has carved out a special niche by refusing to appeal a federal court that ordered the Slave State to recognize marriages from elsewhere.

Who’s on First Circuit?

I’m happy to report that—as a matter of logistics—the above rundown represents the first time I have ever been able to review the status of states that do not offer marriage rights to same-sex couples. Soon, we’ll be able to recite the names of these backwards sisters just as we were once able to rattle off the names of all the states that allowed marriage equality. Soon we will count them on two hands, then one.

But our journey through the American marriage landscape is not over for today. On Tuesday, October 21, a nut job federal judge out of Puerto Rico decided that the rest of the federal bench (with the exception of the lunatic out of Louisiana) was off track and that, in fact, marriage discrimination was not only defensible, but admirable. In other words, we received our second federal defeat in a marriage case.

Counting Down from Fifteen

The ruling, by Judge Juan Perez Giminez, will now move to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, a small liberal appellate court that governs much of New England. I sort of forgot about Puerto Rico when I filed the First Circuit along with the Second and the Third under “Appellate jurisdictions where marriage is already legal.” But now, I suppose we can look forward to yet another strong equality ruling some time next year. Yay.

So, how about those other 15 states, you’re wondering? As you know, we are waiting on the Sixth Circuit for a decision that will cover Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky. That could come any day now, and it’s increasingly difficult to predict the outcome. If we lose, the High Court must intervene in order to resolve the constitutional principles at stake.

I was going to write more about Puerto Rico, delivering some welldeserved ridicule on the doorstep of Judge Perez Giminez’s courthouse.

But I find myself tiring of marriage news at the moment. Hey. Here’s something that occurred to me as I was reading about the hero Secret Service dog who captured a White House fence jumper the other day.

Really? Listen, at this point I hardly trust myself to anticipate anything this Court might do, or not do. I was the one assuring all my readers that the Court had “no choice” but to accept review of at least one of the marriage cases that they were considering late last month. So much for my analysis, although I was in good company as the jaws of attorneys around the country dropped in unison when the Court declined to act.

Loyal readers know I have two pugs.

Can you imagine if the Secret Service had pugs instead of attack dogs?

Pugs will attack, in a sense. They will run up to strangers and bark wildly and try to jump on their legs. I think for every one German sheperd you would need ten pugs in order to maintain the same deterrent. But it would work! And how cute would that be?

But could the justices really stall further if the Sixth upholds “traditional” marriage? At the risk of another botched prediction, I have to say no.

As for the Fifth Circuit, they have just announced that oral arguments in the parallel cases out of Texas and Louisiana will be heard in the first week of January. Mississippi’s fate also hangs in the balance, as the College Football State falls under the Fifth’s jurisdiction.

Then we have the Eleventh Circuit (Florida, Georgia and Alabama) and the Eighth, which covers the last five non-marriage states (Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and the Dakotas).

The Eleventh has a case pending from Florida, where we won an

I can see the fence jumper anxiously prowling the intimidating barricade, his mind awash in crazy juice. He must see the President! Go Go Go. In one lithe movement, he scales the fence, stumbles briefly, and makes for the White House. A quick thinking agent radios the kennel. “Release the pugs,” he orders. Adrenaline surging, he races after the intruder. And now, a horde of small pugs converge from the other direction as fast as their little legs can carry them. Scowling with outrage (a common pug expression), the feisty pack trips up the dangerous suspect and surrounds him, yapping feverishly, until the agents catch up and draw their guns.

The President and his family are safe!

Later, the pugs gather under the balcony while Malia and Sasha shower them with pupperoni sticks. I like it.

Professional Services Words Won’t Hurt Matthew Shepard I have a number of items on my list, but they’re all over the map. One thing I thought I’d mention was a full page ad in the New York Times from GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network) urging people to stop using the word “gay” in a pejorative context. The ad is part of a multi-media campaign, sponsored as a public service by the Advertising Council, aimed to call attention to bullying and name-calling.

I think it’s great. I only wonder why the ad was placed on the inside back page of the Sunday Business Section.

Seriously? Who reads that? I’m a devoted Times reader, but I would only read the business section if a) I had already read every other Sunday section, which is a time-consuming exercise, and b) if I had nothing better to do than read every single page of the Sunday New York Times, which suggests an alarming dearth of imagination. Those two criteria were indeed both met a few Sundays ago when I stumbled upon the ad, but who else would have seen it? A couple of CEOs and some MBA students?

Having warned you that my topics are all over the map, I will pivot to the 2013 book that some investigative journalist wrote about Matthew Shepard. Here, I really should take a step back. I haven’t read the book and I can’t tell you its title or author without looking it up. I can tell you that the book, written by a gay man, was reportedly researched for 13 years and goes into detail about Shepard’s alleged drug use (crystal) and his relationship with at least one of the men who killed him (who was bisexual or at least tricked with men). The murder might possibly have been drug related, since Shepard may have had a stash hidden somewhere and/or the killers might have been high on meth.

Is this true? I have no idea. I remember from covering the Shepard story that some of these allegations were reported at the time, but I also remember thinking that the story of Shepard was iconic, and that it was as much about gay bashing as it was about the individuals themselves. By the time this type of detail made it into the media, the story of Shepard brought forth the image of a young gay man hanging on a fence like a scarecrow with tears tracking through the dirt on his face. The killers represented the archetypical macho thugs who bashed their way through small town bars at will throughout this country without drawing even a sidebar in the local press.

Nearly 20 years ago, the question of whether or not Matthew Shepard used drugs was completely irrelevant.

That said, that was nearly 20 years ago. If Matthew Shepard’s murder didn’t really conform to the script, by all means, write a book and give us the evidence. From what I read, however, some community members are horrified at the notion that anyone would question the hate crime scenario. To some, Matthew Shepard must remain a pleasant young grad student, selected at random for a senseless murder by gay-hating strangers. Add to this, the fact that the far right has long pushed the (equally simplistic) idea that Shepard was a drug addict who deserved his fate, and you have a perfect storm, recently intensified by an article in the Guardian.

The bottom line is that no research can challenge the phenomenon that followed the Matthew Shepard murder. No analysis can dispute the ubiquity of random violence directed at (continued on page 28)

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What is STRIBILD? STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. It combines 4 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. STRIBILD is a complete single-tablet regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.

STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking STRIBILD. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD? STRIBILD can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency.

Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain.

• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time.

In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.

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• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking STRIBILD, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse.

Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

STRIBILD is not approved for the treatment of HBV.

Who should not take STRIBILD? Do not take STRIBILD if you: • Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, methylergonovine, cisapride, lovastatin, simvastatin, pimozide, sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), triazolam, oral midazolam, rifampin or the herb St. John’s wort.

• For a list of brand names for these medicines, please see the Brief Summary on the following pages.

• Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, or the medicine adefovir (Hepsera®).

What are the other possible side effects of STRIBILD? Serious side effects of STRIBILD may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do regular blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with STRIBILD. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

• Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines.

• Changes in your immune system.

Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking STRIBILD. The most common side effects of STRIBILD include nausea and diarrhea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD? • All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection.

• All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider.

• If you take hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc).

• If you take antacids.

Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in STRIBILD can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.

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STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used as a complete single-tablet regimen to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

I started my personal revolution Talk to your healthcare provider about starting treatment.

STRIBILD is a complete HIV-1 treatment in 1 pill, once a day.

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Happy 40th Anniversary, SF FrontRunners! lar novel read by hundreds of thousands of primarily gay men, and it has been translated into ten languages.

Sports Tony Jasinski The San Francisco FrontRunners, the founding chapter of the world’s LGBT and straight allies running organization, is an impressively strong franchise. SF FrontRunners is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with a grand dinner and celebration on December 6 from 6 to 11pm at the General’s Residence at Fort Mason. Members hope to attract many prior years’ participants to join in the celebration.

One of the presenters will be SF FrontRunners co-founder Gardiner Pond.

The name of the organization was taken from Patricia Nell Warren’s 1974 book, “The Front Runner,” about an affair between a coach and his gay Olympic runner. When Warren wrote the book, she identified as straight, but she came out as a lesbian later in her life. The book was a popu-

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana Sez, “This November 4th is Election Day. LGBTQ citizens, be sure to get OUT to the polls or turn in your absentee ballots early to Queer the Vote!”

AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP) commemorated 31 years of service to the HIV/AIDS community with their FROM THE HEART: FROM HOPELESS TO HOPEFUL 31st Reception & Auction in the Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange. Over 300 guests helped raise more than $170,000 in support of ALRP legal services for people living with HIV/AIDS. ALRP honored

The title of the book (and name of our local organization) comes from a nickname for someone who tends to run near the front of the pack in a footrace, particularly at the early stages of longer races. Often, a front-runner ends up much later in the group of runners as a result of exhaustion from pushing too much at the beginning.

The biggest run of the week is every Saturday, with as many as 85 runners participating. There are smaller runs in the financial district on Tuesdays and in the Castro on Thursdays.

People sometimes gather after runs for brunches and other things. There are movie nights, a Halloween gala, and additional regular social events.

The organization is not only a great resource for runners, but it is also a resource for those who are seeking walking events. Their website, www. sffr.org, even lists events in Europe.

Ned Moran, a current off icer, was quite helpful in telling what he values about the FrontRunners. Ned has participated for the last 6 years. He became involved with FrontRunners just 2 weeks after having moved to San Francisco from Los Angeles. As a result of his local participation, he will now seek out runs by other FrontRunners clubs elsewhere. Ned said that the hardest part for him is makthose who have made a lasting difference in the lives of people with HIV/ AIDS. This year, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener helped present: Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award to James W. Wood; Attorney of the Year Award to Mary Catherine Wiederhold; and Firm of the Year Award to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. E.D. Bill Hirsh thanked all the attorneys and volunteers putting in countless hours of pro bono legal assistance.

Currently, more than 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco are age 50 or older. Many of them are facing new challenges that result from living longer, such as the possible loss of their housing due to record high rents and evictions, and dramatic reductions in their incomes as a result of moving from the income guaranteed by a long-term disability insurance policy to social security.

In response, ALRP has created the ALRP HIV50+ Project, a community partnership developed especially for people with HIV over 50 years of age.

SHANTI’s Fortieth Anniversary Gala, COMPASSION IS UNIVERSAL, with over 600 of Shanti’s friends in attendance, was the biggest event in their history - raising over $500,000. The inspiring evening recognized Reverend Cecil Williams & Janice Mirikitani, recipients of the Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement Award given by The Honorable Willie L. Brown, Jr.; Shanti’s founder, Dr. Charles Garfield, was given special tribute by Executive Director Kaushik Roy; and we fondly remembered our dear friend Stu Smith, whose posthumous award was received by Smith’s longtime partner Dave Earl. We heard moving remarks from Kaushik Roy, who thanked everyone for their “ongoing love and support for our mission and clients.”

ACA DEMY OF FRIENDS annually produces the world’s premier Academy Awards Night Charity Gala as the centerpiece of its efforts to raise funds, award donations, and encourage volunteerism that benefit a diverse set of HIV/AIDS direct care and prevention education agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area. AoF held their GALA KICK-OFF AND BENEFICIARY ANNOUNCEMENT

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ing the time to train and run while maintaining a busy work schedule.

Ned’s favorite aspect of the organization is the camaraderie. “The sport itself is a solitary endeavor,” he said, “so adding a positive social aspect with it is a netting that brings so many runners together.”

He added that most of his friends here have come through the club.

One annual event that is particularly amusing is the Little Black Dress Run, which took place this year in September. Not only is it a silly run through the park, but it also has postrun awards for such things as “Most Matronly” and “Most Flamboyant.”

Ned said that he wore Jackie Onassis sunglasses with his little black dress this year. He joked, “My only known appearance on YouTube happens to be in my running dress from 2009.”

Ned reminds that visitors, tourists, and newbies are very much welcome.

There is also a significant outreach to recruit more women. Ned is proud that the organization attracts people from so many different backgrounds.

As he indicates, San Francisco FrontRunners, which got its start in the 70s, is still in its prime. For more information about the organization and its 40th anniversary event, please v isit ht t p://w w w.sf fr.org/page/ show/477310-home Tony Jasinski is the former president of the San Francisco Gay Basketball League.

at The Bubble Lounge. Matthew Denckla, Vice Chair, acted as emcee. He introduced various members of the board, including the charming Treasurer Beth Feingold and the new Board Chair Gil Padia, who had joined the board three years prior.

They announced the beneficiaries of this year’s gala: AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP), Huckleberry Youth Programs, HIV/A IDS Nightline, HIV Story Project, LGBTQ Connection, Positive Resource Center (PRC), and Project Open Hand. The theme is A CENTURY OF RADIANCE, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Pan Pacific Exposition and the 35th anniversary of Academy of Friends.

“Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Pan Pacific Expo is a reminder to all of us in the Bay Area that in spite of tragedy, there is hope of better things to come,” said Padia. “Likewise, AOF is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and while the fight against HIV/AIDS is not over, continued support of local community organizations is critical.”

The SF Design Center Galleria will be transformed into a miniature world’s fair on Sunday, February 22, 2015, 5-11:30pm. There is a contest online at Facebook for applicants to serve as Gold Boys (all gold to resemble living Oscar statues). Tickets on sale now at academyoffriends.org QUEER LIFESPACE presented QBAL: QUEERS UN-QORKED, a magical evening at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts - supporting queer-focused mental health care and honoring local queer leaders. We mingled with fellow supporters among beautiful art galleries showing artists’ astonishing works commemorating Dia de los Muertos (which must be seen to be amazed by) while enjoying live jazz by The Daria Johnson 4 and a queer youth poetry slam. A mixologist created the “Queertini” for that night only. The host committee was Sister Roma, Supervisor David Campos, Jeanna Eichenbaum, Gina Gatta, NCLR E.D. Kate Kendall, Juanita MORE, and the always lovely Mr. Pam. Emcee Paul Henderson hosted and introduced the honorees: Transgender Law Center E.D. Masen Davis with Community Advocate Award; Cheryl Dunye: (continued on page 28)

Round About - All Over Town

Representatives from Academy of Friends’ beneficiaries celebrated during the annual AOF kickoff party held at the Bubble Lounge.

AIDS Legal Referral Panel’s Jim McBride auctioneered while board secretary Jeffrey Jacobi modeled a designer robe during the Live Auction during the ALRP 31st Annual Reception.

Photos by Rink

Academy of Friends’ chair Gil Padia (left), executive director Howard Edelman and board member Beth Feingold gathered around the poster for next year’s AOF Academy Awards Night Gala to be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015.

Novelist K.M. Soehnlien interviewed author Armistead Maupin during an “in conversation” session in the SF Library’s One City One Book program. A packed audience attended at the Main Library.

AIDS Legal Referral Panel event co-chairs Michelle Roberts and Vincent Novak with Supervisor Scott Wiener, honorees Mary Catherine Wiederhold, James Wood and Sacha Steenhoek (accepting for Morgan Lewis), and ALRP executive director Bill Hirsh at the organization’s 31st Annual Reception held in the Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange Building

The Golden Gate Business Association’s Jason Holstein (left) and JP Leddy (right) with Senator Mark Leno at GGBA’s October Make Contact evening held at Hotel Kabuki

Kortney Ziegler (pictured), transgender rights leader Miss Major, and veteran activist Cleve Jones were honored during the SF LGBT Community Center’s LGBT Economic Justice Week program.

The TransForce HIV testing booth, sponsored by the Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center, at the Folsom Street Fair 2014 Onlookers joined in the ceremony for the installation of the Castro/ Eureka Valley History Walk.

Supervisor Scott Wiener, SF Planning Department’s Nick Perry and activist Trey Allen at the installation ceremony for the new Castro/Eureka Valley History Walk.

Acupuncturist David Blatt from Evolution Wellness spoke at the First Friday event held each month at Magnet.

Larkin Street Youth Services program director Jefferson Fellows at the LGBT Community Center during the LGBT Homeless Connect event

Medical workers provided testing services to guests at the LGBT Center during the LGBT Homeless Connect event.

