San Francisco Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D) will be honored at the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center's AsiaSF Experience benefit Tuesday, November 13 from 7 to 10 p.m. at AsiaSF Restaurant, 201 9th Street (at Howard).
Ma, the majority whip for the Assembly, will receive the organization's 2007 Diva Award for her support of health care reform and her work raising awareness about HIV/AIDS issues.
The evening will feature food and entertainment by the legendary Ladies of AsiaSF. Tickets are $200 or $350 (includes VIP pre-party) and can be purchased online at http://www.apiwellness.org. Space is limited.
In other news, the Eagle Tavern will host a beer benefit for API Sunday, November 18 from 3 to 6 p.m. at 398 13th Street. All proceeds from the $10 cover charge and raffle will go to API Wellness Center.
MCC-SF elects pastor
As expected, congregants at Metropolitan Community Church-San Francisco voted Sunday, November 4 in favor of the Reverend Lea Brown becoming the church's new senior pastor.
Sunday's vote followed a week of meetings between the congregation and Brown, who led the day's worship service. An estimated 200 members attended the service, said Chris Glaser, interim senior pastor. In the afternoon, 125 members voted 98 percent in favor of Brown. As previously reported, Brown, 42 and an out lesbian, had been unanimously recommended for the post by the pastoral search committee.
"I am overjoyed beyond words," Brown said Sunday evening. "I really am. I'm so happy and so honored to be chosen by the congregation to serve as their senior pastor."
"This has been a very happy day for the congregation," said Glaser. "It's what we've been working for all year."
Glaser said that he would leave his position at the end of the year. He will return to Atlanta, Georgia where he shares a home with his partner of seven years.
Brown will assume her new position in March.
Magnet potluck event
The next black men's social mixer and potluck hosted at Magnet, the gay men's health center in the Castro, takes place, Saturday, November 10 at 8 p.m., with an after-party at the Edge bar. Magnet is located at 4122 18th Street.
Hosted by founder Bill Doggett for the past nine months, Saturday's party inaugurates a new era with the leadership torch shared with and passed to Perry Rhodes III of the Black Coalition on AIDS. The event, newly coined "Community Promise" by Rhodes, will showcase his passion for community building and deep roots in the HIV community, Doggett said.
Open to men 21 and older, attendees are asked to bring a food or drink item to share. Saturday's event will also feature the new Mr. Gay San Francisco, Johnathan Gaffney.
For more information, e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].
Veterans parade Sunday
Gay and gay-friendly veterans groups will participate in Sunday's Veterans Day Parade, which begins at 11 a.m. at Front Street downtown and proceeds to San Francisco City Hall.
Members of the Alexander Hamilton Post 448 of the American Legion, a predominately gay organization, plan to have a contingent in the parade, said post Commander John Forrett.
Additionally, the Bob Basker Post 315 of the American Legion, named for the late gay World War II veteran, also will have a contingent marching, said post Commander John Caldera.
Courting Equality author in SF
Patricia Gozemba, who along with Karen Kahn wrote the text for Courting Equality, a book that recounts the struggles and joys of the same-sex marriage fight in Massachusetts, will be making several appearances in the Bay Area next week as she helps promote the book. Photographer Marilyn Humphries, who contributes to the Bay Area Reporter, took the photos for the book.
Gozemba will be reading from the book Tuesday, November 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. as part of Michelle Tea's Radar Reading series at the San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street, in the Latino Room.
On Wednesday, November 14, she will make a presentation at the meeting of the San Jose/Peninsula chapter of PFLAG, First Congregational Church, 1980 Hamilton Avenue in San Jose. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
On Thursday, November 15, Gozemba will be at UC Berkeley, Haviland Hall 5. Marriage Equality USA and the university's School of Social Work will present a short screening of an iMovie of photos from Courting Equality and Gozemba will read from the book and discuss the success of marriage equality in Massachusetts. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m.
More details are at http://www.courtingequality.com/events. For the B.A.R.'s earlier article about the book, see http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=1993. Gozemba also wrote the Guest Opinion on page 6.
DP tax meeting for CPAs, attorneys
Certified public accountants, tax and estate attorneys, enrolled agents, and others who provide tax advise or prepare tax returns can learn about how to implement the new California Income Tax Equity Act at a meeting Monday, November 12 in San Francisco.
Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom and other LGBT groups have organized the meeting in light of the new law that requires state registered domestic partners to file as married for their 2007 tax returns. The law applies to state taxes only.
