Tell Mayor Ed Lee NOT to Veto Tenant Protections 2.0

URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Let the Mayor of San Francisco Know your thoughts! Posted by Melanie Nathan, Oct 07, 2015. Last week the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the crucial measure, Tenant Protections 2.0,  to protect tenants in the City of San Francisco. However, Mayor Ed Lee is apparently considering a veto of these … More Tell Mayor Ed Lee NOT to Veto Tenant Protections 2.0

Suspicious Timing in Release of Transgender Prisoner

October 06, 2015, Cross Blog from The Recorder. A federal appellate panel on Monday questioned whether California prison officials accelerated the release of a transgender female prisoner to avoid having to provide her with sex-reassignment surgery. In April, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar of the Northern District of California ordered state officials to provide sex-reassignment … More Suspicious Timing in Release of Transgender Prisoner

Wedding for Asylum Seeking African Lesbian Couple at San Francisco City Hall

By Melanie Nathan, March 30, 2015 After years on the run a young lesbian couple from an African country, surviving terrifying persecution, miraculously made their way to San Francisco where they are seeking asylum.  They will no longer be waiting in the wings as their dream to marry will soon be realized. Back in 2012, … More Wedding for Asylum Seeking African Lesbian Couple at San Francisco City Hall

San Francisco Catholic Church Installs Doorway Water Showers to Drench Sleeping Homeless

By Melanie Nathan, March 18, 2015. I recall protesting the installation of viciously anti-LGBTI Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone at the Archdiocese in San Francisco. Now it seems that it is not only gays that the Catholic Church in San Francisco has under attack and wants to keep from its opulent doorway. The venom has now spewed … More San Francisco Catholic Church Installs Doorway Water Showers to Drench Sleeping Homeless

Announcing Legislation for Homeless Youth

SAN FRANCISCO – California State Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, will join homeless youth advocates and other elected officials in San Francisco on Friday to announce important new legislation that gives homeless youth greater access to high school proficiency and equivalency exams. SB 252 would prohibit the Department of Education or testing companies from charging … More Announcing Legislation for Homeless Youth

MEUSA Files Real People Amicus Brief with SCOTUS

MEUSA Amicus Brief: Real Voices, Real People, Real Impact  Posted by Melanie Nathan, March 09, 2015. San Francisco/Washington DC – Today, Marriage Equality USA announces that it has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the freedom to marry nationwide and full equality under the Constitution for LGBTQ people. The brief, … More MEUSA Files Real People Amicus Brief with SCOTUS

New California Legislative Efforts to Mitigate Ellis Act Evictions

By Melanie Nathan, February 24, 2015. SACRAMENTO – Senator Mark Leno has introduced new legislation that would help mitigate the negative impacts of Ellis Act evictions in San Francisco. Senate Bill 364 closes a loophole in the Ellis Act that allows speculators to buy rent-controlled buildings in San Francisco and immediately begin the process of … More New California Legislative Efforts to Mitigate Ellis Act Evictions

San Francisco LGBT Violence Prevention Assessment Report Released

By Melanie Nathan, February 10, 2015. Today the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, The San Francisco Human Rights Commission and Learning for Action have participated  in the release of San Francisco’s first ever LGBTQI Violence Prevention Needs Assessment. This report details how members of the San Francisco LGBTQI community experience violence and the availability of … More San Francisco LGBT Violence Prevention Assessment Report Released

Activists to Protest 1% HRC Elitism and AIDS Neglect

New York and San Francisco By Melanie Nathan, January 29, 2015. The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP) and other HIV activist organizations will converge to protest the neglect of the AIDS crisis by mainstream LGBT organizations at the annual self-congratulatory gala held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City by Human Rights Campaign … More Activists to Protest 1% HRC Elitism and AIDS Neglect

From Congo to Castro UNHCR Resettles Persecuted LGBTI Activist in the U.S.A.

