women opened a club in san francisco. it was called the votes for women club. if she could get the shopkeepers to have lunch, she could get them to be heard literature. the lunch room was a tremendous success. >> it was the way that people thought about women willing to fight for a successful campaign. what happened was, the social transformation increase the boundary of what was possible, out word. >> there were parades and rallies, door to door candidacies, reaching every

voter in the state. >> the eyes of the nation were on california in 1911, when we all voted. it was the sixth and largest state in the nation to approve this. one decade later, we have full voting rights in the united states. helping newly enfranchised women, a new political movement was founded. >> starting in the 1920's, it was a movement created by the suffragettes moving forward to getting the right to vote. all of the suffragettes were interested in educating the new voters. >> non-partisan, not endorsing candidates >> -- endorsing

candidates, getting the right to vote and one they have their voice heard. >> the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage is taking place throughout the state. bancroft library is having an exhibit that highlights the women's suffrage movement, chronicling what happened in california, bringing women the right to vote. >> how long does this mean going on? >> the week of the 20th. people do not realize that women were allowed to vote as early as the 1920's. in the library collection we have a manuscript from the end

of december, possibly longer. >> in commemoration of 100 years of voting in california. 100 years ago this year, we won the right to vote. around 1911, this is how it would have addressed. and here we are, dressed the same. [chanting] >> we have the right to vote.

>> whether you are marching for a cause or voting in the next election, make your voice heard. thank you for watching. >> good morning, everyone. my name is naomi kelly, city and minister -- city administrator. welcome to the portola neighborhood. we're celebrating the successful efforts to revitalize san bruno avenue. this city has had a great partnership with the portola never its steering committee, where some of it's never the investments include streetscape improvements, from planting

trees and leaves to utility underground in and fixtures and to install office saw improvements and much more. today, mayor edwin lee will talk about launching the investing in iran initiative. joining him is supervisor malia cohen, robert ramirez from the portola neighborhood steering committee, and many department heads, including jennifer from the office of economic and workforce development, ed harrington from the san francisco public utilities commission, regina from the small business office, bevon from sf hope, and revitalizing our commercial corridors has been near and dear to mayor lee's heart since his days as director of dpw and as city administrator and down as mayor. whether it did the dpw community

corridor program, ambassador program, or the challenge grant, the mayor is always asking us how can we strategically deploy our resources to revitalize these aboard commercial corridors in areas that need it the most? with that, i would like to introduce mayor edwin lee. [applause] >> thank you, city administrator. good morning. welcome to the portola neighborhood. that is the pronunciation that i learned many years ago when we were picking up garbage in these little pockets all over this san bruno avenue. and we learned that very quickly, because the neighborhoods fell that we were not door to make investments in our neighborhood, and if we did not, it would go downhill very quickly. so we started with a number of debra agencies to work together along this corridor. guess what, a few years later with that kind of investment, we have trees alive here.

we have got sidewalks that are not only clean, but they have been redone. you have got signage at both ends this a welcome to portola. as a result of that investment, there is a vibrancy that i have not seen in other corridors comparatively. one of the statistics i want to make sure you know is that during the years where this great recession that hit all of us, i think the city's self tax -- maybe we did a little better than other years. maybe 3%. this corridor along san bruno experienced an 8% increase in sales tax, just because people believe in this neighborhood and continue to come in here, not only for the coffee shops. for the giver and clubs, at the activities, youth activities, -- for the different clubs and activities, positive activities

and the neighborhood investments. i could talk all day long about job creation. as you know, cougin recent weeke have been announcing the big leases with a successful technology companies. that is excellent for the city. it is very much in downtown and south of market and in our mission area. but i want you to know that we're paying just as serious attention to our neighborhood corridors throughout the city. yesterday i walked with carmen chu, supervisor chu throughout the teravelle district and got a good sense of some of the challenges and listened to the copy shop owners, the insurance company owners, some of the other areas where they are giving us and put about how we can improve all along that commercial corridor. this morning, i got the and breakfast with supervisor malia cohen just a block away, and we

talked about the different sections of san bruno, how wonderful of an emperor of man that has been over years of effort that has been a collaborative -- how wonderful of an improvement that has happened over the years of effort. this is the kind of framework that we wanted to continue establishing throughout all of the commercial corridors, the merchant corridors throughout the city. as we walked along third street yesterday with the opening of the kitchen, that was exciting. we commented on how positive the feeling was. it is a framework that wanted to make sure that you know as we discuss things like the revolving loan fund at the board of supervisors, as we discussed programs were we're linking an technology challenges with our neighbor minutes. we wanted to do it in a framework in which the public knows we're bringing together

all of the different departments in all of our neighborhood corridors, to make sure you know we are going to take care of a lot of things. this is just an announcement here or there, it is an announcement in concert with everything else we are doing. the most important thing is that you know we are working with neighborhood leaders when they come into the corridor. it is not about a parklet that is going to be isolated. it will be embraced by the residences and businesses that will use that. make sure that it is a part of the vibrancy. that they have input to the leadership in developing. every one of our corridors, and we're going to look forward to not only teravelle, noriega. supervisor of a los -- avalos wants is to pay attention to the geneva corridor. bernal, as well as the traditional corridors.

