Queer Notes: A. Philip Randolf, a new tranny-friendly Health Commissioner and boycott Badlands tonight!
A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI)
Friday night I attended the A. Philip Randolph Institute Dinner, an African American Labor Organization that registers African American voters. As far as I know, A.P.R.I. is the only organization in town that consistently registers African Americans to vote. They also give people rides to the poll on election day. They became more well known in San Francisco when they were driving African American people to the polls in the 1999 Mayor’s race. Not surprisingly, almost all African American voters were voting for then Mayor Willie Brown, the first African American mayor in the history of San Francisco.
James Bryant (left) and David Turner, also from Local 790 at the dinner
I have worked with the President of A.P.R.I, James Bryant at SEIU Local 790 for years, have become very good friends with him and I also became a member of A.P.R.I. He also became a member of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club when I was President. Over the last couple of years, I have had the honor of working side by side with the members of APRI on voter registration and driving people to the polls. About a year and a half ago when Prop 54, the ban of racial/gender data collection was on the ballot, we were at a housing development on Potrero Hill. It was about 7:30PM and we were moving fast trying to get folks to the poll. The poll was on the top of a steep hill and elderly voters were not able to make it up the hill. People were literally waiting for us. I’ll never forget the elderly African American woman who was all dressed up and ready to go and how we rushed her to the poll with only a few minutes left. When she opened the door, she was both happy to see us and impatient that we were so late. We got her into the van, sped up to the top of the hill, and she made it in before the doors closed to the poll. She was literally the last person through the door. She was determined to vote. And the APRI folks, who are mostly residents from the housing developments, were determined to make sure she got there. Here’s to some pretty amazing people whose actions make the world a little better every day.
Members of APRI, Brenda, Eddie, Detre and my partner Saskia
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, and District Attorney Kamala Harris and many prominent African American Labor leaders were there. Queers at the APRI dinner included Assemblymember Mark Leno, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Lisa Williams, Rafael Mandelman, me and newly appointed Health Commissioner Dr. Donald Eugene Tarver, a psychiatrist and a specialist who focuses on people of color and LGBT patients. He also edited a ground breaking book to train health care providers on how to take care of transgender patients. The book, Transgender Care, was described as a
In a recent study, roughly two-thirds of the transgender community has experienced discrimination in health care. How does it play out in every day life? Well, if you apply for health insurance, you can be denied because you are transgender. If you are lucky enough to get health care, you will probably struggle to find culturally competent care. I have been a member of Kaiser for years and finally got a doctor who doesn’t treat me like a freak. He is a sweet gay man who surfs and used to work for Tom Waddell. I never, ever went to the doctor for years cuz I hated how I was treated. And I’m one of the lucky ones. It’s hard to believe but someone who needs care and has health insurance can get denied care because of their transgender status.
Hearing on Monday at 1PM at the Board of Supervisors
On Monday, Supervisor Bevan Dufty and Supervisor Tom Ammiano are sponsoring hearing on a resolution opposing trans discrimination in health care and supporting AB 1586, a bill sponsored by Assemblymember Paul Koretz. AB 1586 will be heard in committee in the Assembly this Tuesday in Sacramento. We anticipate the resolution will pass easily out of committee here in San Francisco and in Sacramento as well. But will Schwarzenegger support the bill? Dunno. I think we can safely assume the Mayor will sign the resolution supporting 1586. Also big props to Mayor Newsom for appointing an African American gay man who is extremely knowledgeable and cares about transgender health. And welcome Dr. Tarver. The transgender community needs advocates like you in the Public Health system.
Trans Pride
This afternoon (Saturday) there is a Trans Pride fundraiser at the Castro County Club. Stop by and support us. 4058 18th Street. Cecilia Chung, a trans activist who sits on the Human Rights Commission and a board member of the Pride Committee, pulled it together.
Cecilia Chung, Chris Daley and Willey Wilkensen from the Transgender Law Center
Boycott Badlands
Tonight, join And Castro for All for an informational picket in front of Badlands a bar which was recently found guilty of discrimination against African American gay men by the Human Rights Commission. The boycott picket begins at 9PM and lasts until 1AM. Stand up against discrimination!
