Evento del distrito Mission fusiona celebraciones de Juneteenth y Pride

The Third Thursdays on Treat event, now celebrating 'Juneteenth x Pride,' kicked off late Thursday afternoon in San Francisco's Mission District, launching what will be dozens of Pride and Juneteenth celebrations throughout the end of the month. Approximately 10 Black and LGBTQ+ vendors set up along 957 Treat Avenue near 23rd Street, offering crocheted hats, $1 caricatures, specialty cupcakes, and other goods.

The evening featured music by Women's Audio Mission's Dominé Brishawn, Aroma, and DJ Shellheart, who also deejays for the Valkyries. Edwin Ortiz, a billing specialist and event manager, explained that Monkey Brains, the local internet provider hosting the Third Thursday series, originally planned a Pride Month event.

However, because Thursday fell on the eve of Juneteenth, the company decided to celebrate both holidays. "Helping people be seen, helping people feel comfortable being in their own skin and living the life that they were meant to," Brishawn said.

Brishawn and her friends performed as children lined up in front to dance. Around 50 visitors attended the event, which ran from 5 p.m.

Nearby, Andrea Rivers, owner of Roots of Dopeness, sold her crocheted hats and shirts, each one unique. Rivers learned to crochet from her grandmother at age nine.

The 'dopeness' in the name was inspired by her mother's belief that her family was full of dope people. "I want to bring color and different and brightness to the world of black and white," Rivers said.

Rivers plans to sell at another Juneteenth event this weekend before celebrating Pride at Civic Center next weekend. Most attendees at the Juneteenth x Pride event intend to celebrate both holidays.

Ortiz plans to visit venues from North Beach to Dolores Park for Pride. Fullout Fritzie, the drag queen who served as master of ceremonies Thursday night, has a busy schedule ahead.

"Pride is definitely a kick in the pants to the artists," Fritzie said. "We’re all kind of banding together and taking care of each other." Fritzie prepared for the upcoming festivities by gathering with friends on Wednesday.

She hopes that Pride can continue year-round so that drag performers don't have to "crawl" out of their bedrooms for Pride and then retreat after Pride Month ends. Fritzie will perform at August Hall on June 27 with five backup dancers—"a whole production," she said.

She will continue the weekend as a backup dancer for other performers, including one on the mainstage for San Francisco Pride. Attendee Angel Idrovo said he plans to relax rather than party for Pride.

Idrovo bought one of Rivers' colorful floral bucket hats and immediately wore it. "I think that’s important to just like have things that bring joy and that are actually really, truly community-based and supportive," Idrovo said, "especially just in the state of the world that it is right now."