By Joanie Juster–
Spring has definitely sprung in San Francisco. The Sisters have blessed San Francisco again with their only-in-San Francisco Easter festivities in Dolores Park. A lucky few are now cherishing the fabulously wacky Easter bonnets they snagged at Joe Mac’s annual Easter Bonnet Sale at 440, and Alert Alley is graced with its new commemorative name, Sister Vish-Knew Way. There is hope in the air, and there are good people doing good work everywhere you look.
Save the Date: The Quilt Returns to San Francisco
I will be writing much more about this in future columns because it is extremely close to my heart, but in the meantime, save the dates June 11 and 12 for the largest outdoor San Francisco display in a decade of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, according to the National AIDS Memorial. The display in Golden Gate Park will mark the 35th anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and will feature nearly 3,000 panels of the Quilt. The free public event will take place on the aforementioned dates from 10 am–5 pm in Robin Williams Meadow and in the National AIDS Memorial Grove.
An opening ceremony and traditional Quilt unfolding will start at 9:30 am on June 11, followed by the continuous reading aloud by volunteers, dignitaries, and the public on both days of names of lives lost to AIDS.
The two-day 35th Anniversary event will be presented by Gilead Sciences. Stay tuned for my next column for details on how to attend, to volunteer, to submit a new panel, and to participate in the reading of names. Watch the press conference here: https://tinyurl.com/Quilt35PC
A New Look for the Castro Country Club
Have you walked down 18th Street recently? On April 14, Castro Country Club (CCC) hung their new sign, which is a rainbow-proud colorful addition to the street scene.
CCC has been an integral part of the Castro community for 39 years. Created in 1983 as a social alternative to the gay bars, the club had an initial role that expanded during the 1980s as AIDS devastated the neighborhood. Throughout the years, CCC has grown and changed to meet the needs of the community, providing a safe haven for countless LGBTQ+ people in recovery to help each other achieve and stay grounded in sobriety. Governed by an Advisory Board, the volunteer-based CCC is now self-supporting. It hosts over 40 meetings a week as well as a wide range of events and activities, and even partners with PRC to provide job training. Their building at 18th and Hartford operates a Peet’s café with free Wi-Fi, a welcoming meeting room, and a spacious back patio open to the public from early morning until late at night, 365 days a year.
I’ve known and admired CCC’s Executive Director Billy Lemon for a number of years, mostly through his extraordinary work in building CCC’s AIDS Walk team into a fundraising powerhouse to reckon with. When I saw him proudly displaying CCC’s new sign on social media on April 14, I asked him what prompted the change. He told me that many folks (myself included) had been “foggy” as to exactly what CCC is, and what services it provides. The colorful new branding created by the ABOARD Design team led by Mike Fung raises visibility by being more vibrant. Billy hopes it will help clarify CCC’s brand, and help the organization move forward at the same time.
In addition to café revenue, merchandise sales (including a classy hoodie that features the new rainbow logo), space rental revenues, grants, and, of course, their awesome AIDS Walk team, Castro Country Club is largely supported by contributions from community donors. You could be one of them! Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/CastroCC
In Case You Missed It, Part 1: The Future of Trans Health Care
On April 8 the Commonwealth Club presented the first in a series looking at the latest in transgender health care. A panel of doctors and experts in the field of trans and nonbinary healthcare explored the latest developments in the field.
This first program in the series, sponsored by Gilead Sciences, addressed the future of trans health care, current advancements in care and accessibility, and best practices in serving trans and nonbinary community members today and in the future. Panelists included Dr. Alexis Petra, MD and Founder/CEO of TransClinique; Dr. Allie Zarah Ley, a leading plastic surgeon providing comprehensive surgical expertise in the field of gender-affirming healthcare; Dr. Christi Butler, Assistant Professor and Urologic Surgeon at UCSF; Dr. Heidi Wittenberg, Director of MoZaic Care Inc. and a Gender Affirmation Surgeon. The program was moderated by Michelle Meow of the Michelle Meow Show.