Friday night I attended the A. Philip Randolph Institute Dinner, an African American Labor Organization that registers African American voters. As far as I know, A.P.R.I. is the only organization in town that consistently registers African Americans to vote. They also give people rides to the poll on election day. They became more well known in San Francisco when they were driving African American people to the polls in the 1999 Mayor’s race. Not surprisingly, almost all African American voters were voting for then Mayor Willie Brown, the first African American mayor in the history of San Francisco.
James Bryant (left) and David Turner, also from Local 790 at the dinner
I have worked with the President of A.P.R.I, James Bryant at SEIU Local 790 for years, have become very good friends with him and I also became a member of A.P.R.I. He also became a member of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club when I was President. Over the last couple of years, I have had the honor of working side by side with the members of APRI on voter registration and driving people to the polls. About a year and a half ago when Prop 54, the ban of racial/gender data collection was on the ballot, we were at a housing development on Potrero Hill. It was about 7:30PM and we were moving fast trying to get folks to the poll. The poll was on the top of a steep hill and elderly voters were not able to make it up the hill. People were literally waiting for us. I’ll never forget the elderly African American woman who was all dressed up and ready to go and how we rushed her to the poll with only a few minutes left. When she opened the door, she was both happy to see us and impatient that we were so late. We got her into the van, sped up to the top of the hill, and she made it in before the doors closed to the poll. She was literally the last person through the door. She was determined to vote. And the APRI folks, who are mostly residents from the housing developments, were determined to make sure she got there. Here’s to some pretty amazing people whose actions make the world a little better every day.
Members of APRI, Brenda, Eddie, Detre and my partner Saskia
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, and District Attorney Kamala Harris and many prominent African American Labor leaders were there. Queers at the APRI dinner included Assemblymember Mark Leno, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Lisa Williams, Rafael Mandelman, me and newly appointed Health Commissioner Dr. Donald Eugene Tarver, a psychiatrist and a specialist who focuses on people of color and LGBT patients. He also edited a ground breaking book to train health care providers on how to take care of transgender patients. The book, Transgender Care, was described as a
rather different kind of book--not just among books by, for, or about the transgendered, but among nonfiction books generally. It is both a personal statement and a collection of diverse viewpoints; it is both an advocate for a new policy of healthcare and a polemic against that same policy (as being insufficiently revolutionary); it is both a dry, almost academic, detailed description of that policy, directed largely at healthcare providers, and a collection of impassioned voices, both raw and educated, strident and well-modulated, speaking out of the depths of that healthcare clientele.
This book is an an important new resource for the transgender community, it may form the basis for an expansion of humane care of all segments of this diverse population.
In a recent study, roughly two-thirds of the transgender community has experienced discrimination in health care. How does it play out in every day life? Well, if you apply for health insurance, you can be denied because you are transgender. If you are lucky enough to get health care, you will probably struggle to find culturally competent care. I have been a member of Kaiser for years and finally got a doctor who doesn’t treat me like a freak. He is a sweet gay man who surfs and used to work for Tom Waddell. I never, ever went to the doctor for years cuz I hated how I was treated. And I’m one of the lucky ones. It’s hard to believe but someone who needs care and has health insurance can get denied care because of their transgender status.
Hearing on Monday at 1PM at the Board of Supervisors
On Monday, Supervisor Bevan Dufty and Supervisor Tom Ammiano are sponsoring hearing on a resolution opposing trans discrimination in health care and supporting AB 1586, a bill sponsored by Assemblymember Paul Koretz. AB 1586 will be heard in committee in the Assembly this Tuesday in Sacramento. We anticipate the resolution will pass easily out of committee here in San Francisco and in Sacramento as well. But will Schwarzenegger support the bill? Dunno. I think we can safely assume the Mayor will sign the resolution supporting 1586. Also big props to Mayor Newsom for appointing an African American gay man who is extremely knowledgeable and cares about transgender health. And welcome Dr. Tarver. The transgender community needs advocates like you in the Public Health system.
Trans Pride
This afternoon (Saturday) there is a Trans Pride fundraiser at the Castro County Club. Stop by and support us. 4058 18th Street. Cecilia Chung, a trans activist who sits on the Human Rights Commission and a board member of the Pride Committee, pulled it together.
Cecilia Chung, Chris Daley and Willey Wilkensen from the Transgender Law Center
Boycott Badlands
Tonight, join And Castro for All for an informational picket in front of Badlands a bar which was recently found guilty of discrimination against African American gay men by the Human Rights Commission. The boycott picket begins at 9PM and lasts until 1AM. Stand up against discrimination!
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