Tickets Go on Sale Today – Monday, March 15 for 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival 

18 Days of Films Mark 18^th Year for Largest Ocean Film Festival on Earth
April 15 – May 2 Virtually

15 March 2021 – San Francisco, CA:  In March, gray whales start the journey back from their Mexican breeding grounds to their summer quarters off Alaska. Hugging the coast as they swim, these gentle giants occasionally surface for air and whale watchers turn out in droves to catch a glimpse.Thanks to San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival, the largest ocean film festival on the planet, you can whale watch in the comfort of your own home. From April 15 – May 2 —18 days of films to mark 18 years of saving the world’s oceans one film at a time — cetaceans, sharks, ships, surfers and countless other examples of sea life and sea love will scroll across your computer screens or smart TV at www.intloceanfilmfest.org.  Tickets go on sale today.

Festival Passes: 

All Access VIP Pass: $140

Includes access to watch all Feature Films, Themed Programs, Special Shorts Programs, and Q&As throughout the duration of the virtual film festival.

6-Pack Film Bundle: $65

Includes access to any 6 individual screenings of your choice. 

How to Purchase: Click on the Buy Passes Button Here to purchase any of the Festival Passes. 

Single Screening Tickets: 

• Youth Programming: $10
• Feature Films: $12
• Themed Programs: $14
• Special Shorts Program: $14
• Student Film Competition: FREE

“Spring has rarely felt as hopeful as it does this year, or been more eagerly anticipated,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the Festival. “While we look forward to once again to gathering in person for next year’s Festival, this year we will once again bring the oceans to you via our virtual Festival with an unprecedented array and scope of films and filmmakers, including interactive content and conversations with filmmakers.”

This year’s 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival is marked with 18 days of ocean-focused, independent films. The Festival will screen a record 80+ films from 17 countries, including 10 premieres and 9 award-winners.   In addition, the Festival will hosting lively Q&A panels with film directors, marine scientists, and industry experts, as they discuss the films and share insights into ocean conservation, preservation, and legislation.   Also included is the Student Film Competition, featuring films from middle school and high school students (grades 6 through 12) from 12 countries around the world. 

According to Blanco, a year of  “Virtual Oceans” online films was seen by a record breaking 10,000 people and more than 2,500 students took part in the free online education series – critical for teachers and students managing distance learning challenges.

The Festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of our big, blue ocean. Subject matter ranges from, but is not limited to, marine wildlife, conservation efforts, ocean environments, coastal cultures, ocean sports and exploration, ocean heroes, and innovative technology designed to help protect the ocean. Films can be documentaries, narratives, shorts, animation, and full-length films from around the world. A number of finalists from the main film festival program will be selected to participate in the world-renowned International Ocean Film Festival Traveling Program. This year’s film categories include Environmental, Marine Wildlife, Exploration & Ocean Sports, Coastal Cultures, Female Directors, and Conservation.

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, ocean athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 560 films from 40 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 upcoming 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the Consul General of Canada, RBC Wealth Management, Pacific Gas & Electric, The Joseph R. Parker Foundation, and the Orange County Community Foundation.

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. The 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place April 15 – May 2, 2021 online at www.intloceanfilmfest.org. Possible in-person events, dependent upon COVID protocols, may be scheduled at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.  The video trailer for the 18^th Annual International Ocean Film Festival may be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/486467322

• www.intloceanfilmfest.org 
• https://www.facebook.com/intloceanfilmfest
• Twitter @oceanfilmfest
• Instagram @intloceanfilmfest

Following is the complete list for the 2021 18^th International Ocean Film Festival:
Feature Films

• 50 Shades of Sharks (La vie privée des requins) Alexis Barbier-Bouvet , Didier Noirot, France
• Current Sea Christopher Smith, Malaysia 
• The Deep Med (Planète Méditerranée), Gil Kébaïli, France
• Descent Nays Baghai, Australia – USA PREMIERE 
• Entangled David Abel, USA
• Escape from Extinction Matthew R. Brady, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• Fish & Men Darby Duffin, Adam Jones, USA
• The Last Lightkeepers Rob Apse, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE)
• The Long Coast Ian Cheney, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• Nanuq – An Arctic Journey from Past to Future Emanuele Licitra, Italy – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Ocean Souls Philip Hamilton, Scott Wilson, United Kingdom – USA PREMIERE 
• Three Arts in Antarctica (Trzy Sztuki w Antarktyce) Bartosz Stróżyński, Poland – BAY AREA PREMIERE 

