BeBe Sweetbriar

A San Francisco resident for nearly 20 years, Ms. Sweetbriar has dedicated her talents to raising funds for local LGBT community based organizations. Dubbed the Omni Present Drag Chanteuse, BeBe immediately became a force to reckon with upon arriving on the entertainment scene 5 years ago. Winning two of the three most prominent drag pageants by becoming Miss Gay San Francisco 2008 and Miss Desperate DIVA 2008, she has worked as a fundraiser for the AIDS Housing Alliance, Under One Roof, Larkin Street Youth, Lyric, GLAAD, Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation and other LGBT community based organizations.

Ms. Sweetbriar’s charitable work has earned her recognition by the California State Senate with a Proclamation from Senator Mark Leno, winning the prestigious Sylvester Award of Inspiration, and becoming a household name in the San Francisco LGBT community.”It is truly an honor to be recognized by my peers for my efforts to uplift our community and movement,” says Ms. Sweetbriar. “I’ve put my heart and soul into raising awareness and resources for organizations that benefit us all in one way or another. As Grand Marshal I hope to serve as an example to young people what is possible, and that you can make a difference.”

“SF Pride is proud to salute Ms. Sweetbriar as its 2013 Community Grand Marshal for her tireless work to raise funds, awareness, and volunteer participation for a variety of worthy community causes,” remarks SF Pride CEO Earl Plante. “Ms. Sweetbriar is a shining exemplar of how the power of local community talent can so positively impact the lives of so many near and far.”Ms. Sweetbriar was selected as Community Grand Marshal by an electoral college of former Community Grand Marshals. Under that longstanding policy, the community grand marshal upon whom the Electoral College votes is defined as “a local hero (individual) not being a celebrity.”  Grand Marshal/Pink Brick Policy, Section 5.2.3

Presenting various categories and criteria for annual parade grand marshal nominees offers SF Pride and the community a broad range of opportunities to recognize and honor a diverse range of individuals and organizations for their achievements on behalf of LGBT people. Grand Marshal Categories include Celebrity, Lifetime Achievement, Organizational, Community, Special Guests, and Pink Brick.

The SF Pride Board recognizes and regrets the recent error in the announcement of Mr. Bradley Manning as the Electoral College’s Community Grand Marshal.  The Electoral College was not the appropriate forum for his nomination.  The longstanding Grand Marshal Policy provides that one community grand marshal shall be elected by an electoral college composed of Community Grand and Honorary Marshals elected or appointed since 1999.  Grand Marshal/Pink Brick Policy, Sections 3.3 and 5.2.3.  Under that longstanding policy, the community grand marshal upon whom the Electoral College votes is defined as “a local hero (individual) not being a celebrity.”  Grand Marshal/Pink Brick Policy, Section 5.2.3.

Because Mr. Manning is not local, by definition under the Grand Marshal policy, he may not be nominated or elected by the Electoral College as its community grand marshal.  The SF Pride Board determined that because the nomination and election had been conducted in the incorrect forum, the election could not be upheld as valid.  Mr. Manning might rightfully qualify as a nominee for Celebrity Grand Marshal or another community grand marshal spot, but not as the Electoral College’s nominee, as a matter of longstanding, written policy.

The integrity of the elections process and procedures are important to SF Pride and the community.  Those that nominated Mr. Manning surely knew that he is not a local, Bay Area community member, and that he should not have been voted on by the Electoral College.  His nomination is more appropriately debated and voted on by the public than by a small group, and it could be next year when nominations open.

Taking sides in the controversy concerning Mr. Manning’s conduct is not appropriate for the organization and falls outside its core mission.  We apologize to Mr. Manning, knowing that he did not ask to be at the center of a community firestorm, and for any harsh words that may have been said about him.  In the end, SF Pride recognizes that becoming embroiled in the controversy concerning the merit of Mr. Manning’s conduct was an honest mistake.  However, because the Grand Marshal/Pink Brick policy precludes Mr. Manning from being nominated for, or elected as a community grand marshal by the Electoral College, SF Pride stands by his disqualification on those unequivocal policy grounds.

