Tuesday, October 13

Author: Juanita MORE!

Juanita MORE! is a denizen of the limelight. For almost three decades, the laudable hostess has blitzed San Francisco with high glamour, drag irreverence, and danceable beats that have illuminated the entire city. MORE! continues to be a heaping dollop of generosity and a sprinkle of nerve. She inspires those around her to make positive differences in their lives and communities — and doing it all with timeless elegance and an innovative spirit. Most recently, after her reign, Miss MORE! holds the title of Absolute Empress 56 of the Imperial Council of San Francisco –– one of the oldest non-profit organizations globally. To date, MORE! has helped raise over 1 million dollars for local charities — among them GBLT Historical Society & Archives, Our Trans Youth, Q Foundation, Queer Lifespace, Transgender Law Center, and more. In addition, MORE! tirelessly fundraises for organizations in San Francisco that are adamant about helping communities in the seven-by-seven thrive, all while shining light and offering support to those who’ve been overlooked for far too long. MORE! embodies what it means to be a conduit of connection. MORE!’ brings the people together to fundraise, celebrate community, and demand social change around San Francisco and elsewhere. Her culinary expressions are an extension of what mothers have been doing in their kitchens for generations — which, simply states, is sharing “loads of love.”
My Mom’s Hands and the Stories of Strength They Told
8May By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Editors' Picks, Essays, Hyperlocal News + Stories

My Mom’s Hands and the Stories of Strength They Told

It's been almost thirty years since my mom passed away. She was loving, protective, funny, and always the life of the party. Mom was born to a family of immigrants from Chihuahua, Mexico, during the Depression of the 1930s in Niles, California. The little town of Niles had peaked as the "Hollywood of the Silent Film Era." Around this time, many Mexican Americans were facing threats of deportation and struggling to find work amidst the era's job crisis and food shortages. I'm not sure how my grandparents arrived in California, but I heard rumors that my great-grandfather worked as a railroad conductor for a company that traveled through the Southern states.    Beatriz was the sixth of nine children –– and fifth of the girls. As the youngest of the girls, it was apparent that she was wel...
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Opinion: I May Know SF Mayoral Candidate Aaron Peskin Differently Than You Do
23Apr By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Hyperlocal News + Stories

Opinion: I May Know SF Mayoral Candidate Aaron Peskin Differently Than You Do

District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who's a good friend of mine, is the newest addition to a growing pool of political figures vying for SF Mayor Breed's seat this year. In 2017, Supervisor Aaron Peskin invited me to City Hall to accept a Certificate of Honor from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Years later, he'd confess he was ready to beg me to attend. And he almost had to! Not for lack of gratitude. People find it hard to believe, but even a drag queen as pretty as me gets nervous about these kinds of things.  As I sat in the gallery of City Hall's gorgeous legislative chambers, my palms started to sweat with the anticipation of having to accept my certificate. Surrounded by some of my own personal heroes, my anxiety was creeping in. I listened as Aaron said lovely things ab...
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On an East Bay Teenager Lost to Gun Violence 23 Years Ago
23Apr By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Hyperlocal News + Stories

On an East Bay Teenager Lost to Gun Violence 23 Years Ago

We lose too many children to firearms — because anything over a single life is unacceptable. In 1999 I lost my 13-year-old niece to gun violence. She was a vibrant, sassy, young person, whose laughter and smile always brightened my visits to the East Bay. She was also a smart ass. (Though, I have no clue where she got that kind of attitude from.) There was a party for one of her friends at the home that my niece shared with her two older sisters, younger brother, and parents. She was hanging out on the porch with two teenage friends — ages 15 and 16 years old, at the time — on that cold late-winter night in February. The two young boys were horsing around with a gun. They were pointing it at each other, pointing it at passing cars, and then one of them pointed it at my niece. I ...
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Displacement, Gentrification, and an Age-Old Story of Greedy Landlords in San Francisco
5Mar By Juanita MORE!1 Comment
Editors' Picks, Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

Displacement, Gentrification, and an Age-Old Story of Greedy Landlords in San Francisco

'We must band together and fight for our right to fair and equitable housing.' In 1979 San Francisco passed a rent control ordinance that is enforced by the SF Rent Board. They also offer protection from landlord negligence and eviction; the ordinance covers all rental units in buildings with a certificate of occupancy dating before June 13, 1979. To many, rent control is seen as a way to maintain affordable housing and fight the displacement of low-income tenants. In 1994, San Francisco voters passed Prop I which repealed the exemption from rent control for owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units. Following this appeal, when more units became rent-controlled, housing decreased and prices for remaining housing rose, furthering income inequality. Two years ago, my friend Cleve ...
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We’re Big Fans of This SF Drag Queen’s Queer 2024 Voting Guide
21Feb By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Hyperlocal News + Stories, News to Know

