we can't emphasize enough how important it is to be . >> thank you so much for joining us here on this opening celebration of the widder park and civic center. we've got so many of my favorite people here. john from john's grill. how you are doing over there? so you are among the first to witness this widder park at this time. it's right in the heart of san francisco, right in front of this beautiful city hall.

this was done which none other than willie productions, who specializes in quality ice around the world as well as quality film. it started in a partnership back in 1990. some of you might remember. it was the pepsi-crystal light ice rink, and then, willie partnered with kris kristi yamaguchi. and we have the ice rink in union square. it's celebrating its 11th season down there. so the winter park at civic center is expanding its legacy by providing an all-new experience for the bay area community with the first ice track in the city. now it is my pleasure and it is my honor to introduce a very special guest to tell you all about the exciting partnership

with the city of san francisco and willie b. productions. please join me in welcoming mayor london breed. [applause] >> the hon. london breed: wow. what a beautiful day today in civic center. are we excited about the opening of this new winter park? raise your hand if you are going to get out there with some ice skates. in fact, we are so excited to have olympic gold medal winner willie boitano -- brian. willie, i'm getting the names confused. sorry about that. as mayor, i am trying to make san francis

city hall a more exciting place for everyone. we have so many new buildings in the tenderloin. we have so many new apartment buildings in this area, and now over some time with some work with the rec and parks department in the city, we've been able to not only bring this exciting park to civic center, but we've been able to renovate the two playgrounds, the helen diller playground that you see behind me, but we are able to open a new cafe. we have so many world class arts institutions, including the ballet, the symphony, the orpheum theater. we have so many people who visit this area from all over the bay area and all over the country. and winter civic center i think is a jewel to add to what we

think is going to be a wonderful holiday season. we have so many folks who make things right here in the city and county of san francisco that we want to support. support, buy local. buy your gifts local, so feel free to come to city hall and feel free to shop with some local makers and manufacturers. we also with goi-- are going to the mayor's holiday fair, and i'm excited with that, as well as face painting and fun activities for families and kids to do. so to all the parents out there, we're going to keep your kids busy during the holiday season. so i want to thank all of you and really, willie b. taking on another ice skating production in our city and moving on with this incredible park. i know this is going to be so much fun and a welcome addition to our civic center.

we are also working with the tenderloin community benefit program for field trips, so we can make sure that kids have access to this particular ice skating rink here in civic center. and in fact, there are going to be a lot of free opportunities for kids, but also, we want to make sure that cost is not a barrier to young people. so i'm looking forward to seeing so many kids on the ice, enjoying themselves. as well as we want to ask visitors who are coming to bring new socks for st. anthony's in the city drive, to help people in our shelters. so please bring some brand-new socks if you can remember that. i also want to thank st. anthony's for being a part of this, and there's so many folks, so many sponsors, including john's grill and other places who have made this dream a reality. and next, i'd like to introduce the person who is not only a

legendary figure skater, but who spends much of his time giving back. brian boitano may have won 50 titles and a u.s. olympic gold medal in his career, but his work of giving back to the community and helping over 10,000 kids skate and learn about ice skating and his champion causes have really been tremendous and a testament to his legacy and his work to create the next generation of champion ice skaters. and so with that, i know he's out on the rink today. and so at this time, we're going to do the count down. brian, are you ready? okay. will you join me in the count down? are we ready?

five, four, three, two, one. let's get it open. [applause] >> the hon. london breed: okay, brian, maybe you should come out in your skates. ladies and gentlemen, winter park at civic center is now officially open. [applause]

>> this has been a dream in the making, especially for our general manager, for many, many years, to be able to allow residents of the tenderloin and western addition to be able to walk and skate at civic center plaza and experience a little slice of an east coast winter. >> it truly was a one-of-a-kind collaboration between willie b. productions and the city departments. he said i want to challenge you to come up with something bigger and more fun, and something in such a historic location right here, right in front of city hall. this is amazing.

