Media contact:

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

Another Planet Entertainment Presents Special Screening of Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” as Benefit for LGBT Asylum Project & Rainbow Honor Walk

Thursday, June 2, 8pm

19 May 2022 – San Francisco. Bay Area small business Another Planet Entertainment (www.apeconcerts.com) is kicking off Pride Month with a special presentation of the Academy Award winning Gus Van Sant film “Milk” on Thursday, June 2 at 8pm as a benefit for two local Castro based LGBTQ nonprofits: The LGBT Asylum Project (www.lgbtasylumproject.org) and the Rainbow Honor Walk (www.rainbowhonorwalk.org). Tickets are $ 25 general admission and $ 100 VIP which includes a pre-show reception and special concessions. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.ticketweb.com/event/milk-the-castro-theatre-tickets/12130155

“The Castro Theatre is where ‘Milk’ had its premiere in 2008, so it’s absolutely the perfect place, and perfect film to kick off LGBT Pride Month,” said Mary Conde, Vice President for Another Planet who is in charge of the overall Castro Theatre Project. “More importantly, this screening will raise funds for, and awareness of, two esteemed local LGBTQ nonprofits based in the Castro, The LGBT Asylum Project and the Rainbow Honor Walk.”

“The Rainbow Honor Walk is so grateful for this,” said Rainbow Honor Walk board president Donna Sachet. “Long supportive of the LGBTQ communities and progressive causes, Another Planet has stepped forward to help the Rainbow Honor Walk keep alive its mission of educating about those queer heroines and heroes that have walked the walk for equality and justice.”

Just this week, the latest “class” of Rainbow Honor Walk honorees are being installed in the sidewalks of the Castro District, including film icons Divine and Vito Russo.

“The LGBT Asylum Project was founded to make sure that all LGBTQ+ asylum-seekers receive high-quality legal representation so they don’t have to go back to countries where they could be harmed or even killed for being who they are and who they love,” said Okan Sengun, founder and Executive Director of The LGBT Asylum Project. “We are proudly based out of the Castro because the Castro has always been a beacon of hope for the LGBTQ+ community and at the center of that beacon is the Castro Theater. We are thankful to Another Planet Entertainment for organizing this benefit and providing much needed funds at a time when hate is on the rise across the globe.”

The LGBT Asylum Project is the only San Francisco nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to providing accessible legal representation for LGBT asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or HIV status. 

Another Planet Entertainment is partnering with Bay Properties, Inc., owners of the Castro Theatre,  on an evolution and preservation of San Francisco’s world-renowned entertainment and LGBTQ community landmark. With a long-standing history of working to preserve and improve historic buildings such as the Fox Theater in Oakland, the Greek Theatre in Berkeley and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Another Planet seeks to enhance the Castro Theatre by implementing significant improvements to the sound, lighting, production, HVAC and the theatre’s trademark marquee, among other facets of the building: all of this, always, with an eye to honoring its unique place in the lives of the Castro and celebrating its communities and residents.

About The LGBT Asylum Project:

LGBT Asylum Project clients are low to no-income, and arrive in the United States with horrendous histories of imprisonment, bodily harm, torture, and psychological trauma. These atrocities are inflicted on them by their own governments, countrymen, and, worst of all, friends and families. They have committed no crime yet cannot live freely in their own countries due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Many have faced excruciating challenges to escape their home countries and travel to the United States. They come to San Francisco as it is known internationally as a refuge for the LGBTQ+ community. They come to the Castro District to find a sanctuary, a place where they can be safe, secure, healthy, and productive. This is where they find The LGBT Asylum Project. The LGBT Asylum Project sign, hanging clearly in the heart of the Castro, is a beacon of hope that means the possibility of remaining here permanently and receiving understanding, caring, and professional assistance to do so.

