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The historic groundbreaking for the world’s first Leather + LGBTQ public plaza — Eagle Plaza — took place on Tuesday, June 18th, with the Mayor, two Supervisors, our own Bob Goldfarb, and numerous other civic leaders all wielding shovels to start the construction.  Attendance was excellent, and press coverage was strong and positive (see links below).

Attendees also took this opportunity to buy tickets for the Eagle Plaza Raffle, and Eagle Plaza commemorative pins.  (Full raffle rules and prize details are at http://eagleplazaraffle.com.)

 

Links:

Bay Area Reporter

SF Examiner

SF Chronicle (online)

SF Chronicle (print)

Curbed SF

SFist

Help Land the Eagle!

To date, the Friends of Eagle Plaza have raised over $80,000 of the $150k total that they need to do the Plaza the way we all want it.

But a few more big donations are needed to complete all the “leather theme elements” planned for Eagle Plaza.

Eagle Plaza will be an important focal point for the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District, and donations at any level are welcome.  You can download the full informational brochure here, or visit the “Friends of Eagle Plaza” Web site here.

Also, be sure to buy your tickets for the Eagle Plaza Raffle! You could win a brand new 2019 Iron 883 Black Demo Harley Davidson Motorcycle, a trip for two to Mexico, VIP ticket packages for IMrL 2020, or tags for Lazy Bear Week 2019 or 2020.   Tickets are available at SF Eagle, or from authorized ticket sellers.  Full rules and details at eagleplazaraffle.com!

The SFMTA Board of Directors will be voting on whether to approve long-term safety improvements on Howard Street between 11th and 4th streets and Folsom St. from 11th to 2nd on Tuesday, June 18. The meeting will be held at 1:00 pm, in Room 400 of City Hall (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102.)

The board will vote on whether to approve safety improvements including:

• Two-way parking-protected bike lanes
• Six new midblock crossings
• Transit upgrades for Central SoMa
• Separate traffic signal phases for turning vehicles and bicycles

You can learn more about the improvement project here.  You can review the documents that will be considered at this meeting here.

If you would like to weigh in on the project, you can do so either in person at the board meeting, or you can email MTABoard@SFMTA.com. We hope to have your support for these changes that we expect to begin constructing in 2021.

The Outreach Committee of the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District needs folks willing to help us in a number of projects:

1.  Pride Festival Booth

The Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District has been offered free booth space at the SF Pride Festival on Saturday, June 29 (from 12:00 Noon to 6:00 PM) and Sunday, June 30, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM ).  We invite you to sign up here to help staff that booth.

You do not need to be an expert about the District to staff the booth: You will mostly be there to distribute brochures and encourage folks to sign up for our email list.  We will be sharing our booth with the Castro Queer Cultural District, so you will have plenty of company and support.  

Please sign up for as many shifts as you can.  I know many of you have major commitments during these times — especially on Parade Sunday.  If you are someone who does have some time available, your help would be greatly valued.  

If the form is not working for you, or if you would like to help in some way that doesn’t fit on the form, please let me know.

And if you can’t be with us for Pride, don’t worry:  you will have plenty of other chances to help us, we promise!

2.  Web Site Rebuild

The Cultural District is looking to rebuild its Web site on a new, independent platform.  If you have some skills in that area, we would love to have the benefit of your time and expertise.

3.  Outreach to Other Groups

Do you belong to any of the wonderful Leather- or LGBTQ- oriented groups or organizations in the Bay Area?  Would you be willing to take a few minutes at one of their meetings or events to tell them about the Cultural District?  We can prepare you, and give you brochures and other materials to share.  It’s easy, it’s fun, and it would be a big help!

4.  Represent us at Meetings

We also need folks to represent us at non-kinky, non-queer meetings and events:  We will need folks to liaison with the Western Soma Community Benefit District, SOMCAN (the South of Market Community Action Network) and attend the monthly meetings of the SoMa Community Council’s (SCC)’ Community Action Committee (CAC).  It may not be as much fun, but it is very important!  

5.  Other Outreach

Would you like to take on our “Twitter” account, and share occasional updates about our meetings, events, activities, and projects? Is there a place where you can put up posters announcing our meetings?  Or perhaps you have other ideas about how to help spread the word about the Cultural District.  Great!

If you would like to help in any of the above ways, or if you would like more information before deciding, please write to Outreach-chair@sflcd.org).

Thanks!

 

You may also wish to refer to the original  (3/19/19) draft of the Bylaws, so that you can cross-reference the pages and Articles from the notes.

However a new draft bylaws is now under construction, based on the conclusions we reached at the meeting.  Please watch for those bylaws to be posted here soon.

Also still available for your review:

• Some questions we asked our lawyer, their responses, and comments,
• The lawyer’s suggested language about Committees,
• The lawyer’s suggested Code of Conduct, and
• Information about Membership Termination

Again, kudos and thanks to everyone who participated, in person or online.