services, >> good evening. this is a meeting of the san francisco commission on the environment. the date is tuesday, march 22nd. the time is 5:04p.m. the ringing in use of cellphones, pagers and similar devices are prohibited. the chair may order the removal of anyone using a phone or similar device. the ringing of cell phone with

happen virtually. turn your devices off. due to the covid-19 health emergency, customers may participate remotely this exception is taken pursuant to the state wide stay-at-home order and all proceedings and proceedings local state and federal orders declarations and collectives. >> clerk: commissioners may attend the meeting through video conference and by telephone if the video fails and participate to the same extent as if they were present. commissioners, department staff and members of the public who are physically present are required to wear a mask or face covering while in city hall. may i interrupt. we do not hear anything? >> as of right now, i cannot

hear anything although i do hear you. >> can you hear us? >> i can now hear you. if anyone else is speaking, i cannot hear you. >> dierdra, can you hear us? can you confirm if you can hear us, please. >> yes, we hear you now. >> ok. >> we can start with covid announcements, is that a good place to start? >> due to the covid-19 health emergency, and to protect commissioners, department staff and members of the public, commissioners and the department staff may participate in the

meeting remotely. this is pursuant to the state wide stay-at-home order and all proceeding and proceeding local state and federal orders declarations and directives. commissioners may attend through video conference or by telephone if the video fails and participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they were physically present. commissioners, department staff and members of the public who are physically present are required to wear a mask or face covering while in city hall. public comment will be available on each item on this agenda. for comments and matters not in the agenda there's a opportunity for general public comment and participants who wish to comment in-person will be asked to come forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic. each speaker will be allowed three minutes to speak. members of the public who are participating remotely, make comments by calling into the meeting. comments are opportunities to speak during the public comment period are available via phone

by calling 415-655-0001. access code 2458 107 1902. best practices are to call from a quiet location, speak slowly and clearly and silence any other devices. members of the public may submit public comment by e-mail. comments submitted via e-mail will be forwarded to the commissioners and will be included as part of the official file the mics will be on for the duration of the meeting and i will all the roll. [roll call]

>> clerk: we have a quorum. >> thank you, kyle and next agenda item, please. >> clerk: the next agenda item is review and vote on whether to approve resolution files 2022-02-0ce resolution making findings to allow tell conference meetings under code section 54953e. the speaker is kyle wayneer commissioner affairs officer and the document is resolution file 2022-02-coe this item is for discussion and action. the commission will discuss and consider adoption of a resolution making findings that the government code section 54953e requires in order to allow the commission to hold meetings renotely as currently required under local law without

complying with certain brown act requirements. >> thank you, kyle. commissioners, any discussion on this item? do i hear a motion to a post resolution? >> so moved. >> a motion. is there a second. >> second. >> second from commissioner hunter and is there any discussion or changes beyond this motion? >> finance let's open this up for public comment, please. >> we will begin public comment here in the room. once in-person comments have concluded, we will proceed to remote public comment. are there any members of the public who are present in the room today who wish to speak? if so, please come forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic. are there any other members of the public wishing to speak?

seeing none. we will proceed to remote public comment. members of the public who wish to make a public comment press star 3 to be added to the queue. those already on hold in the queue, wait until it is your turn to speak. >> give me a moment as i check the economy. >> we have a caller in the queue. go ahead and start the timer. for three minutes.

go ahead, caller. >> this is comment on this agenda item. >> yes. >> caller, you are on mute. there are no callers in the queue. >> clerk: if there are no remaining caller in the queue and hearing no public comment on this discussion, call the roll. [roll call vote]

>> motion passes. >> the next item is the president welcome and this item is for discussion. >> thank you, kyle. and good evening, everyone. the commission on the environment first of all acknowledges that we occupy the unceded ancestorial homeland of the san francisco peninsula and we recognize that the they under the connectedness of all things and maintained harmony with nature for millennia and we honor the ramaytush oholone people as the indigenous protectors of the land and in accordance with the traditions the ramaytush oholone have never ceded as well as for all people who's reside in their traditional ter tier. we recognize that we benefit from living and work on their traditional homeland as you know invited guests we have their

sovereign rights as first peoples and wish to pay our respects to the ancestors, elders and relatives of the ramaytush oholone community as environmentals we must embrace indigenous knowledge and how we care for san francisco and all its people. thank you for your attention during this important acknowledgment and this is our first in-person commission meeting since january 2020. we are excited to be here, commissioners. department staff, and members of the public who could join us in city hall tonight, it is a pleasure to be with you. commissioner walt is participating motelly and we're happy to have her as well and the format will be different from both previous in-person and virtual meetings and this is the hybrid meeting as you are know with in-person and virtual components and the commission zoosing new technology and meeting format is new to us and

i ask for your patients as we go through it together and we will come through the pandemic. thank you to everyone who a special thank you to sfgovtv and city hall media services, and kyle and i also want to thank our city attorney sarah crawley joining us tonight for our return to in-person meetings. and as i just noted, joining us tonight is our new commission a areas office kyle winier and we're happy to have that on board and let's open up for this item. back to you, kyle. >> you will begin public comment here in the room. when in-person comment has concluded, we will proceed to remote public comment. are there any members who wish to speak f so speak clearly into

the mic. any other members in the room today. seeing none. we will proceed to remote public comment. members of the public should now dial into 415-655-0001 and the access code is 2458 107 1092. you should have expressed star 3 to be added to the queue. for those on hold wait until it's your turn to speak. do we have any callers in the queue?

thank you, dierdra. >> there are no callers in the queue. >> seeing that there is no public comment, i think we can then move onto the next item. >> the next agenda item is approval minutes of the februarn on the environment meeting. documents and are -- documents are february 7th, 2022 draft submitted this item is for discussion and action.

do i hear a motion to approve the minutes. >> i move to approve. >> there's a motion from commissioner sullivan. a second. >> second from vice president stevenson is there any discussion or changes? skill, let's hope it up for public comment again. >> we will begin with public comment in the room when we have concluded we had proceed to remote public comment. are there any members of the public who are present in the room today who wish to speak? if so, please come forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic. seeing none, we will proceed to remote public comment. members of the public who wish to make public comment on this item, should dial into

415-655-0001 and the access code is 2485 107 1902. be sure to press star 3 to be added to the queue. for those already on hold in the queue, please continue to wait until it is your turn to speak. do we have any callers in the queue? >> we have a caller. >> it's david pillpal. i'm not sure that i have my

public comment should be prior to the motion because public comment is taken prior to a vote on the same page item what second line amend the 1932 residential rev not budget and there were some other things that i don't understand the reference on page 3 to joseph joe i believe we were for to joe as just joe and there was some reference on page 4 to public comment or 11 public comments and received if there were specific people that identified themselves by telephone than i think they need to have their names indicated and i believe i spoke on the budget three

callers expressed support and it's important names of those who gave public comment be included in the minutes i think that's about it if i find anything else again, i will communicate that to the new commission affairs officer or charles, if you for listening. >> thank you for your comment. are there any additional callers in the queue. >> please give me a moment to check the queue. >> there are no callers in the queue. >> thank you. >> thank you, kyle.

