Staff
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Denny David is the Program Director here at LYRIC. He grew up in Seattle, WA and became involved in social justice issues at a young age, learning about labor issues, urban poverty, economic globalization, and U.S.-Mexico border policy. He attended Grinnell College, where he earned a B.A. in Religious Studies, continued to do work around globalization issues, and became involved in anti-sexual assault work. In 2002, he interned with LYRIC's Health and Wellness Team and was hired as a Program Coordinator shortly after graduating from college in 2003. Since 2006, he has served as LYRIC's Program Director, supporting the work of the agency's program staff. He is passionate about anti-oppression issues and seeks to support young leaders who work for social justice. You can reach Denny at 415.703.6150 x28 or denny@lyric.org. (top) |
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Derrick Miller-Handley is a sometimes over-the-top queer boy, born and raised in Berkeley, CA. Cows? ... in Berkeley?? MOOOOOOOO! Derrick has been actively involved in the queer youth community since 1996, having been involved in community work that includes school safety for queer youth and families, HIV prevention risk-reduction, and the development of specialized skill-building programs for bay area youth communities. The belief that all communities must be granted the opportunity to thrive drives the passion and commitment of Derrick's work. Derrick can be reached at 415.703.6150 x15 or derrick@lyric.org. (top) |
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Jaedon Jaedon is a Pampanga, Iloco, Chinese boy who hails from Seattle, but has called SF home since 2001 and LYRIC home since 2003. He has been working with youth professionally since he was 19, starting as a Peer Outreach Worker at YouthCare's Orion Center, a homeless youth drop-in center. He has progressed by involving himself in local youth activism, national advocacy work and a healthy dose of laughter. Locally, he has worked with API Wellness Center's AQU25A program and has been involved in collaboratives such as, RamenShots (examining the intersections between sexuality, substance use and HIV in API youth communities) and UCSF's Connect to Protect (working to reduce HIV/AIDS rates among young men who have sex with men who congregate in SF). Food, song and dance are the essential ingredients to keeping a smile on his face. He hopes that his work with all youth, but especially those that are under-served, under-represented, oppressed and outcast will bring a little light to those living in a regime that flourishes on other people's suffering. Just love! Phone: 415.703.6150 x 13 or jaedon@lyric.org. (top) |
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Jess Arevalo is a queer Latina woman from Los Angeles, CA. She grew up in a very political and socially conscious home, making her aware of identity and social justice issues at a young age. She brings her energy for dismantling social constructions and combating oppression through activism and compassion to her work as a Youth Advocate at LYRIC. Her skills include providing services in a bi-cultural and bi-lingual lens, utilizing her understandings of class, race, gender and sexuality to provide services in an open and supportive manner. Jess graduated from U.C. Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Sociology. Her previous experience includes working with women in their survival against domestic violence, building healthy and happy queer communities and providing sex-positive health education working with Good Vibrations. Feel free to contact her at (415) 703-6150 x16 or jessica@lyric.org. (top) |
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Jodi Schwartz had the honor of becoming LYRIC’s Executive Director on October 1, 2005, bringing over 20 years of experience of nonprofit work and an ardent commitment to social justice. Before joining LYRIC, Jodi was the Managing Director of Resource Development Associates (RDA), and the Executive Director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ). Throughout her career, Jodi has worked with youth and their families in their struggle to disengage from the juvenile justice system, has teamed with youth in need of support in and out of school, and has supported youth in serving their peers and the broader community through civic activism and youth philanthropy. Jodi began working for social justice as a teenager, during which time she was fortunate to have mentors of all ages. These relationships solidified her belief that every generation’s contribution to social justice is crucial for its survival. Stemming from her life experience and personal values, Jodi believes that sustained achievement of positive social change must be built as a collective community effort, where everyone shares in leadership and visionary roles and is supported in their fulfillment of those roles. She works to ensure that youth, in particular, are afforded opportunities to give voice to their stories and are supported in their role as community leaders, now and in the future.
[CLICK HERE FOR FULL BIO] You can reach Jodi at 415.703.6150 x 19 or jodi@lyric.org. (top) |
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Kyle Kitson is a Southern California native who moved to San Francisco in 2003 to attend law school and escape the Hummers running over Los Angeles. As an activist involved in the struggles against globalization, police brutality, and gender-based oppression, among others, he is particularly excited to work as a Case Manager with LYRIC. She envisions this position as a chance to empower queer youth to 1) stay alive in every sense of the word; and 2) create communities full of integrity, resistance, and collective self determination. Kyle loves show tunes, punk rock, biking, reading, and running amok. Feel free to contact him at (415) 703-6150 x18 or kyle@lyric.org with questions, suggestions, or just to talk. (top) |
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Melissa White became involved in San Francisco queer activism in the
late 90's. She organized the Switch Hitters baseball team for one
Pride March, served on the Board of Directors and taught courses on
literature and grant writing at Harvey Milk Institute, and was a
community organizer for BiNet USA and the Bay Area Bisexual Network.
