opened a condolence book available in the mayor's office in room 200 at city hall and i wanted to announce on december 16th next tuesday at 11:00 a.m. that jennifer's memorial will take place at pier 27 and all the great work that she has done for our city so with that, again, i'd like to make this without objection from the entire board of supervisor's and i'd like to offer members of our board some remarks and also invite up todd rufo from our office of economic development to say a few words and after that we'd like to yield the floor to jennifer's father allen and to dan if they would like to say a few words

so with that supervisor farrell. >> thank you. to jennifer and to her family you know my class of colleagues came to the board of supervisor's about 4 years ago now and she worked for my predecessor for a while and i could really rely on her if you will and started working on some on some of the warrior's issues and some other projects and she was one of the most -- i just want to let you know -- you know, she was one of the most amazing people to work with so hardworking obviously accomplished so much but really a great person and a great colleague inside of city hall and you know, i remember not only working with her but after being diagnosed seeing her last year during a holiday party about this time and her amazing strength and heart and dedication and commitment to

fight what she was fighting and then really hit home this year with the race with jennifer that our clerk was so instrumental in putting together , your mother your sister and daughter were so inspiring to all of us we love her and still do and always will and just want to let you know how amazing she was to all of us inside of city hall and we thank you and her family for the gift of all of her time here in city hall and just know how much she will be missed here in city hall. >> thank you i actually had the opportunity to work with jen she was one of the first members of the city family i got to work with. she probably came into my office the third day and she soon became a very large presence in our office and many of the projects

president tang mentioned took place in our district as well as the waterfront projects to the warrior's arena and you know, jen and i did not always agree but the one thing i can say about jen is that she was incredibly smart and we all respected and admired her and we knew she cared deeply about the city and i got the opportunity to spend sometime with her in shanghai a couple of weeks before her diagnosis came out and i think we debate and discuss a lot about what's the best moving forward for san francisco whether our economy and our community but that diagnosis that day really honed in what was most important to us and that is the people the people that we work with, the the people that care about the city, we're all in this together and there's so much

humanity i think that jen's story had brought in in terms of of what mattered and i just want to really thank her family because i know how hard she worked and so many hours that she spent with us at city hall and instead of the folks that were closest to her and she called our office in june i remember thinking why are you calling me but it's a showcase to her commitment and dedication she loved this job and this work. i was so glad to work with someone who loved what she did and even to the last day and to have lost a member of our family but also just our gratitude to the community and family that supported her i think through one of the most challenging times that that anyone could

go through and to acknowledge the incredible work that she has done for all of us. >> thank you supervisor kim. supervisor weiner. >> thank you madam president. it's hard to believe that jen isn't here anymore. she was a really amazing person i got to work with her in her capacity and also on campaigns and also as a constituent and by getting to know her in that respect as well. she would sometimes help me navigate the politics in that neighborhood and it's important to have those very very level headed people in a neighborhood level who can help you through some very difficult situations and jen was always there and it was always great to go to work with her in all of those different capacities and the one

consistent aspect of jen whether it was on a personal level or campaign or in city hall or in the neighborhood was absolute and total integrity and we know in this believe and in this line of work there are a lot of different types of people that you deal with and some can can be more pleasant than others and you can have people that are more straightforward than others and when you have people whether you agree or disagree on particular issues that you know -- i don't know the phrase -- honest broker has been used but being completely candid with you and just totally and utterly honest and straightforward that makes all the difference in the world and her level of professionalism and just commitment to the city was extraordinary. jen, i

think and i know with a lot of different kinds of illnesses there are the ups and the downs and it's a roller coaster whether you can beat it or not beat it and she called me 1 day with her bucket list and going to the top of the golden gate bridge and i think that was when it hit me the fact she called and said it was my bucket list she fought i know until the end she was a fighter and we're all going to miss her a lot. >> thank you supervisor weiner. supervisor avalos. >> thank you madam president. i got to work with jennifer move mats as a legislative aid and it was really great to work with her and she brought so much enthusiasm to her work i got to know her pretty well i played

softball with her we had a bod team that had a team and we played in the middle of winter in the presido i know jennifer played second base and i know baseball was important to her and she told me how she really cared about the history of baseball and she was really committed to racial justice that was really important to her when she was in school and moving forward i saw her as compassionate in san francisco and i was could i got to get a tour of the of the old levi factory and she was making sure that school would be accessible

