Being held hostage by a homophobic, xenophobic, alethophobic government for the last four years has made even the most extreme submissives in our community anxious about their freedom and yearn for more control.
That’s why this month’s program, less than a week before the most important election of our generation, is intended to stop you from feeling so helpless.
A panel of guests with experience in various areas of political office and activism will bring the benefit of their experience to the present moment, to help you work out what you can do in the coming days, weeks and months, and understand how it could help.
We’ll touch on the macro-political issues that affect us as citizens, queers and kinksters, as well as the micro-political issues that affect us at a neighborhood level, and we invite you to show up with one question on your mind: What can I do?
About Shaun Haines:
Commissioner Shaun Haines has been working to preserve the living community, culture, and heritage of the LGBTQ+ people of and beyond. A native of San Francisco with roots across a broad spectrum of communities, Shaun identifies as Queer, and their pronouns are they, them. Their heritage is a mix of African, Haitian, and Indigenous. Shaun's track record of public service, advocacy, and political activism is extensive. While being impacted by poverty, homelessness, and the many brutalities of life, they never gave up. They have been publicly recognized by the Mayor of and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, SF State Assembly Member, SF State Senator; by Tenderloin Pride, San Francisco Pride, the USDA, and Black Brothers Esteem with several honors and awards. Shaun is also the Chairman of Public Affairs for the Black Voices and Allies Leadership Committee. Shaun has served San Francisco as an elected Democratic Party Leader.
About Jay Harcourt:
Jay Harcourt (he/him) has been community organizing since he was in high school and helped plan a student picket line in support of a teacher’s strike. He cut his teeth in activism in the early 90’s participating in Act-Up protests on the East Coast, and co-facilitating the Danbury Area Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth Group - starting an education program for local high school and college classes, and bringing the group to the 1993 March on Washington. He’s been active in the San Francisco community since arriving in the fall of 1993, and is most proud of serving as a founding member of the Community Advisory Board that planned and launched Magnet; being a member of the Local Organizing Committee for the Leather Leadership Conference 12 here in San Francisco; serving as Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2005, and producing the Mr. SF Leather and Mr. Hayes Valley Leather Contests. This primary season, unable to tolerate the state of our world any longer, he got directly involved in political organizing for the first time volunteering as a Community Team Leader for Elizabeth Warren’s campaign.
About Ryan Mattson:
Ryan Mattson (he/him) has always been active and involved with politics. Whether it was having intense conversations with his family, studying Political Science in college, registering coworkers to vote or working on campaigns, Ryan has wanted to foster a better understanding about our political world.
Even though he does not currently work in politics, he continues to be engaged at local and national level. Looking ahead, he is cautiously optimistic about the 2020 Election outcomes but understands the huge amount of progress needed to move our country and community forward.
Before attending this program Ryan asks each of you to consider "What can I do and how can I influence?".
About Matt McGowen:
Matt is a health care nonprofit worker and a five-year resident of San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. In his spare time, he is a political activist and a big ol’ bottom. He served his community as Mr. San Francisco Eagle Leather 2017, and was an active member of the scene before COVID in groups like LDG and San Francisco Pool Association - Hole in the Wall Howlers, and loves the Eagle beer bust more than almost anything in this world.
For the past four years, he has been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and helped reorganize its local chapter, DSA San Francisco. He served on the Steering Committee for a year and a half, in which time the organization was involved in a plethora of local labor organizing, anti-gentrification, and electoral efforts. (At this time, he is not an elected leader of DSA SF and does not represent its views.) He sees the fights against gentrification and displacement as crucial struggles for LGBTQ+ and kink-oriented communities in San Francisco to be involved in.
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