media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
Dezart Performs’ EVERY BRILLIANT THING Postponed until Fall 2020 Season
Unique, Immersive Storytelling Experienceby Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe Performed In-the-Round at the Pearl McManus TheaterWas to have run April 3 – 12
16 March 2020 – Palm Springs, CA: The previously announced final show of the Dezart Performs 12th Season, EVERY BRILLIANT THING by Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Duncan has been postponed in light of the COVID-19 health emergency. The production will now be rolled into the upcoming 2020/2021 season slated to begin this fall.
“The health and safety of our patrons, cast, crew, volunteers and staff is the number one priority of Dezart Performs,” said Michael Shaw in a statement. “So, in light of the Presidential Declaration of a National Emergency and the health guidelines established by Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the best response to COVID-19, Dezart Performs’ final production of the 2019-2020 season, EVERY BRILLIANT THING, will be postponed until the Fall as part of our 2020-2021 season.”
Those who have already purchased tickets for EVERY BRILLIANT THING will have their purchases credited toward the corresponding performance in October 2020. Actual performance dates will be finalized in the coming weeks.
“If you are not able to join us for the Fall production of EVERY BRILLIANT THING, we would be so grateful if you would consider converting your ticket purchase to a donation,” the statement continued. “As a small non-profit theater, ticket sales are essential to our survival. Theater and arts around the nation will suffer as a result of these unprecedented events. So your donation would mean a great deal to Dezart Performs at this challenging time. If you would prefer to explore other options, please contact our box office directly at 760-322-0179. We are so proud of the mutual collaboration between our audience and our artists. You give so much back to our actors – their performances depend on your energy and enthusiasm and you never fail to deliver. You are the heart of the Dezart Performs family. So, please stay safe and healthy and we look forward to seeing you again in the Fall.”
About EVERY BRILLIANT THING
A boy of seven sets out to list every special, ordinary thing that’s worth living for to lift his mom’s spirits: 1. Ice cream. 2. Water fights. 3. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. As he matures to adulthood, the list grows, and he learns the significance the list has on his own life as he goes to college, falls in love, and builds a home. With that simple premise, the off-Broadway hit EVERY BRILLIANT THING takes the audience on a unique theatrical storytelling experience that is both intimate and immersive, performed as theatre-in-the-round by award winning Dezart Performs of Palm Springs. EVERY BRILLIANT THING is the creative partnership between playwright Duncan MacMillan and actor Jonny Donahoe.
“A heart-wrenching, hilarious play…One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression – and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop!” (The Guardian). “Joyful. Life affirming. Brilliant. These are not words one would normally associate with a one-man play centered around depression and suicide. But Every Brilliant Thing is anything but normal.” (Idaho Press-Tribune)
Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies, recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company, its mission is to provide an artistic home for bold and cutting–edge plays, creating an atmosphere of artistic growth for actors, writers, and directors who uniquely contribute to the diverse theatrical environment in the Coachella Valley. All performances take place at the Pearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club) 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs.
Media Contact: David Perry / David Perry & Associates, Inc. / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed Interviewed Thursday, April 2 as part of Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations
Unprecedented LIVE online gathering of civic leaders continues Manny’s tradition as place to community building and civic engagement
15-20k viewers expected & many news outlets tuning in and participating
WHO & WHAT: San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed Takes Part in Online Forum: Leading San Francisco in a Time of Crisis Mayor London Breed was re-elected to be the Mayor of San Francisco just months before the halting of much of the world’s economy and the outbreak of a global pandemic. She is leading San Francisco during unprecedented times and her decisions are having real world consequences for the life and well-being of us all. Tune in to hear her in conversation with Manny’s and to ask her your questions during this time our City’s history.
WHY: To continue our mission, Manny’s is hosting over one hundred live civic conversations over video for the public. We’ll be providing opportunities for the public to continue to be civically engaged all at the convenience of their home for free or with a suggested donation. With an expected reach of 15,000 – 20,000 viewers with many news outlets also tuning in and participating.
MANNY QUOTE: Manny’s was opened with a crystal clear purpose: civically engage the public in person. It’s imperative that we rise to the occasion and continue to bring hope and inspiration to the public given the times in which we find ourselves. I’m humbled and excited at how quickly our team put together the “Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations,” and I look forward to continuing to put in the work.
COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF FORUM PARTICIPANTS:
Heklina (3/23) 1 p.m. – Heklina has been entertaining the SF nightlife for over two decades. Being half Icelandic, she named herself after the Icelandic volcano Hekla
LT. Eleni Kounalakis (3/23) 3 p.m. – Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the first woman elected Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom
Laurie Thomas (3/23) 5 p.m. – Laurie owns and operates local restaurants Rose’s Cafe and Terzo and is a board member of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association
Tom Temprano (3/23) 7 p.m. – Member Board Of Trustees at City College of San Francisco & Legislative Aide, Office of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Myrna Melgar (3/24) 3 p.m. – Myrna Melgar is the Executive Director of the Jamestown Community Center
Gregory Ferenstein (3/24) 5 p.m. – Gregory Ferenstein is the editor of the Ferenstein Wire, a syndicated publication on tech, health, and politics
Max Patinkin (3/24) 7 p.m. – Max is a lawyer and second generation family farmer (on both his father’s and mother’s side). He’s passionate about civic and community engagement, including chairing a recent red-to-blue congressional campaign and assisting in the launch of Manny’s.
Audrey Cooper (3/25) 1 p.m. – Audrey Cooper is the editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, the first woman to fill the role in the company’s 153-year history
Aram Fischer (3/25) 3 p.m. – Aram escalated his action substantially in response to the 2016 election, taking on a leadership role with Indivisible San Francisco
Jeff Kositsky (3/25) 5 p.m. – Jeff Kositsky is a recognized leader in innovative solutions to homelessness and poverty in the United States and internationally
Broke-Ass Stuart (3/25) 7 p.m. – Travel Writer. TV Host. Poet. Motherf*cking Hustler. San Francisco is THAT city. How do we continue to honor the greatness of it? The funk. The weirdness. The all of it.
Eliza Nemser (3/26) 1 p.m. – Eliza Nemser is an earth scientist, environmental advocate, and organizer with over 15 years of technical, research, and consulting experience.
Hadar Aviram (3/26) 3 p.m. – Professor Hadar Aviram specializes in criminal justice, civil rights, law and politics, and social movements, and her research employs socio-legal perspectives and methodologies
Tyler MacNiven (3/26) 5 p.m. – Tyler MacNiven is a producer and director, known for Kintaro Walks Japan (2005), Jonny Ramada (2017) and Big in Bollywood (2011)
Cody Harris (3/26) 7 p.m.– Mr. Harris also developed a first-hand understanding of a prosecutor’s mindset by spending a year trying and resolving cases at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office
Shamann Walton (03/27) 1 p.m.– Supervisor Shamann Walton is the Supervisor for District 10 of San Francisco.
DA Chesa Boudin (3/27) 3 p.m. – Chesa Boudin is the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco
Leah Culver (3/27) 5 p.m. – Computer programmer and startup founder Leah Culver is a 2006 computer science graduate of the University of Minnesota
Levi Maxwell (3/27) 7 p.m. – Let’s talk about the ideal queer dance scene with our dearest friend Levi Maxwell! Grab yourself a drink and let’s kiki!