Project Homeless Connect executive director Kara Zordel, Supervisor David Campos and LGBT Center executive director Rebecca Rolfe at The Center during the LGBT Homeless Connect event

Workers reinstalled the tiles in front of the historic Castro Theatre as part of the Castro Street Improvement Project.

Mayor Ed Lee (center) joined organizers of the LGBT Homeless Connect event held at the SF LGBT Community Center, including The Center’s executive director Rebecca Rolfe, Project Homeless Connect’s executive director Kara Zordel, Homeless Project Director Bevan Dufty and AIDS Housing Alliance executive director Brian Basinger.

Troy Brunet, Kim Montgomery and Steve Jirgl assisted attendees with free glasses offered at the LGBT Homeless Connect event held at the SF LGBT Community Center.

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Our Deepest Desires Can Dissolve Our Darkest Fears come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”

Astrology Gypsy Love Producer/Director Ben Stiller’s 2013 film adaptation of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” depicts the adventurous journey of longdissatisfied daydreamer Walter Mitty. A career crisis compels Mitty to burst through self-imposed barriers and finally be fully accountable for his fantasies. Cosmic forces remind us now that our deepest desires can dissolve our darkest fears. Bring your bliss out from hiding. As the film holds: “To see the world, things dangerous to

ARIES (March 21 – April 19) It’s getting hot in here!

Passionate encounters pique your pleasure zone now. Live it up, Aries. If you play your cards right, both body and spirit could soar to sizzling heights.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Tend to your close connections, Taurus. Relationships could use some TLC now. By pampering high-priority partnerships, you’ll also enhance your bond with the Universe at large.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) Withhold judgment, Gemini.

Instead of cursing the confusion surrounding your career, use this time to broaden your perspective.

Explore methods of service that synchronize your heart and soul.

CANCER ( June 21 – July 22) What f loats your boat, Cancer? Cosmically, you’re encouraged to trust your cravings and cultivate creative instincts.

Be willing to dream outside the box. Ready, set…play!

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) Go lean, Libra.

Astral indicators advise against impulse spending until you clarify authentic needs. Optimize your cash flow by rebalancing what you value and what you pay for.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) Be conscious of the company you keep, Capricorn.

You lack time or patience for insincere imposters now.

Surround yourself by community cohorts whose intentions are as earnest as yours.

LEO ( July 23 – August 22) Lighten your load, Leo. The planets implore that you absolve unhealthy attachments to the past. Recent hiccups on the home front reveal where you must let go.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) Step into your power, Scorpio. Celestial signals have disclosed where you’ve already outgrown the status quo.

Your next chapter awaits. Dare to design your ideal destiny.

AQUARIUS ( January 20 – February 18) Aim high, Aquarius. Your professional stature stands to improve now.

Success is imminent when you infuse artistic talent with ambitious pursuits. Allow your imagination to lead the way.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) Use your voice, Virgo. Social graces get a beneficial boost now. Attract strong supporters by taking the high road.

Nasty naysayers are no match against your skillful savoir faire.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) It’s time to tie up those loose ends, Sagittarius.

Subconsciously, you’ve completed a cycle that now begs for closure.

Reserve some private time for reflection, release, and renewal.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) Get inspired, Pisces.

Run-of-the-mill routines don’t do it for you now. These days, your taste favors more exotic flavors.

Indulge yourself in a little culture. It’s long overdue.

Gypsy Love Productions is dedicated to inspiring love and unity with music, dance, and astrology. www.GypsyLoveProductions.com

As Heard on the Street . . .

compiled by Rink

If you could improve one thing in San Francisco, what would it be?

Alice Espindola

Dan Choi

Strange de Jim

Larry Roberts

Scott Peterson

“More parking is needed.”

“A home for veterans where they would be well cared for and respected.”

“I’d install rainbow sidewalks and a Gay Walk of Fame.

What? They have? Wow!”

“I would want there to be affordable housing that is actually affordable.”

“Something should be done about the damned high rents.”

Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

415 370 7152

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

stevenunderhill.com · stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com 22

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#KateClinton2014 Plagues. Beheadings. Crusades. How far back did Cher turn time?

PHOTO BY PAUL KOLNIK

Arts & Entertainment

Christophe Caballero

Christophe Caballero, front row (left) with bowler hat

Christophe Caballero Dazzles and Rocks a Bowler Hat in Chicago

We were thrilled to catch up with Cabellero, who has appeared in four Tony-winning Broadway productions, numerous television shows, and was even Dita Von Teese’s partner for her Wonderbra collection.

San Francisco Bay Times: You look so familiar to us! Have you performed in a show in SF before?

Christophe Caballero: Yes, I was there in 2006 or 2007 with the show.

Huey Lewis was our star.

San Francisco Bay Times: Please tell us a bit about your role in Chicago.

Christophe Caballero: I’ve played many parts in the show, the longest being two years as the jury, which is what

San Francisco Bay Times: Any memorable moments that you could share with us, from during your time performing in Chicago?

Christophe Caballero: I think the memorable moments are the ones with all the different stars we’ve had the opportunity to perform with, from Tom Wopat, Lisa Rinna, Gregory Harrison, Greg Evigan, Huey Lewis, Robin Givens, Paige Davis and more. They all brought their personality to their roles, but that personality was just as much fun offstage.

San Francisco Bay Times: You have been in so many amazing productions over the years. Your resume includes several great, memorable shows. What have been some career highlights for you?

Christophe Caballero: Working with Jerome Robbins on the retrospective that he personally oversaw was the brass ring. Genius, pure genius. Recently, La Cage Aux Folles on Broadway was just so special too. A return to the big B-way after several years and winning a Best Musical Tony to top it all off!

San Francisco Bay Times: How did you get started in show biz, and what advice would you give to others who might be considering such work?

Christophe Caballero: Firstly, follow your passion! I started watching my sister in dance class and decided I wanted to try it. As soon as I took my first class, I was even more hooked

than I though I could be. I knew it was dance all the way. Eventually I was able to incorporate voice and acting, which I’d already experienced before I started dancing. There are many ways to go about it now. Musical theater students have so many great college programs. But ballet is different.

Just be disciplined and recognize the ‘business’ aspect of show business and get a thick skin. Sometimes it’s not bad to ignore someone’s advice that makes you second-guess yourself.

San Francisco Bay Times: What are you most looking forward to doing/seeing while in San Francisco?

Christophe Caballero: I want to visit the Asian Art Museum and the Japanese Gardens. I’d like to take a bike ride over that big bridge too. I love San Francisco! I miss it, and haven’t been in a few years, so am pretty excited to return and discover more!

Bianca Marroquinas as Roxie Hart

John O’Hurley

San Francisco Bay Times: How do you see your career evolving in future? Is there a particular role you’d like to play, or is there some other goal that you have in mind?

Christophe Caballero: I’ve always admired the actors who are in all the shows playing those featured parts, and you don’t always know their names, but you see them all the time.

Always working and changing characters. I wouldn’t mind that evolution.

Of course, leading parts are great, and I’ve played a few, but character actors are fantastic.

PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL

Chicago has everything that makes Broadway shine: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping-song after another; the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen; and a fantastic performance by cast member Christophe Caballero.

It’s no wonder that Chicago has been honored with six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy, and thousands of standing ovations. The show has wowed audiences all around the world, from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa. Now it’s coming to San Francisco again after a near decade absence, and we can’t wait!

I performed (previously) in San Fran.

This year I’ve got a new challenge of swinging, which basically means I cover the ensemble men and go on for them if they are injured, ill or on vacation. I also understudy/perform Mary Sunshine again.

PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL

Great cities have inspired great songs and performances. Think of crooning Tony Bennett or Jeanette MacDonald standing under the earthquake ruins (in film) singing, “San Francisco, open your Golden Gate!” So it is that the Windy City inspired one of the greatest musicals of all time, Chicago. It was the favorite musical of our beloved Broadway-loving columnist Stu Smith, who left us too soon.

Find out more about Christophe Caballero at ChristopheCaballero.com BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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The Way He Looks Proves That Real Love for All of Us Is Blind of age film would be a good first feature for me to represent who I am. I wanted to keep the same actors because they had a huge chemistry in the short.

