>> are we ready? okay. five, four, three, two, one. here we go -- whoops. roll it.

[applause] >> the hon. lond >> the hon. london breed: it is trans awareness month in san francisco. just have a seat and ignore the reserved seats signs because everybody for the reserved seats signs are probably behind me. happy trans awareness week in san francisco. we need to do it bigger. let's do a month, and this is where we are, celebrating so

many amazing things, so many amazing accomplishments. but we also know, sadly, that our trans community all over the country is under attack. just recently, sadly, we shouldn't be surprised, but the president has rolled out some new discriminatory plan against our trans community, trying to take away millions of dollars of federal funds from our cities throughout the country. and we are of course, in san francisco style, going to continue to fight back time and time again against the discrimination that continues to attract -- attack our trans community here in this city. [applause] >> the hon. london breed: we understand, more than anyplace else, despite the differences that we may have, that our

diversity is our strength. that is what makes san francisco such an incredible, unique place. and i'm proud that every single time this president tries to put forth a discriminatory policy, we come back harder and badder than ever with more investment, with more policy changes, with a new approach to doing things. the fact is this didn't happen because of us, it happened because of you. it happened because we have incredible leader like senator scott wiener and supervisor rafael mandelman who continue to lead the charge. it happens because of people who make sure we are making the

right investment. [applause] >> the hon. london breed: now more than ever, we have to be bold, and i want to really thank mickey callahan for being here. because when i put out the forms last year to make the training and initiatives and other things possible so that people who work for the city and county of san francisco can have the appropriate training to work with our trans community, that we make changes to our documents so people can choose whatever they want to identify with on our forms in the city, she was a leader in moving forth that effort, so thank you, mickey, for being here to celebrate with us today. [applause] >> the hon. london breed: but i will tell you, one of the proudest things that i think san francisco has done is to put forth not only millions of dollars of investments in organizations that not only serve our community, but trans

home sf will really be a game changer for our community when it comes to supportive housing. we see, saddly, that our trans community is 18 times more likely to experience homelessness than any other population in the city, so we have to be deliberate about the investments that we make to make sure that we change that. and so thank you so much for all of your work and advocacy. when i first became mayor, and we had that initial meeting, we talked about -- tony, you remember -- not just housing and homelessness, but investment in the arts, investment in resources to make sure that we as a city aren't just talking about what we support, we're putting our money where our mouth is, and

we've seen record numbers of investments. i'm excited about the future of san francisco, and i'm excited to be here with each and every one of you today, and yes, i wore the deliberate colors of the flag. i wore my pink on my shoes and my white on my ears to let you know how proud i am to be here in san francisco at this moment, celebrating a resilient community, one that represents san francisco so well in how we continue to push the envelope on policies that really not only support this community but support all communities that continue to be left out of what prosperity should be for all citizens of this city. and so i want to thank you all for continuing to shine a light on issues of equity that need

to be addressed in san francisco, and i want to really thank claire for her leadership and her hard work and commitment. and i also want to acknowledge that we have other elected officials here today to support this incredible occasion. thank you so supervisor matt haney for joining us as well as treasurer jose cisneros. i think i we're not

only funding trans programs, but that we're doing it in an equitable way. so you know, san francisco has really had a long history of championing the community, and we've been a beacon of hope. so this morning, when i was thinking about what i wanted to share -- it wasn't that -- i was reminded of a quote by robert f. kennedy that says each time we're asked to standup for an ideal or strike out against injustice, we send forth a tiny ripple of hope. and i see that san francisco in these times where folks are under attack, black folks are

under attack, immigrants are under attack, trans folks, lgbtq folks are under attack, san francisco can be a beacon of hope. so if we want to have better investments, it starts with recognizing and creating awareness. so we kick off this month filled with wonderful events. we have the amazing trans film festival, spear headed by shawnna that's been a prominent fixture in our city, and we'll get to hear from her today. we also get to kick off our trans home, which is a $2.3 million investment in our community, which will include rental housing and subsidy for our community. [applause] >> and also through the leadership of supervisor

