Our Krewe de Kinque King & Queen XXII John M. Brett & Olivia Hart led our Second Line parade & we enjoyed John's plentiful snacks & Emily's Mardi Gras cupcakes. Thanks too to Brent Marek for the delicious Jell-O shots that helped us raise funds for Openhouse, the beneficiary for our March 15th Krewe de Kinque Bal Masque XXIII at The Cafe.
When your plane descends into Puerto Rico's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, it will likely fly low over the colorful buildings of Santurce, a sprawling district famous for its creative residents and Afro-Caribbean influences. Neglected for decades, Santurce is rapidly reclaiming its title as one of San Juan's most exciting quarters - a transformation that has earned it the nickname "The Brooklyn of Puerto Rico." And if you're looking for Afro-Caribbean cuisine, you're coming to the right place.
A portion of a memo that Barry's sent to instructors last year about how to handle ICE is being shared across Reddit and social media. The snippet lists seven instructions, including remaining calm, stopping the class and staying at the podium. "Do not take responsibility for anybody other than yourself," it directs. The document goes on to say the studio leader will handle communication with ICE and clients.
Despite the stories the federal government is telling, video evidence shows neither victim was a threat to the agents at the time they were shot. Good was shot at least three times while driving away from ICE agent Jonathan Ross, and Pretti had already been beaten to the ground for helping a woman who had been shoved by an agent when he was shot 10 times. Officials claim he was holding a gun. Videos show he was not.
"Communicative, soulful and intentional," is how Kay, the founder of queer dating events Blind Match, described the experiences she offers. "Emotionally, mentally or physically drained," is how 78 per cent of 1,000 dating app users reported feeling when seeking romance online, according to a 2025 Forbes Health Survey. Tackling modern-day swipe culture is no easy feat, but Kay is determined to try. As the name suggests, the in-person matchmaking experience enables LGBTQ+ individuals to meet a potential partner, or future friend, completely blindfolded.
Tributes have poured in for RuPaul's Drag Race UK star The Vivienne, one year on from her death. On Saturday (3 January), monuments across Liverpool and the north west were lit up green to honour the drag star, whose real name was James Lee Williams, in reference to her role as the Wicked Witch of the West in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End and UK tour production of the Wizard of Oz.
The Rainbow World Fund (RWF) World Tree of Hope® is the largest origami-decorated holiday tree in the world, traditionally standing over 22 feet tall and adorned with over 20,000 origami cranes and stars, each hand-folded and inscribed with wishes for the future of the world. The RWF World Tree of Hope is created each year as a symbol of global unity, promoting peace, love, and humanitarianism. The Tree is a gift from the LGBTQ+ and friends community to the world.
The first award of the night, the Architect Award, was presented by Dr. Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas, co-publishers of this publication, to Sara Yergovich and Danielle Thoe, business owners of the new Rikki's bar at 2223 Market Street, named after the legendary Rikki Streicher. President of the SF Pride Board, Joshua Smith,presented the Diane Jones Solidarity Award to SF Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford, who deserves so much credit for the proud continuation of our San Francisco Pride events.
"Making friends as an adult is hard. Especially if you're looking for friends who share your identity, interests and general proximity. So what are the odds that I found myself on a very rainy New York night (the restaurant was literally leaking), seated at a booth with two strangers around my age, also lesbians, who shared a love of musical theater, can't drive and all wanted salads with protein for dinner?"
Adult entertainment store Hubba Hubba is closing its doors after serving the alternative and LGBTQ+ community in the area for four decades. In an Instagram post last week, owner M.J. Pullins wrote that the store is ceasing operations on Nov. 24, citing rising costs, "miserly landlords," and an economic climate that is not conducive to small businesses. Pullins wrote that the challenges "made this a fight not worth fighting anymore."
57 percent of the LGBTQ+ adults surveyed said they have made "significant life decisions" or taken steps to alter their lives since November 2024 in response to the current political climate. Life changes in response to LGBTQ+-related politics or laws include moving to another state, changing jobs, becoming less visible in their community, and, conversely, becoming more visible and involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy.
‼️ Are you an aspiring journalist who wants to work with The Advocate? We're looking for the next generation of queer and trans storytellers to participate in the Future of Queer Media Fellowship. Applications are open now until Oct. 31. Learn more at advocate.com/fellowship