Del Seymour (3/28) 1 p.m. – Del Seymour founded Code Tenderloin in 2015
Mark G DeVito (3/28) 3 p.m.– Mark has owned a portfolio of bars in SF for a decade and is well-networked in the field
David Plouffe (3/28) 5 p.m. – David Plouffe is an American political strategist best known as the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s successful 2008 presidential campaign
Lateefah Simon (3/28) 7 p.m. – Lateefah Simon was elected to serve District 7 on the BART Board of Directors on November 8, 2016
Larry Baer (3/29) 1 p.m. – Laurence M. Baer is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball
David Perry (3/29) 3 p.m. – David Perry is a crisis communications consultant and a member of SF Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Andrea Dew Steele (3/29) 5 p.m. – Andrea Dew Steele is the Founder of Emerge America and the Co-Founder of our first affiliate, Emerge California
Abbie Dillen (3/30) 1 p.m. – Abigail Dillen is the President of Earthjustice, leading the organization’s staff, board and supporters to advance our mission of using the courts to protect our environment and people’s health
Stacy Mason (3/30) 3 p.m. – Stacy is a co-founder of Electing Women San Francisco, a giving circle that is part of a new national network
Jane Kim (3/30) 5 p.m. – Once SF’s most prominent supervisors, now Jane Kim heads the Bay Area campaign operations for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
Patrick Ayscue (03/30) 6 p.m. – Dr. Ayscue is an applied epidemiologist with over ten years of experience in infectious disease outbreak response, surveillance, and analysis. He has previously worked as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, where he was deployed to Liberia early in the course of the West Africa Ebola virus outbreak in 2014.
Betty Yee (3/30) 7 p.m. – State Controller Betty T. Yee was elected in November 2014, following two terms of service on the California Board of Equalization
Rosny Daniel (03/31) 11 a.m. “My Experience with Coronavirus: UCSF ER Doctor Rosny Daniel”– Medical staff is on the frontline of this pandemic, risking their lives to save the lives of others. Dr. Rosny Daniel is Assistant Professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine who contracted Coronavirus.
Heather Knight (3/31) 1 p.m. – San Francisco Chronicle columnist; host of SF City Insider podcast; co-founder of #TotalSF and #49MileMakeover; cable car bell ringing judge; public transit fan
Morgan Bailey (3/31) 3 p.m. – Morgan Bailey’s curiosity led me to pursue a PhD in Engineering, a Masters in Public Health, and a certificate in Co-Active Coaching
Sam Moss (3/31) 5 p.m. – Sam Moss oversees the administration of all Mission Housing assets, programs and services
Kevin Roose (3/31) 7 p.m. – Kevin Roose is a columnist for Business Day and a writer-at-large for The New York Times Magazine
Jeff Bleich (4/01) 5 p.m. – Longtime friend of President Obama, Jeffrey Laurence Bleichis an American lawyer and diplomat from California, currently the chair of Pacific Gas and Electric Company and of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
Scott Wiener (4/01) 7 p.m. – Scott Wiener is an American politician and a member of the California State Senate
Regulating through Crisis (4/02) 1 p.m. – Comedian and playwright Luna Malbroux and Trauma Expert Sarah Buffie explore ways to help ground ourselves and our friends during tough times
SF Mayor London N. Breed (4/02) 4 p.m. – Leading San Francisco in a Time of CrisisMayor London Breed was re-elected to be the Mayor of San Francisco just months before the halting of much of the world’s economy and the outbreak of a global pandemic. She is leading San Francisco during unprecedented times and her decisions are having real world consequences for the life and well-being of us all. Tune in to hear her in conversation with Manny’s and to ask her your questions during this time our City’s history.
Rebecca Rolfe (4/02) 7 p.m. – Rebecca Rolfe is a community activist who has worked on issues of social justice for over twenty-eight years
Valerie Jarrett (04/03) 11 a.m. “Presidential Leadership During Crisis: A Conversation with Valerie Jarrett”– Ms. Jarrett was the longest serving Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversaw the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and Chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls..
Emmett Shear (4/03) 1 p.m. – Emmett Shear is an American internet entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder of live video platforms Justin.tv and TwitchTV with and is the Chief executive officer of Twitch.
Deborah Cullinan (4/03) 3 p.m. – Deborah Cullinan is the Chief Executive Officer for Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Debra Walker (4/03) 7 p.m. – Artist and housing policy advisor Debra Walker serves on the San Francisco Arts Commission, appointed by Mayor London Breed
Terry Beswick (4/6) 1 p.m. – – Executive Director at GLBT Historical Society. San Francisco is rich in LGBTQ+ history. However, how do we remember LGBT history? How do we honor it? Why is it that we don’t have a museum?
Marianne Williamson (4/6) 2 p.m. – Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist and spiritual thought leader. For over three decades Marianne has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles. She was one of 29 Democratic candidates to run for president in 2020.
Eric Swalwell (4/06) 5 p.m. – Eric Swalwell in 2012 was elected to represent California’s Fifteenth Congressional District, which includes a large part of the East Bay
Matt Haney (04/06) 6 p.m. – As President of the Board of Education, Haney was known for tackling some of the city’s biggest challenges with creative solutions. He led initiatives to build affordable housing for teachers and protect them from evictions, launch a new school in Mission Bay, secure housing and expand services for homeless students, and ensure all our kids have access to computer science and technology.
Rudy Gonzalez (04/06) 7 p.m. – In 2018, Rudy Gonzalez was selected to be the youngest Executive Director and first person of color to head the San Francisco Labor Council in its 125 year history.After leading organizing campaigns that nearly doubled the size and strength of his local union, he became a director and officer of Local 856.
Christine Pelosi (04/07) 1 p.m. – Pelosi is the author of Campaign Boot Camp 2.0 (2012) and Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders’ (2007), books used in her leadership training for candidates and causes. Since 2005 she has directed the AFSCME PEOPLE Congressional Candidates Boot Camp, which prepares Democrats for campaigns and has helped over 40 challengers get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rob Avruch (4/07) 5 p.m. – Advocacy Associate, Housing Affordability at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. You can ask them anything. The floor is open.
Joaquin Torres (04/07) 7 p.m. – Joaquín Torres is the Director of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Jamie Rudman (04/08) 3 p.m. –Jamie Rudman has more than twenty years of experience representing management in labor and employment matters.
Dr. Judy Kuriansky (4/08) 5 p.m. – Dr. Judy Kuriansky is a world renowned radio advice host, clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist, popular lecturer, newspaper columnist, and author of many books
Rodney Fong (04/09) 3 p.m. – Fong sat on San Francisco’s Port Commission for four years and also on the city’s Planning Commission. Fong was also the chair of the San Francisco Travel Association board. Now he is the president of SF Chamber of Commerce.
Ritchie Torres (04/09) 7 p.m. – Ritchie Torres is an American politician from New York.. Elected in 2013, he is the first openly gay candidate to be elected to legislative office in the Bronx, and the youngest member of the city council.
Jess Nguyen (04/10) 3 p.m. – Join us for a conversation with student activist, Jess Nguyen, on Community College of San Francisco’s student activism.
Jim Haas (04/10) 7 p.m. – James W. Haas has lived most of his life in the city. Now retired, he has written about San Francisco including a biography of the long-forgotten Mayor Edward Robeson Taylor which appeared in the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society’s journal.
Ben Bleiman (04/13) 3 p.m. – Ben is currently the President of the California Music & Culture Association, which is the only trade group to represent bars, clubs, music venues and music festivals in SF.
Aria Sa’id (04/13) 5 p.m. – Aria Sa’id is a transgender advocate and award winning political strategist based in San Francisco Bay Area. She is a founder and the Executive Director of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District- the world’s first transgender district.
Laura Tam (04/15) 1 p.m. – Laura Tam is the Sustainable Development Policy Director at SPUR, a Bay Area think-tank and one of the leading urban policy groups in the United States.