mandelman, we'll be doing the board of supervisors first trans leaders recognition and accommodation day this month through city hall. and lastly, you know, there's a lot of events to share, so i won't go into all the detail. but we have our trans day of remembrance, which, you know, is often a very sad day. this year specifically, we've lost more and more black trans women. i know for many of us in this room, we've been going to these events year after year, and we continue to see the same challenges. so today, i want to commit my office, with the support of the mayor, to really focus on how we can end violence in our communities. we are grateful that san francisco has done incredible work on this, but we know that we need to do more. and as we look out to the rest of the country where we continue to see such loss of life, it's important that we remember that we can be that

change. so as we move forward, i really want to recognize, and i'll bring her up later, nicky colma, who's been leading the charge. nicky? [applause] >> wow. i have a lot of notes here. i don't know how i thought i'd get through them all. you know, so as the mayor mentioned today, trump again came out against lgbt health care. it seems like he has something against fridays and trans people. it's like every friday, there's something else. and so i just want to remind folks, because i think this can be a scary time, that outside of even november, that san francisco and california will continue to protect our community. and so regardless of what happens in washington, you will be protected. we will stand together, and we will make change together.

[applause] >> so in closing, you know, i really want to encourage us all to get involved and encourage our allies to be a part of this change. we know that being open about your love and respect and value of trans co-workers and friends and partners is key to shifting the landscape of violence that our community faces, and that also starts with policy and our elected officials. so as kennedy said, we'll move forward with a ripple of hope, and i hope today is just one moment of that, and i really appreciate you all for being here. and with that, i would love to introduce our first speaker who's going to share a little bit more about our trans home and has been a leader of change, miss tony newman from st. james infirmary.

[applause] >> i am so excited to be here. i wrote a book in 2011 called "i rise," and it was in mind that transgender people can get power and rise. and i see that san francisco is the only city in the country who's financially supported trans home and safety and housing, and that deserves a round of applause. [applause] >> i would like to thank mayor breed for your support, the supervisors for their support, especially rafael and matt. matt has been very supportive to st. james, and we're thankful to him. and i would like to thank larkin and their team. i want to announce that we've hired the trans home team. the social worker is matthew peda. would you stand, please? [applause]

>> the housing navigator is camden carter. [applause] >> my bilingual navigator is jessie santos. [applause] >> we're also in touch with john mckinley, who's the housing project manager at t t.g.i. justice manager project. we can help you immediately or with your own apartment. we're here to serve you with the community, so come to st. james starting december 1. we're not quite ready. we have to train these folks. they just got hired yesterday, so come to st. james starting december 1 with your needs, and we will do the very best we can to serve you in the capacity as your ambassadors. thank you.

[applause] >> are we ready to get our community housed? yes. i also want to do a shout-out to aria saheed who's leading our cultural district. aria, thank you for all of your work. so next, we're going to move on, and it's my honor to introduce someone who was in the office and has been leading the charge in trans and lgbt policy on the state level, our state senator, scott wiener. >> thank you, claire. i also want to acknowledge aria saheed who we honored as our district 11 woman of the year, so thank you, aria, for all you do.

you know, we've made a lot of progress, and we tend to focus on the challenge because it's important, and we have to overcome them, but sometimes we need to step back and recognize where we've been. in 2011 when mark leno authored the program to extend health care to trans people, it was lambasted by fox news. fast forward to 2012, when we were able to get health care to extend full coverage to trans people in san francisco. we braced ourselves for this explosion, and you could have had a pin drop. that's just in a decade. that shift was extraordinary. but we know there's still huge challenges around poverty and unemployment and homelessness and around the violence.

