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DESCRIPTION:“Unspeakable Vice: How San Francisco Became America’s Gay 
 Capital”\n\nThe Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel, a San Francisco landmark since 
 1915, continues its monthly speaker series, Making History Fun Again, 
 designed to celebrate the city’s legendary past through lively 
 storytelling, fascinating personalities, and unforgettable local 
 history.\n\nPerfectly timed to coincide with San Francisco’s PRIDE month, 
 on Thursday, June 18, The Clift Hotel’s Redwood Room welcomes Shawn 
 Sprockett, creator of Unspeakable Vice, for an evening exploring the rich 
 and often overlooked history of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ communities. 
 Through storytelling, archival research, and cultural insight, 
 Sprockett’s presentation, How San Francisco Became America’s Gay 
 Capital, traces more than two centuries of queer history in San Francisco 
 while revealing striking parallels between the past and present.\n\nA gay 
 professor, designer, and San Francisco resident originally from Florida, 
 Sprockett was inspired to action following the passage of the “don’t 
 say gay” legislation in his home state. In response, he began researching 
 and documenting alternative perspectives on local queer history, 
 particularly the experiences of women, transgender communities, and People 
 of Color, and sharing those stories through monthly walking tours across 
 San Francisco’s historic and often forgotten 
 “gayborhoods.”\n\nDrawing from extensive historical research, 
 Sprockett’s talk examines how queer communities shaped San Francisco’s 
 cultural identity long before the city became internationally recognized as 
 a center of LGBTQ+ life and activism. The evening will also explore 
 recurring themes of visibility, resistance, displacement, and 
 community-building, offering insight into how lessons from the past may 
 continue to inform movements for equality and belonging today.\n\nAbout the 
 Speaker\n\nShawn Sprockett is the founder of Unspeakable Vice, a San 
 Francisco-based public history project and walking tour series dedicated to 
 uncovering hidden queer histories throughout the city. Combining 
 scholarship, design, storytelling, and activism, his work highlights 
 narratives that have often been excluded from mainstream historical 
 accounts. His tours and lectures explore the intersections of sexuality, 
 race, gender, politics, and urban development across San Francisco 
 history.\n\nEvent Details\n\nWhat: Making History Fun Again — Speaker 
 Series
Featured Speaker: Shawn Sprockett’s “Unthinkable 
 Vice”
\nWhen: Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. Cocktail Hour | 6:00 
 – 7:30 p.m. Program
\nWhere: The Redwood Room, The Clift Royal Sonesta 
 Hotel
\nAdmission: Complimentary with RSVP\n\nUpcoming Speaker Series 
 Lineup\n\nThursday, July - 16 - Ben Fong-Torres - History of Rock & 
 Roll\nThursday, August 20 - Rob Thomson - History of the Presidio / 250th 
 Anniversary\nThursday, September 17 - Kevin Kopjak Panel - History of the 
 Performing Arts\nThursday, October 15 - Rae Alexander - KQED and Author of 
 Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area\nThursday, November 19 - 
 Will Hearst - leading a panel that includes Heather Knight (NY Times), 
 Wendy Tokuda (formerly KPIX), Joe FItzgerald Rodriguez (SF Standard), 
 Alexis Madrigal (KQED) - History of Media\n\nSignature Speaker Series 
 Cocktails\n\nGuests attending the speaker series events may enjoy themed 
 cocktails honoring San Francisco’s storied past, including:\nPisco Punch 
 — A Gold Rush original from 1853\nMartini — Born along the trail 
 between San Francisco and Martinez\nNight Moves (Buena Vista Tribute 
 Espresso Martini) — A wink to the city’s famed Irish Coffee\nMaiden 
 Lane — A nod to one of San Francisco’s most notorious streets\n\nAbout 
 The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel\n\nLocated at 495 Geary Street, The Clift 
 Royal Sonesta Hotel blends contemporary design with timeless character. 
 Home to the legendary Redwood Room, the hotel has been a cultural fixture 
 of San Francisco since 1915. Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, 
 The Clift offers 372 stylish guest rooms and suites, a state-of-the-art 
 event space, and an enduring commitment to hospitality that is — and 
 always has been — legendary. Learn more at Sonesta Press Room / The Clift 
 or by calling (415) 775-4700.\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/06/04/18886577.php
SUMMARY:The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel Continues Its Speaker Series: Making History Fun Again
LOCATION:The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel (495 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102)
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/06/04/18886577.php
DTSTART:20260619T010000Z
DTEND:20260619T020000Z
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