September 10, 2026 edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

D8 candidates' Muni plans

Sui Generis turns 20

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B.A.R.

Since 1971 Margaret Cho

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Vol. 56 • No. 37 • September 10-16, 2026

New report outlines effects of US aid cuts to global LGBTQ groups JL Odom

San Francisco police deployed to an incident as the Trans March ended in the Transgender District June 26.

SFPD chief responds to Trans March inquiry by Cynthia Laird

an Francisco Police Chief Derrick Lew has responded to a letter of inquiry from queer District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder on the department’s response during this year’s Trans March. The June 26 event ended with several arrests on vandalism charges in the Tenderloin and a heavy police presence. In late June, just after returning from a monthslong medical leave, Fielder sent her inquiry to Lew demanding answers, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported. Lew’s response, however, does not provide a lot of information. “I was deeply concerned,” Fielder wrote, “to see video footage and reports of San Francisco police officers clashing with San Francisco residents and visitors participating in Pride activities in two separate incidents: Trans March and an event known as ‘Stud Alley.’ According to news reports, officers were deployed to address property destruction, graffiti, and potentially noise complaints.” Lew’s July 30 response only addressed the Trans March. That event started peacefully in Mission Dolores Park before attendees headed down Market Street to Turk and Taylor streets in the Tenderloin, where 60 years ago one of the earliest protests against police harassment was held at the former Gene Compton’s Cafeteria. (A separate incident at the start of the march involved gay state Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who was heckled by protesters who became physically and verbally aggressive, he wrote on social media at the time. That was not part of Fielder’s inquiry or Lew’s response.) San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins filed charges against four people in connection with alleged vandalism and the police response to it at the Trans March. They are Sienna Hayes, 33; Knorr Betcher, 28; Katherine Legros, 33; and Daniel Macias-Gomez, 23. Hayes and Betcher were charged with felony vandalism, and Legros and Macias-Gomez with charges related with resisting or obstructing police, which are misdemeanors. All have pleaded not guilty. See page 2 >>

by George Faville

new report from Outright International examines the impact of global funding cuts to LGBTQ organizations. The report noted that while other foreign governments have also reduced spending on LGBTQ groups, cuts “trace overwhelmingly to one government’s decision” – the United States. The report, “Breaking Point: the Urgent Need to Invest in Global LGBTIQ Movements,” was published September 10. It follows Outright International’s initial impact report published in February 2025 titled “Defunding Freedom: Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide,” and surveyed 229 organizations across 94 countries. The resulting 80-page report is drawn from a survey, in-depth interviews, and country-level analysis where funding losses occurred. It shows that nine in 10 of the LGBTIQ organizations surveyed have lost funding since President Donald Trump returned to office last year. It recommends that donor governments include LGBTIQ organizations in humanitarian funding and response, and to base funding decisions on the conditions LGBTIQ people face, not national income level alone, among others. Trump’s Executive Order 14169, titled “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,”

Courtesy the subject

Alberto de Belaunde is one of the authors of Outright International’s new report, “Breaking Point: The Urgent Need to Invest in Global LGBTIQ Movements.

was issued on January 20, 2025, his first day in office. It resulted in a 90-day freeze on the majority of non-military U.S. foreign developmental assistance. Outright’s “Defunding Freedom” was published the following month and surveyed 125 organizations impacted by the funding cuts, the majority LGBTIQ, and conducted nine interviews to document the immediate impact of the stop-work order.

As the freezes have become funding terminations and U.S. foreign aid withdrawals resulted in a broader pullback in global aid, LGBTIQ organizations around the world have had to reduce or end their work and many risk or have experienced total shutdown, according to the new report, which documents and discusses the ground impact of these funding cuts through survey data and multiple accounts from interviewed organizations. “The impact of the January 2025 U.S. funding cuts was catastrophic,” John Grace, who is nonbinary and transgender and the consortium coordinator for Uganda Minority Shelters Consortium, wrote in an email to the Bay Area Reporter. Also known as UMSC, the consortium receives funding from Outright International. It serves as a national protection umbrella for over 30 LGBTQ+ safe houses that provide emergency housing, food access, mental and sexual health services, case management, and HIV care across Uganda. Outright International, founded in 1990, works globally with civil society organizations, funds grassroots LGBTIQ organizations internationally, and publishes policy reviews and reports on the global LGBTIQ human rights movement. Alberto de Belaunde, one of “Breaking Point’s” authors, is a gay man who’s director of the Queer Legal Futures See page 7 >>

2 LGBTQ centers look for new 2017 0funding Media a Kit space amid challenges by George Faville

wo Bay Area LGBTQ community centers are looking for new office space. Both the San Mateo County Pride Center and Solano Pride Center have experienced funding The challenges Los Angeles Blade covers Los Angeles and California news, and are also seeking financial support. politics, opinion, arts and entertainment and features national and On the Peninsula, the San Mateo County Pride coverage from the Blade’s award-winning reporting international Center warned this spring that it couldBe lose 90% of of this exciting publication serving LGBT Los Angeles team. part its funding, as the Bay Area Reporter previously refrom the team behind the Washington Blade, the nation’s ﬁrst LGBT ported. newspaper. From the freeway to the Beltway we’ve got you covered. In some good news, last month the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved a grant of up to $350,000 to stabilize the center’s operations and will explore co-locating the center on county property. The grant will be made to the San FranMatthew S. Bajko cisco Public Health Foundation, which is serving Francisco “Frankie” Sapp, shown in the San Mateo County Pride Center’s old offices, is as the fiscal sponsor for the center, according to the grateful the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors recently approved a grant for the board’s agenda item. organization. The August 25 vote was 4-0, with Supervisor Lisa Gauthier absent. The recently approved grant ends June 30, 2027, “It is a testament to the county’s commitment to It is also looking for space for a new satellite office in and provides the center with general operating LGBTQ+ individuals and dedication to meeting the Vallejo, a newsletter from the agency stated. funds so that it can continue staffing and operaneeds of marginalized communities of San Mateo The funding cuts for both centers come from tions while pursuing fundraising efforts, according County,” Sapp stated in a September 6 email, referCalifornia Proposition 1, passed by voters in 2024, to a memo provided by Francisco “Frankie” Sapp, ring to the county’s support. which reallocates funding in the Mental Health a disabled, biracial, queer, transgender man who is Meanwhile, in the North Bay, the Solano Pride Services Act to Behavioral Health and Recovery the center’s executive director. The memo was sent Center is currently operating from savings and is Services. to the Board of Supervisors by the county executive. seeking office space in Fairfield after a rent increase. See page 8 >>

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t SF gay murder house owner a no-show at hearing 2• Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

by Ed Walsh

he owner of the San Francisco house connected with the gruesome murder of a gay man in 2018 was a no-show at a city hearing September 3, resulting in an abatement being issued against the property. As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, the building at 228 Clara Street in the South of Market neighborhood has been a magnet for squatters, graffiti, and trash for years. Brian Egg, 65, had lived in the house since the 1970s. His rotting torso was found secreted in a fish tank in the home in August 2018. Two suspects were initially arrested in connection with his murder but were never charged. The case remains unsolved. A written notice addressed to the current owner, Shahram Bijan, was issued on August 14 and taped to the front of

Ed Walsh

Jimmy Guaiumi, left, of the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection’s Code Enforcement Section and Hearing Officer Jonathan Chiu conducted a hearing on the house at 228 Clara Street September 3, but the owner did not show up.

the house. It requested that he appear at a meeting before the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection on Thursday, September 3. The hearing was conducted by the department’s hearing

officer, Jonathan Chiu, and Jimmy Guaiumi with the department’s Code Enforcement Section. Guaiumi asked if anyone representing the building was available to address the hearing and, when no one

answered, he declared a “no-show” for the item, triggering an order of abatement. After the hearing Guaiumi told the B.A.R. that the abatement issued for the property would include a fine that would likely be added to the owner’s tax bill. The standard fine issued for abatement is $1,850. As the B.A.R. previously reported, Bijan owes nearly $100,000 in back taxes on the Clara Street property. In addition to the fine, the abatement requires the owner to submit a completed application for registration of the “vacant or abandoned building and comply with the vacant or abandoned building ordinance.” Bijan did not respond to a text message September 3 asking for comment. When reached by phone last month, he declined to comment. Having purchased the property

for $1.5 million in 2019, Bijan more recently listed the house for sale with a current asking price of $1,349,000. The listing notes that he invested over $1 million for plans and permits to build a nine-unit condominium project on the site. Neighbors have complained for years about squatters, trash, and graffiti at the home. Next door neighbor Wilma Parker told the B.A.R. that the house has been a “nightmare” for her. Another neighbor, Nicholas DiPastena, circulated an online petition in 2022 asking for an emergency demolition permit for the house. The petition stated in part, “While Mr. Bijan has been timely and diligent in pursuing the appropriate permits to demolish and construct the new structure, the city has been slow to issue a demolition permit.” t

Forbes resigns as Sausalito city manager by Cynthia Laird

family, and we stand behind her as she takes this time to focus on her health and healing,” he added.

Forbes, 53, was charged with misdemeanors of prowling, petty theft of personal property, and two charges of unauthorized lodging stemming from an incident during which she was, according to prosecutors, found on someone else’s yacht July 18. Forbes’ attorney Randy Knox told the Bay Area Reporter last month that he intends to file a motion for mental health diversion under Penal Code 1001.36, and that Forbes’ next court date is September 30 at Marin County Superior Court. A message for Knox was not returned. Forbes, who was previously director of the Port of San Francisco, was released from jail July 23 and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Marin General Hospital. The status of that eval-

uation was not immediately clear. Forbes had just started as Sausalito city manager 18 days before her arrest at 501 Humboldt Avenue, the location of the Sausalito Yacht Harbor. She was granted a leave of absence two days before the alleged July 18 incident. It was unclear whether Forbes had requested the leave. Marin County sheriff’s deputies made the arrest after being called to the yacht harbor due to a noise complaint, according to media reports, and upon their arrival, found Forbes manipulating the controls of a yacht that didn’t belong to her, along with empty containers of alcohol. Sam Singer, a family spokesperson, previously stated that Forbes was experiencing a mental health crisis. Singer also shed light on why she may have been inside someone else’s houseboat.

“Forbes owns a houseboat in the vicinity of the boats she boarded in Sausalito,” he previously stated. “She was obviously not of sound mind and believed that she was on a vessel she owned. I am sure she regrets and apologizes for any and all behavior she exhibited during her personal mental health crisis.” Forbes had initially hoped to return as city manager. However, with Woodside’s announcement, that is not the case. “I want to thank the people of Sausalito for your sympathy and for your patience during this time,” Woodside stated. “This was an extremely sensitive matter, and I am grateful for the respect and compassion that you have shown to Elaine and her family. It is very much appreciated.” t

overtime hours, why was the event not logged under First Amendment activities?” she asked. “Can you please provide the total number of overtime hours dedicated to responding to Trans March?” Lew wrote that the Trans March was staffed with regular-duty personnel. “Therefore, it was logged with an overtime code, which, by definition, captures overtime hours only,” he stated. Fielder also asked how many officers in the additional specialized units were assigned to support the Trans March. “The additional specialized units assigned to Trans March consisted of one sergeant and five officers from Honda Unit, two sergeants and eight officers from the Tactical Division, and one lieu-

tenant, two sergeants, and six officers from Traffic Company, for a total of 25 personnel,” Lew wrote. The SFPD’s Honda Unit is a specialized tactical dirt bike and dual-sport motorcycle squad. Fielder asked when the last officer left the scene of the march. Lew responded that SFPD does not currently have a timestamp for when the last officer left. He noted that “after the arrests were completed and the scene was stabilized, officers remained in the area to support the safe conclusion of the march.” In response to a request for comment from the B.A.R. about Lew’s letter, Fielder noted that SFPD gave no dispersal order for the Stud Alley incident, as

Mission Local reported. That event occurred in the South of Market neighborhood Saturday, June 27, when police responded to an unlawful assembly. “I’m disappointed SFPD didn’t follow up when it became clear in their own investigation of the Stud Alley enforcement action that no dispersal order was made before arrests of the majority of arrestees,” Fielder wrote to the B.A.R. in a September 3 emailed reply. In the Stud Alley incident, 18 people were charged with unlawful assembly, the DA’s office previously stated. In her inquiry, Fielder also asked Lew about police training around rushing into crowds and engaging courteously

with families and children who are caught in “chaotic apprehension of suspected criminals.” Lew responded that officers’ use of force, including decisions involving weapons, is governed by Department General Order 5.01, which “requires officers to balance the severity of the offense and level of resistance … with the level of force used.” Officers’ response to crowds is governed by another Department General Order, 8.03, which, he stated, takes First Amendment rights into account. There are also general orders governing vehicle pursuits and foot pursuits, he noted.

laine Forbes has resigned as the city manager of Sausalito, Mayor Steven Woodside announced in an Instagram post September 1. Forbes, a lesbian, faces criminal charges stemming from an incident in July when she was arrested on a boat in a marina that wasn’t hers. Forbes has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges associated with the July 18 incident. Woodside stated that the City Council accepted Forbes’ resignation. “Elaine Forbes has resigned from her position as city manager,” Woodside stated. “We have accepted her resignation and she is no longer employed by the city.” “Our hearts are with Elaine and her

SFPD chief

From page 1

Hayes and Betcher are expected at a hearing in San Francisco Superior Court September 10 to set a date for a preliminary hearing. Hayes’ attorneys are not making Hayes available for comment. Betcher’s attorney, EmilyRose Johns, has not responded if Betcher is available for comment. Lew prefaced his response by noting that the investigation into the events is ongoing, including in connection with pending criminal investigations. Fielder asked if SFPD’s response to the Trans March was conducted with regular-duty hours or overtime hours. “If

Courtesy Port of San Francisco

Former Sausalito city manager Elaine Forbes

See page 8 >>

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Election 2026>>

September 10-16, 2026 • Bay Area Reporter • 3

D8 candidates promise changes at Muni by John Ferrannini

he four candidates running for District 8 supervisor all agree that San Francisco’s public transportation infrastructure needs more support and attention. They disagreed on what they would emphasize. Specifically, while gay candidate Emanuel “Manny” Yekutiel is proposing sweeping changes, such as a New York City-style citywide underground subway, his opponents argue the basics have to be done right first. The candidates met at a forum hosted by the United Democratic Club on August 12 in the Noe Valley Town Square. Moderator Patrick Hoge of the San Francisco Examiner asked if the candidates supported the regional sales tax and the parcel tax measures that are on the November ballot specifically to pay for transportation; and if they passed, which Muni services should be expanded. Voters in five Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, will decide on a regional sales tax to help BART fill its $375 million annual deficit. Transit advocates and public officials have sounded the alarm about the potential for drastic service reductions if the tax fails. In San Francisco, Proposition H will increase property taxes to pay for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which has its own fiscal cliff of $307 million this fiscal year and $344 million next fiscal year. Gay candidate Michael Trung Nguyen supports both measures, but expressed frustration that, “Now and every couple of years we’re being nickel and dimed as homeowners, as renters, as small business owners” to pay for more. “I’m tired of that,” said Nguyen, a patent attorney whose drag persona is Juicy Liu. “Everybody … [is] being squeezed right now by just the cost of living, and the cost of existing here in San Francisco. We need to think bigger, we need to expand our revenue stream.”

John Ferrannini

San Francisco District 8 supervisor candidates Gary McCoy, left, Darshini Patel, Emanuel “Manny” Yekutiel, and Michael Trung Nguyen answered questions posed by moderator Patrick Hoge, at right.

Nguyen brought up the avalanche of artificial intelligence money expected from the Anthropic and Open AI initial public offerings, saying, “We have no way as San Francisco to capture part of that wealth.” “That’s not right – we deserve better,” he said. “We need to shake up the status quo.” Gay candidate Gary McCoy said he supports both ballot measures, and added that something has to be done to stabilize Muni and BART’s financial situation more permanently. One long-standing problem McCoy noted is that transit options are sparse at nighttime, making going to and from work more difficult for service industry employees, and hampering the city’s economic recovery. “I appreciate that both of these measures will give us a significant boost in funding to not just make sure we’re saving our transit, but that we can expand,” said McCoy, a longtime political aide to Congressmember Nancy Pelosi (DSan Francisco), who’s on leave from her healthcare campaign. “I want to make sure that we’re expanding transit later at night and earlier in the morning. San Francisco is a service industry town. It always has been, always will be, from the days of the Gold Rush to our research

and medical innovation, to the tech booms, the tech booms, the AI boom, and the people that make the city run, through all of that, within our service workers, and they need to be able to reliably get to work on site. “We need to make sure that our people that are going out to our nightclubs, our nighttime entertainment, can get home after that. And so I would be expanding hours of our public transit for sure,” he added. Nguyen also said there needs to be “more options late at night and early in the morning,” calling that “essential for our small business workforce.”

