Gay Rights Foundation Announces 2015 Events and Beneficiaries
Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation today announced their 2015 season of events and beneficiaries. The Foundation produces the annual "Real Bad" fundraising party that follows San Francisco's world-renowned Folsom Street Fair, the REACH Pride T-Dance party that takes place on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at SF Oasis, 298 11th Street featuring DJ Amy Alderman, and "Recovery," which takes place on Sunday, October 4. The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation today announced that it will donate 100 percent of the funds raised by general admission ticket sales to the historically sold-out event "Real Bad" to the six LGBT health and community service organizations listed below. Additionally the Foundation will donate 100 percent of the proceeds generated by the other events to these organizations. Last year, the Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation through the events "Real Bad," "Reach," "Recovery" raised $175,000 for worthy charities, and has raised over $2.1 million throughout the event's history.
The Board of Directors unveiled a new logo, mission statement, and website for the Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation. Board member Dave Hendrickson remarked, "We are incredibly proud of a legacy that successfully honors the founders of our very first event in 1989 while evolving to resonate with new generations of community activists who are committed to making our world a better place."
The organizations named as beneficiaries of the Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation represent diverse causes within the LGBT community. The beneficiary organizations selected to receive new funding this year are:
Project Homeless Connect
The mission of Project Homeless Connect is to connect San Franciscans experiencing homelessness with the care they need to move forward.
HIV Story Project/ National AIDS Memorial
Focused on bridging HIV/AIDS with film, media and storytelling to halt the spread of the pandemic, battle the stigma associated with it and give a voice to the HIV positive community.
Let's Kick ASS
The organization is dedicated to reclaiming lives, ending isolation, and helping long-term survivors envision a future that they once might not have dreamed of.
National Center for Transgender Equality
For over a decade, NCTE has been at the forefront of changing laws, policies and society to improve the lives of transgender Americans.
The Foundation will also fund for an additional year the following two organizations selected in 2014:
Project Inform
Project Inform fights the HIV and hepatitis C epidemics by assuring the development of effective treatments and a cure; supporting individuals to make informed choices about their health; advocating for quality, affordable health care; and promoting medical strategies that prevent new infections.
Castro Country Club
Since April 1983, the Castro Country Club has been a safe haven for LGBT people in recovery from drugs and alcohol.
David Hegarty, Event Chair for this year's "Real Bad XXVII," "Reach" and "Recovery" parties, said "This year we launched a new and different "Reach" and "Recovery" host program. This is part of our evolution of our season of events. We expand our circle of friends to include a new generation of members, and indeed one of the key strengths of this organization, and why it has been producing some world class parties for 27 years, is the constant introduction of fresh ideas and fresh friends, welcomed with love. This has led to the Foundation becoming one of the cornerstones of philanthropy in our community." REAL BAD XXVII will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at club 1015 Folsom in San Francisco.
The Foundation today also announced this year's Main Dance Floor DJ for "Real Bad XXVII" as Jesus Pelayo, from Madrid, Spain. He defines himself more as a musician than a DJ, although he has been DJing for friends in small and medium size parties for as long as he can remember. His experience spinning for large crowds has been enriched playing every year since 2011 on a float during Madrid Gay Pride parade, an event attended by hundreds of thousands of visitors. Most relevant club gigs outside Spain include DJing for PAPA Party in NYC.
For him, as a DJ born in private events, close contact with the audience is vital. With a strong musical background, his vibrant, versatile sets, full of energy and upbeat tunes range from mellow styles like Trip and Deep House, up to darker Tribal and Techno beats, always keeping his personal touch with strong vocal and funky components. He chooses his appearances according to feeling. He maintains no residences so that each gig is prepared meticulously. The outcome: custom-made sets and an excited audience.
In addition, the Underground will offer an alternative dance floor with music by San Francisco's own Brian Maier. The soundscapes Brian creates typically blend old-style disco with present-day techno, and of course present some modern day vocals to get audiences engaged and enthralled. A mixture of instantly recognizable beats and melodies is often amplified by mixes and cuts which are recrafted. The journey of Brian's sets often take a listener through periods of trance-like splendor and gentle, welcoming loops to epic, warehouse-style rave music and electro stompers. Always eager to try something original, you're sure to walk away from a set transformed, transported, and uplifted.
"Real Bad XXVII" will also feature world-class lighting, laser, and video production. The lighting and laser show will be designed and operated by Robert Sanders. Visuals by 3 will be creating custom content for the live video show.
The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation also announced today the "Recovery" party will feature the return of San Francisco's DJ Philip Grasso for an all-night set with lighting and lasers by Robert Sanders and Visuals by 3. The party will be held Sunday October 4, 6 p.m. -midnight, immediately following the Castro Street Fair, at Public Works, 161 Erie Street in San Francisco.