Meaghan Mitchell

Could a new kind of grocery store be the answer to the Bayview neighborhood’s food desert problems?

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Could a new kind of grocery store be the answer to the Bayview neighborhood’s food desert problems?

That was the topic of a recent workshop exploring the possibility of revamping a 14,000 square-foot space on Third St.—recently home to two different supermarkets that failed—into a first-of-its-kind “food empowerment market.” The idea is a community market that would distribute donated or subsidized food—but unlike a food bank, eligible shoppers would be able to pick and choose their own groceries and either pay for the goods at a subsidized price or obtain them for free.

That was the topic of a recent workshop exploring the possibility of revamping a 14,000 square-foot space on Third St.—recently home to two different supermarkets that failed—into a first-of-its-kind “food empowerment market.” The idea is a community market that would distribute donated or subsidized food—but unlike a food bank, eligible shoppers would be able to pick and choose their own groceries and either pay for the goods at a subsidized price or obtain them for free.

The market would also host an on-site community kitchen focusing on culinary education and offer free delivery service for seniors and those with mobility issues.&nbsp;

The market would also host an on-site community kitchen focusing on culinary education and offer free delivery service for seniors and those with mobility issues.&nbsp;

“We respect and appreciate food pantries, and they need to continue, but we also need to create a space that distributes food in a more efficient and faster way to communities,” said Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton, who hosted the workshop alongside District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai. “Folks being able to come and pick the things that they actually need rather than taking things that are just going to go to waste is important.”

“We respect and appreciate food pantries, and they need to continue, but we also need to create a space that distributes food in a more efficient and faster way to communities,” said Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton, who hosted the workshop alongside District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai. “Folks being able to come and pick the things that they actually need rather than taking things that are just going to go to waste is important.”

The Food Empowerment Market idea stems from <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=9616380&amp;GUID=64AE591E-E47E-44A3-9760-58F1270164E1">legislation</a> introduced by Safai that allocates $1.5 million in startup funds from the Human Service Agency to establish the model for the new market in partnership with a yet-to-be-named neighborhood nonprofit.

The Food Empowerment Market idea stems from <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=9616380&amp;GUID=64AE591E-E47E-44A3-9760-58F1270164E1">legislation</a> introduced by Safai that allocates $1.5 million in startup funds from the Human Service Agency to establish the model for the new market in partnership with a yet-to-be-named neighborhood nonprofit.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Still_5-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12769"/><figcaption>Supervisor Ahsha Safai, center right, chats with Howard Ngo | Photo by Mike Kuba</figcaption></figure>

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Still_5-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12769"/><figcaption>Supervisor Ahsha Safai, center right, chats with Howard Ngo | Photo by Mike Kuba</figcaption></figure>

Bayview-Hunters Point is considered a food desert by the <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a> and has the highest rates of obesity in San Francisco with <a href="https://www.eachgreencorner.org/2020/08/13/what-is-a-food-desert/">less than five percent</a> of food sold in the neighborhood consisting of fresh produce. The neighborhood also has the most residents (mainly seniors) facing food insecurity than anywhere else in the city, according to a <a href="https://www.sfdph.org/dph/files/mtgsGrps/FoodSecTaskFrc/docs/GapsAnalysis_12_08_2020.pdf">report</a> from the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Bayview-Hunters Point is considered a food desert by the <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a> and has the highest rates of obesity in San Francisco with <a href="https://www.eachgreencorner.org/2020/08/13/what-is-a-food-desert/">less than five percent</a> of food sold in the neighborhood consisting of fresh produce. The neighborhood also has the most residents (mainly seniors) facing food insecurity than anywhere else in the city, according to a <a href="https://www.sfdph.org/dph/files/mtgsGrps/FoodSecTaskFrc/docs/GapsAnalysis_12_08_2020.pdf">report</a> from the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The 5800 Third St. location was previously occupied by Duc Loi’s Pantry, and before that, by a Fresh &amp; Easy market. Since it is already built out as a supermarket, it could be a comparatively easy “turn-key” pilot for the food empowerment concept.&nbsp;

The 5800 Third St. location was previously occupied by Duc Loi’s Pantry, and before that, by a Fresh &amp; Easy market. Since it is already built out as a supermarket, it could be a comparatively easy “turn-key” pilot for the food empowerment concept.&nbsp;

“We’re trying to find a place in District 10 to address this issue of food insecurity first, and then, of course, expand this concept across other districts in the city. Duc Loi&#8217;s just happens to be a space that’s available,” President Walton added.&nbsp;

“We’re trying to find a place in District 10 to address this issue of food insecurity first, and then, of course, expand this concept across other districts in the city. Duc Loi's just happens to be a space that’s available,” President Walton added.&nbsp;

“We’re trying to find a place in District 10 to address this issue of food insecurity first, and then, of course, expand this concept across other districts in the city. Duc Loi&#8217;s just happens to be a space that’s available,” President Walton added.&nbsp;

A deal would still have to be done with <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/04/duc-loi-pantry-prepares-bayview-grocery-store/">Howard and Amanda Ngo</a>, who own the popular Duc Loi&#8217;s Market in the Mission District and worked with the city to buy the Third Street site after Fresh &amp; Easy closed.

A deal would still have to be done with <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/04/duc-loi-pantry-prepares-bayview-grocery-store/">Howard and Amanda Ngo</a>, who own the popular Duc Loi's Market in the Mission District and worked with the city to buy the Third Street site after Fresh &amp; Easy closed.

A deal would still have to be done with <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/04/duc-loi-pantry-prepares-bayview-grocery-store/">Howard and Amanda Ngo</a>, who own the popular Duc Loi&#8217;s Market in the Mission District and worked with the city to buy the Third Street site after Fresh &amp; Easy closed.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Still_1-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12787"/><figcaption>A shot of the empty Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry | Photo by Mike Kuba</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Still_1-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12787"/><figcaption>A shot of the empty Duc Loi's Pantry | Photo by Mike Kuba</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Still_1-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12787"/><figcaption>A shot of the empty Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry | Photo by Mike Kuba</figcaption></figure>

Larry Brucia, a store design consultant and president of the Sutti Associates, said getting a food empowerment market up and running could be as simple as turning the lights on.