24-mile underground rail

Yekutiel said that he wants to dream big. “As a small business owner, I know that the only way to make money is to spend money,” said Yekutiel, who owns an eponymous cafe in the Mission district. “Of course we should be supporting this measure, but like Gary said, I’m tired of every few years having to bail out a system that is essential in our city. And so, what we’re talking about in my campaign is how do we get a historic investment in our public transportation system where there can be a truly underground subway system that can get you

CA lawmakers pass bill for Dolly Parton Day compiled by Cynthia Laird

bipartisan pair of state lawmakers has co-authored a bill proclaiming September 25, or 9-2-5, as Dolly Parton Day in California. Parton, a country music star, actor, humanitarian, and lifelong straight ally to the LGBTQ community, died August 25 after a battle with cancer. She was 80. tate Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and gay Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) recently announced the measure, Senate Bill 931. Since Parton’s passing, a number of state and municipal jurisdictions across the country have developed plans to honor the star on September 25, which plays on her first movie, the 1980 comedy hit “9 to 5” that also stars Jane Fonda and lesbian comedian Lily Tomlin. The California bill was introduced August 28, just days before the end of the legislative session on August 31. It would require the state’s governor to annually proclaim September 25 as Dolly Parton Day, and is an urgency statute, meaning it would take effect immediately. It has passed in the Assembly and Senate, according to CalMatters. “Dolly Parton brought joy to a lot of people, but her legacy goes well beyond her music,” Laird stated in a news release. “Through the Imagination Library, she put books into the hands of millions of children and helped give them a love of reading from an early age. She also led with kindness and acceptance, standing by the LGBTQ+ community and reminding people that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.” Grove worked alongside lesbian for-

Courtesy CA State Senate

State Senators Shannon Grove, left, and John Laird authored a bill proclaiming September 25 as Dolly Parton Day in California.

mer state Senate president pro tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) to bring Parton’s Imagination Library statewide in California, expanding access to books for young children and families regardless of income or background, the release stated. California also became one of the first states to offer a bilingual English-Spanish book option, helping even more families. Atkins now sits on The Dollywood Foundation – United States Board of Directors that oversees Imagination Library. In a tribute to Parton she posted in late August to her personal Instagram account, Atkins noted that she “truly was

raised” by the songs of the singer whose life mirrored her own and was someone she grew to deeply love. “What I love most about Dolly is that she used her life, her talent, and her story to make everyone feel better about their own lives. She grew up a poor Appalachian hillbilly woman who was proud of her family and her mountain heritage,” noted Atkins, who lived “three hours down the highway” from where Parton was born. “She represented our region and our people with dignity, grace, humor and confidence. She didn’t allow people to belittle her ... and when they tried to, either unconsciously (because it was acceptable) or out of ignorance, she was always kind yet firm, using her smile, her wit and deep intelligence and humor to step around it and give everyone a lesson in humanity and humility.” Today, more than 182,000 California children are enrolled in the Imagination Library, with the program providing full coverage in 45 of the state’s 58 counties, the release from Grove and Laird stated. Parton’s contributions are deserving of the special day in the Golden State, contended Grove. “Dolly Parton has a remarkable ability to bring people together, and her heart for children and literacy is one of the greatest parts of her legacy,” she stated. “It is only fitting that California now has a day to celebrate Dolly and the tremendous impact she continues to make.” See page 9 >>

everywhere you need to go citywide.” A couple of weeks after the debate, Yekutiel sent out a news release about his proposal – 24 miles of underground rail, including new Geary, Divisadero and 19th Avenue lines. “Before you all scoff at me, I would like to point out every other major city which has a system like this,” he said at the forum. “So imagine for a moment, a station at 24th and Castro [streets], in the Castro, in the Fillmore, in the Marina, an extended Central Subway that goes up to North Beach and the Marina, a T-line underground that can get you all the way down to the Bayview and back up to the Marina quickly, a Geary line, a 19th Avenue line. This kind of infrastructure is the kind of infrastructure we should be talking about in this square right now, not bailing out our public transportation system.” The plan is estimated to cost $8.4 billion, according to Yekutiel’s campaign, which noted San Francisco’s most recent subway construction cost $1.15 billion per mile, but that Spain had costs ranging from $150 million to $350 million per mile. “If San Francisco could build this network at the high end of that range, approximately $350 million per mile, a 24-mile system would cost approximately $8.4 billion,” Yekutiel’s plan states. “Affording a project of that cost would require major changes to the way San Francisco plans, manages, and builds large transportation projects.” Therefore, Yekutiel proposes a combination of federal, state, local, and private sources, including a reanimated Federal Transit Administration New Starts program, low-interest Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loans, a congestion pricing program, “aligned funding from shared high-speed rail stations, state infrastructure grants, and value capture through increased property tax revenue around each new station, [and] private funding

and investment through a new subway rail authority.” Muni’s current Central Subway, which includes four stops – two in South of Market, one in Union Square, and ending at the Chinatown/Rose Pak Station, cost $1.95 billion, $375 million more than the original $375 million estimate. It was four years late, opening in January 2023. City transit leaders also built underground platforms at its downtown transit center off Mission Street for the state’s long-planned high-speed rail system, whose segment in the Central Valley is currently under construction, and for extending the Peninsula’s Caltrain system from its current terminus South of Market.

Patel: Muni must ‘get back to basics’

For bi and queer candidate Darshini Patel, Muni needs to get the basics right before it expands. Performance data should be gathered route by route, and current infrastructure should be tweaked so the buses actually run on time before a massive expansion is considered, she said. “I would love to have all of the things Manny just talked about,” said Patel, an alum of DoorDash and Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. “I actually think we need to, first, get back to basics. If we want to increase ridership, we need to increase trust. So that means actually publishing route level metrics for timeliness for all of our lines, paying attention to … when the trains are coming, when the buses are coming, and then allowing people to have accurate [estimated times of arrival]. The number of people I’ve spoken to, voters, constituents, folks just walking into my office who say, ‘I would love to take the bus, but it’s so hard when the ETA on my phone is wrong and I show up and then have to wait 20 minutes.’” See page 9 >>

<< Business News

4 • Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

Castro’s Sui Generis announces china anniversary plans by Matthew S. Bajko

o mark their Sui Generis Designer Consignment being in business for two decades in San Francisco’s LGBTQ Castro district, husbands Miguel Lopez and Gabriel Yańez are hosting a two-day anniversary bash in midOctober. Meant as a thank you to their customers and employees, the couple have been planning for months how to celebrate their surviving as a clothing retailer for 20 years. Dubbed its “20 years Anniversary Gala – Fashion Family Affair,” the store at 2231 Market Street will host a public celebration from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 17. Free to attend, it will feature in-store party promotions, discounts in honor of the milestone, and a series of DJs spinning tunes throughout the day. Performers are also likely to be featured in the store’s sidewalk-fronting windows. “We can’t do it ourselves,” Lopez said of keeping the store going. “We want to thank our team from over the years, our staff and the Castro community that have embraced us since 2006 when we opened our first store.” This is the first time they have thrown a party in honor of the business. “I think 20 is a pretty good milestone,” said Lopez for why they are hosting one now. “It is a thank you to all the consigners, clients and employees who have stuck with us all these years.” Lopez and Yańez, both in their 50s, began their consignment business in a small storefront on the 200 block of Church Street and relocated Sui Generis in 2011 to its current, far larger location. Over the years they opened a shop focused solely on women’s clothing first in the Castro then Cow Hollow, but closed it at the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Last year, they were able to expand their basement storage area so it now houses upward of 8,000 items of clothing, from blazers and jackets to pants, shirts, and accessories. Doing so doubled their previous capacity, enabling them to increase their sales. “The more merchandise we have, the better we do,” noted Lopez. “We only have one item per style. We don’t have the luxury of carrying things in multiples in different colors and sizes.” Their china anniversary plans also include an invite-only event on Friday, October 16, for their closest friends, staff, and most loyal clientele where they will premiere a mini-documentary about the history behind their store and family roots in the fashion industry. It is being directed by Luke Anthony, an Australian actor and screenwriter who relocated to San Francisco a decade ago. He and his husband, Brian Allen, who

Matthew S. Bajko

Miguel Lopez, left, and his husband, Gabriel Yańez, will soon celebrate 20 years of their Sui Generis Designer Consignment store in the Castro.

founded just off 16th Street the Castro décor store S16 Home, are best friends with Lopez and Yańez. “I wanted to do it as part of the archive of gay history about the Castro and of our lives,” said Lopez, who asked Anthony to take on the film project. “I saw it as an opportunity to respond to all the people who have been asking how did we start in the fashion industry and to show how everything started with the store.” Lopez grew up in Morelia, Mexico, while his grandmother sold clothing outside Los Angeles factories. Yańez is from Guadalajara, and as a child, would help his mother set up stalls to sell clothes and other goods at flea markets “rain or shine,” he recalled. As they note on the store’s website, “Their partnership began in Mexico in 1994, only months after they met, when they began buying and selling garments and later developed a line carried through Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey.” After moving to San Francisco, they first landed jobs in restaurants before being hired by fashion retailers, which led them to opening their own consignment store. Yańez chalked up their longevity as owners of Sui Generis to the fact that, “We like what we do. Everyday feels new.” During the store’s anniversary events there will be a display honoring Gregg Gordon Solem, a gay man and former interior designer who later worked at Sui Generis for eight years starting in 2018. He died in his sleep April 15 at the age of 68, as a Bay Area Reporter news obituary noted. “He was one of the longest employees of the store,” said Lopez, adding that one of Solem’s friends had joked “that we

outlasted his life. He was always happy to come to work.” As Lopez had told the Business Briefing column in 2024, there are usually 5,000 men’s and women’s apparel items for purchase on Sui Generis’ 1,800 square foot sales floor, arranged by color. An overwhelming majority, 90%, is brought in by people locally, with the rest of the items sourced from other cities, he said. Everything they sell in the store is also available for purchase via their website at suigenerisconsignment. com. Rather than buy online, most people will browse the website before coming into the store, said Lopez, with the week post-Christmas one of their busiest due to people buying outfits for New Year’s events. A customer who became a close friend of Lopez and Yańez is drag queen and nightlife promoter Juanita MORE! She is expected to be among the attendees at the private celebration for the business next month. “I’ve known Miguel and Gabriel for so long; I honestly can’t even remember when we first met. They’re more than friends – they’re part of my chosen queer family here in San Francisco, and I love them dearly,” MORE! told the B.A.R. “Their store is a cornerstone of the city’s fashion scene, and Miguel and Gabriel bring impeccable taste, deep respect, and genuine love to everything they offer.” While various stores in the Castro sell tickets to her annual party benefiting a local LGBTQ nonprofit that MORE! hosts after the city’s Pride Parade the last Sunday of June, Sui Generis each year sells the most. “For the past 15 years, they’ve consistently been the top seller of JM! Pride party tickets, which is why I started selling tickets in stores: I wanted ticket buyers to shop and support local businesses at the same time,” noted MORE! “I look forward to celebrating this milestone with them and sharing the loads of love that’s at the heart of everything they do.” Retailers, especially those focused on clothing, have faced mounting obstacles to stay in business, from the move to online shopping to increased costs in recent years from President Donald Trump’s trade wars and overseas conflicts that have increased the prices for both goods and shipping. Later this month, longtime gayowned Castro clothing store Entour at 2319 Market Street will be closing after 20 years due to financial pressure it has faced because of the Trump tariffs. Meanwhile, screen printer Danae Lintz on September 26 is closing down her Fave location at 329 Noe Street just off Market Street and the Queer Mall for local vendors in the back of the storefront. Lintz, who is lesbian and queer, is relocating her business to Treasure Island, where she’s lived for nearly 17 years. The print shop will be at 1 Avenue of the Palms in Suite 6 on the manmade island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. “We loved our time in the Castro –

Matthew S. Bajko

Clothing at Sui Generis Designer Consignment is arranged by color, creating a vibrant sales floor.

printing your orders, hosting events, and showcasing incredible queer art. We’re closing this space to focus on what we do best: creating fun wearable art for queers,” explained Lintz in a note she attached to the window of her storefront. “Screen printing moves to Treasure Island, FAVE merch stays on our site and at markets.” As for Sui Generis, Lopez would like to now see the store be designated a Legacy Business by the city. He’s hopeful that gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman will nominate it for the designation. Mandelman, the current president of the board who is termed out of office in early January, said he is willing to sponsor its being granted legacy status. “I’m a big fan and of course very happy for their survival and success over the last two decades!” Mandelman told the B.A.R. With their having the option to extend their lease another nine years, Lopez is already eyeing the store’s 30th anniversary come 2036. He and Yańez have no plans to retire anytime soon. “We are not going anywhere,” said Lopez. “The sky is the limit. If we continue to do what we do best, we will probably be here for many years more.”

be back for the next two ones taking place September 29 and October 27. Friday, September 18, he will be at The E: Excelsior Night Market and has applied to be a vendor at the Castro Night Market, which will also next be held that evening. (The gayborhood’s market will then be moved to Saturday, October 31, to coincide with Halloween.) Gibson rents a communal kitchen on Treasure Island to make batches of his condiment, which is available for purchase via his website at https://www.extraextracrunch.com/. Three stores also carry it, one being the Truckee Food Shop off Donner Pass Road in the Sierra. (A friend knows the owner, and Gibson dropped off a case of his product while on vacation this summer.) The other two are LGBTQ-owned businesses in Noe Valley: Perfectly Seasoned spice shop on 24th Street and Olive This Olive That on Vicksburg Street. “We always wanted to be in Noe Valley, that was always the goal,” said Gibson, crediting his chili crunch catching on because of “starting where our people are and going into two stores in our immediate neighborhood.” He remains hopeful of becoming a staple vendor at the weekly Noe Valley Farmers Market held Saturdays at the Noe Valley Town Square. Vendor space is tight at it and highly sought after, so it could be months before Gibson lands a stall there. A single net weight 5.5 oz. jar of his Extra Extra Chili Crunch is $18, with free shipping for orders of two or more via his website. (For those who sign up for a monthly subscription, the jars are $17 each.)

Castro ice cream shop opens

From Facebook

Carter Gibson greeted a customer at the Noe Valley Night Market.

Chili crunch launch packs a punch

After months of navigating the permitting morass required of small processed food businesses, gay San Francisco resident Carter Gibson finally was able to sell his chili crunch condiment to the public in July. The launch of Extra Extra Chili Crunch has packed more of a punch than he was anticipating. Having told the Business Briefing column in the spring he would be happy to sell 100 jars per month of the spicy garlic spread, he has blown past that goal. As of September 4, Gibson had already sold more than 350 jars. “It wouldn’t be working if we weren’t engaged with the community,” said Gibson, whose husband suggested the product name due to the hefty amount of garlic in it. (The packaging for it harkens the cries of newsboys and newspaper headlines.) After a successful debut in August at his neighborhood’s monthly Noe Valley Night Market held the last Tuesday of the month, Gibson is planning to

Nearly a year longer than planned, Angela’s Ice Cream Friday, September 4, opened the doors to its third location in San Francisco. It began scooping out its frozen treat at 4:30 p.m. that day in the Castro at 3998 18th Street, it quietly announced via an Instagram post. It took over a corner space long vacated by the 7-Eleven convenience store chain. As the Business Briefing column reported last October, siblings Cielo Garat-Zanella and her older brother, Ignacio “Iggy” Garat, operate the string of ice cream shops. Garat, who is gay, lives not far from the new location at Noe and 18th streets, and his construction firm handled its buildout. The siblings launched Angela’s in Petaluma in 2017, along with their mother, Angela Pryor-Garat. Named in honor of the family’s matriarch, the business is in four North Bay towns and opened its first San Francisco location last July in Noe Valley, followed by a Fillmore spot in December. Earlier this year the siblings took over the restaurant space their parents had leased at 4248 18th Street in the Castro and turned it into an Iggy’s Burger location. Garat three years ago had launched the brand in Healdsburg, and the San Francisco locale is the third one to open.t Got a tip on LGBTQ business news? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or email m.bajko@ ebar.com.

<< Open Forum

6• Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

Volume 56, Number 37 September 10-16, 2026 www.ebar.com

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An LGBTQ slate for City College board

ity College of San Francisco will see three new faces on its board of trustees following the November 3 elections, as none of the incumbents opted to run again. There are five out candidates among the eight seeking a four-year term. While all of the quintet would be good additions to the college board, we’re recommending three candidates who are running as a slate.