Whales

• Echoes in The Arctic Paul Nicklen, Tahria Sheather, Andy Maser, USA
• Entangled in Costa Rica Innoceana/The Vegan Pirates, Costa Rica – WORLD PREMIERE
• Faka’apa’apa Scott Sporleder, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
• Sentinels of Silence? Whale Watching, Noise, and the Orca Mark Pedelty, USA 
• Whales in a Changing Ocean Richard Sidey, New Zealand 
• Whales Without Walls (The Whale Sanctuary Project) Charles Vinick, Dr. Lori Marino, Michael Mountain, Matt Stamm, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE

Environment

• Aguugum Tanaa (Our Sacred Place) Ryan Peterson, USA
• Changing Seas: “A Decade After Deepwater” Alexa Elliott, USA
• Finding Letter Six Andrea Reid, Shannon Switzer Swanson, Mikayla Wujec, USA
• Gáax’w Ka Haaw: Herring Eggs & Branches Tessa Ellie Schmidt, Lee House, United States – BAY AREA PREMIERE
• On the Brink (Menace sur les saumons de Colombie Britannique) Jeremy Mathieu, Canada – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• Tsunami Memories Isaac Kerlow, USA – USA PREMIERE   

Coastal Communities and Cultures

• BAJO : Guardians Of The Reef Alice Colfox, Boris Thompson-Roylance, United Kingdom
• dhīvaraḥ, Giridhar Nayak K, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
• Homecoming: Journey to Limuw, Nick Zachar, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• Kaitiaki (Guardians of the Sky, Sea and Land) Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
• Kiligivak (Mammoth) Laura Tejero, Jake Chamberlain, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• No Part Too Small Stanley Lin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
• One Word Sawalmem Natasha Deganello Giraudie, Michael “Pom” Preston, USA 
• Yáa at Wooné (Respect for All Things) Kh’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady), Lee House, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  

Marine Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation

• Aguugum Tanaa (Our Sacred Place) Ryan Peterson, USA
• Aurora Emilio José Álvarez García, Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
• Changing Seas: “Peru’s Desert Penguins” Alexa Elliott, USA
• Guardians of Turtles Naman Govil, Mithun TM, India – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Ocean to the Everglades: Part 1 Isaac Mead-Long, USA – USA PREMIERE 
• Reducing the Risk of Disasters through Nature-based Solutions – Mangroves Leo Thom, United States 
• Restoring the Natural Mangrove Forest Leo Thom, United Kingdom – WORLD PREMIERE 

Sharks

• Emperors of the Deep
• Great While Sharks Lakan Duskin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
• Healthy FISHing Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
• Mako Shark King of the Pelagic Realm, Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand 

Ocean Shorts

• A Mako Stronghold Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE
• Aurora Emilio José Álvarez García, Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
• Blackwater – Anilao Style Walter Marti, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
• Discover Wonder: The Octopus Garden, John Dutton, USA 
• Diving into the Underwater Galaxy, Fan Ping, China
• Great While Sharks Lakan Duskin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
• How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• In the kelp of the fjords (Im Kelp der Fjorde), Guido Schmitz, Germany – USA PREMIERE
• Lens of Time: Corals in Motion Amy Miller, USA 
• Lens of Time: Secrets of Schooling, Amy Miller, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Murder At Sea Mark Benjamin, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• The Ocean Calls Lauren-ann Smith, Australia
• On the Brink (Menace sur les saumons de Colombie Britannique) Jeremy Mathieu, Canada – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• Sinhala JP Lewis, United Kingdom– WORLD PREMIERE 

