Chan National Queer Arts Center: Dyke Town Hall #1

The SF Dyke March Interim Steering Committee to host 2 Dyke Town Halls to recruit leadership and fill board seats

Members of the SF Dyke March Interim Steering Committee (ISC) have begun the process of securing the organization that produces the SF Dyke March in San Francisco, and are focused on a rebuilding effort to bring back the long standing traditions of dyke activism events scheduled for Pride 2025.

There hasn’t been an organized dyke march (in the traditions of years’ past) since pre-pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped dykes from marching. The last of the organization’s previous leadership team stepped down in late June 2024. The new steering committee began work geared towards securing the organization, and will host town halls to welcome those wishing to collaborate among the dyke community..

The ISC’s first order of business after setting up basic organizational structure is to host the first of two scheduled community meetings, or Dyke Town Halls, to bring folks together, support healing, recruit new leadership, and work towards a rebuilding effort for 2025.

The dates, times and locations for the Dyke Town Halls are as follows:

Dyke Town Hall #1:

Saturday, October 26, 12-2pm

Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia St, San Francisco

Dyke Town Hall #2

Tuesday, November 12, 6-8 pm

SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market St, San Francisco

All dykes interested in supporting this work are invited to fill out this survey and share your hopes, dreams, and how you want to participate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKhFjawxlUYSJsIos1uzL56r_MZHrdQdMVTHHg0al-Cv9kOg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Leadership recruitment is in progress to fill board seats – those interested in applying for a board seat are invited to apply via the board application at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjLOUl9JTX9Eyl0Nc9MbKkRbqkK9hQFaQp5P0veQ1t0M4UBA/viewform?usp=sf_link

The SF Dyke March Interim Steering Committee consists of:

Chair: Crystal Mason (they/them) is a dedicated activist, artist, cultural worker, mediator, and consultant committed to fostering spaces for envisioning and realizing a more just and equitable world. With over three decades of experience, Crystal’s work traverses the intersections of race, gender, class, ability, sexuality, art, and culture. As a co-creator of the Tree Of Change alongside Jason Wyman (aka Queerly Complex), Crystal spearheads a transformative network focused on change management, community-building, and collectively crafting visions of liberation from oppressive systems. They have championed the voices and narratives of transgender, queer, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (QTBIPOC) communities with a steadfast belief, we all belong and freedom is for everybody.

Advisory Board Member: Celestina Pearl (she/ella/meow) is a queer Femme Dyke, mixed Race Euro/Indigenous/Chicana, visual and performance artist, film maker, radical nurse, educator, mama to a fierce trans teen, kitty lover, harm reductionist and sex worker advocate.

Advisory Board Member: Ruth Villasenor (she/her/two spirit), is a Chiricahua Apache & Mexican woman. An early member of BAAITS since 1998. She was one of the original founders of the Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits Powwow started in 2012. She is currently Emeritus on the Baaits board for her longstanding volunteer work with BAAITS.

Interim Project Director: M Rocket (she/they) identifies as a genderqueer dyke and an active member of the San Francisco leather dyke community since 1999. Rocket has been involved in community development and social justice activism for over two decades in the Bay Area, as an event producer, a music festival stage manager, and graphic designer. She’s likely to be found volunteering at queer community events, art and film festivals, get out the vote efforts, and dog park community organizations. They currently serve as an advisory board member of the Castro LGBTQ+ Cultural District and manage their own community-supported dog-lover’s publication and non-profit, Bay Woof Foundation.