Elijah Ball

Elijah Ball is a gay Latine man who has worked as a campus planner for various community college districts. Courtesy the candidate He stated in his Bay Area College board Reporter candidate quescandidate tionnaire that this expeElijah Ball rience “has taught me how closely enrollment, academic programs, facilities, and finances are all connected.” That is the case at City College, where student enrollment has not recovered post the COVID pandemic. “It has also taught me how to bring administrators, faculty, classified professionals, students, community members, and technical experts together around a shared plan,” he explained. Earlier this year, City College closed its Downtown Center campus at Fourth and Mission streets. Since the college district owns the building, candidates were asked about ideas they have for new tenants. Ball stated that he opposes selling the campus. “My priority would be finding tenants that bring students back to the eight-story building while keeping the space flexible enough to return to academic use later.” He also pointed out that temporary pop-ups could be sought to utilize the vacant kitchen space. On increasing City College’s enrollment – one of the biggest issues facing the district – Ball stated that he supports the strategic enrollment management plan that includes expanding the San Francisco Unified School District’s dual enrollment program. Right now, City College serves about 19,000 students, including just over 9,000 full-time equivalent students. Ball would also like to see the district reach out to student parents, full-time workers, immigrants, older adults, and career-changers through more evening, weekend, online, and hybrid classes with predictable schedules and short-term certificates. “Growing enrollment also means keeping the students we already have,” he noted. “Many Asian and Latinx students are enrolled in noncredit programs, especially [English as a second language], so I’d push for multilingual counseling that makes clear the path from ESL to workforce programs and credit coursework.”

oters will elect three commissioners to the San Francisco Board of Education in the November 3 election. We endorse the following candidates.

Phil Kim

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City College’s budget has long been an issue, and Ball stated that the good news is the city of San Francisco’s $6.5 million commitment to the Free City program was restored during budget negotiations this year. The program offers free tuition to all San Francisco residents. “City College has experienced a significant long-term decline, but its current budget projections assume enrollment will grow by 2% each year,” Ball stated. “Before making cuts, the board needs to compare these assumptions with actual enrollment and clearly explain the size of the structural deficit.” Overall, we’re impressed with Ball and think his background will be an asset to the college board.

Monroe Lace

A teacher in San Francisco public schools, Monroe Lace is a transgender woman who stated in her endorseCourtesy the candidate ment questionnaire that she understands what College board students need to succeed. candidate “I work directly with the Monroe Lace students City College serves and the programs City College provides,” she stated. “I have seen firsthand how a strong partnership between City College and K-12 schools can change a student’s life.” Lace noted that the college district faces serious financial, enrollment, and governance challenges. “Addressing these challenges will require a practical plan,” she stated. “We must return to the basics: balance the budget, increase enrollment, and put student success first.” She stated that City College facilities, such as the Downtown Center, should serve as civic assets. She pointed to the college’s Diego Rivera Performing Arts Education Center and stated it should be available for use by public schools and local arts groups. On the enrollment issue, Lace wants to expand career technical education, or CTE, offerings at City College. “For example, San Francisco currently has no public programs in cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, or manicuring,” she noted. “As a licensed cosmetologist whose livelihood was changed by trade school, I know these programs can provide a direct path to employment. CCSF’s CTE graduates see an average 44% wage increase. I would support an implementation plan to expand CTE programs.” Lace added that she would be a fiscal watchdog on the board, but also a fiscal watchdog for programs that serve the needs of City College students. Funding for queer studies programs in the district have long been an issue because of its financial crises. For Lace, that means evaluating academic pro-

grams through two questions: Does the program improve student success? Does the program meet a student’s needs? Lace could be the first transgender person elected to public office in San Francisco should she win. But beyond that, we see her as a qualified candidate who would bring an important perspective to the board – that of public education – and use her knowledge to potentially see gains in City College’s enrollment.

Erwin Tam

Erwin Tam is a gay man who is a former City College student. Both of his parents were also City College students, he Courtesy the candidate wrote in his endorsement questionnaire. For 25 College board years, Tam has worked as candidate Erwin Tam a municipal financial adviser, including with over 30 California community colleges, on financing plans. That alone would be of benefit to the City College board. Tam stated that while City College’s total tentative budget was $592 million, that number includes $230 million of expenditures from taxpayer-funded bond funds restricted for capital improvements. “I would be focused on CCSF’s unrestricted general fund, which amounts to about $204 million of expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026-27,” he explained. “There is a structural deficit ... increasing $8 million annually, resulting in an estimated annual deficit of $25 million in three years’ time.” He would ask the chancellor and vice chancellor of finance and administration to expand the multiyear projections from three years to five in order to allow for adequate planning. Tam noted that even in 2016, the Downtown Center building was rated in poor condition with outdated facilities, according to the Facilities Master Plan. “The floors also lack flexibility to be reconfigured,” he noted. “Only the first two floors were renovated in the 2010s. This may limit potential tenant options and even if revenue was generated, there are potential tax implications with private tenants.” He favors exploring short-term uses so that a possible retrofit can be evaluated in the next master plan due by 2030. Regarding increasing enrollment, Tam also supports strengthening the SFUSD to CCSF dual enrollment pipeline. Overall, Tam has financial skills that would be beneficial to the college district. He has our endorsement. See page 8 >>

SF school board recommendations Headline

Bay Area Reporter

Phil Kim is a gay man who currently serves as board president. Appointed by former mayor London Breed in August Courtesy the candidate 2024, Kim won in the June primary election School board to complete his term President through January. Now, he Phil Kim is running for a full fouryear term. The Bay Area Reporter endorsed Kim ahead of the June election and we continue to recommend him for a seat. To read our previous editorial, visit https://tinyurl.com/y75ecs97.

Ryan Hazelton

Ryan Hazelton is a gay man who runs afterschool programming for children from two San Francisco Unified Courtesy the candidate School District elementary schools. He started a School board free lunchtime play procandidate gram at SFUSD’s Leonard Ryan Hazelto Flynn Elementary School after seeing the district’s understaffing recess supervision there, he wrote in his Bay Area Reporter endorsement questionnaire. Currently the executive director of the nonprofit Mariposa Kids, which provides play-based programming for kids age 1-11 in San Francisco, he’s served on various city advisory bodies for children and families. He would be a good addition to the school board.

Hazelton stated that an outcome of the teacher strike in February will be seriously addressing chronic absenteeism, “since a real share of SFUSD’s funding is still tied to attendance rather than enrollment, and actively working to grow overall enrollment rather than just managing its decline.” Hazelton, who stated that he came out while in high school and was bullied in junior high, stated that protecting Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy, the elementary school in the LGBTQ Castro district, is important to him. “This school shouldn’t have to keep fighting just to prove it deserves to exist,” he stated. “Enrollment at Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy is actually improving, driven in part by the expansion of TK there, and that growing appeal should count for something the next time a closure conversation comes around.” On renaming schools, which was a huge controversy several years ago that led to the recall of three commissioners, Hazelton stated that he would not revive any plan. “As a gay man, I know there is a long list of important LGBTQ people in history who could be honored in this way,” he wrote. “However, I won’t engage in a broad conversation about renaming schools while our enrollment system needs an overhaul, our schools need more resources, and our educators still aren’t being paid correctly or on time.” We think Hazelton is a solid choice for the school board and recommend him in the race.

Alida Fisher

Courtesy the candidate

School board Commissioner Alida Fisher

Alida Fisher, a straight ally, is seeking reelection to the school board. In her B.A.R. endorsement questionnaire, Fisher stated that during her term, the board balanced a $1.36 billion budget and avoided a state take-

over, passed a $790 million facilities bond, secured dependent healthcare benefits for educators, and delivered the district’s first year-over-year gain in third grade reading proficiency since 2018. Fisher stated that initially, she was a vocal opponent of school closures. And she disagreed with the way the district conducted the 2024 resource alignment initiative, or RAI, process, believing the district violated its own community engagement guardrails. “By not fully and transparently engaging with our school communities, we lost a huge amount of trust and goodwill in the process,” she wrote. “I now believe we need to have a much more public, honest, and inclusive conversation about portfolio alignment,” she stated. “Let’s be clear: closing schools won’t save money. Rather, aligning our number of schools and facilities with enrollment could allow us to concentrate resources across fewer, better-resourced campuses and improve the quality of learning environments.” Fisher would not prioritize the Harvey Milk school for closure. It “plays a vital role in the fabric of SFUSD and highlights the value of offering specialized student supports and resources,” she noted, adding that one of the design principles of the process was not to choose schools based on size. The Milk school fits within the guidelines of the Small Schools by Design resolution due to its personalized and individualized focus. On the budget, Fisher wrote the district “is on track to self-certify a positive first interim budget this December. That means we will have sufficient revenue and reserves to meet our financial obligations not only for the upcoming school year, but for the following two years as well.” Fisher’s correct that achieving a balanced budget is a major milestone for the district and that the work is not finished. We recommend Fisher for a second term on the school board. t

Politics >>

September 10-16, 2026 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

Gay Tracy mayor Arriola seeks 2nd, final term by Matthew S. Bajko

head of the Labor Day weekend, gay Tracy Mayor Dan Arriola welcomed the popular, organic-focused Sprouts Farmers Market to his San Joaquin County city, two years ahead of when the Arizona-based company is expected to open its first location in San Francisco. A smiling Arriola was on hand September 4 for its opening ceremonies, one of three Sprouts locations to open that day, the other two in the TriState area on the East Coast. “We are so excited to see another popular business open in our city, and especially looking forward to having more commercial development in southern Tracy,” noted Arriola in a Facebook post welcoming Sprouts as an anchor tenant of the new Ellis Village Center. The open-air shopping center is situated not far from Tracy Hills, a new neighborhood of the city being built alongside Interstate 580. It is the latest example of the rapid growth taking place in the city just on the outskirts of the Bay Area that is attracting homebuyers willing to commute to jobs on the other side of the Altamont Pass. Managing that growth has been a main focus for Arriola not only during his first two-year mayoral term but also during his time on the Tracy City Council. Arriola first won election to a council seat in 2018, making the then 29-yearold Tracy’s first millennial and first LGBTQ councilmember. Two years prior he had been elected to the city’s school board. While on the council, Arriola voted in support of a phased 110-unit affordable senior housing complex being built in the downtown area. The Housing Authority of San Joaquin is expected to open the first 55 units sometime in 2027. “I would prefer that we build housing more effectively to stop the sprawl. It has been a challenge, but ultimately, everyone who wants to live in our community should be able to,” Arriola told the Bay Area Reporter during a recent phone interview to discuss his seeking reelection. “So many people are priced out of the Bay Area. I am more than happy to welcome them to the city of Tracy. But we need to make sure to engage in smart growth and are building the supporting infrastructure along the way.” This fall, Arriola is running for a second and final two-year term as mayor. Due to the city’s term limit rules, he can only serve two mayoral terms and already served the maximum terms as a councilmember. “Essentially, it really has been an honor to get to serve as mayor of the town where I was raised. I think we’ve made a lot of really strong progress in one term and I want to continue that momentum forward,” said Arriola about wanting to remain mayor. “I want to leave the city in good hands when I leave. This will be my last term in municipal office.” The November 3 election marks the first time the city is picking its four council members by district, with those running in District 1 and District 3 on the ballot. The general election also co-

Are you looking for a spiritual experience as unique as you?

Harvard Business School, Harvard KenCome and see Dignity/SF, which affirms nedy School, and Bloomberg Philanthroand supports LGBTQ+ folks. pies. His project via it is The Mayor’s Youth Catholic liturgy Sundays at 5pm, 1329 7th Avenue Cradle to Career Initiative, with a goal of (Immediately off the N Judah line) educating Tracy’s youth and providing them career development opportunities through internships and apprenticeships during high school. “I think every young person raised in Tracy should not just have a job but a career if they like,” said Arriola, who has made meeting with local youth a Come for the service and stay for the fellowship. big focus as mayor. “When I was in high dignitysf@gmail.com for more details school, Tracy did not have a whole lot Instagram @dignitysanfrancisco † Facebook @DignitySF of access to elected officials. I do try to make it a priority to do youth outreach. Last week, I met with all three high school leadership classes and spent the Attorney at Law afternoon with them.” Born in San Jose to a white mother and Latino father, Arriola briefly lived in Portugal where his mother moved them • Divorce w/emphasis on shortly after giving birth to him and Real Estate & Business Divisions divorcing his father. They returned to • Domestic Partnerships, Support & Custody Northern California when he was 3, set• Probate and Wills tling in Tracy because it was where Arriola’s dad was living. His parents remarwww.SchneiderLawSF.com ried and had a second son, but divorced again in 2019. After leaving to attend college at *Certified by the California State Bar UCLA, where he was the political science valedictorian in 2011, and then 315 Montgomery St., Ste. 1025, San Francisco, CA 94104 law school at the University of Southern California, Arriola moved back to Tracy in 2014. He was hired by the county DA’s office the next year. (Current District Attorney Ron Freitas, elected in 2022, is supporting Arriola in the mayor’s race.) Serving the San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQ+ Community Since 1999. In 2019, Arriola was hit by a car in downtown Stockton after attending an • Probate • Wills/Trusts LGBTQ event where he was an invited • Trust Admin • Estate Planning speaker. During his 2016 bid for school FLAT FEE! board, Arriola was outed just days prior to the election by a local blogger who Flood Building, 870 Market St, Suite 420 posted photos of Arriola at Los Angeles By Appointment only! 415-421-1893 Pride under a headline asking how he could “represent Tracy family values.” He www.ShelleySFeinberg.com • trust@shelleysfeinberg.com won by more than 2,000 votes. For the past four years Arriola has been with his partner, Charlie Jones, 3/13/25 7:45 PM a public school teacher in the East BayShelley_S_Feinberg_2x2_032025.indd 1 currently serving as an elected member of the Pleasanton Unified School District board. They continue to be a “comDISPLAY OBITUARIES & IN MEMORIAMS muting couple,” said Arriola. Joining Jones as an endorser of his mayoral reelection are state Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton); Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton); Tracy City Councilmembers Steve Abercrombie and Dotty Nygard; and gay Stockton City Councilmember Mario Enriquez. Arriola told the B.A.R. he also secured the endorsement of the national LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. “It’s really just been such a privilege to serve as mayor for the city that raised me,” said Arriola, noting he grew up in Tracy in an impoverished household and didn’t feel he was presented with much opportunity to succeed in life. “I really hope I can create opportunities for other young people who are raised in Tracy under similar circumstances so The Bay Area Reporter can help members of the they, too, know they can succeed in the LGBTQ community in the San Francisco Bay Area reach city and anywhere else they may want more than 120,000 local residents each week with their to be.” display of Obituary* and In Memoriam messages. To learn more about Arriola’s mayoral candidacy and platform, visit his campaign website at danarriola.com. t RATES: $21.20 per column inch (black & white)

dignity | san francisco

Courtesy the candidate

Tracy Mayor Dan Arriola is seeking reelection on the November 3 ballot.

incides with Arriola’s 37th birthday. “I am hoping for a good birthday present,” Arriola said of election night when the first voting returns come in. A deputy district attorney for San Joaquin County, Arriola faces two challengers this year. Tracy City Councilmember Mateo Bedolla was appointed to serve out the remaining two years of the council term vacated by Arriola after he was elected mayor. Bedolla had first won a council seat in 2020 and is term-limited from running for another council term. He did not respond to an interview request about seeking to become mayor. Murgreen Environmental Company CEO Uyiosa Felix Oviawe also entered the mayoral race. He had worked as a public works asset manager in Livermore and for San Jose as a fleet technology manager. In 2024, Oviawe was hired as the city manager of Isleton but abruptly resigned that December following the swearing in of a new town council and ahead of news that the Delta city was facing financial insolvency. Oviawe did not return the B.A.R.’s request for comment about his mayoral bid. As mayor, Arriola said a key priority for him has been ensuring Tracy City Hall’s culture is that of being “functional” and improving his city’s reputation as “being ready for business.” He noted he has overseen a “top down” revamp in its civic leadership, which he singled out as his biggest achievement as mayor. “My whole focus has been on getting the city back to functioning. I think we have been successful in doing that,” he said. “A priority focus has been on the local economy.” Another business milestone Arriola marked as mayor was the opening of a Trader Joe’s in Tracy last summer. He noted residents had wanted to see the grocer come to the city for years. “Trader Joe’s leadership was the first meeting I took,” Arriola said of when he became the mayor-elect. “We worked with them to push it along.” Arriola was selected in 2025 for the ninth class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a collaboration of

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Program at Outright. A trained lawyer who was one of Peru’s first openly gay congressmembers, he said in a Zoom interview that “Breaking Point” was a unique report for its length and the number of perspectives taken into account. “We have organizations and activists from all over the world sharing with us their stories and what’s happening with their organizations,” he said. De Belaunde said work started in January for the report, which draws from open-ended, qualitative responses to survey questions and 24 in-depth

interviews conducted this spring and summer. He added that interviews provide the personal impact that the hard numbers laid out in the report cannot capture. Of the 229 organizations that responded to the survey, 203 reported funding cuts. By July 2025, five months after the initial freeze, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the main source of U.S. humanitarian aid since its establishment in 1961, was dissolved as an independent agency, and its remaining foreign assistance programs and functions were integrated into the State Department. Disruptions in funding through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief resulted in the freezing

or termination of HIV prevention and treatment programs and site closures around the world, as KFF noted. Broader pressure has resulted in corporate and philanthropic funding retreats, as has been reported. The new Outright report found that between 2024 and 2025, global humanitarian funding was reduced by over 30%, with U.S. funding dropping from $14 billion to $3.7 billion. Grace wrote that 60%-70% of the financial lifelines supporting their partner network was either directly funded by U.S. foreign assistance or from subgrants reliant on U.S. contributions.

