Fighting for the Future of LGBTQ Rights

Joe came out in high school in Oklahoma and has spent his life fighting for the LGBTQ community ever since. He’s mobilized thousands to throw out a homophobic Regent at the University Oklahoma, he’s elected hundreds of LGBTQ folks up and down the ballot across the country, and he’s fought to elect the most pro-LGBTQ US Congresses in history. Joe doesn’t rely on the arc of history bending toward justice, he believes we’re the ones who bend it there.

Fighting for the Future of The Castro

Joe believes that change is the lifeblood of progress and that goes for neighborhoods, too. Joe is a proud Castro resident and is a lead organizer supporting the Castro Theatre’s restoration and updates. He believes that we can preserve our historic spaces but also make room for innovation. Today, those restorations are underway and visitors can already gaze at the refurbished iconic “CASTRO” blade outside the theater.

Fighting for the Future of an Affordable San Francisco

San Francisco is Joe and his husband’s “shining city on a hill,” but like many, when they arrived they were stuck by the cost of housing. Joe became involved in the fight to build affordable housing in San Francisco, and even changed his career, joining a nonprofit that advocates to build housing in San Francisco - and across California. 

Fighting for the Future of BART

Today, there are forces in San Francisco fighting against change, trying to keep us stuck in the past. Joe is focused on the future. He’s fighting for a clean, safe, and financially sustainable BART. He’s fighting for BART’s central role in the Bay Area’s fight against climate change, including building transit oriented development and last-mile and micro-mobility hubs around BART stations. Joe is fighting for a BART working class people can rely on whether they’re going to work, visiting their families, or going for a much needed night out.Joe is fighting for a BART that works for you — a BART you will be proud to ride.