Larry Brucia, a store design consultant and president of the Sutti Associates, said getting a food empowerment market up and running could be as simple as turning the lights on.

“Traditionally, when you develop a grocery store, most of the money which typically adds up to millions of dollars is spent on the infrastructure &#8211; which is the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, refrigeration,” said Brucia. “In this particular case, Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry has all the necessary equipment, so the infrastructure costs have already been embedded within the space.”&nbsp;

“Traditionally, when you develop a grocery store, most of the money which typically adds up to millions of dollars is spent on the infrastructure - which is the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, refrigeration,” said Brucia. “In this particular case, Duc Loi's Pantry has all the necessary equipment, so the infrastructure costs have already been embedded within the space.”&nbsp;

“Traditionally, when you develop a grocery store, most of the money which typically adds up to millions of dollars is spent on the infrastructure &#8211; which is the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, refrigeration,” said Brucia. “In this particular case, Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry has all the necessary equipment, so the infrastructure costs have already been embedded within the space.”&nbsp;

A Safai spokesman said his office and the Human Services Agency are currently in talks with Ngo about the concept and how the space might be leased from him. Ngo could not be reached for comment.

A Safai spokesman said his office and the Human Services Agency are currently in talks with Ngo about the concept and how the space might be leased from him. Ngo could not be reached for comment.

<h2 class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading" id="h-star-crossed-site">Star-Crossed Site</h2>

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<h2 class="has-medium-font-size" id="h-star-crossed-site">Star-Crossed Site</h2>

Some residents who live in the condos above the vacant store have questions about how the food empowerment concept would serve them.&nbsp;

Some residents who live in the condos above the vacant store have questions about how the food empowerment concept would serve them.&nbsp;

“I’m curious to understand what they mean by this new format and how it would work,” said David Juarez, who is president of 5800 Third Street’s homeowners’ association. “An activated grocery store was one of the main reasons I decided to buy here, and I am all for food empowerment, but I believe the storefront should also serve the folks who actually live in this building and the surrounding residents who may be middle income.”&nbsp;

“I’m curious to understand what they mean by this new format and how it would work,” said David Juarez, who is president of 5800 Third Street’s homeowners’ association. “An activated grocery store was one of the main reasons I decided to buy here, and I am all for food empowerment, but I believe the storefront should also serve the folks who actually live in this building and the surrounding residents who may be middle income.”&nbsp;

That has proven to be a tough task. In 2011, the Bayview District welcomed Fresh &amp; Easy, an upstart grocery chain owned by British food giant Tesco. The Bayview location delivered weak sales, but it was hardly alone: Tesco sold most of the stores and closed the rest in 2013, and the chain soon disappeared into bankruptcy.

That has proven to be a tough task. In 2011, the Bayview District welcomed Fresh &amp; Easy, an upstart grocery chain owned by British food giant Tesco. The Bayview location delivered weak sales, but it was hardly alone: Tesco sold most of the stores and closed the rest in 2013, and the chain soon disappeared into bankruptcy.

The store sat empty for a few years while former Supervisor Malia Cohen worked with Mayor Ed Lee and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) on finding a new owner. They landed on <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/04/duc-loi-pantry-prepares-bayview-grocery-store/">Howard and Amanda Ngo</a>.

The store sat empty for a few years while former Supervisor Malia Cohen worked with Mayor Ed Lee and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) on finding a new owner. They landed on <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/04/duc-loi-pantry-prepares-bayview-grocery-store/">Howard and Amanda Ngo</a>.

With a $250,000 investment from OEWD and $4.1 million from the Small Business Administration, the couple hosted the <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/10/scenes-from-duc-loi-pantry-s-bayview-grand-opening/">grand opening</a> for their second Duc Loi’s Pantry at 5800 Third Street in 2016. But the store closed in 2019 due to a range of factors, including lack of patronage from the surrounding community.&nbsp;

With a $250,000 investment from OEWD and $4.1 million from the Small Business Administration, the couple hosted the <a href="https://hoodline.com/2016/10/scenes-from-duc-loi-pantry-s-bayview-grand-opening/">grand opening</a> for their second Duc Loi’s Pantry at 5800 Third Street in 2016. But the store closed in 2019 due to a range of factors, including lack of patronage from the surrounding community.&nbsp;

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/14612357_10210767680617315_2828105987483951553_o.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12766"/><figcaption>The Bayview Community celebrates the grand opening of Duc Loi’s Pantry with a ribbon-cutting in 2016. Center from left to right: Former Mayor Ed Lee, Howard Ngo, Amanda Ngo, and former Supervisor Malia Cohen | Photo by Meaghan Mitchell</figcaption></figure>

Walton said both Fresh &amp; Easy and Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry could have done more to engage the locals. “In a growing community where there are folks who have been here for decades and new folks coming in, you have to find that connection with everyone that is around you and let them know that your service is available, and I just feel that both entities did not necessarily do that.”&nbsp;

Walton said both Fresh &amp; Easy and Duc Loi's Pantry could have done more to engage the locals. “In a growing community where there are folks who have been here for decades and new folks coming in, you have to find that connection with everyone that is around you and let them know that your service is available, and I just feel that both entities did not necessarily do that.”&nbsp;

Walton said both Fresh &amp; Easy and Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry could have done more to engage the locals. “In a growing community where there are folks who have been here for decades and new folks coming in, you have to find that connection with everyone that is around you and let them know that your service is available, and I just feel that both entities did not necessarily do that.”&nbsp;

Resident <a href="https://thefrisc.com/this-local-grocer-got-public-funding-to-bring-fresh-food-to-the-bayview-it-didnt-work-3c563240201">Anietie Ekanem</a>, who is also part of 5800 Third’s HOA, also noted a seeming lack of patronage of Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry.

Resident <a href="https://thefrisc.com/this-local-grocer-got-public-funding-to-bring-fresh-food-to-the-bayview-it-didnt-work-3c563240201">Anietie Ekanem</a>, who is also part of 5800 Third’s HOA, also noted a seeming lack of patronage of Duc Loi's Pantry.

Resident <a href="https://thefrisc.com/this-local-grocer-got-public-funding-to-bring-fresh-food-to-the-bayview-it-didnt-work-3c563240201">Anietie Ekanem</a>, who is also part of 5800 Third’s HOA, also noted a seeming lack of patronage of Duc Loi&#8217;s Pantry.