and the epidemic of trans people and particularly trans women of color who are being brutally murdered all across the country and living in fear. and people should not be in fear to walk down the street, and yes that is the atmosphere that we have for so many trans people in this country, and that is unacceptable. and you have to call out the elephant in the program. part of the problem is there is lack of trust in the criminal justice system in the trans community, and it is well earned mistrust, and we have to change that. and this year, we were able to pass legislation, and i want to thank toni and st. james infirmary for sponsoring it, to provide that when a sex worker is reporting a violent crime, they can't be arrested for sex work, because --

[applause] >> -- when we talk about keeping people safe, and keeping trans people safe, the last thing we want is if i go to report i was being assaulted, raped, or kidnapped, or i saw someone getting assaulted, raped, or kidnapped, that they're afraid to report it, that creates a community of fear. we're working to pass legislation to ensure that trans people who are incarcerated. that if they choose, they can be incarcerated and housed in the housing that they choose, not their birth gender.

we're going to continue to work -- i want to thank the amazing trans leaders who make all of the work we do in city hall and in the capitol possible. and the fine -- another challenge i want to leave you with is we need to help elevate more trans people into high leadership in this society. [applause] >> i would never have thought that we still would not have a transgender member of the board of supervisors. we have never had a trans state legislator in california, but we might change that. so i know we have a lot of work to do, but thank you, everyone.

[applause] >> so speaking of leadership, i want to recognize my team. we're a small and mighty team. hal craigo and mateo pearson. we're also taking on a training officer to train all our departments. i know it's only one person, but we're going to do our best. i also want to recognize our amazing trans advisory committee who advises our office as well as the mayor. to our trans advisory committee members, if you could raise your hands. give a little love to them. [applause] >> thank you so much for your leadership. so now, it's my honor to introduce someone who's been doing incredible work both as a director of community health projects, formerly a.p.i. wellness center, but also leading the charge for trans

day of remembrance, trans march, trans visibility day. i don't know how she has the energy she has, but please welcome nicky colma. >> thank you, claire. good afternoon, everyone. my name is nicky colma, and i work for the san francisco health center, formerly known as the agency a.p.i. wellness center, and i oversee our programs and community engagement of the organization. so i'm very honored to be here with everybody and speaking here, you know? i came to san francisco in 1989, and i was right behind mark leno when they were doing all those initiatives to -- to give health care for all the city employees. and i wasn't wearing glasses then, and now i'm wearing glasses coming back here. so -- but i just wanted to let

you all know what's going on, the contribution that we're doing. you know, i've been doing a lot of events for my community, and this one -- this one event is something that every time it comes near, i always have to think about if i want to really spearhead it and make sure that it's happening because i think it's something that we just don't want to have it anymore, you know? it's the transgender day of remembrance, and for many of those who don't know, the transgender day of remembrance started in 1989 by transgender advocate gwendolyn smith to honor the memory of her friend, rita hester, who was killed in 1988.

and this day is to remember those who we have lost. sadly, across the country, in 2019, we have seen 22 transgender people shot or killed by violent means. 22 people of color or transgender african american women. the body of b. love slater, 23 years old, a trans woman of color, was found on august 23. her body was badly burned, and she had to be identified with dental records. this hasn't stopped. so i would like to invite all of you to join us this coming november 20. it's going to be a city event.

we have a march from city hall to u.c. hastings, where we held it last year, as well. it's going to be at 5:30 to 6:00 for the march and a celebration at 6:00 at u.c. hastings. and i would like to invite folks to come to our annual trans giving event. i think it's official that san francisco was the very first city that had a drop-in center for the transgender community, and that was trans pride, so that was trans at that time. and we do this wonderful brunch for our community on thanksgiving day itself from 11:00 to 2:00, and we'd love to see folks who could like to serve or like to help out or just, you know, talk with all the clients that we have at trans tribe. i'd like to also mention the

trans pride board is here, who we just brought somebody new on board, our president, carol and anjalie. we're going to rock s.f. pride and make sure we are there, so everybody, thank you so much. [applause] >> so before we continue, i would love to just take a moment of silence and really honor all those folks that nicky mentioned that we've lost this year. now, i'd like to thank tom horn for helping us make this event happen. it would not happen without his

