After months of debate about the need for LGBTQ representation on San Francisco s Historic Preservation Commission, the Board of Supervisors has seated a gay man on the oversight body. The supervisors unanimously voted 11-0 July 20 in approval of Mayor London Breed s appointment of Jason Wright to the commission s Seat 3, which is designated for an architectural historian.
If the mayor administers his oath of office in time, Wright could take part in the commission s Wednesday (July 21) meeting. He is replacing Commissioner Jonathan Pearlman, a gay man, and will be the only out person on the seven-member advisory panel.
Earlier this year Breed opted to also replace Andrew Hyland, a gay man who had been president of the commission. Her initial selection of three straight people for the trio of seats up for renewal this year drew criticism from both LGBTQ preservationists and members of the supervisors rules committee, who review mayoral appointees.
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Aaron Reese Boseman
R.J. Griffith, an acclaimed Chicago singer, songwriter and audio engineer, wants to give his uncle, R&B singer Thomas Williams, his flowers before it’s too late.
He came up with an idea to ensure that his uncle’s legacy stands the test of time by covering “You Turn Me On,” a 1970 song by The Fabulous Turks, Williams’ group.
In many cases, Black creatives from bygone eras die two deaths: the physical one and the second when their legacies fall by the wayside.
“I think I had to be about 25 or 26 when [Williams] played the music for me, but when he played ‘You Turn Me On,’ I said, ‘Wait, I need to hear this one again,’ ” said Griffith. “My uncle gave me a CD with the music on there, and then come to find out my mom had a 45 [vinyl record] in the basement of the song, so I went home and started using her record player and was listening to the song.