and seeing that there's no more public comment or discussion call the roll. [roll call] >> excellent the motion passes and kyle next item, please. general public comment. members of the public may center the public on matters with the jurisdiction belbin with public comment here in the room. when in-person comment has concluded, we will proceed to remote public comment. are there any members of the public who are present in the room today who wish to speak? if so come forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic.

seeing none, we will proceed to remote public comment. members of the public who wish to make a public comment on this item, should dial in if they have not already 415-655-0001 and the access code is 2485 107 1902. be sure to press star 3 to be added to the queue. for those already on hold in the queue please continue to wait until it is your turn to speak. do we have any callers in the queue? >> give me a moment as i check the queue. >> there is no callers in the queue. >> there's no public comment

then. there is one. >> can you hear me now. >> yes, we can. >> david pillpal. to follow-up from the last meeting, i continued to be concerned about the ballot measure that was placed by the board of supervisors which will appear on the june ballot as proposition f which would substantially amend the 1932 residential collection and disposal cor dinnance and may impact the departments slice of the impound account funds and radically change how it's regulated and rates set in san francisco and i filed an opponent's argument to it which will appear in the voter information pamphlet and i believe the department cannot advocate for or against the measures since it is on the

ballot some explanation from the department, some factual analysis and discussion of what it would or may mean i think would be helpful for the public and you might ask the director to provide that today future meeting and i think it's incredibly important there would be a serious public discussion about this matter in the next two and a half months and i understand that there are already impacts to how our residential and commercial collection is not doing it much good and i'm not sure how the public is being served by that continued scrutiny. he will leave it at that on that

issue,. >> thank you for your comment. do we have any other callers in the queue? >> let me check the queue. >> >> there are no other callers in the queue. >> next item, please. >> clerk: presentation of the commission on the environment and environmental service awards to the san francisco public library accepting the award on behalf of the library and maureen individual ton chief operating officer. this item is for discussion.

>> good evening, everyone, it's so good to see everyone here tonight. it's a real pleasure to present this environmental service award to the san francisco public library and this recognizes those whose work had had an outstanding impact on the environment and the health of our community. we have been leading on environmental action for 20 years. san francisco public library has long practiced zero waste, green purchasing and the use of non toxic supplies as part of its sustainability efforts, the library has installed energy meeters, distributed tens of

thousands of led light bulbs and established a seed-lending library. the library's green stacks partnership has also inspired patrons about greener living for years and events book let's and sustainability resources. the san francisco library hosted 200 environmentally themed events each year and the library has continued to provide on-line programs throughout pandemic and i believe that we have one of our first ever joint meetings of the commission on the environment and the commission on the status of women that was a very historic event. 11 of its 12 branch libraries are lead rated and the historic mission and chinatown branches will be all electric and the new ocean view branch will also be a model of sustainability. these achievementses do not

happen by accident. they are passion, commitment and leadership. we have three leaders representing the library tonight. charles coleman, maureen singleton, chief operating officer, michelle jeffers, chief of community programs and partnerships. the commission is delighted to be able to recognize your leadership. we would not be able to reach the people that we need to reach if it were not with us on this journey. at this point, i'd like to turn this over to director rafael. >> thank you, it feels so good to be here in-person and to see you three here in person in full body not just from the neck up. so, it just feels really good and i want to -- commissioner said everything that you have

accomplished and there's an ethos in the library of trying things out and not being so afraid of failure i don't know if it's because of the books and youth that come through your door that you are just more adventurous than many other departments but that sense of can-do and why not, is so infectious and so gratifying for me has been for all these years

and i also just want to say that doesn't stop the library is saying how can we help and make sure that everyone is part of climate action month so you are our partners and i am so just stepful and that's my colleague so i'm go to ask you the three of you if you would just stand up and receive sean's comments. come closer to sean. >> i'm the manager of development community partnerships and the san francisco i lead the sf environment portion of this col an race and i can't tell you how

this one is my favorite parts of my job and i know when they do a lot of it i shouldn't say it but seriously the sfpl staff or the most creative city staff without a doubt and i should whisper that and they're also really gracious and do you give that in school? maybe it's the result of answering random and obscure questions all day. the most gracious people they're open to anything and yes there's standard stuff we do. let's show a film and have a ban he will and let's give out 150,000led light bulbs and it

would be the san francisco and so the only thing i want to say bays think it got miss translated there are 28 branches now plus the main. >> 27 plus the main. >> 27 plus the main plus book mobile and plus one of the book mobiles and biking around with books how cool is that. every neighborhood in san francisco, most of the languages in san francisco, and who it's

in reimagination is limitless and for their ability to come through and i am honored to be here with my colleagues charles and michelle and you did an amazing job, commissioner and summing up our relationship and our partnership and we're grateful for the continued opportunity to work with the department of environment and take on all the great goose and it's just been a great opportunity to work with you to

try things out and it really started with a lot of great work around the green stacks program which also was an opportunity to partner with our friends at the san francisco public library and to help share the knowledge and the information about greener living and all the opportunities through great programming, look let's and everything that the commissioners said. i just want to take this moment to really not just thank you for this award but for being our partners and continuing to challenge us and call on us to take on different options and opportunities to help take care of our environment. so with that i want to overtime opportunity to charles who is one of your best champions on green cleaning and zero waste at the library and michelle to speak as well. >> thank you, marine. commissioners, thank you so very

much. for this expression of your action knowledgement i appreciate this recognition. it could not have been achieved if not for the support of my senior management, ma maureen, michelle and the team and the awesome support from the office of environment. our montra is that we expect to enjoy our environment and each one do their part, however small it may be for it adds to the bigger picture for all of us. thank you again with your continuing support we will continue pressing forward towards the mark. thank you so very much. >> i feel like everything has yesterday but i'm michelle jeffers and i want to say thank you, leaning in and we're so proud to lean in with you and you reel push us to be.

>> thank you. >> don't go anywhere.

we'll need to do one full commission picture. so commissioner bermej ho and san francisco public like. a learning picture.