“I liked what Duc Loi&#8217;s had to offer in terms of food options, but would agree there was never a real connection with the community,” said Ekanem. “This area is tough because there is limited foot traffic, so some outreach would have been helpful. My hope is that whatever grocery store comes into this space has healthy options and quality products.”

“I liked what Duc Loi's had to offer in terms of food options, but would agree there was never a real connection with the community,” said Ekanem. “This area is tough because there is limited foot traffic, so some outreach would have been helpful. My hope is that whatever grocery store comes into this space has healthy options and quality products.”

“I liked what Duc Loi&#8217;s had to offer in terms of food options, but would agree there was never a real connection with the community,” said Ekanem. “This area is tough because there is limited foot traffic, so some outreach would have been helpful. My hope is that whatever grocery store comes into this space has healthy options and quality products.”

Food empowerment: A new kind of grocery store may come to the Bayview

Astrid Kane

Most candidates for local office would be ecstatic to receive the endorsement of a labor union or a neighborhood political club. But on Monday, two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda—or, rather, her eponymous climate PAC—<a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/elections/jane-fonda-endorses-honey-mahogany-for-supervisor/">parachuted into a race</a> for San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, declaring her support for Honey Mahogany, a social worker, small-business owner, chief of staff for former Sup. Matt Haney, and caftan-clad RuPaul’s Drag Race competitor who is vying to represent District 6 on the board.

Most candidates for local office would be ecstatic to receive the endorsement of a labor union or a neighborhood political club. But on Monday, two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda—or, rather, her eponymous climate PAC—<a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/elections/jane-fonda-endorses-honey-mahogany-for-supervisor/">parachuted into a race</a> for San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, declaring her support for Honey Mahogany, a social worker, small-business owner, chief of staff for former Sup. Matt Haney, and caftan-clad RuPaul’s Drag Race competitor who is vying to represent District 6 on the board.

As endorsements go, it was hardly the most unusual. (Remember when 50 Cent <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jan/20/popandrock">backed George W. Bush</a>?) Whether glamorous or cringe, the fact that Hollywood’s ultimate liberal weighed in suggests that a contest to represent one-eleventh of America’s 17th-largest city is as consequential as the fight for a Georgia Senate seat.

As endorsements go, it was hardly the most unusual. (Remember when 50 Cent <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jan/20/popandrock">backed George W. Bush</a>?) Whether glamorous or cringe, the fact that Hollywood’s ultimate liberal weighed in suggests that a contest to represent one-eleventh of America’s 17th-largest city is as consequential as the fight for a Georgia Senate seat.

District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany poses for a portrait outside OASIS Nightclub, where she used to perform, in San Francisco on October 15, 2022. Mahogany is running against current District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in May. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED01-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84872"/><figcaption>District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany poses for a portrait outside OASIS Nightclub, where she used to perform, in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2022. Mahogany is running against current District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in May. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

<a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/finally-a-map-redistricting-saga-over-for-now-after-divisive-vote/">Newly redistricted</a> to cover SoMa, Mission Bay, the Design District, Rincon Hill, Treasure Island, half of the Financial District and a jagged fragment of Civic Center, D6 may not be the keystone to an evenly divided America or even control of the board. But it is San Francisco in microcosm, encompassing incomparable tech wealth and unhoused encampments, shiny medical campuses and dilapidated SROs, overpasses from all three of the city’s freeways (along with everything that transpires beneath them) plus restaurants with 15 Michelin stars all told.

<a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/finally-a-map-redistricting-saga-over-for-now-after-divisive-vote/">Newly redistricted</a> to cover SoMa, Mission Bay, the Design District, Rincon Hill, Treasure Island, half of the Financial District and a jagged fragment of Civic Center, D6 may not be the keystone to an evenly divided America or even control of the board. But it is San Francisco in microcosm, encompassing incomparable tech wealth and unhoused encampments, shiny medical campuses and dilapidated SROs, overpasses from all three of the city’s freeways (along with everything that transpires beneath them) plus restaurants with 15 Michelin stars all told.

As a Black transgender woman whose family arrived decades ago as Ethiopian refugees, Honey Mahogany, 38, is at once an unlikely candidate for office and, in her backers’ eyes, the right person at the right time. A native of the Sunset District and a lauded drag performer, her chief opponent is the incumbent, Supervisor Matt Dorsey, a cisgender gay white man living with HIV whose struggle with substance abuse gives him a compelling narrative of his own.&nbsp;

As a Black transgender woman whose family arrived decades ago as Ethiopian refugees, Honey Mahogany, 38, is at once an unlikely candidate for office and, in her backers’ eyes, the right person at the right time. A native of the Sunset District and a lauded drag performer, her chief opponent is the incumbent, Supervisor Matt Dorsey, a cisgender gay white man living with HIV whose struggle with substance abuse gives him a compelling narrative of his own.&nbsp;

The contest is technically a four-way affair, with Dorsey fending off challenges from two other Black women: labor leader Cherelle Jackson and longtime transgender and homeless advocate Ms. Billie Cooper. Given all this, a reliance on checklist-style identity politics may not propel anyone’s campaign over the finish line.&nbsp;

The contest is technically a four-way affair, with Dorsey fending off challenges from two other Black women: labor leader Cherelle Jackson and longtime transgender and homeless advocate Ms. Billie Cooper. Given all this, a reliance on checklist-style identity politics may not propel anyone’s campaign over the finish line.&nbsp;

With polling at local levels all but nonexistent, the race is widely perceived as a race between Dorsey and Mahogany, two LGBTQ-identified renters in SoMa with little daylight between their positions on housing, safe drug consumption and public safety. But many of Mahogany’s supporters—Fonda among them—see a candidate whose lived experience informs her stances in a way that transcends City Hall’s persistent and frequently petty divisions. To them, she is a harbinger of a new San Francisco politics. 

With polling at local levels all but nonexistent, the race is widely perceived as a race between Dorsey and Mahogany, two LGBTQ-identified renters in SoMa with little daylight between their positions on housing, safe drug consumption and public safety. But many of Mahogany’s supporters—Fonda among them—see a candidate whose lived experience informs her stances in a way that transcends City Hall’s persistent and frequently petty divisions. To them, she is a harbinger of a new San Francisco politics.