GMK: There are many scenes involving tactile contact—the boys on the bike, or Gabriel teaching Leo to dance…

Film Gary Kramer Brazil’s Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film, The Way He Looks, opens November 7. It is out writer/director Daniel Ribeiro’s feature length version of his excellent 2010 short I Don’t Want to Go Back Alone. This sweet and sunny romance features Leo (Ghilherme Lobo), a blind teenager, whose BFF, Giovana (Tess Amorim), assists him in school and walks him home.

When Gabriel (Fabio Audi) joins their class, he befriends Leo and Gi, as she’s called. When a class assignment forces Gabriel and Leo to work together, the guys quickly form an intimate bond, which causes Gi to become jealous.

What makes The Way He Looks so magical is that Ribeiro shows the two guys falling in love. They never discuss their emotions, but they are all tactile.

Ribeiro recently met with me for the San Francisco Bay Times to talk about gay teens, shower scenes, and The Way He Looks.

Gary M. Kramer: Why did you feel you needed to expand your short into a feature?

Daniel Ribeiro: When I thought about this blind character discovering that he was gay, I knew it had to be my first feature. Blindness provides a way to talk about sexuality because Leo had never seen a boy or a girl. His feelings were not based on anything he had seen; it was just how he felt—his other senses. I thought Leo was a character we’d never seen before, and this coming

Writer=Author

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: When did you decide to become a writer?

Melissa Brayden: The dictionary defines storytelling as the conveying of events in words and images, often by improvisation or embellishment.

The one thing it left out is how addictive it can be. I was thirty-one when I wrote my first book, Waiting in the Wings.

But by that point I’d been a storyteller for as long as I could remember in a variety of capacities: TV news reporter, actress, director for the stage, and a producer of film and video. And however much I enjoyed telling those stories, I’d never once tried my hand at generating a narrative myself. I didn’t have a writing background. I wasn’t one of those kids who wrote short stories throughout their youth. One thing I was, however, was an avid reader of romance novels, as in any I could get my hands on.

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DR: Sight is something that is very attached to sexuality. The big conflict for Leo is: Does Gabriel like me or not? He can’t use his sight to get the clues.

GMK: In Latin culture, it is very common for intimacy to develop between friends. Can you discuss the attitudes queer teens face in Brazil?

DR: In Brazil, men don’t kiss on the cheek. Brazil is almost conservative in that way. I wanted to establish that. If two boys are too intimate, people think they are gay. If you kiss a boy, you’re gay. You can hug, that’s OK. We express our emotions easily, but there are rules about being gay, a limit to what you can do and what is considered too much.

GMK: Leo is very careful about expressing his emotions. Can you discuss how you constructed his character, showing how he is different at home and school, and with his family and friends?

DR: I think we are all like that— adapting—especially someone [like Leo] who is bullied. In places where he has more power (e.g. at home), he can be strong. He is able to have a dialogue with his parents. I didn’t want him to be protected by anyone other than Gi and his mother.

GMK: Leo’s mother sees him as being very responsible. Do you think gay teens are more mature?

teens to be more open but, when I was a teenager, I went through a period where I couldn’t share everything I was feeling. I was always thinking, and I think a lot of gay people go through that, and mature really fast and really young. I don’t have Leo question his sexuality, which I went through. I think gay kids shouldn’t have to go through this period of questioning who they are. You need some time to understand what you are feeling, but when you realize you’re gay, it should be OK. GMK: What can you say about the shower scene?

DR: I think there has to be a shower scene in a gay film. In the short, we have the same concept where Leo changes in front of Gabe, and Gabe looks at him and realizes that he can look at Leo and Leo doesn’t realize he’s staring. Because they were older, I could do it with nudity, and it would be important for the characters. It’s a big deal for gay teens when they have to shower with other people. You can get an erection because your body can’t hide your sexuality.

GMK: Gi and Leo talk about their level of laziness. What is your level of laziness?

DR: It depends. Right now, it’s big.

I’m trying to start a new film. It makes me lazy because it’s so hard. I have to think: What is the story I want to tell next? But when the films starts, it flows and it’s exciting and it goes to zero, because I just want to make the film. © 2014 Gary M. Kramer

DR: I think a lot of young gay people mature really young because they have to deal with something huge in their lives and they have to do it by themselves. Nowadays, it is easier for gay

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

When inspiration struck, I was working in educational theatre and had an entire summer off stretched out in front of me. One afternoon I was feeling especially creative and gave romance writing a shot, finding the construction of an imaginary world completely enthralling. I wrote everyday and the pages started piling up. Never in a million years did I think anything would come of it, but when all was said and done, I submitted the manuscript to a publisher and was shocked when it was accepted on my first submission. Since that time, I haven’t looked back. I can’t imagine a world without writing. I wouldn’t want to.

father died suddenly, he ended it saying, “I have to get serious.”

Melissa Brayden is the three time Goldie Award winning author of four published romance novels with Bold Strokes Books. Her fifth book is due out this April. She is happily at work on her sixth.

Charles Rice-González: There wasn’t a specific moment when I decided to become a writer, but I’ve always loved reading. I read every Beverly Cleary novel with Jean and Johnny, about teen-aged love, being my favorite. But if I had to select a moment to mark my writing it would be at 14. I’d had my heart broken by “the boy next door” or from across the hall in the Soundview projects. He was curly haired and had a peach fuzz of a mustache and pubic hair. Our romance consisted of handwritten notes and secret kisses in the hallway. But when his

I recalled Jean and Johnny, and started to write my own retelling of our love from the first time we dared to kiss to the heart-shattering moment of his goodbye. It was written on loose-leaf paper and I only used red ink, for passion, I thought. It was part of healing my heart and of documenting our young, Bronx gay love story. But I masked the characters to be a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. Fear had recast my queer love story into a heterosexual one. I didn’t know I was following what many gay writers had done before me. I’m proud that I found the courage and support to write my openly gay love stories, and it’s no wonder that I wrote Chulito, and often find myself writing about gay love.

Charles Rice-González is a writer, Executive Director of BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, and a Distinguished Lecturer at Hostos Community College-CUNY. He wrote the novel “Chulito” and co-edited “From Macho to Mariposa: New Gay Latino Fiction.”

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBT community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates twenty-five years of successful book campaigns.

Setting the Stage for Success with Staging

THE RICHMOND/ERMET AIDS FOUNDATION PROUDLY PRESENTS

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Style Courtney Lake While some people may say that buying a home is the most nerve-wracking experience possible, I would venture to say that being on the other side of that transaction trumps it.

Expectations are running high, and buyers are looking with an eagle eye for ways to lower record high selling prices. This is why staging is a critical aspect of the selling process. Here are a few simple rules I give clients to help guide their staging process: Stage with purpose. In the Bay Area real estate market, you can’t afford to have buyers guessing about a room’s purpose. Give rooms a clear and concise look that demonstrates function and style.

Clean your light fixtures. This sounds simple but, countless times, I have looked up to admire a beautiful chandelier and noticed cobwebs, grime and even worse—dead bugs.

Aside from being gross, buyers may think that the f ixtures are hard to maintain, driving down the value, which means less cash in your pocket.

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Go big or stay home. It may sound counter-intuitive, but stage with the biggest and least amount of furniture possible. A room filled with a lot of small pieces will feel cluttered and smaller.

Color can be your friend. For the love of design, don’t paint your whole home beige when you sell it. A wellplaced accent wall can go a long way as a dynamic focal point in a space by creating a backdrop for furniture and accessories.

Invest in art. Inexpensive and cheap-looking art is one of the largest distractions in a staged home. A bad piece of art can distract from architectural details, a great view, or downplay a room’s great potential. If your budget doesn’t allow you to invest in art, then use a great mirror. It will ref lect light, giving the appearance of a room being bigger.

Organize your closets. Sadly, when selling your home, buyers will be comb-

ing through every inch of your home, including your closets. A jam-packed closet suggests that your home has insufficient storage. Pack unnecessary items, and purchase matching hangers and a few decorative baskets to hide loose items to create a spacious, cohesive look in your closet.