leadership and support. standup, tom. okay. [applause] >> he doesn't like the attention. and charlotte, too. thank you so much for your ongoing support and work. these events are done with love, and it takes resources to make them happen, so thank you so much. so speaking of resources, we have a huge champion for our community and our lgbt community. our district 8 supervisor, and the only out lgbt member on the board. please welcome supervisor raphael mandelman. [applause] >> supervisor mandelman: thank you claire. and as others have said, thank you so much for the extraordinary work that you and your office do. and thank you, tom horn. the mayor was whispering to me before we started that tom horn always comes through. thank you. [applause] >> supervisor mandelman: i guess i'll begin where senator

wiener finished, in that harvey milk knew how important queer representation is, how important it was for people to come out, and for people to be elected and serve. i think i had said at other events i look forward to the day when i am speaking after a trans elected supervisor. we need to do that, and it will happen soon. we have other queer people who are serving on school boards and other places, tom temprano and mark sanchez. since we're quoting great elected american officials from decades ago, i often think

about hubert humphreys quote, about the three groups of american citizens. in san francisco our actually in the united states in 2019, i think the moral test of our queer community and certainly here in san francisco, the moral test of our community is how we treat our trans community. and until recently, i think we all know -- and continuing to this day, by that measure, we are failing, and we have failed. but i do want to thank this mayor, london breed, for the focus she has brought to the trans community and the unprecedented achievements she has made, but we need to do more. these shelters particularly around homeless and the

workforce events we are doing is so important to this community. but we need to do these things not because the trans community is in need but because the trans community is our strength. certainly as queer people, we know our movement began with trans folks. the reason that donald trump finds repeated reasons to attack the trans community is because the trans community is everything that donald trump is not. and ultimately, donald trump will lose, but every single trans person in this country presents a fundamental threat to what donald trump is all about. so the future is trans if we're lucky and if we work for it, which i know we're going to do. have a fantastic month, everybody. [applause] >> wow. the future is trans, and for now, we'll start with a month, but -- so i also wanted -- we

have one more speaker, but i want to recognize our lgbt commissioners, and our department heads. if folks could wave. i see you back there, naya, being all shy. [applause] when we talk about pathways to leadership, the supervisor spoke, they're a great way to be on one. so come talk to me. it's my pleasure to introduce two people that have been doing incredible work in the arts, shawnna veraga and shawn dorsey have been leading the way for the trans festival and the fresh meat festival every year. and last week, shawn, who's on our trans committee, met with the mayor about the need to

preserve trans art in our city. we come to san francisco with the hope to be able to share that with the rest of the city. and with so many of us displaced, it's really important that we invest in art so that we not only remember our history but that we preserve the stories and art that make our community so important. so with that, please welcome shawnna veraga and shawn dorsey. [applause] >> excuse me. i -- i can't right now. speaking to the mayor. okay. bye-bye. hi, everybody. my name is shawnna verago. i'm the artistic director of

the san francisco transgender film festival, and i'm so honored to be here today. i'm so grateful to be here today. i came out in the 1980's, and so when i go to trans events, whether it's the san francisco transgender film festival or fresh meat or anywhere else where a lot of trans people gather, i'm usually the only person from my generation of friends that's still alive because of suicide, hiv/aids, poverty, murder. and so i feel very driven to continue our battles and our -- and our fight against our avowed enemy. you know, it's interesting because i'm primarily an artist, and i'm been thrust into being an activist. and i've heard so much inspirational wisdom here today, and i would like to

thank -- i have a long list of gratitudes, but i do want to thank senator scott wiener, supervisor mandelman, everyone at the office of transgender initiatives, and especially the mayor's office and mayor breed for helping us continue to thrive, to increase our budget. we -- when we started, we -- one of the codirectors had a credit card, and that's how we were able to rent the theater. we applied for years to get grants. we couldn't get a grant to save our lives. and so through grit, through punk rock toughness, really, we managed to survive since 1997. and we're the longest running transgender film festival in the world. and we started here. we started in the mission