>> we starting off by leveling the entire plaza. it was about a two-week process to get the area brought up to a dead level because the ice risk itself is not tolerant of any change in slope, because the water would build up at one end. then, we brought in these refrigeration panels that we can circulate a brine solution in to bring the solution down to colder than 32°, and then, start spraying water on it, which, for the last two days, nature has taken care of that for us. and then freeze it, and it becomes ice that you can skate it. >> as you can see, the ice is about an inch thick, and it'll get up to 1.5 inches thick.

with that, we can control the ice. most people that do outdoor skating rinks make a big sand box, and they lay these tubes in it, cover it with sand, and then, the ice gets to be about 6 inches thick or 8 inches thick. well, with that thick, you're not going to control the surface. it gets wet with the sun. that makes it unique with our 1.5 inch thick ice, with the panels. >> this year, we're bringing a unique feature to san francisco. it's a skate track that runs down through the trees. it's over 400 feet of track. this is sort of models after -- modelled after the city hall in austria. you can make a narrow skating path and get that experience. >> what we are doing is working

with the san francisco unified school district to bring any kids who go to school in the tenderloin to skate here for free. the operators have been wonderful in making that possible, and we have been -- we, the recreation and parks department, have been the people connecting schools to this ice rink. >> there has to be well over 100 people that have either been married or proposed to on the ice. in fact, they have this club that gets together once a year, and they go down to john's grill, and they celebrate and drink and eat and dine, sometimes before, sometimes after skating. they go to union square, and they relive those magical moments all once again. so who knows, with city hall being right here, we could see an increase in proposal and marriages on the ice. i don't know, but i've been on it. it's not just about you coming and getting on the ice, it's

about you coming and skating successfully, skating safely, and creating those holiday magical >> are you guys ready? five, four, three, two, one. [cheers and applause] >> e.a. all right. e.a. >> thank you so much for joining us today. today with mayor breed, we are honored to celebrate our community's -- community's brazilians as we continue to

advocate for equality and human rights. -- community's equality as is to continue to advocate for equality and human rights. thank you. [applause] from the cafeteria riot to the nation's first trans- city department to, we have, so far. thanks to many of you and the community leaders and allies who have paved the way before us. today, you are part of making history. as the trump administration continues to attack our communities in san francisco, we stand up against these attacks and celebrate each other. here in san francisco, we don't erase people. we understand that our differences are what makes us special.

i'm so proud to work for a city that stands firm that we will not allow discrimination of any kind unchecked. san francisco continues to protect all of our communities and be a sanctuary city regardless of the federal administration. regardless of how they want to redefine gender, ban us from military service or strip away our rights -- rights for medically necessary care. at the office of transgender initiatives, we are working every day to advance policies, program and equity for trends and nonconforming gender communities. earlier this month, we partnered with mayor breed to release a directive requiring all city departments to broaden gender identity options across all city forms. [applause] >> furthermore, we are providing trans- inclusion training across all city employees because everyone should feel safe when

reaching our city services. also, last week, our advisory committee had the opportunity to meet with mayor breed and discuss several community priorities that we identified through a series of community stakeholder meetings. i'm looking forward to working with the mayor and the board of supervisors and other city departments to move these important priorities for words. i am excited to share that we are launching two exciting pilots this year to better serve our diverse communities including our trans- and lgbt emigrant fellowship program, as well as a civic bridge program to increase navigation services so trans folks can access the wide range of services we have in the city. as i started in this role in december, i have had many opportunities to engage but our community has been under attack more now than ever before. we work to create name policies across the city and we track

anti- lgbt legislation and we will make sure that any state that tries to discriminate against us gets added to the travel ban, and contracting ban because we will not do business with states that think discrimination is okay. [applause] >> furthermore, we are advancing our workforce program to provide direct trends services to the tenderloin and the soma areas. we are also creating antiviolence programs to make sure that housing programs and providers are inclusive of trans people. we all deserve a home in san francisco. [applause] >> in conclusion, as the chump administration tries to strip away our rights, it's important we all remember that we will continue to be protected in san francisco through our leadership , through our office, and the work that each of you are doing every day.

