The Black Coalition on AIDS Soirée at Rasselas: A Fulfilling and Enjoyable Benefit Party

Michael Huff, James Loyce, Dian Hanson, Sophie Maxwell, Herman Storey, and Perry Lang

The Black Coalition on AIDS topped themselves on June 23 with their Soulful Summer Soirée, an informative, fulfilling event in a beautiful setting. They chose Rasselas Jazz Club & Restaurant in the center of the revived jazz center of San Francisco’s Fillmore District, a traditionally welcoming African American area. The Ricardo Scales Quartet provided soft jazz and popular hits throughout the evening, creating a pleasant mood to accompany the taste treats and cocktails.

The Ricardo Scales Quartet

Executive Director James Loyce welcomed the guests, and Board VP Dian Harrison MC’ed the event, which was a benefit for The Coalition and an opportunity to socialize and compare experiences in the fight
against HIV/AIDS.

Black Coalition on AIDS Executive Director James Loyce

Each of the honorees has been a strong advocate for wellness and health in the African American community.

Michael Huff, Director of the African American Health Disparities Project, has been brilliant in pointing out how Black people have been short-changed and then made sure funding was provided.

Honoree Sophie Maxwell, a City Supervisor, also has sought to close the gap in health funding, and she has worked with the Black Coalition on AIDS to do so.

Volunteer of the Year honoree Herman Storey has struggled to ensure that people with HIV and AIDS receive support and he has done so since The Coalition was founded over 24 years ago with Bart Casimir, who attended the event, and city supervisor aide Brandy Moore. Moore is the much-missed, legendary AIDS activist who realized that the government, non-profits, democratic clubs, churches, and citizens of San Francisco were not concerned with mounting deaths from the new disease among Black gay men. He energized his boss, Supervisor Doris Ward, and then-California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, to create financing for information and treatment for the African American community. This journalist knew Moore well, and there is general agreement that few activists could be as persuasive and accomplished as he was.

The harrowing 2010 statistics for African Americans and HIV/AIDS in San Francisco was eloquently spoken about by Perry Lang, The Coalition’s Director of Wellness and Public Advocacy, and the infection rates are way out of proportion to the population. It was clear to the guests that a lot more has to be done to close the health care money gap, make more information available and especially to women, and to reach out to institutions that are resisting change — a situation that endangers their members.

Crude Awakening Oil Wrestling for Gulf Spill Relief

Faeries Oliver, Zak, Jamison, (name deleted per request), Abel Diego, and Kyle

Sexual tension and stares met the antics of Radical Faerie guys who wrestled in Wesson oil (the favorite for college orgies worldwide) on a sidewalk mattress at the Tower Records site in the Castro near Café Flore on June 20.

Oliver, Zak, Jamison, Abel Diego, and Kyle joined more than a dozen others to furiously tangle with each other to benefit the Florida Wild Mammal Association.

Petroleum globs are now reaching Florida’s Panhandle, which makes the happy writhing of studs for charity appropriate and praiseworthy. The event was sponsored by Comfort and Joy and Nomenus, the faerie core group. Checking them out online and also their faerie sanctuaries at Short Mountain in Tennessee and Wolf Creek in Oregon will give an understanding of the group’s philosophy and views of reality.

While the guys who wrestled are not in any way the full range of faeries — who are aged from late teens to mid-80s, from short haired and reserved to earthy and wildly hirsute — it was a fine display and promotion for a way of life and thinking that is outside the mass of gay life.

The wrestling was just one event in a series that are happening during the Faetopia Festival being held upstairs at the former Tower Record site from Monday, June 21 through Saturday, June 26. Utopian yoga is on for Thursday with one of San Francisco’s most impressive teachers Stuart Siegel, also known as Yoga Daddy, and sex-positive yoga by Ian Waisler and Jerry is occurring on Friday.

Performance art, workshops, cinema, and local artists’ work in the commercial space is an example of how creativity can be shared.
The week’s wonderful, fulfilling events can be checked out at playajoy.org/faetopia, and the event is also sponsored by the hard-working charmers at Café Flore.

Faetopia Festival
(Inside the old Castro Tower Records space)
2278 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

To view more photos from the event, visit flickr.com/rinkfoto.

The San Francisco LGBT Community Center’s Pride Party: A Fifth Anniversary Blowout on Four Floors

Sisters flank the Academy of Art's David Lynam and Sue Rowley, and The Center's Rebecca Rolfe

The Academy of Art University sponsored the San Francisco LGBT Community Center’s fifth annual Pride Party on June 19 — and they supported The Center in a big way. Sue Rowley, the Academy’s Executive Vice President of Education and International Admissions/Services, resoundingly spoke about her honor to speak at the celebration.

