By Joanie Juster –
Times are tough, and getting tougher. Millions of Americans who might have managed to get through the first ten months of this administration unscathed are now finding that they are not immune from this president’s prioritization of power over people. Every day I hear from more friends whose healthcare premiums are skyrocketing to unaffordable heights. Federal workers have been without pay throughout the long government shutdown. Bay Area companies are announcing huge layoffs. SNAP benefits in many places disappeared in October, and suddenly the threat of hunger on a massive scale not seen since the Great Depression is looming over our country. And, worse yet, the constant threat of ICE raids has kept many families afraid to go out in public—afraid to go to work, to school, to church, or even to the grocery store.
Clearly, we can no longer count on the government to help us. But we do have each other.
This is a time when we all need to pitch in to help our neighbors, and the most urgent needs are the most basic ones: people need to eat every day. Our food banks are being stretched beyond capacity by the growing need for their services, so donating to, and volunteering for, your local food bank is a great place to start. And remember: every dollar you donate to your local food bank goes much farther than any dollar you spend at the grocery store, so donate money, not food. Food banks and meal services know better than you or I exactly what they need to nourish their clients, so trust them to use your dollars wisely.
Mutual aid networks are also doing tremendous work at the street level. They tend to be hyperlocal, and some don’t even necessarily have websites. Not surprisingly, most of these efforts to feed the hungry in our communities are also part of progressive organizations that are also actively participating in resistance activities and political organizing. Churches and nonprofit organizations like Glide, Faith in Action, St. Anthony’s, and many others are also doing everything they can to make sure people are fed.
Here are a few suggestions of ways you can help; there are many more out there. Please, do whatever you can to help feed our neighbors:
Bay Resistance:
Bay Area Workers Support:
Mission Meals Coalition:
Heads Up: Kim Davis Is Back
Ever since marriage equality was declared the law of the land by the Supreme Court in 2015, there has been concern that the right of same-sex couples to marry could be taken away again—a concern that increased dramatically when Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, and even more under the homophobic attacks by the current administration. And now Kim Davis, the much-married former county clerk who found international fame in 2015 by refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Kentucky, has decided to raise the issue with the Supreme Court once again, in an attempt to have Obergefell v. Hodges overturned.
The Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Davis’ challenge to same-sex marriage at a private conference on Friday, November 7, the first step toward the Court deciding whether to review Obergefell v. Hodges. You can stay up-to-date on this case at the SCOTUSblog: https://tinyurl.com/SCOTkc
Transgender Awareness Month Events Planned
November is Transgender Awareness Month, when the history, contributions, and accomplishments of transgender people are highlighted and celebrated. It includes Transgender Awareness Week (commemorated each year between November 13–19) as a time to increase understanding about transgender people and the issues and challenges they face.
On November 20, the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) honors the memory of transgender people who died as a result of anti-trans violence that year.
According to the Transgender Law Center, there have been 139 reported incidents of fatal transphobic violence in the United States since 2017—third in the world, after Brazil and Mexico. But it is also important to remember that data on these crimes can be incomplete or inaccurate, as these crimes are often underreported or misclassified.
As trans people are under increasing attack, especially from our own government, it is clear that awareness and remembrance are important, but in order to create change, they must also lead to action. San Francisco’s Transgender District is planning a Trans Awareness Month Youth Rally on Saturday, November 15, from 10 am–12:30 pm. They are partnering with Districts 5 and 6, and community partners including Larkin Street, TransThrive, LYRIC, El/La Para TransLatinas, and Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco to build solidarity and work toward positive change. For info: https://tinyurl.com/TDORyouth
TDoR events in San Francisco will be coordinated by the Trans March. They will include a rally on the steps of City Hall on November 20 at 5:30 pm, a march to the SF LGBT Center at 6 pm, and a program at the LGBT Center at 7 pm.
Other TDoR events are planned throughout the Bay Area as well, including a vigil at The Diversity Center (612 Ocean Street, San Francisco) on Friday, November 21. “The Sound of Holding On” will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Details for this free event: https://tinyurl.com/TDOR1121
Congratulations to the New Drag Laureate!
D’Arcy Drollinger set a high bar as San Francisco’s first-ever Drag Laureate, but she is leaving the position in excellent hands with her newly-appointed successor, Per Sia. As an educator, activist, performer, trailblazer, and community leader, Per Sia brings a wealth of leadership experience and energy to the job.
At the celebratory announcement of their new role, Per Sia set the tone for what lies ahead: “Despite the current chaos of the world, I promise you this: I will keep bringing my joy, my brown joy, my queer joy, all the joy. So, I invite all of you to find your joy. Share your stories. Because when we share those stories, and that joy, we heal, we connect, and we remind the world that we are just simply humans. Humans that want to be heard, humans that want to be understood, humans that want to be respected, and ultimately humans that want to be and feel loved.”
Congratulations, Per Sia. We know you will represent our city with creativity, compassion, and great joy.
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
In Case You Missed It
Published on November 6, 2025
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