The LGBT Asylum Project works directly with clients and ensure that they receive the most suitable and appropriate services based on each case. Their clients originate from all over the world, from countries including but not limited to Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Burma, China, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam, which are known for extreme and violent persecution of LGBT communities. Without such timely assistance, vulnerable individuals will potentially be deported to face persecution, imprisonment, and even death in their home countries.

The LGBT Asylum Project provides support to immigrants in the San Francisco Asylum Office jurisdiction (from Bakersfield, CA to Seattle, WA), who identify as LGBTQ+, and have been persecuted or have fears of future persecution if they return to their home country.

About the Rainbow Honor Walk:

When a volunteer committee of community members proposed the Rainbow Honor Walk, they received the unanimous support of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to create the sidewalk monument. Comprised of 3 foot x 3 foot bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalk, the Walk salutes the groundbreaking achievements of noted LGBT individuals throughout history. The first 20 honorees were announced in 2011. In 2012 the Rainbow Honor Walk board solicited design proposals from around the world.  An independent jury of artists and cultural leaders selected the winning design by architect Carlos Casuso of Madrid, Spain. The plaques were manufactured by Mussi Artworks of Berkeley, California with creative oversight of the process spearheaded by Lawrence Noble, head of the sculpture department at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University. 

The first 20 plaques were installed in September 2014 with an additional eight plaques added in 2017, 12 more in 2019 and 12 more just installed in May 2022. The Rainbow Honor Walk will eventually extend from the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy on 19th Street at Diamond down to Castro Street—the LGBT community’s “Main Street”—and will continue up Market Street with additional extensions on 18th Street. On Market Street, San Francisco’s main thoroughfare, the Walk will continue to the LGBT Center at Octavia Boulevard.  All funds for manufacture of the Rainbow Honor Walk are raised privately, with each plaque costing approximately $6000.

MEDIA CONTACT: 

David Perry, DP&A, Inc.
(415) 676 7007 
 news@davidperry.com

WHO:
Executives of Hilton, San Francisco Tourism, Hospitality and Business Leaders “Cut the Ribbon”    

WHAT:           
Parc 55 San Francisco – A Hilton Hotel,2nd Largest Hotel in San Francisco Reopens

WHERE:        
Parc 55 – A Hilton Hotel
55 Cyril Magnin Street (next to the Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround)
San Francisco, CA

WHEN:           
Thursday, May 19: 11am

WHY:
“Parc Your Heart in San Francisco”

As Tony Bennett famously sings in San Francisco’s official ballad “I Left My Heart in San Francisco, millions of tourists every year leave their heart here. Now, with business demands and meetings again on the rise,  the Parc 55 – A Hilton Hotel – is asking visitors to “Parc Their Hearts” in San Francisco, in the very heart of the City, Union Square.  

Throughout its closure, the property has displayed a larger-than-life heart on the hotel, which will continue to be lit until the hotel opens its doors.  The heart was lit as a symbol of hope during the pandemic and mirrors the many artists’ hearts across San Francisco. While the illuminated heart will disappear as guests fill the rooms, the spirit of the heart lives on in the exceptional service offered to those who stay at Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel.  Along with its “big sister” property next door, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel, comprises a complex that houses the largest self contained hotel event space in San Francisco.

 18 May 2022 – SAN FRANCISCO: On Thursday, May 19, San Francisco’s second largest hotel , Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel will reopen its doors as business travel demands are on the rise and people continue to get back to travel.

“We are delighted to roll out our welcome mat for guests to ‘Parc’ their heart in San Francisco,” said Terry Lewis, complex general manager, Parc 55 & Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel.  “Our heart never left San Francisco, and now we have yet more opportunities right in the heart of the city to welcome back leisure and business travelers alike.”

At 11am, Thursday, May 19th, the festivities will begin with a special “ribbon cutting” and series of special activations, including  a live DJ, signature cocktails, light bites, a post card writing station and more.

