For Rachele with love from Auntie JoanMay (read by Uncle Tony at vigil 02.08.22)

Rachele used to say, “I’m Auntie JoanMay’s favorite.” Yes, from the time she was a baby, Rachele - the third of four beloved daughters of cousins Raquel Cordova Pasco and Ernie Pasco -- was truly my favorite niece. ((We knew Rachele’s Ate’ Josie had privileges as the eldest; Tina was our Lola Ani’s favorite, and Erleen had much attention as the youngest. So Rachele became “Auntie JoanMay’s favorite” and knew it.)) I took so many baby photos of Rachele and created a special photo album I gave to her as an adult.

Since young Rachele’s so cute, charming, and chubby, elders often affectionately called her “tabatchoy” or “butiti.” Everyone knew Rachele loved food, always eating much even as a baby toddler. She discovered that my mommy, her Auntie Nena, carried extra candy in her purse just for her. Little Butiti Rachele had also been known to finish food packed in her lunchbox even before arriving at school. As an adult, Rachele’s love for food grew into a refined taste for fine wines and delicacies that she generously shared with loved ones – inviting us to her home or wineries or taking treats to sisters, cousins, friends over the years -- where we’d all toast during fun celebrations of just being together. On her 50th birthday – after first eating at a SF cultural arts fair, then supporting a fundraiser for indigenous peoples, and later toasting boba over birthday cake --Rachele invited me to a leather bar where she was quite a popular leader of the leather and LGBTQ community. Long ago we knew that Rachele had special spiritual gifts; her spiritual energies were even stronger than others in the family from Aklan, a land of spirits. She brought spiritual energies to all her nursing and healing practices. With deep respect for indigenous peoples, she valued and learned from their ancestral knowledge both in person and by reading, making a special request that books from my library about the babaylan –be hand delivered by cousins Annchella and Tony when they flew from the East Coast to San Francisco. Always finding spiritual connections in nature, she also became a core member of “Balik sa Dagat” a Bay Area community of close friends who built a bangka, hand carved from a single log - journeying through ancestral seafaring roots, rhythms, movement; respectfully connecting more deeply to land, water, breath, life. Rachele said: "The making of the canoe, the Gathering of community, The Carving, the eating, the music: it's more than just an event, it's one of the highest frequencies to be surrounded by love and laughter to truly ignite your body, mind, soul to heal."

Yet no matter how much Rachele traveled or accomplished in the world – as a leader, nurse, healer, community cultural worker – she always had time for family, and especially for her son Sebastian as a priority. She once asked me to visit and review one of Sebastian’s private schools and years later, to sit in a meeting with teachers at his new high school. Whenever I posted photos of any of the children in the family, Rachele would ask: “Where’s Seb?” The photo on my blog shows Rachele bringing Easter bunny treats to her grand nieces and nephews. Rachele passionately worked to pass on her ancestral knowledge to the next generations of family. One day Tita Rachele mapped out and drove four generations of family, including Sebastian plus her mom’s young great-grandchildren, on a road trip through family history: They first joined a Philippine Independence Day cultural celebration organized by an aunt in Tracy; stopped to pay respects at the gravesites of family ancestors who’d been among the first in the clan to settle in California, and enjoyed Filipino food in Stockton before watching the Little Manila Rising (http://littlemanila.org ) showcase at San Joaquin Delta College where Granny (Rachele's mom Raquel Cordova Pasco) had studied as a teenager. Valuing our histories, Rachele had planned to attend this summer’s conference of FANHS, the Filipino American National Historical Society. Early last September 2021, Rachele had a long talk with our now 90 – year old Auntie Dorothy Laigo Cordova, founder of FANHS; Rachele volunteered to actively work on the 2022 FANHS national conference. I still believe that Rachele will be present at this summer's conference, just as I feel her presence during daily ocean swims and in dreams. Yes, Rachele will always be with us. I’m sharing this journey because I hope more in the family and community will continue Rachele’s work as she guides our way now “as a great ancestor.” Dearest Rachele, you will be missed by families/communities across the globe. And you’ll always be Auntie JoanMay’s favorite. We’ll love you forever.

Rachele Sullivan, nee Rachele Cordova Pasco, December 17, 1967 – January 17, 2022: "I will be a most excellent Ancestor. When my Creator Calls me home. I love you all so very much. Hugs, Rachele" via IG @sullivanrachele UPDATE: Vote to name Rachele Sullivan Park here bit.ly/ParkSurvey11

Beloved by so many, Rachele Sullivan (nee Rachele Cordova Pasco) drew her last breath in the full moon’s light close beside family on 17 January 2022 in Pittsburg, California (USA). *****We now send much love to Rachele’s only son, Sebastian Sullivan; her mother, Raquel Cordova Pasco (m. Ernesto Abatayo Pasco, RIP); her sisters Josiebel Pasco Vargas (m. Jay Vargas, SF), Ernestine Pasco Sanchez (m. Dario Sanchez, Pittsburg), and Erleen Pasco Rosendo (m. Felipe Rosendo, Jr., San Jose); and to all the many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles in five generations of extended families who’ve traditionally gathered – in celebration as well as sadness – for decades. Many traveled to be with her before she transitioned. Now Rachele joins honored ancestors – her beloved father, Ernesto Abatayo Pasco and his parents, Josefa Abatayo Pasco and Florentino Pasco, as well as her maternal grandparents Felimon Maypa Cordova and Hombelina Ibabao Cordova. In this season of Philippine festivals in the family’s ancestral province, Aklan’s Ati-Atihan drumbeats pulse with spirits welcoming all home. ***** Rachel would speak of her birthplace as Yelamu (San Francisco) on Ramaytush Ohlone lands. Through the hard work and sacrifices of nurturing immigrant parents Raquel and Ernie, all Pasco sisters attended Star of the Sea Elementary School and graduated from Presentation High School. From childhood on, the Pasco sisters valued lifelong family friendships of the Filipino American Association of Star of the Sea Church (FAASTAR), an organization co-founded by their parents and other Filipino immigrant families in the 1970’s. While quite young, the Pasco sisters and friends organized and led FAASTAR’s first youth group. Family elders also invited the children to activities of other pioneering Filipino organizations in San Francisco and beyond. Deeply grounded in family/community, Rachele’s commitments to community service, forged since childhood, would spiral out to include advocacy and grass roots organizing in increasingly diverse communities. *****

In the video, "FOLSOM FOREVER - Frameline Q&A for Encore excerpt preview," Rachele relates how her work with Folsom Street Fair began.(Screenshot is edited from the 2013 YouTube video.) She describes in more detail the impact --the camaraderie, the lessons learned, memories, fierceness -- of the leather community on her life in the 2015 HIV Story Project and the National AIDS Memorial Grove’s 2016 video interview, “Unsung Heroes: the Leather Community’s Response to AIDS.” Most recently, the SF Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District @SFLeatherDist tweeted a photo of the ribbon cutting (actually a leather cord ;) ceremony to open the district: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of Rachele Sullivan. Rachele was one of the founders of the LEATHER and LGBTQ Cultural District. She worked tirelessly to help launch the District and was the first chair of our Land Use Committee.”

Folsom Street’s FB page includes additional tributes for Rachele and notes that: “Her impact on our communities and on Folsom Street’s growth and commitment to safety and inclusion cannot be overstated. We would not have the Playground, our current safe space for women of every kind, and all trans and nonbinary people at our fairs if it were not for her tireless work.” Additionally, Rachele's "longer history of volunteering for an AIDS & HIV clinic in San Francisco” is cited in the 2021 volume of “Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare” where Rachele is listed as a Registered Nurse and Recognized Traditional Healer.