Candidates for Distict 6 supervisor gather to debate at The San Francisco Standard offices on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in San Francisco. From left to right are Ms. Billie Cooper, Cherelle Jackson, San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey and Honey Mohogany. Noah Berger for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED02-2500x1584.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84875"/><figcaption>Candidates for Distict 6 supervisor gather to debate at The San Francisco Standard offices on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in San Francisco. From left to right are Ms. Billie Cooper, Cherelle Jackson, San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey and Honey Mohogany. Noah Berger for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

Many challengers take up the mantle of the outsider, crusading to deliver needed change. Mahogany, however, comes close to outflanking Supervisor Dorsey as a savvy insider, one whose political experience buttresses her quasi-unicorn status as a San Francisco native.

Many challengers take up the mantle of the outsider, crusading to deliver needed change. Mahogany, however, comes close to outflanking Supervisor Dorsey as a savvy insider, one whose political experience buttresses her quasi-unicorn status as a San Francisco native.

“Generally, in San Francisco, people are relatively close together politically, and it is really splitting hairs,” she told me as the Blue Angels practiced sorties overhead. “I think the key difference between us is that I definitely have that on-the-ground experience as a social worker and small-business owner, and as someone who has done the work of legislating and performed the functions as a legislative aide and chief of staff.”

“Generally, in San Francisco, people are relatively close together politically, and it is really splitting hairs,” she told me as the Blue Angels practiced sorties overhead. “I think the key difference between us is that I definitely have that on-the-ground experience as a social worker and small-business owner, and as someone who has done the work of legislating and performed the functions as a legislative aide and chief of staff.”

Mahogany grew up in a four-story building along the Taraval corridor—“They exist!” she insists—and went to St. Ignatius. After receiving her master’s degree in social work from UC Berkeley, she worked at Tenderloin LGBTQ+ nonprofit Larkin Street Youth Services and later the Rainbow Community Center in Concord as its first full-time employee, revamping the youth program before returning to the city, where she cofounded the Transgender District with two other Black trans women, Aria Sa’id and Janetta Johnson.&nbsp;

Mahogany grew up in a four-story building along the Taraval corridor—“They exist!” she insists—and went to St. Ignatius. After receiving her master’s degree in social work from UC Berkeley, she worked at Tenderloin LGBTQ+ nonprofit Larkin Street Youth Services and later the Rainbow Community Center in Concord as its first full-time employee, revamping the youth program before returning to the city, where she cofounded the Transgender District with two other Black trans women, Aria Sa’id and Janetta Johnson.&nbsp;

District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany crosses the street on her way to Bearrison Street Fair on October 15, 2022. Mahogany is running against current District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in May. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED03-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84878"/><figcaption>District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany on her way to the second annual Bearrison Street Fair on Oct. 15, 2022. Mahogany is a co-owner of The Stud, a 55-year-old LGBTQ+ bar whose previous home was within the festival’s footprint. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

The cultural district, which covers a small part of the Tenderloin and some of SoMa’s Sixth Street corridor, is like a progressive’s dream come true. But it gave Mahogany particular insights into how the city’s most marginalized residents view their safety.

The cultural district, which covers a small part of the Tenderloin and some of SoMa’s Sixth Street corridor, is like a progressive’s dream come true. But it gave Mahogany particular insights into how the city’s most marginalized residents view their safety.

“As someone who has worked with trans women of color and low-income trans people, I can tell people that all of them have asked, ‘Where are the police, and why aren’t they doing their jobs?’,” she said. “Anyone who has worked in D6 knows that police are part of the solution, and the people most impacted by crime are low-income—and they are asking for more police.”&nbsp;

“As someone who has worked with trans women of color and low-income trans people, I can tell people that all of them have asked, ‘Where are the police, and why aren’t they doing their jobs?’,” she said. “Anyone who has worked in D6 knows that police are part of the solution, and the people most impacted by crime are low-income—and they are asking for more police.”&nbsp;

Her role in the city’s nightlife—specifically, as part of the 18-member collective that owns The Stud—may be an even better lens to analyze her political development. San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ scene entered the Covid pandemic in a state of free fall, with venue after venue closing. The constellation of nightlife luminaries who in 2016 had <a href="https://www.sfweekly.com/culture/feature-culture/how-the-stud-was-saved/">purchased The Stud</a>, long the most freewheeling queer space in SoMa, shuttered it mere months into lockdown.&nbsp;

Her role in the city’s nightlife—specifically, as part of the 18-member collective that owns The Stud—may be an even better lens to analyze her political development. San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ scene entered the Covid pandemic in a state of free fall, with venue after venue closing. The constellation of nightlife luminaries who in 2016 had <a href="https://www.sfweekly.com/culture/feature-culture/how-the-stud-was-saved/">purchased The Stud</a>, long the most freewheeling queer space in SoMa, shuttered it mere months into lockdown.&nbsp;

(Left to right ) Mark Leno, senator Scott Wiener, Oasis host Heklina, and Honey Mahogany comment as a bill that would allow bars to stay open until 4am is reintroduced at San Francisco Eagle bar on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, in San Francisco, Calif. | Liz Hafalia/The SF Chronicle via Getty Images

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED04-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84881"/><figcaption>From left, then-state Sen. Mark Leno, then-Supervisor Scott Wiener, drag legend Heklina and Honey Mahogany at the San Francisco Eagle, commenting on the reintroduction of a bill that would allow bars to stay open until 4 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. | Liz Hafalia/The SF Chronicle via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>

Honey Mahogany (center) speaks as Jose 'Jojo' Ty (left) and Jessy Ruiz (right) listen during a panel discusses The 2020 Census and the LGBTQ Community on the Michelle Meow Show at the Commonwealth Club, San Francisco on January 31 2020. | HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED05-2500x1553.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84884"/><figcaption>Honey Mahogany, center, speaks as Jose &#8216;Jojo&#8217; Ty (left) and Jessy Ruiz (right) listen during a panel discussing The 2020 Census and the LGBTQ+ community on “The Michelle Meow Show” at the Commonwealth Club on Jan. 31, 2020. | HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED05-2500x1553.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84884"/><figcaption>Honey Mahogany, center, speaks as Jose 'Jojo' Ty (left) and Jessy Ruiz (right) listen during a panel discussing The 2020 Census and the LGBTQ+ community on “The Michelle Meow Show” at the Commonwealth Club on Jan. 31, 2020. | HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED05-2500x1553.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84884"/><figcaption>Honey Mahogany, center, speaks as Jose &#8216;Jojo&#8217; Ty (left) and Jessy Ruiz (right) listen during a panel discussing The 2020 Census and the LGBTQ+ community on “The Michelle Meow Show” at the Commonwealth Club on Jan. 31, 2020. | HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images </figcaption></figure>