Parc 55 San Francisco, A Hilton Hotel is part of San Francisco’s world-class Union Square with its internationally recognized retail brands, restaurants and Broadway style theatre. Also nearby are such offerings as the Asian Art Museum and the Westfield Shopping Center.  Literally steps away from the entrance to Parc 55 are the world-famous landmark Cable Cars, which carry visitors “halfway to the stars” and to iconic destinations like Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Nob Hill, North Beach and the famous Alcatraz Island Tours. The historic F-Line Trolleys pull up right in front of Parc 55, providing direct access to the famed LGBTQ Castro Neighborhood and the Embarcadero. Muni Metro is directly adjacent to the hotel at the Powell Street Station, providing easy access to all of San Francisco’s classic neighborhoods.  BART is also adjacent and offers direct in-terminal service to San Francisco International Airport.

Parc 55 San Francisco offers a sleek boutique hotel experience with spacious rooms, near Union Square, in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Also opening on May 19th, the contemporary Cable 55 restaurant is found in the sleek Parc 55 San Francisco – a Hilton Hotel, offering tourists and residents a stylish venue and delicious change of pace from rich American classics by infusing them with a light, local flair. As a Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Restaurant, Cable 55 is dedicated to sustainably serving guests.

Opening shortly after the hotel will be beloved modern hot spot, Kin Khao, which serves delicious Thai food that stays true to its origin, made with seasonal produce and sustainably raised or caught meats and seafood.

The property also boasts a fitness center, access to the pool and spa at Hilton San Francisco Union Square, a FedEx Business Center and on-site gift shop.

Guests who desire a contactless arrival experience can check in, choose their room, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out using their mobile devices through the free Hilton Honors mobile app. This option is available for guests who book direct via the Honors app or at Hilton.com.

As meetings and events accelerate their return, Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel has a large  amount of flexible meeting and event space and is committed to creating experiences that can accommodate all types of groups and cater to every meeting planner’s needs. Hilton provides curated solutions with creative food and beverage, thoughtful technology resources including Hilton Hybrid Solutions, elevated standards, and reimagined ways to meet and gather.

Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel is also part of Hilton Honors®, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, and free Standard WiFi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key.

Rates start at $199+ per night. Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel is located at 55 Cyril Magnin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. For reservations please visit Parc 55 at Parc55sanfrancisco.hilton.com or call (415) 392-8000.

# # #

About Hilton:
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising nearly 6,900 properties and nearly 1.1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years.

Hilton has introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 133 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone.

 Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts:
For over a century, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has set the benchmark for hospitality around the world, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests’ evolving needs. With nearly 600 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties are located in the world’s most sought-after destinations for guests who know that where they stay matters. Experience a positive stay at Hilton Hotels & Resorts by booking at hiltonhotels.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Hilton Hotels & Resorts at newsroom.hilton.com/hhr, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contact: David Perry, news@davidperry.com, +1.415.676.7007

Letterform Archive extends popular exhibition

Bauhaus Typography at 100, now closing June 26

Letterform Archive

SAN FRANCISCO, California, May 17, 2022 — Letterform Archive (letterformarchive.org) announces the extension of their first-ever public exhibition, Bauhaus Typography at 100, through June 26, 2022. The esteemed nonprofit opened a new, customdesigned gallery space in the Dogpatch Cultural District (2325 Third Street, Floor 4R) this past November.

In order to best serve its community and to make the exhibition more accessible, the Archive has extended regular gallery hours to include Sunday and has made every Thursday free to all. New extended hours are Thursday 1 – 8pm and Friday – Sunday 11am – 6pm (closed Monday – Wednesday).

Bauhaus Typography at 100, curated by Rob Saunders and Henry Cole Smith, features more than 150 pieces from the Archive’s permanent collection, including graphic design by Bauhaus artists such as László Moholy-Nagy, Herbert Bayer, Joost Schmidt, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, and Johannes Itten. The exhibit draws a throughline from the Bauhaus’s iconic style to the shape of typography today.

The hardcover exhibition catalog, Bauhaus Typography at 100, features 280 pages with high-fidelity images of objects from the exhibition and an introduction by Bauhaus design expert Ellen Lupton. It is available at the show as well as online and in bookstores.

