About Me

San Francisco Independent Film Festival

The 27th San Francisco Independent Film Festival takes place both in person & virtually February 6th to 18th with 80 new independent films from the Bay Area & globally. Michael Fox, Film Journalist & Critic stated, "San Francisco IndieFest is the one festival of the year where you should throw a dart at the program & take a chance. Not because you’re guaranteed a masterpiece but because it’s the best fest to see something that would never, ever breach your filter otherwise." The in-person screenings take place at the Roxie Theater at 3117 16th Street & Vogue Theater at 3290 Sacramento Street in San Francisco, CA & start at the published time so plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before showtime as late attendees are not guaranteed seating as empty seats are filled by those in the Rush Line right before showtime. For over 2 decades the San Francisco Independent Film Festival draws crowds over 11,000 attendees & continues to support & celebrate maverick filmmakers & their work. SF IndieFest was founded in 1998 by Jeff Ross when he realized there wasn't a venue available for his friend Rand Alexander to show his film CAGED even though it had played the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival that same year. So Jeff took to the streets & put on a 4-day event financed like many of the films presented with his personal credit cards. The event was welcomed with an audience of over 3,000 people & the following year Indiefest grew to a 9-day event with over 4,200 in attendance. San Francisco Independent Film Festival is a 501c3 non-profit with support from the California Arts Council, San Francisco Grants for the Arts & San Francisco Art Commission. 
No comments:

Fighting Back Becomes The New Norm

As you know Trump attempted to wield his executive order power yesterday by blocking federal grants & loans that would devastate the lives of Americans which is so apropos that it falls on the Chinese New Year’s celebration of the year of the Snake that is considered the most tenacious of the 12 zodiac animals. Then we should revisit the meaning of our own historical “Don't Tread On Me" Gadsden American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled & ready to strike. “Don't Tread On Me" is a warning against oppression or interference essentially saying "do not try to control or dominate me" & is most commonly associated with the American Revolutionary War era. If Trump studied American history instead of his Nazi dominance obsession maybe things would be different right now. In the meantime lawsuits are being filed throughout the USA challenging his orders. In the wake all of his anti-LGBTQ executive orders that are headed to court another Motion for Temporary Restraining Order was filed yesterday by Democracy Forward, the National Council of Nonprofits, the American Public Health Association, Main Street Alliance & SAGE the world's largest & oldest org dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ older people. Michael Adams SAGE CEO stated, “Blocking federal grants & loans would devastate the lives of older Americans including LGBTQ+ elders who already face unique challenges. These individuals are more vulnerable to health issues, disabilities & social isolation & often struggle to access the care & services they need. This reckless decision puts entire communities at risk. We must work together now to protect our older neighbors, friends & loved ones before it’s too late.” 
No comments:

LGBTQ File Challenge Trans Military Ban

GLAD Law & the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) have filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging Trump’s January 27th order banning transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. The suit Talbott v. Trump was filed on equal protection grounds on behalf of 6 active service members & two individuals actively seeking enlistment. Nicolas Talbott, Army 2nd Lieutenant stated, “When you put on the uniform, differences fall away & what matters is your ability to do the job. Every individual must meet the same objective & rigorous qualifications in order to serve. It has been my dream & my goal to serve my country for as long as I can remember. My being transgender has no bearing on my dedication to the mission, my commitment to my unit or my ability to perform my duties in accordance with the high standards expected of me & every servicemember.” Plaintiffs serve across all branches of the military & are contributing among the highest levels, including a Major, a Captain, a Sergeant & a Navy Pilot. They bring decades of experience, training & education including a West Point education & several master’s degrees. They have decorated careers with commendations ranging from Sailor of the Year & Meritorious Service Medals to Joint Service Commendations & a Bronze Star. Some have been a part of decorated military families spanning generations & have served honorably throughout the country & the world on many deployments. GLAD Law & NCLR led the legal challenge to Trump’s first transgender military ban issued in 2017. Multiple federal courts found that ban to be unconstitutional & blocking it from taking effect for nearly 2 years. President Biden reversed the ban in 2021. 
No comments:

Protecting Our LGBTQ Kids In America

With the national bully pulpit targeting our LGBTQ community with executive orders especially our transgender, nonbinary & intersex citizens we have been overwhelmed with concern especially for our LGBTQ youth. GLSEN the leading education organization dedicated to creating safe & inclusive K-12 schools & learning environments for our LGBTQ youth condemns the executive orders & urges LGBTQ youth to know their rights as the incoming Trump administration seeks to intimidate school leaders & foster exclusionary learning environments. Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, Executive Director of GLSEN stated “From its first day, the Trump administration shows its unseriousness. Refusing to grasp the diversity of lived experiences in the United States does not make that rich diversity disappear. His day-one tirades do not erase legal rights afforded to gender-expansive people, but it seeks to set a dangerous precedent: that a person’s gender can be intrusively questioned in an effort to force them out of public life. The goal here is to erase free expression in pursuit of a fruitless quest to force America into a small-minded & ahistorical understanding of gender roles. LGBTQ+ people in America don't back down to bullies & will not surrender in silence or deny the expression of our or any child’s authentic identity. We will assert our rights & fight to ensure that every child gets to be who they are & their right to learn safely in schools free from violence, harassment & discrimination is defended & expanded.” GLSEN is a multi-racial intergenerational LGBTQ organization working nationally & locally to transform K-12 educational systems in the United States. Since 1990 GLSEN has improved conditions for LGBTQ students across the United States & helped launch an international movement to address LGBTQ issues in education. 
No comments:

Out At The Fair Riverside County Event

Out at the Fair is thrilled to announce the return of its 3rd annual celebration at the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival that takes place on Saturday February 15th at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, California presented by Fantasy Springs Resort & Casino. This vibrant event promises a day filled with entertainment, inclusivity & community pride. The event will be headlined by RuPaul's Drag Race Superstar Scarlet Envy who will dazzle audiences during the iconic Glam Show. Other highlights include OATF® Bingo hosted by the fabulous RuPaul’s Drag Race Judge Deven Green with fabuous emcees Alexander Rodriguez & Landa Plenty. William Zakrajshek, CEO & Founder of Out at the Fair stated, “We strive to create a day filled with activities for everyone, showcasing the amazing talent the LGBTQ+ community has to offer. It’s more important than ever today to be Out & Proud & we’re excited to make OATF® the first Pride event of the year in California.” Show-stopping performances include hashtag truly, Arena Red Band, KINGQUEEN, Robert Rene, Mariah Counts & the first LGBTQ Mariachi Band, Mariachi Arco-Iris de Los Angeles. The all-ages Out At After Dark Dance Party will feature beats by DJ Lotus. OATF Storytime & an energizing Zumba class with Jonathan will all happening on the Pageant Stage. Out at the Fair® is the premier LGBTQ family-friendly festival at fairs with a mission to create inclusive spaces that celebrate community & pride. OATF® brings together diverse performers, organizations & attendees for a day of fun, unity & entertainment. 
No comments:

Executive Orders Target LGBTQ Citizens

With the incoming administration discriminating executive orders were issued that target our LGBTQ community. The most despicable is entitled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism & Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" that declares there are only 2 sexes male & female a claim that ignores both science & lived experience. This exclusionary policy erases critical anti-discrimination protections from transgender people, disregards gender diversity & enforces a narrow definition of sex on government documentation including passports. Dr. David J. Johns, CEO & Executive Director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC) stated, “Simply put, President Trump’s executive orders mark a dangerous turning point for our nation. They represent a deliberate effort to divide the country, erode civil rights protections & make it permissible to target the most vulnerable among us. The impact of these actions will be far-reaching, leaving communities more vulnerable to violence, poverty & systemic injustice….” Ricardo Martinez, Executive Director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) concluded, “The administration is trying to create fear & sow chaos by its statements & orders, but no executive action can change the fundamental truth that transgender people are vital members of our families & communities. Like all people, transgender people deserve dignity, respect & the freedom to live without fear of government-sanctioned harm. A president’s powers are not unlimited – the Constitution, federal courts & our democratic system serve as a bulwark against government overreach. The implementation of today’s order & others that may follow, cannot happen overnight. GLAD Law will use every tool we have to fight for LGBTQ+ people’s rights & for fairness and dignity. We will defend the fundamental principle that equal protection under the law is guaranteed – without exception.”
No comments:

What A Difference A Day Makes

It’s difficult to remain nonpartisan in the latest transfer of presidential power but we’re all capable of doing so as we continue to move our democracy forward. Best scenario is to attempt to try to extract the truth from the doom prophecy that was laid on the America people yesterday. It’s important to understand what was really accomplished over the last 4 years. We were a successfully working America in the last administration. Biden left office with employment at the highest level ever. Our economy is so hot it's achieved world envy. Biden created an economy that’s so strong that rather than acknowledging it the new administration can only belittle it but that’s hard to do since the Stock market is also at a record high. Then there’s their gloom & doom of violence in America that happens to be at a 50-year low. They should be able to flip that quickly after pardoning 1500 of the Capitol convicted insurrectionists. Perhaps they will be given new positions to go after the Mexican Cartels. As the new Immigration Czar vows to go after illegal immigrants nationwide, the Southern border has had less illegal immigration since 45 left office. Then the new executive order was signed to begin the process of ending birthright citizenship that is protected by the 14th Amendment an order will likely face legal challenges. Next signed was an executive order against our LGBTQ community proclaiming that the federal government will only recognize two genders & “male” & “female” by the size of people’s reproductive cells. The new American president then ended his speech with “drill baby drill” & adding more gas on the fire signed an executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the international Paris Climate Agreement under which countries agreed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. What a world we’re living in. 
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Featured Post

South Florida 2026 Film Festival Line Up

OUTshine Film Festival has unveiled its full film lineup for this year’s Fall Edition that runs October 15th to 25th in South Florida. Thi...

Popular Posts

  • Ariana Grande Launches Foundation
    Ariana Grande has announced the launch of The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation that champions justice & equity through 4 core funds to ...
  • MBCC 27th Against the Tide Event
    Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) will hold its 27th annual Against the Tide Athletic Fundraising Event at DCR's Hopkinton ...
  • Gay Character Joins Star Wars
    It’s been announced that the official "Star Wars" universe is getting its first openly gay character. A lesbian governor appears...