Jeffrey Tumlin (4/15) 7 p.m. – Jeffrey Tumlin is the former director of strategy at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a San Francisco-based transportation planning and engineering firm that focuses on sustainable mobility
Hillary Ronen (04/16) 1 p.m. “Q&A with District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen”– Supervisor Ronen attended UC Berkeley School of Law. Upon graduating she joined La Raza Centro Legal in San Francisco’s Mission District where I spent over six years fighting for immigrants’ rights and organizing to get unpaid back wages for domestic workers and day laborers. She went on as Chief of Staff for-then Supervisor of District 9, David Campos.
Naomi Kelly (04/21) 1 p.m.– Naomi Kelly is San Francisco’s City Administrator, the highest-ranking non-elected official of San Francisco City and County government. In this capacity, Ms. Kelly oversees 25 departments, divisions, and programs
Ben Rosenfield (4/22) 7 p.m. – Ben Rosenfield serves as the City Controller. Mr. Rosenfield was initially appointed to a 10-year term as Controller by Mayor Gavin Newsom in Spring 2008 and re-appointed to a second term by Mayor Mark Farrell in Spring 2018
Lex Sloan (4/24) 3 p.m. – Manager of the movie theart The Roxie, Alexis ‘Lex’ Sloan is an American, Jewish, middle-class feminist filmmaker
Cecilia Cabello (04/24) 7 p.m. – Cecilia Cabello is the Vice President of the Board of Public Works. She was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in November 2018. She was tapped as Hillary for America’s California State Director during the 2016 general campaign and California Deputy Political Director for the 2016 primary campaign.
Tal Klement (4/27) 7 p.m. – Tal Klement is a Deputy Public Defender in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office
***Meena Harris TBD “Inspiring Hope Online with Meena Harris”– Meena Harris is an American lawyer, tech-policy expert, political activist, and entrepreneur. She is the niece of California Senator, Kamala Harris. On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017, she launched the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, a grassroots fundraising initiative that benefits women’s organizations like Planned Parenthood and EMILY’s List.
Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
17th Annual International Ocean Film Festival Holds “Global Online Audience Award” for Student Films March 25 – April 5
Winners will be announced online via the International Ocean Film Festival newsletter and social media on Monday, April 6 at 12 noon PDT.
25 March 2020 – San Francisco, CA: The International Ocean Film Festival often called “Sundance for the Ocean” will host a very special “Global Online Audience Award” for its Student Film Competition submissions. The online voting form and the films are listed by title at www.intloceanfilmfest.org/student-film-competition. Online viewers are asked to vote for their one top choice in each category of middle school and high school students. The contest will run from Wednesday March 25 at 12:00 noon and end at midnight Sunday, April 5th(all times Pacific Standard Time)
“While we’re all doing our best to ‘bend the curve’ and decrease coronavirus infections, this is a great opportunity to acknowledge the great work by our student filmmakers around the world,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the IOFF. “With submissions from across the US, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand and Turkey, this will truly be a global audience award. These next generation of artists, activists and ocean leaders are telling stories whereby we can truly save the world’s oceans. This is an opportunity for people around the world to be entertained, weigh in and engage with us during this challenging period.”
Rules for the online contest are:
Only one vote per email.
Votes can’t be changed once submitted.
Open to anyone around the world
The winning student filmmaker will receive a cash prize of $100, a Jenga Ocean game, and a Global Online Audience Award Certificate. Winners will also be honored =at the Festival’s rescheduled full event later this year, along with the announcement of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place student film winners in each category.
For 17 years, San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival has been pursuing its ocean conservation mission through film: Saving Our Oceans – One Film at a Time. This year’s Festival selection comprised 56 films from 15 countries including four world premieres, six United States premieres, nine West Coast premieres and six Bay Area Premieres.
“This is easily the most diverse group of films we’ve ever had, with the greatest international participation to date,” said Blanco.
For the 2020 Festival, 160 submissions were received from around the world, including films from the USA, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Turkey, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, South Korea, Madagascar and South Africa. The list includes films of all genres – documentaries, narratives, shorts, and animation films of all lengths. As always, the Festival focuses on all ocean centric themes including but not limited to: ocean exploration, wildlife, environmental, conservation, oceanography, seafaring adventures, maritime issues, ocean sports and coastal cultures.
In order to fulfill its conservation mission, and in addition to screening films, the International Ocean Film Festival has aligned itself with the Ocean Unite’s #Love30x30 initiative to bring more awareness to this global effort. #Love30x30 is a call to action to safeguard at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030 through a network of highly protected marine areas where no destructive or extractive activities like fishing or mining can take place.
Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental activists. Since then, the Festival has presented over 600 films from 50 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.
Current sponsors for the 17th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include National Marine Sanctuary, BigBus of San Francisco, Gray Line Tours, SSA, Alcatraz Cruises, the Port of San Francisco, the Consul General of Canada, Blue and Gold Ferry, RBC Wealth Management, Heidrick & Struggles, Pacific Gas & Electric and Troutman Sanders LLC.
The International Ocean Film Festival encourages its patrons, supporters and partners to follow the most current advice from the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization for preventing the further spread of the COVID-19 in Northern California and beyond, and to stay tuned for announcements about International Ocean Film Festival events once the threat level is reduced. A new date for the entire 17th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will be announced in a few weeks.
15-20k viewers expected & many news outlets tuning in and participating
What: To continue our mission, Manny’s is excited to announce that we’ll be hosting over one hundred live civic conversations over video for the public. We’ll be providing opportunities for the public to continue to be civically engaged all at the convenience of their home for free or with a suggested donation. With an expected reach of 15,000 – 20,000 viewers with many news outlets also tuning in and participating.
What:
To continue our mission, Manny’s is excited to announce that we’ll be hosting over one hundred civic conversations over video for the public. We’ll be providing opportunities for the public to continue to be civically engaged all at the convenience of their home for free or with a suggested donation.
Who:
Guests speakers will include Secretary Madeleine Albright, Representative Stacey Abrams, Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts, District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Author Michael Pollan, SF Giants CEO Larry Baer, a majority of the SF Board of Supervisors, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, SFMTA DIrector Jeff Tumlin, and folks on the front lines of our public health system from ER Doctors to Epidemiologists.
{{BIG LIST ADDED IN HERE}}
When:
Conversations will start on Monday, March 23 at 1 PM conversation with famed Drag Queen, Heklina, followed by a 3 PM conversation with Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations will continue for one month on weekdays at 1, 3, 5 and 7pm PST.
Manny’s was opened with a crystal clear purpose: civically engage the public in person. It’s imperative that we rise to the occasion and continue to bring hope and inspiration to the public given the times in which we find ourselves. I’m humbled and excited at how quickly my team and I put together the “Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations,” and I look forward to continuing to put in the work.
Heklina (3/23) 1 p.m. – Heklina has been entertaining the SF nightlife for over two decades. Being half Icelandic, she named herself after the Icelandic volcano Hekla
LT. Eleni Kounalakis (3/23) 3 p.m. – Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the first woman elected Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom
Laurie Thomas (3/23) 5 p.m. – Laurie owns and operates local restaurants Rose’s Cafe and Terzo and is a board member of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association
Tom Temprano (3/23) 7 p.m. – Member Board Of Trustees at City College of San Francisco & Legislative Aide, Office of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Myrna Melgar (3/24) 3 p.m. – Myrna Melgar is the Executive Director of the Jamestown Community Center
Gregory Ferenstein (3/24) 5 p.m. – Gregory Ferenstein is the editor of the Ferenstein Wire, a syndicated publication on tech, health, and politics
Max Patinkin (3/24) 7 p.m. – Max is a lawyer and second generation family farmer (on both his father’s and mother’s side). He’s passionate about civic and community engagement, including chairing a recent red-to-blue congressional campaign and assisting in the launch of Manny’s.
