LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District
The world's first city-recognized LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District
The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District may have an opportunity to construct a major piece of public art, to serve as a “gateway” to our special SOMA neighborhood.
We have had a number of excellent design submissions, and our Committee has narrowed our choices to four designs:
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Please click on each submission, above,
to view it or read the description.
Then please click here to give us your opinion.
After a comprehensive and competitive search, the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Cal Callahan has been selected as the new District Manager. Mr. Callahan is a nonprofit professional with more than 20 years’ experience who has been instrumental in the growth of the Positive Resource Center’s Bare Chest Calendar. Cal is the former Director of Community Engagement for the Positive Resource Center (PRC) and was chosen for this position for his many connections in the SOMA area and his commitment to successful fund-raising efforts and volunteer coordination. He also previously served at the AIDS Emergency Fund and the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund.
Mr. Callahan replaces Beth Hunt who resigned to move to the East Coast to be closer to family. The Board thanks Beth for all her hard work and networking as the Cultural District’s first District Manager. She worked tirelessly to network with the community, represent the District at city meetings, and implement our founding systems and procedures. The Board wishes her all the best in her new endeavors.
Mr. Callahan is a 37 year Bay Area resident, who is known for networking, building organizations, innovative fundraising, creative event planning, leadership skills, broadening diversity, and community relations. He takes a key position at the world’s first cultural district to focus on the leather and LGBTQ communities.
“We are thrilled to name a new District Manager with such deep community connections and experience who will help lead our organization on a path to being a cultural hub in SOMA,” said Bob Goldfarb, President of the Cultural District. “We cast a wide net in our search and believe that Cal’s management and fundraising skills will play an essential role as we work toward our goal of establishing a permanent community center in SOMA. His connections to diverse communities will increase our organization’s diversity both internally and to the constituents we serve.”
Mr. Callahan began working for the Cultural District at the beginning of August, 2020. Community members have been quick to express their support. Jack Thompson, International Mr. Leather 2019, the first trans POC to win that title and a founding father of ONYX Northwest, said, “Without needing to know anything about me, Cal showed me kindness and support. He shows it to everyone around him. I am so happy for him to be able to show that same kindness and support to the entire community as District Manager for the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District. I couldn’t think of anyone better suited for this position.” Jon Ojinaga, Owner of Azucar Lounge said, “When Azucar Lounge opened 9 years ago, Cal came to welcome us to the neighborhood and has been a big supporter of local business. We’ve worked together on a large variety of events and I look forward to continuing our collaborations. Demetri Moshoyannis, Managing Director of Individual Giving at GMHC and formerly Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships at PRC, said, “He’s a great community organizer, an amazing listener, and an even better project manager! I’m sure he’ll do great things on behalf of the Leather & LGBTQ District and the Western SoMa neighborhood.”
A major construction project bringing in 700 new residents is planned for 1560 Folsom Street, the site of Action Rentals and 3 auto shops that wrap around Oasis. This is the very heart of the entertainment area in the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District.
We need your help to ensure that the developer acts to mitigate the gentrification that these new residents will bring with them. We have been in discussion with the developers. We need more than the developer’s token offers. Now is the time to make the leather & LGBTQ community’s strength heard.
Save our nightlife! Save SOMA for the kinky and queer!
Please sign the letter of support at the link below. Thank you.
San Francisco’s Historic Preservation Commission’s resolution on racial and social equity is coming before the Planning Commission on July 15th, at 12:30 pm. They have asked for our support. Please send comments by email and speak (remotely) at the hearing if you like.
The resolution acknowledges the most recent instance of violence inflicted on the Black community through the murder of George Floyd, and calls for centering the Historic Preservation’s work program and resources on racial and social equity. You can read the resolution in its entirety here.
If you feel led to share your experience, knowledge, and guidance, please participate in the hearing, or send written comments to the Commission as detailed below.
Hearing is next Wednesday, July 15th beginning at 12:30 p.m. You can listen to the broadcast live at https://sfgovtv.org/planning or Cable Channel 78, or watch it on replay at https://
The Commission strongly encourages interested parties to submit their comments in advance of the hearing, via email to commissions.
More information on and the contact information for the Historic Preservation Commissioners can be found at https://sfplanning.org/
The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District is compiling a roster of artists and and artisans in all media – including craftspeople, performers, musicians, writers – who live, work, exhibit or perform in the District, or whose creative work reflects the culture of the queer, kinky and/or leather community.
View our catalog here (if you are age 18+):
LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural Catalog
Artists in all media are urged to submit their contact information, a description of their work, and additional materials for inclusion.
Artists may choose to simply be listed by name, with basic contact information, or include either samples or links to samples or pages displaying their work. In some cases we may prepare a separate page featuring their work. We will be able to present graphic or video files in all standard Web-friendly formats, subject to any technical or legal limitations. (So please submit nothing involving human trafficking or children, and nothing violating anyone else’s copyright, reputation, or privacy.)
This LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural Catalog will be available to all visitors to our Web site (ages 18+), and we expect it will be used to recruit artists and performers for a variety of exhibitions, events, commissions and other projects. Artists are welcome and encouraged to share the link to their featured page. We believe this may be particularly useful for artists who wish to display their adult or leather-themed work separately from their other public portfolios.
Graphic artists are encouraged to take appropriate precautions (e.g. steganographic fingerprinting, watermarks, lowered resolution, etc.) to prevent the graphic samples on our Web site from undermining the value of their original artwork.
Please write to arts-chair@sflcd.org if you have problems with the form, need to submit your materials in a different way, or to discuss.
