THIS WEEK AT THE VOICE FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2026
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by Mike Ege
Editor in chief, The Voice of San Francisco
In the coming days, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors will consider an urgent matter of galactic importance: officially declaring May 4 as Star Wars Day, courtesy of District 5’s Bilal Mahmood.
In introducing the resolution Tuesday, Mahmood noted the city’s deep Star Wars ties: from Lucasfilm’s Presidio headquarters to that Yoda fountain everyone takes the same photo with. Then he pivoted to a slightly heavier thesis: The saga is about resisting repression and banding together against looming threats. City Hall, but with lightsabers.
As he wrapped up, a stray voice in chambers chimed in: “I have a funny feeling about this one.”
We asked Mahmood’s office what prompted the resolution. They responded with a forthright enough statement, from the supervisor: “I’m a lifelong fan of Star Wars, and noticed San Francisco hadn’t formally recognized May 4. With the upcoming international film festival featuring Anthony Daniels, it felt like the perfect moment to celebrate the cultural impact of Star Wars and the community it continues to inspire.”
Still, the “pace of repression” line in his speech lands a little differently given recent events. Two weeks ago, Donald Trump abruptly fired the entire Presidio Trust board — a move foreshadowed by an earlier executive order labeling it an “unnecessary entity,” and widely read as a swipe at Nancy Pelosi and the local political class.
Then came word that Trumpist trickster Roger Stone is now working with the Muwekma Ohlone of Northern California, an unrecognized tribe politically allied with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has long, and shall we say creatively, laid claim to the Presidio. Their campaign has included aggressive lobbying, DIY media attacks, and the delicate balancing act of opposing casinos while also insisting on casino rights.
For now, it seems unlikely Lucasfilm will be replaced by an Indian Bingo hall with a Death Star theme. But in Trump World, chaos is often the point.
And somewhere in all this: what about Starfleet Academy?
Meanwhile, on the other side of the second floor, Mayor Daniel Lurie may be pursuing another fantasy: turning San Francisco into a global fashion destination. Among those buttonholing Lurie’s office with Sunshine Law requests is local gadfly Michael Petrelis, who discovered a March 20 Zoom session between the mayor and his aides and Vogue magazine’s Anna Wintour and her aides.
Petrelis duly posted the discovery on his Facebook, inviting speculation from his fans. One noted that Sammi Tapper, Vogue’s director of U.S. operations and content strategy, and special events director Sache Taylor were in on the call. This prompted speculation that Lurie is courting the mag for an opportunity to host a future Vogue World, their traveling, large-scale, immersive fashion event being held in Milan later this year, or perhaps something else.
Given that the height of fashion in San Francisco these days includes moth-eaten fleece vests, blobby Allbirds shoes, and boiler suits for women, we’re not sure how far this will get.
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Top News
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY
San Francisco supervisors push for unified Market Street plan
Hearing highlights the need for a cohesive plan to revitalize Market Street.
by Jerold Chinn
A more coordinated effort is needed between San Francisco departments, city supervisors said at a hearing Monday afternoon.
District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Mid-Market and Tenderloin, called for the hearing at the board’s Land Use and Transportation Committee to not only hear from departments on what the city is currently doing to revive the Market Street corridor, but also to hear about plans for the future.
ELECTIONS 2026
Matt Dorsey launches reelection bid, doubles down on recovery-first, public safety agenda
Calls for stricter policing, drug-free housing, and treatment-centered reforms for District 6
by Erica Sandberg
EDUCATION
Friends of Lowell launches legal strike against SFUSD’s ethnic studies mandate
They sent a formal demand letter to SFUSD to immediately postpone adoption of the “Voices” ethnic studies curriculum, citing clear violations of California’s open-meeting laws
by Liz Le
Quote of the week
“We have to make better and more consequential interventions on the demand side — and yes, that means we have to be arresting drug users.”
