Well I suppose if the San Francisco Establishment wanted to claim that it had support “across the spectrum” for the arena deal, they’d have Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Aaron Peskin and a whole bunch of San Francisco Giants baseball players up there with them on the steps of City Hall today.
But this group will have to do.
All the deets:
“GROUP OF SAN FRANCISCANS TO LAUNCH NEW ORGANIZATION AND EFFORT TODAY SUPPORTING GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS’ WATERFRONT ARENA PLAN - Group consists of community leaders, Warriors fans, business, labor, entertainment industry representatives, and residents from across the Bay Area - Supporters plan to be out in force supporting the waterfront plan at public meetings, neighborhood events and community festivals
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A group of enthusiastic San Franciscans from across the spectrum plans to launch a new organization today supporting the Golden State Warriors’ proposed waterfront arena plan. The group consists of community leaders, Warriors fans, representatives from the business and labor community, entertainment industry representatives and residents from across the city and the Bay Area.
The group has secured a diverse mix of local leaders to serve as the co-chairs for the effort, including:
Honorary Co-Chairs
Chris Mullin, Former Golden State Warriors player
Jim Wunderman, President & CEO, Bay Area Council*
Carmen Policy, Former NFL executive and San Francisco 49ers Team President
Community Co-Chairs
Jim Lazarus, Senior Vice President, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce*
Katherine Webster, President, South Beach-Mission Bay Merchants Association*
Shamann Walton, Executive Director, Young Community Developers*
Dr. Joseph Marshall, Founder, Omega Boys Club*
Members of the newly formed group plan to be out in force over the next several months supporting the arena project at public meetings and hearings, neighborhood events and community festivals.
The group is also planning to hold playoffs viewing parties across San Francisco to cheer on the team as they make a run for an NBA championship.
Who: More than 100 supporters are expected, including:
Adonal Foyle, Former Golden State Warriors player
Carmen Policy, Former NFL executive and San Francisco 49ers Team President
Jim Lazarus, Senior Vice President, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Joseph Marshall, Founder, Omega Boys Club
Janet Clyde, Owner of Vesuvio’s
Tom O’Connor, President, San Francisco Firefighters Local 798
Bob Graham, Supportive neighbor
Shamann Walton, Executive Director, Young Community Developers
What: Diverse group of San Franciscans to launch new organization and effort supporting the Golden State Warriors’ waterfront arena project
When: Today, Tuesday, April 16, 2013 12:00-1:00pm
Where: City Hall Steps, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place (Polk St. steps between Grove and McAllister Streets)”
“A special website that Jell-O has set up will have a plug-in that fans can download. Once they do so, if the winning team’s name [the B*lt*m*r* R*v*ns, of course] appears in an article on a webpage, that will be blurred out.”
Let’s see here, just as former(?) alcoholic Mayor and alcohol purveyor Gavin Newsom needed The Delancy Street Project and as former Kramer needed Jesse Jackson, Chris “The Sweet Stuff” Culliver, apparently, needs The Trevor Project.
This deal is just a win-win, baby, for Culliver and Trevor, right?
2. Has Chris Culliver really apologized at all, you know, at this point? Some people think he hasn’t, just saying.
3. Did Chris Culliver ”unilaterally” reach out ”to The Trevor Project to seek guidance and education about the LGBTQ community through The Trevor Project’s renowned Trevor Lifeguard Workshop LGBTQ Training Program?” No. Hell no.
4. Hey, what’s wrong with this sentence? “Surprisingly, Chris has gay family members and close friends for whom he cares deeply.” Just asking.
5. Now this is an good example of what’s called damning with faint praise: “The Trevor Project is the nation’s leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people, ages 13-24.”
6. Are there really “…kids all over the country with his poster on their wall?” He’s that popular IRL? DNKT.
7. And oh, the graf starting with “In Chris’ own words…” did not come from Chris Culliver. Those words written down there are not “Chris’ own words.”
All right, here it is, sourced from Chris Culiver himself the day before Super Bowl 47:
“San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver to Commence LGBT Educational Training Program with The Trevor Project
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 2013 — Chris Culliver, cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers, recently made hurtful, hateful, homophobic comments about gay athletes playing in the NFL. Chris immediately issued both a written and publicly communicated apology for his remarks; however, Chris recognizes these apologies neither excuse his statements nor sufficiently convey Chris’ remorse for the situation he created, and the people he offended. Regardless of what has been and what undoubtedly will be said about Culliver’s comments and his subsequent mea culpa, the simple fact remains: action expresses priorities. It is with this concept in mind that Chris has unilaterally reached out to The Trevor Project to seek guidance and education about the LGBTQ community through The Trevor Project’s renowned Trevor Lifeguard Workshop LGBTQ Training Program.
