By Donna Sachet–
San Francisco’s season of annual galas continued with PRC’S Mighty Real; Imagine, Inspire, Act at The Pearl on Friday, October 4. This was a brand-new venue for most of us and served PRC’s purposes beautifully, offering a roof-top deck for cocktail hour and sprawling, and high-ceiling space for the seated dinner and program. Guests were dressed elegantly and bustled with excitement, including Reigning Empress Linda Summers, PRC Advisory Board member Gary Virginia, Brio Financial’s Brandon Miller, AT&T’s Cammy Blackstone, SF AIDS Foundation’s Tyler Termeer, SF Pride’s Suzanne Ford and Nguyen Pham, and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman.
The program, emceed by Jon Moscone, featured short speeches from Mayor London Breed and State Senator Scott Wiener and focused on three awards. Steve Ames Brown received the Sylvester Community Pillar Award, sharing fascinating personal stories about the musical artist with whom he worked and who so generously gifted his music royalties to PRC. Monica Gandhi received the Vanguard Leadership Award and spoke powerfully of her leadership role in fighting not just AIDS, but also the painful shame often attached to a diagnosis and her determination to reverse this misplaced stigma. The Marsh & McLennan Agency that provides PRC’S employee health benefits received the Outstanding Corporate Partner Award.
A rousing auction raised thousands of dollars, including a Fund-a-Need portion that had paddles waving in all directions; this was a generous crowd. If anyone was not yet familiar with the CEO of PRC, Chuan Teng, her compassionate address firmly established her extraordinary leadership role and commitment to PRC’s vital work. Finally, we heard from Basil Martinez, who has benefited from several of the programs of PRC and who shared an amazing story of self-realization, recovery, and eventual employment at PRC. This year’s Mighty Real firmly cemented PRC’s gala as a must-attend fall event.
The following night we were joined by returning San Franciscan Michael Timineri at the Horizons Foundation’s Gala at the Academy of Sciences. What a delightful setting for a gala! We hobnobbed in the Grand Hall with other guests, including the Community Center’s Rebecca Rolfe, Nas Mohammed, and others and in the Piazza for dinner with the Bay Times’ own Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas, Juan Barani, Linda Scaparotti, Robert Holgate, and a welcoming contingent from Dolby at Table Number One.
The program started with an amusing twist as the stars of The Golden Girls Live! took the stage with character banter and announced their holiday shows coming to the Curran Theatre. The evening’s honorees could not have been more perfect nor more warmly received. Dr. Marcy Adelman received the Visionary Award, speaking with such authority and yet humility. Suzanne Ford, Executive Director of SF Pride, received the Leadership Award, a fitting acknowledgement of her groundbreaking work as the first transgender person in that important position. A charismatic auctioneer drew enthusiastic bids from the room, adding thousands of dollars to the wide-ranging work of Horizons, including the popular Fund-a-Need section, attracting nearly unanimous participation. Horizons President Roger Doughty completed the evening with a realistic look at the current state of philanthropy and a confident outlook ahead. As we wandered out into the crisp night air, we carried appreciation for Horizons’ years of community changing generosity and optimism for the future ahead.
Rather than giving cursory attention to several intervening events, including a boiling hot, but enthusiastically attended, 50th Annual Castro Street Fair, we now turn our attention to the extraordinary celebration of Cleve Jones’ 70th birthday on Friday, October 11. The evening started with a VIP reception at the offices of SWA Architects, responsible for the reimagined Harvey Milk Plaza now underway. A host of elected officials, including State Senator Toni Atkins and Queen Mother of the Imperial Court System Nicole the Great, and community leaders lauded Cleve with praise and humor, setting the stage for the much more raucous celebration to come.
The Hibernia Bank building hosted the main event and this venue surpassed all expectations. Perched on a prominent corner with stately columns and stylized dome roof, it was surrounded by a line of waiting guests as we arrived. Once through the massive doors and frenetic check-in desks, we entered a cavernous rectangular space with richly detailed walls and a gloriously ornamented ceiling, featuring recessed stained glass. Bars were everywhere and a comfortable seating area awaited VIP ticket-holders.
Within minutes of arriving, guests packed the place and the Audrey Joseph production began. Various groups, representing parts of our community that have been important to Cleve over his decades here, formed a parade of sorts, with each group assembling on stage for photos. The SF Gay Men’s Chorus sang powerfully, Cleve spoke engagingly, Sister Roma led the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in a blessing, and Leather title-holders, colorful flaggers, community groups, and others swelled with excitement. We joined the procession of drag in all its many iterations, parading with our Sister Empresses, all wearing the official crown of the nearly 60-year-old Imperial Court of San Francisco. What a sense of pride and revelation at the wide spectrum of modern drag as we gathered around country music singer Chris Houseman singing his original drag-themed song. We’ll long remember winding down the night, dancing to DJ Phil B, surrounded by smiles and laughter.
Amid all this revelry, let’s not forget that this was an evening benefiting the SF AIDS Foundation and AIDS Memorial Quilt, both of which Cleve helped found, and Horizons, home of the newly created Cleve Jones Community Fund. The guest list was so numerous and varied that it was easier to identify the few who were not there. If ever a person had earned this elaborate and joyful birthday celebration, it is Cleve Jones. Years from now, we predict that this party will be similar to Truman Capote’s Black & White Ball at the Plaza Hotel in 1966, madly anticipated, wildly attended, and historically significant. But in contrast, Cleve’s party, although purportedly in his honor, paid tribute to so many others and his journey with them, full of determination, resilience, and joy. Happy Birthday, my friend!
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
Friday, October 18
Castro Night Market
Food, merchants, entertainment
5–9 pm Free!
Sunday, October 20
Castro Stroll
Día de los Muertos
Arts & crafts
Noon–5 pm Free!
Saturday, October 26
Halloween in the Castro
Street Celebration in Castro
neighborhood
Noon–8 pm Free!
Sunday, October 27
Halloween Block Party
Costume contests for kids,
pets & adults
Noe & Market streets
Noon–5 pm Free!
Thursday, October 31
Divas & Drinks: Kamala Harris’
“Midnight Magic”
With Emcee Donna Sachet,
DJ Lamont, Margot Duane
of POUNCE!
and the Feline Finesse dancers
The Academy SF
2166 Market Street
$15
https://www.academy-sf.com/
Donna’s Chronicles
Published on October 17, 2024
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