For Black History Month, Black LGBTQ Bay Area women who are leaders within their respective fields will be honored at Divas & Drinks @ The Academy on February 9. The event, co-presented by the San Francisco Bay Times and The Academy SF at 2166 Market Street, will take place from 6–10 pm and will include performances by Beach Blanket Babylon legendary star Renée Lubin and renowned musician Dr. Dee Spencer, who is featured in this issue. The event will be emceed by Donna Sachet, and DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia travel will also be in the house.
In addition to Lubin and Spencer, honorees who have confirmed as of this writing include:
Nettie Bonds
Youth Drop-In Coordinator, SF LGBT Center
Former Operations Manager, East Oakland Boxing Association
Susan Christian, J.D.
San Francisco Assistant District Attorney
Commissioner, San Francisco Human Rights Commission
Board Member and Former Co-Chair, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
Pamela Connie, LCSW
Program Manager, Human Service Agency of the City and County of San Francisco
Former Child Welfare Supervisor, City and County of San Francisco
Dawn Edwards
Vice President, Oakland LGBTQ Community Center Board
Director of Programs, Lotus Bloom Family Resource Center
Jewelle Gomez
Award-winning Author and Playwright
Former Commissioner, San Francisco Library Commission
San Francisco Bay Times Columnist
Former Director of Grants & Community Initiatives, Horizons Foundation
Sandy Holmes
America Civil Liberties Union Former Senior Development Associate
Adasina Social Capital Former Chief Compliance Officer
Frameline Screening Committee Member
Janelle Luster
Vice President, San Francisco Pride Board of Directors
Transgender Activist and Program Supervisor, Trans Vision
Board Member, Oakland Pridefest
Di’ara Reid
Board Member, San Francisco Pride
Transgender Activist
Former Owner, Reid’s Records (which, until its closing in 2019, was one of the oldest Black owned and operated businesses in the Bay Area)
Karen Roye
Executive Director, City and County of San Francisco Department of Child Support Services
Former Senior Budget Analyst, City and County of San Francisco
Andrea Shorter
Former Commissioner and President, Commission on the Status of Women
San Francisco Bay Times Columnist
Former Senior Consultant, Young Women’s Freedom Center
Former Director of Community Relations, Out & Equal
Natalie ThompsonDirector of Programs, SF LGBT Center
Director of Programs and Equity, Northwest Housing Alternatives
Darlene Underwood
Broker, Corcoran Realty
Manager, Noble Fields School of Real Estate
Former City of Oakland Firefighter and EMT
Lisa Williams
Executive Director, Soul of Pride
Former President, San Francisco Pride Board of Directors
Active Member: Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Homeless Children’s Network, Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, and the SF Mental Health Education Board.
Carolyn Wysinger
Councilmember, El Cerrito City Counci
Vice President of Programs, El Cerrito Democratic Club
Former President, San Francisco Pride Board of Directors
San Francisco Bay Times Columnist
Judy Young, M.P.H.
Executive Director, UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women’s Healt
Co-Chair, UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences’ Diversity Committee
Cover Story
Published on January 9, 2023
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