Audrey Cooper (3/25) 1 p.m. – Audrey Cooper is the editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, the first woman to fill the role in the company’s 153-year history
Aram Fischer (3/25) 3 p.m. – Aram escalated his action substantially in response to the 2016 election, taking on a leadership role with Indivisible San Francisco
Jeff Kositsky (3/25) 5 p.m. – Jeff Kositsky is a recognized leader in innovative solutions to homelessness and poverty in the United States and internationally
Broke-Ass Stuart (3/25) 7 p.m. – Travel Writer. TV Host. Poet. Motherf*cking Hustler. San Francisco is THAT city. How do we continue to honor the greatness of it? The funk. The weirdness. The all of it.
Eliza Nemser (3/26) 1 p.m. – Eliza Nemser is an earth scientist, environmental advocate, and organizer with over 15 years of technical, research, and consulting experience.
Hadar Aviram (3/26) 3 p.m. – Professor Hadar Aviram specializes in criminal justice, civil rights, law and politics, and social movements, and her research employs socio-legal perspectives and methodologies
Tyler MacNiven (3/26) 5 p.m. – Tyler MacNiven is a producer and director, known for Kintaro Walks Japan (2005), Jonny Ramada (2017) and Big in Bollywood (2011)
Cody Harris (3/26) 7 p.m.– Mr. Harris also developed a first-hand understanding of a prosecutor’s mindset by spending a year trying and resolving cases at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office
Shamann Walton (03/27) 1 p.m.– Supervisor Shamann Walton is the Supervisor for District 10 of San Francisco.
DA Chesa Boudin (3/27) 3 p.m. – Chesa Boudin is the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco
Leah Culver (3/27) 5 p.m. – Computer programmer and startup founder Leah Culver is a 2006 computer science graduate of the University of Minnesota
Levi Maxwell (3/27) 7 p.m. – Let’s talk about the ideal queer dance scene with our dearest friend Levi Maxwell! Grab yourself a drink and let’s kiki!
Del Seymour (3/28) 1 p.m. – Del Seymour founded Code Tenderloin in 2015
Mark G DeVito (3/28) 3 p.m.– Mark has owned a portfolio of bars in SF for a decade and is well-networked in the field
David Plouffe (3/28) 5 p.m. – David Plouffe is an American political strategist best known as the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s successful 2008 presidential campaign
Lateefah Simon (3/28) 7 p.m. – Lateefah Simon was elected to serve District 7 on the BART Board of Directors on November 8, 2016
Larry Baer (3/29) 1 p.m. – Laurence M. Baer is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball
David Perry (3/29) 3 p.m. – David Perry is a crisis communications consultant and a member of SF Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Andrea Dew Steele (3/29) 5 p.m. – Andrea Dew Steele is the Founder of Emerge America and the Co-Founder of our first affiliate, Emerge California
Abbie Dillen (3/30) 1 p.m. – Abigail Dillen is the President of Earthjustice, leading the organization’s staff, board and supporters to advance our mission of using the courts to protect our environment and people’s health
Stacy Mason (3/30) 3 p.m. – Stacy is a co-founder of Electing Women San Francisco, a giving circle that is part of a new national network
Jane Kim (3/30) 5 p.m. – Once SF’s most prominent supervisors, now Jane Kim heads the Bay Area campaign operations for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
Patrick Ayscue (03/30) 6 p.m. – Dr. Ayscue is an applied epidemiologist with over ten years of experience in infectious disease outbreak response, surveillance, and analysis. He has previously worked as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, where he was deployed to Liberia early in the course of the West Africa Ebola virus outbreak in 2014.
Betty Yee (3/30) 7 p.m. – State Controller Betty T. Yee was elected in November 2014, following two terms of service on the California Board of Equalization
Rosny Daniel (03/31) 11 a.m. “My Experience with Coronavirus: UCSF ER Doctor Rosny Daniel”– Medical staff is on the frontline of this pandemic, risking their lives to save the lives of others. Dr. Rosny Daniel is Assistant Professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine who contracted Coronavirus.
Heather Knight (3/31) 1 p.m. – San Francisco Chronicle columnist; host of SF City Insider podcast; co-founder of #TotalSF and #49MileMakeover; cable car bell ringing judge; public transit fan
Morgan Bailey (3/31) 3 p.m. – Morgan Bailey’s curiosity led me to pursue a PhD in Engineering, a Masters in Public Health, and a certificate in Co-Active Coaching
Sam Moss (3/31) 5 p.m. – Sam Moss oversees the administration of all Mission Housing assets, programs and services
Kevin Roose (3/31) 7 p.m. – Kevin Roose is a columnist for Business Day and a writer-at-large for The New York Times Magazine
Jeff Bleich (4/01) 5 p.m. – Longtime friend of President Obama, Jeffrey Laurence Bleichis an American lawyer and diplomat from California, currently the chair of Pacific Gas and Electric Company and of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
Scott Wiener (4/01) 7 p.m. – Scott Wiener is an American politician and a member of the California State Senate
Regulating through Crisis (4/02) 1 p.m. – Comedian and playwright Luna Malbroux and Trauma Expert Sarah Buffie explore ways to help ground ourselves and our friends during tough times
SF Mayor London N. Breed (4/02) 4 p.m. – Leading San Francisco in a Time of CrisisMayor London Breed was re-elected to be the Mayor of San Francisco just months before the halting of much of the world’s economy and the outbreak of a global pandemic. She is leading San Francisco during unprecedented times and her decisions are having real world consequences for the life and well-being of us all. Tune in to hear her in conversation with Manny’s and to ask her your questions during this time our City’s history.
Rebecca Rolfe (4/02) 7 p.m. – Rebecca Rolfe is a community activist who has worked on issues of social justice for over twenty-eight years
Valerie Jarrett (04/03) 11 a.m. “Presidential Leadership During Crisis: A Conversation with Valerie Jarrett”– Ms. Jarrett was the longest serving Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversaw the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and Chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls..
Emmett Shear (4/03) 1 p.m. – Emmett Shear is an American internet entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder of live video platforms Justin.tv and TwitchTV with and is the Chief executive officer of Twitch.
Deborah Cullinan (4/03) 3 p.m. – Deborah Cullinan is the Chief Executive Officer for Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Debra Walker (4/03) 7 p.m. – Artist and housing policy advisor Debra Walker serves on the San Francisco Arts Commission, appointed by Mayor London Breed
Terry Beswick (4/6) 1 p.m. – – Executive Director at GLBT Historical Society. San Francisco is rich in LGBTQ+ history. However, how do we remember LGBT history? How do we honor it? Why is it that we don’t have a museum?
Marianne Williamson (4/6) 2 p.m. – Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist and spiritual thought leader. For over three decades Marianne has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles. She was one of 29 Democratic candidates to run for president in 2020.
Eric Swalwell (4/06) 5 p.m. – Eric Swalwell in 2012 was elected to represent California’s Fifteenth Congressional District, which includes a large part of the East Bay
Matt Haney (04/06) 6 p.m. – As President of the Board of Education, Haney was known for tackling some of the city’s biggest challenges with creative solutions. He led initiatives to build affordable housing for teachers and protect them from evictions, launch a new school in Mission Bay, secure housing and expand services for homeless students, and ensure all our kids have access to computer science and technology.
Rudy Gonzalez (04/06) 7 p.m. – In 2018, Rudy Gonzalez was selected to be the youngest Executive Director and first person of color to head the San Francisco Labor Council in its 125 year history.After leading organizing campaigns that nearly doubled the size and strength of his local union, he became a director and officer of Local 856.
Christine Pelosi (04/07) 1 p.m. – Pelosi is the author of Campaign Boot Camp 2.0 (2012) and Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders’ (2007), books used in her leadership training for candidates and causes. Since 2005 she has directed the AFSCME PEOPLE Congressional Candidates Boot Camp, which prepares Democrats for campaigns and has helped over 40 challengers get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rob Avruch (4/07) 5 p.m. – Advocacy Associate, Housing Affordability at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. You can ask them anything. The floor is open.