More than 100 guests at the roof deck margarita soirée listened avidly as Rowley mentioned that her girlfriend liked the word "elated" to sum up her joy in joining the tradition of diversity of San Francisco Pride and among the Academy’s students from over 100 countries. Rowley said that diversity makes some people uncomfortable and scares others, but that it is necessary for good changes to happen. She stated that the Academy stands with the LGBT community as neighbors and with a shared vision that people of all cultures and backgrounds should be given the opportunity for their contributions, artistic and otherwise, to be made to society. And she encouraged the community to reach out to the Academy for support in the future.

DJ Christopher Berini

The sound and music at the soirée was excellent thanks to DJ Christopher Berini, who is blonde and handsome and wholesome-looking in a field where that look stands out.

Hunky filmmaker David Lynam joined Rowley to represent the Academy of Art. His short film "Gay People's Court: Fashion Beat Down" was shown recently at the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival.

Preceding Rowley’s talk at the event was The Center’s Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe, and the party’s co-chair Wes Freas and board chair Debbie Chau also spoke to the multitude who had mobbed the margarita bars.

Bob Michitarian, Paul and friend

Aaron and Taylor manning the Taylor’s Tonics booth

Aaron Dolson, who is well-known as the guy who mounts the fine Tingel Tangel shows at Café du Nord, was manning a Taylor’s Tonics soda booth at the event. "Strong flavors" as a description for these tonics does not even come close, and the caffeine level had one stud saying that he was going to drink a couple cupfuls and take a guy he spotted up the street to Beck’s Motor Lodge.

Jessica Ridge, Erin Smith, and Jerime Black

Jessica Ridge, Erin Smith, and Jerime Black were pouring at the Barefoot Wine & Bubbly booth and sharing a rainbow feather boa. Barefoot is celebrating 20 years of support with San Francisco Pride and their continuing generosity was appreciated on Saturday afternoon.

A couple of the friendly margarita booth workers

Comic Marga Gomez was the headliner of the entertainers, and she was again a big stage success. Unfortunately the Rainbow Room’s heat again turned some guests around at the door, so they missed the performances. The food, the raffles, and the open bars made for a successful fifth anniversary for The Center.

Sue Rowley, Rebecca Rolfe and David Lynam

More photos can be seen at flickr.com/rinkfoto.

Tenderloin Health’s Early Summer Sunset Cruise: A Cruise on the Bay for a Good Cause

Andy Chen and David L. Fernandez of Tenderloin Health with honorees Barbara Garcia and Amy Lyons

There was a beautiful sunset on San Francisco Bay for the guests on this year’s Tenderloin Health cruise near the Golden Gate Bridge on June 17. The Chardonnay Commodore glided across the water and then returned for a below deck ceremony, and it was an exciting change from past year’s penthouse soirées.

Tenderloin Health provides housing and social services to the Tenderloin District’s homeless, poor, and vulnerable residents with respect and compassion.

Host Geoffrey Grier showing his soap promoting the San Francisco Recovery Theatre

Host Geoffrey Grier expertly explained each speaker’s impact on Tenderloin Health’s clients and new executive director David L. Fernandez elaborated on the fine work of the staff and volunteers of the agency. Board chair Andy Chen elaborated on the need for additional funding considering the present financial situation. Poet Mark Myers, a client, read from his work and spoke about his future social work classes at City College, thanks to Tenderloin Health. Avantika Nath, a San Francisco Department of Public Health dentist spoke expansively about overcoming distrust of the clients and being able to help them at the agency office, instead of at an unfamiliar site.

Honoree Barbara Garcia is San Francisco’s Deputy Director of Health, and she oversees community programs and over 2,000 employees who work tirelessly to try to alleviate the ravages of homelessness and poverty. Amy Lyons accepted the honorary sculpture for the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, a charitable organization that supports improvement in the quality of life.

Avantika Nath and Zareh Amirkhanian

Though docked, the ship rocked during the ceremonies, so that honorees had to hold onto the microphone tightly for support, which drew knowing laughter from the guests who held onto each other.

Your American Original Eric Ward

Your American Original Eric Ward provided the songs and music with his combo toward the end of the evening as guests checked out the silent auction, and it evoked Las Vegas’ top lounge performances. His CD is an incredible collection of highly professional sounds and rhythms that is recommended.

There was a rush for the finale of the auction and then careful departures with assistance from the ship’s crew for those who enjoyed their wine, and there was all-around agreement that Tenderloin Health outdid themselves this year to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Troy Brunet and John Kiltinen

The Frameline Festival’s First Dramatic Week: Stunning Celluloid, a Protest, and Parties

Cindy Lu, Ben Wilson, Kitty Buick, and Marianne Falkner celebrate the opening of Frameline 34

Frameline 34, this year's San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, presents some of the best quality celluloid treats in years. The range of films screened for the press before the festival revealed some that should be seen even if there is a crush. And if they are missed they should be seen in theaters when shown commercially.

