Author: Alfredo Casuso

MEDIA ADVISORY / REQUEST FOR ONSITE COVERAGE:
FRIDAY APRIL 8: 2pm – 5pm

Media contact: DP&A, Inc. / David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com        

WHAT: SuitUp Gives Leg up to 15 young men from the Bayview’s Alice Griffith Community

Innovation New Violence Intervention Program Provides
Clothes and Mentoring to Participants

WHO:  Sponsored by Union Square Foundation, Macy’s Union Square,  
Black Men Enhanced, John’s Grill, Operation Genesis, SFSafe,
SF Police Department, and the Street Violence Intervention Program

Participants:  Andre Ennon, Brian Vandercourt, Daniel King, Demarion Jones, 

Dominik Foster, Dwayne Grayson, Eric Daniels, Jamariea Burroughs,
Jamon Butler, Leonard Hollingsworth, Moses Variste, Romano Scott,
Ronrico Kent, Samuel Jordan, Waltkece Ennon

WHEN/WHERE:  2pm: participants meet at Macy’s Union Square Men’s Store,
6^th floor, for styling
3pm: Guests Arrive
3:15pm: Runway Show Begins
4:30pm: Closing Remarks
5pm: Reception and Dinner (John’s Grill/64 Ellis Street)

WHY/DETAILS: Clothes may not “make” a man, but a well-dressed gent is certainly better suited to make a good impression when seeking work. That is the idea behind “Suit Up,” an innovative initiative aimed at violence reduction in challenged communities. Sponsored by Union Square Foundation, Macy’s Union Square,  Black Men Enhanced, John’s Grill, Operation Genesis, SFSafe, SF Police Department, and the Street Violence Intervention Program, “Suit Up” provides men from Bayview’s Alice Griffith Community with a personalized fit by Macy’s Personal Stylist fashion expert, professional advice and mentoring to boost their confidence and help them onto a productive path.


“Having worked for many years in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office, I know how important initiatives like ‘Suit Up’ are to breaking the cycle of violence, especially in marginalized communities,” said Marisa Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Union Square Alliance. “The partnership between business, law enforcement and the community are wrapping their arms around these young men and together fostering inclusivity in San Francisco. Union Square belongs to all of us, all San Franciscans, and visitors alike. This is our place to celebrate life’s achievements and to feel empowered.”

“Suit Up” will include an afternoon at Macy’s Union Square where 15 young men will receive a $600 Macy’s gift card and work with a Macy’s Personal Stylist fashion expert to select a custom look including a suit, shirt, tie, belt and shoes. The participants will be fitted and specially tailored, in preparation for a celebratory Macy’s Runway Show and dinner at the Historic John’s Grill on April 8, 2022.

“Macy’s is honored to be part of this partnership impacting our local community,” said John Sparks, Macy’s Union Square Store Manager. “We hope the customized suits and professional looks empower these young men to celebrate their individuality and own their personal style.” 

The idea for “Suit Up” came in 2021 from Robert Newt, a Supervisor at the Street Violence Intervention Program. Determined to see these young men succeed, Newt started a mentoring program with a year-long curriculum focused on self-esteem and positive transformations. 

“My vision for this mentoring program was to collaborate with community partners and teach these young men about the power of self-esteem,” said Newt. “I strongly believe that if we can get these young men to love themselves and see how powerful they really are, we can help set them up to be strong leaders in our communities.”

The San Francisco Street Violence Intervention Program is an outreach and crisis response program created in 2013 to reduce and intervene in youth related street violence for the City and County of San Francisco. Already, the “Suit Up” pilot project is gaining enthusiastic support from its community partners.

“We are so proud to support 15 young men from the Bayview’s Alice Griffith Community in this first ever ‘Suit Up’ Initiative,” said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott.  “The ‘Suit Up’ initiative is about helping young people build confidence so they can learn to help themselves, and their communities.”

About the Union Square Alliance:
The Union Square Alliance serves members and creates a high-quality visitor experience by managing and activating public spaces, attracting new investment, and advocating for the district’s future success. Union Square is the vibrant heart of San Francisco and an international destination where visitors come to enjoy exceptional retail experiences, luxury hotels, world-class cultural institutions, and great public spaces found only in the City by the Bay. A lively 27-block community surrounding Union Square Park in the heart of San Francisco makes up the Union Square Alliance. It is bordered to the north by Bush Street, to the east by Kearny Street, to the south by Market Street and on west Taylor Street. For more information on the Alliance, go to www.visitunionsquaresf.com 

For more information on this New Violence Intervention Program, please contact Tiffany Sutton, SFPD’s Director of Crime Strategies, at tiffany.sutton@sfgov.org

Media Contact: 
David Perry & Associates, Inc / David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

California Public Utilities Commission Unanimously Votes to Approve Largest LGBT Economic Equality Measure in United States History

California’s Landmark General Order 156 now includes an aspirational goal of 1.5% for LGBT businesses in contracting with California-based Utility Companies, worth over $600 million per year in competitive contracts

7 APRIL 2022, San Francisco, CA: The California Public Utilities (CPUC) today, by unanimous vote, approved a historic measure that will set an aspirational goal of 1.5% for the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) certified businesses in the competitive contracting process with California-based utilities like AT&T, PG&E and Southern California Edison Company. This development will be an update to the CPUC’s Utility Supplier Diversity Program, known as General Order 156, which was created by a 1983 law (Assembly Bill 3638), under the leadership of late Assemblywoman Gwen Moore, a prominent civil rights advocate. Ms. Moore served in the California Assembly from 1978 through 1994, representing the 47^th District.  