district. we've screened over 300 films since that time, and i do think, as we know, our communities are under attack, but that the san francisco transgender film festival, i think we kind of all have to know what our expertise and our lane is. and i think there's these political geniuses behind me. but we need to change the narrative of how we're viewed in our culture. and i think we've proven since we have been here since 1997 that trans people won't be silenced, we won't be erased, and we're going to continue the fight through the arts, so thank you very much. [applause] >> hello, everyone. i just want to add -- i don't know if you shared that the

trans film festival was founded at the world's first trans film festival, so i feel like we should give ourselves a round of applause. hello. i'm shawn dorsey, and i'm the director and founder of the fresh meat festival. we're all about investing in the creative expression and cultur cultural community in the trans community. right now, i want to invite all of us to take part in a creative expression exercise. so i want everyone to please repeat after me. i love trans people.

[repeating] >> except say it like you're not so sad about. i love trans people! i love gender nonconforming people! and as we talk about the continued genocide and murder of black trans women, that's an equation. so the other side of that equation is please repeat after me. i will invest in the well-being and leadership of black trans women. i love trans people! [cheers and applause] >> thank you all so much. please -- yes, check out our work and please come to the san francisco transgender film festival next week.

it's thursday through sunday. sftfs.org. two programs are closed captioned and a.s.l. interpreted. no one turned away for lack of funds, so please join us. thank you so much. [applause] >> so it's almost that time for drinks and food. i'm sure you're all ready for it. it's friday, but i also want to recognize honey mahogany from the dccc and supervisor haney's office and ana deyano and her team. [applause] >> so as we move forward, as i mentioned, we need to continue to prioritize communities that are impacted in our city and beyond. and the mayor has taken leadership and really supported

mental health and housing four -- for people in our city, and that includes the trans community. and over the last year, we've lost so many to suicide. so it's really important we reach out for help, we see each other in our community because you are loved, as shawn said. we want to continue to be a part of a community that continues to grow. and as i said, have a great trans month of awareness. yes, drinks. let's get drinks.

as a society we've basically failed big portion of our population if you think about the basics of food, shelter safety a lot of people don't have any of those i'm mr. cookie can't speak for all the things but i know say, i have ideas how we can address the food issue. >> open the door and walk through that don't just stand looking out. >> as they grew up in in a how would that had access to good food and our parent cooked this is how you feed yours this is not happening in our country this is a huge pleasure i'm

david one of the co-founder so about four year ago we worked with the serviced and got to know the kid one of the things we figured out was that they didn't know how to cook. >> i heard about the cooking school through the larkin academy a. >> their noting no way to feed themselves so they're eating a lot of fast food and i usually eat whatever safeway is near my home a lot of hot food i was excited that i was eating lunch enough instead of what and eat. >> as i was inviting them over teaching them basic ways to fix good food they were so existed. >> particle learning the skills

and the food they were really go it it turned into the is charity foundation i ran into my friend we were talking about this this do you want to run this charity foundations and she said, yes. >> i'm a co-found and executive director for the cooking project our best classes participation for 10 students are monday they're really fun their chief driven classes we have a different guest around the city they're our stand alone cola's we had a series or series still city of attorney's office style of classes our final are night life diners. >> santa barbara shall comes in and helps us show us things and

this is one the owners they help us to socialize and i've been here about a year. >> we want to be sure to serve as many as we can. >> the san francisco cooking school is an amazing amazing partner. >> it is doing that in that space really elevates the space for the kids special for the chief that make it easy for them to come and it really makes the experience pretty special. >> i'm sutro sue set i'm a chief 2, 3, 4 san francisco. >> that's what those classes afford me the opportunity it breakdown the barriers and is this is not scary this is our choice about you many times this is a feel good what it is that you give them is an opportunity you have to make it seem like

