By Joanie Juster–
Whatever else may be going on around the country, the local LGBTQ+ community continues to prove its strength and resilience, proudly shining brightly in a number of Pride celebrations that continue to blossom. Since late spring, Pride celebrations have been popping up throughout the greater Bay Area and beyond. From Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay, to Pinole, Port Costa, Castro Valley, Walnut Creek, Concord, Clayton, Sausalito, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, San Jose, and more, cities and towns are making Pride celebrations a visible and vibrant part of their local communities.
While many of the celebrations took place earlier in the season, late summer still holds some celebrations ahead:
September 9–10
Oakland Pride
This year, Oakland Pride and Pridefest Oakland are joining together to celebrate and support the cultures and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. https://oaklandpride.org/
September 23
Martinez Pride
Martinez will be holding its inaugural pride celebration along the waterfront. https://tinyurl.com/MartinezPride
October 13–15
Petaluma Pride
The second annual Petaluma Pride will feature a weekend of events, with their main events being held on Saturday, October 14.
October 13–15
Russian River Pride
The Russian River community is tightknit and resilient, having survived fires, floods, COVID-19, and more these past few years. It’s time to party, and they are celebrating this year with their biggest Pride celebration ever. The Russian River Alliance is coordinating a full weekend of events, including a tea dance on Johnson’s Beach, a parade on Sunday, October 15, and a number of ancillary events; more details in my next column. For info, or to sign up as a vendor or volunteer: https://tinyurl.com/RRAPride
The Data Is In: Connecting Is Good for Your Health
During the pandemic, one of the major hurdles that many people faced was not being able to access in-person healthcare for their ongoing non-COVID needs. At UCSF/SF General’s famous HIV Clinic—Ward 86—the clinic’s Director, Dr. Monica Gandhi, saw the danger this would pose for her patients, and decided that people were more important than protocols. Throughout the lockdown, she made sure the clinic’s patients could access the healthcare they needed. Many of her patients are long-term survivors, the first-ever generation aging with HIV.
After the lockdown was lifted, what she discovered is that she didn’t lose a single patient to COVID. Instead, patients who had been isolated throughout the lockdown fell prey to depression, substance abuse, and suicide. In many cases, isolation and loneliness turned out to be more deadly than COVID, especially for older people, and those living alone.
Meanwhile, at the Shanti Project, Health Counselor and founder of Honoring Our Experience Gregg Cassin saw the dangers of pandemic-induced isolation as well. As a long-term HIV survivor himself, and as someone who has been facilitating HIV retreats and events for almost 40 years, Gregg immediately set to work to build bridges to link people virtually throughout the lockdown. He coordinated online retreats, social gatherings, a writing group, and any other way he could contrive to bring people together safely, and build welcoming spaces where people could gather for community and support.
Naturally, during this time Dr. Gandhi and Gregg Cassin found each other, and built a powerful alliance, often working together to strengthen the physical and mental health of the community. And it turns out the work they are doing is on the cutting edge of public health policy. In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a Surgeon General Advisory sounding the alarm on the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. According to this advisory, even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. In fact, loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives, and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily. Bottom line: Disconnection fundamentally and negatively impacts our mental, physical, and societal health.
The advisory lays out a framework for a national strategy to advance social connection—something that has never before been implemented in the U.S. Recommendations are outlined for individuals, governments, workplaces, health systems, and community organizations to work toward increasing connection and improving health. Dr. Murthy said, “Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health. Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight—one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled, and more productive lives. Given the significant health consequences of loneliness and isolation, we must prioritize building social connection the same way we have prioritized other critical public health issues such as tobacco, obesity, and substance use disorders. Together, we can build a country that’s healthier, more resilient, less lonely, and more connected.”
Knowing that people living with HIV/AIDS, especially long-term survivors, face additional challenges including social isolation, stigma, low self-esteem, PTSD, and grief, Cassin and his Shanti colleagues Liliana Talero and Derrick Mapp are presenting an experiential workshop in Washington, D.C., on September 8 at the U.S. Conference on HIV & AIDS (USCHA), called “Harnessing the Healing Power of Community Through Honoring Our Experience.” The workshop description adds, “Data shows that personal relationships and social support networks play a fundamental role in one’s well-being, happiness, and even longevity. (This) experiential workshop will share how essential and transformative community-building programs are for our HIV community.”
Gandhi and Cassin will also be sharing some of the wisdom they have gained in a conversation at Manny’s on September 12, “Belonging in Health, Well-Being, and Survivorship.” Free tickets and info: https://tinyurl.com/HealingCass
More HIV & AIDS Conference News
The annual U.S. Conference on HIV & AIDS (USCHA) is taking place in Washington, D.C., through September 9 (it started on 9/6). In addition to the contingent from Shanti listed above, Ebony Gordon, Program Director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s HUES program, will be co-moderating a panel, “Stories of Triumph: Black Women Overcoming HIV,” a subject perfectly aligned with the theme of this year’s conference, “A Love Letter to Black Women.”
HUES is SFAF’s first-ever Black woman-centered program. The name was co-created by the program’s actual participants, who chose to call it HUES: Healing & Uniting Every Sista. The stated mission for HUES is “eradicating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black women, girls, and femmes through direct service, education, and advocacy.”