>> do we need public comment for this item. >> let's go ahead and take public comment. are there any members of the public who wish to speak? if so please come forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic. are there any other members of

the public present today who wish to speak? seeing none. we will proceed to remote public comment. is members the public should press star 3 to be added to the queue. for those already on hold in the queue, continue to wait until the it's your turn to speak. do we have any callers in the queue? >> give me a moment as i check the queue. we have a caller in the queue. >> i'm assuming you can hear me ok, it's david pillpal i moved from the phone to the computer and i'm juggling two different meetings so i'll have to leave and come back and i want to speak in support of the award recipients as the library several of you indicated has been a long time supporters of

the environment and i was going to say it goes back to when the library but i think it actually pre dates louis it really is the library and all the they do in in everything and across the street from the old apartment office and a little late now but not that far at all the and big supporters and couldn't be more pleased with the three recipients on behalf of the thousand or so staff and the library and main branch. that's all. >> thank you for your comments. do we have any other callers in the queue? >> give me a moment.

there nor other callers in the queue. >> thank you, president. i just want to say that there's one person who isn't here tonight who i really wish was and that's michael lambert. he is at a conference so he is busy but he is such a phenomenal leaders, such a big champion of the environment and of the library when we launched our climate action plan he was there helping us along with all of you so i want to do a shout out to an amazing head of the library. thank you. >> any other discussion? >> seeing none. next item, please.

and thank you again to the public library for your service? >> review and vote whether to approve resolution pile number 2022-03-coe mayor breed electricvehicle and the sponsord debra rafael and debra is sarah owens environmental policy adviser for san francisco london breed and erin star, and energy and clean transportation program manager and the documents are ordinance board of supervisors file number 220036 legislative digest 1 and dropped resolution file number 2022-03-coe this item is for discussion and

action. >> can you introduce this item. >> thank you, president ahn. san francisco is a dense urban environment and 70% of our residents live in multi-family dwellings. we also know that our residents very much prefer to charge at home and we have a conundrum because we have got large number of people who live in multi family units and they don't have access to charging in their garages even if they have a garage and if we're going to decarbonize transportation we have to solve this publicly accessible charging station shortage. it's much easier to build a gas station than a ev charging station in san francisco and the solution is right in front of us in our planning code and so the mayor is sponsoring very wonderful common-sense

legislation and i'm thrilled that today we have the mayor's environmental adviser sarah owens, who is absolutely a key partner to our department and all things leadership and environment and she will present on the mayor's plan along with others who are here. >> hello, good evening, commissioners. thank you director rafael and to members of the public as well. and my name is sarah owens and i am mayor breed's vinal policy adviser and i'm here today as director mentioned to provide an overview of the mayor's proposed legislation to update the san francisco planning code to accelerate permitting of public electric vehicles charging and so next slide, please. it's responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions which are primarily from private vehicles running on fossil fuel and a key strategy is to switch

from being car dependent to using sustainable modes of transportation and however, to rapedly reduce eye missions, those car that do remain not ot road should be zero emission and the conversion is already happening and nearly all major able manufacturers committing to an all electric lineup by 2030 and over the next few years, and when be new and used car markets. for those with access to charging, at home or their workplace, not many of them have no access to home or workplace chargeing and they park their vehicles on the streets. so to convert from fossil fuel to electricity they must have access to convenience and affordable and safe public

charging network. next slide, please. so thankfully we already have a really good idea of what that public network needs to look like and and san francisco needs by 2030 and the green shades if indicate projected ev stock and the sip codes with the darker shades will have higher electric vehicle stocks and vice versa. the number of public level 2 and fast chargers are shown respectively 350dc chargers by 2030 and we have chargers of which 104 of them are fast

chargers to clarify on this slide, these numbers in the blue and red circles that we need another they must and access and particularly for areas that have a lot of multi unit dwellings and next slide. they are experiencing delays and this is because the san planning code and its current form does not allow for these projects.

ev charging projects are required to comply with regulations written for gas stations and our planning code does not provide an explicit category for ev charging locations and these applications require project legallers in the planning department to workout a permitting pathway off and on case by case basis and using planning code provisions designed for gas stations. next slide, please. they are an imperfect fit for ev chargeing and they have limitations more appropriate for dirty fools facility and therefore mayor breed's legislation modernizes san francisco's planning code to expedite the creation of a more robust ev charging network for san francisco residents and businesses and visitors. they have the land from by

creating clear zoning pathways and existing ought motive uses such as gas stations or parking lots and to convert to an ev charging location. specifically, the legislation allows existing auto uses in certain zoning districts to convert to ev charging by right and a by right approval also known as of right approval, can the gold standard of zoning permitting processes and it granted when the development proposal confirms to the zoning and building codes and qualifies for construction.

>> the legislation my public ev charging location and up to one-third of that ev charging location could be dedicated to fleet charging. fleet charging have know retail electric vehicle charging stations that are open to the

general public could only be permitted by right and certain pdr with conditional use authorization in downtown commissioner districts and eastern neighborhoods mixed use districts. throughout the rest of the city, fleet charging as a use would not be permitted. next slide, please. it's going in front of the commission and it will be scheduled by the board of supervisors land use committee and go to the full board of supervisors and if approved the legislation is written to take effect 30 days after the mayor science the ordinance and ev charging providers and other mar, melgar and haney for supporting this ordinance.

next slide, please. so in closing we know that evs are coming and san francisco needs more charging in order to increase adoption and drive downemissions to get ready for 0 charging demand and the billions of dollars from the state and federal government san francisco needs to update our planning codes to accommodate public vehicle charging and we believe this legislation cuts the red tape by defining the location allowing auto by right and informs project developers where to fight them and identifies clear pathways to permitting. passage of this legislation will extend san francisco's public charging network and help us reach our 2040 net-zero emissions goals. last slide, please. thank you for your time and i am

joined here this evening by my colleagues erin star at planning and and we would be happy to take any questions that we may have. >> thank you, there other staff presentations as well. >> no, just available for questions. >> any discussion sorry questions from commissioners? we'll begin there? >> yes. >> we would see the amount of ev charging stations we need to build happen as a result of this change? >> yes, so this change we think will help us get to where we need to go by 2030 but by itself it's not enough to get us to our 2030 goals which is why the department of environment has been working on concurrent

because this legislation is just make it possible but by itself it doesn't, that's a fairly spur the type of adoption that we really need so that's why the state and federal funding allows us to support the creation of additional ev charging locations that's really going to be key for helping us get where we need to go. >> if this passes and changes the code, when will it go into effect? >> they'll sign it and go into effect 30 days after her significant? and then that gives the ev service providers that assurance when they go to the planning commission, and planning department submit their permits they will be treated under the

new code. >> yes, commissioner hunter. >> just a quick question about slide 7 or a series of questions. what percentage of the city is actually zoned for production distribution repair and pdr? >> yes, thank you for the question. i will have my colleague aaron star answer that. >> it's about 5% of the city is pdr. it's small. >> so, we need over 700 charging stations it sounds like. so i'm curious, why did we just chose to limit it to 5% of the city by right when we should be building charging stations throughout the city? >> well, we actually are allowing us throughout city by right if you take an existing garage, our parking lot, gas station or automobile service stations and all of those auto uses can be converted to ev

charging without and all i have to do is submit a change of use and automobile repair. >> i'm going to phrase this question poorly so entertain me here. generally speaking, based off of those dots throughout city could you go over the counter approval for, would there be enough space for us to put 100 charging stations? >> yes, there's a lot of space for it, yes. >> fantastic. thank you. >> you made a great point. and i have additional information to add that ev

