March 15
At their recent gala, the San Francisco Girls Chorus honored house speaker extraordinaire Nancy Pelosi with the Elizabeth Appling Arts Champion Award — a newly established recognition named after the chorus’ founder — for her contribution to the San Francisco arts realm. Politicos like Pelosi and Mayor London Breed spoke at the 200-person event, which was the largest attendance in the gala’s history. Festivities included a live performance from the San Francisco Girls Chorus Premier Ensemble, a cocktail reception and three-course dinner at the Julia Morgan Ballroom. Over $200,000 was raised for the chorus’ Elizabeth Avakian Need-Based Scholarship Fund in addition to its music education and performance programs.
Valerie Sainte-Agathe, Nancy Pelosi and J. Andrew Bradford
Daniella Busse, Elizabeth Stumpf, Rio Dluzak, Di Brito and Sheila Schwartzburg 
Jim Li and JD Beltran