Sports/Ocean Exploration

• Blue Calling Sarah Ziegler, Janis Klinkenberg, Germany
• Determination – The Farallon Record, Danielle Sellwood, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
• Lessons from Jeju Nicole Gormley, USA 
• Lost at Sea, Johnny Burke, United Kingdom – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• The Ocean Calls Lauren-ann Smith, Australia
• Stories from the Blue: Discovering Inner Earth Nick Zachar, USA 

Our Blue World

• Be There Be Present Greg Dennis, United Kingdom
• High as A Kite Steven Kovacs, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
• Our Sea of Waste Morade Azzouz, Anca Ulea, France 
• Réforme Plastics Cho Jin Yong, South Korea
• Voice Above Water, Dana Frankoff, USA 

Female Director

• Barbara Crites: Snorkeling St John, USVI Andrea E. Leland, USA
• Bluepoint Alexandra Leinweber, USA 
• Finding Letter Six Andrea Reid, Shannon Switzer Swanson, Mikayla Wujec, USA
• Into the Deep Unknown, Lincoln Else, Bligh Gillies, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Lessons from Jeju Nicole Gormley, USA 
• The Ocean Calls Lauren-Ann Smith, Australia
• Réforme Plastics Cho Jin Yong, South Korea
• Water Baby Katherine McRae, USA 
• Yáa at Wooné (Respect for All Things) Kh’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady), Lee House, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  

Surfing

• Caballito de Totora: Surfriders of Peru Phil Wilson, USA – USA PREMIERE 
• Mar Olaf Crato, Portugal – USA PREMIERE 
• Pause: Heidi Ida Slåtto Neerbye, Norway – USA PREMIERE 
• Sinhala JP Lewis, United Kingdom– WORLD PREMIERE 
• Unnur Chris Burkard, USA

Coral Reefs

• Barbara Crites: Snorkeling St John, USVI Andrea E. Leland, USA
• Changing Seas: “American Samoa’s Resilient Coral Reefs” Alexa Elliott, USA
• Coral Resiliency: The Marine Protected Areas of Taytay Gabriel Malvar, Philippines – WORLD PREMIERE
• The Green Wave – Tahiti Bouvet Emmanuel, France
• How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Lens of Time: Corals in Motion Amy Miller, USA