Since then, the club has existed in suspended animation, its vacated, ramshackle former home at Harrison and Ninth streets the <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/07/20/artists-lose-lawsuit-over-erased-murals-at-san-francisco-gay-bar">occasional target of grumbling and graffiti</a>. (The collective is in preliminary talks to obtain another space, but members would not specify its location on the record.) If elected, Mahogany would likely have to sell her share.

Since then, the club has existed in suspended animation, its vacated, ramshackle former home at Harrison and Ninth streets the <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/07/20/artists-lose-lawsuit-over-erased-murals-at-san-francisco-gay-bar">occasional target of grumbling and graffiti</a>. (The collective is in preliminary talks to obtain another space, but members would not specify its location on the record.) If elected, Mahogany would likely have to sell her share.

“I own very little of The Stud outright,” she insisted. “It holds such a huge piece of my heart; I would hate to let it go, but we pass the torch when we can.”

“I own very little of The Stud outright,” she insisted. “It holds such a huge piece of my heart; I would hate to let it go, but we pass the torch when we can.”

This is how the city’s queer communities know her best. And it’s not so much Mahogany’s intersectional identities (Black, trans, somewhat famous) as the perceived qualities that those identities endow (empathy, quiet authority, showing up) that form the backbone of her support.&nbsp;

This is how the city’s queer communities know her best. And it’s not so much Mahogany’s intersectional identities (Black, trans, somewhat famous) as the perceived qualities that those identities endow (empathy, quiet authority, showing up) that form the backbone of her support.&nbsp;

Asked what the main difference between Dorsey and Mahogany is, supporter after supporter cited her connection to “the community.” It’s the fuzziest of buzzwords, but few aspirants to local office unseat incumbents without convincing stakeholders of their bona fides.&nbsp;

Asked what the main difference between Dorsey and Mahogany is, supporter after supporter cited her connection to “the community.” It’s the fuzziest of buzzwords, but few aspirants to local office unseat incumbents without convincing stakeholders of their bona fides.&nbsp;

“To me, she’s the people’s candidate and will bring a heart and soul and true SF values about inclusion and diversity, and people feeling seen and respected and cared for,” said Sister Roma, probably the best-known Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, who co-hosted San Francisco Pride’s Main Stage with Mahogany for several years.&nbsp;

“To me, she’s the people’s candidate and will bring a heart and soul and true SF values about inclusion and diversity, and people feeling seen and respected and cared for,” said Sister Roma, probably the best-known Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, who co-hosted San Francisco Pride’s Main Stage with Mahogany for several years.&nbsp;

“She’s done quite a bit from the DCCC [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]. More than I’ve seen in San Francisco, at least from the time I’ve been paying attention to politics,” said Sophia Andary, who sits on the SF Commission on the Status of Women. “She did the resolution standing up for solidarity for women in Iran and one for women Afghan refugees. She’s not thinking about the negative political consequences. She’s thinking about what’s needed.”

“She’s done quite a bit from the DCCC [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]. More than I’ve seen in San Francisco, at least from the time I’ve been paying attention to politics,” said Sophia Andary, who sits on the SF Commission on the Status of Women. “She did the resolution standing up for solidarity for women in Iran and one for women Afghan refugees. She’s not thinking about the negative political consequences. She’s thinking about what’s needed.”

Even Supervisor Dorsey may agree. Asked what the fairest criticism of Mahogany is, he takes a long pause and offers up the mildest barb: that she was a latecomer to SB 50, state Senator Scott Wiener’s controversial bill to streamline housing production.&nbsp;

Even Supervisor Dorsey may agree. Asked what the fairest criticism of Mahogany is, he takes a long pause and offers up the mildest barb: that she was a latecomer to SB 50, state Senator Scott Wiener’s controversial bill to streamline housing production.&nbsp;

“This isn’t a classic kind of progressive-moderate thing,” he says of their contest. “Let’s hope these are how these SF races are moving forward—with nuance.”

“This isn’t a classic kind of progressive-moderate thing,” he says of their contest. “Let’s hope these are how these SF races are moving forward—with nuance.”

Or, as Mahogany put it, “The most important difference between Dorsey and myself is the independence. I’m going to be an independent voice and not always defer to the mayor.”

Or, as Mahogany put it, “The most important difference between Dorsey and myself is the independence. I’m going to be an independent voice and not always defer to the mayor.”

San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Honey Mahogany speaks with union workers holding a 24-hour rally for an increase in living wages in front of the offices of Tenderloin Housing Clinic on Turk Street in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Employees are citing the low wages as the impetus for staffer burnout, and high turnover.  | Don Feria for the Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED07-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84890"/><figcaption>San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Honey Mahogany speaks with union workers holding a 24-hour rally for an increase in living wages in front of the offices of Tenderloin Housing Clinic on Turk Street on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Employees are citing the low wages as the impetus for staff burnout and high turnover. | Don Feria for the Standard</figcaption></figure>

District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany, center right, greets Stud Collective member Neven Samara, right, and his partner Ben Stilp, left, at Bearrison Street Fair on October 15, 2022. Mahogany is running against current District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in May. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED06-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84887"/><figcaption>District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany, center right, greets Stud Collective member Neven Samara, right, and his partner Ben Stilp, left, at Bearrison Street Fair on Oct. 15, 2022. Mahogany is running against current District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in May. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

South of Market is, in the words of Assemblymember Matt Haney, who held the District 6 supervisor seat until this spring, the “most shitted-on neighborhood” in San Francisco. Yet, as the cinematic cliche goes, the D6 race is quiet—a little too quiet. Meanwhile, over in the normally sleepy Sunset District where Mahogany grew up, mild-mannered incumbent Gordon Mar has been smeared as a “<a href="https://twitter.com/d4gordonmar/status/1549621969842163717">communist pedophile</a>” in his bid for reelection.&nbsp;

