This week the San Francisco LGBT Community Center got its L word back.
For two and a half years the word "lesbian" affixed to the left side of the Market Street building had been missing its L. Walking up the street passersby merely saw black metal letters spelling out "esbian, gay, bisexual, transgender" along the facility's facade.
"We have the L," said Rebecca Rolfe, the center's executive director.
On Monday the center's director of facilities, Mike McLeod, not only attached the missing L but moved all of the letters farther up the side of the building in hopes that the L will stay around.
"My big joke is that Mike is the transman who put the L in lesbian," said Rolfe.
Since the center opened in 2002 the L has gone missing at least three times, said Rolfe. The culprit, or reason, though remains a mystery.
"I don't know if someone is taking it as a souvenir or someone is jumping on it and it snaps off. But it is frustrating," said Rolfe.
Apparently the height of the upper case E is too high to be reached.
"I know people will jump up and try to touch the letters and the E is too high," said Rolfe.
Now the L is 8 feet 6 inches off the ground and, center officials hope, out of reach to prying arms or wannabe Olympic jumpers.
"Mike moved the letters up so they are not so low and not so easily broken off," said Rolfe. "He is not just going to glue them on but bolt them in."
The center had wanted to buy a back up L but the supplier only had enough material for one letter. The cost to replace the L and install it came to $480 for the materials and labor.
Fundraiser at Castro Country Club
The Castro Country Club, a clean and sober space, is holding a Donna Summer tribute night fundraiser on Saturday, February 27 from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Recently, the club learned that the building that houses it is being put on the market, following the death of the owner. Club supporters hope to postpone the sale or raise enough money to purchase the building. The estimated asking price is $1.699 million.
LayBelline will serve as host for the evening, with performances by U-Phoria, Dottie Darko, Leopard, and more. Donations will be accepted at the door.
The club is located at 4058 18th Street.
New Oakland headquarters for Global Forum
The Global Forum on MSM HIV this week announced plans for a March 1 open house at its new Oakland headquarters.
The organization, also known as MSMGF, is a network of civil society groups, AIDS organizations, and advocates working for improved HIV programming for men who have sex with men worldwide.
The fund receives administrative and fiscal support from AIDS Project Los Angeles. It is headed by George Ayala, executive officer and a clinical psychologist. Ayala is openly gay.
"The MSMGF is the only advocacy organization focused specifically on the global HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men," Ayala said in a statement. "Oakland's sustained response to a devastating epidemic among MSM of color has given local service providers a depth of experience that is extremely valuable; we look forward to working with our local colleagues and partners abroad to ensure MSM everywhere have the services they need."
MSMGF has an annual budget of $1.7 million, according to communications associate Jack Beck.
"We receive support from both private and public sources," Beck said in an e-mail. "Most of our funding comes in the form of grants from foundations and governments."
Beck added that the fund does not currently receive any federal funding from the U.S.
He also said that MSMGF has been guided by an independent steering committee of HIV advocates from all over the world. Its operations are carried out by a secretariat that has been housed in different organizations affiliated with different steering committee members, rotating periodically.
In 2007, the secretariat rotated from AIDS Committee of Toronto to APLA, where Ayala was working as director of education. Ayala left APLA for a job in the Bay Area but the MSMGF steering committee asked him to remain as executive officer; the secretariat remained at APLA.
The open house is expected to feature Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and will take place at 1:30 p.m. at 436 14th Street in downtown Oakland.
Matthew S. Bajko contributed to this report.