As we near the end of Pride Month, we wanted to share the stories of these four local trailblazers from San Jose’s past and present, who have championed for and continue to elevate LGTBQ+ rights and awareness for more than just a month.
Judy Rickard and her wife, Karin Bogliolo. | Photo courtesy of the BAYMEC Community Foundation
💍 Judy Rickard
After a long career as a South Baygay rights activist, in the 2000s, Judy fought for the right to sponsor her wife’s visa on behalf of all LGBTQ+ couples kept apart by immigration. Her case won in the Supreme Court, and 2013, Judy was recognized by former President Barack Obama as a Cesar Chavez Champion of Change for Immigration.
📰 Whayne Herriford
After co-founding the South Bay Times in 1988, Whayne focused his reporting on local LGBTQ+ news and events, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Gay Pride Celebration Committee of San Jose (now operating underSilicon Valley Pride) — helping debut the South Bay’s first pride parade in 1991.
Dani (with her fist raised high) strives to make strides in Silicon Valley’s transgender community. | Photo courtesy of the BAYMEC Community Foundation
🏳️⚧️ Dani Castro
After receiving life-changing advice + encouragement from trans activist Miss Major, Dani went on to co-found trans-serving organizations like the Transgender Advocates for Justice and Accountability (TAJA) Coalition. She is currently conducting a transgender needs assessment for the Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs and hopes to advance Santa Clara County’s resources to help the trans community.
🤝 Sera Fernando
Born and raised in San Jose, Sera is a queer, transgender Filipinx woman who currently works as the Chief Diversity Officer for Silicon Valley Pride. She advocates for social justice, and uses her platform to ensure that SV Pride is representative of the entire Bay Area LGBTQ+ spectrum. She currently works with organizations like theLBGTQ Youth Space, the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Center, and the Silicon Valley Tech Alliance.
Share this story of pride with your friends + family.
Movie Night | Thurs., June 23 | 6-10:30 p.m. | Ramac Park, Charlotte Dr. | Free | Enjoy an outdoor screening of the Pixar family film “Inside Out.” 🎥
Gordon Biersch Night Market | Every Thursday | 5-9 p.m. | Gordon Biersch Brewing Co., 357 E. Taylor St. | Free entry | Spend a night out enjoying food trucks, local vendors, and live entertainment. 🍺
Friday
Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Workshop | Fri., June 24 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | This interactive workshop will share local LGBTQ+ history, resources, and ways to create an equitable community. 🏳️🌈
Frozen | Fri., June 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd. | $30+ | The West Valley Dance Company returns with their theatrical stage production of the beloved Disney film, transformed into the medium of dance.
Saturday
Pop Up San Jose | Sat., June 25 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Garden at The Flea, 1590 Berryessa Rd. | Free entry, $10 parking | Shop vintage fashions while enjoying beer, food, and live DJing. 🛍️
Reclamation – Film Festival x Art Market | Sat., June 25-Sun., June 26 | Times vary | The Tech Interactive, 201 S Market St. | $5+ | Learn about sustainability and climate change through museum exhibits, an arts + crafts market, and a series of short films created by San Jose-based filmmakers. 🌱
Laura Karst “Dancing in Darkness” Album Release | Sun., June 26 | 2 p.m. | Tabard Theatre, 29 N. San Pedro St. + Virtual | $10+ | Join the celebration of this singer’s release of her second solo album, featuring guest jazz musicians from the Bay. 🎤
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
This week, City Council approved funding for the West San Jose El Paseo de Saratoga mixed-use project which will include994 housing units (with 150 being affordable units), a Whole Foods, and 165,949 sqft of commercial space. The construction timeline has not yet been announced. 🏗️
Community
FIRST 5 Santa Clara County will begin distributinginfant formula on Fri., July 1. The program is allowing people to pre-register by contacting FIRST 5 (877-464-0244), and after Fri., July 1, residents can contact their local FIRST 5Family Resource Center to access products. 🍼
This week, nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupeput in an offer to purchase the family home of Cesar Chavez in East San Jose at 53 Scharff Ave. The City of San Jose matched $500,000 toward the purchase — which was part of its recently-approved budget. The goal is to transform the home into an educational space + housing for young adults. 🏠 (San José Spotlight)
Sports
San Jose StateFootball announced that the season home opener against Portland State has been rescheduled to Thurs., Sept. 1. The return of the Bill Walsh Legacy Game was also announced, and the four-game series against the Stanford Cardinals is set to begin on Sept. 13, 2025 at the CEFCU Stadium. 🏈
Audi, Bleacher Report, and MLS’ four-part documentary series, “The Academy,” will return this Fri., June 24 with an in-depth spotlight on the San Jose Earthquakes Academy. The third season will debut exclusively on the Bleacher Report app + channels. ⚽
Art
Downtown’s newest art gallery, 1Culture, is hosting its first art show from Fri., July 8-Sat., Aug 6. The opening weekend will include local vendors, a raffle, drinks, music, and a lineup of 20 artists from around the country. For this weekend, the show will be open to the public on Friday + Saturday will be invite-only. 🎨
Plan Ahead
The second annual Stars and Strides 5K/10K and Kids Fun Runwill be held on Sat., July 2 in Downtown San Jose. All proceeds will benefit the Valley Medical Center Foundation and sign-ups are open now. 👟
A pet message from our sponsor
“Whiskey the Rottweiler was given less than 24 hours to live, and the referring veterinarian was sure he was going to die. But I made one simple change that saved Whiskey’s life, and kept him healthy for years and years.” *
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Dan Pixel, a content creator on Youtube, shared the latest addition to his “Rebuilding San Jose” project where he reconstructs classic San Jose buildings, including ones lost during the 1950s-1980s, through an online game called “Roblox.” 🖥️
In an effort to show the architectural beauty of our past, Dan recreated the Bank of Italy building, San Jose Museum of Art, Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, and is currently working on the old City Hall.
#DYK that your photos and quotes could be featured in our newsletter?
Editor’s pick: I’m excited to go to the SF Pride parade and celebration this weekend — it’ll be my first since identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a shame that SJ doesn’t hold its celebration until the fall, but if you can’t make it to the city this weekend, Silicon Valley Pop-Up is hosting their own piece of pride.
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