The opening night film "The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister" had something to offer for a wide range of tastes. Revelations included lesbian and contemporary women’s sexuality without apology in Regency era England, women living free from the domination of men, and a country setting instead of the usual stuffy London environment of British period pieces.

Frameline executive director K.C. Price, "The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister" producer L. Mark Bentley, actress Maxine Peake, director James Kent, producer R. Nick Kent, and Frameline festival director Jennifer Morris

The filmmakers and star were charming and generous with their time in the pre-show Green Room setting, in contrast with the anti-Israel protesters outside. They chanted loudly and pounded on drums and seemed uninterested in explaining their viewpoints, though they had some flyers to hand out.

Anti-Israel protesters outside the Castro Theatre

On the other side of the street barriers lesbians from the Jewish Community Federation and Congregation Sha'ar Zahav engaged passersby in conversations that included media reports about the Turkish radical group on one Gaza blockade-running ship who attacked Israeli soldiers with lethal weapons. And they explained that Israel is the only Middle-Eastern country with an openly LGBT military and government officials, and that LGBT Americans and locals must hide their orientations in Gaza and the West Bank.

Pro-Israel protesters outside the Castro Theatre

Frameline’s opening night party was in Golden Gate Park at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society. Considering the multiple complaints about the "obscure location" and the buffet fare, a lot of patrons found their way out there and many went back for seconds of Fuzio pork sliders.

The Regency theme was engaged by wondrously costumed models from Dark Garden Apparel, and "Baby Jane?" star J. Conrad Frank was the striking fashion statement for the party and most of San Francisco that night.

"Baby Jane?" director John Lore, film fan Jim Oswald, and "Baby Jane?" star J. Conrad Frank

The "Curious Thing" short films were all very good and one was brilliant with its treatment of the perennial problem of straight and gay best friends veering emotionally toward a relationship crisis. This year’s "Fun in Girls’ Shorts" were more satisfying than the men’s program and the international men’s shorts. "The Golden Pin" Asian shorts were realistic, true-to-life experiences brought masterfully to the screen.

Of all the documentary films, "Uncle Bob" was the most innovative. Where else could a film subject’s relative be seen baring his emotions and body continually and with such power, and also channel someone so convincingly? This journalist knew Robert Opel, the subject, well and he would have been proud of his nephew’s creation.

"Children of God, "The Consul of Sodom," and "The String" are spellbinding, beautifully crafted films about gay men who will not accept a hidden, down-low position. Amazingly, "The String" is from Tunisia — not known to be a gay-friendly country.

Director Cheryl Dunye has done it again with her amazing, multi-layered and textured "The Owls." She guided a large diverse cast in one of the festival’s most unusual tableaus.

"8: The Mormon Proposition" is sure to unleash another spasm of hatred toward the Latter Day Saints — as guests packed into a house party in the film’s honor at the home of attorney Dave Tsai agreed.

When creative genius Bern Boyle founded what was to become the Frameline Festival 34 years ago, he could not have imagined the huge crowds and dozens of films, which is a world of difference from him and his friends’ videos listed on a single mimeographed page of paper. But the excitement then is echoed now, just immensely larger.

Fierce Love: Stories from Black Gay Life by Pomo Afro Homos

Thandiwe Thomas DeShazor, Brian Freeman, and Dazie Rustin Grego

A lucky audience experienced the 20th anniversary of one of the best shows about African-American gay men and their stories on June 15 at the San Francisco Main Public Library. "Fierce Love: Stories from Black Gay Life by Pomo Afro Homos" was as fresh and uplifting and outrageous as it was 20 years ago when it erupted onto the stage at Josie’s Juice Joint in the Castro.

Its creator Brian Freeman was speaking with Josie’s manager Donald Montwill one day about a need for such a show and Montwill turned to him and said to get a show together and he would support it. Montwill, much missed now, founded the AIDS Project of Maui with his lovers Jim Manness and Tom Calvanese, and then they moved to San Francisco to manage the Valencia Rose and later Josie’s with a rule that no sexism, racism, or homophobia would be expressed on their stages. Whoopi Goldberg was invited by Montwill to perform at the Valencia Rose just before "The Color Purple" was released, when she needed work and assurances, and she supported him throughout his illnesses and was seen pushing Manness’ wheelchair past the White House during the March on Washington.

"Pomo Afro Homos" with its views into the private lives of characters Freeman and his collaborators knew and dreamed up was an immediate hit, and eventually was performed all over the world. When it was on stage in Alaska it caused great controversy involving bigots and the state legislature.

Freeman is a playwright/actor/director with tremendous depth of purpose and a passion for quality in his work. His hard-hitting "Civil Sex" about the life of openly-gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin is an inspiration to political activists and theater writers. Starting with the San Francisco Mime Troupe, Freeman has also been involved with "A Slight Variance" at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and with the Afro Solo Festival.