Alphabetical List

• 360° SEA PLASTIC – Narrated by Tim Robbins Hendrik S. Schmitt, Germany 
• 50 Shades of Sharks (La vie privée des requins) Alexis Barbier-Bouvet , Didier Noirot, France 
• A Mako Stronghold Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
• Aguugum Tanaa (Our Sacred Place) Ryan Peterson, USA
• Aurora Emilio José Álvarez García, Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
• BAJO : Guardians of The Reef Alice Colfox, Boris Thompson-Roylance, United Kingdom 
• Barbara Crites: Snorkeling St John, USVI Andrea E. Leland, USA
• Be There Be Present Greg Dennis, United Kingdom
• Blackwater – Anilao Style Walter Marti, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
• Blue Calling Sarah Ziegler, Janis Klinkenberg, Germany 
• Bluepoint Alexandra Leinweber, USA 
• Caballito de Totora: Surfriders of Peru Phil Wilson, USA – USA PREMIERE 
• Changing Seas: “A Decade After Deepwater” Alexa Elliott, USA 
• Changing Seas: “American Samoa’s Resilient Coral Reefs” Alexa Elliott, USA 
• Changing Seas: “Peru’s Desert Penguins” Alexa Elliott, USA 
• Coral Resiliency: The Marine Protected Areas of Taytay Gabriel Malvar, Philippines – WORLD PREMIERE 
• Current Sea Christopher Smith, Malaysia 
• The Deep Med (Planète Méditerranée), Gil Kébaïli, France 
• Descent Nays Baghai, Australia – USA PREMIERE 
• Determination – The Farallon Record, Danielle Sellwood, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
• dhīvaraḥ, Giridhar Nayak K, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
• Discover Wonder: The Octopus Garden, John Dutton, USA 
• Diving into the Underwater Galaxy, Fan Ping, China
• Echoes in The Arctic Paul Nicklen, Tahria Sheather, Andy Maser, USA 
• Entangled David Abel, USA
• Entangled in Costa Rica Innoceana/The Vegan Pirates, Costa Rica – WORLD PREMIERE 
• Escape from Extinction Matthew R. Brady, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• Faka’apa’apa Scott Sporleder, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• Finding Letter Six Andrea Reid, Shannon Switzer Swanson, Mikayla Wujec, USA 
• Fish & Men Darby Duffin, Adam Jones, USA 
• Gáax’w Ka Haaw: Herring Eggs & Branches Tessa Ellie Schmidt, Lee House, United States – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• Great While Sharks Lakan Duskin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
• The Green Wave – Tahiti Bouvet Emmanuel, France
• Guardians of Turtles Naman Govil, Mithun TM, India – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Healthy FISHing Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
• High As A Kite Steven Kovacs, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
• Homecoming: Journey to Limuw, Nick Zachar, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• In the kelp of the fjords (Im Kelp der Fjorde), Guido Schmitz, Germany – USA PREMIERE 
• Into the Deep Unknown, Lincoln Else, Bligh Gillies, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Kaitiaki (Guardians of the Sky, Sea and Land) Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
• Kiligivak (Mammoth) Laura Tejero, Jake Chamberlain, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• The Last Lightkeepers Rob Apse, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  
• Lens of Time: Corals in Motion Amy Miller, USA 
• Lens of Time: Secrets of Schooling, Amy Miller, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Lessons from Jeju Nicole Gormley, USA 
• Life Below Water Brian Schulz , USA
• The Long Coast Ian Cheney, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• Lost At Sea, Johnny Burke, United Kingdom – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• Mako Shark King of the Pelagic Realm, Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand 
• Mar Olaf Crato, Portugal – USA PREMIERE 
• Murder At Sea Mark Benjamin, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
• Nanuq – An Arctic Journey from Past to Future Emanuele Licitra, Italy – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• No Part Too Small Stanley Lin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
• The Ocean Calls Lauren-ann Smith, Australia 
• Ocean Souls Philip Hamilton, Scott Wilson , United Kingdom – USA PREMIERE 
• Ocean to the Everglades: Part 1 Isaac Mead-Long, USA – USA PREMIERE 
• On the Brink (Menace sur les saumons de Colombie Britannique) Jeremy Mathieu, Canada – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
• One Word Sawalmem Natasha Deganello Giraudie, Michael “Pom” Preston, USA 
• Our Sea of Waste Morade Azzouz, Anca Ulea, France 
• Pause: Heidi Ida Slåtto Neerbye, Norway – USA PREMIERE 
• Reducing the Risk of Disasters through Nature-based Solutions – Mangroves Leo Thom, United States 
• Réforme Plastics Cho Jin Yong, South Korea
• Restoring the Natural Mangrove Forest Leo Thom, United Kingdom – WORLD PREMIERE 
• Sanctuaries 360 Nick Zachar, USA
• Sentinels of Silence? Whale Watching, Noise, and the Orca Mark Pedelty, USA 
• Sinhala JP Lewis, United Kingdom– WORLD PREMIERE 
• Stories from the Blue: Discovering Inner Earth Nick Zachar, USA 
• Three Arts in Antarctica (Trzy Sztuki w Antarktyce) Bartosz Stróżyński, Poland – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
• Tsunami Memories Isaac Kerlow, USA – USA PREMIERE 
• Unnur Chris Burkard, USA 
• Voice Above Water, Dana Frankoff, USA 
• Water Baby Katherine McRae, USA 
• Whales in a Changing Ocean Richard Sidey, New Zealand 
• Whales Without Walls (The Whale Sanctuary Project) Charles Vinick, Dr. Lori Marino, Michael Mountain, Matt Stamm, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
• Yáa at Wooné (Respect for All Things) Kh’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady), Lee House, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org

*** PRESS RELEASE ***

SAN FRANCISCO AWARDS DEDICATED FUNDING FOR BLACK TRANS-EQUITY AS PART OF DREAM KEEPER INITIATIVE

$2.2 million over the next two years to five Black trans-serving organizations will address historic inequities for Black transgender people 

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and San Francisco Human Rights Commission Executive Director Sheryl Evans Davis today announced $2.2 million over the next two years to serve San Francisco’s Black and African-American transgender community. This is the first City funding dedicated to providing services to the Black trans community, and is part of the newly announced Dream Keeper Initiative.