stations like individual plugs can also be installed as they are right now as an accessory use to a lot of other primary uses so, this when we talk about ev charging locations here we're really talking about the gas station equivalent for ev charging and this by in means gets in the way of what already exists of a parking lot adding in a few ev charging stations. [applause] [please stand by]

class we asked if this goes through and it passes and becomes law 30 days after the mayor signs, do we expect that there is pent-up demand for

this? will organizations actually the asking to put these ez systems in and if so, who is likely to do that? you must have some sense of talking to stakeholders . is it ev companies, i sort of doubt it's the chevron station that will help so who do we expectwill be the first adopters here ? >> we have heard from a few ev service providers that are watching this legislation because they really do want this change to make it more streamlined, simpler. to be able to look through the process so they are closely tracking it to be able to put in their application once this legislation goes into effect and i wonder if, i don't know if he would have any additional

information to add about who we think is taking advantage of it the most and whose been the closest contact with but it really is a lot of the major ev service providers including folks like ev go. i will turn it over for more detailed . >> i think to add to seras answer i think in addition to charging providers some of the parking garage operators would potentially take advantage of this because as they've seen not their profits but the number of vehicles going to a parking garage decline because of.people working from home more they are looking for ways to supplement this business model so there's ev charging andamenities in addition to ev charging providers,parking garageoperators also stand to benefit . >> thank you . other questions or comments ?

and i also want to actually recognize commissioner wall perhaps. without teams or zoom it'shard because we're not in title format anymore and i don't have the screen up anywhere near me but i'll be happy to see commissioner wall raising her hand . did you have a question commissioner wall? >> i just had a brief comment, thank you president on the comment briefly that i believe this is really an elegant and practical solution to one part of the problem that the city is facing in terms of spurring ev adoption and i am really hopeful that the board of supervisors will pass this and that we will have this kind of regulation on the books,

enabling us to move forward to achieve our ambitious goal of spending. >> any other discussion, comments? i think this is an action item i'll need a motion to move this forward. is there a motion ? >> i move. >> perhaps we can have a motion from commissioner walls and second by vice president stevenson and discussions or changes . if not kyle let's open it up to public comment on this motion. >> we will begin with public comment in the room. once in person, and has concluded we will receive proceed to remote public comment. any members in the roowho wish to speak ?if so please come forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic .

seeing none we will proceed to remote public comment. members who wish to make a publiccomment on this item should pressá3 to be added to the queue . for those already on holdplease continue to wait until it is your turn to speak . do we have anycolors in the queue ? >> let me check the queue. there are no colorsin the queue . >> if no other colors in the queue the final comment i would make is i enjoyed the last slide sarah about the child steps contemplating how long of

a journeythis will be . you know, and hopefully it's not that many steps. it looked like there was 50 of them but essentially i do see this as an important first step and i hope commissioners will join me in the vote ahead so please call the role. >>. [roll call vote] >> motion passes, thank you again for your work. goodseeing you . next item please. >> the next item is presentation on measures expected to appear november 8, 2022 general election ballot that would institute six state regulations toreduce plastic waste, tax producers of single-use plastics and fund recycling and environmental

programs . this fosters the speakeralexa chavez, policy associate at californians against waste . this item is for discussion . >> i believe this is for director rafael to introduce this item. >> i am excitedabout this agenda item because i don't know a lot about it myself . so i'm very excited to learn. this is really, truly an educational itemand i'm going to come back to why that's important that i emphasize that . we all know we have serious pollution problems.that's not news to us. a study shows the average person in just a credit card worth of plastic each week. it's horrifying. the numbers that we hear about how much plastic is in the ocean versus sea life and we know that that's plasticis coming from manufactured plastic . it's coming from the use of plastic goods and it's coming

from the fact that we just keep generating more and more plastic and that plastic doesn't have anywhere to go. so while san francisco is a leader on zero waste initiatives including plastics reduction we know that leadership can't stop at our borders . we need statewide solutions. and this november's general election ballot will include a measure that's called the california recycling and plastic pollution reduction ac . and it's thatact we're going to hear about today . going to hear from alexa chavez who is with californiansagainst waste . it's a wonderful nonprofit based in san francisco. we work with them on zero waste initiatives but before alexa begins and explains what's going to be on the ballot i just need toremind the commission about a couple of rules related to presentations

on ballot initiatives. this commission like any other city commission cannot take a position on ballot initiatives . therefore tonight we're going to hear a factual presentation. it's to inform us from alexa about whatthe ballot measure would do . it's aimed at, what the impacts would be but our response needs to be factual in terms of questioning and observation, not anything our opinion on the quality of the initiative. so i'm just going to caution us to make sure we are not advocating to express our position of support or opposition. this is a way topublicly educate ourselves and our listeners about this initiative so with that i'll turnit over to alexa . >> thank you . >> we can hear you. >> should i present onmy own screen ? >> we can now see your slide.

>> hello, thank you for that greatintroduction . my name is alexa suarez. and i will be breaking down explaining to you all california recycling and pollution reduction act. next slide. and just a little bit of intro. we're california safe space, environmental nonprofit and our mission is to protect communities by better elimination of pollution extraction and disposal of naturalresources and we believe in preventing waste and holding producers responsible we've done so much work educating about this ballot measure and we think it's great for california so next slide . and so this ballot measure was certified in the summer of 2021

and will appear in the november 2022 ballot eight months from now. next slide. and this again was a great introduction on the plastics issue. it's something we cannot keep up with them and this ballot measuretries to adjust that . in fact they're kind of an encompassing the plastics issue in california and training teamsreferred to global analysis . and we feel that if present trends continue by 2050 there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills and that amount is 35,000 times the empire state building. in addition to that according to account risk cycle every day californiansdiscard enough plastic to fill more than 200

olympic size swimming pools and that's over 12,000 tons . a report from beyond plastics revealed if plastic were a country it would produce the six most in the world falling behind china and the united states, india and russia so plastics are something that cannot really be avoided in the future unless we address that now and this ballot measure again aims to do that. next slide. so with the issue of plastics we have a choice. we can do better than plastics. we can discuss stronger regulation among plastics and shift the market away from petrochemicals to make materials that arecompostable and this is a choice that addresses the issue of plastic pollution on all levels . a report produced on behalf of the natural resources defense council by associate back as 2013 revealed california cities towns and taxpayers are shouldering around $428 million per year in costs to stop

letter from becoming pollution. that's on environment tourism and economic activity so this is a choice that would hold producers accountable towards the cost of mitigating plastic pollution. and in asufficient way so next slide . and in summary what the ballot measure does is it would reduce the amount of single-use plastics in california, ensure they are making truly recyclable and compostable and helping fund the state recyclingand construction . next slide. and it does this in two main ways. the first is through regulations and these types of regulations are things that local governments across the state have adopted and are not very hard to achieve and this