A well-staged home tells a story with visual cues. It leads a prospective buyer through the process of envisioning himself or herself in your home.

So don’t skip it because you think the market is hot, or otherwise you might get burned when the offers come in.

Courtney Lake is the interior designer and lifestyle expert behind Monogram Décor (www.monogramdecor.com) and his celebrated blog, Courtney Out Loud. He and his work have been featured both in print and on television, including coverage by “The Wall Street Journal,” “The Nate Berkus Show,” the “San Francisco Chronicle,” “Life & Style Magazine,” “RUE Magazine” and “7x7 Magazine.”

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JASON BROCK

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Round About - Shanti’s 40th Anniversary Dinner Photos by Rink

“Compassion Is Universal” was the theme of Shanti’s 2014 annual event held at the historic Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill on Satuday, October 18. The evening, co-chaired by Ken Fulk and Bahya Oumlil-Murad, included a pre-event reception, silent and live auctions and a program with featured guests and honorees. Shanti executive director Kaushik Roy spoke eloquently about the role of Shanti in the lives of its many clients.

The James C. Hormel Client Community Spirit Award was presented posthumously to Stu Smith who served as columnist for the San Francisco Bay Times in addition to many other leadership, journalistic and volunteer roles.

The Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by former Mayor of San Francisco Willie Brown, honored Reverend Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. Dr. Charles Garfield, Shanti founder, was honored with a special tribute.

BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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See many more Calendar items @ www.sfbaytimes.com

compiled by Robert Fuggiti

• 30 : T HURSDAY

Transcending HIV/AIDS – The City Club. Free. 9 am. (155 Sansome St.) A national seminar on Transcendetal Mediation and HIV/ AIDS. www.survey.communitymarketinginc.com Halloween Eve Fundraising Extravaganza – The Drake Lounge. $25-$1000. 6 pm. (508 4th St.) Donate to give an LGBTQ kid a job, and a future! LYRIC is a San Francisco charitable organization that provides primarily impoverished or homeless LGBTQ youth. www.balif.org Rusko – 1015 Folsom. $20. 10 pm.

(1015 Folsom St.) The U.K. born DJ and producer delivers an electrifying DJ set. www.ruskoonfire.com

• 31 : F RIDAY

Halloween Party – 6454 Brann St. $10-$20. 8 pm. (6454 Brann St.) A Halloween party with Badass Boots Band and Shake It Booty Band.

Children’s Halloween Party Eureka Valley Recreation Center, 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm. (100 Collingwood St.) The famous annual children’s event in the Castro hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Rec Center Info: (415) 831-6810.

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Boo-Gay Down Halloween Party – The Lexington Club. Free.

9 pm. (3464 19th St.) Join the Lexington for their annual Halloween party and costume contest. www.lexingtonclub.com

“Tosca” will be at the War Memorial Opera House November 4.

Improvised Horror Musical –

improvised musical. www.improv.org

Bayfront Theater. $17-$20. 8 pm.

• 1 : S ATURDAY

(B350 Fort Mason Center) The BATS cast perform a frightening

Anatomy of a Love Seen – Brava Theater. $15. 7 pm. (2781 24th St.) From Writer/Director Marina Rice Bader (Executive Producer Elena Undone, A Perfect Ending) comes this film within a film that explores love in all its painful and messy glory. www.brava.org I Got Rhythm – Martuni’s. $10. 7 pm. (4 Valencia St.) Vocalist Karen Hirst, drummer Roberta Drake and singer/pianist Tom Shaw usher in the month of November with a celebration of the brothers Gershwin. www.tomshawtrio.com

Out and Equal 16th Workplace Summit – Mascone Center West. 9 am. $450+. (800 Howard St.) An exciting three-day conference by Out and Equal. www. outandequal.org.

Wanted – Q Bar. Free. 10 pm to 2 am. (456 Castro St.) Enjoy a night of dance and electronic music along with $2 drink specials. www.sfwanted.com Piano Bar 101 – Martuni’s. Free.

9 pm. (4 Valencia St.) Sing along to your favorite songs with friends and patrons. www.dragatmartunis.com

• 2 : S UNDAY

Tosca – War Memorial Opera House. $50-$250. 7:30 pm. (301 Van Ness) San Francisco Opera’s classic production of Tosca—five performances only. www.sfopera.com

Cabaret Showcase Showdown – Martuni’s. $7. 7 pm.

(4 Valencia St.) Open to the public, contestants are required to sing two songs. 415-241-0205 Leslie Uggams – The Fairmont BAY TIMES OCTO B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 4

• 3 : M ONDAY

Rainbow Chambers Players: Only Air – St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. Free. 6 pm to 7:30 pm. (3281 16th St.) Anti-gay bullying inspired chamber piece, by Dennis Tobenski. www.dennistobenski.com

Haunted by God – Most Holy Redeemer. Donation based. 2 pm.

(100 Diamond St.) Haunted by God is a one-woman play about Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement. www. mhr.org.

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San Francisco. $50. 5 pm. (950 Mason St.) Bay Area Cabaret presents pioneering Tony and Emmy Award winning actress/singer Leslie Uggams. www.bayareacabaret.org

• 4 : T UESDAY

The Prepared Renter – SF LGBT Community Center. Free.

6:30 pm. (1800 Market St.) A two hour workshop for the LGBT community and allies that covers what affordable rental options are available in the city. www.sfcenter.org Pride Skate: LGBT Roller Disco – Church 8. $10. 7 pm to 10 pm. (554 Fillmore St.) 415-7521967. An LGBT roller skating disco

happening every Tuesday.

• 5 : W EDNESDAY

The Boy Friend – The Eureka Theatre. $25-$75. 7 pm. (215 Jackson St.) 42nd Street Moon continues its 22nd season with the hilarious Sandy Wilson musical satire, The Boy Friend. www.42ndstmoon.org Underwear Comedy Night – Club OMG. Free. $5. 7 pm. (43 6th St.) The Hella Gay Comedy show kicks off its 2014 season with hot guys telling jokes in their underwear. www.clubomgsf.com BINGO – The Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center. $15 to play. 7 pm. (938 Alameda, San Jose) Early game starts at 6:30 pm. www. defrank.org

• 6 : T HURSDAY

Fall into Pride – Aptos Middle School. Free. 5:30 pm. (105 Aptos Ave.) The SFUSD Student, Family, and Community Support Department and the Office of School Health Programs invite you to the 4th annual Families Dinner. www.fallintopride.eventbrite.com The Chainsmokers – The Warfield. $20. 8 pm. (982 Market St.) DJ Duo Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall spin their techno beats. www.thechainsmokers.com GGBA’s Business Exchange Network – New York Life Offices. Free for members. 8 am to 9 am. (425 Market St.) A category

exclusive referral group designed to help members grow their referralbased business and develop professional relationships. www.ggba.com

thebay.org

• 7 : F RIDAY

GGBA 40th Anniversary Grand Reception – War Memorial Opera House. $60-$100.

5 pm to 7:30 pm. (301 Van Ness Ave.) Enjoy a spectacular evening honoring the 40th Anniversary of the nation’s first LGBT Chamber of Commerce. www.ggba.com

True West – Inner Mission SF. $20.