Freeman chose well when he invited two young performers to join him in a show on stage at the Koret Auditorium last Tuesday. Thandiwe Thomas DeShazor performed at the recent, highly-regarded Afro Solo Festival and Dazie Rustin Grego starred in his own "I Am a Man" show at Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory. DeShazor and Grego expertly interacted with each other and with Freeman, conjuring up the dazzling show that this journalist enjoyed with his friends two decades ago.

Their verbal duel between activists and party guys, a couple going through escalating gentrification, and a loving gay couple dealing with a hypocritical intruder enchanted listeners and drew sighs and yeahs from the crowd.

The James C. Hormel Center’s Karen Sundheim welcomed the guests to the event, and she mentioned that the Hormel and African-American Centers of the Main Library and the National Queer Arts Festival sponsored the performance, and the sustained applause throughout the evening showed the approval of the audience.

Breathtaking Freedom at the Queertopia Queer Youth Prom

Sparkling prom-goers Kennedy, Rose, Carlos, Layla, Andrea, and Sky

Hundreds of young people in upscale finery surged from BART, Muni, and their parents’ cars toward the San Francisco LGBT Community Center on June 11 for Queertopia, the 2010 Queer Youth Prom put on by the Youth Program at The Center. Teens heading to a prom is not an unusual sight for this time of year, but a second glance revealed that the couples were same sex and holding hands.

The tone for the magical, semi-formal evening was set by the suits and slinky black ensembles sported by the young men and women, and the beautiful, brightly colored satin and silk gowns worn by the young women and one tattooed young man. Two young women came to the party dressed like Lady Gaga, dripping in bling.

It was a series of wonderful, profound moments for the youth who took refuge from their judgmental families, home towns, and high schools to attend the prom. Many were thrilled to meet and greet other queer youth and allies, especially the hopeful singles.

Attendees were spared the ridiculous high school prom night of this journalist, whose date was his fourth cousin, and whose teenage male lover of four years brought a lesbian friend on the double date, who laughed diabolically all evening about the acting awards that she claimed that she deserved for her performance. There was no public same-sex touching, kissing, or dancing in high schools back then, and it was breathtaking to see the contrast at Queertopia, where close contact was blatant and casual. But thousands of LGBT youth in conservative locales still have to set up a charade with opposite-sex dates just to double date with their lovers.

The Center was decorated by interns with traditional balloons and crêpe paper, and an arch was mounted over the staircase with recycled Christmas holly. Young volunteers greeted the guests and requested a $5 donation, and officious-looking Center employees wearing headsets made it clear with their expressions and presence that evil-doers would not be tolerated.

An agitated Sister Mae Joy was the ranking Sister of Perpetual Indulgence to supervise Sisters-in-Training Oy Vey Maria, Shugga Butt, and Mo, who served as chaperones. Then statuesque Sister Roma swept into the soirée with her distinctive boa atop her wimple to command the religious order’s minions and attract admiring glances from the style-deprived partygoers.

The all-male Pandora’s Myth Dance Crew performed at the prom. They were described as a fine queer break dance troupe. Hot Cookie, Harvey’s, and the Hard French event crew provided the refreshments.

The party was well-organized, with the Center’s youth coordinators Beck in charge of the second floor and Erik Martinez managing the first floor. The overall event was managed by community program director Roberto Ordeñana, who described in detail the harsh reality of looming funding cutbacks for the Center’s youth meal project. He is hopeful that San Francisco’s mayor and supervisors will be lobbied to save the resource that not only provides sustenance, but also camaraderie and the feeling that someone cares about LGBT youth. Many queer youth are survivors of severe beatings and harassment as soon as their orientations became noticeable, and for some the food program at the Center is their first awareness that adults and other youth support and accept them for who they are.

A large, distinctive “HIV Testing” sign with an arrow pointed to a room where a smiling Sabeena Shah from Trans Kiss waited, poised with a testing Q-tip. Trans Kiss is a project of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and testing counselor Ses Sultan launched himself to aggressively hand out condoms to the throng.

H&M clothiers provided $100 gift cards for raffle prizes, and guests filled out a survey of questions about youth resources in return for free raffle tickets.

A quick polling of the prom about what the young people want drew this shopping list for the LGBT Center:

• youth on the board
• the board to take a personal interest in the youth food program
• full cyber center staffing
• wi-fi throughout the building
• quarterly youth empowerment forums, and
• re-opening the café.

Throbbing Hip Hop and Top 40 music moved the 300+ attendees in the Center’s Rainbow Room. The intoxicating sight-and-sound phenomenon created a classic American prom.

The LGBT youth exulted in their extravagant freedom — a freedom that someday should be a non-issue across the U.S.