Bay Area Reporter - August 6, 2009
compiled by Cynthia Laird, c.laird@ebar.com

Stop AIDS received $370,000 in state funds through the city. Those funds supported its Positive Force program, which works with HIV-positive gay, bi, and trans men, and outreach activities that reach thousands of men each year and are a link to health programs for those who need them.

As part of the new fundraising effort, dubbed "Night of a Thousand Parties," Stop AIDS is looking for people to host the benefits.

"Any kind of party with any number of guests will do," said Kyriell Noon, executive director. "The types of parties run the gamut from potlucks to cocktail parties to sit down dinners and barbecues. It's really up to the host and what will be fun for them and their friends."

The parties can take place in August or beyond. Stop AIDS spokesman Jason Riggs said one of the first parties is planned for August 22 and that events are scheduled through mid-September. Jennifer Biesty, a local executive chef and contestant on Top Chef Season 4 has teamed with Stop AIDS to provide party tips.

On August 29, Stop AIDS will hold a thank you dessert party with cocktails and live music at the Swedish American Music Hall.

Noon said that this fiscal year is one of the most challenging. "The outcome of cuts from state and private funds isn't just a reduction in services. The cuts amount to the wholesale elimination of entire programs across the state for HIV prevention, care, and support."

To host a party, contact Christian Minchillo at (415) 575-0150, ext. 274 or visit www.stopaids.org/parties.

Gay men's cancer support group

A support group for gay, bi, and queer identified men living with cancer will meet tonight (Thursday, August 6) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in room 304 at the LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street in San Francisco.

Called "Jeffrey's Place," after actor-playwright Jeffrey Hartgraves, who died in 2008 of multiple myeloma, the group is organized by Shanti, said T.J. Lee, who is helping facilitate it.

The group meets the first and third Thursdays and drop-ins are welcome. For more information, contact Lee at (415) 674-4768 or tlee@shanti.org.

OCA confab to feature marriage panel

As part of the national Organization of Chinese Americans convention taking place in San Francisco this weekend, a panel discussion on civil rights and marriage equality will be held Saturday, August 8 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, 355 Powell Street. OCA is a national Chinese American civil rights group, and one of the country's oldest.

Panelists taking part in the "Call to Action: Fighting for Equal Rights" forum will include San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, API Equality founder Tawal Panyacosit, and out lesbian immigration rights activists Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado. Author and activist Helen Zia will moderate.

The panel is free and open to the public. For more information on OCA, visit http://www.ocanational.org.

Tenderloin Tessie fundraiser next week

Tenderloin Tessie, which provides Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinners to those in need, is in need itself of funds for the next round of events. The nonprofit organization will hold a beverage benefit next Saturday, August 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Hole in the Wall, 1369 Folsom Street.

Pink triangle fundraiser next week

The Castro Lions Club will host a beverage benefit to help raise funds to repair the tarps used to make the pink triangle that is installed on Twin Peaks over Pride weekend. Arsonists torched a number of the tarps this year, causing significant damage. Carl Tebell, president of the Castro Lion, said the event takes place Saturday, August 15, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Eagle Tavern, 398 12th Street. The cost is $10 for beer or soda, and includes food provided by the Lions.

Patrick Carney, who organizes the pink triangle, which has gone up at the top of Twin Peaks every year since 1996, said following Pride that 20 to 30 feet of the triangle was burned. He also said wooden stakes with placards explaining the triangle's significance had been jabbed through the tarps into the triangle and one of the triangle's borders was torn.

Call for artists for senior show

New Leaf: Services for Our Community's Outreach to Elders project is seeking artistic submissions for its "Depth and Distance III: Out of the Closet and On the Wall" exhibit. Submissions are due by August 31.

Each artist can submit up to three pieces of artwork including photography, oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, sculpture, drawing, color pencil, fabric, pottery, found object, 3-D, and other types of creative work depicting LGBT seniors and disabled individuals over the age of 18.

The works will be on display October 17 to November 11 at the LGBT Community Center.

The "Depth and Distance" exhibit began in 2003 to "make lesbian art visible," said Jan Couvillon, New Leaf Outreach to Elders activities coordinator, who originally organized the exhibit as a volunteer. The initial exhibit was supported by New Leaf and sponsored by Lesbians in the Visual Arts. The second exhibit, in 2008, was expanded to include works by gay, bisexual, and transgender artists to be more inclusive, Couvillon said in a news release.

The center is co-hosting the event with NLOE, which provides a variety of services for LGBT people age 60 and over to build community, promote independent living, and improve the quality of life.

Other artists' works will also be on display at the same time in other parts of the community center, according to the release.

Entry forms are available online at http://www.newleafservices.org/Depth and Distance 1.pdf; by mail by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (61 cents postage) to NLOE Art Show, 1390 Market Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94102; or at New Leaf's offices at the same address Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Couvillon at (415) 371-1044 or jcouvillon@newleafservices.org.

Heather Cassell contributed to this report.
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