together we can remember our trans resilience and that we are never alone. i hope you will join us for this important work because we cannot do it alone. volunteer with local programs, get involved, volunteer and give because we all need a fierce cheerleader. so together, let's make sure that no one gets left behind. everyone deserves a safe place to sleep, wellness and a community that celebrates them. now it is my great honor to welcome our wonderful mayor, lyndon breed. [applause] -- london breed. [applause] >> thank you. aren't we lucky to have such incredible leadership for our office of transgender initiatives here. we really appreciate you. thank you. thank you all for joining us

here today. we are here to celebrate our transgender and gender nonconforming communities in san francisco and across the country i would also like to thank the supervisors who have joined us here today, including supervisor raffaella mandelman, supervisor vallie brown and president president of the board of supervisors, melia cohen. thank you for being here. [applause] today, we are recognizing this important week by lighting up city hall in the trans- flag colours. blue, white and pink and if you are lucky to get one of these pens, may be asked anthony, i think he has a few extra. as well as raising the transgendered flag, which we just did, outside of the front of city hall. these are symbols that recognize our commitment to protecting the rights of all san franciscans. in these challenging times, i am

so proud to be a mayor of a city that celebrates our diversity and our rich history with our trans- community. from our roots as a first city in the country to honor transgendered date, a remembrance to today, where we have the first office of transgender initiative. and a great leader in claire. as i look around, i think about the challenges facing us as a nation and as a safety. i am reminded, constantly, of the resilience of the trans community. we have a federal administration that attacks our most vulnerable communities, time and time again here in san francisco, we won't stand for it. we will fight against it each and every time by standing together. that's why, earlier this month, i sent an executive directive to all city departments requiring the expansion of gender identity

options across all city forms and mandating trans- inclusion training for all city employees working with the public. [applause] >> this is just one way we can make sure that our trends community is respected and supported, and in san francisco, no one is erased. i am proud of how far we have come as a city and being inclusive and welcoming, but i know, i know there is still a lot of work to do. just as you have remained resilient in the face of adversity, i will remain committed to addressing the needs and priorities of the trans and lgbtq communities in san francisco. last week, i had an opportunity to meet with the transgender advisory committee to discuss many of the priorities that we all share.

we talked about things like the crisis that has unfortunately impacted disproportionately our lgbtq community. thanks to their work and our office of transgender initiatives, we are focused on expanding employment, healthcare , and educational opportunities for our lgbtq community. we are committed to preventing any discrimination or violence or any assaults against all of our residents, as well as bringing justice for those who have experienced these tragedies we will not rest until there is equity and ensure a basic human rights for all of our communities. but i know i can't do this work alone and i want to thank all of you for joining us here today. not only for what we have all ready achieved but for what we will continue to achieve by working together. and that is why i wanted to do something really special to

commemorate this time and -- here it is. [laughter] >> i am not only committed to making sure that we celebrate our transgender community, but we honor it by doing something that has not been done anywhere else in our country. today, i am happy to recognize the entire month of november as transgender month in the city and county of san francisco. [applause] >> i would also like to recognize and appreciate the work of our transgender advisory committee because they are spending countless hours working to push forward the right policies, the right investments, the right things here in the

city that we need to do in order to address many of the challenges we face. here, i would like to present commissioner melanie with this award, as well as honey mahogany , two of the leaders of the transgender advisory committee here and we will do everything we can to continue to work together in order to move the great initiatives forward based on the work that we know you are both committed to doing. thank you both for being here today. [applause] now i give you an opportunity to speak. >> good afternoon, everybody. some of us are bay area locals. some of us have been born and raised in san francisco. some of us relocate here for a better tomorrow.