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<< Community News

8• Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

SFPD chief

From page 2

Lew responded that SFPD was not able to release drone footage of the 22-minute window of active enforcement at the Trans March, between 7:40 and 8:02 p.m. And he wasn’t able to provide the number of officers who participated during that timeframe, he stated in his response.

LGBTQ centers

From page 1

The San Mateo County Pride Center, founded in 2017, lost its office space last year after its fiscal sponsor and lease holder StarVista shuttered that summer. The organization currently operates remotely and in satellite locations. In April, the center was notified that all its Mental Health Services Act funding would be cut. Sapp said in a phone interview with B.A.R. at the time they had anticipated only a reduction. The center also faced a smaller, expected loss in local Measure K funding such that when Prop 1 went into effect July 1, the center lost 90% of their budget, according to an email from Sapp. Proposition 1 reallocated funds within the Mental Health Services Act without an increase to its revenue to focus on housing and behavioral health and changed its name to the Behavioral Health and Services Act. Sapp said in a phone interview with the B.A.R. earlier this summer that San Mateo County Pride Center no longer qualified for funding as a prevention center and would seek BHSA funding for mental health clinical services. The center had been unable to diversify funding under its previous fiscal sponsor StarVista, as Sapp previously explained.

Trans leaders have criticized the police response and DA’s charges as overreach. Several met with Mayor Daniel Lurie in July asking that the charges against the four people be dropped. And the leaders want police replaced with civilian traffic management at future marches. At the Transgender History Month flag raising ceremony August 7, Lurie referenced the meeting with trans community members.

“Our city is not safe if trans San Franciscans don’t feel safe. I am proud that as a result of that initial conversation, we are working to revise and amend the cultural competency training for city employees, so we can make sure that every resident is treated with dignity and respect while interacting with city government,” Lurie said. “[W]hile so much progress has been made, it does feel like we still have such

a long way to go. I look forward to continuing our partnership with Trans March and community leaders so that every transgender San Franciscan feels safe, heard and supported,” Lurie continued. Jenkins said at a news conference July 1 that while public attention was focused on the police response, “what precipitated that response was troubling behavior,” adding that according to her office, the

two vandalism suspects defaced several security cameras, as well as Mission Dolores Basilica, a Roman Catholic church on the march route. The defacement was done through paint shot through water guns. Jenkins said among the graffiti left behind was “Queer as in kill the cops.” “We will not tolerate in any way this behavior in our city,” Jenkins said at the time. t

In the Fiscal year 2024-2025, the center had a budget of $1.5 million and a staff of 11. Around $982,000 came from MHSA funding. Last year, MHSA funding was reduced to $587,300, their budget was around $1 million, and staff was reduced to six. Both years, the center also received funding from a one-time $500,000 Measure K grant by San Mateo County, which ended in June. San Mateo County will freeze Measure K funding, drawn from a half-cent sales tax, in 2027 to supplement a shortage in county revenue, as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal. The pride center had also sought to raise $200,000 by the end of June to offset funding losses for the first quarter of the 2026-2027 fiscal year, as reported by B.A.R. Sapp wrote in a September 6 email that they raised almost $188,000 through grants, donations, and community fundraisers. He added that grant funding will be used for direct services while the other funds support general operations like salaries and supplies. Sapp stated that the center has an operating budget of $700,000 for the fiscal year 2026-2027. It has secured multiple grants since the beginning of the fiscal year and is working on a donor engagement program and planned biannual fundraisers.

The center is also seeking to become its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which will provide a wider range of grant opportunities, Sapp added. “After the series of setbacks we’ve experienced over the last 1.5 years, it’s incredibly important that we prioritize stabilizing the center,” Sapp wrote. Currently the center offers clinical therapy, case management, community events, consultations, and peer groups, while the computer lab, food pantry, drop-in safe space, acceptance of medical patients for clinical therapy and volunteer recruitment have halted until they have a dedicated location. For more information or to donate, visit sanmateopride.org. In the North Bay, the Solano Pride Center is undergoing funding changes due to Prop 1 as well and is operating on savings while between contracts, according to a text message from Mike McGarvey, who identifies as every-gender-loving and is the executive director of the center. The Pride center co-presents Suisun City Pride in June. It offers mental health resources, social and support groups, HIV prevention and support, and senior and youth programming, among other services.

In its August 19 newsletter, center officials noted they received a rent increase from their Fairfield landlord that is “50% higher than our already high rent at 1234 Empire Street.” Officials noted they have been looking for another office space in Fairfield “for some time.” There have been issues with unhoused people around the building on nights and weekends, the newsletter stated. McGarvey wrote in the text message that the Solano Pride Center had been considering a move before the rent increase. He was unable to share specifics on location or when the new spaces may be opened. McGarvey declined to answer follow-up questions about how much the center expects to pay for rent in a new space. Its annual budget is just under $500,000, according to ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer. The newsletter also stated that after years of community requests and $3,200 in dedicated donations, the center is seeking a satellite office in Vallejo. “We as an agency have also been hearing from the community how important it would be for them to have an office for clients to be able to be met in the city of Vallejo,” the newsletter stated. “Folx in our community have been discussing the need for a Vallejo office in

writing since at least 2015.” A possible location might be the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Vallejo, which has space in an unused portion of the building, according to the newsletter. Center officials stated that they are in discernment with the church on what a shared space might look like and how much that would cost. “We have a similar setup with the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Vacaville, where we have met with youth groups, small groups, and individual therapy, though that is a shared space, rather than a dedicated space like the Vallejo counseling space will be,” the newsletter stated. McGarvey wrote in his text message that good relationships with landlords are critical. “We’ve found how important it is to be in a space where the landlords understand our community as well as our safety needs,” McGarvey wrote. “Our counseling, case management, and support groups need the same welcome all of us expect regardless of the cost or location.” The center remains committed to retaining its main office in Fairfield, officials stated in the newsletter. For more information and to donate, visit solanopride.org. t

Ruth Ferguson, a straight ally, was appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie in January to fill the seat of former trustee Alan Wong, whom Lurie named the new District 4 supervisor. Ferguson is the only candidate for this seat, and we endorse

her to serve out the term through 2028. A community college graduate, Ferguson previously ran for the college board in 2024 but came up short. “I’m running to retain my seat on the board to keep City College accessible and affordable for everyone,” she stated in her endorsement questionnaire. Since joining the board, Ferguson stated she’s fought to restore funding for Free City, voted for a balanced budget,

and has spent these past months listening to students, faculty, and staff. On the queer studies program, Ferguson pointed out the Catch-22 inherent in the system. “The threat to these programs is rarely a vote to eliminate them, but rather impacts that stem from scheduling cuts as enrollments minimally grow at the college,” she wrote. “When the district applies a uniform enrollment floor to

cancel sections, small departments lose sections first, which shrinks the schedule, which lowers enrollment, which triggers cancellations. It’s a policy choice that hurts our most vulnerable student population. I will keep pushing for cancellation and class-size decisions to be evaluated at the program level with an equity impact analysis attached. Not applied section by section as if every department were the same size.” t

activities stopped almost overnight. Safe spaces went quiet, food support was disrupted, and emergency shelter and evacuation assistance became difficult to sustain. … At the same time, staff exits, canceled contracts, and limited supplies from county and national systems made it even harder to respond. What we lost was not just services but connection, trust, and a vital lifeline for our community.” Grace told the B.A.R. that funding cuts have lost UMSC’s safety margin. They added that several shelters have frozen intake due to lack of funds for rent, bedding, and daily meals, and that in 2025, dozens of verified emergency relocation requests from youth in hostile environments could not be addressed because UMSC lacked the necessary emergency transit and housing funds. The report also found that those who are unable to access or denied recognition to mainstream social services are more reliant on trusted community organizations for their care and needs. Those dealing with multiple forms of marginalization, like a disability or refugee status, could lose access to their only affirming services when an organization has to cut core health, advocacy, housing, or protection programs, the report noted. Organizations are unable to pay staff, have reduced operations and downsized, and have cut health services, according to the report. Of the 203 organizations that reported funding losses, 49% have lost half of their total budget, and 40% said they were at risk of closure in the next year. Forty-five percent have re-

duced or cut HIV prevention, care, or treatment. “When international funding abruptly stops, it isn’t just an organizational spreadsheet that suffers,” Grace wrote, “it means a 19-year-old transgender woman evicted by her family has no place to sleep. It means a gay man living with HIV cannot afford the transport to securely access his ARV medication.” They added that Outright International has been a critical funding lifeline during this time. “People don’t know if the organization is going to exist six months from now,” de Belaunde said. “In some cases you only have one main LGBTIQ organization in the country or in the city. We’re talking about organizations that have been around for 10, 20, in some cases 30 years, and right now they are working with volunteers and not knowing if they are going to be able to pay for their office or shelter at the end of the month.” Central to the effectiveness of these organizations is the trust they have built up in their communities, a currency that cannot be replaced with new funding, the report noted. Decade-long relationships are being strained or lost, the report pointed out, and communities’ faith in these organizations have been shaken as long standing, needed programs and services are cut. Journalism, advocacy, documentation, and legal service organizations find themselves under a compounding threat, facing a funding crisis in the midst of rising authoritarianism, anti-non-governmental organization, or NGO, policies, and attacks on civil liberties, the report

stated. The report places these organizations at the front lines against global rising anti-LGBTIQ legislation and policies, which it describes political campaigns using for broader attacks on human rights, court authority, the freedom of the press, and minority protection. “They are not only attacking a specific group of people. They are attacking a specific group of values around democracy,” said de Belaunde. In 2023, Uganda passed the AntiHomosexuality Act to “prohibit any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; to prohibit the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between persons of the same sex.” The result, noted Grace, is “we are fighting the most severe state-sponsored repression in our history with a fraction of the resources we had two years ago.”

Years of internal structuring, community networking, expertise, and relationship building with public officials are under threat of erasure. In countries that do not recognize LGBTIQ identities in official data, de Belaunde said these organizations become the best, or only, source of information on LGBTIQ demographics. The report ends with the broader picture: the loss of LGBTIQ organizations undermines public health and humanitarian outreach; lost advocacy and professional development leaves human capital and labor unutilized, and the inability to combat discriminatory legislation or practices sets far reaching precedents. “If there is a moment in time that the international LGBTIQ movement needs individual’s help, it is now,” said de Belaunde. “This is the moment for empathy and for action, because the resources, the infrastructure, and the people we are losing because of these funding cuts are not going to come back if we don’t fight for them to be preserved.” t

Editorial

From page 6

City College unexpired term Ruth Ferguson

Courtesy the candidate

City College board Trustee Ruth Ferguson

New report

From page 7

“We have only been able to replace a fraction of this through emergency rapid-response grants from private European foundations and dedicated partners like Outright International,” wrote Grace. “Our operational budget has been severely constricted, forcing us to pivot from long-term capacity building to pure emergency survival.” The report outlines how funding losses hit the most vulnerable the hardest. LGBTIQ organizations operating under hostile governments or in unsympathetic cultures were more reliant on foreign aid to operate, and they were significantly more likely to receive funding cuts than those operating in less discriminatory environments, the report noted. Small, grassroots organizations lacked the diversity in funding to overcome the loss of a central funding source. In Kenya, Mamboleo Peer Empowerment Group (MPEG) described how staff losses affected not only internal capacity, but also the organization’s direct relationship with the community. “Funding cuts hit us hard at the community level,” the group stated in the report. “We had to let go of 100 peer educators, caregivers, outreach workers, and paralegals, the people who were not just staff but trusted faces within the LGBTQ community. These were the individuals who checked in on clients, supported them to stay on HIV treatment, responded to GBV [gender-based violence] cases, and ensured no one felt alone. With their absence, outreach

North Bay

Recommendations

Recommendations for governments, funding institutions and philanthropists, corporations, and intermediary donors offer steps amid the report’s bleak outlook. Immediate and flexible multi-source funding supporting health services, humanitarian response, and internal operations is needed. Organizations stretched thin and just remaining operational are unable to strategize for long-term projects and development, de Belaunde said. “The cuts forced us to become a triage unit rather than a development organization,” wrote Grace. When these organizations are lost, they take with them decades of documenting community service, advocates pointed out in the report.

@ebarnews

t <<

Community News>>

D8 candidates

From page 3

Patel said just days prior, during an unseasonal rain, she had an ETA on her phone that was wrong while she was waiting for the 24 Divisadero bus at Castro Street. “So if we can’t even get our ETAs right, how are we going to do the rest of this?

News Briefs

From page 3

Castro wellness fair coming up

The Castro Merchants Association will hold a Castro Wellness Street Fair Saturday, September 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. on Noe Street between Market and Beaver streets. A flyer stated that the event is free and will include movement classes, drag, live music, and giveaways. Several Castro wellness-themed businesses will be present, including the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, The Academy, Brightness Health Care, Jae Greenman Massage, Rouse Relational Wellness, Osra Medical, Pause, Queer LifeSpace and the SF Therapy Collective, Queer Wellness Roundtable, Sound Haven, Stretch Lab, and chiropractor Sam Zoranovich. The neighborhood business group budgeted funds for the inaugural health fair. If successful, it could become an annual event.

September 10-16, 2026 • Bay Area Reporter • 9

And if we can get that right, then people will be more willing to trust and ride these lines, right?” she continued. “You can plan around a 20-minute delay. You can’t plan around showing up and not having the bus ride. So I think we need to refocus on the basic things, which may not be as exciting and sexy, but it certainly is what we need in the city.” Patel continued that an analysis

should determine which neighborhoods are underserved, citing as examples Diamond Heights and Corona Heights. Yekutiel rejoined and said, “I believe in a San Francisco where we can take care of the small things while thinking big.” He noted the city once built the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge at the same time.

“You’re right,” he said. “It is hard to trust that we can do big things if we can’t make the pavement even, but I don’t want to be a part of a generation of San Franciscans that’s thinking small just because the problems are big.” Patel didn’t agree with that characterization, saying, “I don’t think promising things I can actually deliver is ‘thinking small.’ … If we’re all always thinking

about the next big thing, we’re never going to reach it. We have to get the basics right in order to even get to those big things.” McCoy agreed, noting that, “We’re lacking in some of the most basic infrastructure in San Francisco,” arguing that protected bike lanes and housing should be higher priorities than “pie-in-the-sky ideas that are wonderful.” t

Longevity expert in Mill Valley

“place” supports their life today and how their needs may change over time. “Place Planning aligns naturally with Sequoia Living’s belief that healthy, joyful aging looks different for everyone,” stated Paula Rathgaber-Gomez, Sequoia Living’s chief experience officer. “After seeing how Ryan’s approach helped participants explore their options with greater clarity and confidence, we knew this was a conversation worth continuing.” Frederick noted he’s spent 20 years studying how place shapes health, relationships, and longevity. “The pattern is always the same: people who think ahead have more options, less stress, and better outcomes,” he stated. Advance registration for the seminar is requested and can be done at info.sequoialiving.org/place-planning.