to accept these regulations would put california on and even fast-forward with plastic solutions. for example the ban on stone is something that's been passed by local governments, the first one back in 1998 and it does things like standardized labeling and marketing and eventual reuse and improving consumer access to recycling programs and requires transition to reusable recyclablecompostable packaging . and footwear by 2023 and requires to reduce more use packaging by 25 percent . so these regulations are aimed at really letting solid staffing so that our recycling

infrastructure in california can keep up with plastics and actually take in the plastics use. next slide. the second big thing about this ballot measure is that it would be targeting producers up to one point per item or component of packaging based on the net costs for cycling. a good example is capri sunday it has a plastics sleeveon a plastic straw and is attached to a plastic . that would be three cents charge for producing one capri sunday this type of fee is estimated to produce about or bring in about 110 $2 billion annually. the ballot measure is broken into three differentfundings which would be 30 percent for natural resources and that would go towards restoration and protection of the states

waterways . and funding in part 50 percent of that, it would go towards investing and recycling, composting and reuse infrastructure as well as funding for regenerative funding processes and food waste prevention and 20 percent would be going to local government and that would be towards protecting local drinking water, preventing toxic pollution and improving local recycling and composting programs and providing education and outreach and this is great because it holds producers responsible for those costs of plastic pollution and it gives these efforts continual annual funding. a lot of times in thebudget it's kind of short in california. but it's often times the first to get cut off . and we constantly have to be funding infrastructure in california as well as 33 recently have gone into effect so this funding could go towards funding those efforts

across california which pays for itself. next slide. next slide. >> next slideplease . just one moment, thank you for yourpatience . just having a minortechnical issue, thank you for your patience . >> this is a list of examples

of what these funds will support. it can help keep our parks and openspaces healthy and the climate change . it can go towards healthy communities that have been disproportionatelyimpacted by toxics to cover economies making it possible for farmers to grow more nutrition . without more cost to consumers. so this again holds producers accountable and puts these funds towards those issues of plastic pollution that asof right now falls on california taxpayers . next slide. >> just waiting for the next slide toload . >> i guess that's my breakdown

of the ballot measure. if you'd like to email me or call mei'm willing to take any more questions . to the best of my ability. >> thank you alexa. any clarifying questions from other commissioners on the ballot measure ? >> thank you foryour presentation. i wanted to ask how did the ballot initiative get on the ballot ? >> so back in the logistical question is back in 2020 the legislature had just failed to pass the legislation which now currently is known as b 54 which tackles these same issues and a lot of that was because of opposing it. that barrier got a lot of public attention and environmental groups wanted to

run with that public attention and bring it to the public to be able to pass this legislation but covid hit and the ballot measure was granted anextension to the 2022 ballot which is why we are here now . the reason we're bringing this to the people again is because we realize the public is beyond the legislature with these issues and it's become popular and people behind the ballot want to make sure we go through it even after covid in californiawhere a big state . it takes paid petition gatherers to get somethinglike this on the ballot. who were the major supporters ? >> the major supporters, i was not around when they were signature gathering. i can't say for myself but i'm pretty sure itwas environmental

groups that wanted to see this on the ballot measure >> thank you and last question . is this ballot initiative needs to be changed in the future how doesthat work ? do we have to go back to the voters or is there a way that legislature or others could amend ? >> i would say granting ability to start regulations allows this ballot measure to be flexible. and that the ballot measure gives them this kind of list of things that need to be done and calgary cycle as of the ready to hash down what regulations to put in place that will make those things happen. and in terms of thefunding , the awarding is broad to allow the major conservancy is one of the big profits that arehelping us pass this ballot measure .

as an actual resource, i have to say calgary cycle for example that funding is up to them and it allows flexibility for them to continue to adjust issues as they change as well as the local government one. that's kind of a list of things that need to beaddressed but i doesn't hold it to such a specific way where it might not work in the future . that kind offunding is continual. there's no need to change with plastic pollution they're able to kind of adapt to that . >> thanks very much. other commissioner comments, questions ? yes, director. >> thank you so much alexa. that was really interesting and you have the one slide that has that whole long list of things

that calgary cycle is going to have the authority to now regulate. one of the things i've heard people say when they talk about this and i'm not sure which one of those boxes would accomplish this is that it would enable us as a state to get ridof materials that are truly recyclable . so that's really the challenge that we have here in san francisco is that film plastic isvery hard to recycle and there are other kinds of plastics . number six or seven that aren't reallyrecyclable because there are no markets for them .

. >> this is a chart from the conservationcooler. it was purchased with money

from recycle and they have wrapped it with our logo and putting their employees in it . and going to sites around the city which, nextslide. this is what the bottlenecks look like, these are barcoded at the bottom . this is a mixed blessing once again here we are talking about plastic bags . if you look at any recycling center in california to the first cycling center. this is something as a culture we got to rethink and i think they're rethinking is about reuse and goingback to returnable bottles which is what i was using . next slide i canshow you how the bottle back works . there's a simple registration process, you can do it from your phone. and sign up there, it takes a few minutes. you don't have to have

requirementson where you live . these containers are entitled to gettheir money back . it's not a citizenshipquestion, it's a symbol you want it,you deserve it back . it's easy for you to sign up ,, you get the bags, and they're free. . we're distributing themto folks and then you fill them with your containers . bring it back to one of the trucks at the site and there's a little barcode on the bottom of the bag the staff cans in and it is credited to your account. then you can access that fund through ... you can link it to your bank account, venmo or paypal or go to the recycler i

mentioned and get cash there. we're working hard to get more cash options which is what they have in otherstates . there's only about three states that have this system and in those other states, maine and oregon the grocers provide the cash dispensaryor cash disbursement . what's nice is that it's an account but there's cost involved inmastercard . and you can get your cash back. next slide. this is a picture of this mark out ai which is a electronic counting system that the state oforegon has developed in their model that program . it takes pictures as you can see onthat screen . this is the picture in the center of photographing the

center of this picture is photographic image of what's inside, underneath the camera there and it counts the pictures. it counts thecontainers and you can see the picture . if there's anydispute you can call off the picture . this is an advanced technology that oregon has had our system was not to invent this again but to take the best existing technology, break it down here anduse that to assure folks we can give them the accurate count . if there's any dispute you can call this customer center from oregonthat's already set up and they can contest it . they can call and take a look at your account and go over it together. the customer isalways right in the system. that's how we'll do it here because we want to build trust with the consumer. next slide .

this isthe conservation corps staff helping us at the sites . the been just an excellent contributor and really collaborator fromthe very first stage as i said with their trucks ,with their staff with their offices, their warehouse . they have been the father of the whole program and they see it as a way to equity play. they can make a difference in neighborhoods. the point of the pilot is not just to get bottles and cans but see how much it costs to do it well. one of the problems with with the old system and it's true around the world is a race to thebottom. how canyou do it cheapest which is not good for the environment or the people who do the work and it's not really good for , is not good for the material because he gets treated sloppy . this way the conservation corps

statewide islooking at taking our model and using it in the other 11 or stick so state conservation cores that exist around california . next slide . and here's just a list of the different partners.our recycler is the certified recycler by thestate of california . the conservation corps, i've worked with them over 25 years in the city and this is one of the best objects we've done in all that time and their super excited about the kind of level of skills and things that we're teaching the young folks and the young folks are rising to it as well because they see it as a mix of the hard work part of it and cool work part of it by using electronic systems and telling theirfriends about it . getting on tiktok. how recycle is the agency that oversees and they been extremely excited about the program as well. next slide .