Joaquin Torres (04/07) 7 p.m. – Joaquín Torres is the Director of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Jamie Rudman (04/08) 3 p.m. –Jamie Rudman has more than twenty years of experience representing management in labor and employment matters.
Dr. Judy Kuriansky (4/08) 5 p.m. – Dr. Judy Kuriansky is a world renowned radio advice host, clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist, popular lecturer, newspaper columnist, and author of many books
Rodney Fong (04/09) 3 p.m. – Fong sat on San Francisco’s Port Commission for four years and also on the city’s Planning Commission. Fong was also the chair of the San Francisco Travel Association board. Now he is the president of SF Chamber of Commerce.
Ritchie Torres (04/09) 7 p.m. – Ritchie Torres is an American politician from New York.. Elected in 2013, he is the first openly gay candidate to be elected to legislative office in the Bronx, and the youngest member of the city council.
Jess Nguyen (04/10) 3 p.m. – Join us for a conversation with student activist, Jess Nguyen, on Community College of San Francisco’s student activism.
Jim Haas (04/10) 7 p.m. – James W. Haas has lived most of his life in the city. Now retired, he has written about San Francisco including a biography of the long-forgotten Mayor Edward Robeson Taylor which appeared in the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society’s journal.
Ben Bleiman (04/13) 3 p.m. – Ben is currently the President of the California Music & Culture Association, which is the only trade group to represent bars, clubs, music venues and music festivals in SF.
Aria Sa’id (04/13) 5 p.m. – Aria Sa’id is a transgender advocate and award winning political strategist based in San Francisco Bay Area. She is a founder and the Executive Director of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District- the world’s first transgender district.
Laura Tam (04/15) 1 p.m. – Laura Tam is the Sustainable Development Policy Director at SPUR, a Bay Area think-tank and one of the leading urban policy groups in the United States.
Jeffrey Tumlin (4/15) 7 p.m. – Jeffrey Tumlin is the former director of strategy at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a San Francisco-based transportation planning and engineering firm that focuses on sustainable mobility
Hillary Ronen (04/16) 1 p.m. “Q&A with District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen”– Supervisor Ronen attended UC Berkeley School of Law. Upon graduating she joined La Raza Centro Legal in San Francisco’s Mission District where I spent over six years fighting for immigrants’ rights and organizing to get unpaid back wages for domestic workers and day laborers. She went on as Chief of Staff for-then Supervisor of District 9, David Campos.
Naomi Kelly (04/21) 1 p.m.– Naomi Kelly is San Francisco’s City Administrator, the highest-ranking non-elected official of San Francisco City and County government. In this capacity, Ms. Kelly oversees 25 departments, divisions, and programs
Ben Rosenfield (4/22) 7 p.m. – Ben Rosenfield serves as the City Controller. Mr. Rosenfield was initially appointed to a 10-year term as Controller by Mayor Gavin Newsom in Spring 2008 and re-appointed to a second term by Mayor Mark Farrell in Spring 2018
Lex Sloan (4/24) 3 p.m. – Manager of the movie theart The Roxie, Alexis ‘Lex’ Sloan is an American, Jewish, middle-class feminist filmmaker
Cecilia Cabello (04/24) 7 p.m. – Cecilia Cabello is the Vice President of the Board of Public Works. She was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in November 2018. She was tapped as Hillary for America’s California State Director during the 2016 general campaign and California Deputy Political Director for the 2016 primary campaign.
Tal Klement (4/27) 7 p.m. – Tal Klement is a Deputy Public Defender in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office
***Meena Harris TBD “Inspiring Hope Online with Meena Harris”– Meena Harris is an American lawyer, tech-policy expert, political activist, and entrepreneur. She is the niece of California Senator, Kamala Harris. On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017, she launched the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, a grassroots fundraising initiative that benefits women’s organizations like Planned Parenthood and EMILY’s List.
What: To continue our mission, Manny’s is excited to announce that we’ll be hosting over one hundred live civic conversations over video for the public. We’ll be providing opportunities for the public to continue to be civically engaged all at the convenience of their home for free or with a suggested donation. With an expected reach of 15,000 – 20,000 viewers with many news outlets also tuning in and participating.
What:
To continue our mission, Manny’s is excited to announce that we’ll be hosting over one hundred civic conversations over video for the public. We’ll be providing opportunities for the public to continue to be civically engaged all at the convenience of their home for free or with a suggested donation.
Who:
Guests speakers will include Secretary Madeleine Albright, Representative Stacey Abrams, Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts, District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Author Michael Pollan, SF Giants CEO Larry Baer, a majority of the SF Board of Supervisors, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, SFMTA DIrector Jeff Tumlin, and folks on the front lines of our public health system from ER Doctors to Epidemiologists.
{{BIG LIST ADDED IN HERE}}
When:
Conversations will start on Monday, March 23 at 1 PM conversation with famed Drag Queen, Heklina, followed by a 3 PM conversation with Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations will continue for one month on weekdays at 1, 3, 5 and 7pm PST.
Manny’s was opened with a crystal clear purpose: civically engage the public in person. It’s imperative that we rise to the occasion and continue to bring hope and inspiration to the public given the times in which we find ourselves. I’m humbled and excited at how quickly my team and I put together the “Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations,” and I look forward to continuing to put in the work.
Heklina (3/23) 1 p.m. – Heklina has been entertaining the SF nightlife for over two decades. Being half Icelandic, she named herself after the Icelandic volcano Hekla
LT. Eleni Kounalakis (3/23) 3 p.m. – Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the first woman elected Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom
Laurie Thomas (3/23) 5 p.m. – Laurie owns and operates local restaurants Rose’s Cafe and Terzo and is a board member of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association
Tom Temprano (3/23) 7 p.m. – Member Board Of Trustees at City College of San Francisco & Legislative Aide, Office of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Myrna Melgar (3/24) 3 p.m. – Myrna Melgar is the Executive Director of the Jamestown Community Center
Gregory Ferenstein (3/24) 5 p.m. – Gregory Ferenstein is the editor of the Ferenstein Wire, a syndicated publication on tech, health, and politics
Max Patinkin (3/24) 7 p.m. – Max is a lawyer and second generation family farmer (on both his father’s and mother’s side). He’s passionate about civic and community engagement, including chairing a recent red-to-blue congressional campaign and assisting in the launch of Manny’s.
Audrey Cooper (3/25) 1 p.m. – Audrey Cooper is the editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, the first woman to fill the role in the company’s 153-year history
Aram Fischer (3/25) 3 p.m. – Aram escalated his action substantially in response to the 2016 election, taking on a leadership role with Indivisible San Francisco
Jeff Kositsky (3/25) 5 p.m. – Jeff Kositsky is a recognized leader in innovative solutions to homelessness and poverty in the United States and internationally
Broke-Ass Stuart (3/25) 7 p.m. – Travel Writer. TV Host. Poet. Motherf*cking Hustler. San Francisco is THAT city. How do we continue to honor the greatness of it? The funk. The weirdness. The all of it.
Eliza Nemser (3/26) 1 p.m. – Eliza Nemser is an earth scientist, environmental advocate, and organizer with over 15 years of technical, research, and consulting experience.
Hadar Aviram (3/26) 3 p.m. – Professor Hadar Aviram specializes in criminal justice, civil rights, law and politics, and social movements, and her research employs socio-legal perspectives and methodologies
Tyler MacNiven (3/26) 5 p.m. – Tyler MacNiven is a producer and director, known for Kintaro Walks Japan (2005), Jonny Ramada (2017) and Big in Bollywood (2011)
Cody Harris (3/26) 7 p.m.– Mr. Harris also developed a first-hand understanding of a prosecutor’s mindset by spending a year trying and resolving cases at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office
Shamann Walton (03/27) 1 p.m.– Supervisor Shamann Walton is the Supervisor for District 10 of San Francisco.