Wednesday, September 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Koret Auditorium at the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street. The program will feature journalists who will break down the ballot, why it matters, and what people need to know before they vote. Scheduled panelists include Juliet Williams from CalMatters; Ben Trefny from KALW Public Media; and Lila LaHood from San Francisco Public Press. To register, visit https://tinyurl. com/5xkdzd9w. On Thursday, October 8, at 6 p.m., SF Public Press and the League of Women Voters of San Francisco will hold a forum looking at who is spending big money on the election. It takes place at the Internet Archive, 300 Funston Avenue. Scheduled panelists include Joe Rivano Barros from Mission Local; Patrick Ford, executive director of the San Francisco Ethics Commission; and Darius Kemp, executive director of California Common Cause. SF Public Press’ La-

Hood will moderate. To register, visit https://luma. com/3tgmuo29.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560897 Petitioner AMANDA MATILDA REGODON & ARNO NIAZI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name EVELINA WALLIN NIAZI to proposed name EVELINA WALLIN NIAZI. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 06, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410142 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SOLO GUY LAB,1307 FRANCISCO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): MATTHEW FELDMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/10/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/18/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026

Longevity expert and bestselling author Ryan Frederick will be in the Bay Area Thursday, September 10, to deliver a presentation on how people can shape health, connection, and quality of life as they age. Sequoia Living, a Bay Area nonprofit that operates senior assisted living facilities, including in San Francisco, will welcome Frederick to the Mill Valley Community Center, Cascade Room, 180 Camino Alto, at 10 a.m. The presentation is complimentary and open to the public, a news release stated. Frederick, author of “Right Place, Right Time: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Home in the Second Half of Life,” developed Place Planning as a framework for examining four interconnected areas: environment, health, community, and finances, the release stated. Rather than beginning with whether someone should move, the process considers how well their current

SF election programs

Two upcoming events highlight San Francisco election matters. Both are free. San Francisco Public Press will present “Inside Your San Francisco Ballot”

Fiesta on the Hill in Bernal Heights

The Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center will hold its 35th annual Fiesta on the Hill Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. along seven blocks of Cortland Avenue between Bocana and Folsom streets. A news release noted that the event is one of the neighborhood’s most cherished traditions, bringing together neighbors for a full day of live music and dance, cultural performances, local food, artisan and community vendors, and family activities. New this year will be local artists and makers showcasing their work in a shared Local Craft Groups area, the release noted. Admission is free. For more information, visit bernalfiesta.com. t

Legals>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560870 Petitioner ROSA AMELIA RAMIREZ CARCAMO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ROSA AMELIA RAMIREZ CARCAMO to proposed name AMELIA PANIAGUA RAMIREZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560871 Petitioner ANDREA NICOLE MOLINA RAMIREZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ANDREA NICOLE MOLINA RAMIREZ to proposed name ANDREA NICOLE PANIAGUA RAMIREZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 24, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560872 Petitioner ARMANDO STEVEN MOLINA RAMIREZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ARMANDO STEVEN MOLINA RAMIREZ to proposed name STEVEN PANIAGUA RAMIREZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 24, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560873 Petitioner ANGIE VALERIA MOLINA RAMIREZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ANGIE VALERIA MOLINA RAMIREZ to proposed name ANGIE PANIAGUA RAMIREZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 24, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560877 Petitioner ADRIENNA YU filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ADRIENNA YU to proposed name ADRIENNA HUIE. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 24, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560883 Petitioner KIRIA LEDRIAN MASON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name KIRIA LEDRIAN MASON to proposed name KIRA LEDRIAN MASON. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560878 Petitioner SASHA KASHANI VERNICK filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name SASHA KASHANI VERNICK to proposed name SASHA KASHANI NILSEN. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0409964 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): HANSEN’S LAUNDERETTE, 4258 18TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): KEVIN WEI HAN CHEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2015. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/28/2026. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410120 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): GO ROAM TOURS, 322 12TH AVE #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): HEATHER EILEEN CASSELL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/08/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/13/2026. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410136 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ARTHUR SEBASTIAN, 2285 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): ARTHUR S. LESNIAK (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/17/2011. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/17/2026. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410133 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): J LEONARD STUDIO, 2964 CALIFORNIA ST #10, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JAIME LEONARD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/17/2026. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410093 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): FULTON FOOD SHOP, 1801 FULTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): IMAAN ALI 786 INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/10/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/2026. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 625313 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): AMAZI BUILDING AND DESIGN, 1954 MOUNTAIN BLVD #13061, OAKLAND, CA 94611. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/ Owner(s): AMAZI PARTNERS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of Alameda, CA on 08/11/2026. AUG 20, 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560893 Petitioner KATE MARIE BARTENWERFER & DAVID WILLIAM BARTENWERFER filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name KATE MARIE BARTENWERFER to proposed name KATE MILLER and the present name JACKSON HAROLD BARTENWERFER to proposed name JACKSON WILLIAM MILLER. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 01, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026

NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY THE ROBERT P. CLARKE REVOCABLE TRUST DATED MARCH 28, 2023 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT CASE NO. PTR-24-307568 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, subject to confirmation of this court on September 15, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 204 of the San Francisco County Superior Court, or thereafter within the time allowed by law, the trustee of the Robert P. Clarke Revocable Trust dated March 28, 2023 will sell at private sale to the highest net bidder, on the terms and conditions hereinafter mentioned, all right, title, and interest that the estate has in the real property located in San Francisco County, California, as follows: Real property located at 627 22nd Avenue, California, 94121, legally described as follows: Commencing at a point on the westerly line of 22nd Avenue distant thereon 150 feet southerly from the southerly line of Balboa Street; running thence southerly and along said line of 22nd Avenue 25 feet; thence at a right angle westerly 120 feet; thence at a right angle northerly 25 feet; thence at a right angle easterly 120 feet to the point of commencement. Being part of Outside Land Block No. 359 Block 1622, Lot 004. The sale is subject to current taxes, covenants, conditions, restrictions, reservations, right of way and easements of record, with any encumbrances of record to be satisfied from the purchase price. An exclusive listing has been given. The property is to be sold for cash only. The property is to be sold on an “as is” basis, except for title. An offer on the property in the total amount of $1,588,000.00 has been accepted by the trustee and a REPORT OF SALE AND PETITION FOR ORDER CONFIRMING SALE OF REAL PROPERTY has been filed in these proceedings, which Report and Petition have been set for hearing on September 15, 2026, and notice made to all interested parties. THE PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE IS TO INVITE BIDS OVER THE ACCEPTED OFFER, in accordance with the provisions of California Probate Code section 10311. By statute, the initial overbid must be in the amount of $1,667,900.00. Overbids are invited for this property and must be in writing and presented on September 15, 2026, at 9:00 am in Department 204 of the Superior Court of the State of California, for the County of San Francisco, 400 McAllister St. 1st Floor, San Francisco CA, 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560887 Petitioner RASHID ALI NUR filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name RASHID ALI NUR to proposed name BENDER ABDULRAHIM NUR. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560895 Petitioner NAOMI BARBARA QUINN & GRAHAM JAMESON WHITE filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name GIORGIO JAMES WHITE to proposed name REMI JAMES WHITE. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 01, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560896 Petitioner SHANNON NICOLE RIORDAN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name SHANNON NICOLE RIORDAN to proposed name SHANNON RIORDAN CHHIBBER. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 06, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410074 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SAAVEDRA DRAIN & PLUMBING, 1515 BRODERICK ST #141, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JOVANI SANCHEZ SAAVEDRA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/08/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/07/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560903 Petitioner LILIA TITULAURI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name LILIA TITULAURI to proposed name LILIA CHANDLER DORENFELL. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 06, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560898 Petitioner MARTHA MCCUBBIN PLACK filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MARTHA MCCUBBIN PLACK to proposed name MARTHA PLACK DREXLER. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 06, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560900 Petitioner MARIA LOURDES GARCIA AKA MARY LOU GARCIA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MARIA LOURDES GARCIA AKA MARY LOU GARCIA to proposed name MARY LOU GARCIA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 06, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410113 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): WGM CONSULTING, 231 VALLEY ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): GREG MOORE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/12/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410175 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): DJY GENERAL BUILDING, 1747 EUCALYPTUS DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): DEJIN YU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/23/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410187 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): GUEVARA’S CARPET, 349 PARK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): TADEO GUEVARA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/21/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410105 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): FIRST RESPONSE TRAINING, 1243 RIDGEWAY DR, SACRAMENTO, CA 95822. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): MILES AQUIAR. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/11/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/11/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410181 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ENDS MEET CO., 11 BLACKSTONE CT, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JENNIFER MARIE ROSKO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410149 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MIKE KLOTZ COUNSELING; MIKE KLOTZ THERAPY; CYNICAL THERAPIST, 2443 FILLMORE ST UNIT 3807174, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): MICHAEL KLOTZ MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/19/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410182 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SERVE WELL LIQUOR MARKET, 595 ELLIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): ALI IMAAN 2026 INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/18/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410177 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MISSION MARKET & LIQUOR, 4304 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): SF LAMA FAMILY INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/20/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410211 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PRESENT TENSE FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY, 450 SUTTER ST #2125, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): AMIT ARUNKUMAR M.D., PC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/25/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410172 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): EL ARROYO LAUNDROMAT, 2984 23RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): R&R SERRANO (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/20/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0409959 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BUSINESS OF SHOW BIZ, THE; BUSINESS OF SHOWBIZ, THE, 1534 HAYES ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO,C A 94117. This business is conducted by a married couple. Registrant/Owner(s): VELINA LUCETTE BROWN & MICHAEL GENE SULLIVAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/14/1997. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/27/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026

<< Classifieds

10• Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410184 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): THE ROOST, 1030 POLK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): MERCHANT ROOTS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/07/2020. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/21/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410010 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): THE MOON GROUP; THE MOON MANAGEMENT GROUP, 1600 BRYANT ST #410481, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94141. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): THE MOON ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/20/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/31/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410144 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): STUDIO YUCA, 314 RUTLEDGE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): TRAVESIAS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/25/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/18/2026. AUG 27, SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 STATE OF NEW MEXICO, COUNTY OF VALENCIA, 13TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT. NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF ACTION. PLAINTIFF: NANCY YORK & VIOLET CHAVEZ V. DEFENDANT: GABRIELLE YORK AND BEN. CASE NO.: D1314-DM-2025-00457 STATE OF NEW MEXICO to GABRIELLE YORK & BEN, DEFENDANT. You are hereby notified that the abovenamed Plaintiff has filed an action against you in the above-titled Court and case, the general object thereof being: Guardianship of Minor Child A.Y. If you do not file a response in this case on or before thirty days after the third publication of this Notice, a default judgement may be entered against you. Your response must be filed with the above-titled Court.This case does not involve real property. Plaintiff: NANCY YORK, PO BOX 490, LOS LUNAS, NM 87031; (505) 489-8507. WITNESS the Honorable Judge Allen R. Smith, Div. III, District Court Judge of the District Court of Valencia County this 26th day of November, 2025 SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF RAMONA KELLOGG IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CASE NUMBER PES-26-309460 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of RAMONA KELLOGG. A Petition for Probate has been filed by CHRISTINA MILLER in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that CHRISTINA MILLER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: KRISTEN BARGMEYER (SBN 281230), 446 17TH ST #201, OAKLAND, CA 94612; Ph. (510) 465-3838. SEP 03, 10, 17, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560885 Petitioner ANA GLADIS SACAYON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ANDREW SANTIAGO SACAYON GALICIA to proposed name ANDREW SANTIAGO GALICIA-SACAYON. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560906 Petitioner MATTHEW JOSEPH MARTIN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MATTHEW JOSEPH MARTIN to proposed name MATTHEW JOSEPH O’DRISCOLL. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 08, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560888 Petitioner NIKOLAS FREDRIK KAMIYAMA CHANTHAKOUMMANO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name NIKOLAS FREDRIK KAMIYAMA CHANTHAKOUMMANO to proposed name NIKOLAS FREDRIK KREJCIKOVA KALINFKAYA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410215 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MIGHTY CONSTRUCTION, 961 GOETTINGEN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): CHIEWCHOY SAETERN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/25/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410212 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BRITTANY MCLAREN COUNSELING SERVICES, 3042B CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): BRITTANY MCLAREN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/06/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/25/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410204 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): DOODLE, 599 3RD ST #304, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): WILD WEST LABS, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/24/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410234 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): NEXTWAVE REAL ESTATE, 891 BEACH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JULIA VILLANEUVE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410168 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MISSION FAST FILL MARKET #2, 4199 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): GAWFCO ENTERPRISES, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/22/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410245 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): OSTRA DESIGN STUDIO, 2766 GOLDEN GATE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): CHARLOTTE ANDERSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/24/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/27/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410166 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LARKINS BROTHERS TIRE, 370 S. VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): KEWL AUTOMOTIVE INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410241 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SF GIFT HORSE, 160 MIRALOMA DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JENNY MALCHOW. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/26/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/27/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-X0410232 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LOBA STUDIO, 803 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JENNIFER LOURDES GARZA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/29/2022. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410258 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ARIELLE FUNG LMFT, 582 MARKET ST #602, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): ARIELLE DUALAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410197 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SAN FRANCISCO SYNTHWORKS, 1156 BOWDOIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): AHMAD ABDO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/13/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/21/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410180 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MADDY RENE, 2169A GREENWICH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): MADISON J FAUCI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410273 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): KC FIT SAN FRANCISCO, 2275 MARKET ST SUITE D, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): BRIAN KEITH COLLINS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410264 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): START AND SAVE MARKET, 405 EDDY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): NASRADDIN YAHYA AHMED ABDO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/24/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410274 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): EMPIRE REAL ESTATE, 461 BROADWAY ST #200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): FRANK C. YI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2010. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410272 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SUTRO HOUSE PRESS; LILA BLAKE; CAMILLE ROTH; ROSIE DONLIN; MARIANNE BLACKWOOD, 5432 GEARY BLVD UNIT #499, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): STEPHANIE LONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410154 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): AU PLAISIR BAKERY, 276 FOWLER AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JUILANA ERIN FROGGATT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/08/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/18/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410183 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): STARBOARD CRE, 49 POWELL ST 4TH FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): STARBOARD COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/14/1991. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/21/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410185 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BROOKWOOD STARBOARD CRE, 49 POWELL ST 4TH FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): STARBOARD COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/14/1991. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/21/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410201 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): RC EVOLUTION ROOFING INC, 336 COUNTRY CLUB DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): RC EVOLUTION ROOFING INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/24/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/24/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410240 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): VERO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, 2370 CHESTNUT ST #100, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): SEVERO PROPERTIES, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410269 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): AAHANA MEDICAL AESTHETICS, 2175 3RD ST UNIT C1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): SHANKAR NARAYANA MUNDLURU, MBA, PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/28/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410222 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): JOE FISHER ARCHITECT, 27 MAIDEN LANE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): JOE FISHER ARCHITECT, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/10/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410252 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): KOVA MANAGEMENT GROUP, 1232 MARKET ST #104, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): N & S JANITORIAL SERVICES, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/27/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410006 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MILKTOPIA, 1139 TARAVAL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): JAM TEA INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/31/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410218 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MOTOCAR BRAZIL, 3150 18TH ST #106, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): REAL FACTS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/25/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/25/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410275 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): QUESTION MARK TAVERN, 312 HARRIET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): SINOMBRESF LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/13/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410227 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MAMAS ON WASHINGTON SQUARE, 1701 STOCKTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/ Owner(s): DBMK ENTERPRISES INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2005. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410279 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): HOMEWATCH CAREGIVERS OF SAN MATEO PENINSULA, 2935 VAN NESS AVE #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): BENRED GROUP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/20/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410266 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): NAGO FOODS, 3145 GEARY BLVD #354, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): NAGO LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/2009. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE 2022-0398955 The following has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as SALON BELLE LINDA, 4448 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by THUY LE. The fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/07/2022. The abandonment of fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/24/2026. SEP 03, 10, 17, 24, 2026

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF MONIO PILPEL IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CASE NUMBER PES25-308164 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of MONIO PILPEL. A Petition for Probate has been filed by HEDDY PILPEL in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that HEDDY PILPEL be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 204,, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: PAUL MELBOSTAD (SBN 99951), G3MH LLP, 1388 SUTTER ST #1000, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109; Ph. (415) 673-5600. SEP 10, 17, 24, 2026 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ELBERT M. YEE IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CASE NUMBER PES-26-309759 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of ELBERT M. YEE. A Petition for Probate has been filed by ELAINE YEE in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that ELAINE YEE be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: OCTOBER 05, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: BERNARDO M. SILVA (SBN 115297), LAW OFFICE OF BERNARDO M. SILVA, ONE EMBARCADERO CENTER #1200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111; Ph. (415) 989-0310. SEP 10, 17, 24, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560922 Petitioner ANGELINA MASCHELLE MYERS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ANTHONY MICHAEL MYERS AKA ANGELINA MASCHELL MYERS to proposed name ANGELINA MASCHELLE MYERS. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 15, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560919 Petitioner FIONA STEVENS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name FIONA STEVENS AKA FIONA DOROTHY MARY STEVENS to proposed name FIONA DOROTHY MARY STEVENS. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 15, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560917 Petitioner YING YING CHEUNG filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name YING YING CHEUNG AKA LESLIE CHEUNG AKA LESLIE Y CHEUNG AKA LESLIE YING CHEUNG AKA LESLIE YINGYING CHEUNG to proposed name LESLIE YING YING CHEUNG. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: OCTOBER 15, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410265 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION, 1379 THOMAS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): GUOLIAN YE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410327 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PAST CORPORATION; PAST CORP., 211 GOUGH ST #201, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): REVO, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/04/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410281 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ROBOTICS CENTER OF SILICON VALLEY; ROBOTICS CENTER, 90 WELSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): DEEPAWARE, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410300 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): US RAILWAYS; AMERICAN RAILWAYS; AUTRAI; AMIDAC INTERNATIONAL, 50 CALIFORNIA ST, FL 15, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): US HIGH SPEED RAIL (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/2007. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/02/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410288 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MAJESTIA EDUCATION CONSULTANCY, 280 10TH AVE #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/ Owner(s): SAGARMATHA NEXUS VENTURES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/01/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410295 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LUCANIA, 1 FERRY BUILDING, SUITE 36, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): LUCANIA HOSPITALITY LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/02/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410296 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): A16, 2355 CHESTNUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): D.O.C. RESTAURANT GROUP, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/02/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410233 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BEST CHOICE CLEANERS, 2459 POLK ST #A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): DHOBI LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410328 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CALIFORNIA WATER AND FIRE, 454 A ST, DALY CITY, CA 94014. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): CALIFORNIA WATER & FIRE RESTORATION, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/04/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/04/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410228 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CAFE JAROCHA, 2948 FOLSOM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): CAFE JAROCHA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410336 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PENNY ROYAL, 1160 POLK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): 1160 POLK LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/04/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0410331 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): GEORGE ROSENFIELD CAPITAL GROUP, 2460 WASHINGTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): GEORGE ROSENFIELD CAPITAL GROUP INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/2027. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/04/2026. SEP 10, 17, 24, OCT 01, 2026

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Margaret Cho

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Standing up for her communities at Berkeley Rep

Theater beginning September 15, is a veteran of the resistance trenches. Beloved by Bay Area audiences since her earliest days as a comedian in the 1990s, Cho, the queer daughter of Korean immigrants, has joked and spoken loudly against racial, sexual, body and gender prejudice. Her Berkeley engagement, the longest of her tour, comes in the wake of two sold-out May

stretched– on stage. “I try to be as tricky and cunning as I can in the jokes,” said Cho in a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “I still want to be innovative and surprising in the way that I say things in my show. “But there is an element of preaching to the choir. And you know what?” says Cho, whose See page 16 >>

by Philip Mayard

Daring fall dances

ur fall dance preview continues! Last week we looked at the first wave of dance performances happening across the Bay Area through mid-September. The season barrels forward into early December, with artists exploring an extraordinary range of subjects and dance forms. From queer history on an Oakland softball field to hip hop at the Palace of Fine Arts, these programs span cultures and continents, while finding new ways to put movement in conversation with the world around us. Make room on your calendar and show up for the dance community that makes all of this possible.