san francisco is the first city in the nation to have a trans alleged government office. this city is committed to the advancement of the transgender community. i am a proud member of the transgender advisory committee and i am honored to work alongside some of the fiercest community leaders in san francisco. if you are part of the t.a.c. team, please stand up. we would like to acknowledge you [cheers and applause] >> thank you for being leaders in our community. at the t.a.c., we help prioritize community needs and give recommendations that advise the office of transgender initiatives and the mayor's office. i am also a human rights commission or. i was appointed by our late mayor ed lee, may he rest in peace. i would not be here today without the guidance of some amazing people like teresa sparks, cecelia chung, nikki,

jason chan, and francis sang. thank you all. i mentioned this because i want to stress the importance of leadership. this recent midterm election, we had a rainbow wave, everybody. record breaking numbers of lgbtq , women, people of color elected into office. that is amazing. [applause] >> i would love to see even more leadership programs like s.f. team, transgender empowerment advocacy membership program at the san francisco community health centre and more of encouraging civic engagement, leadership and pathways to appoint more trans and gender nonconforming folks to city boards and commissions. it is crucial to normalize trends people as leader -- transgender people as leaders. they need to see more representation that they identify with. youth need to see and believe

that they can be leaders too. i love san francisco and i truly believe it is, and will continue to be the best city for my competing -- for my community to live and survive in. happy transgender awareness week , now month. thank you. [laughter] [applause] >> thank you, melanie. good day, everyone. happy day today. as someone who was born and raised in this city, which is steeped in so much history, i am proud that san francisco continues to be a leader in the fight for justice and equality, especially as it pertains to the transgender community. while our community has been under attack, not just by the current federal administration, but by many who preceded them, we continue to exist despite their best efforts to stymie us, shut us out or eliminate us. we have history in this city.

we can directly trace the lgbt civil rights movement back to the corner of turk and taylor where in 1966, the riots was the first documented collective uprising of lgbt individuals in the country. [applause] >> the riots recently inspired the founding of the transgendered cultural district. the first officially recognized transgendered district in this country. [applause] >> it's important that we remember this history. and that we consider how it impacts us today. the tenderloin is still has the highest concentration of trends -- transgender folks in san francisco. this is changing with the tide of new development. the transgendered cultural district was created not just as a way of preserving the importance of the legacy of the

tenderloin, but also as a mechanism to push back against the displacement of the transgendered community. it was created to be an advocate to serve as a resource and a safe space. it is has been -- it has been my honor to present the district thus far along with cofounders. it has also been a great pleasure to work with claire farley and others in the salespersons from the office of sales -- of transgender initiative. oti has been a tremendous resource and support for the community being a strong advocate for inclusion and frequently prioritizing the voices of underrepresented members of the community including people of color, formerly incarcerated individuals, and the undocumented. through working with o.t.i. and serving on the trans- advisory council, we have been able to

make key recommendations on how to best support the needs of the community in san francisco. these recommendations are improving access to safe housing for transgendered and lgbtq communities by providing targeted housing programs and services that prioritize vulnerable populations such as transgendered, homeless individuals, recovering from gender affirming procedures, and lgbtq older adults. improving mental health of communities by developing and implementing specific mental health services programs and peer support initiative and expanding funding such as dedicating resources to support trans- arts and community events increasing economic development program designed for various trans- communities living in poverty are at risk of living in poverty. increasing access to education and employment opportunities by instituting gender systems, increasing access to legal immigration services and legal services for people with

criminal records, increasing civic engagement of communities by developing and implementing leadership development programming, increasing care, planning and care coordination by developing and implementing navigation strategies, and reducing rates of incarceration, were recidivism, and economic disparities by increasing funding for prevention for programs focused on trans communities. we hope to be able to continue to work with the mayor process -- the mayor's office and the city and county of san francisco to make sure these recommendations are implemented so that the contributions of the transgendered community to our city's history, strength, and culture, are not just honored, but carried forward into the future. thank you. [applause] >> we could not do this work alone without our fabulous members of the board.

one particular board member new to district eight is the only out gay supervisor on the board and we could not do the work without him. please welcome supervisor mandelman. [applause] >> thank you, claire. i believe we've been joined by my colleague, asha safai. thank you. at a time when the lgbtq community and trans people in particular are under siege from a hostile and toxic presidential administration, it is clear -- it is crucial for san francisco to stand with and support the community. i want to thank mayor breed for her strong and immediate repudiation of the president's attempt to erase transgendered people by undermining them.