Also on the panel is 79-year-old HIV activist Hulda Brown. She has been living with HIV since 1991, a time when most services were designed for gay men. Services for women—and particularly Black women—were few and far between. Over the years, Hulda has learned the importance of sharing her story, especially as a woman of color, and as a woman aging with HIV—the first generation to do so.
The issues faced by people aging with HIV & AIDS are finally gaining traction. At this time, over half of the people living with HIV are aged 50 or older—and that number is going to rise dramatically soon. It is estimated that more than 70% of those with HIV will be over age 50 by 2030. This is a population that experiences more aging complications, both physical and neurocognitive, than the general population, as well as facing stigma, isolation, depression, and poor treatment outcomes. Clearly there is a lot of work to be done to help them. Fortunately, two important conferences are coming up that address these issues.
On September 18 & 19, a free event in Sacramento, the Collaboration in Care Conference, will address the special clinical, mental health, and social support services needed by people aging with HIV. The conference welcomes direct service providers from all disciplines across the Western U.S., including mental health, service navigation, clinical care, social services, and other specialties. Continuing education units will be available for select sessions. Registration and info: https://tinyurl.com/HIVSacto
The14th International Workshop on HIV & Aging will take place October 26–27 in Washington, D.C.Billed as the only platform worldwide for international, cross-disciplinary exchange on issues of persons aging with HIV, the workshop will include researchers, healthcare professionals, and community advocates to address the problems facing this specific aging population. More info: https://tinyurl.com/HIVConf23
Meet the Authors: Local Book Signings
For four decades, Mark King has been chronicling his life and, in particular, his life as a gay man living with HIV, in stories, articles, and his groundbreaking, influential, wildly popular blog, My Fabulous Disease. His writing ranges from profound to hilarious, touching to provocative, but always deeply human, and well worth reading. His new book, also titled My Fabulous Disease, is an anthology of many of his blog posts, as well as other writings.
My Fabulous Disease was published on September 1, and Mark is celebrating in San Francisco with two public events on Saturday, September 16. From 10 am to noon, there will be a meet-and greet at the SF AIDS Foundation’s Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network weekly coffee meeting at Maxfield’s House of Caffeine (Dolores & 17th Street). Then at 6:30 that evening, there will be a community event at SFAF’s Strut (470 Castro Street), where you can buy the book, and where Mark and members of San Francisco’s long-term survivor community will read excerpts from My Fabulous Disease and invite discussion. For more information, plus an insightful interview with Mark King by Hank Trout, go to: https://tinyurl.com/MKfabdis
And on September 28, Oakland’s own Jeopardy! superchampion-turned-author Amy Schneider will be talking about her newly-released memoir, In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life, at the Commonwealth Club. The program is from 6-7 pm, followed by a book signing. Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/Jeopardamy
LeatherWalk Returns on September 17
The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District has announced that LeatherWalk 2023 will return on Sunday, September 17. LeatherWalk is San Francisco’s annual celebratory march through SOMA, stopping at favorite spots for entertainment and beverages. The event creates leather/fetish community and visibility while kicking off Leather Week. Participants can opt to fund raise and compete for the Kinky Boot Award. All are welcome to walk whether fundraising or not.
The Walk begins at City Hall (Polk Street) at 11 am, with Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Matt Dorsey speaking during opening remarks. At the Ringold Leather History Alley, The Sisters will conduct a Blessing of the Leathers. A Leather Pride Flag-raising ends the walk at the SF Eagle Bar’s Leather Pride Festival.
Donations benefit the District’s work keeping SOMA kinky and queer, by supporting fetish art, artists, performers, makers, events, murals, and more. Info: https://sfleatherdistrict.org/lw
Entrepreneur Training Program
More news from the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District: They offer a nine-week Entrepreneur Training Program, where up to ten entrepreneurs from new or existing businesses serving the San Francisco leather and kink communities will work as a cohort in a mutually supportive environment to develop their respective businesses from the ground up. Twenty-five current and future businesspeople have graduated from the program. The next cohort begins on September 14. For more information or to apply: https://tinyurl.com/SFLDBus
Save the Dates
September 23–24: Join the Grand Ducal Council in celebrating their 50th anniversary at a gala on September 23, followed by their Coronation on September 24. Tickets & info: https://tinyurl.com/Ducal50
October 7–8: While extremists whipped into a frenzy by conservative fearmongers are busy lobbing death threats at librarians and school board leaders, here in San Francisco a bookstore is fighting for free speech. Fabulosa Books is holding a 24-hour celebration of queer literature in the Castro. It will include a 24-hour reading marathon, and is a fundraiser for BOOKS NOT BANS, their program to send queer books to LGBTQ+ centers and groups in red states. More details in our next issue. Info: into@fabulosabooks.com
October 13–15: The Second Annual Drag & Spirituality Summit, created by Bonni33 Viol3t, will take place over three days. Apply now to be a keynote speaker or headlining act, facilitate/speak on a panel, host a workshop, perform in spiritual drag, or as a spiritual care practitioner. More info: https://tinyurl.com/DSSBV
Until next time, go out and help make our city shine.
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
In Case You Missed It
Published on September 7, 2023