8 pm. (2050 Bryant St.) For its inaugural full-length production, SF-based Theater MadCap presents Sam Shepard’s classic tale of sibling rivalry, True West. www.theatermadcap.com The Bloody Debutante – The Hypnodrome. $30. 8 pm. (575 10th St.) The Thrillpeddlers present a musical ritual one-act by Scrumbly Koldewyn. www.thrillpeddlers.com Some Thing – The Stud. $5. 10 pm. (399 9th St.) A uniquely themed party every Friday night, with drag performances at 11 pm. www.studsf.com

• 8 : S ATURDAY

• 10 : M ONDAY

Comedy Returns to El Rio – El Rio. $7. 8 pm. (3158 Mission St.) Now in its 5th year, this monthly comedy show features the best of Bay Area comedians and beyond. www.elriosf.com

• 11 : T UESDAY

Queer Youth Meal Night – SF LGBT Center. Free. 5 pm. (1800 Market St.) Queer Youth Meal Night is a safe space to meet with your trans/queer/ally friends every Tuesday. www.sfcenter.org

Meow Mix – The Stud. Free. 9 pm. (399 9th St.) A weekly cabaret variety show. www.studsf.com Beach Blanket Babylon – Club Fugazi. $25-$130. 8 pm. (678 Green St.) Enjoy Steve Silver’s famous musical revue packed with hilarious pop culture and political antics. www.beachblanketbabylon.com

• 12 : W EDNESDAY

Last Drag – SF LGBT Community Center. Free. 7 pm to 9 pm. (1800 Market St.) A free quit smoking class for LGBT and HIV positive people. Happening Wednesdays through November 19. www.lastdrag.com Broadway BINGO – Feinstein’s. $15 food minimum. 7 pm. (222 Mason St.) Hosted by pianist Joe Wicht and cabaretist Conrad Frank and showcasing the best and brightest talent from the San Francisco Bay Area musical theater community. www.hotelnikkosf.com.

Harvey – Lucie Stern Theater. $31-$45. 2 pm. (1305 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto) Palo Alto Players follows up on its successful season premiere with the hare-raising comedy classic, Harvey. Through November 23. www.paplayers.org Shamanism Arts and Crafts Class – SF Center. Free. 10 am.

(1800 Market St.) A free arts and crafts class welcome to all. www. sfcenter.org Bassnectar – Bill Graham Civic Center. $50. 8 pm. (99 Grove St.) World famous DJ Bassnectar brings electric dance music to San Francisco for one night only. www. basenectar.net

• 9 : S UNDAY

Midler on the Roof – Hotel Nikko. $25-$45. 7 pm. (222 Mason St.) Bay Area native Carly Ozard returns to SF at Feinstein’s at the Nikko for one night only and her new show: Midler On The Roof. www.hotelnikkosf.com Coming Home to Our True Self – SF Zen Center. $90. 7 pm (308 Page St.) Enjoy a day-long retreat for members of the LGBTQ community. www.sfzc.org Anything Goes – Fox Theatre. $42-$64. 3 pm. (2219 Broadway St., Redwood City) The timeless musical Anything Goes runs from through November 23rd. www.broadwayby-

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BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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(DUNNING continued from page 6)

Props H and I are opposing viewpoints on the soccer fields of Golden Gate Park. If you want them to continue to be natural grass fields with gopher holes, no lighting, and to be nearly impossible to maintain, vote for H. If you want usable fields for adults and children to play on, support Prop I. Prop G is the most controversial.

This is an important attempt to stop the speculation that is destroying our city—heart-wrenching tenant evic-

tions and skyrocketing housing prices.

However well intended, though, I have serious reservations about the specifics. It considers buildings sold within five years of purchase a “flip.” I know many owners, including military members, who need to move and sell their property in less than five years for legitimate reasons. I would prefer the sponsors had chosen three years instead of five. The proposal would tax the full sales price of the property, rather than the profit, which also seems unfair. What if you sell your property at a loss? You still pay the tax? Finally, the money received from the tax can be applied to anything; I want the proceeds to go to build or supplement affordable housing, not go to a general fund. This is a classic case where one has to debate whether to

(HONOR WALK continued from page 8) expressed himself and his philosophy conspicuous consumption, he continof art, spiritualism, and the value of ued to live modestly in rented apartthe individual human mind not only ments, buying his clothing in thrift as a poet, but also as a photographer, stores. songwriter, teacher, and philosopher.

As the literary critic Helen Vendler He also expressed his principles as wrote, he remained “tirelessly persisa political activist. In 1968, already tent in protesting censorship, imperial world famous, Ginsberg travelled to politics, and persecution of the powerChicago to protest against America’s less.” Even now, almost 60 years after war in Vietnam. When Chicago police “Howl” was found to have “redeeming attacked demonstrators in the city’s social value” by the Court, its content Grant Park with tear gas and billy and language still can create problems clubs, he took to a jury-rigged stage for broadcast radio and television stain an effort to calm the crowd. In the tions in the United States, should they early 1970s, his photograph appeared choose to air it. on one of the most widely distributed posters protesting the war, showing How did Ginsberg want to be rememhim with a Walt Whitman beard, bered? “As someone in the tradition of black-rimmed glasses, and an “Uncle the old time American transcendentalSam” paper top hat. He was at that ist individualism,” he once said, “from point one of the most revered spokesmen of the next generation of radical- that old gnostic tradition—Thoreau, ized Americans, known as “Hippies,” Emerson, Whitman—just carrying it despite the warning, “Never trust any- on into the 20th century.” Ginsberg, champion of the freedom of thought body over 30.” and expression, individuality, and sexBy the 1980s, Ginsberg was America’s ual self-determination, continued that most famous living poet. Even so, he tradition all his life. was never awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

(In 1995, the sole time he was nomi- Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesnated, it went to Philip Levine.) Gins- bian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of berg seemed not to care. In an age of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.

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support well intended but imperfect legislation with harmful unintended consequences, or hold off in hopes that a more equitable solution for all can be created. I personally want a modified solution to a very significant problem for San Francisco.

gay men. And no revelations about Matthew Shepard himself can mitigate the horror of his death. That said, there’s also no reason to condemn a detailed book about the man, even if it suggests he wasn’t an angel.

It’s (Almost) All Over but the Shouting

Whatever your opinions are on these candidates and issues, I hope you exercise your right to vote. Our Democracy depends on it!

I actually could have written a lot more about marriage back at the point when I got tired of the subject, but you know the subject’s not going anywhere. Jimmy Carter annoyed the hell out of everyone the other day by opining that marriage should be up to the states, an obsolete notion that even President Obama has finally disavowed.

Zoe Dunning is a retired Navy Commander and was a lead activist in the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She currently serves as the 1st Vice Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, as a San Francisco Library Commissioner, and as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club.

San Francisco Bay Times says “THANK YOU!”

CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

to our health. Yes, there are other food and beverage products that are also not healthy, but not to the extent of sugary beverages. We as a city have an obligation to protect and improve the health and safety of our citizens, especially our children. That is why I support Prop E.

(ROSTOW continued from page 15)

And ahead of us lies a minefield of potential religious and free speech objections to married couples that could tie up the courts for years to come. Is baking a wedding cake the equivalent of “speech?” How about photographing a gay ceremony? Can a city in Idaho with gay bias protections force a tacky for-profit wedding chapel to marry two men? (Hey, it’s

called the Hitching Post. Need I say more?) What if said business turns itself into a religious organization?

I’ve covered this subject before and I’m afraid I’ll be covering it far into the future. But for now, I’d like to close with a motion to a federal court in Kansas, where a straight married couple would like to intervene in a marriage case. Ignoring federal procedure for the moment (which says you can’t intervene in litigation just because you have an opinion on the matter), this couple has done what right wing attorneys have not been able to achieve.

They have put their finger on the real reason for the opposition to same-sex marriage, and I paraphrase: If gay men and lesbians can call themselves married, we will no longer enjoy using that word to describe our relationship. That’s it in a nutshell. That’s what it’s all been about and, unfortunately for the couple in question and others of their ilk, it does not pass constitutional muster. arostow@aol.com

(SISTER DANA continued from page 20) Queer Artist on the Ground Award; and Benji Delgadillo: Queer Youth Visibility Award. Entire proceeds went to Queer LifeSpace - providing LGBTQQI-focused mental health and substance abuse services by queer therapists. Contact: queerlifespace. org, (415) 358-2000.

PROJECT INFORM fights the HIV and Hepatitis C epidemics by assuring the development of effective treatments and a cure; supporting individuals to make informed choices about their health; advocating for quality, affordable health care, and promoting medical strategies that prevent new infections. EVENING OF HOPE - A NIGHT OF LIFESAVING FASHION was San Francisco’s must-attend fête fundraiser for Project Inform complete with cocktails, culinary delights, VIP designers and models at the after-party. Gorgeous runway models wore fashion with a message - one-ofa-kind Condom Couture designed by local and national designers. These stunning signature pieces, partially and/or mostly made of condoms, fully impressed my inner fashionista! The incredibly talented DQ extraordinaire Jackie Beat hosted and lovingly insulted audience members regarding their fashion faux pas choices with her cutting wit. Although who was SHE to dish - in her puss print with blue and turquoise netting overlay empire gown and orange and yellow mixed hue hambre wig?? I joked with her, saying her fashion was tragic, and she joked back that she was inspired by Heklina. Later she jestingly complained to me, “I did NOT order this lighting!