Moving forward, in the spirit of fairness and to respectfully honor the contributions of qualified nominees, the SF Pride Board is re-opening the Electoral College’s voting process so that it may select a Community Grand Marshal from the remaining two, duly qualified nominees for the 2013 Community Grand Marshal: Bebe Sweetbriar and Associate Justice Jim Humes. Members of the Electoral College will have until May 16 to re-cast their vote.

Starting on Wednesday, May 8, ballots will be sent to the Electoral College both by email and snail mail.  Votes can be cast by either email or postal mail to the SF Pride offices at 1841 Market Street, 4^th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103; Att: Electoral Voting.  Votes must be cast by 5pm PST on Thursday, May 16.  The elected Grand Marshal will be announced by noon the following day, Friday, May 17.  The SF Pride Board of Directors appreciates the support of concerned members of the community. These matters have been sorted out towards a fair resolution.  We encourage all former Community and Honorary Grand Marshals in the Electoral College to participate in this extended opportunity to select a qualified Community Grand Marshal for the 2013 Parade and Celebration.

Shortly before this statement was released, SF Pride received a complaint filed against it at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission concerning Mr. Manning.  This statement is not a response to that complaint, and SF Pride will be responding to that complaint in the proper forum, not in the press and/or at board meetings.”

SF Pride CEO Earl Plante

Our hearts and condolences go out to all those impacted by the senseless bombing tragedy in Boston. Safety and security of our attendees is our number one priority and we take these modern-day threat challenges very seriously. With the impending Supreme Court decisions regarding marriage equality, we are anticipating larger numbers at this year’s parade and celebration. In anticipation of this occurrence, we are implementing key changes with an expanded security presence in addition to an enhanced medical team and protocols overall.

Collectively, SF Pride believes these strategic investments are now an industry-wide best practice and are essential to produce an event of our size and scale. Rest assured that we are doing our due diligence in this arena; however, we cannot go into our specific plans, as we would not want to alert those who might want to hurt our attendees.

SF Pride will always be committed to warning of any credible, specific, and impending threats overall. But, we also recognize that Americans ALL share responsibility for the nation’s security, and we should always be aware of the heightened risk of terrorist attacks; therefore, we all have a collective stake to act in a catastrophic situation, in short “If You See Something, Say Something™.

First up, a band native to San Francisco: Orchid & Hound.

Left to right: Lawrence Alarcon and John Constantine. Photo by Keone Holt.

Orchid and Hound is comprised of 26-year-olds John Constantine and Lawrence Alarcon. The two met in an opera class at a Los Angeles arts high school, fell in love, moved up to San Francisco, broke up… and formed a band. They gigged around California and, before releasing an album, had the opportunity to play at South by Southwest in 2010, Gay Day Great America 2011, and flew east to tour with Julia Marcell in Berlin. During this time they were writing and performing songs that became the Kickstarter fan-funded album, The Boyfriend, released in 2012.

Orchid and Hound’s music pairs lush arrangements with strong vocal harmonies – a sound of the past brought to the present with contemporary themes. The album is a reflection of the pair’s experience in a world where young gay men still struggle to find their identity.

Are you native to the Bay Area?
Lawrence: I was born in East LA and John grew up in Santa Clarita. We moved up to SF 7 years ago.
John: I can’t believe it’s been that long…

What is your day job? What is your dream job?
John: I do freelance graphic and web design, but I’m still dreaming of being a rock star when I grow up.
Lawrence: By day I choose snacks for a dot-com in Potrero Hill, and by night I do what I love to do: make music and create.

Which SF Pride parade/event did you last attend?
John: Last year I had made plans to avoid the party scene and only watch the parade. But, I found myself in line for a speakeasy at 2am the night before and practically slept through Sunday.