The Dream Keeper Initiative, announced by Mayor Breed, is a citywide initiative that reinvests $120 million over two years in redirected funding from law enforcement into San Francisco’s Black and African-American community. As part of this initiative, the City has awarded Black trans-serving organizations funding for technical assistance to build their capacity so they can offer services and programs to address historic inequities and improve outcomes for Black transgender people.

“With the Dream Keeper’s significant investment in the Black community, we knew that it was critical to provide dedicated funding to address the unique needs in the Black transgender community,” said Mayor London Breed. “I am committed to ensuring Black trans people can thrive and reach their dreams in San Francisco, which is why we are investing in the services the community needs and organizations that have been doing this work for years.”

The organizations that have received funding are The Transgender District, TGI Justice Project, TAJA’s Coalition, LYRIC, and PRC. The $2.2 million over the next two years will go towards technical assistance and capacity building for nonprofit organizations serving this community, so that they can be better-positioned to work with the City in developing and implementing programs within the Dream Keeper Initiative and other City programs. This investment will provide a critical boost for these organizations at a dire time, from building up the next generation of leaders, to solving for organizational hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to spurring community-based collaboration to seamlessly serve the Black-trans community. The grant activities are set to begin later this month.

“From the beginning of the pandemic, the Human Rights Commission partnered with the Black transgender community to prioritize their voices in our extensive engagement process for the Dream Keeper Initiative,” said Sheryl Evans Davis, Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. “Equity, intersectionality, and TLGBQI+ justice go beyond theory — these are community-led practices that provide solutions for the most marginalized people, especially Black transgender women. This is the beginning of a long-term investment.”

“The San Francisco Human Rights Commission is honored to partner with Black-trans serving organizations to improve outcomes in housing, employment, and economic opportunities for Black transgender people in San Francisco, said LGBTQI+ Advisor, Tuquan Harrison. “In many ways, queer history, culture, and the queer liberation movement in San Francisco—and the world—has been defined by and owes much of its richness to Black LGBQ, Trans and Non-binary people, especially Black trans women. We must continue to prioritize an equitable future for Black transgender and LGBQI+ people in San Francisco by investing resources to this vital community.”

“Thank you Mayor Breed and SF Human Rights Commission Director Davis for this historic re-investment into Black trans communities,” said Clair Farley, Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives. “This critical expansion in funding and services in San Francisco will support Black trans-serving organizations continued efforts to develop community led solutions and address systemic inequities.”

Since March 2020, Black trans people across this country have experienced the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside an epidemic of violence, in particular against Black transgender women. At least 44 transgender people were murdered in 2020, and Black transgender women accounted for over half of the cases. According to the National Transgender survey report, 42% of Black transgender people have experienced homelessness at least once in their lifetime compared to 30% in the general transgender community. Black transgender people are incarcerated more than four times the rate the general population and 47% of Black transgender women have attempted suicide at least once in their lifetime.

“Mayor London Breed, Director Sheryl Evans Davis and the Human Rights Commission staff have been amazing supporters and allies to TGIJP and the Black Trans community for many years, even before many other city agencies,” said Janetta Johnson, Executive Director of Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP). “TGIJP is deeply grateful for this incredible new financial support we will be receiving with the Dream Keeper Initiative. It will allow us to continue to provide critical support to the Black Trans community.”

The awarding of the funding and identification of priority funding areas follows months of strategic planning, outreach, and stakeholder engagement with San Francisco’s diverse trans and LGBTQ community. Since June 2020, HRC convened more than 60 community-driven input sessions, each including an LGBTQ space, to gather input on how to prioritize investments to create more services for Black transgender people.

