As we get into Silicon Valley Pride week, a new exhibition in downtown San Jose explores two LGBTQ performing arts groups that have certainly made their voices heard over the past few decades.
“Sing Out With Pride,” the first exhibition at the new Queer Silicon Valley and BAYMEC Community Foundation gallery at 240 S. Market St., delves into the history of the Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus and the Rainbow Women’s Chorus.
“It’s important because it not only gets our performing groups out there, but it makes people more aware of the gay and lesbian community,” said Ruth Huber, co-artistic director and composer-in-residence for the Rainbow Women’s Chorus, which got its start in 1996 — just a year before Huber joined.
The Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus was founded in 1983 as the Lieberman Chorus of San Jose, and its initial group of 10 performers staged their first full concert the following June as part of the city’s gay pride celebration. The organization continues to thrive 40 years later, as its membership has grown from 23 in 2017 to 65 this year.
Corey Miller, who joined SVGMC as a singer in 2017 and is now its artistic director, said the group is like a family. “Seeing these artists create and people singing is something the community can be proud of.”
The exhibition includes photos, costumes, programs and commendations, as well as a video that shows both groups performing. The remainder of the gallery space is devoted to items from “Coming Out: 50 Years of Queer Resistance and Resilience in Silicon Valley,” which was on display at History Park a few years ago. You can get more info on the new gallery at www.queersiliconvalley.org/exhibit.
PRIDE PLANS: Of course, a great time to visit the new gallery would be this weekend during the Silicon Valley Pride festival and parade. (Remember, in San Jose, we get to celebrate Pride Month in both June and August.)
The festival takes place at Plaza de Cesar Chavez on Saturday from 6 to 11 p.m. and then continues Sunday at noon. The parade kicks off Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m., proceeding from Julian and Market streets south to the park and the festival.
You can also get an early jump on festivities Thursday night at the Pobladores Night Market at the intersection of William and South First streets, which will have a Silicon Valley Pride theme and runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Get more information on Pride activities at svpride.com.
A WOMAN’S PLACE: The San Jose City Council was presented with an easy decision Tuesday and didn’t hesitate to unanimously approve naming the City Hall Rotunda in honor of former Mayor Janet Gray Hayes, who in 1974 became the first woman to be elected mayor of a major U.S. city.
Of course, just because it was an easy decision didn’t mean it didn’t take some time as several prominent community leaders showed up to voice their support, including former Mayor Tom McEnery; former Councilmembers David Pandori and Margie Matthews; League of Women Voters of California Board VP Gloria Chun Hoo; Barbara Krause, who served as Hayes’ mayoral chief of staff; former Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado; and Hayes’ daughter, Katherine Ann Hayes Rodriguez.
“This homage to Janet Gray Hayes is also respect and tribute to the few women who mentored her and the many, many women who Janet Gray Hayes mentored or who benefitted from her tenure and her mentorship,” Matthews said.
FOOD AT THE FAIR: The Santa Clara County Fair may be over, but the fairgrounds are still cooking as a venue and launching the Feast Mode food and music series, which opens Aug. 22 and runs for four Thursdays through Sept. 12. The festivities get going at 5 p.m. with live music, food trucks and booths, and a variety of beverages for kids and grown-ups, too. Admission is free, and you can get more information at www.facebook.com/FeastmodeSJ.
