Announcing “The Unbuilding Archive: Liberated Futures for the Site of Compton’s Cafeteria Riot”, an exhibition at the SF Public Library to commemorate the 60 year anniversary of the riot.
Please join us for the reception on June 4 from 6 to 7:30pm at the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA+ Center, located on the third floor of the SF Public Library at Civic Center.
The 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot was the earliest well-documented militant act of resistance by trans and queer people against police violence. Today, that same building at 101-121 Taylor Street is occupied by GEO Group, the largest private prison corporation in the country and main contractor with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
During the reception, TurkxTaylor Initiative co-curators Chandra Laborde and @ach_attackh , will introduce the exhibit and talk about how they unbuild carceral power through the archive, starting with the building’s current carceral occupation, tracing its transformation back to its construction in 1908, and grounding the work in the land itself by honoring the Ramaytush Ohlone stewardship. From that space, they will share the speculative process, explore the transecological framework, and conjure expansive visions of liberated futures at Compton’s.
On view June 4 through October 22, 2026.
Access Info: Grove Street Entrance features a ramp entrance, elevators within the library lead to 3rd floor. Chairs will be available in the center. TurkxTaylor requests all attendants to wear masks for the reception.
Exhibit Main Image Credit: @ach_attackh Source images: Jennifer Cheek (1993); A.D. Bache (1853); Rincon Hill Panorama (c. 1851/1910), OpenSFHistory.
Title Sign Design: Christine Darnell
feeling dizzy and heavy. grateful for all the love i have on the east coast, and to my beloveds for holding and carrying me.
march always makes me feel sad and isolated, and the weight i carry this year is greater than usual. i believe so strongly that all our heaviness is best held collectively, and i thank my friends for reminding me continually across space and time ❤️🔥
ive been taking fotos!!!
Big shoutout to my fellow worker adrian for teaching me so much!! highly recommend his shop @lowlightdarkroom for ur film development needs.
And a big shout out to my pals joan, adele, and swai for opening up their rooms to me for my lil queer rooms foto project. if ur a homo and u have a cool room(very likely) and ud like to take part in this project, please dm me!
Love! ⬆️ vertical ⬇️
2nd slide: Brick Hut Cafe era Sharon, photo at bay area lesbian archives
5th slide: “Cry No More” by Gwen Avery
20th slide: clip from tv show Girls
Love! ⬅️ horizontal ➡️
3rd slide: Who’s Zoomin Who by Beth Stephens & Annie Sprinkle
9th slide: filmed at Hospitality House
13th slide: photo from Bay Area Lesbian Archives
14th slide: clip from tv show I Love LA
15th slide: page from “The Sun and the Moon”, bound by Bird in Hand Press, June 1975
one of my 2026 resolutions was to post to grid once a week. mostly to keep better track of time and my memories. ive been doing this on sundays generally because each week flies through and its my first moment of the week to really reflect.
Today i didnt feel i had much from the week to post, so i absentmindedly looked thru my photos on feb 8th of previous years and found all these. Feb 8 is not a specific day to me, but its nice to look back and see my loved ones, and moments of trying.