as a supervisor for district eight and the only supervisor, i feel a special responsibility to represent our entire queer community and to be very gay doing it. and until we have a transit supervisor, and i suspect there may be one or more of those out in the audience or behind me, it is my honor to advocate for the trans community and to be here today. in san francisco, i think we all know the transgender community continues to face disproportionate and unacceptably high rates of violence, homelessness and unemployment. despite the advances we've made as a city, it is clear we need to invest in additional support services and resources to address these disparities. since taking office in july, i worked closely with claire and the staff at the office of transgender initiatives to start inclusive proper -- policies and programs for the folks in san francisco.

the mayor did her proclamation. we have our strategic -- strategy of honor from the board of supervisors. i'm honored to share this commendation from the board with a transgendered advisory committee. this is the first of its kind. it works to address important issues impacting trends and gender nonconforming communities committee members wrote represent diverse sectors and leverage their experience to help inform local policies, priorities and grams. where is our t.a.c. leadership? come on up. here we have this. then we will do the photograph and folks will get it. it is good. [applause] >> all right. thank you. in these challenging times, it is important we remember our history and the elders who came before us. at the same time, we must also

support our trends and lgbtq youth who are the leadership of tomorrow. today i'm honored to introduce two important community leaders. donna persona is a legendary community advocate and cocreator of the compton cafeteria hit play and performer at aunt charlie got shot lounge in san francisco. or story has been featured around the world including in the out magazine article, tenderloin is the night and in the short film beautiful by night. jojo tie is the youth commissioner representing district eight and a health worker. jojo is a clear, trans and filipino born and raised in san francisco and based in the castro. from their own life experiences of navigating personal and institutional challenges, they are committing to supporting lg deep -- lgbtq youth through luth -- youth empowerment and leadership. please welcome donna and jojo. [applause] >> good afternoon.

i'm donna persona and i would like to talk a little bit about the honor i've had in cowriting the play. when i was on the fence, coming from san jose, i wanted to find people that i felt were more like me. so i don't know how i came to this decision that san francisco would be the place to come, but i got on a greyhound bus and i came to san francisco. i couldn't get into bars, i didn't know where they were anyway. i landed on a place, compton's cafeteria. an all-night diner. i would say that is where i first -- i saw these beautiful

women and i later learned that they were born as male. but i became friends with them and i learned about their lives. they had decided to match there outside with their insides. they had what i call a courageous nests. by deciding to live the way that they know that they are, they were started by being abandoned by their families. they had no family, and they came to san francisco, and their lives became completely criminalized. they couldn't get jobs. they couldn't go to school.

they couldn't get any kind of healthcare. so this play will tell the story of their lives. when you see this play and hear these stories and learn about them, you will understand what informs their choices in life. i will say that these women were sex workers and they ended up in prison, sometimes. in one case, in many cases, they found themselves in prison because they were impersonating a woman. they were wearing women's clothes. they went to jail for that, served time, and you come out of jail, and you can't go to college, you can't get a job. so it spirals down from that. so they did what they had to do.

but i knew them, and i'm saying that they were wonderful human beings, and they created a family together, themselves. so this story and this play will let people know why they made the choices they made and the bravery. their bravery. this happened 52 years ago. i would like to say that i think they put in place the foundation of liberation. [applause] through their personal needs, this comes with a foundation. they sought out healthcare and

transitions. by transitioning those days, they had what they called hormone parties. there was nothing illegal. there was no place safe to do any of this. so i hope you can imagine how traumatic that is. it is hearsay. you come to this place and you can get injections for this or that. today, i know one woman who is suffering from the procedure she had back then. imagine this. when somebody -- when one of them ran into trouble with one of their procedures, who do they go to? i can imagine somebody saying, you didn't like what you got, go to the police. that is impossible. by laying down the things that

