As a Board member and current Board Secretary of the Humane Society of the North Bay, I table a lot of events. This one was well-documented. We had a lot of great volunteers there and it was a well-attended event. It was only the second year, too!
As a result of my tabling for LGBTQ Minus Tobacco at the Fiestas Patrias event in Vallejo recently, the organization was asked by James Hogan Middle-High School to table in their quad for National Coming Out Day (October 11). Interestingly I attended James LOGAN High School in Union City.
As a proud Vallejo citizen, I was glad to meet the principal and other staff members who appreciated the information and hand-outs we had for the students who we were glad to see swarm our table when we were there.
We seemed to be well-received, not only by staff, but many of the kids, even if a few of them may have been surprised that we were a queer-focused organization. Staff member Judith Lerner had the kids sign this beautiful banner at the table next to us:
I tabled for the Humane Society of the North Bay again!
Through another set of sad circumstances, Matty (who was thusly named because he was found as a stray in Vallejo and completely matted over) was brought to us for a crisis “foster” from our veterinarian. This dog clung to me as if he knew me his whole life from the minute I picked him up. He has a hugging hold on me (perhaps because he is blind or at least vision impaired like a baby or how I imagine a primate would cling). He definitely knows his name, even though it was only given to him a few months prior when he was found by his previous foster mother. What kind of monster had let a senior, small, blind dog wander around a city with no collar or microchip?
Even more sadly, the woman that found him and had him for a few months had a serious domestic violence attack against her. Her police officer brothers came from another state and moved her back while her partner went to jail. Matty apparently could not go with her.
We were told Matty just wanted to cuddle all day and that is no exaggeration. Here he is (flanking me) with his instant new friend (brother?), who has only been with us a few months himself, Polar.
I was honored to be one of the citizens asking a question (in my case on behalf of LGBTQ Minus Tobacco) at the September 28, 2022 Vallejo City Council District 5 Candidate Forum that was put up by Leachman Park Neighborhood Association.
This also happened to be just a few days after the Black Live Matters mural was painted on the road in front of City Hall. I did my best to take it from the conference room that I was in, but the drone shots are of course much better.
Even though this wasn’t my district, I was happy to be there to participate since I’ve been in front of City Council a number of times, and I’ll very likely be in front of whoever wins this seat in the future. I already knew four of the five candidates from one venue or another.
I also sent this shot of me in front of our Re-Elect John Fox campaign poster to our friend running for Vallejo Unified School District Board.
I’ve been an activist against Big Tobacco since the early 1990’s when my father died at the age of fifty from his addiction to nicotine and it gave me a primary reason to go to law school.
Whenever I can I’m going to continue to fight against an industry that targets youth and queer people in particular with insidious tactics. Getting data by conducting surveys is one way I can do that. LGBTQ Minus Tobacco has given me great opportunities to fight locally, as I had been doing more regionally and nationally when I lived in New York City.
This event adjacent to the Farmers Market was organized by Solano AIDS Coalition.
County Supervisor Monica Brown even featured me in her Facebook feed!
This is the second year in a row we had the honor of hosting a potluck for the Vallejo Gay Network. We love opening our home to such events.
The theme this year was “Disco 70’s” so you’ll notice some wardrobe choices that go with that.
I’ve been an activist against Big Tobacco since the early 1990’s when my father died at the age of fifty from his addiction to nicotine and it gave me a primary reason to go to law school.
Whenever I can I’m going to continue to fight against an industry that targets youth and queer people in particular with insidious tactics. Getting data by conducting surveys is one way I can do that. LGBTQ Minus Tobacco has given me great opportunities to fight locally, as I had been doing more regionally and nationally when I lived in New York City.