South of Market is, in the words of Assemblymember Matt Haney, who held the District 6 supervisor seat until this spring, the “most shitted-on neighborhood” in San Francisco. Yet, as the cinematic cliche goes, the D6 race is quiet—a little too quiet. Meanwhile, over in the normally sleepy Sunset District where Mahogany grew up, mild-mannered incumbent Gordon Mar has been smeared as a “<a href="https://twitter.com/d4gordonmar/status/1549621969842163717">communist pedophile</a>” in his bid for reelection.&nbsp;

This might have something to do with Mahogany’s manner. For a performer who has co-hosted San Francisco Pride’s main stage and been on reality TV, she’s somewhat low-key—even conflict-averse. At the candidate forum hosted by The Standard in early October, Mahogany fanned herself on a stool while enduring occasional jabs from Cooper, who felt she was receiving favorable treatment.

This might have something to do with Mahogany’s manner. For a performer who has co-hosted San Francisco Pride’s main stage and been on reality TV, she’s somewhat low-key—even conflict-averse. At the candidate forum hosted by The Standard in early October, Mahogany fanned herself on a stool while enduring occasional jabs from Cooper, who felt she was receiving favorable treatment.

Mahogany refrained from chucking any javelins in return. Instead, she took an almost technocratic stance on issues surrounding addiction and homelessness. Hammering home the point that the Department of Public Health’s treatment beds are useless without adequate staff, she called for a “Crisis Workers Hiring Act.”

Mahogany refrained from chucking any javelins in return. Instead, she took an almost technocratic stance on issues surrounding addiction and homelessness. Hammering home the point that the Department of Public Health’s treatment beds are useless without adequate staff, she called for a “Crisis Workers Hiring Act.”

“I’m an outreach counselor, and here’s what I can tell you,” she said then. “There’s tons of money sitting at the DPH going unused, because we haven’t hired for the positions we have open, and that’s because we’re not paying people a living wage. Nurses and other health-care workers cannot afford to live in San Francisco.&#8221;

“I’m an outreach counselor, and here’s what I can tell you,” she said then. “There’s tons of money sitting at the DPH going unused, because we haven’t hired for the positions we have open, and that’s because we’re not paying people a living wage. Nurses and other health-care workers cannot afford to live in San Francisco."

“I’m an outreach counselor, and here’s what I can tell you,” she said then. “There’s tons of money sitting at the DPH going unused, because we haven’t hired for the positions we have open, and that’s because we’re not paying people a living wage. Nurses and other health-care workers cannot afford to live in San Francisco.&#8221;

Dorsey, for his part, touted his work with colleagues on a program called “San Francisco Recovers.” It quickly became clear that he and Mahogany not only agree on several hot-button issues, but they also defy certain political orthodoxies together. They support safe consumption. They want to upzone low-density neighborhoods. With qualifications, they back <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/for-supervisor-rafael-mandelman-conservatorship-is-personal/">conservatorship</a>. Both believe that the San Francisco Police Department must be part of any discussion about public safety. And both have endorsed Proposition D, a charter amendment to streamline multifamily housing approvals.&nbsp;

Dorsey, for his part, touted his work with colleagues on a program called “San Francisco Recovers.” It quickly became clear that he and Mahogany not only agree on several hot-button issues, but they also defy certain political orthodoxies together. They support safe consumption. They want to upzone low-density neighborhoods. With qualifications, they back <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/for-supervisor-rafael-mandelman-conservatorship-is-personal/">conservatorship</a>. Both believe that the San Francisco Police Department must be part of any discussion about public safety. And both have endorsed Proposition D, a charter amendment to streamline multifamily housing approvals.&nbsp;

Many <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/this-is-whos-spending-money-on-sf-housing-propositions/">left-leaning organizations oppose that measure</a>—including the same SF Democratic Party whose central committee is chaired by Honey Mahogany.&nbsp;

Many <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/this-is-whos-spending-money-on-sf-housing-propositions/">left-leaning organizations oppose that measure</a>—including the same SF Democratic Party whose central committee is chaired by Honey Mahogany.&nbsp;

Supporters of Supervisor Matt Dorsey and candidate Honey Mohogany listen during a debate for District 6 supervisor candidates at The San Francisco Standard offices on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in San Francisco. | Noah Berger for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED08-2500x1663.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84893"/><figcaption>Supporters of Supervisor Matt Dorsey and candidate Honey Mahogany listen during a debate for District 6 supervisor candidates at The San Francisco Standard offices on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. | Noah Berger for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

Honey Mohogany, and San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey listen during a debate for District 6 supervisor candidates at The San Francisco Standard offices on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in San Francisco. | Noah Berger for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED09-2500x1666.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84897"/><figcaption>Honey Mahogany, and San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey listen during a debate for District 6 supervisor candidates at The San Francisco Standard offices on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. | Noah Berger for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

A specter is haunting District 6: the specter of Yes In My Backyard.&nbsp;

A specter is haunting District 6: the specter of Yes In My Backyard.&nbsp;

In the four years since Matt Haney defeated arch-YIMBY Sonja Trauss to represent D6, public sentiment has shifted in a build-baby-build direction. While it might be a stretch to say “We Are All YIMBYs now,” Haney successfully made an issue of David Campos’ opposition to a 495-unit project in SoMa during their several contests for an Assembly seat this year. If bland, market-rate condos are what it takes to get some affordable units around here, this line of thinking goes, then so be it.&nbsp;

In the four years since Matt Haney defeated arch-YIMBY Sonja Trauss to represent D6, public sentiment has shifted in a build-baby-build direction. While it might be a stretch to say “We Are All YIMBYs now,” Haney successfully made an issue of David Campos’ opposition to a 495-unit project in SoMa during their several contests for an Assembly seat this year. If bland, market-rate condos are what it takes to get some affordable units around here, this line of thinking goes, then so be it.&nbsp;

“Thirty members of my family lived in San Francisco at one point,” Mahogany said during The Standard’s debate. “Now that’s down to two. The lack of affordability is why I got involved in housing.”