We’re Big Fans of This SF Drag Queen’s Queer 2024 Voting Guide

In a time when voting rights are under attack, it's imperative we all practice our right to participate in the Democratic process... (while we still can). The time has come for me to put together my Queer Agenda Voting Guide for the March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election with the help of some of my friends and community members whose opinions I trust. It's as challenging as ever to be optimistic about the political landscape. We are witnessing atrocities in our world and country that have left us feeling helpless, even when we have shouted from the top of our lungs for justice. Some news outlets and social media platforms continue to be full of disinformation, extremism, and distraction. And politics has an overwhelming, unfair influence from big money.  For a moment, I though...
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SF’s Harvey Milk Plaza Needs to Remain a Community Gathering Place
12Jan By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Culture + Travel, Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

SF’s Harvey Milk Plaza Needs to Remain a Community Gathering Place

It’s the beginning of the rainbow (of civic activism). In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle published in July of 2021, Ryan Kost opened his essay by mentioning that a Castro community group tried again to redesign Harvey Milk Plaza, by writing the following: The night San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated, many expected a riot; instead, hundreds gathered at the intersection of Castro and Market streets for a solemn candlelight vigil and walked to City Hall. There, according to Brian Springfield, director of Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza, Harry Britt, the man who would succeed Milk, promised that one day, there would be “something special” with Milk’s name on it. I can still remember watching the evening news with my family on the da...
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On Loss, Love, and Dreaming From San Francisco Into the Next Year
27Dec By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Editors' Picks, Essays, Hyperlocal News + Stories

On Loss, Love, and Dreaming From San Francisco Into the Next Year

'So, good riddance to all of the poking, pulling, prodding, pigeon-holing, blustering, and yanking of 2023.' I woke up so overwhelmed by the dream I had last night. I was at a park with Jackson, who was tied to the bench I was sitting on. Everything I had worked on last year was playing back in front of me at high speed –– events, parties, and marches; I saw every person I knew. It was fluttering from day to night, indoors and outdoors. And, then, I turned to look at Jackson; he was gone, and everything stopped. All I saw was his leash and collar tied to the bench. I've spent most of the day interpreting the dream and understanding its significance. A few people I've had heart-to-heart chats about 2023 with said they felt it was a fantastic year for them personally and artistically. Wh...
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The Toxicity of Bullying Within the Queer Community
12Dec By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Essays, Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

The Toxicity of Bullying Within the Queer Community

And there are mental health resources for the LGBTQIA+ community to heed. A friend recently reached out to talk with me about a problem they were having. In the past thirty years as "Juanita," many people have considered me a mom, and I have lent my ear and heart to those who need it. I've said this before — I do not take the title or role of "mother" lightly.  Over this time, some very private things have been mumbled into my ear in very public places. I've taken those whispers seriously and have tried to help fix many situations. And, if I didn't have the answer, I would guide them to someone who did.  This time, a person was feeling bullied by someone I knew, and they asked if I could help meditate on the situation. There are different reasons why people are compelled to bully. T...
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A Message of Love From My Heart in San Francisco
28Nov By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Editors' Picks, Essays, Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

A Message of Love From My Heart in San Francisco

In an impossibly complex and contentious world, may our love for one another help streamline our inherent worth. I heard Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” playing overhead while shopping at my bodega across the street yesterday. And I must be honest with you — “joyous” wasn’t exactly the adjective that came to mind.   For the last few weeks, I’ve said, “Juanita, you have much to be thankful for. There are people in this world right now — from the cold streets of the Tenderloin to the crisis unfolding in the Middle East — who have it far worse than you do.” It’s tough to keep things in perspective, especially when there is the loss we experience every day, sometimes right at home. I don’t know about you, but it’s been overwhelming for me to comprehend the conflict playing out...
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The Comfort of San Francisco Rain and Snoring French Bulldogs
18Nov By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Editors' Picks, Essays, Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

The Comfort of San Francisco Rain and Snoring French Bulldogs

'Beyond my window, I know the world is a hot mess outside of it.' This morning, I woke up to a symphony of sounds. I laid still, kept my eyes closed, and listened to the rain hitting my windows while my two furry bedmates snored peacefully beside me. It was a concert of calmness, peace, and tranquility––much needed during these difficult days. And it was a sweet reminder to let myself exist in the moment. My heart is heavy with the news of our friend Michael Youens's passing this week. He was a sweet and kind friend and loved by everyone whose path he crossed. This past year has been full of loss, and we have all done a lot of grieving. It weighs heavily on my heart and brings up many thoughts about our existence. My peers, whom I grew up with during the AIDS crisis, are enterin...
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