By Joanie Juster–
From the plethora of parties and celebrations that filled calendars the last week of June, to the white-hot rage that followed the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bodily autonomy and essential reproductive health care to countless U.S citizens, then back to parades and protests on Pride Sunday, it was a week in 2022 to remember.
Supremely Wrong
Even though the infamous leak of a draft of the Dobbs decision on May 2made it clear that Roe v. Wade would probably be overturned, when the final, brutal decision was announced the morning of June 24, it still came as a gut punch, sending shock waves throughout the country. Protests were immediately organized in hundreds of cities and towns, as people everywhere realized that six people in Washington, D.C., cared more about political ideology than about the lives and health of millions of Americans.
There were several marches in the Bay Area that night. I took part in one that started in the Civic Center, and eventually took over the entire intersection of 8th & Market for a rally. Many of the protesters were from my generation; we vividly, and sadly, remember what life was like before abortion became a legal option. Marchers were young and old, gay and straight, binary and non-binary, all races, all united in anger and fear. As I marched, I kept thinking back over 50 years to the people I knew who had suffered so much under the old abortion laws—and how much suffering lies ahead for those whose lives will be forever altered by the cruel new laws that are being passed in state after state, depriving them of any control over their own bodies and lives.
We are at the gates of Gilead. Our country, and our rights, are under attack.
What do we do? Stand up. Fight back.
Court battles will be raging in multiple states for a long time, and organizations that fight those legal battles will need our support for the long run. But in the meantime, people in need of reproductive health care need our help right now, today! They need financial support to travel to states where they can get the help they need. Clinics are overwhelmed; they need our support so they can take on increased, urgent caseloads. You can help by donating to an organization that helps women in states where abortion is illegal to get access in all the ways necessary—counseling, legal advice, funds for travel, childcare, the procedure itself, and much more. Find an organization here: https://abortionfunds.org/funds/
I will be sharing more links in upcoming columns. Stay tuned.
Back Together Again: PRC’s Pride Brunch
After a night of protest on June 24, the morning of June 25 brought the joy of being back together in person with so many friends and colleagues at Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet’s 24th Annual Pride Brunch. This joyful, rainbow-filled event raised significant, needed funds for PRC’s essential services for San Francisco’s most vulnerable individuals. Speaker Nancy Pelosi brought the crowd to its feet more than once. She spoke of the fight ahead—abortion is just the beginning of the legal rights that are under attack by the extreme right—but also acknowledged the resilience of this community, and that the love and family feeling we’ve created throughout the years provide us with the strength we will need for those battles.
One of the main reasons to attend Pride Brunch each year is to hear the Grand Marshals of the SF Pride Parade speak. Congratulations to all the Grand Marshals. We all owe them a debt of thanks for their long and vital commitment to serving the community.
People’s March Returns
The political fury stoked by the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, June 24, brought an infusion of extra energy and commitment to the People’s March on Sunday, June 26. Organized and led by activists Alex U. Inn and Juanita MORE!, the event was a grassroots effort produced without corporate support. It began with a rally at Washington and Polk Streets before marching down Polk to Civic Center, then on to Dolores Park. The march was led by people of color, including twin 11-year-old girls who are already outstanding allies for the LGBTQ+ community, having formed an LGBTQ+ support group at John Muir Elementary School. Their strength and compassion give me hope for the future.
Riding for AIDS
Summer brings two of the biggest annual events in support of AIDS services. In June, it was the AIDS/LifeCycle.
From June 5 to June 11 more than 2,400 cyclists rode 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles, raising a record-breaking $17.8 million to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
Dr. Tyler TerMeer, CEO of the SF AIDS Foundation, knows from personal experience the value of this event: he is a 12-time AIDS/LifeCycle participant. “Year-after-year, AIDS/LifeCycle continues to be a critical way that we raise support for HIV services, increase awareness about the impact of HIV, and come together in solidarity as a community. We are able to provide lifesaving services in our community that contribute to our goal of ending the HIV epidemic, thanks to the enduring commitment of AIDS/LifeCycle participants.”
Thank you to all the riders, the roadies and support staff who make the ride possible, and to the thousands of donors who made this event such a success.
Next Up: AIDS Walk on July 17
The other big annual event on the AIDS fundraising summer calendar is AIDS Walk San Francisco, which, after two years of virtual events, returns to Golden Gate Park in person on Sunday, July 17.
Since its inception in 1987, AIDS Walk San Francisco has inspired countless thousands of Bay Area residents to walk, donate, and volunteer in the fight against HIV/AIDS, raising more than $90 million for organizations across seven Bay Area counties.
Full disclosure: I have been involved with AIDS Walk since 1988, alternately as a walker, staff member, volunteer, team leader, and fundraiser. I’ve always loved the grassroots nature of this event: Anyone can walk with us, whether they raise $5 or $5,000. In recent years, as HIV/AIDS has receded from the fronts of most people’s minds, AIDS Walk is an annual reminder that there is still no cure, still no vaccine, people are still getting infected, and people living with HIV/AIDS still need and deserve our help.
AIDS Walk San Francisco will return in person to Robin Williams Meadow in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, July 17, and will be streamed live by ABC7 Bay Area starting at 10 am, and broadcast that same day at 2:30 pm. (www.abcynews.com)
For more info, or to support a walker, go to https://sf.aidswalk.net/
Give Out Day: Bay Area Wins Big
Bay Area LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations did well in this year’s Give OUT Day, a month-long fundraising campaign culminating on June 30. The only national day of giving for the LGBTQ+ community, Give OUT Day is organized by Horizons Foundation. The world’s first community foundation of, by, and for LGBTQ+ people, Horizons invests in LGBTQ+ nonprofits, strengthens a culture of LGBTQ+ giving, and builds a permanent endowment to secure our community’s future for generations to come.
Give OUT Day partner organizations compete for tens of thousands in prizes, primarily Leaderboards, awarded to the organizations with the highest number of unique donors in their category. Congratulations to outstanding Bay Area nonprofits: Amor Para Todos (Petaluma); Positive Pedalers (SF), Sundance Association for Country Western Dancing (SF), Lavender Phoenix (SF), Somos Familia (Oakland), Oasis Legal Services (Berkeley), Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (SF), Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network (Oakland), Foglifter Press (SF), and TRANScend Retreat (Northern CA).
All of these organizations are doing vital work in the community, and deserve our ongoing support. For the full list of winning organizations, and to learn more about their work, go to https://tinyurl.com/GiveOut22
Here We Go Again …
HIV … COVID-19 … now meningitis and monkeypox. This drill is becoming all-too familiar.
The CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center in response to the outbreak of monkeypox. Health officials in the U.S. are expanding the group of people who are able to get the monkeypox vaccine.
Meanwhile, SF AIDS Foundation clinicians, along with health officials nationwide, are urging community members to seek out a meningitis vaccine in response to outbreaks of meningococcal disease occurring in Florida.
The current outbreaks are affecting gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and people living with HIV, in addition to college students. These communities, along with people who are immunocompromised, are specifically mentioned by the CDC as people who should consider vaccination during this outbreak.
Get a free meningitis vaccine at Magnet ( https://tinyurl.com/3pcbjbze ). Priority is given to people who are uninsured or don’t have access to vaccination through their primary care provider.
Please stay informed, and stay safe.
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
Published on July 14, 2022
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