Turning 70 this October, Cleve Jones has plenty of reasons to celebrate. Among them is simply being with us today.
“I’m very grateful to be alive,” he told me, reflecting on the health scare that shook him not too long ago. He’s also one of the longest-living survivors of AIDS, having learned his positive status in 1979. With that in mind, he added: “As I look back on my life — many ups and downs, mistakes along the way — two things I did right: starting the SF AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Memorial Quilt.”
So in typical fashion, his party won’t just be a milestone; he’ll be fundraising to support those two projects that continue to define his activism.
The October 11th celebration at San Francisco’s Hibernia Bank building will mark not only his birthday but also the launch of the Cleve Jones Community Fund. The goal? To ensure the legacy of both the Quilt and the AIDS Foundation, which still play vital roles in combating HIV/AIDS.
“AIDS isn’t over,” Cleve reminded me, pointing out the racial disparities in new diagnoses and the declining fundraising for essential services.
“People are still getting sick. AIDS/Lifecycle was down a thousand riders, and some funders like the Levi Strauss Foundation have pulled out entirely.” AIDS/Lifecycle was actually canceled not long after our interview — its last ride is in 2025. It feels pretty clear in that way that fundraising has shifted elsewhere.
I’ve talked to Jones several times over the years and always feel the term “living legend” fits when we’re on the phone. He often tells me to cut him off if he rambles too much, but everything he says feels like a soundbite. It’s a charisma I think aided him in work like labor advocacy for UNITE HERE and also getting several books published — notably When We Rise: My Life in the Movement, which inspired the ABC mini-series of the same name.
And it’s why Cleve has so many friends. At his birthday, co-hosts Juanita More and Sister Roma will host the evening, presenting acts like Our Lady J performing The Future of Us with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. Out gay country singer Chris Housman will also perform his song Drag Queen, a fitting nod to a group that has supported Cleve throughout his journey. Anthony Wayne will sing Mighty Real as a tribute to Sylvester, a friend Cleve met on his very first night in San Francisco.
“I had no money, and I was hungry,” Cleve told me. “I think I panhandled enough money to go to the old diner on Polk and California, and that’s when I met Sylvester. We were friends for the rest of his life.”
Honestly, it’s a packed night with other acts I haven’t listed — but you can get the full rundown here. I told Jones he could easily charge more than $50 for what he’s offering, but he wants low- and fixed-income friends to be able to make it. And the best thing about it?
“There are no speeches,” Cleve said. “Just gogo boys, drag queens and leather folk and art, and music and dancing.”
It all goes down at 1 Jones Street at Market on Oct. 11 beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $50 for early birds, with the “Cleve Jones Experience” available for $250, offering exclusive perks throughout the night.
I know I’ll wear something bright, loud, and sparkly. The dress code is wide open — whether you feel like channeling the ’50s or stepping out in ’90s flair, it’s all welcome. And really, that’s the vibe of this whole event: a night to have fun, reminisce, and show up for a cause.
Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.
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