Future programs will cover a wide range of issues facing trans health care, including the ongoing attacks on trans children and families, policy advancements, mental health and wellness, and more. You can watch the April 8 program here: https://tinyurl.com/FTransHC
In Case You Missed It, Part 2: Trans Visibility in STEM
From a Gender Euphoria Wall where visitors were encouraged to “show the world what you love about yourself” to a custom pronoun button-making booth, on April 2, San Francisco’s Exploratorium went all-in on celebrating the Trans Day of Visibility.
The day featured music, art, panels, interactive exhibits, and films, including a set of short films that shared the wide range of transgender, non-binary, and Two Spirit Experiences, from the collection and work of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP).
One of the highlights of the day was a timely collaboration with The Transgender District: a panel on Trans Visibility in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) that highlighted the importance of transgender representation in the sciences, inclusion and accountability, and a discussion on how to build an equitable future in STEM academic scholarship.
Moderated by Honey Mahogany, co-founder of The Transgender District, the panel included three individuals blazing trails in trans representation in STEM: Kenya Boudreaux, a Software Engineer at Apple; Orion Lam, a professor at Solano Community College with a Ph.D. in Chemistry; and Terra Field, a Systems Engineer, formerly at Netflix and the organizer behind the #NetflixWalkout.
The conversation focused on the importance of trans inclusion in fields critical to social and technological advancement, what accountability and allyship looks like in such fields, and what trans visibility in STEM means for trans liberation. A recording of the event will be made available soon at https://tinyurl.com/TDOVSTEM
These kinds of creative collaborations are a major step toward opening up opportunities for those who have been excluded from such opportunities for too long. And speaking of opportunities…
Opportunities Ahead
Looking for a career change? On April 23, the City and County of San Francisco will host a large citywide Career Resource Fair for job seekers from all backgrounds who are interested in exploring a career with the city. The city has job opportunities in a wide range of areas, in health care, public safety, technology, construction, human services, and more.
Date/Time: April 23 from 10 am–2 pm
Location: Civic Center Plaza, 355 McAllister, San Francisco, CA., 94102
Register here: https://tinyurl.com/SFJobFair
National Poetry Month
As someone who is lucky enough to be married to a world-class poet, poetry is part of everyday life in our household. So, this is a reminder that April is National Poetry Month. Poetry is good for you. It opens our eyes and hearts, and feeds our souls. It is a refreshing form of self-care. Take a few minutes to read a poem each day. You’ll be glad you did.
Focusing on Hope
These past few months have been filled with a barrage of bad news. From the war crimes and devastation in Ukraine to an increasing number of state legislatures that seem hell-bent on destroying the live of trans people and those who love them, the examples of hatred, fear, and inhumanity are rampant. It is tempting to give in to despair, and all too easy to feel overwhelmed, helpless, depressed.
And yet, while there are too many out there sowing chaos and discord, there are also many, many more working to heal our world. One of my favorite writers (and human beings), Rebecca Denison, is an HIV+ writer, educator, and mother who lives in Berkeley. She posts Super Short Stories (exactly 100 words each!) on social media and her website that give me hope for the world. I leave you today with this one:
Braving the Thicket
Sometimes, when the world feels too heavy—prickly, erratic, unsafe, and infinitely inhumane—I retreat and hunker down in my cave, reading, writing, doomscrolling, and wishing things were different. Other times, I heed the call to venture out, to participate in the flow of life. That’s when I follow Mr. Rogers’ advice: “Look for the helpers.” Often, I discover that people I don’t even know have already scratched a passage through the thicket, so others can keep moving forward along their own, messy paths. I stop. Look. Breathe. Listen. There’s light up ahead, and all around are signs of spring.” https://www.rebeccadenison.net/
Look for the helpers, friends. Better yet: be a helper. And open your eyes and heart to the signs of spring.
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
Published on April 21, 2022
Recent Comments