Though Rachele launched her professional nursing career with a degree from the College of Marin decades ago, she continued her education through her lifetime journey as a healer. As recently as August 2021, @Swedish health system of Seattle announced Rachele’s Doula Diversity Scholarship Award: "...she has routinely sought education from elders and culture bearers in the healing arts, traditional midwifery and birthwork -- and in turn, she has educated others in the ways of alternative medicine practices, the modern model of medicine and best nursing practices." In an online nursing profile, Rachele describes her work as a recognized Traditional Healer who has been a holistic nurse for over three decades: “I call myself a hilot practitioner, which is a healing tradition that comes from the Philippines. What I do falls under the definition of a Hilot practitioner and beyond. A healing session with me is based on what a person needs to help them feel lighter in body, mind, and soul. I am given permission to enter their realms - all of their elements, their spiritual bodies, etheric bodies, etc. It’s like peeling layers, and the layer that is most stuck calls to me, whether the person wants to address it or not” expressed Rachele. https://www.issuewire.com/rachele-pasco-sullivan-rn-registered-nurse-1681287055167981?utm_source=twitter - In addition to combining indigenous healing methods with contemporary nurse’s training, Rachele brings her unique gift of intense spiritual energy, evident since childhood, to each loving connection during her healing practice. Healer/artivist/truthspeaker Sammay wrote of finding in Rachele: “…a seer sent to earth (dressed in all-leather tyvm) to elevate the entire village. a messenger entrusted with the prophecies of the divine. A living embodiment of our ancestors’ most radiant of dreams. With a boisterous laughter and vivacious stride – you walked between worlds and navigated many realms in your service to our healing.”

Indeed, Rachele expanded all our horizons as she intentionally lived a life so full of heart and meaning, embodying all she values. Rachel began her 50th birthday celebration at a Filipino arts event in the South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood; went on to support a cultural fundraiser for indigenous peoples; toasted boba over cake and birthday songs sung by a kindred spirit healer, all before meeting up with community brothers at a leather bar. Rachele’s work would have ripple effects that are global: Working with kindred spirits – close friends and other healers – they’d facilitate workshops with Yoruba spiritual leaders as well as with indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Coming full circle, Rachele actively shared passions for family history and ancestral knowledge with the youngest generation of family. One day Tita Rachele mapped out and drove four generations of family, including her mom's young great-grandchildren, on a road trip through family history: They first joined a Philippine Independence Day cultural celebration organized by an aunt in Tracy (CA); stopped to pay respects at the gravesites of family ancestors who’d been among the first in the clan to settle in California, and enjoyed Filipino food in Stockton (CA) before watching the Little Manila Rising (http://littlemanila.org ) showcase at San Joaquin Delta College where “Granny” (Rachele’s mom) had studied as a teen in the 1950s. ***** Dearest Rachele, As a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, ally, healer, teacher, nurse, organizer, mentor and fabulous friend who transforms the world near and far – you will be missed by families/communities across the globe. Your loving spirit and wisdom will continue to guide us forever as we share your legacy while fully embracing your last words @sullivanrachele on IG: "I will be a most excellent Ancestor. When my Creator Calls me home.. I love you all so very much. Hugs, Rachele” *****((The family thanks our communities for all the many ways you've supported Rachele, especially in these recent months. A Venmo account @PascoSullivan has been created to fund funeral costs and other expenses. Any additional funds raised will go towards supporting her son, Sebastian, as he faces moving into adulthood without his beloved mother. )) *****Photo credits: (top photo) - Tita Rachele bringing Easter bunny rabbit's treats to grand-nieces and nephews in 2016, photo by AJM @ForCommunities; screenshot edited from video "FOLSOM FOREVER - Frameline Q&A for Encore excerpt preview"; 19 Janurary 2022: tweet @sfLeatherdist (collaged by ajm); tweet @swedish Health System of Seattle, WA; screen cap from multimedia gift to Rachele from The Bangka Journey / "Balik Sa Dagat" visionary Mylene Cahambing