DA Chesa Boudin (3/27) 3 p.m. – Chesa Boudin is the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco
Leah Culver (3/27) 5 p.m. – Computer programmer and startup founder Leah Culver is a 2006 computer science graduate of the University of Minnesota
Levi Maxwell (3/27) 7 p.m. – Let’s talk about the ideal queer dance scene with our dearest friend Levi Maxwell! Grab yourself a drink and let’s kiki!
Del Seymour (3/28) 1 p.m. – Del Seymour founded Code Tenderloin in 2015
Mark G DeVito (3/28) 3 p.m.– Mark has owned a portfolio of bars in SF for a decade and is well-networked in the field
David Plouffe (3/28) 5 p.m. – David Plouffe is an American political strategist best known as the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s successful 2008 presidential campaign
Lateefah Simon (3/28) 7 p.m. – Lateefah Simon was elected to serve District 7 on the BART Board of Directors on November 8, 2016
Larry Baer (3/29) 1 p.m. – Laurence M. Baer is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball
Andrea Dew Steele (3/29) 5 p.m. – Andrea Dew Steele is the Founder of Emerge America and the Co-Founder of our first affiliate, Emerge California
Abbie Dillen (3/30) 1 p.m. – Abigail Dillen is the President of Earthjustice, leading the organization’s staff, board and supporters to advance our mission of using the courts to protect our environment and people’s health
Stacy Mason (3/30) 3 p.m. – Stacy is a co-founder of Electing Women San Francisco, a giving circle that is part of a new national network
Jane Kim (3/30) 5 p.m. – Once SF’s most prominent supervisors, now Jane Kim heads the Bay Area campaign operations for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
Patrick Ayscue (03/30) 6 p.m. – Dr. Ayscue is an applied epidemiologist with over ten years of experience in infectious disease outbreak response, surveillance, and analysis. He has previously worked as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, where he was deployed to Liberia early in the course of the West Africa Ebola virus outbreak in 2014.
Betty Yee (3/30) 7 p.m. – State Controller Betty T. Yee was elected in November 2014, following two terms of service on the California Board of Equalization
Rosny Daniel (03/31) 11 a.m. “My Experience with Coronavirus: UCSF ER Doctor Rosny Daniel”– Medical staff is on the frontline of this pandemic, risking their lives to save the lives of others. Dr. Rosny Daniel is Assistant Professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine who contracted Coronavirus.
Heather Knight (3/31) 1 p.m. – San Francisco Chronicle columnist; host of SF City Insider podcast; co-founder of #TotalSF and #49MileMakeover; cable car bell ringing judge; public transit fan
Morgan Bailey (3/31) 3 p.m. – Morgan Bailey’s curiosity led me to pursue a PhD in Engineering, a Masters in Public Health, and a certificate in Co-Active Coaching
Sam Moss (3/31) 5 p.m. – Sam Moss oversees the administration of all Mission Housing assets, programs and services
Kevin Roose (3/31) 7 p.m. – Kevin Roose is a columnist for Business Day and a writer-at-large for The New York Times Magazine
Jeff Bleich (4/01) 5 p.m. – Longtime friend of President Obama, Jeffrey Laurence Bleichis an American lawyer and diplomat from California, currently the chair of Pacific Gas and Electric Company and of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
Scott Wiener (4/01) 7 p.m. – Scott Wiener is an American politician and a member of the California State Senate
Regulating through Crisis (4/02) 1 p.m. – Comedian and playwright Luna Malbroux and Trauma Expert Sarah Buffie explore ways to help ground ourselves and our friends during tough times
SF Mayor London N. Breed (4/02) 4 p.m. – Leading San Francisco in a Time of CrisisMayor London Breed was re-elected to be the Mayor of San Francisco just months before the halting of much of the world’s economy and the outbreak of a global pandemic. She is leading San Francisco during unprecedented times and her decisions are having real world consequences for the life and well-being of us all. Tune in to hear her in conversation with Manny’s and to ask her your questions during this time our City’s history.
Rebecca Rolfe (4/02) 7 p.m. – Rebecca Rolfe is a community activist who has worked on issues of social justice for over twenty-eight years
Valerie Jarrett (04/03) 11 a.m. “Presidential Leadership During Crisis: A Conversation with Valerie Jarrett”– Ms. Jarrett was the longest serving Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversaw the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and Chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls..
Emmett Shear (4/03) 1 p.m. – Emmett Shear is an American internet entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder of live video platforms Justin.tv and TwitchTV with and is the Chief executive officer of Twitch.
Deborah Cullinan (4/03) 3 p.m. – Deborah Cullinan is the Chief Executive Officer for Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Debra Walker (4/03) 7 p.m. – Artist and housing policy advisor Debra Walker serves on the San Francisco Arts Commission, appointed by Mayor London Breed
Terry Beswick (4/6) 1 p.m. – – Executive Director at GLBT Historical Society. San Francisco is rich in LGBTQ+ history. However, how do we remember LGBT history? How do we honor it? Why is it that we don’t have a museum?
Marianne Williamson (4/6) 2 p.m. – Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist and spiritual thought leader. For over three decades Marianne has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles. She was one of 29 Democratic candidates to run for president in 2020.
Eric Swalwell (4/06) 5 p.m. – Eric Swalwell in 2012 was elected to represent California’s Fifteenth Congressional District, which includes a large part of the East Bay
Matt Haney (04/06) 6 p.m. – As President of the Board of Education, Haney was known for tackling some of the city’s biggest challenges with creative solutions. He led initiatives to build affordable housing for teachers and protect them from evictions, launch a new school in Mission Bay, secure housing and expand services for homeless students, and ensure all our kids have access to computer science and technology.
Rudy Gonzalez (04/06) 7 p.m. – In 2018, Rudy Gonzalez was selected to be the youngest Executive Director and first person of color to head the San Francisco Labor Council in its 125 year history.After leading organizing campaigns that nearly doubled the size and strength of his local union, he became a director and officer of Local 856.
Christine Pelosi (04/07) 1 p.m. – Pelosi is the author of Campaign Boot Camp 2.0 (2012) and Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders’ (2007), books used in her leadership training for candidates and causes. Since 2005 she has directed the AFSCME PEOPLE Congressional Candidates Boot Camp, which prepares Democrats for campaigns and has helped over 40 challengers get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rob Avruch (4/07) 5 p.m. – Advocacy Associate, Housing Affordability at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. You can ask them anything. The floor is open.
Joaquin Torres (04/07) 7 p.m. – Joaquín Torres is the Director of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Jamie Rudman (04/08) 3 p.m. –Jamie Rudman has more than twenty years of experience representing management in labor and employment matters.
Dr. Judy Kuriansky (4/08) 5 p.m. – Dr. Judy Kuriansky is a world renowned radio advice host, clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist, popular lecturer, newspaper columnist, and author of many books
Rodney Fong (04/09) 3 p.m. – Fong sat on San Francisco’s Port Commission for four years and also on the city’s Planning Commission. Fong was also the chair of the San Francisco Travel Association board. Now he is the president of SF Chamber of Commerce.
Ritchie Torres (04/09) 7 p.m. – Ritchie Torres is an American politician from New York.. Elected in 2013, he is the first openly gay candidate to be elected to legislative office in the Bronx, and the youngest member of the city council.
Jess Nguyen (04/10) 3 p.m. – Join us for a conversation with student activist, Jess Nguyen, on Community College of San Francisco’s student activism.