Ben McKeown, courtesy of American Dance Festival

Our picks for the Bay Area’s autumn dance events, part 2

Alonzo King LINES Ballet

See page 14 >>

! ary Issue 22, 2024 om Annivers • August No. 751 ordmagazine.c Special www.outw

THE CENTER: LUNAR

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIO N OF COMMON STRENGTH AND UNITY

JANUARY 2025

A WORD FROM

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A WORD ON PARENTING

WELCOME FROM

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1 ws | J A N UA R Y 2025

PRIDE: A MESSAGE

THE NEW ARCHIVIST

PROBLEMS

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POZabilities A SWEET AFFAIR

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A WAY TO INDULGE AND GIVE BACK GLITZ GLAM, KRAVINGS FRUIT BAR, BUTTER BAKED CAKE CO.

SAPPHIC BOOK CLUB SAN DIEGO

A QUEER LITERARY HAVEN

ON STAGE

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL AN INTERVIEW WITH CADEN BRAUCH AKA MARTY MCFLY

A WORD ON ART

HONEYBEE MEET ARTIST NIK BOIVIN

THE WORD ON READING

ARKDUST BY ALEX SMITH ANOTHER COUNTRY BY JAMES BALDWIN

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Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet brings Christopher Wheeldon’s “Oscar” to Berkeley for its North American premiere, with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra performing Joby Talbot’s score live. The full-length ballet intertwines Oscar Wilde’s life story with two of his best-known works, “The Nightingale and the Rose” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” including his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas and the imprisonment that followed his 1895 conviction for “gross indecency.” The work places queer love and male intimacy at the center of a major classical ballet, a rarity in the ballet world. $60-$215, September 25-27, Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft Way at Dana St., UC Berkeley campus. www.calperformances.org

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ARTS

“T

here are different forms of resistance,” says Margaret Cho. “Mine happens to be comedy.” The native San Franciscan, who will bring a six-performance residency of her current standup show, “Choligarchy,” to Berkeley Repertory

shows at the Palace of the Fine Arts Theater. In the Bay Area, perhaps more than anywhere else she performs, Cho is the subject of reverence. Audiences who first caught on to her sociopolitically-charged cheekiness as long ago as the late 1990s when she got her start in local comedy clubs, return not only to hear new material, but to pay rowdy homage to a pioneer and see their own liberal values reflected –and sometimes

ARTS

by Jim Gladstone

A CHAT WITH

page 20

CHELI MOHAMED DEBBIE DANIELS SUE HARTMAN KELLY GILLILAND LIZZIE RODRIGUEZ

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REACH CALIFORNIA’S LARGEST LGBTQ AUDIENCE. s& ding Kid Understan Identity Gender e 12 pag

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Plays

Ferrannini

by Matthew

munities

Jellyfish'

since 1971

No. 7 • Febr

uary 13-1 9, 2025

S. Bajko

he site where against police a transgender uprisi harassment ng San Franc took place in the first prope isco 59 years ago has specifically rty granted federal landm become for its conne movement ction to the ark status in transgender fornia Regist the U.S. It is also now er of Histor on ical Resources. the CaliOn Januar y was added 27 the building at 101 to Taylor Street Places. The the National Regist er Tenderloin District buildi of Historic ed without fanfare last month, with ng was listthe national recognition the earlier this reaching local news of week. advocates The addre ss 1966 an angry was where one night in August drag queen Compton’s Cafeteria house patronizing Gene commercial space report d in a ground floor coffee in the edly threw a face arrest her witho of a police officer cup of hot as he tried ut a warra Volunteers to altercation has been lost nt. The exact date of corner of put the finishing the sparked a to time. But touch Turk and riot the incident Taylor stree es on a Black of the 24-ho between trans and Trans Lives Rick Gerhart ts in Augu queer patron ur er Stryker. “There Matter mura st 2020. 2005 docum diner and cops, as s l at the detaile entary “Screa to individual is Stonewall and sites gender schola ming Queen d in the r and histor s” by transnonbinary. people like Pauli Murra connected recent weeks ian But “As far as I , know, it’s the Susan Stryker, Ph.D. register specifi this is the first thing y, who was to celebrate, the Compton’s listing national registr first landm put cally is ” the ark y listed history of the because of its conne on the on the Area-based said Shayne Watson, “something nection to a lesbian historian and transgender specifically for its conComing amid transgender movem ction to planner who community historic preser Bay ent.” the Trump had history,” said sault on the highli ghted the prope vation historical signifi rights of trans White House’s asyouth and port she co-wr cance in a city-commis rty’s trans adults in ote over a decad sioned ree ago.

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he Castro Theatre won’t this summ be reopening er as origin ally according to an annou planned. That’s Thursday at nceme the Castro Merchants nt made by Another Association Planet Entert in charge of ainment, the the company ect at the histori renovation and restora tion projc Other items site. first meetin discussed at the busine g of 2025 includ ss group’s new presid ed the need ent; center; and hearing a proposal for to find a support for a new mural a wellness BTQ neighb orhood. in the LGThe Castro Theatr e is neighborhoo an integral part of the d, residents have and business owner s as well as following signifilooked forward to its reopening Entertainme cant renovation. Anoth nt, ed the renova which manages the theateer Planet tion r, APE projec project in spring 2024. startnounced that t manager Margaret Casey anthe hoping to open events and concerts by Cynthia produ it in the fall. It cer is moviehouse means the Laird will ing Frameline, be dark for the second historic ormer congre year durthe city’s intern film festiva ssmember ational LGBT l that crowd of suppo Barbar Q at the Castro usually shows most rters that she’ a Lee told a of Oakland its movie Theatre during s ready to an influx of lead mid-June, bringi s its headquarteras her mayoral campa hundreds of ign ng s opening om .com borhood over people ine.c longtim azine into over the weekekicked off agaz the neighmag the e progre ordm course of its word nd. The outw out Last run. runner in the ssive Democrat is seen year during Pride Month special electio as the frontlized theate lowing Frame n to choose rs in the recall of line utia leader folrina, and Laurel the Mission, Civic Lee, who long former mayor Sheng Center, MaThao. represented Francisco. The Heights to show its round films ing cities in Congress, Oakland and suralso relocat San Francisco Gay Men’s in San Representat ed its annua left the House ives in early l Christmas Chorus from the Castro of unsuccessfu January. She Eve shows lly Hall last Decem Theatre to Davies seat last year. for California’s open had run Symphony ber. U.S. Sen A poten “W

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Lee, 78, touted recent endor ameda Coun sements of ty the Alpolitical arm Democratic Party; Oak merce; and of the Oakland Cham PAC, the the Alame da Labor Counber of ComLee said she’ cil. months that s learned in the last two “every sector forward.” wants the city to three to move There will be difficu whomever wins the mayorlt decisions ahead for ponent is ’s race

<< Music

12 • Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

Chanticleer’s ‘Machaut’ CD

A musical Roots album proves that you can go home again

by Tim Pfaff

ith its new album, “Machaut” (Delos Records), Chanticleer trains its cutting-edge musicality on works by the 14th-century composer, Guillaume de Machaut. Yes, that 14th century, long ago and far away. The group takes its name from another high-water mark of the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales,” in which it is a “merrie-voiced” rooster, or cock, holds sway. Over the years since its founding in San Francisco in 1978, Chanticleer has performed and recorded music ranging from the Renaissance to new music it has commissioned, with stops along the way for dabs of Broadway and African American spirituals. No one would call it an early-music ensemble in the same way the term is applied to other performing groups that explore what record labels once called “ancient music,” themselves often the products of rival branches of scholarship. But the new recording marks a return of sorts to the ensemble’s roots, which has championed Renaissance music right alongside a series of best-selling Christmas records including many a “merrie” earworm. Let me be personal for a moment. I usually find concerts of Christmas music a horror and would rather subject myself to Yuletide rap. But Chanticleer’s annual Christmas concerts in St. Ignatius Church –and a handful of best-selling Christmas recordings– have over the years thrilled me as both a critic and a civilian. Mere notes into Chanticleer’s rendition of the 17thcentury German motet, “Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen,” the music has also sprung a trickle of warm tears down my face.

The shock of the old

What with the competition from myriad kinds of music accompanying our slog out of 2026, there’s dar-

Amanda MacBlane

Chanticleer

ing in an all-Machaut recording, let alone concert. There might have been a trendier title to, in the words of marketers, “put bums in the seats.” In his own life, Guillaume de Machaut made a transition as poetsinger-composer, the way things were back then. First came his vocal music in the tradition of the troubadours, and then, having been inducted into clerical life, polyphonic music intended for the glorious spaces of the cathedral. His reputation as one of the greatest singular music-makers of his day recognized a liturgical tradition spawned by Machaut’s celebration of a more earthly, and earthy, love. In its new album, Chanticleer offers the fare in something of a reverse order, the great “Messe de Nostre Dame,” composed in his later years for the Cathedral of Reims, followed by some of the secular music that brought him from a birth in obscurity to a position of privilege in France’s royal court.

A Mass for our time

In the CD’s fine booklet, which you won’t get in the streaming version, Chanticleer’s director and singer,

Tim Keeler, outlines the principles of historical performance practice that informs this recording. It is based on solid scholarship, but it skirts the constraints of the academy, with scholarship’s endless pursuit of the historically “authentic,” to music-making as vital as it is smart. To the sense of the tentative and over-careful of some other ensembles’ recordings, the men of Chanticleer respond with a sound altogether more decisive. Soft music floats as appropriate, but the tone is always solid and true, no matter the dynamics. Attacks are often startling, harmonies rich and overlapping, frequently stepping into the deliberately disarming, at times even alarming to the “modern” ear. Ornamentation, the addition of unwritten notes for purposes of expression, is among the great preoccupations of historical performaniacs. Even Machaut first-timers will recognize, and rise to Chanticleer’s “hockets,” the rapid alterations of single notes, clean and crisp, but they likely will also marvel at the way those ornaments are integrated into the musical line, the improvisations rendered as

Q-Music: Homosonic by Gregg Shapiro

classic musical, a pop sensation and two indie rock band make our latest list of auditory pleasures. An LGBTQ playlist would be incomplete without a Broadway cast recording and “Chess The Musical” (Ghostlight), which should do the trick. Those who have been following “Chess” since its inception in 1984 when a “work in progress” studio

recording was released, may recall that it yielded an unexpected hit single in “One Night in Bangkok,” performed by Murray Head. The musical, co-written by Tim Rice and ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (years before their “Mamma Mia” jukebox musical became a phenomenon), also resulted in a 1988 original Broadway cast recording (from an ill-fated New York production co-starring Judy Kuhn).

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aspects of musical meaning, not distracting, self-regarding stunts.

Mother Mary, come to me

It’s a plus that Chanticleer has recorded the new album at San Francisco’s St. Ignatius Church, arguably its spiritual home, though it has sung in a wide range of settings around the world. But contemporary listeners suspicious of the relevance of a mass celebrating Saint Mary are likely to be surprised by the ensemble’s invigorating sound, which, as the saying goes, could convert the heathen. Its rendition of the great Mass, which never skimps on elevation, is

calculated to involve its audience, not kill it with added piety. An ensemble that cares about precision and coordination is unafraid of wagging its musical tail. It’s exuberance abounding, even to the most committed of “sinners.” In the Mass, Chanticleer knocks the stuffy out of the stuff. Musically specific as the individual movements are, they roll over the listener in one grand sweep. The motion is perpetual, the expression full of spirit. The Kyrie introduces the Mass with a musical punch. The Credo may make you stand up, if not strictly believe. The Sanctus is not for the acrophobic. In places, the Benedictus sounds as much like woodwinds as human voices. As a listener, the trick is not to fear the heavy-handed and welcome the bracing. Generally, reflexive solemnity is in short supply. If that all sounds overwrought in description, in real time it’s as spirited as spiritual. The six comparatively short songs and motets are rendered as marvels of expression and vitality, intermittently spiced by interjections of actual percussion. They also allow individual singers to shine, which they demonstrably do. The sound is succulent, the rhythms are sprung. A different Dame animates “Dame, de qui toute ma joie vient” (“Lady, the source of all my joy”), and this girl is every bit as welcome to Chanticleer. If any of this is not to your taste, check your pulse.t Guillaume de Machaut, Messe de Nostre Dame and secular works, Chanticleer, CD and streaming. www.chanticleer.org Chanticleer will perform its ‘Machaut’ concert at ODC Theater, 351 Shotwell Street, Sept. 13 at 2pm & 5pm, Sept. 17 at 7:30 pm, Sept. 19 at 2pm and 5pm, and Sept. 20 at 2pm. $120. www.odc.dance/calendar

Broadway, cocktail jazz & pop grooves from Miktski, Aro Parks, Friko, and ‘Chess the Musical’

The current version, from the most recent revival (which closed on Broadway in June 2026) starred Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele, and Nicholas Christopher, as well as out actor Sean Alan Krill, all of whom can be heard on the new cast recording, which not only features Tveit performing “One Night in Bangkok,” but also memorable numbers including “I Knew Him So Well,” “Someone Else’s Story,” “Nobody’s Side,” and “Heaven Help My Heart.” Also notable is that not much has changed in US and Russian/USSR relations since “Chess” first debuted. www.chessbroadway.com Have you been fortunate enough to attend a concert by Mitski? Did you notice the presence of her considerable LGBTQ following? Mitski even had queer singer/songwriter Lucy Dacus (of boygenius fame) as an opening act on one of her tours. A member of the “prefer not to be labeled” generation, she’s an artist whose music speaks for itself. “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” (Dead Oceans), Mitski’s latest album, doesn’t have dance-floor anthems such as “The Only Heartbreaker” or “Stay Soft” (from 2022’s “Laurel Hell”), but what it does have, as expected, are some new and exciting musical directions. There’s the cocktail jazz of “I’ll Change For You,” the purring twang of “Cats,” the vintage country organ on “Instead of Hope” and “Rules,” and the anxious rock of “Where’s My Phone?” www.mitski.com If you are, in fact, seeking dance inspiration, checkout the fantastic “Ambiguous Desire” (Transgressive) by queer, LA-based, British singer/songwriter Arlo Parks, where you will find beats in abundance. If you’re unfamiliar with

Parks, keep in mind that she earned a writing credit on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album for the song “Ya Ya” (under her birth name Anaïs Marinho). As she says in the liner notes for her own album, “desire is an engine,” and Parks revs it, slinky at first on “Blue Disco,” before driving us to the club on “Jetta.” With each song, the dance energy keeps us engaged as is evident on “Get Go,” “Heaven,” “Nightswimming,” “Senses,” and “Luck of Life.” Aware that we need a break from time to time, Parks navigates us toward less beatdriven tunes, including “Floette” and “Beams.” www.arloparksofficial.com “Something Worth Waiting For” (ATO), the title of second album by

Chicago-based band Friko, featuring queer member Bailey Minzenberg (who uses they/them pronouns), is more fitting than you might know. Expanded from a duo to a quartet, the album contains what is easily one of the best songs of the year. “Seven Degrees,” featuring Niko Kapetan on lead vocals, has the power to conjure a feeling of musical nostalgia in some listeners, with the way it draws on vintage pop. It’s also a certifiable tearjerker, so be prepared. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself putting the song on repeat. There are plenty of other knockout tracks on the album as well, including “Choo Choo,” “Hot Air Balloon,” “Dear Bicycle,” and “Alice.” www.whoisfriko.comt