we're going to be working on ideas about a small business loan and what it means to get resources out here where people feel, maybe they're reading the paper every day and see that we're paying attention to the downtown and south of market interest. we're not and inlet. we're just going to be as investment-friendly to our merchant corridors throughout all of the city. even as we set the agenda for the old redeveloper over subcommittee, we are going to be paying attention to all of the kind of commercial corridors that they pay attention to as well, whether it is midmarket are outlining areas like san bruno avenue. that is the framework in which we wanted to make sure the discussion continues. it is the portola, the neighborhood that has been out here. the neighbors that want to continue investing, want us to invest in debt. it is a coordinated and collaborative effort. today we begin identifying the key partners and leaders. so i wanted to announce that

noami kelly is the city administrator and will be working with jen matts as kind of the two leaders in this initiative of the neighborhood investments. the neighborhood investment initiative is going to reflect collaboration of all of the different elements that made a san bruno successful. in an addition to the small business loans, we're going to have a lot of other ideas. where do we bring more of our community ambassador program as we invest in that? where do we bring in the collaboration with our police department here today, where they can have more visibility so people can feel safe? how do we get our office of small business -- regina is here today, to get their programs out where needed, and to lecture the commissions are paid attention to all of the different corridors. this all has to do it

collaboration and a coordinated effort. when we announce the $1 million this year and the $5 million small business loan program, it is in the context of a very good collaboration that we have from agencies like the puc. ed harrington is here today. dpw, community ambassadors program, muni, our police department, and cdbg, our mayor's office of housing. it is all part of the way in which we should do business, getting collaboration as well. so that when we meet with neighborhood leaders here, they know they have got connections to every single agency. when we work with sf ci5tty and quarter and eight permits online. when we do things like an event parklets and make those

successful and accessible. or use money to create an even better coffee shop that will come here to san bruno. it is going to come very soon. we have leadership in place. we have coronation. funding is in the works. -- we have coordination. we're on a positive scales in our economy. i am going to use the additional revenues we see coming into this city. make sure we do it and use it smartly. we are going to invest in our community challenge grant program that has been so successful all along this corridor. they have worked magic with the neighborhood groups that want to see greening and better programs. the murals in place of grafitti

have been wonderful. it will be replicated throughout the city. thank you very much for joining us. [applause] >> coldiron, we have some more people -- hold on, we have some more people. there will be questioned. next, i would like to invite up supervisor malia cohen. [applause] >> good morning. i think today is another example, as was yesterday, of the physical manifestation of what happens when thoughtful people and thoughtful leaders come together. i like to publicly to thank the portola neighborhood steering committee. thank you for your leadership and commitment to san francisco and to this little cove that recall the portola. my home. i was raised here. my parents still live here. this corridor means a lot to me personally.

it is a very committed to continue to support the merchant corridor, as low as the neighbors, and continue to improve our efforts to beef up and maintain the safety as the number-one priority here on the margin corridor. thank you to our community leaders. [applause] >> , thank you, supervisor. next, i would like to introduce reporter wrote rivera's to speak on behalf of the portola neighborhood steering committee -- i would like to introduce roberta ribble -- roberto ramirez. >> good morning. we recently went through and name change. we're not the portola neighborhood association. i am making the official announcement today. i want to thank the office of economic and workforce development, as well as liz. our partners. i also want to thank the mayor

and his staff for being here and enacting the initiative this morning here in the wonderful portola, where we have accomplished a number of great things in the past couple of years. and number of volunteers successfully completed the first phase of the island beautification project at the intersection of allegany boulevard and san bruno avenue. we're still hoping to complete phase two and phase three of the project soon. we hope with your continued support, mayor, that we can accomplish this. mid the first phase was made possible by efforts of dpw, mohammed nuru, liz, and sandra. greening and planning has been made possible by dpw and staff and sf clean city coalition. have accomplished and made possible seventh assata

improvements along san bruno avenue. -- seven facade improvements along san bruno avenue. we have had a series of events to promote a neighborhood pride and involvement, such as an night on the portola, chinese leaders dinner, and a pop-up art gallery this past february right there in that space, which is available for lease. this is the site of our future pocket park and hopefully a coffee house right there in that space. [applause] and i wanted to thank others for their efforts and architects for humanity. [applause] thank you for helping us move this forward. i would like to give a very special thanks to oewd who has been instrumental and supportive. this coming thursday at 6:00 p.m.-exact location, we will be having a needs assessment

