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Vol. 55 • No. 9 • February 27-March 5, 2025

Changes come to Give OUT Day as Horizons Foundation bows out by Cynthia Laird

Screengrab from SFGovTV

Cynthia Dai’s application to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force appears to be in jeopardy.

Dai’s Sunshine application appears in doubt by Cynthia Laird

San Francisco lesbian’s application to the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force appears to be in jeopardy after Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman said Monday that he could not support the nominee because he disagrees with her. A motion from the Rules Committee to forward Cynthia Dai’s name to the full board with a positive recommendation failed, and the panel continued the item until next week. Dai, a former member of the San Francisco Elections Commission, first spoke at the committee’s February 10 meeting, where she was the only applicant for the sunshine task force. There, several members of the public spoke against her, mainly because they didn’t like actions the elections panel took in 2022 during the city’s contentious redistricting process. The elections commission had three appointees on the redistricting task force and, at one point, the commission eyed removing them, though that did not happen. This is the second time this month the supervisorial oversight panel has postponed recommending someone for the task force seat. At its February 10 meeting, the committee members continued the matter to February 24, and Mandelman hinted there might be more applicants interested in the Sunshine panel. Voters approved the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force 27 years ago. Its purpose is to protect the public’s interest in open government. It also provides information to city departments on appropriate ways to implement the Sunshine Ordinance. On Monday, there indeed was another applicant, San Francisco resident Honest Charley Bodkin, a former reporter for the Los Angeles Times and open government advocate. He said that he is currently an active member of the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council. But after hearing from Bodkin, Dai, and their supporters, Mandelman said he could not support Dai. “I have struggled with this appointment,” said Mandelman, a member of the rules committee. “I’m impressed with Cynthia Dai and the work she’s done. The challenge for me is I think I disagree with her. I have in the past and I think I will in the future.” See page 8 >>

ive OUT Day, the national online fundraising project to help LGBTQ nonprofits, will be different this year. San Francisco-based Horizons Foundation, which has overseen the campaign for the last nine years, is bowing out and handing the reins to a Minnesota-based organization. Horizons announced the changes February 13 in a letter to organizations that have participated before and stated that GiveMN will be overseeing Give OUT Day. The main 24-hour period for Give OUT Day will be Thursday, June 5. But Jenna Ray, interim executive director of GiveMN, told the Bay Area Reporter that Give OUT Day will open for early giving on May 15 and the site will continue to accept donations through June’s Pride Month. “We’re really trying to find a balance and build in a flexible time frame,” Ray said in a February 19 phone call. Registration for nonprofits opened Tuesday, February 25. GiveMN does take a small percentage of donations, Ray explained, but if people opt to cover that cost when they make their contribution, then 100% will go to the designated nonprofit. GiveMN has expertise in such online donor campaigns, Ray said. In fact, it served as an early adviser

From Give OUT Day

Changes are coming to Give OUT Day, which is set for June 5 this year.

to Give OUT Day years ago. Minnesota’s annual giving holiday campaign, a statewide fundraiser for nonprofits, was started by GiveMN, she added. “It helps support small and medium nonprofits,” she said of the Minnesota effort. Roger Doughty, a gay man who is president of Horizons Foundation, told the B.A.R. that the decision to end involvement in Give OUT Day was difficult, but that the LGBTQ philanthropic organization could not shoulder the costs since it lost funding from foundations that helped support expenses

associated with Give OUT Day, including staff time. (Horizons did not raise any money for itself through Give OUT Day, Doughty said.) “The truth of it is we always put our resources into the day in partnership with other funders,” Doughty said in a February 12 phone interview to discuss the changes. “It was becoming financially tenuous to do it. Two main organizations – one left LGBTQ funding – weren’t able to increase their grants and we couldn’t make up the difference.” See page 8 >>

Most of Castro will remain under 2017 0 Media a Kit SFPD’s Mission Station by John Ferrannini

that though a recommended map would have moved the Park Station boundaries into the Castro, the proposed map does not. astro officials are reacting positively The report further lists that, after hearing to the news that much of the neighfrom unnamed stakeholders, the project team borhood will remain within the San included “Castro neighborhood: Move from Francisco Police Department’s Mission Station The Los Angeles Blade covers Los Angeles and California news, Mission Station to Park Station to receive more boundaries. Last fall, SFPD raised the idea of politics, opinion, arts and entertainment and features national and attention and response” among its discussions. changing boundaries of several police preinternational It does notreporting state why this was not done. cincts throughout the city, including moving coverage from the Blade’s award-winning team. Be part of this exciting publication serving LGBT Los Angeles A spokesperson for SFPD Chief William the Castro fully into Park Station. from the that team ﬁrst LGBT Scott didn’t return a request for comment. Then, in December, it was revealed the behind the Washington Blade, the nation’s newspaper. the freeway to the Beltway we’ve gotDave you covered. Burke, a straight ally who is the public Castro precinct boundaries likely would From not safety liaison for District 8, stated that it’s his change. That was also indicated in a report that understanding this is the end of the possibilcame out this month. ity, for now at least. Mission Station deals with As the Bay Area Reporter previously reportFrom Yelp more crime than Park does, and is home to ed, the SFPD was considering a change of the the officers who walk a foot beat in the Castro boundaries so the entire Castro would be in According to a report from the San daily, he said. Park Station. As it is, Mission Station, the preFrancisco Police Department, most “I think this is a net positive,” he said. “My cinct of which is located at 630 Valencia Street, of the Castro will remain in the Mission concern was we were going to lose our officers covers the Castro south of Market Street. Park Station precinct. in the Castro every single day. I was rooting for Station, the precinct of which is located at staying in the Mission Station.” 1899 Waller Street in Golden Gate Park, covers life issues impacting the neighborhood. There Nonetheless, “It’s not like we’re Texas and north of Market Street. are established relationships and protocols, Oklahoma. We do a lot of great work across “I think it’s the right call,” gay Board of Suand I understand the community being reluclines,” he said. pervisors President Rafael Mandelman, who tant to start from scratch with a new station.” Terry Asten Bennett, a straight ally who is as District 8 supervisor represents the Castro, A February 19 report from the SFPD titled president of the Castro Merchants Association, stated to the B.A.R. “Castro residents and mer“District Station Boundaries Analysis & Recagreed that a shakeup wasn’t the best for the chants have worked closely with Mission Staommendations” seems to be the death knell for neighborhood. tion on the various public safety and quality of any changes in the Castro. The report shows

Mission Statement

See page 9 >>

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