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<< Dance

14 • Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

The performance features new music by composer and percussionist Jordan Glenn, who will be joined on stage each night by Ben Davis on cello, Jessica Folson on violin, Cory Wright on reeds and flute, and Matt Wrobel on guitar. $29-$51, October 23-25, Z Space, 450 Florida St. www.zspace.org/iphigenia

Fall Dance events

From page 11

Chitresh Das Dance Company The Bay Area’s Chitresh Das Dance Company performs “Invoking the River,” choreographed by Charlotte Moraga, a work that brings together mythology, environmental urgency, and the cultural significance of India’s sacred rivers. A work of “grace and athleticism” (48 Hills), “Invoking the River” features an original score performed live, and explores the relationship between people and water through the company’s distinctive approach to kathak, India’s classic dance form. $38-$71, September 20, Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Ave. www. presidiotheatre.org

Arenas Dance Company Dance Mission Theater and Arenas Dance Company present the premiere of “Àsẹ, Axé, Ache,” a new dance-theater work by Afro-Cuban choreographer Susana Arenas Pedroso and Afro-Brazilian choreographer Dandha da Hora. The title refers to a concept shared across Yoruba, Brazilian, and Cuban traditions: a creative force or energy capable of bringing change into the world. The three variations of the word: “Àsẹ” in Yorubaland, “Axé” in Brazil, and “Achè” in Cuba, reflect the cultural connections explored in the work, which brings together movement, music, and traditions from across the African diaspora. $20-$30, November 7-8, Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St. www. dancemissiontheater.org

PUSH Dance Company PUSH Dance Company’s annual PUSHfest features four different programs, bringing together an extraordinary roster of local and nationally acclaimed dancemakers. The festival repertoire will include the premiere of PUSH Founding Artistic Director Raissa Simpson’s “Flying Saucers,” a new duet that examines Black and Asian social relations alongside flying drone technology, as well as Associate Artistic Director Ashley Gayle’s “Stardust,” an exploration of memory, survival, and emotional complexity honoring Black ancestral lineage. $20-$100, October 3-4, Cast Black Box Theatre, 447 Minna St. www.pushdance.org

San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest Established in 1999 by Micaya, the San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest has earned an international reputation as one of the most prestigious presenters of hip hop dance, and is the first-ever festival dedicated to honoring the artistry and diversity of hip hop in a professionally curated, non-competitive environment. This year’s festival is a global convergence of hip hop dance artistry featuring eight companies from Tokyo, Montreal, Mexico City, Detroit, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, performing a variety of hip hop styles, including jit, waacking, b-boying, breakdancing, and more. $64-$75, November 1415, Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon St. www.sfhiphopdancefest.com

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company At 84, Margaret Jenkins is still making relevant new work and finding contemporary questions to explore. The legendary Bay Area choreographer launches her company’s 53rd season with “Foolish Fires,” a world premiere created with her dancers, poet Michael Palmer, visual designer Alexander V. Nichols, and costume designer Mary Domenico. The twopart work takes its title from the willo’-the-wisp, the mysterious light said to lure travelers off familiar paths, and explores the tensions between certainty and ambiguity, attraction and resistance. $25-$70, Oct. 8-11, 15-16, Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama St. www.mjdc.org Sarah Bush Dance Project Pack up a picnic and head to the softball field for Sarah Bush Dance Project’s premiere of “Pitch,” the pilot performance of “The Dyke HERstory Dance Tour.” Taking place at Oakland’s Mosswood Park on National Coming Out Day, the free, site-specific event invites audiences to experience a work-in-process performance inspired by Bay Area Dyke HERstory. Set on a softball field, “Pitch” explores Bay Area queer history through movement, storytelling, and community engagement, with five dancers portraying Bay Area dyke ancestors reunited as an allstar “ghost team.” Each player steps up to bat, sharing her story through recorded audio and movement as the ensemble rounds the bases. Directed and choreographed by Sarah Bush, the work draws on community research led by Community Engagement Director and dancer KJ Dahlaw, including DYKON Story Hours, the Dyke Softball Pickup Series, oral history interviews with lesbian and dyke elders, archival research with the Bay Area Lesbian Archives, and community reading groups focused on Bay Area queer history. Free, October 11, Mosswood Park Baseball Diamond, 3612 Webster Street, Oakland. www.sarahbushdance.org Dimensions Dance Theatre Oakland’s venerable Dimensions Dance Theatre marks its 54th season with the world premiere of “Power Memory Freedom Joy (Healing to Joy Part 3),” choreographed by Alseny Soumah and Deborah Vaughan. The evening-length work brings together

Alonzo King LINES Ballet + San Francisco Symphony LINES Ballet returns to Davies Symphony Hall for two world premieres by Alonzo King, the company’s co-founder and artistic director, in its continuing collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony. The program marks a somewhat unusual turn for King, whose work more often draws on contemporary and non-Western musical traditions than the standard classical repertoire. Here, the company takes on Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and Claude Debussy’s “Afternoon of a Faun.” The performances also offer the rare opportunity to see a full-scale dance company sharing the Davies stage with the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by James Gaffigan. $30-$185, November 19-21, Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. www.linesballet.org

Top Left: The Australian Ballet in Christopher Wheeldon’s ‘Oscar’ at Zellerbach Hall. Upper Middle Left: Chitresh Das Dance Company Middle Left: PUSH Dance Company’s Marc Chappelle Lower Middle Left: Margaret Jenkins Dance Company Below Left: Sarah Bush Dance Project’s ‘Pitch’ Top Right: Dimensions Dance Theatre Upper Middle Right: Sharp & Fine’s cast of ‘Iphigenia’ Middle Right: Arenas Dance Company Choreographer Susana Arenas Pedroso Lower Middle Right: Hip Hop Dance Festival Below Right: Aszure Barton and Ambrose Akinmusire’s ‘A a | a B : B E N D’

the histories of Bangoura women of Guinea and women of the Black Panther Party, examining how cultural traditions, political activism, and collective action can shape communities across generations. Through dance and music, Soumah and Vaughan draw connections between two distinct histories of women organizing against systems

of oppression, creating new possibilities for their communities. $20-$35, October 17, Valley Center for the Arts, 3500 Mountain Blvd, Oakland. www.Dimensionsdance.org Sharp & Fine Sharp & Fine, a contemporary dance theater company celebrated for its original experiments in the-

atrical storytelling, presents “Iphigenia,” based on the iconic tragedy by Euripides, featuring a cast of six performers, devised dialogue, and live music. Under the direction of sisters and company co-founders Megan and Shannon Kurashige, “Iphigenia” combines visually evocative storytelling, exuberant choreography, and original music.

‘A a | a B : B E N D’ Cal Performances’ adventurous season continues with internationally renowned choreographer Aszure Barton and Oakland-born composer/ trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire’s collaborative work, “A a | a B : B E N D,” a multidisciplinary performance that places dance and live music in constant dialogue. The work grew from Barton’s interest in “unlearning” and gives Akinmusire an active role onstage, performing his score for trumpet and electronics. The result, described by Tanz Magazine as a “refusal of categorization,” moves between improvisation and structure, with dancers responding to Akinmusire’s music in real time. $45-105, December 4-5, Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft Way at Dana Street, UC-Berkeley. www.calperformances.orgt

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<< Film

16 • Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

‘Barbara Forever’

Brydie O’Connor’s documentary tracks the life and loves of experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer

by Steve Duffy-Tatro

rawing from more than eighty films and a rich archive of personal materials, the documentary “Barbara Forever” tells her story largely in her own voice. By documenting lesbian histories and challenging cultural taboos, Barbara Hammer (1939-2019) transformed the possibilities of cinema and inspired generations of artists. In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter, director Brydie O’Connor discussed preserving Hammer’s legacy and bringing her story to the screen. Steve Duffy-Tatro: Barbara Hammer spent her life creating images and histories that had rarely been seen on screen before. What responsibility did you feel as a filmmaker taking on the task of telling her story? Brydie O’Connor: Yes, it was a huge responsibility, but the film emerged through a very iterative process. My journey began with academic research. I wrote my thesis on Barbara’s work, and after completing that, I continued conducting independent research in her archive at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. From there, I made a short film about her legacy through the lens of her partner, Florrie Burke, and eventually went on to create “Barbara Forever.” While I was always very aware of the responsibility of telling Barbara’s story, my understanding of her deepened over time through both archival research and my relationship with Florrie. Getting to know Barbara through Florrie added a personal dimension that complemented the historical record. By the time I decided to make these film projects, the process was already well underway. It felt like a responsibility I was prepared to take on because I had spent so much time immersed in her life and work. I also genuinely love the research process, so I felt I had come to know Barbara in

Margaret Cho

From page 11

fractious upbringing in a strict Christian household informed her early material, “Sometimes we need church. Sometimes we need that moment of being together. So, I really celebrate that aspect of my shows.” While the Bay Area and large

Marisa Chafetz

Left: Barbara Hammer Right: Director Brydie O’Connor

imagined, one that would continue beyond her lifetime.

exists not only in what is shown, but also in the way the films are made.

The film is built largely through Barbara’s own voice and imagery. Why was it important to let her tell her story? For one thing, it just made sense, given who Barbara was. She had a larger-than-life personality and was incredibly vibrant, full of energy, and completely singular in her character. I was fascinated not only by the fact that she recorded and documented so much of her life through footage and audio, but also that she deliberately preserved it so it could be accessed later. In working with the material she saved, I felt that the project became a collaboration with Barbara in some way. Before she died, she shot footage for four films and entrusted it to other filmmakers to complete. She knew those films would be finished posthumously. While she didn’t specifically set aside her entire archive for me and our team to make “Barbara Forever,” it felt like a natural extension of that same impulse. She put tremendous effort into preserving and organizing her archive, and engaging with it felt aligned with the future she may have

How did Barbara’s work challenge the absence or misrepresentation of lesbian lives in film and culture? Barbara approached these ideas head-on, both in the content of her work and in its form. In many ways, her decision to start making films came from the fact that she didn’t see herself represented on screen. She wanted to put her own life and experiences into cinema so that others might recognize themselves, feel a sense of connection, and find affirmation. At the same time, she continually experimented with image-making, editing, sound, and cinematic structure while maintaining a distinctly Barbara Hammer artistic sensibility. Across her work, there is a consistent focus on the body, touch, and physicality that forms part of her creative DNA. Through both form and subject matter, her films challenge conventional ideas about how women’s bodies and lesbian lives are represented on screen. They do more than simply depict bodies, relationships, and lovemaking; they convey the feeling, texture, and sensibility of queerness itself. That queerness

What role did Florrie Burke play in shaping “Barbara Forever,” and were there any aspects of Barbara’s life or legacy that she felt absolutely had to be included? Florrie is the reason this film exists. She gave us extraordinary access to Barbara’s archives and films and trust-

liberal cities across the country are home to much of her fan base, Cho takes pride in playing gigs at the likes of the Hollywood Casino in Charlestown, West Virginia, where she’ll perform in October. “I don’t change my message based on where I’m performing,” she said, “and I haven’t throughout my entire career. My shows are a place where

likeminded people can come together. There are people who drive long distances to see me somewhere, like West Virginia, and they know what they’re coming for.”

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ed us completely, never placing conditions on how the material should be used. Her encouragement and openness made the project possible. Rather than insisting on specific details, Florrie embraced the idea of a kaleidoscopic portrait of Barbara’s life and work. While we couldn’t include everything, we aimed to show how her artistic vision evolved over time and what drove her creative practice. One of Florrie’s favorite aspects of the film is that Barbara effectively narrates it herself. She felt that Barbara’s voice at the center of the story made the film feel authentically true to who she was.t

Read the full interview on www.ebar.com.

a meaningful way and was excited to share that understanding with others.

Proudly Celebrating our 49th Year!

‘Barbara Forever’ screens at the Roxie Theater, $6.62-$16.62, Sept. 18, 6pm, with director Brydie O’Connor in-person; thru Sept. 22, 3125 16th St. roxie.com/film/ barbara-forever/ More on Barbara Hammer’s films, performances, installations, photography, and other visual art can be found at barbarahammer.com brydieoconnor.com

A still from Barbara Hammer’s ‘Evidentiary Bodies: China Girl’

Comedy as necessity

What Cho’s audiences are coming for in 2026 are frank and fiery roasts of a man she vividly describes as a “dementia-ridden, incontinent narcissist.” “Choligarchy” is being promoted as a return to the pointed, political form of Cho’s Bush II-era road shows, which had titles including “Revolution,” “State of Emergency,” and “Assassin.” While Cho has long reached beyond stand-up in her artistic work – from being the first Asian-American female sit-com lead in 1993’s “All-American Girl,” to playing two generations of North Korean dictators on “30 Rock,” to writing a pair of memoirs, to recording original music – her comedy career had a bit of a lull in the 2010s. “There didn’t seem to be as much of a need,” she recalled. “I had been campaigning for Obama. There was this kind of feeling of like, oh, this is like our administration that we worked so hard for. That period of like eight years felt like we got there as a society, together. We worked for this, and now we can kind of afford to be a little bit trivial. “I studied dance. I could do a little more with music. I could explore other areas of what I want to do creatively. Then MAGA entered the chat, and now it’s a disaster. So, all hands on deck.” Cho pulls no punches when it comes to telling jokes that express her beliefs, even when she’s punched back at - hard. “I did a joke about Lindsey Graham, saying that he went right from the closet to the casket,” she recalls of a recent media contretemps. “They put it on Fox News and I

Nick Spanos

Margaret Cho

got thousands of death threats. I got doxxed. I thought I was going to have to move.” And yet, she persisted: “They even threatened to kill my dog. I’m like, why? She’s white!”

Pioneer woman

For all the agitation reflected in her current stand-up, Cho finds herself able to take deep, consoling pride in the fact that her decades-long career has been truly trailblazing, opening avenues to visibility, respect, and success that were previously rarely available to Asian-American comedians. “That’s my legacy,” she says, “I think my work has been valuable because

people now know a whole generation of performers who were inspired by me. “Whether you’re into Ali Wong, Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, or Atsuko Okatsuka. They all acknowledge what I brought to the table.” Cho embraces her matriarchal status in the comedy community, continuing to support fledgling talent and recommending that B.A.R. readers check out Nori Reed, Dylan Adler, and Sam Oh (“He’s my baby. He’s remarkable.”).t Margaret Cho’s ‘Choligarchy,’ Sept. 15-19. $79-$175. Berkeley Rep, 2025 Addison St. www.berkeleyrep.org www.margaretcho.com

Film>>

September 10-16, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 17

‘Letty Lynton’

Lost Joan Crawford film is rediscovered on Blu-Ray and at the Roxie

by David-Elijah Nahmod

nseen for ninety years, the precode Joan Crawford drama “Letty Lynton” is seeing the light of day at last. The film has been released on Blu-Ray in a newly scanned print that looks and sounds marvelous. But if you prefer seeing “Letty” on the big screen, it will be shown at the Roxie Theater on September 14 and 17. “Letty Lynton” is a crackling good story featuring terrific acting, especially from Crawford, with gorgeous sets and costumes, and strong direction from Clarence Brown. Crawford plays the title character, a filthy rich playgirl who has just spent a year jetsetting around Latin America. As the story begins, she’s in Montevideo in the throes of a passionate affair with a possessive and domineering lover named Emile (Nils Asther) whom she doesn’t really love. Tired of his possessiveness, Letty and her devoted maid Miranda (Louise Closser Hale) sneak away and board a cruise ship bound for New York City. While on board ship, she meets the equally wealthy Jerry (Robert Montgomery) and falls in love for real. But unbeknownst to Letty, Emile –not one to give up– has followed her and confronts her upon her arrival in New York. Not wanting Jerry to know about Emile, Letty sneaks off to Emile’s hotel room late at night with the intention of ending things once and for all. Emile slaps her and tells her that he will never let her go. When Emile isn’t looking, Letty puts poison in his drink, intending to drink it herself. But Emile picks up the glass and drinks up, dying a few minutes later. Though she didn’t intend to do it, Letty is now a murderer.

Lawsuit loss

The film was a box office smash in 1932, but MGM, by then the biggest studio in Hollywood, wasn’t going to be allowed to enjoy their success. Soon after the film’s release, playwrights Edward Sheldon and Margaret Ayers Barnes filed a plagiarism lawsuit, claiming that “Letty Lynton” was based on their successful Broadway play “Dishonored Lady.” Their argument was that MGM should have bought the rights to “Dishonored Lady,” compen-

Both photos: Warner Bros.