“The modern-day LGBTQ economic equality movement started here in California in 1974 with the founding the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA),” stated Paul Pendergast, President of BuildOUT California and a former president of the GGBA. “California is once again leading the way with the establishment of an aspirational goal for utilities to utilize qualified, cost effective, experienced LGBT owned/certified businesses. The Commission’s bold action today represents a defining moment statewide, nationally, and internationally when it comes to LGBT economic vitality” Pendergast added.

The CPUC’s approved Order adopts voluntary procurement goals for LGBT business enterprises over the next three years: 2022 of 0.5%, 2023 of 1.0% and 2024 of 1.5%. “Our directive balances the reliance on historical data with our objective of increasing procurement from LGBT business enterprise amidst unique barriers to entry” stated CPUC Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen in his February 9, 2022 Proposed Decision on the matter.

Members of BuildOUT California’s executive leadership team have been working on this issue since the roots of this historic development began nearly eight years ago (September 2014) when California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1678 (AB 1678), sponsored by then-Assemblymember Richard Gordon. This legislation required the CPUC to include LGBT-owned business enterprises in the Supplier Diversity Program under General Order 156.  The enactment of AB 1678 was an historic moment in the movement to extend equal rights to the LGBTQ community, which has suffered severe discrimination and hostility. 

The amount of business done by California utility companies under third-party contracts is enormous. In 2019, California utilities spent $38 billion.  In 2020, the total jumped to $43.5 billion.  But many of the utilities were bypassing LGBT-owned businesses in their contracting. So, when the CPUC in March 2021 launched a new “rulemaking” proceeding, BuildOUT California, represented by Frank Lindh,  the CPUC’s former General Counsel, intervened as a party. BuildOUT California urged the Commission to adopt an aspirational goal of 1.5% for LGBT-owned businesses. BuildOUT California’s proposal was opposed by the utility companies, who asked for a much lower goal of only 0.5%.  One year later, the CPUC, in response to the testimony and evidence presented by BuildOUT California, adopted a path to the 1.5% goal. The Commission’s action will result in over $600 million per year in competitive contracts with LGBT businesses in California. Using a conservative figure of 5 new jobs per $1M in spend from the energy sector, it is conceivable that had there been a 1.5% spend with LGBT businesses in 2020 there could have been 3,500 new, quality, sustainable jobs created.

In an April 12, 2022, letter to the CPUC’s Commissioners, California LGBTQ Caucus leaders Assemblymember Evan Low (Chair) and Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (Vice Chair) stated, “For decades, the LGBTQ community has faced discrimination, only to watch its government do nothing… these actions will address a loftier goal in the legislation’s intent: to establish some fairness for LGBTQ businesses that were previously excluded due to discrimination. We firmly believe that a 1.5% minimum is the first step to inclusion.”

Tony Hoang, the Executive Director of Equality California, the 900,000-member strong non-profit advocacy organization stated in his March 1, 2022, letter to CPUC Commissioner President, Alice Reynolds, “The implementation of this law has delayed progress as we have waited nearly eight years for an LGBTBE procurement goal. Unfortunately, biases within some industry sectors create barriers to entry… With this new aspirational goal, the walls impeding progress are being torn down, and we are one step closer to more inclusivity.”

About BuildOUT California

Founded in 2020, BuildOUT California is the world’s first LGBT Industry Association dedicated to the sustainable growth of LGBT owned & certified businesses, and our allies, in the fields of Architecture, Engineering, Construction Services, Real Estate Development, and Related Industries.

A digital archive of filings, data analysis and letters of support from elected officials relevant to the CPUC’s LGBT Goal Setting Process be found here.

The San Francisco Travel Association, The Hotel Council of San Francisco, the Union Square Alliance and The Golden Gate Restaurant Association issued the following joint statement today regarding the billboard going up in Union Square.

“There are no words sufficient to console the pain of those impacted by addiction across the United States. Here in San Francisco, our hospitality community has been proactive and focused in our efforts to push our elected officials to clean up the open air drug dealing that’s sadly visible in parts of our city. The passionate campaign being launched today by MADD, although impactful, is not the solution as it will only hurt local small businesses and our hospitality workers who just now are beginning to crawl out of the economic disaster caused by COVID and its continuing fallout. We respectfully ask that MADD join with us in pushing for solutions while supporting our tourism industry workers.”      
– San Francisco Travel Association, The Hotel Council of San Francisco, the Union Square Alliance & The Golden Gate Restaurant Association

Media Contacts:
San Francisco Travel: Lori Lincoln, lori@sftravel.com
The Hotel Council of San Francisco / Union Square Alliance: news@davidperry.com
GGRA: amy@ggra.org

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc, David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Castro Theatre Re-Burglarized

Same Individual Arrested Five Days Ago Breaks in Again & Re-Arrested

3 April 2022 – San Francisco: For the second time in a week, San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre has been burglarized, and by the same person who was arrested for the first burglary five days ago. The suspect, Gary Marx, has been re-arrested and is in custody.

“This is both heartbreaking and galling,” said Mary Conde, Vice President for Bay Area small business Another Planet Entertainment. “Why this individual was allowed on the streets again is beyond my understanding and should be unacceptable. We are so grateful to the San Francisco Police for their continued vigilance and for again arresting this person. However, our system is failing us.”

According to Conde, an additional $15,000 worth of damage was done in yesterday’s incident adding to the previous $30,000 from last week’s incident. Additionally, the expensive leaded glass on the iconic freestanding box office has been broken five times since January.

“We have tried to avoid installing a metal security gate across the front of the Castro’s iconic entrance, but I don’t believe we are now left with any choice,” said Conde.

According to Conde, who is overseeing the renovation of the historic Castro Theatre, such a gate would be costly. January of this year, Another Planet took over management of the LGBTQ community and film landmark that is celebrating its centennial in June. Opened in 1922, the registered San Francisco landmark is still owned by the local Nasser family who built it.