>> this is the project timeline. i think the first day she got on the job which i think was in 2015 if i'm not mistaken was a bottle dale question and we've been at it ever since. it's taken a lot of time but we had to build this from the ground up. we had to get regulations put in place. then we had to work through with cal recycle to get the thing up and running. there's been criticism on our speed but as i said we wanted to build this is a partnership with people who have experience, who are experts at this so that we're not inventing ourselves. we can build trust that way. as you see here we actually got certified back in august 2019 after the bill passed in 2017. it took another two years from august 20 19th to june 2021, just six months ago for cal

recycle to formally adopt our program as approved pilot and six months later is when we got our first sites open which were january of this year . and i think this is the highlight of how we've been doing. so far we've been opened 65 days with 1000 peoplethat have signed up, 742 people have turned different accounts and brought a bag in . we've redeemed 90,000 containers over almost $5000 we've returned to folks . this is the modest growth of a very new program that is not elon musk or apple or facebook. we're doing it on our feet with our hands and legs. it has been really gratifying. folks have been working on it really like it andthe folks that use it find it to be convenient .

next slide. and here's the sites that we're using right now. we havefive sites and we've used two of the moment because they were seen to be the most convenient . one was stone town and the other was on 15th street that helped serve the downtown area. we have some space down south of market that we are adding those sites in the next month to increase the number of places where people can go. we also have soda, you can't see it on the map doesthe subtitles but it's up in the center of the city obviously . we're working with the principal there as well as the principal of john o'connell high school in mission to have a special event kind of a one-off pop-up event where people can organize the kids, students and parents to bring their containersdown for one particular day we're trying to learn how to build an audience essentially . this is new for us and we have to feed back to who we are. they have tofind us and use us

to get that positive feedback . next slide . this is actually believe it or not we're really on our first outreach year we've not done a lot of outreach because we want to because it's about how we started and we didn't know we could do the job . it's where we've got overwhelmed. on the left-handside is where the qr code is socialmedia. that's a sandwich board and it's going to be out in front of our sites on the street . we didn't have that before this . we're going to have that long teardrop thing that stands up in front of used car dealerships. it's one of the things i always wanted to be is a used car dealer no, it's ways of people noticing who we are and where we are. thus far it's been mostly electronic and have been effective but now we need to

get out there and compete on the ground with the regular retail folks . the other part of the outreach has been a major play with social media. all the partner organizations you see have their own social media platforms . thelibrary who we just saw is going to have a blurb in each of their newsletters and branch libraries and many other steps like that areones that we are taking right now. next slide . i think that's about it. i'd love to answer any questions you might have . >> i want to thank you so much kevin for the greatsummary and i want to say this kevin o'connell model, the high school . what they're going to do is have a day event so they're asking all the students of the high schoolbring your bottles and cans and then the monies go to the fundraiser to the school . so it's just such an easier way to use this, these deposits to raise money and what we want to do is show this toeveryone

else. show it to the boys and girls club, showing to the church . you just take the bags andmaybe if you contract with the conservation corps,they will be there on that day . they will take the bags from you . it's not messy, if notnoisy and they go away and you get money in the account of the school . so it's a really well policed system and we think it's going to expand the opportunities and benefits of this redemption throughout the city. very very exciting. >> vice president stevenson. >> thatwas an awesome presentation and i want to give a big shout out towhoever did the design . it's fantastic, it looks amazing . a lot of times when you talk about recycling or rolling out equity programs it feels like design is an afterthought and i think that making this beautiful and like something thatyou're proud to take part in is amazing so kudos for that

. and my other question was going to be collaboration with schools. do we think that this overtime is going to increase recycling or is it going to simply bea vehicle to make sure people are getting this money back ? >> we hope it will do both. one of the thing about the build is against materialback separate . it's clean streamsof aluminum, plastic, glass and when their cleaned they have higher value in the marketplace . something that was kind of not mentioned but i mentioned our member here has been offering legislation that drives the marketplace towards these better materials at a higher value and then you're going to create jobs in california as well . he's making the requirements of recycled content incontainers in the future. you need to have clean materials to do that so it's kind of under thebuilding block of a better economy .

we , but our goal here is we've seen a huge decline in the amount of containers that are redeemed in san francisco over the past couple of decades as you see by the reduction of sites . our goal is to bring back million containers, one percent of our container consumption in san francisco so we want to go after a one after another. our goal is to get about 10, that will be 80 million containers but that's going to take 3 to 4 years. that would get us back towards an 80 percent redemption rate which is where we were once upon a time. we're down in 60 to 50 percent and every one of those percentage points of non-redemption even though it may end up in curbside does not go into thepockets of the people who pay for that . each one percent is , actually i know this. once it's like a half $1 million. it's a significant amount of money that is being left on the table if we're going back to

cal recycle and not going into the pockets of schools or low income people who need itor anybody who wants to get the money back and there's a thing about this . oregon raised their redemption numbersfrom five cents a bottle to $.10 a bottle and that got the attention of people. people pay attention to the containers again . we've all just become thoughtless about it. it's too hard to do. i let somebody else get it. it's that race to the bottom kind of thing. there's a real respect that you have for the environment when you take care of any particular material and we've lost that connection . they discovered that in oregon in this last two years ago and their numbers are up over 90 percent so it's funny how we seem to have ceded the caring for containers to someone else whether it's a homeless person or a neighborhood. we're just not paying attention and i think that'sa mistake

from a philosophical or emotionally for us to not feel that way . >> what happens tothe money that isn't recouped ? >> that's a big issue with cal recycle, it's sitting in a recycled fund. they've got a $600 million surplus there, it's a bit of an embarrassment but ithink it's a resource . we need to find a way to make good use of it so it's building backa renewable regenerative economy is one of those things . where the pilot is is supposed to establish the cost of the seven pie-in-the-sky dreams but i don't think that pie in the sky tastes goodto everybody . i think there is a value to that and that's part ofwhat i like to come back and report on on a continuing basis . >> follow-up back to that, that is what i was most worried about was the scale of this

problem is so astonishing that the state level there's policy being pushed forward to address it and hundreds of millions of dollars and right now we're working with thousands of dollars in sanfrancisco but i guess given all that what do yousee as the mosteffective way to try to increase . is it about increasing the number of locations or is it about increasing our marketing efforts ?what do we need to push on more heavily ? >> this is the experimentation that we're going for right now and we will see howthis advertising works . i think raising the price will get everybody's attention and you'll see people start to care. the trick is now we have inflation going on and that's going to be harder push to get that nickel up to adime. the single best thing we can do is try to be everywhere and eventually be , our goal is to have 30 sites which is

