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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