workshops to determine the needs of the neighborhood in hopes of continuing to make the portola of better place. we still have a lot to do. we're confident that with the mayors of the city's continued support, we're going to get some great things accomplished. thank you, mayor lee, for your commitment to helping the portola and other san francisco neighborhoods. [applause] >> ok, next we have a member of sin city coffee, one of the first revolving loan applicants. [applause] >> thank you all for coming. i did not really expect to see all of you here. 15 months ago i was laid off. with $25 and a big dream, i often -- and opened a little coffee shop. amy came around six or seven months later asking if i would like to open another one. i said, if you believe in me, i

will take a chance. the biggest gamble ever did. mayor lee, your staff rocks. thank you so much. i know what i do open, each and every single one of you can come and check out blue bottle coffee and single origin and chocolate. thank you. [applause] >> all right, in addition to all those departments that i mentioned earlier, i want to thank mohammed nuru from the department of public works to build ginzberg from rec and park, adrian, jose, von, tiffany, and lenita from the community challenge grant. and juaquin. thank you. portola, portola, portola neighborhood. thank you for coming out to the

portola neighborhood today. [applause] >> good afternoon petraeus i am hearing to present -- i was told over the weekend, no, i would go present and entered as the person who will be receiving the award this year. i said, when is that coming at the lunch? the end, the grand finale? she said, no, it is the first award. i said, isn't this the international women's day and we're giving a man the first award? she said, oh, they have to go

back to work. i said, we have heard that before. so the man of the year. when we think about who the right person should be and is deserving of such an honor, believe me, we're not looking for a man who is in high political office or the ceo of the major companies. instead, we're looking for someone who has demonstrated over time that he is committed to advancing equal rights and opportunities for women and minorities, someone who has talked the talk and walked the walk. i know we have a number of guests from other countries at this year's women's summit. and at many levels. and it is universal. we're talking about advice for education. jobs and economic opportunities. and in the political arena. when i first became active in this community, thanks again to many of my friends who are in

this room who are my inspiration and give me all the encouragement that i have had, i have come to learn that we must have a place at the table. that is what was referenced issue today. this should be the theme this year, to be at the table. we're talking about in the corporate world, the board room, the state legislature, the halls of congress, or at city hall. well, i am very proud of the recipient of this year is a man of the year award, our mayor, mayor at least pujols -- mayor ed lee. [applause] the mayor is the chosen one. not because you have the title

of being the mayor. the mayor was the chosen one because over the last 30 years, he has a history of promoting justice and advancing equal rights and opportunities for women and minorities in the city and beyond. when he graduated from law school across the bay, and instead of adding to a corporate law office, he decided to work for the asian law caucus, fighting against discrimination, against women and minorities. when he became the first asian- american to be in that position in this great city, again -- that was less than three months ago that when the mayor was sworn billion, he took every opportunity he had to advance women. when there is an opportunity to appoint a member to the board of supervisors, and for those of you who do not live in san francisco, that is our city council. among the list of qualified candidates, he elected christina olague .

i believe supervisor olague is with us today. [applause] and in a short three months when he has had an opportunity to nominate and appoint somebody to the very important position which he firmly held as the chief administration officer of the city and county of san francisco, and again he immediately nominated noami kelly to be our cao. [applause] we're living in a city that we're very lucky, and we know that women around the world and in many other cities are not as lucky. when i look around their room, i see that we have many city departments headed by women. of course there can always be more. but i see melanie, miriam, emily. i mean, there are quite a few and we're very proud.

i am looking at the next four to eight years, and i can see there will be more and more women leaders in our city government. so we're very fortunate to have somebody at the top of the city that really believes in making room for women at the table. now i would like to invite the one and only surely bell to join me in presenting this award, and please join me in representing the man of the year, mayor ed lee. [applause] >> wow, thank you, claudine and

shelly. thank you for this distinguished meant. very much appreciated. i am is sitting here listening to the introductory remarks, and i have flashbacks of decisions that made in the past. but if it begins with i think having different attitude because i had a strong mom who had to raise kids by herself and understanding how single mothers have to survive and raise a whole family gives you life lessons. i also need toothache -- to thank anita because she appointed me her husband. so i have to return the favor. [applause] but you know, i can go on about a lot of things we have done, but i am more excited to signal

to all of you to really work hard with us. there is just a lot more to do. because there will be efforts that tried to hold us back as a society, but then we have to continue moving forward. we cannot let the the kind of radio talk-show hosts and things like that hold us back. i, too, have to express my personal shock and just in this day and age how such a vicious language can be used that when someone is invited to present their expertise as a law student about the needs of women, and it has been such almost spoiled, i guess, to be in san francisco, because this is often our culture, to listen and to follow-up with the articulation from advocates, from people who have served in all kinds of government and business,

educational institutions, the private sector, the public sector, to listen carefully to the needs that our children, our young girls and our women in need to not only survive but to go well beyond that and succeed in society. i am often reminded who holds half of the sky up in the city. so i am going to continue inviting all of you, particularly speaking to the women here who do have experience and knowledge and foresight to advise me and advise my administration of how we can do better in all aspects. nationally, locally, and internationally to keep advocating strongly how we can protect and nurture and how we can make sure that our society is of equalness. that is why i said at the beginning that the flashbacks