Rather than attempt to downplay the severity of the issue at hand, or shy from the situation in the interests of mitigating damage to his reputation, Chris intends to embrace this ordealas an opportunity to learn and grow as a person. The Trevor Project is the nation’s leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people, ages 13-24. The Trevor Project, however, is not only a resource for LGBTQ youth in crisis, but also for the adults who care about the LGBTQ community. Surprisingly, Chris has gay family members and close friends for whom he cares deeply. Chris’s cousin, Andrew Brown is one of the celebrated directors of Word Is Out, the first feature-length documentary about lesbian and gay identity made by gay filmmakers; an iconic film for the emerging gay rights movement in the 1970s. Brown has come forward in support of Chris and his efforts to educate himself about the true impact of his commentary.
The Trevor Project offers age-appropriate education programs to help people of all ages learn more about the unique challenges faced by youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, and those who question their sexual orientation, gender identity. Lauren McGinnis, Communications Director for The Trevor Project, expressed the following sentiment: “We really feel that education about LGBT youth and the challenges they face is a great way to get [Chris] started on the right path, especially since he’s a role model and there are kids all over the country with his poster on their wall, his jersey – his fans that take his words and actions to heart.” The Trevor Project in no way condones, accepts, or attempts to validate Chris’ comments; however, The Trevor Project looks forward to working to help Chris become a better role model for his fans and the general public. Both Chris and The Trevor Project recognize it will be a long road to genuine understanding, but both are eager to use this experience as an opportunity to take steps towards eradicating this type of ignorance in the NFL and in society as a whole.
In Chris’ own words, “As an African American male, I should know better. Hate and discrimination have a lasting effect, and words matter. I also have a responsibility to myself, and especially to my young fans to be a better role model. The kids who look up to me and other athletes are the future of our country, and our future deserves better than fear, hate and discrimination… I was wrong, and I want to learn how to make it right. That’s why I reached out to an organization called The Trevor Project… No child should ever feel like they are less than anyone else, and God has put me through this storm so I can learn from my mistakes and help make sure no child has to feel that way, again.”
In the weeks immediately following Super Bowl XLVII, Chris will be working with The Trevor Project staff and volunteers to learn about the risks that LGBTQ youth face and how Chris can do his part to reduce those risks. The Trevor Project has partnered with other notable athletes and celebrities, such as Shaquille O’Neil, Lady Gaga, Daniel Radcliffe, and Queen Latifa, among others, to help disseminate tolerance and understanding for the LGBTQ community. The Trevor Project is thus the perfect organization to educate Chris about how to use his celebrity status to empower youth to know that they have value and deserve a chance to live and be who they dream to be, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Chris, like the rest of the resilient 49ers, believes the true content of one’s character is revealed in times of adversity. As such, Chris is determined not to hide from this crisis, but rather to take the actions necessary to make it right.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Theodore Palmer – Publicist – Creative Edge Public Relations – (646) 575-2967 – TPalmer@creativeedgepr.com
And there’s a little background on this after the jump.
Ashton, you’re not funny – try something else.
Ashton, your entourage (and also all the Pop Chips people) were afraid to tell you that your skits were not even remotely entertaining. What else didn’t they / don’t they tell you?
And hey, speaking of bud and Giants baseball, back in the 1990′s, people, just regular people, not just baseball players, would hang out in the crib of star pitcher William Joseph Van Landingham and smoke weed all day. So much so that other Giants called him Van Bongingham. I’m srsly.
This huge Pabst Blue Ribbon mural on 7th Street is arresting, no? (Do the people at the beloved and hugely-trafficked (hundreds of thousands of visitors monthly) Laughing Squid website know about this yet?)
“Wow they finally figured out a way to combine the two of the things hipsters love most….Pabst and Cephalopods. If only they could have figured a way to get some yarn or felt in there?”
“I Am Pabst- by Jacob White, Los Gatos, CA.” Click to expand:
As seen in front of the McAllister Tower part of Hastings College of Law, University of California, which is a just a ”15 minute walk from Little Saigon.” (Ah yes, Hastings, where the “impoverished” students never drive German cars, and never power their marijuana grow lamps with unmetered electricity at the 100 McAllister dorms. Heavens no.)
Here’s a larger version for you to click on. How would you compare it with what they have in Kansas City? Or Minneapolis? Or Seattle? Or Boise? Is the artist referencing The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Royal Tenenbaums? Food for thought.
Actually, this is almost like a national ad campaign. Oh well. Check the gallery for 2007 and 2008. Enter the PBArt contest for next year, why not?