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Couldn’t they have softened it a bit?”

Jackie sang live the classic Shirley Bassey James Bond number, “Diamonds Are Forever,” but substituted her own words - making diamonds into dildos. She followed later with her version of “Baby Got Back,” but got back at typical rapper misogynists by changing the “back” to dropping the “b-a” and adding “c-o.” Hilarious!

The always-charming Lenny Broberg was celebrity auctioneer. Board Chair Christopher Esposito introduced and thanked the board members and staff, and then E.D. Dana Van Gorder - who for years I have jested was a Dana sister from another brother. He spoke of the “Getting to Zero” program to be launched in December: “Zero new deaths from HIV; zero new HIV infections; and zero HIV stigma.” He said there should be no fear or shame regarding the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) approach to HIV, and concluded, “Enough of this epidemic is enough!” He presented the Thomas M. Kelley Leadership Award to Diane Havlir, M.D., Professor of Medicine at UCSF and Chief of the HIV/AIDS Division and Positive Health Program at SF General Hospital, who is also co-founder of “Getting to Zero.” She indulged herself in walking the runway and then spoke of the awful times of that new disease killing gay men in the early ‘80s - the sadness, anger, and frustration back then. “Havlir said, “We went from being helpless then to now being at the crossroads of a cure.”

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The fashion show subliminally promoting safer sex was just incredibly awe inspiring. I enjoyed designer Chad Leal’s black and white condom gown resembling elegant ermine fur.

Hoorah for Sarah Mock showing my personal fave - completely condomed black angel wings sprouting from a colorful floor-length rainbow condom gown on a plus-sized model. I also adored the Jared Auckland peacock gown and train. And just in time for Halloween was a delicious candy corn-colored full-length red, orange, yellow, and black hambre hoop skirt

by Jose Lopez. And not to forget the guy models, Gail Shrive designed a marvelous macho sleeveless vest of black and clear condoms. At the afterparty I was able to approach my favorites, flash them a thumbs-up, and blow a kiss - receiving air kisses back in return.

GOOD V IBR ATIONS, the sex positive retailer you can trust for over three decades, celebrated body positivity and sensuality with a party. The SEXY AT EVERY SIZE campaign was developed to promote body positivity, and ABUNDANCE: A SENSUAL EXPLORATION OF PLUSSIZE PLEASURE converted that message into a spectacular celebratory event at Good Vibrations’ new Lifestyle Boutique on 189 Kearny Street.

“I was thrilled to have the support of so many of our vendors for this popular event,” said Good Vibrations Purchasing Manager Coyote Days. In addition to showcasing products, attendees were also provided free vintage hair and makeup demonstrations from Shameless Photography, the body-positive pinup, old Hollywood, and retro boudoir photo studio that works to empower women through makeovers and photo sessions.

TED GULLICKSEN, long time director of the SAN FRANCISCO TENANT’S UNION, died last week of unknown causes. He is survived by his Maltese mix mutt, Falcor, and by a citywide movement of tenants - for whom he was a beacon, an inspiration and tireless advocate. RIP, dear Ted! CUMMING UP!

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BAY TIMES OCTO B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 4

Margaret Galvin, Showroom Manager at Ergo Depot Design Studio at 245 Kansas Street, SF, demonstrates how thoughtful design and tech can improve our health and work. She’s in front of the ESI Edge-Combo monitor arm system. Galvin says, “It elevates both my laptop and my monitor. Having my monitor off the desk at eye level helps to relieve neck, shoulder and eye strain.”

Happy Hallowqueen, everybuddy!

If you still need ideas for Halloween celebrations, check out my Halloween column last week at sfbaytimes.com.

There is plenty to do in the Spirit of All Hallows’ Eve! Sister Dana Sez, “San Francisco Bear Pride is November 6th through 10th. Hug a chubby furry gay guy in celebration of happy hirsuteness!”

All Images:© 2014 Keith Haring Foundation (HARING continued from page 4) and Walt Disney, and he mined a variety of images from popular culture as subjects for his art. He also borrowed the comic-strip format, which suited his inclination towards a more dynamic, kinetic form of drawing and his desire to break the narrative down into distinct parts.

S a n Fr a nc i s c o Bay Ti me s: Please describe what is going on in this picture (black verti-

cal image, below right). Can you also explain how Haring’s artistic style and his use of various media were particularly ef fect ive in com mun icat ing messages of social and political change?

Julian Cox: Haring’s subway drawings are among the most magical and mercurial of all his works. Between 1980 and 1985, he made thousands of chalk drawings throughout the New York City subway system, creating

mischievous and inventive compositions. Executed on expired advertising panels, the drawings that Haring made on these “blackboards” were each a kind of performance, carried out with speed and assurance on the subway platform in the moments after a train departed and before another arrived. The rapidity of these creations made for distinct, readily recognizable imagery and a vocabulary of forms that gave the work the power of a mass media campaign.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you speak to how some of the political and social issues that Haring addressed remain relevant today?

Julian Cox: Haring notably remarked: “An artist is a spokesman for a society at any given point in history.

His language is determined by his perception of the world we all live in.

He is a medium between ‘what is’ and ‘what could be.’” While the issues that Haring cared so much about are nec-

essarily locked into a very specific moment in recent history—the 1980s— they translate powerfully across time.

Racism still plagues our culture, as does environmental neglect. The excesses of consumer culture and technology are pervasive nowadays, and Haring was prescient in his concerns about these issues. His art inspires ref lection on these matters, as well as sense of awe at the power and conviction of his ideas.

Visiting de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118 Hours Open Tuesday-Sundays: 9:30 am-5:15 pm: Open Fridays for extended hours (through Nov 28, 2014, except Oct 31, 2014): 9:30 am-8:45 pm; Closed most Mondays, Nov 27, and Dec 25, 2014 Open select holidays, including: Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, Nov 11, 2014, 9:30 am-5:15 pm Day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov 28, 2014, 9:30 am-8:45 pm Monday, Dec 22, 2014, 9:30 am-5:15 pm Wednesday, Dec 24, 2014, 9:30 am-4 pm Monday, Dec 29, 2014, 9:30 am-5:15 pm New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, Dec 31, 2014, 9:30 am-4 pm New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan 1, 2015, 9:30 am-5:15 pm Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, Jan 19, 2015, 9:30 am-5:15 pm Presidents’ Day, Monday, Feb 16, 2015, 9:30 am-5:15 pm Admission Tickets Tickets are timed and include general admission. Prices start at $26 for adults; discounts are available for seniors, students, and youths. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco members and children five and under are admitted free. Premium tickets are available. Tickets available at deyoungmuseum.org. Prices subject to change.

BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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Keith Haring, Untitled, 1982. Enamel and Day-Glo paint on metal. Collection of the Keith Haring Foundation. Keith Haring artwork © Keith Haring Foundation

Through his graffiti-inspired drawings, paintings, sculptures, and murals, Keith Haring created an immediately recognizable iconography that speaks to a diverse population. Making its US premiere at the de Young with more than 130 works of art, The Political Line lends gravitas to the artist’s career by focusing on his political activism. Exuberant, profane, witty, and provocative, the works in this exhibition trace Haring’s creative development and his historical significance as an advocate for social justice.

November 8, 2014–February 16, 2015 This exhibition is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Director’s Circle: Penny and James George Coulter. Curator’s Circle: Sloan and Roger Barnett, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund, Holly Johnson Harris and Parker Harris, and the Shimmon Family. Conservator’s Circle: The Buena Vista Fund of Horizons Foundation. Supporter’s Circle: Nancy and Joachim Bechtle, Juliet de Baubigny, and Richard and Peggy Greenfield. Community Partner: WEBCOR Builders. The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

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The Future Is Now for LGBT Business Equality

ing were open to certified LGBTBEs. The historic Memorandums of Understandings that resulted from this work have opened doors for federal contracting opportunities as well as international trade. The NGLCC has led two fully sanctioned U.S. trade missions specifically for LGBTBEs to Colombia and Mexico.

