Staff for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department are recommending that a new park in the city's South of Market neighborhood be the first named after a leader in the local leather community. The agency's oversight body is set to vote on the naming proposal when it meets Thursday.
Numerous leather community members, SOMA residents, and local leaders have called for the new greenspace at Natoma and 11th streets to be named Rachele Sullivan Park. Sullivan, who died in 2022 at the age of 54, was a cis straight ally and leatherwoman who pushed for the creation of the city's cultural district that celebrates the local leather community.
She also served on the board of Folsom Street, the nonprofit entity that produces the city's two leather and kink street fairs. Sullivan helped launch Venus' Playground, the women's space at the Folsom Street Fair held annually in late September, as the Bay Area Reporter had noted in her obituary.
"We will be deeply honored to have the park named after her. We think it is a fitting tribute and a definite honor," said Bob Goldfarb, a gay man who is executive director of the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District. "She was quite an icon in the community and extremely influential, both publicly and behind the scenes."
The district was incorporated in June 2019 a year after being approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to promote and preserve the leather and LGBTQ communities that have long called western SOMA home. While the new park is not within its boundaries, it is just a short walk away from Eagle Plaza, the public parklet on a stretch of 12th Street that celebrates the local leather scene and is named after the adjacent gay-owned bar that caters to a leather and LGBTQ clientele. Sullivan was also an advocate for its creation.
Goldfarb told the B.A.R. that the leather district isn't aware of another city that has named a park after a person with ties to the leather community. He is hopeful of seeing the recreation and park commissioners approve the naming of Rachele Sullivan Park at their July 18 meeting.
"I am very confident that they will follow the recommendation of the staff. Of course, they don't have to, so there is some uncertainty," said Goldfarb. "But the public response has been so overwhelming in favor of Rachelle Sullivan, we would find it quite surprising if they did not move forward with that."
As the commission's staff report notes, a naming committee for the new park was created last fall and conducted a public process for suggestions on what to call it. It decided that public survey results should factor into the naming decision.
A survey conducted in the winter saw Sullivan take first place in the cumulative ranked choice votes with a total of 1,062. A second vote on the top six suggestions was then held, and Rachele Sullivan Park took first place by a wide margin with 577 total votes.
"Rachele Sullivan worked at the intersection of the Disability, Leather, and Filipino communities in the SOMA district and beyond, so it is fitting that her communities have nominated her to be the namesake for the park," noted Barbara Swan Chami, manager of policy and public affairs for rec and park, in her report to the commissioners.
As Sullivan's son, Sebastian Sullivan, noted in a comment shared with the B.A.R. earlier this year, she was a San Francisco native "born and raised in Ramaytush Ohlone land" who became "a beloved and respected traditional Filipino healer and community advocate." She traced her lineage to traditional healers from the province of Aklan, Philippines, he noted.
"Rachele thrived at the crossroads of so many communities and stood as a beacon of humanity, compassion, and generosity for members of the disability, leather, and Filipino communities in the SOMA district and beyond," stated Sebastian Sullivan.
In their letter to the rec and park commissioners supporting the park naming, Transgender District Executive Directors Breonna McCree and Carlo Gomez Arteaga also noted Sullivan's roles in SOMA's intersecting communities.
"Naming this new park after Rachele Sullivan would be a fitting tribute to her legacy. It would honor her dedication and celebrate the rich diversity and history of the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District. This park would serve as a lasting reminder of her work and the positive changes she championed," they wrote.
Also listed on the agenda item for the park naming are two other suggestions that placed in the top three in the second round of voting by the community. Tim Figueras Park had received 167 votes, while Joanna Fraguli Park garnered 134.
Figueras was the recreation director of the Gene Friend SoMa Recreation Center. Fraguli was a disabled mom of disabled children who served as deputy director of the Mayor's Office on Disability.
"Throughout her 13 years of employment working for the city, her dedication and commitment showed through her work on social justice issues such as equality and equal access to programs and services for persons with disabilities. She was an educator and trainer on various issues and concerns that impacted the disability community," wrote Mayor's Disability Council member Denise Senhaux on behalf of the advisory group's support for seeing the park be named after Fraguli.
Because that name wasn't widely supported on the naming surveys, Chami noted in her report it is not recommended by the rec and park department. No letters in support of seeing the park named after Figueras were included in the meeting materials.
As specified in the city department's naming policy, the rec and park commission can name a subsection of a park facility, whether it be an area of a building, garden bed, or athletic field, after someone who "contributed significantly" to Recreation and Park Department programs. Goldfarb noted that such naming opportunities have been suggested for the other individuals included in the surveys for what to call the new SOMA park.
"The other people mentioned are also important and significant," he said. "I would personally like to see elements of the park with their names on them."
Construction of the new park is scheduled to begin next summer. Among its features will be a garden area, active use area, play area, and small nature exploration area. Along its main entrance on 11th Street will be a multi-use court, adult fitness area, drinking fountain, dog relief station, and seating for park users.
The rec and park commission has final say over the naming of the department's park sites and facilities. Its meeting begins at 10 a.m. Thursday in Room 416 at City Hall. It will also be broadcast live via SFGovTV on its website at www.sfgovtv.org.
Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http://www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook's online companion. This week's column reported on the state of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Threads @ https://www.threads.net/@matthewbajko.
Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail [email protected]
Never miss a story! Keep up to date on the latest news, arts, politics, entertainment, and nightlife.
Sign up for the Bay Area Reporter's free weekday email newsletter. You'll receive our newsletters and special offers from our community partners.
Support California's largest LGBTQ newsroom. Your one-time, monthly, or annual contribution advocates for LGBTQ communities. Amplify a trusted voice providing news, information, and cultural coverage to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay -- Donate today!