“Thirty members of my family lived in San Francisco at one point,” Mahogany said during The Standard’s debate. “Now that’s down to two. The lack of affordability is why I got involved in housing.”

An overwhelming proportion of new construction in San Francisco during the 2010s took place in SoMa and Mission Bay. Consequently, District 6’s population growth relative to the other districts introduced a distortion into the city’s political map. Its contours were always going to change after the 2020 Census, but this spring’s redistricting fight struck some observers as unnecessarily protracted. While insisting that Mahogany would emerge victorious from any version of the district that emerged, Haney believes that redistricting was undertaken specifically to torpedo progressive-aligned campaigns.

An overwhelming proportion of new construction in San Francisco during the 2010s took place in SoMa and Mission Bay. Consequently, District 6’s population growth relative to the other districts introduced a distortion into the city’s political map. Its contours were always going to change after the 2020 Census, but this spring’s redistricting fight struck some observers as unnecessarily protracted. While insisting that Mahogany would emerge victorious from any version of the district that emerged, Haney believes that redistricting was undertaken specifically to torpedo progressive-aligned campaigns.

District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany poses for a portrait on 11th St. in San Francisco on October 15, 2022. Mahogany is running against current District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in May. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED10-1667x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84900"/><figcaption>District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany poses for a portrait on 11th Street in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2022. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

Since Danica Roem won a 2017 upset for a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates, transgender lawmakers have become more common around the country. 

Since Danica Roem won a 2017 upset for a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates, transgender lawmakers have become more common around the country.

Maebe A. Girl, a member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles who is currently challenging Rep. Adam Schiff for a seat in Congress, says that while her politics are antithetical to that of the former president, she believes that his presidency had one unexpected effect. It’s counterintuitive, maybe even perverse, but Donald Trump essentially “redefined who people could picture in office,” and gender-variant people are among the groups who have benefited from that shift. Still, she says, simply running for office as a nonbinary trans woman presents complications.

Maebe A. Girl, a member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles who is currently challenging Rep. Adam Schiff for a seat in Congress, says that while her politics are antithetical to that of the former president, she believes that his presidency had one unexpected effect. It’s counterintuitive, maybe even perverse, but Donald Trump essentially “redefined who people could picture in office,” and gender-variant people are among the groups who have benefited from that shift. Still, she says, simply running for office as a nonbinary trans woman presents complications.

“If I underdress or don’t wear makeup, I get misgendered, and if I do too much, it’s like, ‘Oh, look at this drag queen,’” Girl said of the campaign trail. “I have to find this strange balance.”

“If I underdress or don’t wear makeup, I get misgendered, and if I do too much, it’s like, ‘Oh, look at this drag queen,’” Girl said of the campaign trail. “I have to find this strange balance.”

In her run against Schiff, whose involvement in Trump’s impeachments brought him national media exposure, Girl laments how hard it has been to garner media attention.

In her run against Schiff, whose involvement in Trump’s impeachments brought him national media exposure, Girl laments how hard it has been to garner media attention.

“I’m the first trans or nonbinary person to advance to a top-two race for the House of Representatives,” she said. “I thought that would make a good story.”

“I’m the first trans or nonbinary person to advance to a top-two race for the House of Representatives,” she said. “I thought that would make a good story.”

California activist and politician Maebe A. Girl. | Silver Lake Neighborhood Council/Wikimedia/Creative Commons

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/HoneyMahoganyD6_10132022_INLINED11-2500x2165.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84904"/><figcaption>California activist and politician Maebe A. Girl. | Silver Lake Neighborhood Council/Wikimedia/Creative Commons</figcaption></figure>

Visibility cuts both ways, though. In September, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, often considered to be among the Board of Supervisors’ more left-leaning members, dismissed Mahogany as an ego-driven arriviste and declared his support for Dorsey and other candidates who “are real people and who are human.”&nbsp;

Visibility cuts both ways, though. In September, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, often considered to be among the Board of Supervisors’ more left-leaning members, dismissed Mahogany as an ego-driven arriviste and declared his support for Dorsey and other candidates who “are real people and who are human.”&nbsp;

Peskin, who is 58 and serving his fourth term on the board, apologized for his remarks, which were <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/transgender-rights-san-francisco-17489539.php">inartful at best and transphobic at worst</a>. But it may have revealed a new political fracture in the city—not so much between left and right, but young and old.

Peskin, who is 58 and serving his fourth term on the board, apologized for his remarks, which were <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/transgender-rights-san-francisco-17489539.php">inartful at best and transphobic at worst</a>. But it may have revealed a new political fracture in the city—not so much between left and right, but young and old.

“The idea that Aaron Peskin represents what a progressive is is fucking nonsense, and I don’t believe it,” said Nate Allbee, Mahogany’s campaign strategist. “How is he more progressive than Matt Haney if you look at what they say and do? The one difference is that Matt and Honey are openly willing to say that building housing at all levels is the right tactic to do right now.”

“The idea that Aaron Peskin represents what a progressive is is fucking nonsense, and I don’t believe it,” said Nate Allbee, Mahogany’s campaign strategist. “How is he more progressive than Matt Haney if you look at what they say and do? The one difference is that Matt and Honey are openly willing to say that building housing at all levels is the right tactic to do right now.”

<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/p4lnk2oQHbCGnmTVf6qrKAxxLJ-DZCfQEkgJqpr-iUZf3-sRRod7HaSq199EsY5PgGS2Oyt4q8OlVSerwiKD7er1uJK0dFr1zkEda76iR7MCN4RGFfD9Bcn9meIO9s2p8SwX_zh-2L4h6WsF5I3q6vZzbb35hSQxoxb1zDoMMdJULz9xCmwPkvGm7g" alt=""/><figcaption>District 6 Candidate Honey Mahogany watches the Leather Pride Flag raising at Bearrison Street Fair in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2022. | Kori Suzuki for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

If an openness to new construction disqualifies someone as a progressive, Allbee continued, then progressivism is in a heap of trouble. And the record indicates that a measure of pragmatism has been a boon to people looking to make history, even when they had to struggle to do it. Harvey Milk fought his way to becoming the first gay person on the Board of Supervisors almost half a century ago with soaring, “You gotta give ’em hope” oratory combined with a crusade against that most mundane of issues: dog poop. If you assumed that the first Black trans woman with a credible shot at following Milk would succeed simply by veering to the left of the left, you would be wrong.