Jim Haas (04/10) 7 p.m. – James W. Haas has lived most of his life in the city. Now retired, he has written about San Francisco including a biography of the long-forgotten Mayor Edward Robeson Taylor which appeared in the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society’s journal.
Ben Bleiman (04/13) 3 p.m. – Ben is currently the President of the California Music & Culture Association, which is the only trade group to represent bars, clubs, music venues and music festivals in SF.
Aria Sa’id (04/13) 5 p.m. – Aria Sa’id is a transgender advocate and award winning political strategist based in San Francisco Bay Area. She is a founder and the Executive Director of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District- the world’s first transgender district.
Laura Tam (04/15) 1 p.m. – Laura Tam is the Sustainable Development Policy Director at SPUR, a Bay Area think-tank and one of the leading urban policy groups in the United States.
Jeffrey Tumlin (4/15) 7 p.m. – Jeffrey Tumlin is the former director of strategy at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a San Francisco-based transportation planning and engineering firm that focuses on sustainable mobility
Hillary Ronen (04/16) 1 p.m. “Q&A with District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen”– Supervisor Ronen attended UC Berkeley School of Law. Upon graduating she joined La Raza Centro Legal in San Francisco’s Mission District where I spent over six years fighting for immigrants’ rights and organizing to get unpaid back wages for domestic workers and day laborers. She went on as Chief of Staff for-then Supervisor of District 9, David Campos.
Naomi Kelly (04/21) 1 p.m.– Naomi Kelly is San Francisco’s City Administrator, the highest-ranking non-elected official of San Francisco City and County government. In this capacity, Ms. Kelly oversees 25 departments, divisions, and programs
Ben Rosenfield (4/22) 7 p.m. – Ben Rosenfield serves as the City Controller. Mr. Rosenfield was initially appointed to a 10-year term as Controller by Mayor Gavin Newsom in Spring 2008 and re-appointed to a second term by Mayor Mark Farrell in Spring 2018
Lex Sloan (4/24) 3 p.m. – Manager of the movie theart The Roxie, Alexis ‘Lex’ Sloan is an American, Jewish, middle-class feminist filmmaker
Cecilia Cabello (04/24) 7 p.m. – Cecilia Cabello is the Vice President of the Board of Public Works. She was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in November 2018. She was tapped as Hillary for America’s California State Director during the 2016 general campaign and California Deputy Political Director for the 2016 primary campaign.
Tal Klement (4/27) 7 p.m. – Tal Klement is a Deputy Public Defender in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office
***Meena Harris TBD “Inspiring Hope Online with Meena Harris”– Meena Harris is an American lawyer, tech-policy expert, political activist, and entrepreneur. She is the niece of California Senator, Kamala Harris. On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017, she launched the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, a grassroots fundraising initiative that benefits women’s organizations like Planned Parenthood and EMILY’s List.
What: To continue our mission, Manny’s is excited to announce that we’ll be hosting over one hundred live civic conversations over video for the public. We’ll be providing opportunities for the public to continue to be civically engaged all at the convenience of their home for free or with a suggested donation. With an expected reach of 15,000 – 20,000 viewers with many news outlets also tuning in and participating.
Who: Guests speakers will include Secretary Madeleine Albright, Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts, District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Author Michael Pollan, SF Giants CEO Larry Baer, Tom Steyer, a majority of the SF Board of Supervisors, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, SFMTA Director Jeff Tumlin, BART Board President Lateefah Simon, State Controller Betty Yee, Former Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe, Twitch CEO Emmett Shear, Congressional Representatives Eric Swalwell, Seth Moulton, Joe Kennedy and Max Rose, Chair of the PG&E Board Ambassador Jeff Bleich, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Rueff, State Senator Scott Wiener, San Francisco City Economist Ted Egan, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, SF City Controller Ben Rosenfield, SF Chamber of Commerce CEO Rodney Fong, San Francisco’s Director of the Office of Workforce and Economic Development Joaquin Torres, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz and folks on the front lines of our public health system from ER Doctors to Epidemiologists.
When:
Conversations will start on Monday, March 23 at 1 PM conversation with famed Drag Queen, Heklina, followed by a 3 PM conversation with Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversationswill continue for one month on weekdays at
1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm PST.
Manny Quote: Manny’s was opened with a crystal clear purpose: civically engage the public in person. It’s imperative that we rise to the occasion and continue to bring hope and inspiration to the public given the times in which we find ourselves. I’m humbled and excited at how quickly our team put together the “Manny’s Super Civic Cyber Conversations,” and I look forward to continuing to put in the work.
Heklina (3/23) 1 p.m. – Heklina has been entertaining the SF nightlife for over two decades. Being half Icelandic, she named herself after the Icelandic volcano Hekla
LT. Eleni Kounalakis (3/23) 3 p.m. – Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the first woman elected Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom
Laurie Thomas (3/23) 5 p.m. – Laurie owns and operates local restaurants Rose’s Cafe and Terzo and is a board member of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association
Tom Temprano (3/23) 7 p.m. – Member Board Of Trustees at City College of San Francisco & Legislative Aide, Office of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Eric Swalwell (3/24) 1 p.m. – Eric Swalwell in 2012 was elected to represent California’s Fifteenth Congressional District, which includes a large part of the East Bay
Myrna Melgar (3/24) 3 p.m. – Myrna Melgar is the Executive Director of the Jamestown Community Center
Gregory Ferenstein (3/24) 5 p.m. – Gregory Ferenstein is the editor of the Ferenstein Wire, a syndicated publication on tech, health, and politics
Max Patinkin (3/24) 7 p.m.– Max is a lawyer and second generation family farmer. He’s passionate about civic and community engagement, including chairing a recent red-to-blue congressional campaign and assisting in the launch of Manny’s.
Audrey Cooper (3/25) 1 p.m. – Audrey Cooper is the editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, the first woman to fill the role in the company’s 153-year history
Aram Fischer (3/25) 3 p.m. – Aram escalated his action substantially in response to the 2016 election, taking on a leadership role with Indivisible San Francisco
Jeff Kositsky (3/25) 5 p.m. – Jeff Kositsky is a recognized leader in innovative solutions to homelessness and poverty in the United States and internationally
Broke-Ass Stuart (3/25) 7 p.m. – Travel Writer. TV Host. Poet. Motherf*cking Hustler. San Francisco is THAT city. How do we continue to honor the greatness of it? The funk. The weirdness. The all of it.
Eliza Nemser (3/26) 1 p.m. – Eliza Nemser is an earth scientist, environmental advocate, and organizer with over 15 years of technical, research, and consulting experience.
Hadar Aviram (3/26) 3 p.m. – Professor Hadar Aviram specializes in criminal justice, civil rights, law and politics, and social movements, and her research employs socio-legal perspectives and methodologies
Tyler MacNiven (3/26) 5 p.m. – Tyler MacNiven is a producer and director, known for Kintaro Walks Japan (2005), Jonny Ramada (2017) and Big in Bollywood (2011)
Cody Harris (3/26) 7 p.m.– Mr. Harris also developed a first-hand understanding of a prosecutor’s mindset by spending a year trying and resolving cases at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office
DA Chesa Boudin (3/27) 3 p.m. – Chesa Boudin is the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco
Leah Culver (3/27) 5 p.m. – Computer programmer and startup founder Leah Culver is a 2006 computer science graduate of the University of Minnesota
Levi Maxwell (3/27) 7 p.m. – Let’s talk about the ideal queer dance scene with our dearest friend Levi Maxwell! Grab yourself a drink and let’s kiki!
Del Seymour (3/28) 1 p.m. – Del Seymour founded Code Tenderloin in 2015
Mark G DeVito (3/28) 3 p.m.– Mark has owned a portfolio of bars in SF for a decade and is well-networked in the field
David Plouffe (3/28) 5 p.m. – David Plouffe is an American political strategist best known as the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s successful 2008 presidential campaign
Lateefah Simon (3/28) 7 p.m. – Lateefah Simon was elected to serve District 7 on the BART Board of Directors on November 8, 2016
Larry Baer (3/29) 1 p.m. – Laurence M. Baer is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball
David Perry (3/29) 3 p.m. – David Perry is a crisis communications consultant and a member of SF Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Andrea Dew Steele (3/29) 5 p.m. – Andrea Dew Steele is the Founder of Emerge America and the Co-Founder of our first affiliate, Emerge California
Abbie Dillen (3/30) 1 p.m. – Abigail Dillen is the President of Earthjustice, leading the organization’s staff, board and supporters to advance our mission of using the courts to protect our environment and people’s health
Stacy Mason (3/30) 3 p.m. – Stacy is a co-founder of Electing Women San Francisco, a giving circle that is part of a new national network
Jane Kim (3/30) 5 p.m. – Once SF’s most prominent supervisors, now Jane Kim heads the Bay Area campaign operations for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
Betty Yee (3/30) 7 p.m. – State Controller Betty T. Yee was elected in November 2014, following two terms of service on the California Board of Equalization
Heather Knight (3/31) 1 p.m. – San Francisco Chronicle columnist; host of SF City Insider podcast; co-founder of #TotalSF and #49MileMakeover; cable car bell ringing judge; public transit fan
Morgan Bailey (3/31) 3 p.m. – Morgan Bailey’s curiosity led me to pursue a PhD in Engineering, a Masters in Public Health, and a certificate in Co-Active Coaching
Sam Moss (3/31) 5 p.m. – Sam Moss oversees the administration of all Mission Housing assets, programs and services
Kevin Roose (3/31) 7 p.m. – Kevin Roose is a columnist for Business Day and a writer-at-large for The New York Times Magazine
Catherine Bracy (4/01) 1 p.m. – Co-Founder and Executive Director of the TechEquity Collaborative. Bracy also founded Code for All, the global network of Code-for organizations with partners on six continents.
Seth Moulton (4/01) 3 p.m. – Seth Wilbur Moulton is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’s 6th congressional district
Jeff Bleich (4/01) 5 p.m. – Ambassador Jeffrey Laurence Bleichis an American lawyer and diplomat from California, currently the chair of Pacific Gas and Electric Company and of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Scott Wiener (4/01) 7 p.m. – Scott Wiener is an American politician and a member of the California State Senate. He represents San Francisco and parts of San Mateo County.
Regulating through Crisis (4/02) 1 p.m. – Comedian and playwright Luna Malbroux and Trauma Expert Sarah Buffie explore ways to help ground ourselves and our friends during tough times
Rebecca Lozano (4/02) 3 p.m. – Rebecca is an ER Doctor at UCSF who recently contracted Coronavirus.
Sarah Hurwitz (4/02) 5 p.m. – Sarah Hurwitz was senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama. She is recent author of the book Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life — in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There).
Rebecca Rolfe (4/02) 7 p.m. – Rebecca Rolfe is a community activist who has worked on issues of social justice for over twenty-eight years
Emmett Shear (4/03) 1 p.m. – Emmett Shear is an American internet entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder of live video platforms Justin.tv and TwitchTV with and is the Chief executive officer of Twitch.
Deborah Cullinan (4/03) 3 p.m. – Deborah Cullinan is the Chief Executive Officer for Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Michael Pollan (4/03) 5 p.m. – Michael Aaron Pollan is an American author, journalist, activist, and the Lewis K. Chan Arts Lecturer and Professor of Practice of Non-Fiction at Harvard University. Pollan is also professor of journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
Debra Walker (4/03) 7 p.m. – Artist and housing policy advisor Debra Walker serves on the San Francisco Arts Commission, appointed by Mayor London Breed
Terry Beswick (4/6) 1 p.m. – Executive Director at GLBT Historical Society
Jose Espinosa (4/06) 3 p.m. Jose Espinosa is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and an actor in New York City.
Rob Avruch (4/07) 5 p.m. – Advocacy Associate, Housing Affordability at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Robert Graham (4/08) 1 p.m. – Software Engineer at Apple / Campus Pastor @ VIVE Church
Dr. Judy Kuriansky (4/08) 5 p.m. – Dr. Judy Kuriansky is a world renowned radio advice host, clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist, popular lecturer, newspaper columnist, and author of many books
Evan Gelfand (4/08) 7 p.m. – GTM Chief of Staff & Program Manager @ Youtube
Catherine Stefani (4/09) 1 p.m. – Catherine Michele Stefani is an American politician from San Francisco. A member of the Democratic Party, Stefani has served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors since 2018, representing District 2.
Tom Steyer (4/09) 5 p.m. – Tom Steyer is a former United States presidential candidate and philanthropist.
Rick Welts (4/14) 5 p.m. – Rick Welts is the President and CEO of the Golden State Warriors. He is the first openly gay NBA Sports Executive and is a member of the NBA Hall of Fame.
Jeffrey Tumlin (4/15) 7 p.m. – Jeffrey Tumlin is the former director of strategy at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a San Francisco-based transportation planning and engineering firm that focuses on sustainable mobility
Ted Egan (4/17) 1 p.m. – Ted Egan is San Francisco’s Chief Economist
Madeleine Albright (4/22) 1 p.m. – In 1997, Dr. Albright was named the first female Secretary of State and became, at that time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government.
Ben Rosenfield (4/22) 7 p.m. – Ben Rosenfield serves as the City Controller. Mr. Rosenfield was initially appointed to a 10-year term as Controller by Mayor Gavin Newsom in Spring 2008 and re-appointed to a second term by Mayor Mark Farrell in Spring 2018
Lex Sloan (4/24) 3 p.m. – Manager of the movie theart The Roxie, Alexis ‘Lex’ Sloan is an American, Jewish, middle-class feminist filmmaker
Tal Klement (4/27) 7 p.m. – Tal Klement is a Deputy Public Defender in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office
Media contact: David Perry / David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
Palm Springs Premiere of Le Dîner en Blanc Rescheduled for Saturday, October 3.Internationally Renowned “Elegant Pop Up Picnic” originally slated for May 16
20 March 2020 – Palm Springs, CA: The Palm Springs Premiere of Le Dîner en Blanc, the popular Parisian-style pop-up picnic characterized by its famous all-white dress code, has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 3. Originally slated to take place May 16, the event has been pushed back in light of the current coronavirus pandemic. “We are all in this together,” said local Le Dîner en Blanc hosts Glenn Alexander and Geoffrey Macon “The most important thing is the health and safety of our attendees. October is gorgeous weather in Palm Springs, and we look forward to an amazing celebration of resiliency and joie de vivre on October 3.”
For a chance to be part of this unique night, people can sign up on the waiting list at: register.dinerenblanc.com/palmsprings/en/register More than 130,000 foodies and cultural enthusiasts around the world have already embraced this unique event. This très chic picnic is equal parts mystery tour, pop-up feast and je ne sais quoi. Over the years, Le Dîner en Blanc has become a worldwide epicurean phenomenon. What was a “friends and word-of-mouth only” event has grown into an international sensation celebrated on six continents. Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîner en Blanc de Paris is a fantastic event where guests gather at an outdoor secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city’s most beautiful locations. About Dîner en Blanc International: Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Dîner en Blanc International is responsible for developing this secret posh picnic in over 80 cities in 30 countries around the world. Each event is headed by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the concept and wanted to bring it to their city, giving this rendezvous a local flair. For more info, photos and videos of Dîner en Blanc events from around the world, visit dinerenblanc.com.