To serve the Archive’s global community, Bauhaus Typography at 100 is also presented as a rich online exhibition designed by Jon Sueda and Chris Hamamoto.

Lectures, gallery tours, and other special events – both in-person and online – will accompany the exhibition through the end of its run.

Visitor Information

Admission: $10 for adults; $5 for students and seniors (65+); Archive members and children under 12 free. Free to all on Thursdays. Advanced tickets are available at letterformarchive.org/visit, and walk-ins are welcome.

Regular Exhibition Hours: Thu, 1 – 8pm; Fri – Sun, 11am – 6pm; closed Mon – Wed.

About Letterform Archive

Based in San Francisco, Letterform Archive is a nonprofit center for inspiration, education, and community. It preserves important artifacts in the history of letterforms and graphic design, and strives to actively share them with the public.

Since it opened to visitors in 2015, the collection has quintupled in size through the generosity of donors, and now includes over 85,000 items related to the letter arts. Lovers of letters will again have hands-on access to the collection when its new reading room opens in summer 2022. The Archive serves a global community through social media, publications, and the Online Archive, and offers a full-year postgraduate certificate program in type design as well as public workshops in calligraphy, lettering, and typography. Additionally, the Archive curates local and international exhibitions, organizes lectures, and hosts salons to showcase

For a press kit, including downloadable high-resolution images, visit

letterformarchive.org/press.

2339 Third St Floor 4R, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA +1.415.802.7485

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

Caravanserai Project Hosts Pitch Competition & Graduation Ceremony
Thursday, May 26: 5pm – 7pm at the Palm Springs Art Museum

Supporting Mission-Driven Leaders Along Their Journeys
www.caravanseraiproject.org

16 May 2022 – Palm Springs, CA:  “The best way to predict the future is to create it,” said famed entrepreneur and thought leader Peter Drucker. Such is the idea behind the Caravanserai Project(www.caravanseraiproject.org) the innovative nonprofit dedicated to supporting young social impact entrepreneurs dedicated to addressing problems in education, nutrition, housing, social justice and workforce development. On Thursday, May 26 (5pm – 7pm), Caravanserai will “graduate” its next class of mission-driven innovators in a special ceremony and “pitch competition” at the Palm Springs Art Museum (101 N. Museum Drive).

”Many see the support provided to startup mission-driven entrepreneurs, for profit and nonprofit, as a risk-taking mission,” says Mihai Patru, Executive Director of the Caravanserai Project. “Yet, the real risk lies in ignoring these entrepreneurs, especially emerging within historically underserved communities, whose in-depth understanding of decades-long challenges leads to relevant solutions.”

Creating the space for – and a “class” of  — innovative entrepreneurs is the idea behind Caravanserai’s  SEED Lab Pre-Accelerator: an 8-month (90 hour) program for early-stage social entrepreneurs. Developed in partnership with the University of California Riverside Extension, the SEED Lab Pre Accelerator aims to tap the deep reservoir of unrecognized talent within historically marginalized and under-served communities and support their efforts to identify and develop pioneering paths out of inherited problems that have buried and muffled those voices.

“Specifically, we have prioritized these social innovators in the Inland Empire and beyond whose work has the potential to turbo charge irreversible system changes within their communities and environments,” explains Patru. “The event on May 26 is part celebration and part supportive ‘Shark Tank’ for these inspiring graduates.  Our goal is to inspire, but also to define goals for solving real world,  real time problems. This is not just a philosophical exercise.”