If an openness to new construction disqualifies someone as a progressive, Allbee continued, then progressivism is in a heap of trouble. And the record indicates that a measure of pragmatism has been a boon to people looking to make history, even when they had to struggle to do it. Harvey Milk fought his way to becoming the first gay person on the Board of Supervisors almost half a century ago with soaring, “You gotta give ’em hope” oratory combined with a crusade against that most mundane of issues: dog poop. If you assumed that the first Black trans woman with a credible shot at following Milk would succeed simply by veering to the left of the left, you would be wrong.

“There’s a diversity of opinions there,” Mahogany said, “but it’s the No. 1 thing: a complete failure of accountability and a failure to implement practical solutions. We can’t allow people to suffer and die in the streets and call that progress.”

“There’s a diversity of opinions there,” Mahogany said, “but it’s the No. 1 thing: a complete failure of accountability and a failure to implement practical solutions. We can’t allow people to suffer and die in the streets and call that progress.”

Honey Mahogany’s supporters see her as the harbinger of a new kind of San Francisco politics

Christina Campodonico

Nick Veronin

John Vochatzer says the “Weird Lady,” a <a href="https://brokeassstuart.com/2021/01/14/artist-you-should-know-calamity-fair/">googly-eyed, pink-headed</a> boogeywomen that’s become a familiar sight around town, was meant to express “grievances with private property” and “challenge ideas of what public art should be.”&nbsp;

John Vochatzer says the “Weird Lady,” a <a href="https://brokeassstuart.com/2021/01/14/artist-you-should-know-calamity-fair/">googly-eyed, pink-headed</a> boogeywomen that’s become a familiar sight around town, was meant to express “grievances with private property” and “challenge ideas of what public art should be.”&nbsp;

Now, he wants his new gallery in the Tenderloin to reimagine what an art gallery should be–and who it should serve.

Now, he wants his new gallery in the Tenderloin to reimagine what an art gallery should be–and who it should serve.

Whether or not you’ve ever noticed the Weird Lady, she has almost certainly seen you. Vochatzer, working under his street artist moniker, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/calamityfair/?hl=en">Calamity Fair</a>, spent a number of years wallpapering the city with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/magazine/how-to-wheat-paste-posters.html">wheat paste cutouts</a> of the now-ubiquitous icon.

Whether or not you’ve ever noticed the Weird Lady, she has almost certainly seen you. Vochatzer, working under his street artist moniker, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/calamityfair/?hl=en">Calamity Fair</a>, spent a number of years wallpapering the city with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/magazine/how-to-wheat-paste-posters.html">wheat paste cutouts</a> of the now-ubiquitous icon.

Weird Lady is Watching You | Art by Calamity Fair/John Vochatzer

<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Calamity-Fair.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-14442" width="391" height="446"/><figcaption>Weird Lady | Art by Calamity Fair/John Vochatzer</figcaption></figure></div>

In that time, the veteran street artist has watched as guerilla muralists in cities all over the country—including his own—have made the curious transformation from gritty <a href="http://www.metroactive.com/features/Girafa-South-Bays-Banksy.html">countercultural heroes</a> to <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/art-is-the-new-real-estate-amenity">luxury apartment marketing assets</a>.

In that time, the veteran street artist has watched as guerilla muralists in cities all over the country—including his own—have made the curious transformation from gritty <a href="http://www.metroactive.com/features/Girafa-South-Bays-Banksy.html">countercultural heroes</a> to <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/art-is-the-new-real-estate-amenity">luxury apartment marketing assets</a>.

Vochatzer, however, has no plans to partner with any fast-casual condo developers in the near future.

Vochatzer, however, has no plans to partner with any fast-casual condo developers in the near future.

Instead, he has parlayed his hard-earned clout into <a href="https://www.mothbelly.org/">Moth Belly Gallery</a>, which he and fellow street artist, KT Seibert (aka<a href="https://seibot.art/"> Seibot</a>), opened on Larkin Street last month. And rather than use the new gallery space to amplify or monetize his brand, Vochatzer is taking this time to ask himself a number of pointed questions.&nbsp;

Instead, he has parlayed his hard-earned clout into <a href="https://www.mothbelly.org/">Moth Belly Gallery</a>, which he and fellow street artist, KT Seibert (aka<a href="https://seibot.art/"> Seibot</a>), opened on Larkin Street last month. And rather than use the new gallery space to amplify or monetize his brand, Vochatzer is taking this time to ask himself a number of pointed questions.&nbsp;

“Is street art affecting gentrification? Is it contributing to it? Is it combating it?” Vochatzer muses. “I&#8217;m just kind of trying to understand as a street artist in San Francisco what my role is in that process. That&#8217;s something that I think people need to be conscious of, especially if you&#8217;re opening a gallery in a place like San Francisco.”

“Is street art affecting gentrification? Is it contributing to it? Is it combating it?” Vochatzer muses. “I'm just kind of trying to understand as a street artist in San Francisco what my role is in that process. That's something that I think people need to be conscious of, especially if you're opening a gallery in a place like San Francisco.”

“Is street art affecting gentrification? Is it contributing to it? Is it combating it?” Vochatzer muses. “I&#8217;m just kind of trying to understand as a street artist in San Francisco what my role is in that process. That&#8217;s something that I think people need to be conscious of, especially if you&#8217;re opening a gallery in a place like San Francisco.”

Food empowerment: A new kind of grocery store may come to the Bayview

Honey Mahogany’s supporters see her as the harbinger of a new kind of San Francisco politics

Calamity Fair, street artist behind ‘Weird Lady,’ takes a creative turn with new Tenderloin gallery

Turning downtown offices into housing isn’t the solution you think it is

Helps San Francisco's Elders Keep the Spark Alive

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Food empowerment: A new kind of grocery store may come to the Bayview

Honey Mahogany’s supporters see her as the harbinger of a new kind of San Francisco politics

Calamity Fair, street artist behind ‘Weird Lady,’ takes a creative turn with new Tenderloin gallery

Turning downtown offices into housing isn’t the solution you think it is

Helps San Francisco's Elders Keep the Spark Alive