approximately three per supervisors district by the end of next year, bythe end of 2023 but i don't see anyreason why we couldn't have ifthe pop-ups work like debbie was talking about , it's like foodtrucks. you didn't know you needed food trucks but now they're everywhere . that's , why can't it be like that ? there is no reason why it can't. you can get up a rito delivered in that direction so why can't you get your bottles and cans picked up?oregon is amazing. i think more than 50 percent of all households in oregon are members of the bottle drop system and they've grown way faster than they ever thought they were going to grow and it's so convenient that's the other thingabout that is their big enough they're starting to drive the plastics market . their bags and our bags are made out of recycledcontent . you can only get to 50 percent recycledcontent in a plastic bag before it starts to degrade . that's a technology thing but there collecting them alland

then sending them back to the same manufacturer and saying make our bags into new backs . i have enough power but enough of the same product coming to their singular producer in a contractedfashion that they can drive the marketplace. california is 10 times bigger than oregon so we can drive a much biggermarketplace . >> are there questions or comments? commissioner . >>i want to ask about the statistic you gave . you said 60 percent of the beverage containers are going to the system which is down from80 . >> in san francisco is around 50 to 60 percent. >> i assume mostof the recycling of aluminum cans happens by people throwing their cans in the blue bin and not getting them back at all . >> yes, it counts towards the 60 percent. the ecology debts and all

service parts of the state can access the funds from the value of the material because they count it separately. they sell glassseparately and they know the code mangled percentage . it's not 100 percent crv but it's 70 or 80 percent so they get like four cents acontainer as opposed to five cents. recall a g does get that money. it's all part of the process and it's calculated . so i think you are driving a specific question in their area like, how much the consumers are getting or how much is the splitbetween the crv versus their curbside . >> i started out with skepticism that anywhere near that percentage would be achieved by people bringing their cans because just like you are number when i was 10 years old i would scavenge the downtown area in upstate new

yorkto find those balls because it was five cents and that was a lot in 1971 . and like you said, it's not five cents is not what used to be. it makes a lot more sense that the blue bin recycling is counted towards that. >> that's very common perception but we have this reinforced recently statewide about 80 percent of redemption value comes from the recycling centersand 20 percent comes from curbside. curbside is still relatively rare and in san francisco where there's one recycling center is the busiest recycling center in the state of california on bayshore . that's our partner in this project , to hungary and brothers who've been doing an

amazing job working hard and serving our people that san francisco is proud to have a part of it. those are the folks i've known pretty much my whole career here who are working hard to keep the city clean and make a living. and it's really the salt of the earth kind of thing that we mustremember as we get more flighty in our teslas and whatnot else. you can make a difference at this very basic level. i grew up in upstate new york and did the samething you did . i think that's what oregon found was being reinvented when the price went up a little bit . i think we can reignite that . >> mission or wan. >> i was really excited when you first presented theprogram a couple of years ago . i remember recently i see sometimes pulling their cart with cans all the way from downtown to third street. this is not an easy route so i'm glad to see that's more of the sites. i'm very interested in a follow-up with president ahn's comments. hopefully there will be more

neighborhoods in the underserved communities. even though the income might not be major it could be major for some of the residents in san francisco and i'm interested to see how you move forward with different marketing plans or communication plans to non-english-speaking communities so that they understand or even like so that people could could not be as savvy technology wise, how it could redeem the money or cash from the car. i think from educational or informational targets to them, togo step-by-step those would be crucial . >> that's why we had the conservation board at the site sit down and talk with people. we have folks with language skills there. everything is in three languages currently but we need more help cutting sites. it's hard for us to get these first up is sadly people remember the old-fashioned recycling centers which were like thunder dome compared to the ecology thing commissioner

sullivan and i used to do as kids. to get your money back 10 years ago was aninteresting experience . so no one wanted to have one of these trucks show up at their yard or their parking lot but it comes and goes. it's staffed by kids who look like they care what they're doing. we really need help finding more places to do this. i want to get into see cdc, i want to get intothe churches and neighborhoodsbecause they can use this as a fundraiser . we pay for the parking spaces, it's not free . as well as you being able to get the money from say your parishioners who come to drop off a bag in their church parking lot. i would , i reallyneed your help in that respect . in terms of marketing again, that's something we're learning as we go. where using a lotof electronic means . social media is everything these days but i know good old-fashioned sandwich board on

the street will make a huge difference when you don't know where to go. i would like to work with you more and i apologize for that i haven't got more spaces but we're still at it and we are growing smoothly and slowly and i appreciatethat we haven't been overrun by people which could happen . >> i saw the little thing on the bag that it can't be crushed because you keep the quality. >> so for instance, i've worked with folks who've walked from chinatown to bayshore, to the bayshore site and they crushed it and they're very efficient. super efficient and we don't want them to stop doing that. we'd like to help them figure out a way to do it better and by bringing the site closer to them that will be better but the problem is they can't rush them. i see it as people will still do what they currently do but

augment that by doing dropping in containers remotely and having them electronically show up in their bank accounts and then getting the other stuff to . i think my experience of working in this with redemption folks for 30 yearsis there incrediblycagey and they're just not, we're not thinking ahead of them . they're way ahead of us . >> one quick follow-up, you mentioned three languages, was cantonese levels languages ? that's good. i mean commissioner wan brings up memories of the old san francisco op-ed. nonprofit executive directors essentially around an anti-asian attack that happened in hunter!before thepandemic went down.if you remember there's infamous video coverage . to me if we can provide more access and more opportunity for particularly san francisco that

would be really meaningful. any other comments or questions? correctioncommissionerbermejo . >> just a comment on the marketing and outreach . small businesses, bars and restaurants would be helpful to that effort, especially those in a church. those are easy places for folks to get to so i think there's so many ways for us to work with you on that. >> once we get into penetration in more neighborhoods i think you will see those partnerships arise because right now people have forgotten about it because they didn't have an easier way to do it or there was nobody theyknew who would benefit . one of the biggest things in oregon is the donation system to nonprofits and people also the organ system allows it to copy to your college fund so you can put into yourkid's college fund and get a tax writeoff . avoid the tax cost . there's a lot of creative ways that i think you can use this

that get us back to the place where commissionersullivan and i were 50 years ago . >> commissioner hunter. >> i want to say thank you for delivering such a high quality presentation . i feel like you know your stuff or than anyone i've seen befor . being able to clearly articulate what you've accomplished today and the benchmarks you laid out for the future is something we as a commissioner have asked presenterspreviously and as you can tell you meet everyone appear excited about the bottle recycling program .thank you for all your hard work. >> commissioner wald, we will go to you as well. >> i too want to commend kevin on his terrific presentation and i want to commend my fellow commissioners because probably as a function of his knowledge