Three experts who have worked closely with the Franchise Tax Board – CPA Pan Haskins, enrolled agent Karen Stogdill, and tax law professor Patricia Cain – will walk participants though the new tax information. BALIF will provide 1.5 state bar certified MCLE credits for attorneys who attend.
The meeting takes place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Omni Hotel, 500 California Street. The cost is $25 for BALIF members, $35 for non-members, or $40 at the door. People can register online at http://www.balif.org or contact Nancy Lawlor at [email protected].
Gay vet in Newark
The Fremont chapter of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays will host gay veteran Raymond Allen at its meeting Tuesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church, 35660 Cedar Boulevard in Newark. Chapter President Pat Skillen said the group wanted to do something special to celebrate Veterans Day.
Allen is vice president of the American Veterans for Civil Rights group, a nonprofit made up of active, reserve, and veteran service members dedicated to full and equal rights for members of the armed forces. He will talk about the challenges facing those who serve under the military's anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
For more information, call (510) 226-6816.
Dine Around event in SF
The AIDS and Breast Cancer Emergency Funds will hold the sixth annual Dine Around fundraiser Wednesday, November 14 at participating restaurants in San Francisco. The event gives people an opportunity to have fun and eat out, and eateries will donate 25 percent of their total daily food and beverage revenue to AEF and BCEF.
Last year's event raised $35,000 and included two new neighborhoods – Potrero Hill and West Portal. This year the number of restaurants in all participating neighborhoods is expected to increase, including the Castro, Noe Valley, the Mission, and South of Market.
AEF also announced that once again, Zephyr Real Estate will be the exclusive corporate sponsor of Dine Around.
"The Dine Around neighborhoods exactly match our Zephyr office locations," said Deborah Udin, broker manager. "We see this as a wonderful way to be part of the community."
For more information, including a list of participating restaurants, visit http://www.dinearoundSF.org.
Rally to save rent control
The San Francisco Tenants Union has organized a "Rally to Save Rent Control" Wednesday, November 14 at noon at the State Building and Van Ness and McAllister streets. The rally is to oppose a proposed June 2008 ballot measure that would repeal rent control throughout California, organizers said. At issue is a proposed constitutional amendment sponsored in part by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
SF meeting on Fuzeon program
Stefan Christenberry, RN, will be in San Francisco Wednesday, November 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at a dinner presentation to talk to local case managers, treatment advocates, educators, and others about the free nursing service available for AIDS patients who take Fuzeon.
The program, Nurse Connections is a nationwide project designed to help patients new to the Fuzeon regimen to learn to administer the drug. Fuzeon is a twice-daily injectable that patients reconstitute in water. Christenberry noted that injection-site reactions are fairly common in people using Fuzeon, and one of his roles is to help minimize those reactions, and to "teach clients and caregivers to be comfortable with the injections." Christenberry is contracted through Maxim Healthcare to assist local clients enrolled in Nurse Connections.
[An article about the program appeared in the October 25 online edition of the Bay Area Reporter; see http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=2357.]
Roche Pharmaceuticals is sponsoring the upcoming dinner, which takes place at One Market Restaurant, 1 Market Street, in the Bayview room. There is no charge for the program, which includes free valet parking.
Those interested in registering should contact Jennifer Roe at 866-495-5053 or e-mail [email protected]. The deadline to register is November 12.
Tessie seeks volunteers
Volunteers and food items are needed for the upcoming Tenderloin Tessie Thanksgiving dinner, organizers announced. The long-running dinner, now in its 33rd year, takes place November 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 1187 Franklin Street (at Geary) in San Francisco.
Those interested in volunteering or making a donation (monetary gifts are welcome), should contact acting treasurer and volunteer coordinator Michael Gagne at (415) 584-3252.
DeFrank center gets Yahoo grant
The Billy De Frank LGBT Community Center in San Jose has announced that it received a $5,600 grant from the Yahoo Employee Foundation. The funds will be used for the center's youth program.
Center officials noted that the grant was made possible through the result of Howard Jaffe, a Yahoo employee and member of the center's board who advocated for the funding.
The center's gay-straight alliance provides more than 150 LGBTQI youth and their allies with leadership and advocacy opportunities through its ShOut program, which allows students to share ideas. Network, and create events designed to encourage understanding and tolerance.
The Yahoo Employee Foundation was started in 1999 as a way for workers to personally give back to their communities. It offers three ways for participation: donating to the fund, championing an organization to receive a grant, and volunteering. Since its inception, the fund has donated over $2.7 million to nonprofits championed by employees.
Heather Cassell contributed to this report.