What is your favorite memory at any Pride parade?
Lawrence: Gay day at Great America was the last Pride event I can remember attending and it was my favorite! Not just because I performed on the very same stage where Snoopy performs, but because so many young people were there out and proud.
John: The first year we lived here I took a photo of a group of elementary school kids walking in the parade. This little boy had made a sign that read “Yay for Gay” and he was so proud to show it off.

Describe your sexual identity in one sentence or less.
John: Rose in the streets, Blanche in the sheets.
Lawrence: I’m a solid 4.5 on the Kinsey Scale

What are the most attractive features in a person, physical or otherwise?
Lawrence: I’m attracted to uniqueness. And I find confidence very sexy. But my instincts scream “tall white boys.”
John: I’m drawn to passionate people, for me you can see it in the eyes and feel it in the kiss.

What is your killer asset?
John: My booty.
Lawrence: My modesty. Although I do get stopped in the street daily for my hair, but I would like to think i’m more than just a gorgeous head of hair

Describe either a wonderfully strange hookup experience, or your most terrible.
John: I was 16 and was dating this 20-year-old who had an apartment in West Hollywood. I asked Lawrence to come with me to hang out with him at his place. It was all fine until this guy started showing off the puppets that he had made, which led to a full rendition of the opening theme song to “Fraggle Rock.”
Lawrence: It started as a date and it was going really well. I was a little drunk, so I agreed to go back to his place in Palo Alto. When we got there the date took a turn for the worse. Let’s just say he moaned like a little girl and was clearly not in the habit of douching. Anyway, at least I left with his copy of Best in Show and a couple other DVDs, and that was that.

The Dinner Party Question: You and three people of your choosing are getting together for dinner. Who of the living or dead do you invite?
Lawrence: Oscar Wilde, Alfred Hitchcock, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky… or Meryl Steep, Kathy Bates, and Bette Midler … I can’t decide.
John: Meryl Streep, Joss Whedon, and Björk.

Where/When can we find out more about you?
Orchid and Hound: We’ll be releasing a new EP in June 2013 and shows to promote the new material after that, so stay tuned!

You can find out more about Orchid and Hound at their website.
Check back frequently for new additions to Pride in the Streets!

San Francisco Pride CEO Earl Plante, along with 2009 Grand Marshal Andrea Shorter, will be leading a session on Marriage Equality & the Black Community. SF Pride Board President Lisa Williams will introduce keynote speaker Marcellina Ogbu, of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. More information can be found at the Black Coalition on Aids website.

Click below for a PDF with more information on the program schedule:

 Revised Health Summit 2013

San Francisco Pride Board of Directors. Photo credit: Nikoleta Jani.

San Francisco’s Pride Parade and festival is the best LGBT event in the city in this year’s Best of the Gays readers’ poll. SF Pride was also voted best LGBT fundraiser.

“All of us are profoundly committed to promoting our groundbreaking mission, using inclusive liberation as a graceful medium for honoring our past, celebrating the present, and fearlessly reaching into a bright future. We take our obligations and responsibilities seriously,” Plante added.

SF Pride Board and Staff with the SF Bulls Mascot and Cowbelles.

On Saturday, March 23, the SF Bulls hosted the Stockton Thunder and raised funds for San Francisco Pride and the You Can Play Project. San Francisco Pride Board President Lisa Williams and Board Secretary Louise Fischer, were on hand to drop the ceremonial first puck. SF Pride Board member Kirk Linn-Degrassi was also in attendance.

Each year, the SF Pride Board of Directors assembles a diverse group of community leaders as Grand Marshals. Looking back over the last five years, we see an amazing group of inspirational leaders:

Lifetime Achievement:

• Bishop Yvette Flunder

Community Grand Marshal:

• Edaj
• Rebecca Prozan
• Olga Talamante
• Morningstar Vancil
• Christiana Remington
• Molly McKay
• Davina Kotulski
• Andrea Shorter
• Shannon Minter
• Helen Zia
• Joan Benoit

Special Awards:

• Susie Bright (Honorary Grand Marshal)
• Carol Queen (Honorary Grand Marshal) 

And the best is yet to come!

