San Francisco Pride has announced that voting for community grand marshals is now underway. Eight individuals and two organizations have been nominated, according to SF Pride's website.
The nominated people are: trans writer and activist Julia Serano; San Francisco drag king Fudgie Frottage; gay artist and muralist Serge Gay Jr.; developmental disabilities and LGBTQ communities advocate Nicole Adler; nonbinary queer activist Xander Briere; gay minister Marvin White; United Territories of Pacific Islanders co-founder Neo Veavea; and musician and vocalist Tory Teasley.
The organizations that have been nominated are the nonprofit Children's After School Arts, or CASA, and the Port bar, an LGBTQ nightlife spot in Oakland that closed last month.
Anyone can vote for the community grand marshals online at sfpride.org/grand-marshals. The deadline to vote is Monday, March 25.
In other SF Pride news, people can also submit entertainment applications. SF Pride noted on its website that it receives thousands of submissions from personalities, performers, agents, and influencers. Interested people can go to sfpride.org and click on the entertainment submissions link.
This year's SF Pride is June 29-30. The theme is "Beacon of Love."
SF court seeks civil grand jury candidates
San Francisco Superior Court is now seeking candidates for the 2024-25 civil grand jury. Serving as a civil grand juror is voluntary, and the panel serves as a watchdog on local government.
"I am looking for citizens from all backgrounds to reflect the diversity of our communities," stated Judge Eric R. Fleming, the chair of the civil grand jury committee. "The court wants the grand jury to have a collective voice that reflects a cross-section of the community. Accomplishing this goal will help ensure that the grand jury fairly fulfills its watchdog function to identify inefficiencies and issues in city government that — if reformed — could better serve the public."
A panel of judges selects the 19 people to serve on the civil grand jury, a news release stated. The term is one year, from July 1 to June 30, 2025. While people are not paid to be on the grand jury, they receive reimbursement for meetings. People must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age, a San Francisco resident for at least the past 12 months, and able to communicate in English.
The release noted that the civil grand jury is especially interested in recruiting people of color and residents who represent a wide range of San Francisco neighborhoods.
Previous civil grand juries in San Francisco have issued reports focused on affordable housing, homelessness, pension reform, rising sea levels, and public transit efficiency. To conduct its investigations, the grand jury is empowered to review records and confidentially interview city officials and staff, who are required by law to answer the jurors' questions.
The deadline to apply is Friday, May 10. The application form can be accessed via the civil grand jury's website at sf.gov/apply-join-civil-grand-jury.
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