By Sam McClure

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is proud to be a part of celebrating the 40th anniversary of America’s very first LGBT business organization, the Golden Gate Business Associat ion. A s we look for ward to the bold future of economic advancement for LGBT business owners, we are grateful to the pioneers who were at center of the earliest community organizing right here in San Francisco. The vision and mission of the NGLCC was built on the shoulders of this legacy. We must all honor the important work of the early days by working together for a bold future!

The biggest challenge was that there wasn’t a simple way to identify, recruit and nurture these businesses. The NGLCC became the exclusive cer-

Senator Mark Leno (center) with GGBA leaders (left to right) Jason Holstein, managing director; and Board of Directors members Robb Fleischer, Ken Stram, Dawn Ackerman, Leno, JP Leddy, Michael Gentleman, Patrick Phillips, Audry deLucia, and Paul Pendergast, at the October 14 GGBA Make Contact reception at the Hotel Kabuki.

tification body for the LGBT owned business enterprise (LGBTBE). This groundbreaking initiative is explained in detail at www.nglcc.org We looked closely at the existing certifications for women and minority-owned businesses and modeled our certification after those established certifications and began to advocate for opportunities for certified LGBTBEs.

Unlike minority and woman-owned enterprises (MWBEs), LGBTBEs did not have any public policy mandates to require inclusion. The NGLCC began working closely with top corporations to demonstrate the strong business case for the inclusion of LGBTBEs. The market latched on to the business case for full inclusion very quickly and today over one-third of

the Fortune 500 recognize the LGBTBE Business Enterprise Certification and actively seek out LGBTBEs to contribute to their supply chains.

Despite the lack of public mandates for LGBT inclusion, the NGLCC worked closely with the Department of Commerce to ensure that the doors of opportunity for federal contract-

PHOTO BY RINK

The NGLCC created the LGBT Supplier Diversity Initiative in 2004 with a laser focus on bringing significant economic opportunities to businesses owned by LGBT people. The climate for inclusion of LGBT people in corporate America was good. Corporations were already inclusive in their marketing efforts and employment policies.

What was missing was intentional inclusion of LGBT businesses in corporate procurement and supply chain.

Put simply, companies were not buying back from the LGBT community.

In close partnership with the GGBA and our six other local California affiliate chambers, the NGLCC recently made history when Gov. Brown signed California AB1678 into law.

This historic legislation brings the very first mandate for intentional inclusion of LGBTBEs to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Moving forward, we all share a new and exciting challenge in California.

We must all work together at the national and local level to identify, certify and nurture the hundreds of thousands of LGBT owned businesses in California. We must make these businesses aware of the millions of dollars of opportunities that are now available because of this historic change in the CPUC. This is a very powerful moment for all of us to come together and build an even stronger movement to advance the economic strength of the LGBT community in California.

The moment to ensure a bold future for certified LGBTBEs in California is now!

Sam McClure is NGLCC’s Vice President of Affiliate Relations and External Affairs.

New Opportunities for GGBA Members Thanks to NGLCC, USAID Partnership

Earlier this year, U.S. National Security Advisor Ambassador Susan Rice announced a new partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) to encourage and support LGBT business owners and entrepreneurs in developing countries.

“Unfortunately, in too many places, being gay or transgender is enough to make someone the target of slurs, torments and violence...protecting our LGBT brothers and sisters is among the most challenging human rights

This unprecedented agreement, announced at the White House Forum on Global LGBT Human Rights, holds the promise of creating a more equitable business and cultural environment for LGBT people through economic empowerment. Further details about how to become an LGBTcertified business in order to participate are available at www.nglcc.org “The partnership with NGLCC is unique, innovative and strategic. Economic development will undoubtedly be a powerful tool in our joint mission of global LGBT equality,” said Claire

Words from Past Presidents

GGBA is important to our history as it was the first LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce at a time when you could not always be out at work. It contributed to my confidence as an out professional, and helped to further my growth both Nanette Lee Miller personally and professionally. It was a great connector. GGBA laid the groundwork for me to be on our LGBTQ Community Center board, and that paved an introduction for me to become the auditor for the first gay-owned and themed public company, Planet Out. Thank you, GGBA, and Happy Birthday!

Nanette Lee Miller, CPA, was President of GGBA from 1998–1999. She was one of the first women to serve as President of GGBA. Miller is a Partner at Marcum LLP, http://www. marcumllp.com/contact/sanfrancisco

Lucas, senior advisor for public-private partnerships at USAID. The initiative also creates an avenue for U.S. LGBT businesses to become trading and strategic partners with LGBT business owners in program countries, including Mexico, Colombia and Peru. It will also encourage program country businesses to become suppliers to multinational corporations, in-country companies and government agencies. Through this partnership, NGLCC will encourage intra-regional trade and team with LGBT-owned businesses in the U.S. to respond to multinational contracting opportunities.

“LinguiSearch is proud to be one of the NGLCC’s private sector partners in this groundbreaking initiative. By committing resources and expertise toward the implementation of this historic undertaking, we are helping to foster economic empowerment and create new financial opportunities for LGBT businesses both here and abroad. Our investment in this

ministration and USAID for working with us to ensure LGBT people around the world can participate in our increasingly global economy,” said Justin Nelson, NGLCC co-founder and president.

In addition to funding provided by USAID, almost $3 million in private sector funds and in-kind GGBA’s booth at the San Francisco Pride Festival services have been raised partnership will allow LinguiSearch

by NGLCC for the partnerto develop new international trad- ship. Private sector partners include ing and strategic partners, which can Wells Fargo, MillerCoors, Google, only strengthen our business and bot- American Airlines, 1st Choice Fitom line,” said David Schellenberg, nancial Group, American Language president and CEO, LinguiSearch, Technologies, Fourth Wall Events, an NGLCC-certified LGBTBE. GayHills, JTraczDesigns, L7z Group, LinguiSearch, Neil Cerbone Associ“This new partnership reinforces ates, and Site, Search & Select. our belief that one of the best ways to break down barriers is to use the Paul Pendergast, Chair of GGBA’s Public common language of business to ex- Policy Committee, is the owner and founder pand minds and create opportunities. of the public affairs and strategic communiWe are grateful to the Obama Ad- cations firm Pendergast Consulting Group.

My experience on the board of the GGBA enriched my life. I was fortunate to serve with some of the most passionate and committed people I have ever met, and it gave me my GGBA PhD in business. Businesses are an integral part of the community, and it is an axiom that economic empowerment and civil Jerry Becerra rights go hand in glove. In the forty years that the GGBA has existed, our business community came out of the closet to become a demographic that other businesses court.

This year, supplier diversity programs have been expanded in California to include LGBT certified businesses. As we enjoy our more accepting society, it is good to remember that forty years ago, the GGBA was the first LGBT chamber of commerce and led the way to where we are today.

Distributing goodie bags at the GGBA Business Expo

PHOTO COURTESY OF GGBA

Businesses in the Bay Area, as major importers and exporters to the Pacific Rim, Latin America and South A merica, know how important trade is to t heir g row t h. Now, LGBT-certif ied businesses have new opportunities to explore these avenues as well.

issues we face. Thanks to a new partnership between the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and USAID, we will provide business development training and build new networks to help economically empower the LGBT community. And, working together, we can be assured that the future belongs to those who stand up for freedom and human dignity,” said Ambassador Rice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GGBA

By Paul Pendergast

Jerry Becerra, CPCU, was President of GGBA from November 2001–October 2002. Becerra is President of Barbary Insurance Brokerage, http://barbaryinsurance.com/ BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 30, 2014

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San Francisco Bay Times, proud member of the Golden Gate Business Association, congratulates GGBA on its four decades of leadership and service to the Bay Area’s LGBT business community.