Since 2018, four cohorts of SEED Lab fellows have graduated from the program, demonstrating the success of their ventures and initiatives that provided a space where they access tools to build sustainable and impactful businesses. In addition, they learned how to develop financial resources, meet peers and exchange experiences. The Caravanserai Project targets from startup to advanced entrepreneurs within historically marginalized and underserved communities. In 2020 and 2021, over 1200 entrepreneurs attended its programs. Almost 80% of Caravanserai beneficiaries identified themselves as women and 79% as BIPOC. To facilitate access to these specific communities of entrepreneurs, Caravanserai Project has established partnerships with regional and national organizations such as UC-Riverside, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Inland Empire Community Foundation, Inland Empire Community Collaborative, Making Hope Happen San Bernardino, Alianza Coachella Valley, The LGBTQ Center in Palm Springs and Coachella, Independent Sector among others.

“Connecting with established entrepreneurs, experts and other networks is crucial in advancing mission-driven enterprises and ensuring their long-term success,” says Patru.   “The Caravanserai model is about building a successful business that has the right human, economic, and material resources to grow,

stay relevant, deliver impact, and create jobs.” The name Caravanserai is a metaphor for the mission and vision to provide a safe space for entrepreneurs to get the support they need and continue their journey forward. A caravanserai [KAR-AH–VAN–SE-RAY]was a well-known meeting place along trade routes from Asia, North Africa to Southeast Europe. It provided merchants and travelers with a safe place to rest and opportunities to exchange and trade goods and acquire information about the challenges ahead. It had a crucial part in the cross-fertilization and exchanges of cultures by exposing travelers and locals to new ideas, beliefs, and languages.

Caravanserai Project was founded in 2016 as a mission-driven hybrid venture whose goal is to support social impact entrepreneurs (for profit and nonprofit relevant organizations that are working towards irreversible system change. Caravanserai Project designs and implements technical assistance and capacity building programs with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and organizations in the Inland Empire and Southern California but works

extensively across the nation and internationally as well.

Caravanserai Programs:

• SEED Lab Pre-accelerator, launched in 2018, is an 8-month program (October – May) designed to help startup and early-stage entrepreneurs build viable mission-driven ventures from ideation to piloting and scaling. In 2019, the program was approved by UCR-Extension as a 9-professional credit Specialized Certificate. It consists of cohort workshops and monthly one-on-one coaching and mentorship sessions. Priority is given to applicants representing historically marginalized and underserved communities. To date, over 47 fellows graduated from the program, each year up to 12 new fellows joining the program.
• Breakthrough Masterclasses and Strategic Networking and Planning Circles are short-term programs for leadership of advanced mission-driven organizations. Cohorts of up to 10 participants are part of curated conversations, training, and exchanges of ideas. 
• Monthly Webinars are 90-minute free workshops offered to our broader audience on a wide range of topics that reflects their interests at a given moment. They cover topics from DEI, data for mission-driven entrepreneurs, financial accountability, and governance to business planning, branding, and communications.
• Business Readiness Training and Grant Making are interconnected and provide mission-driven entrepreneurs both technical support and access to funding. Starting 2022 to 2024, Caravanserai Project will work with over 300 beneficiaries in the IE and provide a total of over $2 mil in micro-grants.
• Fiscal sponsorship for US based and international organizations and entrepreneurs.
• Original content that reflects our approach to mission-driven entrepreneurship from op-eds in various media outlets to our own Jet Fuel Blog Series, as well as substantive content that is complementary to topics under discussion during our workshops and trainings. 
  
  MAJOR AWARDS 
• $1 million grant awarded by the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund to continue designing, implementing, and conducting programs for mission-driven entrepreneurs from minority groups and historically marginalized areas (2021).
• 2021/2022 Technical Assistance Expansion Program by California Office for Small Business Advocate to provide technical support to minority mission-driven entrepreneurs in the Inland Empire (2021).
• Dream Fund Program by California Office for Small Business Advocate to provide the Business Readiness Training Program and access to $500,000 worth of micro grants to over 60 startup mission-driven entrepreneurs from historically marginalized communities in California (2022).
• $2 million award by the Employment Training Panel of California to provide technical assistance and capacity building programs to minority entrepreneurs (Spanish speaking) in the Inland Empire and access to $1,5 million in micro-grants to those attending the programs.