Welcome Home Junior! By Melanie Nathan, December 16, 2014. I first met Junior Mayema back in 2011 when I was invited to keynote speak at Cape Town Pride’s Pink Gala in South Africa. At the time Junior, approached me along the Pride parade route. He told me that he was an LGBTI refugee from the … More From Congo to Castro UNHCR Resettles Persecuted LGBTI Activist in the U.S.A.

Fallout from Ugandan MP Visit to Gay San Francisco

By Melanie Nathan, September 25, 2014. Earlier this month, on her way back from attending the the Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) conference in San Diego, Hon. Nabilah Naggayi Sempala, the Ugandan Member of Parliament for Kampala, stopped over in San Francisco, to meet with Californian leaders, politicians and to participate in an interview / … More Fallout from Ugandan MP Visit to Gay San Francisco

Ugandan MP Berated by Constituents For Meeting LGBT San Francisco

THREATS to Lose Voters and Support | accused of “rubbing shoulders with fags” By Melanie Nathan, September 25, 2014. Earlier this month, on her way back from attending the the Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) conference in San Diego, Hon. Nabilah Naggayi Sempala, the Ugandan Member of Parliament for Kampala, stopped over in San Francisco, … More Ugandan MP Berated by Constituents For Meeting LGBT San Francisco

Ugandan Member of Parliament to meet for Human Rights Town Hall in San Francisco

A Courageous and Critical Meeting to help USA LGBT Community Get an Insider’s Perspective San Francisco, August 26, 2014 – The San Francisco Africa Leadership Institute (SFALI) is pleased to announce a Town Hall Forum with Ugandan Member of Parliament, the Hon. Nabilah Naggayi Sempala, to be held at The San Francisco LGBT Community Center. … More Ugandan Member of Parliament to meet for Human Rights Town Hall in San Francisco

Asylum Seekers Sue Obama Administration to End Unjust Long Waits

Department of Homeland Security Routinely Violates Laws Requiring Timely Reasonable Fear Interview Posted by Melanie Nathan April 17, 2014 A lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, alleging the government violated the law in thousands of cases, with individuals waiting in detention for many months for a ruling on their … More Asylum Seekers Sue Obama Administration to End Unjust Long Waits

Pussy Riot Disrupts Russian Orchestra in San Francisco

See Video: Pussy Riot Disrupts Russian Orchestra in S.F. With Rainbow Flag By Michael Petrelis Cross-posted As I was unable to attend this protest due to my travels, we are most fortunate to have a report from one of the organizers, Michael Petrelis: The St. Petersburg Philharmonic’s performance on Monday, March 3 at Davies Hall … More Pussy Riot Disrupts Russian Orchestra in San Francisco

San Francisco Mayor Flies Rainbow Flag for Sochi But Ignoring Russia’s Anti-Gay Law

Blogger and LGBT activist Michael Petrelis keeps his eye keenly on the behavior of the City of San Francisco and here is his latest report on how Mayor Ed Lee has chosen to ignore our protests and concerns over the Olympics being held at Sochi despite the hate for gays and the anri-gay laws of … More San Francisco Mayor Flies Rainbow Flag for Sochi But Ignoring Russia’s Anti-Gay Law

LGBTQ website to provide eye tests and glasses for Homeless Gay Youth

Time to give to our own as http://www.GayEyeglasses.com  sets the tone for 2014. By Melanie Nathan, December 28, 2013. When a trailblazer from the San Francisco Bay Area optical scene went about building an LGBTQ focused eyeglass site, camp became an understatement, and high design was all but blurred in a flurry of retro with … More LGBTQ website to provide eye tests and glasses for Homeless Gay Youth

The Russian Orthodox Church provides an official and shameful response to Castro LGBT Protests

By Melanie Nathan, August 25 The Russian Church took our protests this Sunday very seriously and below is their response.  After you read it  you will note that nowhere do they take a  single sentence to show care or concern for persecuted LGBTI people in Russia.  The Orthodox Church has refused  to dialogue with us, … More The Russian Orthodox Church provides an official and shameful response to Castro LGBT Protests

