By Donna Sachet–
A March to Remember & Reignite Hope, inspired by Juanita MORE!, drew a crowd of residents, activists, and others, committed to the health of the Castro neighborhood and the many LGBTQ businesses that make it what it is. Anyone who has been here for a while has seen dramatic change over the years, mourning the loss of bars, restaurants, and other businesses that became favorites. Some say the Castro is over. Others of us, however, are committed to supporting the ongoing businesses and to participating in the changing environment, confident that the Castro serves a vital purpose for our LGBTQ Community. Starting in Harvey Milk Plaza, this group, including State Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Cleve Jones, Ken Jones, Gerard Koskovich, Stephen Torres, Terry Beswick, Honey Mahogany, and even the newly Reigning Emperor Bill Bulkley & Reigning Empress Mimi Osa, meandered through the neighborhood, laying black wreaths at the locations of closed businesses and hanging rainbow colored wreaths at current favorite businesses. Various speakers evoked poignant memories and passers-by leaned in to hear bits and pieces of our history. We marveled at the diversity of the crowd, chatting briefly with a resident of 45 years and one of only 3 years. The ceremony ended at the now closed Café Flore, a fitting reminder of the fragility of meaningful neighborhoods, especially in this era of income disparity, skyrocketing rents, and changing retail and social habits. Symbols and ceremonies have become so important to our community and we applaud Juanita for organizing such a moving event.
Without a doubt, THE event of the weekend was Krewe de Kinque’s Bal Masque XVII Diners, Divas, & Dives benefiting Compton’s Transgender Cultural District. The recently remodeled Café was transformed into a New Orleans Mardi Gras headquarters with more green, gold, and purple than the City has ever seen. Founder Gary Virginia, celebrity guest Ja Wahl, members of the Krewe, and other attendees were everywhere serving up jambalaya and other creole dishes, sipping specialty drinks, monitoring an extensive silent auction, sporting colorful costumes, and tipping performers during the continuous high energy show on stage, including Mark Paladini, Christina Ashton, Kippy Marks, Tawdry Hepburnn, Garza (what a performance!), Deana Dawn, DivaD, and John Weber. Topping the entertainment was Celebrity Grand Marshal of Bal Masque XVII Renee Lubin, star of the long-running Beach Blanket Babylon and a host of other theatrical events. She was masterfully accompanied on keyboard by Dee Spencer. In true Mardi Gras fashion, there was a Second Line Parade, Closing Tableaux, and Queen XVI Kelly Rose gave a great performance before stepping aside for the crowning of the new King Omar Kubian and Queen Diana Wheeler! Watch out, New Orleans! San Francisco has a Mardi Gras ball like no other!
We watched with marvel as the long-decommissioned Catholic church on Howard Street was transformed from a dilapidated eyesore to a sparkling National Historic Landmark, the vision of imaginative local designer of incredible places and unforgettable events Ken Fulk. We finally had the opportunity to see the interior at a recent pre-party for Horizons Foundation’s upcoming 40th gala. In the company of Richard Sablatura, we followed the perfectly manicured hedges bordering the gleaming sidewalks below two gold-encrusted domes of the former cathedral and entered what can only be described as extraordinary! Religious iconography has been stripped from the building, but the entire space is repurposed into St. Joseph’s Art Society, furnishing the sprawling nave with plumply upholstered furniture and colossal Persian rugs. What might have been small chapels become cozy niches lined with bookshelves and art. The grand apse now boasts monumental trompe l’oeils murals. Beyond all the visual splendor, the acoustics were perfect for the Horizons program featuring excerpts from Stewart Wallace’s opera Harvey Milk, performed by soloists and chorus from the upcoming Opera Parallèle production in May at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. President of Horizons Foundation Roger Doughty delivered a touching tribute to 11-year outgoing Board member Deb Stallings, obviously much beloved by the crowd, among whom were City Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, City Treasurer José Cisneros & Mark Kelleher, Mark Leno, Derek Barnes, Xochitl Carrion, Terry Micheau, Victor Marquez, Susan Fahey, Ken Henderson & Joe Seiler, and many others. With a preview like this, we can only imagine what’s in store at Horizons 40th anniversary gala on Saturday, September 12, at Pier 27!
In accordance with the guidance of the Mayor’s Office that public gatherings of medium to large size pose a danger to the public health, an event-driven column like this may be thin for a few weeks. Meanwhile, let’s pull together as San Franciscans always have! Through disasters natural and man-made, we band together and come out stronger. So, take care of yourselves and your loved ones; better times are around the corner.
Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com
Published on March 12, 2020
Saturday, March 14
Cal Performances LGBTQ Night Out
Featuring Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley
$19 & up
https://bit.ly/3aDVfVy
Saturday, March 28
SF LGBT Center’s Soirée 2020
Dinner, live auction, raffle, dancing, & more
Emcee Sister Roma Emcee, Entertainment Director Juanita MORE!, DJ LadyRyan
City View at Metreon
$95 & up
https://www.sfcenter.org/event/soiree-2020/
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