it's there for them for the taking show them it is their and they can do that. >> hi, i'm antonio the chief in san francisco. >> the majority of kids at that age in order to get them into food they need to see something simple and the evidence will show and easy to produce i want to make sure that people can do it with a bowl and spoon and burner and one pan. >> i like is the receipts that are simple and not feel like it's a burden to make foods the cohesives show something eased. >> i go for vera toilet so someone can't do it or its way out of their range

we only use 6 ingredients i can afford 6 ingredient what good is showing you them something they can't use but the sovereignties what are you going to do more me you're not successful. >> we made a vegetable stir-fry indicators he'd ginger and onion that is really affordable how to balance it was easy to make the food we present i loved it if i having had access to a kitchen i'd cook more. >> some of us have never had a kitchen not taught how to cookie wasn't taught how to cook. >> i have a great appreciation for programs that teach kids food and cooking it is one of

the healthiest positive things you can communicate to people that are very young. >> the more programs like the cooking project in general that can have a positive impact how our kids eat is really, really important i believe that everybody should venting to utilize the kitchen and meet other kids their age to identify they're not alone and their ways in which to pick yours up and move forward that. >> it is really important to me the opportunity exists and so i do everything in my power to keep it that. >> we'll have our new headquarters in the heart of the tenderloin at taylor and kushlg at the end of this summer 2014

we're really excited. >> a lot of the of the conditions in san francisco they have in the rest of the country so our goal to 257bd or expand out of the san francisco in los angeles and then after that who know. >> we'd never want to tell people want to do or eat only provide the skills and the tools in case that's something people are 2rrd in doing. >> you can't buy a box of psyche you have to put them in the right vein and direction with the right kids with a right place address time those kids don't have this you have to instill they can do it they're good enough now to finding out figure out and find the future for .

>> my name is angela wilson and i'm an owner of the market i worked at a butcher for about 10 years and became a butcher you i was a restaurant cook started in sxos and went to uc; isn't that so and opened a cafe we have

produce from small farms without small butcher shops hard for small farms to survive we have a been a butcher shop since 1901 in the heights floor and the case are about from 1955 and it is only been a butcher shot not a lot of businesses if san francisco that have only been one thing. >> i'm all for vegetarians if you eat meat eat meat for quality and if we care of we're in a losing battle we need to support butcher shops eat less we sell the chickens with the head and feet open somebody has to make money when you pay $25 for a chicken i guarantee if you

go to save way half of the chicken goes in the enlarge but we started affordable housing depends on it occurred to us this is a male field people said good job even for a girl the interesting thing it is a women's field in most of world just here in united states it is that pay a man's job i'm an encountered woman and raise a son and teach i am who respect woman i consider all women's who work here to be impoverished and strong in san francisco labor is high our cost of good ideas we seal the best good ideas the profit margin that low but everything that is a laboring and that's a challenge in the town so many people chasing money and not i can guarantee

everybody this is their passion. >> i'm the - i've been cooking mile whole life this is a really, really strong presence of women heading up kitchens in the bay area it is really why i moved out here i think that we are really strong in the destroy and really off the pages kind of thing i feel like women befrp helps us to get back up i'm definitely the only female here i fell in love i love setting up and love knowing were any food comes from i do the lamb and that's how i got here

today something special to have a female here a male dominated field so i think that it is very special to have women and especially like it is going at it you know i'm a tiny girl but makes me feel good for sure. >> the sad thing the building is sold i'm renegotiating my lease the neighborhood wants us to be here with that said, this is a very difficult business it is a constant struggle to maintain freshness and deal with what we have to everyday it is a very high labor of business but something i'm proud of if you want to get a job at affordable housing done nasal you need a good attitude and the jobs on the bottom you take care

of all the produce and the fish and computer ferry terminal and work your way up employing people with a passion for this and empowering them to learn