Castro Russian Orthodox Churchgoers flee in advance of Gay Protest

Churchgoers flee fearing the wrath of a Rainbow? By Melanie Nathan, August 26, 2013. On Sunday, Gays Without Borders together with members of San Francisco’s LGBT community paid a visit to St. Nicholas Cathedral Church, a Russian Orthodox Church located in the Castro to raise rainbow flags bringing awareness about Russia’s anti-gay laws and to … More Castro Russian Orthodox Churchgoers flee in advance of Gay Protest

San Francisco Castro to Protest Russian Anti-Gay laws

Sunday Protest | Gay Oppressor Russian Orthodox Church lives in the Castro By Melanie Nathan, August 21, 2013. This Sunday morning as San Francisco’s Castro awakens to its persistent rainbow flags, the heartbeat of gay America will show solidarity for Russia’s persecuted LGBT community. Who could have imagined that the Russian Orthodox Church would nestle … More San Francisco Castro to Protest Russian Anti-Gay laws

President Obama Condemns Russia’s Anti-Gay laws

Ask IOL to move the Olympics from Sochi. By Melanie Nathan, August 07, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama today criticized a new Russian law cracking down on gay rights activism, saying he has “no patience for countries that try to treat gays and lesbians and transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful … More President Obama Condemns Russia’s Anti-Gay laws

San Francisco LGBT community calls on Mayor Ed Lee to Boycott Russia

Russia Spills Gay Blood We Spill Russian Vodka at SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL By Melanie Nathan.  August 07, 2013. “Russia Spills Gay Blood We Spill Russian Vodka” read my sign today, as I joined my fellow activists from Gays Without Borders, when we poured Russian vodka onto San Francisco’s street outside City Hall and called … More San Francisco LGBT community calls on Mayor Ed Lee to Boycott Russia

Gay teenager kidnapped and tortured by Russian homophobes believed to have died from injuries

YOU SPILL GAY BLOOD WE SPILL RUSSIAN VODKA | Noon San Francisco City Hall August 06, 2013. By Melanie Nathan, August 05, 2013. PINKNews is Reporting  and we have not yet independently verified: The gay teenager who was kidnapped and tortured by Russian neo-Nazis has died from his injuries it has been claimed. Spectrum Human … More Gay teenager kidnapped and tortured by Russian homophobes believed to have died from injuries

Gays to Fly Rainbow Flag Outside Russian Consulate in San Francisco

Protest Part of Global LGBT Solidarity Campaign By Melanie Nathan, August 02, 2013. San Francisco, CA — On Saturday, August 3, 2013, at 12:00 pm (noon) San Franciscans will gather at the Russian Consulate at 2790 Green Street (near Baker Street) to protest new anti-gay laws passed in Russia that subject LGBT Russians and foreign … More Gays to Fly Rainbow Flag Outside Russian Consulate in San Francisco

Help Call for California Governor Jerry Brown to Sign Transgender Law

Help California Action Alert for Transgender Youth Posted by Melanie Nathan, July 08, 2013. On July 3, 2013, The California State Senate passed the School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266), sending the bill that ensures transgender students have the opportunity to succeed in school to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature. Authored by … More Help Call for California Governor Jerry Brown to Sign Transgender Law

Micha Peled’s Globalization Trilogy Comes to Marin

Posted by Melanie Nathan, June 04, 2013. China Blue, is one of three movies being screened from Bay Area filmmaker, Micha Peled’s Globalization Trilogy. The film will be playing at the Rafael on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00. China Blue focuses on teenager Jasmin Li, who leaves her home to work in a far-away blue jeans factory. This … More Micha Peled’s Globalization Trilogy Comes to Marin

Homeless Youth | “Street Child: A Memoir”

Award Winning Author Justin Reed Early releases new edition of acclaimed “Street Child: A Memoir”  Continuing National Tour Providing Books at No Cost to Homeless and At-Risk Youth  (& Social Workers) Posted by Cathy Kristofferson , May 19, 2013. Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2013….This week the acclaimed book “Street Child: A Memoir” was re-released … More Homeless Youth | “Street Child: A Memoir”