Join SF Pride
at Our
Inaugural Ken Jones Awards Reception
Ken Jones was a hero to the LGBTQ+ movement, having worked with our communities since the 1970s. The first Black president of SF Pride’s Board of Directors, he was also heavily involved with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and in the fight to end police violence. He died earlier this year at the age of 70, after a courageous fight with cancer.
 
On Thursday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m., San Francisco Pride will honor the memory of this irreplaceable activist with our inaugural Ken Jones Awards Reception & Fundraiser, held at the Cityscape Lounge on the 46th floor of the Hilton San Francisco-Union Square.
 
Join us as we recognize the achievements of members of our community with the following awards:

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Gilbert Baker Pride Founder’s Award: Honors those who have made a significant and historical impact on the LGBTQ community and the movement for LGBTQ rights.

Awarded to: Kris Perry & Sandy Stier 

Audrey Joseph LGBTQ Entertainment Award: Awarded to honor those who have made a significant and historical impact or left an indelible impression on the LGBTQ community and the movement for LGBTQ rights, through their artistic expression, or through their contribution within the entertainment industry.

Awarded to: Sean Dorsey

José Julio Sarria History Maker Award: Given to Bay Area people who make extraordinary changes in the way society views the LGBTQ community.

Awarded to: Honey Mahogany

Pride Creativity Award: For outstanding artistic contribution to the LGBTQ communities.

Awarded to: Marke Bieschke

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Tickets to the Ken Jones Awards are $75, the proceeds of which help San Francisco Pride continue our 51-year-fight to educate the world, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people — a mission that Ken Jones was instrumental in pushing forward.

We hope to see many of our supporters there!
SF Pride's Third Annual Golf Tournament

Registration has now closed for SF Pride's Third Annual Golf Tournament fundraiser, to be held Oct. 8-9 at TPC Harding Park. We look forward to seeing everyone out on the links for some healthy Pro-Am competition!

Please join SF Pride at Beaux in the Castro on Friday, Oct 8 as we bestow the first-ever SF Pride Leadership in Golf award to a recipient who has expanded LGBTQ+ inclusion in the golfing world.

Be on the lookout for a video conversation with out LGBTQ+ golfers Hayley Davidson and Tadd Fujikawa, as part of our ongoing series Inside Pride in the weeks to come!
For the First Time, SF Pride's Board of Directors
Will Be Majority-Trans

In a major milestone for diversity and inclusion, four new trans-identified nominees are set to join two trans-identified incumbents on SF Pride's 11-member Board of Directors.

Suzanne Ford, currently the Vice President, won her second three-year term on what will now be an 11-member Board, six members of which identify with the broader trans umbrella. Ford will be joined by newcomers Janelle Vinson, Maceo Persson, Di’ara Reid, and Spring Collins. Anjali Rimi, the board’s current Treasurer, is trans-identified as well. She now heads into the third year of her term, as she was not up for election.

In addition, three cisgender incumbents — Board President Carolyn Wysinger, Board Secretary Nguyen Pham, and Manuel Alejandro Pérez — secured additional three-year terms. The remaining two incumbent members, Elizabeth Lanyon and Joshua Smith, were not up for re-election in 2021.

To win a seat on the Board, nominees must exceed a 50-percent-plus-one threshold of the total votes in a given election. Additionally, per SF Pride’s bylaws, that vote total must constitute at least one-third of the total active membership in order to reach a quorum. Staff election officials confirmed that a quorum was met, and SF Pride volunteers, acting as Election Observers, were able to certify the election on Sept. 14.

This year, it was held entirely online. Successful candidates will be formally seated at the next Board meeting, on Wednesday, Oct. 6. Once convened, the new Board will then vote on a new Executive Committee, consisting of four officers.
The Queerness: Former SF Pride Board President Michelle Meow

Episode 008 of SF Pride's in-house podcast features a fantastic interview with journalist, former Pride Board President, and Lil Nas X fan Michelle Meow! Michelle went from eager Pride Parade onlooker to running the whole show in the span of only 13 years, and you may or may not already know that her wife is a famous Thai singer who has sung for that nation's queen. (That would be actual royalty, not a drag performer.)

Look out for the next episode of The Queerness, in which SF Pride Communications pro Peter-Astrid Kane chats with SF Chronicle restaurant critic Soleil Ho!
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors!
Waymo’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group, Rainbownauts, selected “Celebrate every color” as its theme for their month-long program of events for Pride.

As Waymo continues our expanded testing efforts in San Francisco, you may see a new look on some of our cars as we celebrate the diversity of the community around us.
A Boutique SF Design Company Spreading Human Kindness
VESEY is a San Francisco-based fashion house and benefit corporation designing purposeful clothing for change makers and statement creators with the goal of advancing a more equitable and just society for all.
For more than 300 years, the Vesey name has been associated with inclusivity, community, and purpose. In 1709, under the guidance of Reverend William Vesey, Lower Manhattan’s historic Trinity School was among the first in the Thirteen American Colonies to welcome Native and African students into its classrooms. In a world where slavery still existed, this was a bold and revolutionary act.
William Vesey’s vision of a better future for everyone in his community—including the marginalized, underrepresented, and oppressed—is the guiding principle that informs and inspires VESEY today.
We also believe fashion can have a positive impact on the environment. In a global industry dominated by fast, disposable apparel where the average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year, VESEY practices circular fashion, repurposing discarded garments and fabric to create new, one-of-a-kind wearable art.
Ultimately, our mission is to help you express your values through bold, sustainable fashion so you can look good while doing good. For more information, visit us at veseyexclusive.com
Now get out there and do some good.

@veseyexclusive
San Francisco Pride
1663 Mission Street, Suite 305
San Francisco CA 94103