Left: Robert Montgomery and Joan Crawford in ‘Letty Lynton’ Right: Joan Crawford and Nils Asther in ‘Letty Lynton’

Extra features

sated them and given them a screen credit. In 1936 a judge ruled in their favor and “Letty Lynton” was barred from any further exhibition. Everything changed last year when the copyright for “Dishonored Lady” expired. Crawford’s grandson Casey LaLonde stated that the film could now be shown, and Warner Brothers, which owns the MGM library, agreed. “Letty Lynton” was screened at the TCM Classic Film Festival where it was met with applause. Other screenings followed and a Blu-Ray release was announced. Tragically, LaLonde did not live to enjoy the film’s newfound success as he died unexpectedly a few months ago at the age of 54.

Was the film worth waiting for? In a word, yes. “Letty Lynton” possesses all the glamour and gloss that MGM could bestow upon it. Brown made Crawford look fabulous in a succession of stunning gowns. In fact, the film made a tremendous impact on the fashion world. The story is rich and satisfying, with a conclusion that may surprise many viewers. Crawford and Montgomery have great chemistry, and there’s even a bit of lesbian subtext from Hale, playing the maid who perhaps enjoys her employer’s company a bit more than she should. The film benefits greatly from a 4K scan, with sharp visuals and clear sound. “Letty Lynton” looks a lot better than any 94-year-old film should. The Blu-Ray includes a wonderful documentary on Irving Thalberg (1899-1937), who was head of production at MGM at the time the film was made. Produced by TCM and clocking in at 74 minutes, “Ir-

ving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood” delves with Thalberg’s remarkable insight into what makes a film work or not work, as well as his marriage to another MGM star, Norma Shearer. “Prince of Hollywood” contains many film clips, and interviews with people who knew and worked with Thalberg. It’s an invaluable and fascinating look at how Hollywood operated in the 1920s and 1930s. Also included are five radio appearances that Crawford made in the 1930s. There are two episodes of “Good News,” a variety show in which Crawford is heard along with Frank Morgan, best remembered as the title character in “The Wizard of Oz,” and Broadway star Fanny Brice, whose life was fictionalized by Barbra Streisand in “Funny Girl.” The second episode of “Good News” features a life performance by a teenaged Judy Garland. Crawford and fellow film star Basil Rathbone star in a truncated adaptation of Henrick Ibsen’s 19th century play “A Doll’s

House,” which was presented on the long-running “Lux Radio Theater.” Crawford is also heard on two original dramas, “Train Ride,” which was presented as part of the “Silver Theater” program, and “None Shall Part Us,” in which Crawford co-stars with Lew Ayres and Ronald Colman. This was heard on the “Gulf Screen Guild Theater” series. These radio tracks add up to more than four hours of entertainment. It all comes down to “Letty Lynton” being one of the best and most historically significant Blu Ray releases of the year. Even if you see the film at the Roxie, the Blu-Ray is a must-have for Crawford fans.t ‘Letty Lynton,’ Roxie Theater, Sept. 14, 6pm, Sept. 17, 3:30 pm, $6.62-$15.62. 3117 16th St. www.roxie.com On Blu-Ray from Warner Archive Collection, $24.98. www.warnerbros.com/collections/ warner-archive

DEVOTION AND DESIRE Directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer

September 13–20 | San Francisco | ODC Theater A visually stunning theatrical experience

Warner Bros.

Joan Crawford in a gown designed by Gilbert Adrian in ‘Letty Lynton’

Buy Online at CHANTICLEER.ORG

<< Books

18 • Bay Area Repor ter • September 10-16, 2026

Fall into books, 2026 roundup 1

Fascinating fiction from Marlon James, Samantha Josephs, Eli McCann and more

by Jim Piechota

elcome once again to autumn, and with that seasonal change comes a boatload of new books and authors to enjoy and become fascinated and obsessed with. “The Disappearers” by Marlon James $32 (Riverhead) Marlon James, a queer Jamaican author and winner of the 2015 Man Booker Prize for his Bob Marley-focused “A Brief History of Seven Killings,” has crafted an epic novel set in 1980s and ’90s Kingston, Jamaica and chronicles a sizable cast of characters struggling with their region’s rampant homophobia. At the center of the novel stand eight young, mostly closeted Black men living in Kingston who stealthily assemble to rehearse the provocative John Herbert play they are all performing in. In a wicked turn of events, the group is viciously attacked by a gang of queer-bashers, leaving eyes gouged, teeth shattered, and years of unprocessed trauma permanently embedded onto each man’s identity. It’s a very heavy novel, but one that slices deep into the history of global homophobia and a story that will shock with its graphic depictions of sex, violence, blunt vernacular, and the kind of unspoken desire that is communicated to another with nothing more than a backward glance and a smirk. Besides the candid prose, the glorious mentions of music, and the immersive nature of the novel itself, what makes this book even more striking is the fact that some of the events occurred in real life, with several happening to the author himself. “It’s the first book where the characters’ stakes mirror my own,” James remarks in the prologue. At well over 600 pages, this one will take time and patience, but the ride is so worth the effort. Don’t miss this astute, blockbuster examination of homophobia, queer solidarity, racial pride, and eternal, magnificent resilience. www.penguinrandomhouse.com

drippy, disgusting, and delicious feast for the senses. Josephs will appear to read from and sign her new book on October 8, 7pm, at Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. www.penguinrandomhouse.com

“Carrying” by Samantha Josephs $30 (Penguin) Trans author and semi-retired drag queen Samantha Josephs presents a debut novel that is as disturbingly detailed as it is engrossing. The premise involves Martha, a wealthy trans woman, who has been stealth throughout her entire perfect marriage to Leon, a cis man. She is also coparenting Leon’s daughter and works hard at keeping her big secret hidden for as long as she possibly can. Their life together, as far as Leon is concerned, could be improved if the family had a child of their own. Never one to disappoint or rock the boat, Martha proves her pregnancyworthiness by faking a miscarriage, but nothing could prepare her for the sinister chronic illness that attacks her body right after. In online exchanges with folks in similar medical circumstances, she is turned on to a sketchy underground treatment involving eating rancid meat. Then Martha inexplicably becomes pregnant for real, and the book begins its true descent into literary madness. Josephs’ debut novel is a

“Crocodilopolis” by John Manuel Arias $29.99 (Bloomsbury) John Manuel Arias produced a smash hit debut in 2024 with “Where There Was Fire,” and his follow-up involving a cutthroat and magnificently dysfunctional Costa Rican dynasty is just as excellent. At the forefront of the action is Seth Oreamundo, who, along with his wife and son, are exiled to Washington, D.C., the result of a vicious family battle for Costa Rican government dominance. His younger brother and mother’s favorite, Osario, is the Minister of the Environment, and unceremoniously accuses Seth’s oil refinery company of corruption and negligence, which forces Seth and his family to flee to America. Osario has a gay son, and that fact just stokes the fiery feud between the brothers which climaxes at a Costa Rican Pride parade as Arias expertly probes the nature of longstanding familial strife, the unpredictable hands of fate, and the culture and expansive history of Costa Rica. This is a brilliant follow up from an author we’d love to see more from. www.bloomsbury.com

“Stitched” by Eli McCann $18.95 (Torrey House Press) Who would ever have thought that a book about quilting could be so much fun? Meet Betty Lou Dearden, the protagonist of Eli McCann’s fantastic new novel, who, as uber-dedicated leader of Utah’s Ogden Quilters Association, is a fierce competitor when it comes to the annual nationwide Simpton Family Quilting Extravaganza. and smiley as Betty Lou can appear, she is a bubbling cauldron of anxiety and upset deep inside. The infighting between herself and longtime quilting group member Leera Smeeth has escalated. Compounding all the nervous needlework leading up to the competition is the absence of fellow quilter Terry Blackfoot, who suffered a debilitating accident. They need help, so enter Byron Grant, a devout if overly gossipy sewing afficionado and his best friend Rob, who have arrived to save the day. And they do! This is indeed some super silly fluff, but the gay angle brings a different perspective to the ways and means of set-in-their-ways older women’s artistic groups. McCann really knows his way around biting satire and clever one-liners making this pure, homespun fun from beginning to end. www.torreyhouse.org “Tricyclist” by Joon Oluchi Lee (Nightboat) A literary arts professor at Rhode Island School of Design, Joon Oluchi Lee’s latest is a fever dream of erotic escapades set in San Francisco in the early 2000s. The man at the center of the story is Howie Song, a professional dancer living in a Hayes Valley Victorian, at odds with the downward spiral his life has taken lately. He’s become a bad boyfriend to someone he really likes, and an even worse confidante to his close friends. But, for the reader, he’s also a very

unique character to watch: the kind of guy who enjoys wearing women’s Lycra leotards. As narrator, Howie regales recounting story after story about his unquenchable sexual desires, including his first sexual experience at age sixteen in a park public restroom. Howie’s friends Fei Fei and Val are just as opinionated as he is, and this causes a good amount of friction between them. His friend Jamie visits from out of town, but before that happens, Howie launches into the tale of how the two of them met, fucked, and remained friends, all with the kind of meticulously intimate descriptions that color the remainder of the book. Outspoken and independent, Howie boasts about being thrown out of numerous bars in the Castro, while never having been ejected from any clubs in the South of Market district. A description of a night out with his female friend Tish in a crowded Castro Street “old leather and bear bar” plays out like this: “We were pummeled with man-fat, B.O. mixed with expensive colognes (orange, fennel, Szechuan peppercorn), and obnoxious disco music.” My only quibble is that the book is too short and ends quite abruptly; I was left wanting much more. From threeways to vibrating butt plugs, this book is quite an erotic thrill ride. For readers who enjoy a bit of provocative spice and plenty of action in their fiction, Lee’s sex-soaked book of northern California shenanigans will satisfy and delight. Don’t miss it! www.nightboat.org

“Eden at Dawn” by Karim Kattan translated from the French by Jeffrey Zuckerman $18 (Restless Books) In his North American debut publication, France-based Palestinian author Karim Kattan offers a sweeping and haunting story about two young Palestinian men who fall in love against all odds. In sun and sand swept Jerusalem, both men, Gabriel and Isaac, narrate the story taking turns relating each of their separate perspectives. As Gabriel tells his side, he’d met Isaac while sitting in an alley watching boys and was instantly captivated by his “wild, inscrutable” face that was “made to be drawn, imagined.” Then Isaac gushes over his first encounters with Gabriel, commenting that Gabriel was classically handsome, with a slight “adorable” lisp “as if his tongue, so keen to love, could not govern itself.” Forbidden attraction soon gives way to unbridled lust as the story retraces each boy’s history. There is poetry, and elegance, and frantic narration as the boys and their taboo union gel into a unique kind of queer love that knows no boundaries, even amidst such a politically charged backdrop. Kattan has produced a moving, lyrically written story that is as frenzied and intensive as both men’s desires for one another and the new life that beckons for them both. www.restlessbooks.orgt

“Once we give up searching for approval we often find it easier to earn respect.” — Gloria Steinem (1934-2026)

TV & Events Listings>>

September 10-16, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 19

‘My Brilliant Career’

The fiery adaptation of an Australian classic that’s ripe for a re-telling

by Brian Bromberger

hen the opening line of a series is “Forbidden fruit ripens untouched,” a provocative erotic poem spoken by a character to the shock of the esteemed crowd, who then runs away in the night, tearing off her formal gown, the viewer knows it’s going to be a memorable fun ride, and “My Brilliant Career” (Netflix) lives up to its early hype. This watchable, vibrant, and steamy limited six-episode Australian series is in the “Bridgerton” mode, a period romance with modern undertones (i.e. a masturbation scene), some anachronisms (i.e. hash cookies), and a contemporary pop music soundtrack (an overused trope that has lost its edginess). “Career” always leaves you guessing until the final surprising conclusion. The story winningly renders the 125-year-old feminist classic novel by Miles Franklin, on which the series is based, into a relevant and thrilling tale for a new generation. Older audiences will recognize “My Brilliant Career” from the 1979 film, directed by the feminist Gillian Armstrong, and starring Judy Davis and the recently deceased Sam Neill. It made stars of them all. It also set a high bar that the Netflix series meets as well as dealing with topics the film (and the novel) largely avoided, especially First Nation issues and female sexuality.

Breaking traditions

Both photos: Ian Routledge/Netflix

Left: Philippa Northeast and Christopher Chung in ‘My Brilliant Career’ Right: Philippa Northeast and Jake Dunn ‘My Brilliant Career’

marriage. Will Sybylla secure her family’s future by marrying or abandoning everything for a creative life, writing her way to independence? Mrs. Bossier has an iron will and is exasperated by Sybylla’s wild contrarian nature and lack of refinement, but is determined that she marry the right man so the family can be stabilized. Secretly, she admires Sybylla’s fire. Genevieve (Helen Bell) is Sybylla’s reserved but warm aunt who lives at Caddagat. She’s the one who keeps the farm running, but she can’t inherit.

Character cavalcade

It’s 1900. Sybylla Melvyn (Philippe Northeast) and her family run a modest farm at their rundown home in Possum Gully, South Australia. She’s close to her younger sister Gertie (Ella Oliphant). Sybylla’s dream is to become a writer. Her officious maternal grandmother Mrs. Bossier (Anna Chancellor) invites Sybylla to stay at her sweeping Caddagat estate, a family horse breeding farm, so she can debut in society and find a rich man to marry. It turns out that Possum Gully is almost insolvent due to Sybylla’s father’s alcoholism and financial mismanagement of the farm. Sybylla reluctantly goes, despite having no interest in finding an eligible husband, rationalizing that a change of scenery could help her “fully experience the world before I can write about it …I want to eat like a man, ride like a man…to create, not procreate.” She’s not going to be stifled by expectations or ladylike deportment, refusing to believe her only future is

A close friend and neighbor of Mrs. Bossier is Augusta Beecham (Kate Mulvary), a wealthy, unconventional

socialite devoted to art and progressive causes, especially women’s suffrage. She tosses out campy lines such as, “parties are for gossip and champagne.” Formidable and magnetic, she becomes a close ally to Sybylla. Augusta has raised her orphan nephew Harry (Christopher Chung of “Slow Horses”), who has Chinese heritage. There’s an immediate attraction to Sybylla, despite his being engaged to the wealthy socialite Blanche Derrick (Ines English). Another resident is the charmingly stuffy Englishman Frank Hawdon (Jake Dunn) who works as Caddagat’s temporary foreman. At first he clashes with Sybylla but they slowly start to appreciate each other. A flirtation begins as

Frank must marry in order to secure his inheritance. So Sybylla has two potential beaus and a potential love triangle. Sybylla’s bachelor Uncle Julius (Alexander England) is the only son. He brings home a friend Everard Grey (Alex FitxAlan), a cultural patron of the arts. He’s in fact Julius’s lover, but has an interest in Sybylla, so a union between them could provide cover for his romance with Julius in a marriage of convenience. Sybylla befriends two First Nations sisters who work on the estate, horse trainer Nell Kirby (Sherry-Lee Watso), who’s following in her father’s footsteps. She wants to be the first female foreman to be recognized for her skills. She’s falling for Charlie (Jarron Andy) a drover on the farm. Her housekeeper sister Betty (Miah Madden) has fallen in love with a white policeman, though Nell worries whether their families will accept such an unconventional romance. The First Nations concerns are a striking contrast to the dominant racist white culture.

Unstoppable spirit

The key was finding an actress that could embody this firebrand Australian bush Scarlett O’Hara and creator Liz Doran has found the perfect Sybylla in Northeast who captures her youthful energy, impishness, a winsome, stubborn, unstoppable free spirit, a defiant tornado wanting to blow up the staid norms and traditions of her time, mak-

Ian Routledge/Netflix

Philippa Northeast in ‘My Brilliant Career’

GOING OUT

TOP 20+ ARTS & NIGHTLIFE EVENTS

Steven Underhill

SEPT. 10-18

Fall into fun this week with some fabulous arts and nightlife events. You can see a hit show, explore a fascinating art exhibit, or simply hang out with pals, like at Moby Dick (see photo). It’s all in this week’s Going Out, only on www.ebar.com

ing her irresistible to modern eyes. It’s a star-making performance and if there’s any justice, it will do for Northeast what the role did for Davis and make her the next Nicole Kidman. However, all the supporting ensemble actors are wonderful, especially stern but lovable curmudgeon Chancellor and scene-stealing Mulvany. Viewers will swoon when hunky Chung takes off his shirt to reveal his chiseled physique, in an obvious but delightful ripoff of the famous Colin Firth/Mr. Darcy swimming lake scene in “Pride and Prejudice.” All these characters try to embrace life on their own cheeky terms, especially the women and the First Nation characters, despite sexism and racism. They seek to escape the suffocating grip of an oppressive society and express themselves authentically by living life on their own terms. This lively, raucous, and refreshing series oozes gusto and joy. And the story about a rebelious writer, when the profession is currently under attack from AI and media corporatization, as well as the reversal of women’s rights worldwide, makes this adaptation very timely. Society at that time wasn’t ready for Sybylla, but we are. It isn’t quite as great as the 1979 Armstrong film, but it’s zesty, bold, and fun, a genuine triumph and one of the year’s best limited series.t www.netflix.com