to many people who wouldn't really have access to it and it's really opening doors to a lot of people in san francisco and i think that's what drove her those values of justice that made her work meaningful to her and i didn't also always agree with jennifer on the approaches she gave us coming from tax breaks but i always knew that she was really a straight shooter and someone that i could have a really great conversation with offline about what's behind the background behind policy that that we disagreed on and i really valid that relationship and i valid her friendship and you you you know she's been through hard times even before her fight with cancer and we had a lot of talks about that as well about you you you you know difficulties with relationships and the memory is strong with someone with a

great deal of integrity and someone who has made this a better place. >> thank you madam president. i'll be very brief i speak as someone who at times agreed with jennifer and i think it's a testament to her and her legacy that so many individuals whether they agree with her or not respected her and admired her. life is very fragile and i'm i'm i'm i'm especially grateful to her children and family and the fact that they allowed her her to be a part of this family and sometimes this work can be very tough and the sense of humanity gets lost but jennifer besides being a

straight shooter someone who really cared about this city and it's only fitting given the legacy she has left with the city, her greatest legacy is her children and to her children i want to say your mom was a pretty amazing person and it's easy to be brave in good times but the true test of character happens when there are challenging times and by that measure she was an incredible human being and you have a lot to be proud of and know that she will always be remembered for her contributions and her heart thank you. >> thank you. >> i just want to acknowledge the family and let you know we grieve with you i've had the opportunity to watch jen and her career mature she was a legislative aid and i was a

staffer and i actually use her as an example when i talk to my staff you can see what a hardworking person can do and what they can acquire in a in a short period of time. it's important to remember that her body was sick and what remains true social true is that her spirit is still with us. and it's a spirit that goes on in my work. as a member of the board of supervisors but also she lives in our hearts and mind with the people that worked with her, her family and also in her children that's that's the greatest legacy and gift that she's given to the city. thank you.

>> i'd like to offer madam clerk an opportunity for some words. >> thank you madam president. what is most striking to me about jennifer is that in the midst of a significant medical crisis she embraced and assumed the main role to raise funds for the ucsf cancer center to help move the science forward to find a cure for others some day it was a critical time for jennifer when one's natural instinct would have been to turn inward and focus on the self and at great cost to jennifer she gave up her privacy and became the public face of a worthy cause that she knew would most likely impact others. and to me this is the mark of a true and brave and compassionate person to give to others in a time of personal crisis and few would have the courage to do something like

that and i'm in awe to have known such bravery and not forgetting her sacrifice. thank you madam president. >> thank you madam clerk and now i'd like to turn the floor over to todd -- from owd mr. rufo. >> madam president thank you so much. many people with us in in the chamber today to staff members and planning and so many other departments that are here -- i think they are here because jennifer touched all of our lives and meant so much to us all. of course jennifer was brilliant and courageous and funny and inspiring, but she

had that rare ability to help all of us be our best, to take ideas that we have and make them better, to help us find and get to the opportunities, to find the way forward when we may not know. she helped us all be better people. but i also think about the people who aren't in the chambers today the resident, the visitors the small businesses, the kids who all know jennifer even if they had never met her these are people who may go to a warrior's game or start a

business or a visitor to the moss cone center or someone taking a stroll on the waterfront jennifer gave 10 years to this city she loved this city, she loved the work and she gave so much to all of us. i think in these moments as i shared with others i've asked all of us to be there for each other for these challenging and difficult days ahead and to continue to send that positive energy to her friends and family in these difficult days. i think just one thought from me me to the family you know your mom was the the most courageous and inspirational and selfless people i've ever known and i appreciate the opportunity and

i'm so grateful for having known her. thank you. >> thank you mr. rufo and without objection if any of the family members would like to give any remarks i'd like to offer them this opportunity. >> thank you for being here with us. >> thank you very much madam clerk and i'm allen i'm jennifer's dad and i'm going to initially make one correction the newspaper reports when they first came out about jennifer's passing said that i was of new york well that's a long time ago i've lived in san francisco for the past 6 years and i'm just so very happy i'm out here and look forward to spending the rest of my life here i want to take this opportunity to

thank everyone who has been so supportive and the friendship and with attitude and with every fiber of their being from so many different sources and so many different areas that have helped jennifer and helped our family during this very difficult period. the people here in city government, the folks at the port authority, the people the people at the san francisco giants who cooperated with that race over 340 $340,000 for the pancreas center at ucsf and the folks at the golden state warriors who have been close friends of jennifer during this process and i really think that jennifer's spirit now is with the giants and the kwar i the warrior's and will continue to be so and the staff at the

