Rainbow Honor Walk

Isak Lindenauer is a friend in San Francisco. He is also one of the preeminent antique dealers in the country, specializing in arts and crafts and early twentieth century decorative arts. Isak is a rare bird in that he is one of the few antique dealers in this day and age that engages in serious scholarship, having written and researched extensively on early San Francisco artisans like August Tiesselinck and Dirk Van Erp. I have always respected his impeccable taste and his devotion to the aesthetic period that he loves.

Isak is also very active in the gay community. His shop is located in the heart of the Castro at 4143 19th St. SE in San Francisco.

Isak recently contacted me about a project he has been heavily involved in for the last two years, the Rainbow Honor Walk. He is the founder and co-chair with David Perry of an all volunteer steering committee which is shepherding this project forward. With the unanimous support of the full San Francisco Board of Supervisor and the Department of Public Works, they are working to establish a sidewalk honor walk to celebrate the accomplishments of the LBGT community. Here are the first twenty names to be placed on the walk:

Jane Addams (1860-1935)
James Baldwin (1924-1987)
George Choy (1960-1993)
Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997)
Keith Haring (1958-1990)
Harry Hay (1912-2002)
Sylvester James (1947-1988)
Christine Jorgensen (1926-1989)
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)
Del Martin (1921-2008)
Yukio Mishima (1925-1970)
Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)
Randy Shilts (1951-1994)
Gertrude Stein (1874-1946)
Alan Turing (1912-1954)
Tom Waddell (1937-1987)
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
Virginia Woolf (1882-1941)

The group is moving towards getting a 501 C-3 non profit tax designation. They are currently working with the Castro Benefits District board as a sponsor so they can accept tax deductible donations in the interim. They have a website - rainbowhonorwalk.org and are on Facebook - rainbowhonorwalk.com where they hope all supporters will "friend" the project to spread the word.

If you are interested in helping them, donations and correspondence may be mailed to:
Rainbow Honor Walk
584 Castro Street, #113
San Francisco, California 94114

Tax Deductible Donations may be made to the "Castro Community Benefit District" and notated for "Rainbow Honor Walk" at the bottom of the check.