they need, housing, education, healthcare, and just being permitted to feel normal, that's all they wanted was to feel normal. today, we are benefiting from what they laid down. the needs that transgendered people need. and with this play, this is something i say from time to time. these ladies that i knew, they were born, they lived a while, and then they died. most of them died. they couldn't survive. so they didn't get anyone saying to them, everything you are doing and who you are is wonderful and right. they did not get to hear that. we get to hear that now and we

get support. they did not get that. so what is most meaningful for me is to know that their lives are engendering good things now. so their life is not in vain. it wasn't in vain. and i want to believe -- i am honouring them and i hope you will honor them. and somehow their life was not a waste. i wasn't brave enough to do that and do what they did. but they came before us and they are our modules. we heard about it already tonight and today. there is a push back. there is forces that want to take away what we've gained. so i'm going to say, now, more than ever, we have to get out there and do something.

i am going to say, sometimes in the past, other transgendered people or people under the clear spectrum, i tell them, just by presenting in the streets, you are doing part of the job. people see you and they say, they exist, they belong here. but we need to do more of that now. i will ask -- [applause] >> i will ask each and every one of you whether you are transgender or not, to do something. don't stay home. you have to do something to keep thriving. [applause] >> thank you. >> i would also like to say, we have transgender day of remembrance. please remember this group. that is part of remembrance. they deserve it. and the youth, i want the

history and the older people like me, i'm 72 years old, to come together and fight together we will hand over the torch to the young people. i will stay busy myself. [laughter] [applause] >> thank you for sharing your story. today, i am here because i believe that transgender and youth are the leaders of tomorrow. i wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the work of my transgender sisters and leaders of the past. the screaming queens who righted over 50 years ago in the tenderloin. at dream of the future, where transgendered youth art, empowered and celebrated for who they are, of a future that lets me on a pep -- be unapologetically meat without having to need or explain who i am. today, the transgender

nonconforming youth of san francisco face many barriers. a resilience helps us overcome prejudice, discrimination and violence. our wisdom and knowledge guides us as we navigate the multiple institutions that were not created for us. we are more than numbers and statistics. we are contributors and leaders in our communities. we are a community that is here to be up for one another and support and uplift each other to heal and grow. we will not be quiet and back down until we are included in the conversation and decision making process with full equity. what trends use leadership needs to meet -- means to me as having visibility. it looks like taking a step forward in the right direction towards positive social exchange it sounds like our voices and reclaiming our rights. it feels like freedom and liberation. it ignites others to take action with us. as we gather here today to kick off transgender awareness week,

i want to challenge all of you to envision a future where transit -- transgender nonconforming youth are thriving in a more inclusive environment. it takes each of us to build awareness, speak up and be linked to bad policies that support safety and leadership for trans people. thank you. [cheers and applause] >> i want to thank you all for coming out today and thank you to mayor breed. supervisors and our t.a.c. we can do this work together. don't give up and stay hopeful. join us for a little reception. thank you. [♪] >> growing up in san francisco

has been way safer than growing up other places we we have that bubble, and it's still that bubble that it's okay to be whatever you want to. you can let your free flag fry he -- fly here. as an adult with autism, i'm here to challenge people's idea of what autism is. my journey is not everyone's journey because every autistic child is different, but there's hope. my background has heavy roots in the bay area. i was born in san diego and adopted out to san francisco when i was about 17 years old. i bounced around a little bit here in high school, but i've always been here in the bay.

we are an inclusive preschool, which means that we cater to emp. we don't turn anyone away. we take every child regardless of race, creed, religious or ability. the most common thing i hear in my adult life is oh, you don't seem like you have autism. you seem so normal. yeah. that's 26 years of really, really, really hard work and i think thises that i still do. i was one of the first open adoptions for an lgbt couple. they split up when i was about four. one of them is partnered, and one of them is not, and then my biological mother, who is also a lesbian. very queer family. growing up in the 90's with a queer family was odd, i had the bubble to protect me, and here, i felt safe. i was bullied relatively

infrequently. but i never really felt isolated or alone. i have known for virtually my entire life i was not suspended, but kindly asked to not ever bring it up again in first grade, my desire to have a sex change. the school that i went to really had no idea how to handle one. one of my parents is a little bit gender nonconforming, so they know what it's about, but my parents wanted my life to be safe. when i have all the neurological issues to manage, that was just one more to add to it. i was a weird kid. i had my core group of, like, very tight, like, three friends. when we look at autism, we characterize it by, like, lack of eye contact, what i do now is when i'm looking away from the camera, it's for my own comfort.

faces are confusing. it's a lack of mirror neurons in your brain working properly to allow you to experience empathy, to realize where somebody is coming from, or to realize that body language means that. at its core, autism is a social disorder, it's a neurological disorder that people are born with, and it's a big, big spectrum. it wasn't until i was a teenager that i heard autism in relation to myself, and i rejected it. i was very loud, i took up a lot of space, and it was because mostly taking up space let everybody else know where i existed in the world. i didn't like to talk to people really, and then, when i did, i overshared. i was very difficult to be around. but the friends that i have are very close. i click with our atypical

kiddos than other people do. in experience, i remember when i was five years old and not wanting people to touch me because it hurt. i remember throwing chairs because i could not regulate my own emotions, and it did not mean that i was a bad kid, it meant that i couldn't cope. i grew up in a family of behavioral psychologists, and i got development cal -- developmental psychology from all sides. i recognize that my experience is just a very small picture of that, and not everybody's in a position to have a family that's as supportive, but there's also a community that's incredible helpful and wonderful and open and there for you in your moments of need. it was like two or three years of conversations before i was like you know what? i'm just going to do this, and i went out and got my prescription for hormones and started transitioning

medically, even though i had already been living as a male. i have a two-year-old. the person who i'm now married to is my husband for about two years, and then started gaining weight and wasn't sure, so i we went and talked with the doctor at my clinic, and he said well, testosterone is basically birth control, so there's no way you can be pregnant. i found out i was pregnant at 6.5 months. my whole mission is to kind of normalize adults like me. i think i've finally found my calling in early intervention, which is here, kind of what we do. i think the access to irrelevant care for parents is intentionally confusing. when i did the procespective

search for autism for my own child, it was confusing. we have a place where children can be children, but it's very confusing. i always out myself as an adult with autism. i think it's helpful when you know where can your child go. how i'm choosing to help is to give children that would normally not be allowed to have children in the same respect, kids that have three times as much work to do as their peers or kids who do odd things, like, beach therapy. how do -- speech therapy. how do you explain that to the rest of their class? i want that to be a normal experience. i was working on a certificate and kind of getting think early childhood credits brefore i started working here, and we did a section on transgender inclusion, inclusion, which is a big issue here in san francisco because we attract lots of queer families, and the

teacher approached me and said i don't really feel comfortable or qualified to talk about this from, like, a cisgendered straight person's perspective, would you mind talking a little bit with your own experience, and i'm like absolutely. so i'm now one of the guest speakers in that particular class at city college. i love growing up here. i love what san francisco represents. the idea of leaving has never occurred to me. but it's a place that i need to fight for to bring it back to what it used to be, to allow all of those little kids that come from really unsafe environments to move somewhere safe. what i've done with my life is work to make all of those situations better, to bring a little bit of light to all those kind of issues that we're still having, hoping to expand into a little bit more of a resource center, and this resource center would be more those new parents who have gotten that diagnosis, and we want to be this one centralized

place that allows parents to breathe for a second. i would love to empower from the bottom up, from the kid level, and from the top down, from the teacher level. so many things that i would love to do that are all about changing people's minds about certain chunts, like the transgender community or the autistic community. i would like my daughter to know there's no wrong way to go through life. everybody experiences pain and grief and sadness, and that all of those things are temporary.

i want to welcome everyone back to the budget and finance committee. i'm supervisor cohen, i want to recognize mendoza and jesse assisting with the broadcast. thank you for your assistance, sfgovtv. what i'd like to do is call the airport items