schools for one full year provided hot evening meals for the for the family every night while jennifer was in this illness and the folks at the at the outstanding ucsf medical center and the pancreas and especially her doctor, these are extraordinary individuals who faced with difficult disease all the time and we want to, you know, just hopefully -- this is san francisco, right? [laughter] i think a lot of i've been to a lot of supervisors meetings so i know. the creative spirit of the people in san francisco cannot be beaten i'm telling you and finally the folks at

hospice by the bay i don't know how they do it but they were just wonderful so on behalf of our entire family we want to thank you all for what you have done and know that jennifer's spirit is going to continue within all of us and all of you and some day soon we'll find a cure for this terrible disease. thank you very much. >> thank you thank you. at this time i'd like to offer any other family members the opportunity to speak. well seeing none -- all right then at this time i want to again send our deepest condolences s to the family thank you very much for being here today. i'd

like to move onto the next special order. supervisor weiner has a special special accommodation today. >> thank you madam president. thank you. madam president today i'd like to honor a long time and departing employee of the department of public health michael baxter ter who is leaving the department due to

illness. michael has been an incredible champion of lgbt issues and michael for decades has been a real leader in helping the city to address these very real needs. michael started his work in 1984 through tireless work and intense commitments he rose to the role of director of community health programs for youth. his work really ran the gamut for example, development of health education programs for incarcerated youth to being a founding member for the i for the youth center and clinic and chair as the adolescent steering committee for 6 years and throughout his year michael

has always made time to mentor upcoming leaders and through his intense dedication his work will continue to positively impact public health in san francisco for generation. the people of san francisco have been fortunate to have michael as their advocate and i'd like to thank michael for his many years of service to the people of san francisco. . i know supervisor campos would like to make some remarks as well. >> thank you supervisor weiner. i've had the opportunity and the honor to work with michael and the current chair of the dimensions collaborative board for the dimensions clinic. it's it's a public-private

collaboration that offers comprehensive health services for lgbt and building a continuum of care for hiv positive youth. he has always had so many commitments but has gone out of his way above beyond what is expected of anyone and has truly worked to establish protocols for improving the service delivery to so many transgender youth in san francisco i'm very honored to say that i've been able to work with him and i'm grateful to him and his family for the sacrifices made to help our community. what i've always appreciated about michael, he has also taken the time to

mentor young people and i think that he has always understood the importance of nurturing the next exigency the next generation so it's my honor to join the supervisor today and i especially want to thank his family because when someone makes the kind of commitment and provides the kind of service that michael has provided and has made, it's not just they who are making a sacrifice it's the family members as well. thank you. >> supervisor avalos. >> thank you. i just also want to put in a word for michael bax ter i've known him for a number of years he used to run the health clinic at the balboa high school and there's few

individuals i've seen in my work over the years who have been so dedicated to their work. i i know that he worked many long hours and on top of his work at the clinic he was coordinating health services in other schools and other places in the department and he made a huge difference in young people's lives and brought them to a level of awareness about their health in san francisco and it was remarkable as well he was able to keep alive the balboa clinic when others were falling by the wayside and i hope i get to see him again soon but i just want to say thank you so much for all you have done in the city for public health for young people. >> madam president if i could ask sharylyn adams to accept

the com mendation. >> i'm here on behalf of michael and his partner and son are with him today. i think for all of us here to celebrate michael's work he is an amazing man who has mentored not only so many young people people but also many of us in this work to be tireless advocates for young adults in the city and he really, you know, he was all about about -- he created opportunities for young people to have healthcare and mental health and substance abuse services and hopeless youth for so many such a powerful voice that they should have access to the very services that they need and in his leaving the department this glue this web

i think we'll join so i thank you for taking the time to honor michael and his work for the city. thank you so much. >> >> [applause]. >> thank you supervisor weiner. our next special accommodation will be presented by supervisor kim. >> thank you. we're actually honoring a lot of upstanding individuals today while this individual is not an official

member of the city family he is certainly a member of our city and a district 6 resident. i'm honoring an individual today that many of you have probably read about in the press recently. his name is ben schwart z. ben was attacked in our neighborhood after taking a stand at the verbal abuse directed at his girlfriend he was returning from a party early saturday morning and passed a man making threats to her and after crossing to the other side of the street and being followed ben asked the perpetrator and punches were thrown and ben ended up being stabbed 9 times in the back, face and neck and arms with the knife narrowly missing his

spinal cord but puncturing his lung. while there are many men and women women ben made a public statement and he and elevated this issue and in fact one that is so pervasive that there's a consensus not even subconscious often talked about on daily talk shows that harassment is not a big deal in fact women who raise their voice and speak out against sexual discrimination are over reacting woman are told that cat calls are seen as compliments and we should be flattered and even when this flatter y is degrading. i remember i was no more than 11