As she transitioned from a writing instructor to a fundraiser, she
became particularly engaged with health and queer youth issues. Since
2004, she has worked as Development Director for the Lavender Youth
Recreation and Information Center (LYRIC). She has also served since
2005 on the organizing and fundraising committees for Raising Change:
a Social Justice Fundraising Conference.
Call her at 415.703.6150 x 24 or e-mail melissa@lyric.org. (top) |
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Mercedes Gibson hails from East Oakland, Ca as a multi-cultural Virgo. Priorities: ending child sexual abuse in all forms, fighting oppression and for the rights of young folks, positive sexuality, encouraging harm reduction and community healing. Loves: radical and alterative education, gender bending and questioning. Believes: in youth being empowered, educated and informed so that they may make their own decisions. Extensive experience with: positive sexuality, STI/HIV/AIDS prevention, social politics, working with youth of color and the decriminalization of the street economy, including sex work. Police Brutality is infuriating. Education from a place of love is gratifying. As a self-proclaimed pan-sexual, hell-raiser and thrift store shopper, Mercedes enjoys weird stuff and weirder people. Call her at 415.703.6150 x 21 or e-mail at mercedes@lyric.org. (top) |
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Myra Levy is proud to join the team as LYRIC’s Fiscal Manager. A native San Franciscan, she grew up riding bikes, marching against wars, and walking precincts for candidates who were just a bit to the left of electable. In college, she found a political home in the direct action movement against nuclear power. Myra came to bookkeeping out of organizational necessity (i.e. nobody else wanted to do it), and has worked for more than 25 years in Bay Area social change groups. In recent years, she has worked at Maitri Residence and the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. She believes that dealing with issues of power and privilege is central to making real change. When not crunching numbers, Myra likes to paint, hike, study Italian, and spend time with friends. She and her partner, Charlie, are raising two teenage sons. Myra can be reached at 415.703.6150 x 17 or via e-mail at myra@lyric.org (top) |
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Natalie Ortega, a New Yorker at heart, relocated to the Bay Area by way of Boston. She graduated from Boston University in 2004 with a B.A. in Philosophy and minors in Music and Women's Studies. As a queer, a feminist and an activist she has dedicated her life to the pursuit of truth and equality, through social justice. She has focused her career on the education and outreach of mental and sexual health with concentrations on sexuality, domestic violence, STI fundamentals, HIV/AIDS counseling, behavioral risk assessment and risk reduction. Natalie looks forward to continuing this work and is extremely honored for the opportunity to serve LYRIC, and her community, as a Program Coordinator. Natalie can be reached at 415.7013.6150 x22 or natalie@lyric.org. (top) |
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Ron S. McCan is pleased to return to LYRIC after a 10 year hiatus to his new role as Operations Manager, and views it as the return of Cher to Las Vegas. After five years of serving as the Program & Policy Coordinator for the San Francisco Youth Commission, Ron has worked with various community based organizations and city governments in the bay area and across the nation to create programs, trainings and structures that are inclusive of young people's thoughts and voice. Constantly referred to as the love child of Whoopi Goldberg and Bea Arthur, Ron can also be found designing costumes for a number of Theater and Independent Film companies, baking something that would make Paula Deen proud, and trying to kick a bad Disney habit. Ron can be reached at 415.703.6150 x14 or ron@lyric.org. (top) |
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Tonilyn A. Sideco is a native San Franciscan Pinay who focused her academic energy earning a degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies at UCLA. During that time, Toni decided that she would work to make the experiences of queer youth of color more visible. Since then, she has helped create safe spaces for queer API youth at Ohana House in L.A and has previously served as the coordinator of the go/GET OUT queer youth program at the Richmond Village Beacon. Constantly amazed by the strength and tenacity of youth amidst the barriers of all forms of oppression, Toni enjoys breaking people out of their idleness through social justice/community theater, filmmaking through the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, and by engaging in conversations that build bridges. You can find her draining 3’s on the basketball court, randomly singing while eating Mitchell’s ice cream, or checking out cafes and performance spaces. Feel free to contact her at (415)703.6150 x12 or at tonilyn@lyric.org. (top) |
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Valentin Aguirre is very happy to serve as LYRIC’s Development Associate, contributing skills acquired through many years of experience working in arts, HIV, social justice and social service organizations. Valentin became active in nonprofits through a Gay Youth Alliance in his hometown of San Diego, CA, later becoming an advisory board member of Donna Ozawa and Kevin Gogin’s project serving youth with sexual identity issues in the early 90’s. His interests include creative writing, producing and directing videos, and volunteering with the San Francisco Opera and the Bears of San Francisco, along with producing arts events with Queer Cultural Center. He also currently serves as Producer for Juana, an opera in development by Carla Lucero that focuses on the persecution of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz during the Spanish Inquisition. He can be reached at 415.703.6150, ext. 27, or via email at valentin@lyric.org. (top) |
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Staff