—Disrict 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey talks tough about goals for his next term, in “Matt Dorsey launches reelection bid, doubles down on recovery-first, public safety agenda”
Nomi toon
In Case You Missed It
CITY HALL
City Hall this week: utilities, Mid-Market revival, Airbnb taxes, and homelessness funding
Expect backlash to Lurie’s homeless policy plans at budget committee hearing
by Mike Ege
ASIAN VOICES
The bomb meant for my father
Ten days after the war in Ukraine broke out, I received a text from my longtime Vietnamese-American friend, Hieu. I knew her feeling immediately — sinking deeply with despair and grief.
by Liz Le
EDUCATION
SFUSD: Everyone supports ethnic studies. So why is San Francisco fighting over this?
Forget the political positioning. This is not progressives versus MAGA or DEI versus Fox News.
by Carol Kocivar
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EVENTS
Out and about April 30–May 6, 2026
What to do this weekend and beyond
By Lynette Majer
Managing Editor, The Voice of San Francisco
The next several days bring an arts festival, cultural festivals, jukebox musicals, theater, and more. Read on for my picks.
Thursday, April 30
The San Francisco International Arts Festival officially opened yesterday and features performances from spoken word to theatre and other performing arts to walking tours and lectures. Tonight is Canada’s Cirque Kikasse’s Santé, Canada’s Duane Forrest performing Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World, the U.S.’s Emma’s Revolution performing We Are The Power: Songs for the Resistance, and more. Through May 10. Ticket prices vary by event; passes available.
The Oakland Ballet’s Dancing Moon Festival, which celebrates AAPI artists, will perform Double Happiness featuring two world premieres by Phil Chan and Wei Wang and a company premiere of Elaine Kudo’s Opposites Distract, plus a revival of Phil Chan’s Amber Waves. Through Sunday at the Great Star Theatre. Tickets from $30.
Friday, May 1
Tonight’s full moon is a Flower Moon, named appropriately for the spring season. At the Full Moon Water Rituals event, enjoy conversation, refreshments, a creative interactive ritual activity, a traditional libation ceremony, and a walk down the pier to connect with the water. 7:30 p.m. at India Basin Waterfront Park. Free admission.
It’s opening night for the world premiere of Shades and Shadows with live music and dance. Three travelers — a shade from the underworld, a loveless wanderer, and a man with a mysterious burden — meet a prophetess at Delphi and tell her the sad story of Orpheus and Eurydice, and each tells a different version. 8 p.m. at the Magic Theatre. Through Sunday. Tickets: $20.
Saturday, May 2
Grab the kiddos and head to the Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) Festival for this annual event whose origins dates to circa 600 A.D. and is a national holiday in Japan, where children are respected and honored for their individual strengths, and to celebrate their happiness. Today’s festival will feature games and prizes, craft activities, a bounce house, and cultural and live stage performances for all to enjoy. Children are encouraged to wear a kimono, yukata, or other Japanese clothing. 11 a.m. at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California. Free admission.
Tea aficionados will want to take tea at the San Francisco International Tea Festival to discover hundreds of tea types from local and global producers and attend lectures to learn all about tea. Admission includes a swag bag with your very own porcelain teacup to savor your tea tastes. Through Sunday at the Ferry Building Marketplace. Tickets (timed entry and limited availability) from $13 and change.
Amadeus Never Gave Me the Blues is billed as a world premiere “jukebox musical.” It’s a musical solo autobiographical show written and performed by opera singer Amy Bouchard that tells her story of choosing between love and stability and her passion for singing, featuring music from Mozart and Schubert to Cole Porter and Gershwin to Jason Robert Brown and Sara Bareilles. 5 p.m. Saturdays at The Marsh San Francisco through May 23. Tickets from $25.
Sunday, May 3
Enjoy your Sunday in the park with the Łowiczanie Polish Folk Dance Ensemble and the Golden Gate Park Band for the Annual Polish Constitution Day Concert celebrating Polish culture, song, dance, and the historic Polish democratic Constitution of 1791. 1 p.m. at the Bandshell. Free, RSVP here. $10; dinner from $30.
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