The San Francisco Department of Public Health, the city's entertainment commission, and drag artists are teaming up this month to promote overdose awareness.
The partnership coincides with Overdose Awareness Month and International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31. The two agencies have partnered since 2022 to host overdose prevention trainings at nightlife venues and to produce an instructional video and other content on how to access and administer naloxone, an opioid reversal medication, as well how to use fentanyl testing strips, a news release stated.
The two agencies will also provide naloxone trainings to the city's nightlife, entertainment, and LGBTQ and Black communities, the release added.
This year, the campaign will continue to advance this work through its partnership with drag artist Kochina Rude and will join forces with drag queen Nicki Jizz, a BIPOC artist and overdose prevention advocate.
"Overdose education is important for everyone to know and understand because someone having the knowledge can save a life while emergency services are on the way," stated Jizz. "Overdoses can be prevented with the right education and a dose of naloxone. Since I have learned about overdose prevention, I've been able to put it to use and save someone from overdosing. It's also a way to bring our community together and show that every life is precious."
According to DPH and the entertainment commission, more than 75% of the overdose deaths in San Francisco are a result of fentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Naloxone is one tool to help prevent a deadly overdose. Fentanyl test strips also allow users to test their drugs to determine if fentanyl is present, the release stated.
Scheduled events for the overdose prevention campaign include Jizz hosting "Reparations: An All-Black Drag Show and Dance Party" at Oasis, an LGBTQ nightclub at 298 11th Street, on Friday, August 9, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Jizz is the current winner of the Drag Queen of the Year pageant and will provide naloxone and fentanyl strip training.
Rude will appear at Oasis for "Princess: A Disco-Pop Dance Party and Drag Spectacular" Saturday, August 10, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. A Chicano drag queen and harm reduction advocate, Rude will provide training and distribute naloxone to partygoers.
Beaux, an LGBTQ nightclub at 2344 Market Street in the Castro, will see drag artist Mercedez Munro host "US: Celebrating BIPOC Excellence in LGBTQIA Nightlife" Saturday, August 31, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Jizz will provide the training for naloxone and fentanyl strip testing.
For more information and overdose resources, click here.
District 8 mayoral candidate forum
The Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association has announced a San Francisco mayoral forum that will take place Thursday, September 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Randall Museum Theater, 199 Museum Way. All five major candidates are scheduled to participate (a candidate must be polling with at least 5% of first-choice votes in ranked voting in the next San Francisco Chronicle poll). The forum is strictly a nonpartisan, public education forum, organized by several neighborhood groups. Seating will be limited.
Volunteers are needed. To help out, fill out the form here.
Newsom announces grants for nonprofit safety
Nonprofits and eligible agencies can now apply for $76 million in state grants that Governor Gavin Newsom has announced to bolster their safety and security. The funding is intended for synagogues, mosques, and Black and LGBTQ+ organizations, as they are at higher risk of hate-based crimes, according to a news release from Newsom's office.
The California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides nonprofits with funding for security enhancements including reinforced doors, gates, high-intensity lighting, access control systems, and inspection and screening systems, the release noted.
Recent data points to an increase in hate crimes carried out against Jewish, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities in 2023, according to the state Department of Justice's report. Anti-Black bias incidents remained the most prevalent, despite a decrease in total reported incidents from 2022 to 2023.
"Despite facing significant budget challenges, the California Legislature will continue to stand firm in our commitment to supporting vulnerable communities targeted by hate," stated Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the budget chairs of the Legislature. "We are particularly grateful to Governor Newsom for his long-standing leadership in funding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and for his efforts to expedite the disbursement of these vital grants."
Wiener is also a member of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, which praised Newsom for the program.
The request for proposals can be found on the governor's Office of Emergency Services website. There are also some free webinars that applicants can attend. Information is here.
The deadline to submit applications electronically is Monday, September 23.
Gender website chosen for National Library of Medicine
The Gender Confirmation Center, a pioneering health care practice specializing in surgical treatments for transgender individuals, has announced the inclusion of its website, genderconfirmation.com, in the National Library of Medicine historical collection of web content. The addition ensures the perpetuation of significant health care information provided to patients and the trans community, the center stated in a news release.
"Over 10 years ago, we created this website to help patients be empowered and sophisticated participants in their conversations regarding gender surgery," stated Dr. Scott Mosser, the center's founder. "I am really pleased that [the website] is of value to the community and is being recognized by the National Library of Medicine as a collection of content worth preserving."
The library's mission is to "collect, preserve, and make available to the public materials that provide crucial information in medicine and public health," the release stated.
For more information, go to genderconfirmation.com.
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