No relationship between SFAF, tanning salon
A recent letter to the editor published by Bay Area Reporter on December 4, 2014, calls attention to a flier posted at Fitness SF, displaying logos of both San Francisco AIDS Foundation and a Castro-based tanning salon.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation does not have a relationship with Tan Bella, and we did not authorize use of our logo on these fliers. We have reached out to Tan Bella and their cooperative staff about their good faith effort to raise awareness and much-needed funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS. These fliers have been removed.
We are grateful for the support of local businesses through independently-organized fundraising events. Collaboration between community members, government officials, other nonprofit organizations, and business owners is critical to our initiative to make San Francisco the first U.S. city to end HIV transmission.
Since the day we first opened our doors more than 30 years ago, we have been deeply committed to building a vibrant, healthy, and empowered community. That legacy continues strong today, as we approach the opening of our new health and wellness center in the Castro.
Should you have questions about this work, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We are excited about the future of our work in the community, and are grateful to have the support of so many of you.
James Loduca
Vice President of Philanthropy and Public Affairs
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
SF's affordability issues
Tommi Avicolli Mecca hits the issue on the head ["SF's perfect HRC score overlooks affordability issues," December 4] . It seems that the Human Rights Campaign completely ignores the issue of housing and homelessness in regards to the queer community. When I came to the city over 20 years ago I came because I wanted to live in an environment where I was accepted and respected for me. It is still the same here, where in other parts of the country we have homophobia. I have young people I work with who came to the city to escape homophobia and be open and free. They are homeless. We need to face the reality in the city of the housing situation and fight to change it. The queer community as a whole tends to ignore the problem and we need to get out there as we did over the years and fight for fair housing for all.
Tommi hits it on the head, let us follow in making the needs known.
Father River Damien Sims
San Francisco