San Francisco is never short on miraculous stories of singular, maverick individuals that have defied all the odds to achieve their own versions of success. But with Jessica Bejarano, the self described “tattooed lesbian Latina” founder and conductor of the San Francisco Philharmonic, even the most jaded San Franciscan might need a moment to pause, then walk over to the Herbst Theatre to watch her throw down with her orchestra.

I was in college when A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius came out. For some reason I had to read it for a class on 20th Century art movements that was taught by a woman who was slowly unraveling. While the class was totally shitty and poorly taught, one awesome