Press Release: 2026 Show of Hope Gala
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Diana Lieu
Communications Manager
dlieu@sfcommunityhealth.org
Retired LGBT Center Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe, Director of San Francisco Transgender Initiatives Honey Mahogany, and journalist Reggie Aqui to be honored
At San Francisco Community Health Center’s 2026 Show of Hope Gala
A special tribute to the late Ward 86 social worker, Alberto Rangel, will honor his life, legacy, and unwavering commitment to the community
San Francisco, March 9, 2026—San Francisco Community Health Center (SFCHC), which for nearly 40 years has provided critical health care and social services in the Tenderloin and beyond, will hold its Show of Hope Gala on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco.
The gala will celebrate the center’s mission-critical work and raise funds needed to provide medical care, dental care, mental health care, housing, and critical social services for immigrant and communities of color, queer, trans, unhoused people, and people who are most impacted by oppression. The event will honor Rebecca Rolfe, former executive director of the LGBT Center with its 2026 Community Impact Award; Honey Mahogany, director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives with its 2026 Community Trailblazer Award; and Reggie Aqui, who will also serve as host for the evening, will receive the 2026 Show of Hope Diva Award. There will be a special tribute to the late Ward 86 social worker Alberto Rangel honoring his life, legacy, and unwavering commitment to the community. A performance by The Boy Band Project will close out the evening.
“As attacks on our community continue, it is imperative that we come together and show our strength” said SFCHC Chief Executive Officer Lance Toma. “With transgender and gender non-conforming individuals—and our health center’s programs—at risk, we must fight, protect, and advocate for the most vulnerable and ensure affirming care remains accessible to all.”
San Francisco Community Health Center was founded in 1987 in response to the 1980s AIDS crisis, specifically focusing on the impact of the epidemic on Asian and Pacific Islander communities. While remaining rooted in these communities, the health center welcomes anyone in need of its services with particular attention to LGBTQ+ individuals, transgender individuals, people of color, individuals experiencing homelessness, and people living with or vulnerable to HIV. In 2015, it became recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center enabling it to greatly expand its clinical capacity and outreach.
“For nearly 40 years, San Francisco Community Health Center has been providing critical, life-saving services to our Tenderloin neighbors,” said Toma. “We offer primary medical and behavioral health care as well as dental services to those who would not otherwise have access to care—many of whom have faced stigma, discrimination, and even persecution—and we will continue to do so regardless of the abhorrent policy landscape.”
Each day, the health center provides support to historically oppressed persons who have been marginalized by systemic factors, including poverty and discrimination, and those most impacted by structural violence. Its comprehensive, integrated approach to health care puts clients at the center of an expanding array of medical, mental health, dental, substance use, and community programs. The health center’s work is designed to empower people through a safe, respectful, culturally responsive, and gender affirming approach. SFCHC also conducts training, consultation, and works to advocate for health justice at the local, state, and national levels.
“The Show of Hope gala is a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish together,” said SFCHC Board Chair, Ben Plumley. “We come together to honor champions of HIV awareness and LGBTQ+ rights, celebrate our resilience, and recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for health justice.”
The gala is presented by Gilead Sciences. Tickets for the evening are available at https://sfcommunityhealth.org or by calling 415-646-1012.
About San Francisco Community Health Center
San Francisco Community Health Center celebrates and attends to the health and wellness of the communities that define San Francisco—immigrant and communities of color, queer, trans, unhoused people, and all of us who are most impacted by oppression—through comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health services. We believe that health care starts with healing justice and meeting the basic needs of our communities. Our culturally informed services are designed by the very people we serve. Learn more at sfcommunityhealth.org.
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