Taking it even further, women have played significant leadership roles amongst San Francisco’s amazing array of Community Partners, from the City of Refuge’s very own Bishop Flunder, to Carol Queen, of the Center for Sex and Culture. Both women have also been honored as Community Grand Marshals. Other women leaders playing key roles in benefitting the larger community include Pali Boucher of Rocket Dog Rescue, April Silas of the Homeless Children’s Network, and Wendy Phillips of Dolores Street Community Services.

Please share our enthusiasm as we salute these amazing women! We hope Women’s History Month gave you the opportunity to reflect on the many women who continue to inspire us in our quest for justice and equality.

Shaun Haines

Shaun Haines

Shaun is a San Francisco native Information Technology professional with over 10 years of experience. Shaun has witnessed the city and the world evolve, the landscape and people change. He realizes that our hopes, dreams, and issues have remained the same. Freedom and Equality, Respect and Acknowledgement and Social Philanthropy are our goals. Shaun is committed to inspiring others to participate in the change and in making the effort to advance these goals so they can be realized for all. 

Justin Taylor

Justin Taylor

Justin works for Hilton International, is a proud member of Local 2 and a long standing community activist with a background in economics. Justin has served in leadership positions within many community non-profits and activist groups. Justin has held program management positions for HIV/AIDS prevention, queer youth counseling, and political advocacy for LGBT issues. Justin has volunteered for a large variety of causes including working with the Diversity Center, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara’s AIDS walks, Pacific Pride Foundation and the “No on 8” campaign. He worked for UNITE H.E.R.E.’s 2012 Obama campaign in Reno, NV. Justin also holds the distinction of being one of San Francisco’s Good Samaritan award recipients. In his free time Justin enjoys political engagement, macro-economic monetary policy, music venues and swimming.

Javarré Cordero Wilson

Javarre Wilson

Javarré Cordero Wilson is the Director of Programs for BCA/Rafiki Wellness—a nonprofit organization in San Francisco dedicated to reducing health disparities in the Black community, particularly the spread of HIV/AIDS. With over 7 years of experience as a public health professional, he works with the underrepresented and marginalized members of the community and has designed a group-level intervention which focuses on educating and empowering inmates for successful reentry. Mr. Wilson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Black Studies with a concentration on African Contributions to the World and a Master’s Degree in Public Health with a concentration on Promoting Health and Social Justice in the Urban Communities. He is a fellow of two distinguished leadership programs—in NYC and San Francisco—aimed at identifying and addressing inequities among the LGBTQ community and communities of color. In his free time, Javarré enjoys tennis, biking, world traveling, and now focused on writing his first book.

SF Pride CEO Earl Plante with Willie Brown

As closing ceremony for Black History month, on Tuesday, February 26, Mayor Ed Lee hosted a reception honoring Former Mayor Willie Brown. Brown, the first African American Mayor of San Francisco and the First African American Speaker of the California State Assembly, was the SF Pride 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Board Members of San Francisco Pride, as well as Chief Executive Officer Earl Plante, were in attendance.

As Mayor of California’s most cosmopolitan city, Willie Brown refurbished and rebuilt the nation’s busiest transit system, pioneered the use of bond measures to build affordable housing, created a model juvenile justice system, and paved the way for a second campus of the University of California, San Francisco. Today, he heads the Willie L. Brown, Jr., Institute on Politics and Public Service, where this acknowledged master of the art of politics shares his knowledge and skills with a new generation of California leaders.

SF Pride CEO Earl Plante with Renel Brooks-Moon

Special Guests included Renel Brooks-Moon of KISS FM & Voice of the San Francisco Giants, Keynote Speaker Delroy Lindo, as well as Danny Glover. and Kristina Palone , of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services.