HOMIES & HOMOS: SOMArts Dance Party Fundraiser raises crucial funds for the René Yañez Legacy Fund

HOMIES & HOMOS: SOMArts Dance Party Fundraiser kicks off 415 Day Weekend
and raises crucial funds for the René Yañez Legacy Fund

Curated by Muni Raised Me
Friday, April 12, 7–11 PM PST

April 2, 2024, San Francisco, CA–Nestled under the 101 freeway and tended by the late René Yañez, the SOMArts’ garden has recently undergone an ADA construction project and reopens in time for HOMIES & HOMOS: SOMArts Dance Party Fundraiser on Friday, April 12, 7–11 PM PST! With beloved nightlife icon Per Sia as the evening’s host, Honey Mahogany as the featured speaker, and curated by Muni Raised Me, HOMIES & HOMOS brings together weirdos, queers, creatives, youth, and elders in support of one of the City’s longstanding arts organizations.

“By working with curators and artists who are deeply connected to the City’s heartbeat, this fundraiser is a celebration of SOMArts’ vibrant spirit that continues to inspire generations of artist, activists, and community centered collaboration,” shares Maria Jenson, SOMArts’ Executive Director.

HOMIES & HOMOS is a full building takeover featuring artist performances, music, and collaborative art making. Known for bringing local and global grooves to dance floors, community rooted celebrations and movements, LA FEMME PAPI, DJ Jenset, and DJ Baghead inspire joy and liberation through sound.

Playing classic Motown, rhythm and blues, and soul favorites, The Coolerators are among the who’s who of legal champions for civil rights. They have performed around the Bay area to bring relief and a chance to dance cares away for a night. The band is comprised of Eva Paterson, President of the Equal Justice Society on vocals; lawyer Elizabeth Cabraser on drums; Assemblyman David Chiu on violin; developer and former Presidio Trust president Paula Collins and employment lawyer Cheryl Stevens on vocals; mediator and labor arbitrator Bob Hirsch on guitar; Brad Seligman on guitar, harmonica and vocals; USF law professor Bill Hing on bass guitar and Bill Tamayo on keyboards and accordion.

Artist activations include The Great Tortilla Conspiracy, the world’s most dangerous tortilla art collective, with Rio Yañez, Art Hazelwood, Jos Sances and founded by René Yañez. Together, The Great Tortilla Conspiracy explores a wide breadth of themes through edible tortilla art. The customized Muni art bus designed by Sasha Vu and collaborators returns to SOMArts, first unveiled during the Muni Raised Me exhibition in 2023.

In the Main Gallery, guests will be invited to co-create The People’s Map, where attendees can document their memories of past and present San Francisco, and imagine what the future of the 415 can be. This interactive installation is an invitation to witness, recall and reminisce about the moments that have crystallized our identity with this city, land, place, bioregion, and community.

“The People’s Map is a space to share stories, memories, and hopes for this city that raised us. What has Bernal Hill meant to you in the past? What is your favorite memory of the SF Zoo? Which hill has made you cry walking up it? We are asking to gather some of our collective memory to map out the question ‘What has San Francisco meant to you?’ and prompt ‘What do you want San Francisco to mean in the future?’ ” says Muni Raised Me’s Meymey Lee.

The René Yañez Legacy Fund
SOMArts’ culture and mission were greatly shaped by the beloved late curator, artist, and mentor René Yañez. HOMIES & HOMOS ticket sales infuse The René Yanez Legacy Fund, which was launched in 2022 and provides artist and curator stipends, ongoing maintenance for the SOMArts’ garden René lovingly tended, and ensures the ongoing impact of SOMArts as a vital hub for artistic expression in San Francisco.

“We want to keep his spirit of supporting artists and maintaining his garden alive because if we do, many will thrive. This fund is definitely a way to honor René and also, even more importantly in his eyes, to honor the artistic community that he loved so dearly,” says Renee Baldocchi, René Yañez Legacy Fund committee member.

HOMIES & HOMOS: SOMArts Dance Party Fundraiser tickets range between $35–$50 and are free for youth under the age of 18.
To purchase tickets for this all ages fundraiser, please visit: https://homiesandhomos.eventbrite.com/

HOMIES & HOMOS: SOMArts Dance Party Fundraiser Overview
Curators
Muni Raised Me’s Meymey Lee, Sasha Vu, and Celi Tamayo-Lee

Host
Per Sia

Featured Speaker
Honey Mahogany

Participating Artists
The Great Tortilla Conspiracy
Muni Raised Me

With Music By
Baghead
Jenset
LA FEMME PAPI

Tickets

• Free, 18 years old and younger
• $35 General Admission
• $50 HOMIE Ticket, includes 1 free drink ticket

Accessibility
SOMArts is wheelchair accessible, and in proximity to several nearby public transportation stops. SOMArts does not have automatic doors at its Main Entrance. Restrooms are ADA accessible and low scent cleaning products are used.

For more detailed information regarding accessibility at SOMArts, contact [email protected] with any related requests, questions, or concerns.

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ABOUT SOMARTS CULTURAL CENTER
SOMArts Cultural Center, founded in 1979, cultivates access to the arts within the Bay Area by collaborating with community-focused artists and organizations. Together, we engage the power of the arts to provoke just and fair inclusion, cultural respect, and civic participation.

SOMArts plays a vital role in the arts ecosystem by helping activate the arts citywide. We do this by providing space and production support for non-profit events, as well as fairs and festivals throughout the Bay Area, and offering a robust program of art exhibitions, classes, events, and performances that are affordable and accessible to all. SOMArts’ exhibition programs receive critical support from the San Francisco Arts Commission and San Francisco Foundation, and are sponsored in part by a grant from Grants for the Arts.

SOMArts is located at 934 Brannan Street—between 8th and 9th—within 2 blocks of 101, I-80, Muni lines, and bike paths. For public information call 415-863-1414 or visit somarts.org. Stay connected by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.