“PRC is thrilled to partner with the Human Rights Commission of San Francisco to provide direct support to the Black Transgender and gender nonconforming communities of color that are so often overlooked and underrepresented,” said Brett Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of PRC. “This initiative reflects the City’s focus on all segments of the Black community, and the Mayor’s deep commitment to full inclusion. Drawing upon PRC’s deep experience in serving the most vulnerable populations within the LGBTQI community, we are honored to further efforts to provide targeted programs, healthcare and direct assistance to our Black Trans community members to move them forward on the path to social and economic stability.”

“The Dream Keeper Initiative is a necessary pivot towards equity for San Francisco’s Black community. The Transgender District is incredibly honored to help create high impact solutions towards the disparity that Black transgender people face in San Francisco,” said Aria Sa’id, Executive Director of the Transgender District. “While San Francisco is a premiere city for the acceptance of queer and transgender people, the data has not shifted over the last 30 years in regards to what we face including increased rate of homelessness, abject poverty and marginalization. We have a multi-pronged strategy to make immediate changes for our community that promote the empowerment of Black and Brown transgender people and include creation of innovative solutions to advance housing, economic advancement and cultural enrichment for and by our community. Thank you to Mayor Breed, Board President Shamann Walton, Director Sheryl Evans Davis and her team of advocates at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, LGBTQI+ Advisor, Tuquan Harrison, and the coalition of Black leaders across San Francisco who advocated for the inclusion of Black transgender leadership and peer led programs.”

“LYRIC is honored to be part of the City’s investment in African-Americans and is proud to be a strong collaborator in advancing the health, happiness, and sustainability of the Black transgender community,” said Toni Newman, LYRIC Interim Executive Director. “LYRIC is a long-time service provider for LGBTQQ+ youth of color in San Francisco, in particular for young trans and gender non-conforming individuals who make up nearly half of our participants. We look forward to working with a new generation of young people to access the resources and opportunities they need to thrive and to build a more just world for all of us.”

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

Manny’s Reopens for Indoor Service Tuesday, March 9

8 March 2021 – San Francisco, CA: Almost a year after San Francisco became the first city in the United States to go into lock-down to prevent the uncontrolled spread of COVID 19, Manny’s (www.welcometomannys.com), the popular community gathering spot, restaurant and bookstore, opens for indoor service tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9, 9am – 3pm.  All COVID protocols will be strictly enforced, include mask wearing at all times insides except when eating or drinking.  Inside capacity will be limited to 25%. Outdoor seating will also continue.

“I haven’t been able to serve one cup of coffee from inside my coffee shop in an entire year. I can’t tell you how excited I am to stand at my register and take someone’s order for a nice cup of coffee, tasty bagel, or even a celebratory glass of champagne,” said Manny Yekutiel, 31 who founded and runs the eponymous community engagement space and café dubbed “the New Hampshire of California” (KCBS Radio) for its hosting of myriad political events including hosting 17 Democratic presidential candidates. “While the pandemic isn’t over, being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel gives me hope. Small businesses around this City, including mine, will be the engine of our recovery. I’m honored to be a part of that engine.”

To mark the occasion, Manny’s will be serving Ritual Coffee, Midnite Bagels, a new bagel company made by lead Tartine Baker Nick Beitcher, and French champagne.

“People can come to hang, work, and bring their laptops if they’re tired of working from home,” Yekutiel continued. 

Since opening its doors on Election Night 2018, Manny’s has become an epicenter of community involvement, dialogue and civic engagement having served over 50,000 people, staged over 500 events, donated space to more than 150 area nonprofits and charities, and hosted 17 presidential candidates in his first year alone. Also, in addition to receiving much media and public attention, Manny’s was recognized for his above-and-beyond achievements by the California State Senate as “Small Business of the Year.” 

Manny’s is a people powered, community focused meeting and learning place in the heart of San Francisco that combines a restaurant, political bookshop, and civic events space. Manny’s goal: to create a central and affordable place to become a better informed and more involved citizen. Manny’s offers its events space to nonprofits, activists and civic organizations to spread their message and do their work as well as hosting its own civic and arts related programming. Manny’s kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry.