organize seniors, i will organize workers to go to d.c. and secure almost a billion dollars in federal funding. i wish that's what the project was still costing these days. in funding, to realize a vision that was able to connect chinatown to jobs, to the tourism industry, and, you know, to help support affordability programs for seniors and for youth so that workers that are working throughout the city can also travel to and from the south of market to chinatown. she has always been an advocate for neighborhood access, she has always been an advocate for transportation equity. something that, frankly, it is interesting to me that so many people are laser focused on this thought that it should be about chinatown, because i will be very blunt. there would not be the chinatown that there is today if it were not for auntie rose.

i have a constituent who just came back from portland, oregon. they have a chinatown, and it is essentially a giant tourist trap it is devoid of any so will, devoid of actual people who are living and working there that are the original, you know, gateway immigrants that actually help to build that chinatown and help -- >> quiet, quiet. >> you can absolutely disagree with me, and, you know, you can ... >> be quiet. >> and one of the principal goals that i know our office is deeply committed to, and i know that our constituency is deeply committed to an auntie rose was too, -- >> keep chinatown a gateway for new immigrants to make sure that our seniors and our families are taking care of, and that we are,

you know, preserving the heart and soul of this neighborhood. and central subway is a keen part of that. i am available to answer any questions. >> folks, if you want to advocate for your position, shouting out and doing childish things is not the way to do it. we invited supervisor peskin's representative here. supervisor peskin represents the district in question. we asked her a few questions. everyone gets their minute to speak. if the board has questions, the speaker gets to go over the time to answer the questions. sunny answered our initial question that we posed to her. i will pose this question. i understand you sponsored a resolution, and how many of the supervisors signed onto that resolution supporting this naming? >> i believe, at this point, it is ten. >> and the second question, at the risk of stating the obvious, to supervisor peskin support this resolution? >> absolutely. >> do any other directors of questions for the representative

>> i just wonder if you could, wherever you come down on this, it is clearly very divisive. and the benefit of doing this and why you feel it is so important to do this, and taking that benefit against the cost of -- i've clearly never seen this kind of turnout for a station naming. it is clearly making a lot of people upset. i want to hear you wrestle with why you think it is so important to do this, and if the point of this is honouring her legacy, have you explored other ways to do that that would accomplish the same goal just -- i would love to hear from you. >> i understand there has been opposition. i will be very -- to be frank, our constituency, in district three in chinatown, in russian hill, in north beach, the

chinese community there, i mean, i'm not hearing the same opposition that i'm hearing from residents in the south bay, and i think that that is a testament to the fact that these are people who have lived in our neighborhoods for many years, and that for the two decades that rose undertook to actually shepherd this process through, against, frankly, opposition like this, you know, people can oppose things, and i think that is within their right, that is a freedom and something that we also champion in the office. i think it is right to not codify, but to memorialize a legacy that is road transportation and pro- public transportation at a time when our public transportation system is under attack, when it is

increasingly pressures to privatize it, to corporatized it , to rely on private companies to do the job that our government should be doing, to create access and transportation equity for our most vulnerable communities, the people that rely on it every single day, and i think that is something that if rose were still alive, she will be making sure that something is happening. god bless, i hope that the central subway opens up in december. this is a goalpost that everybody is waiting to hear to be finally realized, and rose's name belongs there as a reminder , as a permanent marker that this was a struggle. this did not come without controversy. it did not come without opposition. it is a struggle for every bike lane. i'm looking at you guys and you see opposition to progress in

the city every single day. when everyone else was opposed to seeing central subway realized, rose was the one that did the work to make sure that it happened, and i think it is important that we don't let people ever forget that. i hope that answers your question. >> i am just wondering again, if there is a goal, or a different pathway to the goal. i know the goal is to honor her legacy, this particular path makes a lot of people upset, so want to see if you hear about other ways you could achieve that goal, maybe in a way that is less divisive. >> i have not heard those suggestions from the community that this particular proposal came from. and this proposal came from the community. this is not just about, you know , this is chinatown like a. on a tourist map, this is the chinatown that believes that the

government is accountable to them to deliver transportation, it is equitable, it is affordable, it is assessable. i think that that is the champion for that particular mantra was rose pak. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> thank you so much for coming up to talk to us. but when the city renamed the alley in chinatown near the chinese hospital, rose pak's way , did we see a similar outcry >> we did not. we did not. >> any other directors have questions for supervisor peskin 's aid? please. >> for 20 years, i was a state senator for chinatown in los angeles, and during that period of time, i got to know rose pak.

from 1975 when i first met her, and then years later, my -- i worked with her. i always knew as her as a human being who cared about other human beings. she told me about this religious movement to cause people like me , because i am a gay man, as repulsive, as ugly, as unsupported claims, that i am deviant, and lack rationality, and that i am filthy. that is from the leader of the organization. i do not believe in the persecution of religious freedoms. i also want to support people who support me as a human being and not denigrate me as filthy. that is what rose stood up against every day of her life.

discrimination was not part of her mentality, and i think that is something that people need to remember, that those of us who really knew her for many years in different capacities, no this would be a tremendous honor for her, but also concentrate on a legacy that was really her legacy, not f.b.i. reports, which are fictionalized, not other residents that come through from residents who don't know what they are talking about fixture your mind on deeds, and for me, since 1975, those deeds represented to me, a woman of tremendous integrity, a woman who never stepped down, a woman who never stepped away from a fight, a woman who fought for the subway, but also fought for her community. i saw it here and in los angeles i think, again, i want to congratulate supervisor peskin for the courage he showed in bringing forth this resolution, and for you as well for the

courage you show every day, but also for the courage of the people who are here, because not always everyone can come to a hearing, and simply because you may have other busloads or shuttles to bring people here, doesn't mean there is widespread support for an issue. as a senator for 20 years, is a chairman of the california democratic party for 13 years, i know how things are done, but on this issue, i bring my personal knowledge and understanding of rose, as well as a legacy that she represents to me and my family. >> thank you. >> are there any further questions for the supervisor's aid? if not, i would like to return to public comment. thank you for being here. >> thank you very much for having me. >> can we call our next public speaker, please?

>> my name is richard. piously is determined that the chinatown neighborhood association -- this is his statement. what i want to say is i depend on munimobile. when i heard that the central subway going to run, i was not very happy. thousands of people come to the center for a convention for other events. they spend ten hours in the convention center. they want to get out, get on the central subway, and come to chinatown. i support the naming of the chinatown station, so that we have lots of -- our town people from the united states and all over the country, when we have a

convention, all over the world, they come to our -- >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> we will go in the order of the speaker cards. >> thank you so much. >> hi, everyone. i know it is reasonable and attainable for you guys to want to remember a friend, a family, he used her name on the chinatown station, but do you remember that the chinatown station is not just something for rose pak or for the family members and friends. people have multiple personas, and some personas for rose pak is not that good as you can believe. i hope you can understand why so

many oppose these things, and we do understand that you love her and she is your friend. most people think she is horrible because what she represents and what she has done before. anyway, i am here to apologize for my childish behaviour earlier. >> thank you, thank you very much for the apology and for those comments. they are appreciated. next speaker. >> hello, everyone. i talk to neighbors and business owners on my street. the majority of them think of chinatown only. they are much better.

[indiscernible] if rose pak appears in the name, it will bring less business and make my neighbors and the business owners more difficult than now. her name equals culture, which is deal with people who didn't follow her. my friend suffered from issues in chinatown because she did not -- >> thank you very much. next speaker, please.

>> hi, m.t.a. board members. good afternoon. my name is mary, i am a resident of san francisco district six. in the last two weeks, my friends and i have visited more than 300 business owners in chinatown, asking for their opinion and choosing names for subway station and chinatown, and more than 90% of them want to have the name as chinatown station, and myself, i am strongly opposed to rose pak's name for chinatown station, and please listen to what people in chinatown voice. here is one of the recordings that i would like to play.

[speaking foreign language] >> thank you very much. your time is up. next speaker, please. thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> i just want to share an article from the new york times. it talks about how it was recorded in a lobby by rose pak. [indiscernible] >> i didn't realize at the time that i was being lobbied.

i was disappointed that she had personal favours. the naming of the station of rose pak is not in the interest of the people in chinatown. >> thank you very much ensuring that. we appreciate it. [speaking foreign language] >> many san francisco media it recorded about rose pak involvement in money-laundering and voter fraud. supervisor peskin himself filled a 37 page report to investigate that. here is his interview. >> it was created by a powerful

san francisco powerbroker, rose pak, and i believe that they are spending tens of thousands of dollars that are not subject to the campaign campaign-finance laws of sentiment cisco -- violation laws of san francisco, and that may be a criminal violation of the law. [speaking foreign language] >> thank you. >> think he is. >> thank very much. >> good afternoon. the former mayor of beijing was served a lawsuit at the san francisco airport on his way to salt lake city to the olympic games. because of his involvement in

issues in china. this case originally had nothing to do with rose pak, but as a chinatown local agent, she jumped right in. they filed a brief in an attempt to interfere with this legal case. basically she is an unregistered communist party agent. that was the highest political body within the chinese communist party. the issues -- the director mentioned that rose pak was trying to start -- stir up the issue using that. she was taking that issue, and using that most convenient excuse. >> she was always for gay rights >> she was trying to stir up issues. >> if there is another sentence that you would like to say to finish your time, please speak. >> do not pass this, please do not let her name be attached to the studio. >> thank you for the respect

that you and director torres showed each other. >> i am a refugee from the soviet union. in 1990, i came to america because of anti-semitism. twenty years, i am practising, i am a very good person. i am 82 years old, but i am full of energy. if rose pak is a good person how you explain, why she never let us attend parade for chinese new year? why she hate -- why she hate our principles, why if she is such a

good person? thank you very much. >> thank you very much for being here today. we appreciate it. next speaker, please. >> sir, if you need to help her, please take a moment to do so. very good. welcome. thank you for being here. >> thank you very much, board of directors. i will cut to the chase. we only have a minute. rose pak was a known chinese spy an unregistered foreign agent. f.b.i. investigated her, there are still, from what i am told, investigations going on, and when someone is dead, they are investigating everyone who is around her. along with the chinese council, she was engaged in persecuting in california. i know a lot of practitioners here in san francisco who felt persecuted and by her actions.

the f.d.a. is giving a majority of the funding for this project. we have to follow federal laws around civil rights and discrimination, in particular, race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. they were recently determined to be a religion for purposes of legal action. i am in contact with the f.t.a. now and they are investigating. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. >> your time is running. >> i will play a video.

[speaking foreign language] >> you thank you are going to sign up for a raffle and you have to move the paper to see what is you are signing. that is just wrong. [speaking foreign language] [speaking foreign language] >> thank you. thank you very much. next speaker, please.

>> thank you for turning that off quickly. i appreciate it. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. my name is maggie. i strongly urge the board to oppose this resolution to name the new chinatown subway station after rose pak. back in 2006 on the board of supervision was debating over resolution to convene the persecution, rose pak threatened them. we are advertising in the san francisco chronicle. she threatened that she would end the supervisor's career. the chinese consulate also called her to pressure her. so far, the only asian-american on the board she used to uphold the california constitution to

protect freedom of religion. we strongly urge supervisor peskin and the entire board to uphold your promise of protecting the rights and freedoms of your constitution. thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. my name is jason and i came here 30 years ago. i have experienced how important human rights are, and i am now in this great country. unfortunately, there are similar issues connecting to rose pak. rose pak was deeply connected with chinese religion.

i strongly oppose to name the station after rose pak. >> thank you very much. >> are you speaking together? >> she will speak one sentence and i will follow-up. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: dear sfmta board members. my name is daniel. i live in chinatown. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: today is june 4th, today is also the 30 th anniversary of the ten amman massacre in beijing.

on that time, i was a high school student in northern china [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i experienced it and the weakness of chinese communist party his. i joined a campaign there. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: the chinese communist party still denies and is unable to recognize the massacre at that time. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: she is the delegate of the chinese communist party, and she has persecuted. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: you see her name -- naming chinatown station is a shame.

[speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: it is a shame to the people here. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i think her name for chinatown station is not good. let's just name it chinatown station. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: let's remember that this land is for the people who love freedom, and let's enjoy the freedom of our country. will. >> thank you for your assistance translating that. it is very helpful. >> good afternoon, board of directors. let's step back and think about it. who would be hurt if rose pak is

named? nobody, seriously, but who wouldn't be hurt if her name is used for a subway station? a lot of people that you have heard today. a lot of people's civil rights are being violated because of her conduct. it is such a simple equation to solve. why is it such a big deal? this is because some people try to benefit from it politically, but they miscalculate. if they want those from chinatown, they are not going to get hit by using her name. if they want power of benefits from the chinese government to -- that rose pak represents, the f.b.i. is awaiting. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please.

>> board members, i come from china. i live in the city, which is a technology world. my mother flood china. rose pak demolished people here. i went to her here or event once she was gathering in the alley for money and free t-shirts. i studied environmental in new york. thank you. >> thank you very much.

wash mac -- [indiscernible]. >> chinatown is the only name. why don't you put george washington? >> not chinese. >> richard. >> sorry. >> i respect you, i heard what you said. you are human, you have the right, but i was a supervisor in a golden dragon restaurant.

i can go anywhere. i heard something that i should not heard, that i should not have heard. that is rose pak. she communicate with my boss. he connect with chinatown, but i have to stay out. >> thank you, your time is up. is there anything else you like to add? i realize i interrupted your time. >> chinatown is the only word. >> very good. thank you for being here today. >> welcome. thank you for being here. >> thank you. i am here to address the comments that director tory mentioned about the homophobia

issue. i am glad you raised that because that is a lie that rose pak spread for the chinese consulate. willie brown spread that like, too. they are together helping the chinese government to spread chinese propaganda to the united states, and to extend the persecution, the religious persecution of practitioners in the united states. our transportation administration here has protection for the civil rights act, and it is entitled number 6 we really urge our directors to advise by the american constitution and the civil rights act, and not to cave in to those pro- communist party board of supervisors pressure. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please.

>> good afternoon, board of directors. i am against the name of chinatown subway station after rose pak. chinatown station is chinatown station. rose pak cannot come into chinatown. [indiscernible] thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker.

welcome. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: respecte d everyone, i lived in san francisco. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i support the proposed railway station name as chinatown station and not rose pak. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i was persecuted for my religious belief in china, for one year, two months. [speaking foreign language]

>> voice of translator: i was forbidden to sleep, to eat, to go to the washroom, i was struck by electric shock and when i was escaping the police, i fell from the sixth floor and on my left cheek, my roof of the teeth, and on my leg. it caused a lot of scars in my body.

i feel like i need to let everyone know what has happened to me. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i came to america because it is a country for freedom. i love this country very much. rose pak represents something that is for communist parties and continues to purse -- persecute people and religious beliefs. i really don't want to see her name on the chinatown station because they remind me of so many scars of my painful life. >> thank you very much.

[speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: hello, everyone. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: a come from mainland china. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i was in prison for two years. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: when people say me -- see me, they say my body was completely rotten. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i come to the united states, i really enjoyed the freedom and democracy here.

[speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i was struggling when i heard the name of rose pak. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i feel like i was going back to a time where the communist party was ruling. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i am against the name of chinatown station after rose pak. thank you. >> thank you very much. i appreciate your assistance and the interpretation. next speaker, please. >> i will say if i am sorry if i lost my temper before with behaviour. i appreciate that everyone has calmed down. >> there was a report that rose pak helped aaron peskin to be elected. he is the current supervisor.

[indiscernible] >> many media reports that rose pak was famous to her deep ties. perhaps it will be bad for chinatown business and business owners against it, not to mention, rose pak was a discriminatory person. i hope the m.t.a. will stand for the policy. >> thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much.

[speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: hi, everyone. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i do not support her name for this station. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: in the heart, chinatown is very. , it is a place that is very. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: whenever we missed the homeland, we think of going to chinatown. [speaking foreign language]

>> voice of translator: when i was in chinatown, i always hear how rose pak used government funding illegally with her own free housing. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: earlier she also mentioned she owned property while claiming she was poor and also other misbehaviour how can we have someone like that represent chinatown? >> thank you very much. [speaking foreign language] your time is up. thank you.

>> thank you. before you start, i will not finish my apology for my earlier outburst or whatever you want to call it, so when someone is speaking with a translator, we only time the time that they are speaking. the translation does not count against the time clocks are known as disadvantaged by the fact that english is into their first language. >> thank you, good afternoon. my name is maria. i have been working in san francisco for 13 years. i am strongly against the name after rose pak who had harmed the many people in san francisco please do not yield to the pressure of the board of supervisors. rose pak does not represent the chinatown, she acted for the chinese communist party.

two examples, in 2008, she opposed a resolution of the san francisco board of supervisors and criticized canada -- china for the tandem in square massacre. the second was on december 8th , 2004. [indiscernible] >> she tried to write a letter to stop it. >> thank you very much. >> is teresa here? she is gone. >> thank you for being here. i would like to express my

opposition. they are notorious further methods of persecution. a couple of years ago, activists were going to be honoured, however this proposal was denied we are met with a predicament of naming a subway station after her. an example of her dedication is when she openly opposed the massacre of the san francisco board of supervisors. we urge citizens do not align yourself by naming the subway station. we must reject this presence in the community as she has thwarted the persecution and spiritual discipline. carefully consider the effects of naming the station after rose pak in the best influence of people in san francisco.

thank you. >> thank you very much. >> today i am here. i'm strongly i am strongly against using her name in the chinatown station. the central station paid for the tax dollar, not rose pak donating her own money. chinatown station is good for the tourism, the businesses in chinatown. chinatown station -- rose pak is not qualified. so chinatown station only. please, thank you. thank you.

>> thank you, next speaker, please. >> good evening. my name is steve. i am a president of the chinese consolidation. is also known as the chinese -- [indiscernible] >> i am here to speak for all of you commissioners to vote for the subway station as chinatown station. virtually all chinese in san francisco is an integral part of our association.

it's over a quarter of a million at our board meeting last month, it was unanimously a decision. our board strongly recommends the m.t.a. commissioners to vote for the new subway station as chinatown station. thank you. i also have a copy from -- >> we received that letter before the meeting. thank you for sending that in. thank you for being here today. next speaker, please. [speaking foreign language]

>> voice of translator: i have been living in san francisco over 25 years and i have always gone to chinatown for grocery shopping, and i've constantly heard it really different and really bad things about rose pak [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: maybe i misinterpreted. earlier she said it was a good thing. and i am also hearing she is a really bad woman. [speaking foreign language]

>> voice of translator: she said regardless of what your opinion is, there is a group of people that support her, but a lot of these people don't support. she is full of controversy, and it is not right to have anybody like this mentioned. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: i want for the happiness and the well-being of people in chinatown, let's not to use such a controversial figure to be named as part of the station. >> thank you very much. thank you for your assistance translating.

welcome. >> good afternoon. i see you guys will have a long day. i'm a second generation owner in chinatown. i started in 1969. it was 61 years in business. it is very difficult. right now, small businesses are paying high wages. it is tough to make. i think if we name the station for the people, they will come to san francisco. they know where to go. i am in favor of naming it simply chinatown station, nothing else. plus, rose pak, i know her well.

sixty-one years in chinatown. she is very controversial. >> thank you very much. >> thank you very much. >> thank you very much. >> next speaker, please. >> your time is up. thank you. [indiscernible] >> i have explained the procedure already. i will not explain it again. thank you. >> i'm strongly against using the name rose pak in the station keep the name for chinatown station. rose pak is very controversial. the funding is major from the federal. rose pak has nothing to do with

the federal fund. rose pak is only a social activist in san francisco. recently, the name of chinatown station -- the people are sitting here from more than one hour. they are just against rose pak's name. this name represents ugly, bribery, and force. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. >> welcome. >> my name is joan lee, i am strongly opposed to naming this after rose pak. san francisco is a very popular point for international tourists to visit. china also is very well known

for persecution. rose pak is an acting assistant of the chinese consulate to persecute people here in the united states. that is why i am opposed to this i am very, very shocked that we are doing this. it is like rubbing salt into the wound. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon, i would like to voice my opposition in naming chinatown station after rose pak

i would like to speak from my perspective as a schoolteacher and my experience ranges from six through 12, and i think our current generation of students grew up in the information age. they also grow up in an education that emphasizes equity and compassion and acceptance, and i think we should consider the future implications of such a naming. there are students who will look at a person and say, hey, they made such and such contribution, but also, this person spoke in discriminating against a certain group of people, and possibly supporting hate actions against a group of people. maybe this isn't just a good idea to have this happen. it is not so much about whether or not the subway station should be open, i'm totally in support of that, but consider the implications for our future generation of voters who may be sensitive, and aware. >> thank you. >> thank you.

>> welcome. >> hello, there. i did not plan to speak today, but then because i want to help you guys out. this is it. listen hard. people make me sick. you have to remember that, no matter how good they are, they make mistakes. we should not name any name for public places. if something comes up, you will take the name down, and he will put a different name up. do we repeat the process all over again? it is no good.

>> i would like to express my deep concern of the renaming of chinatown station after rose pak i remember i need to remind everyone that there is live organ harvesting in china. they can kill people for you if you do in organ transplant. [indiscernible]

>> they will kill that person for you. do you know what happened in 2016? u.s. congress to passed resolution 343. representative passed a resolution condemning chinese to redeem organ harvesting crime. rose pak went to china, she did organ transplanting. >> thank you very much. >> some people were killed for her. >> thank you. your time is up. thank you. [speaking foreign language]

>> voice of translator: i am a low income group in san francisco and it is so hard to apply for low income housing. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: however, rose pak gained an apartment that had two bedrooms and two bathrooms that is facing the ocean. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: everybod y think about it. rose pak is single or married, how did she get an apartment like this? [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: isn't it obvious, she has powerful power, and a special connection with the city to gain this apartment. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: she was alive and she would claim so vigourously that she was so innocent and had nothing to do with it. [speaking foreign language]

>> voice of translator: we found out she had two apartments. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: there were really severe arguments about it. [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: accordin g to the rose pak situation, and also san francisco has such high rental rates. how could she pay for that? [speaking foreign language] >> voice of translator: where did these houses come from if she had nothing to do with those