By Joanie Juster–
Honest and truly, this is meant to be a pep talk. But first we need to acknowledge what we’re up against. For months we’ve been saying it’s going to get worse before it gets better. And here we are: It has gotten much worse, and we need to face it.
These past few weeks have been particularly brutal for anyone who cares about our country, our democracy, and the people who live here. Republicans in Congress sold out the health and well-being of the American people to make a handful of people who are already ungodly rich even richer. The Supreme Court is shredding constitutionally protected rights as they bend a knee to a man whose grasp of reality is visibly sliding away. Our government is in the hands of people who are not only grotesquely incompetent, but also blatantly, even gleefully, hateful and cruel. They treat the rule of law as mere suggestions to be ignored while they ratchet up the militarization of our country.
When tanks roll down otherwise peaceful streets in Los Angeles, when ICE vehicles plow into protesters in San Francisco, when immigrants are snatched off the streets or from their workplace by masked thugs and sent to who-knows-where with no hope of due process, yes, we have become an authoritarian state. And enormous amounts of money that Republicans swore were not available to feed hungry children are being spent to build for-profit concentration camps. Federally-sanctioned “labor camps”—that is, slavery—are next.
None of this is normal. None of this is acceptable. They are doing their darndest to frighten us all into submission, and to break our spirits so we feel helpless, and will give up. But don’t despair—here comes the pep talk.
The good news is that we far outnumber those who are causing such harm, so let’s not give them the satisfaction of frightening us into submission. Resistance networks have been growing in size, strength, and ability, and some are now providing training where you can gain skills in resisting strategically, effectively, and nonviolently.
One Million Rising is a nationwide effort to train 1,000,000 people in peaceful non-compliance and disruption tactics. Big one-day protests like No Kings Day are important and powerful, but they are just the beginning; sustained organizing is key to resistance. Sign up here for the trainings: https://tinyurl.com/MillRise
The administration has made clear their threat to come down hard on sanctuary cities. We have seen what they have done in Los Angeles; we can expect similar tactics here in San Francisco and the Bay Area. It’s up to all of us to raise our voices to protest these actions, in every way possible. Indivisible has put together an online toolkit for those of us who live in blue states to help us speak up effectively: https://tinyurl.com/BlueStDef
Support AIDS Walk July 20
AIDS Walk San Francisco is returning to Golden Gate Park on Sunday, July 20, 2025, and after 39 years, it is needed more than ever.
Anyone who survived the early years of the AIDS pandemic can tell you that community was key to surviving the trauma not just physically, but emotionally. And that’s what AIDS Walk has always provided: a community of people who come together to support each other, not just by raising money and awareness, but also by providing solidarity.
Since the moment the new administration took office in January, they have made it quite clear that they have no use for people with HIV. By attacking PEPFAR and USAID and making life-saving HIV medications unavailable in regions that lack robust healthcare systems, they condemned countless people around the world to die. And here in the U.S., by slashing funding for HIV prevention programs, research, and care, they are risking even more devastation here at home. Their actions are unspeakably cruel.
That’s where AIDS Walk comes in. While you and I may have little power in Washington, D.C., we do have the power to come together to help our local organization with collective action.
The beauty of AIDS Walk is that at its heart it is a grassroots event where everyone can participate, no matter whether you raise $5 or $100,000, whether you can walk the full route or are “walking” virtually from your living room. Smaller organizations that serve the HIV and AIDS communities—some of which can’t afford to have a development department—can raise money through AIDS Walk that might be difficult for them to do on their own. And for those smaller organizations, whatever they raise through AIDS Walk, however modest, can make a big difference in their ability to continue providing vitally needed services.
Join us for a day of community and joy in Robin Williams Meadow in Golden Gate Park on July 20. Sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on displayas a powerful reminder of all those who died in this pandemic, but also of the community’s compassionate response.
To become a walker, form a fundraising team, or make a donation to support any walker or team, go to: https://sf.aidswalk.net/
Some Good News Regarding HIV and LGBTQ+ Funding
Finally, some good news: the California Legislature and Governor Newsom backfilled federal HIV prevention funding cuts. This action prevents harmful cuts to programs that serve the HIV and LGBTQ+ communities. The state budget also allocates $75 million from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Rebate Fund to cover projected cuts in federal HIV funding, continue the vital work of disease investigation specialists, and fund new hepatitis C testing equipment. You can read the full announcement from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation here: https://tinyurl.com/CAFunding
Local Writers Featured in Children of Lazarus
In April 2020, just one month into the COVID lockdown, San Francisco writer Hank Trout called Gregg Cassin at Shanti, because Gregg’s program, Honoring Our Experience, had become a force for creating community and support for long-term survivors. Recognizing the power of storytelling to combat isolation and build community, Hank suggested bringing people together on Zoom to write their stories of the AIDS pandemic, as they were now facing a new pandemic. The initial writing group included men and women, HIV-positive and negative, gay and straight, with the common ground being that they had all lived through the trauma of the early years of the AIDS pandemic. They met on Zoom each week to talk, and to write—even though several protested, “But I’m not a writer!” From those weekly sessions not only was a community born, but also several participants found their voices as writers.
Some of those writers are featured in a new anthology, Children of Lazarus: The Forgotten Generation of Long-Term AIDS Survivors. The editor, Les K. Wright, was concerned that as the AIDS generation is getting older, their history would be lost. The writers featured in the anthology share their stories with power and courage, and the book is a worthy addition to the literature of the AIDS pandemic. https://tinyurl.com/ChildLaz
One More Way to Help
Here is a concrete way to support our immigrant neighbors. You can sign up with Faith in Action Bay Area to accompany someone to an ICE Check-In or Court Hearing. In San Francisco, these usually occur between 7:30 am and 3 pm. Please only sign up if you have availability during the weekday, and can get to downtown San Francisco. Your presence at these events really can make a difference. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/FICacc
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
In Case You Missed It
Published on July 17, 2025
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