south area, and it at that uc davis but made my way out to san francisco in 1984 when i was a college student. i remember growing up at that time on clement street. i have always lived around the area. just discovering san francisco in the 1980's as i grew up. i am hoping that we can help support small businesses like this because they are the unique character that makes this a neighborhood so rich and good to live in. i've also been active as a community organizer. i work in chinatown at the chinese progressive association, and my first job was at the mental health center in the richmond district. i guess i have always been somebody that is passionate about civil rights and equality for everyone, and i have a 10- year-old daughter, so having a girl has made me much more sensitive to gender equality and other issues, but i guess i have always been somebody that is vocal about my politics.

as a supervisor, i am having to listen to many perspectives before making key decisions. there was a crosswalk where one of the staffers' was recently hit. so, there will be much more seniors and their families around the area. we are trying to focus on whether a stop sign or stop light might help. i am trying to look at issues of senior nutrition programs, alzheimer's research, but even housing policies that allow our buildings to become more senior- friendly. also looking at how it supports senior services and unique neighborhood by neighborhood programs called aging in place or village models that allow people who are older or seniors that are getting older to be able to support each other and stay in their homes and communities longer so they can contribute to their communities as long as possible as opposed to institutionalizing them. i frame my politics as i support working families, and livable community, and small support for the small businesses because they are the backbone of the

economy. even my district, there are pockets of poverty and many people out of work, so supporting those unemployed and underemployed people, supporting struggling small businesses in the difficult economy. there's a bunch of vacant storefronts, so we are trying to find people that would rent those spaces. the bookstore over there, and down this way, there's a bunch of businesses that have been closing. >> the book been in here has been in a long time. >> i support small businesses compared to chain stores that have been coming into some of the vacant storefronts, but i am trying to be sensitive to the local merchants because i think they make up the unique character and diversity of our neighborhoods. >> you go to lafayette, and i was there just reading to a bunch of kids, but that was really fun. i was reading to fifth graders. what grade are you in? >> certification. supervisor mar: -- >> third.

supervisor mar: i serve on the first five commission. each county has a commission that oversees money that supports children, toddlers, and infants to pre-kindergarten kids, so i am trying to ensure that at the state level, we advocate for strong support for young children and their families and good parenting support as well. >> often, we have to govern with our hearts and about social concerns, so 80,000 people in the richmond district have sometimes different needs than people in the mission district, so often, those of us that our elected officials along with department heads and hard- working staff have to make tough decisions. they are political in nature in many ways, even though some people may deny that they are political. all of us at times our politicians, but we try to govern with our hearts for the best interests of everyone in our neighborhoods. i have always considered myself as having progressive politics as i believe in a vision where people have their needs met, and i believe in equity.

when people have special needs, we should be considerate of that. i also feel that working families and the lowest income population should have a safety net, and we should have human rights and equality and civil rights for people as well. it's that is being progressive, and i am very proud of being a progressive.