for the subject matter i saw all of your comments were really terrific and it helped expand you know, our knowledge of this program. first, i just have to say i really think it's a shame and kind of embarrassing. not kinda, really embarrassing what's happened to the redemption program in san francisco. so i'm personally very gratified tosee that we are making such a great effort to turn that around . i would like to think yes kevin that if you haven't already that you think about partnering with some of our most heavily used parks and other recreatio facilities . i don't know if the trust can fit in one parking space along the street i bet if you had

that park near the loris park on the weekend, you find a lot of people who wanted to gather bottles. and bring them. to the trucks. similarly i think the same thing would end up in that other venues like golden gate park, particularly when there's some kind of event there and that would enable ... i used to call it bottles but withmy children, that would be an outlet for lots of kids . as well as a host of other people who could benefit from this program. i would just suggest that we not limit it at all in terms of thinking about the kinds of places where having access to this program would make a big

difference in terms of achieving its goals. thank you. >> wreck and park is one of the places. we had a proposal with them two years ago and they said we don't think we want another recycling center and i think it's because theycouldn't imagine what it was going to be like they only had a bad taste from pastexperience . so i'm happy , i'mlooking forward togoing back to talk with them and see what we can do . again, we're paying rent . the parking lot is empty a lot and i don't want to go there when there's a lot ofpeople. i want to go where nobody is and use that space effectively because the recyclers will come . >> thankyou . >> mrs. stevenson. >> i know that you've got a grant,how does this get paid for going forward ? >> there's a variety of

different funds.there's a i think we mentioned at the beginning we applied for a grant cal recycle for their regularnonprofit or city jurisdiction grant . that was acompetitive grant . we got half $1 million which wespent on this . that's what's been spent to this point for getting the project off the ground. we also have every year, every city in the state gets a per capita allocation of unredeemed funds both city and county payment funds, we get about 200,000 from that fund every year. it can only be used for city activity which we didn't have any of . frankly you have to make this up to figure out how we spent that money and we spent three or so rounds of that $200,000 getting this program up and running.

the next chunk of money is $1 million that goes from assembly member king provided funding for five pilots. there's only five pilots in states and we are one of them and there's a $5 million fund $1million just started to spend that fund . and just last year the legislature extended the pilot and increased it to 10 more pilots and added another $5 million so we expect them to get another chunk . i'm spending money here, a lot of money on this project but i feel like it's important to learn how to do this so we can do it well in the future. that's what we're keeping track of all those costs and we're getting the participatio of the conservation corps who again is spending california redemption money . so it's really interesting to think about this is what gets you to think about producer

responsibility and what is the cost to a producer of a beverage to get that beverage to the list of if a person wants to drink it and what is the right cost and what are the right set of things that need to happen to have and itdoesn't turn out to be much. it might be a penny container, half a sense of container to pay for all these things i'm talking about . i don't have the answer yet but that's what we're intending to find out . >> commissioner stevenson, that's an important pointyou raise which is what does the long game? we're right now very involved in this pilot . the long game is not to have the city running this program. that is not the long game so kevin, why don't you talk about the long game? >> that's a good point. trying to help people understand how much it costs and realize if you spread the costs out it really isn't significant and if everybody's playing ball that becomes a lot easier for those of us who used too like safeties at all the

sites and that was an unfair burden. whole foods, trader joe's didn't have anything so that's not right. the long game is to help get like a plastics initiative that was discussed either there's different efforts out there to figure out how to develop funding. it's not a tax, more like ause . everybody pays and if you use it you don't have to. it's paying for a full range. real jobs, really good work out in the community with where there's a facility that does like a smelter or a plastics recycling . it's not a race to the bottom, it's a race to the top to get those paid for. what is really shared economic cost and shared social value, cultural value. it doesn't seem to be that hard of an equation and we're talking about the penny apenny

. people say it's going to break the bank. it might make a tiny bit less money or budweiser or some of those folks because a lot of the excess costs are in addition to costs at that high level. honestly we need to provide a model for how to kind of attack that in a positive way. everything we talked about here is pretty positive and i think that even the beverage folks understand that at some point would come along to help us make this system work. it's just absurd to me that we can have all the things we have fromthe internet to tesla and we don't think through aproblem like this to solve it . in what i think is actually a pretty straightforward way . so the long game is to get the stores, get the producers to get the brands and it really and the game. and they listen, theydon't want to have a one off in san francisco and a one off in los angeles . they want tohave the system . >> so what our goal is to show

what's possible here and that will drive legislation to mandate it statewide so this is a problem right now is the bottle really not working, there's which version of it needs to happen. they are talking about reforming it foryears, nothing happens so we're stuck in this any current of nothing going forward insan francisco we're saying okay, that's ridiculous . give us permission to do something different . give us funding to show you how it's done. let us figure it out anduse our experienceas a model for statewide legislation. that's the longgame . the long game is we showit's possible . the state adopted .they use it, they legislate it and we step . >> i also see mister wald as her hand up. >> thank you very much. we couldprobably go on all night on this .

i am just wondering in terms of the long game, it's been really an intention here between getting this program, getting an effective redemption program up and running across the state of california and the fundamental problem of people buying single use beverages and single use beverage containers. and surely the goal is to not have people dothat . while at the same time making sure that those people who do do that and the bottles they buy are disposed of properly but sometimes i would like to hear, probably not tonight but how we feel like the first half of that equation how do we minimize the production

purchase and consumption of these kinds of products rather than just deal with them efficiently once they have been produced? >> thank you commissioner wald. you're right about that part of the initiative that was discussed previously gets that putting costs onto those kinds of containers so that you push them out of the marketplace so they don't compete as effectively as some of the others and some of the other ideas there are that it's going back to reused bills. refillable are more efficient. it still is true and it's proven over and over againand europe does it and many other countries do it . those are ways to still allow us because we weren't doing what commissioner wald

suggested. we were getting these ridiculous containers out there for kids. these flimsy things that throw away in the tide and other laundry detergents in third world countries ,in these ridiculous packages because they get away with that . that just doesn't make sense. i think you're right on how to go after both prompts of the problem. there's the consumption and production piece . i'm inevitablygoing to work forever so i would just bring up the idea . >> if there's no other comments on deck we should goto public comment .>> i do want to note that commissioner wan had to leave the meeting but we still do have a quorum.

we will begin public comment i the room. once in person, and has concluded we will risk proceed to remote publiccomment. any members in the room who wish to speak ?if so please come forward one by one and speak into the mic . seeing none, we will proceed t remote public comment. members who wish to make a comment should pressá3 to be added to the queue . for those already onhold wait until it is your turn to speak . deirdre, do we have any colors in the queue ? >> can you? >> yes. >> david pilpel, slightly ahead of dhs butnot by much . i'd like to addmore to your great discussion . i know that debbie and kevin reached out to things exceedingly well to commissioner walton.

yes reduce reuse recycle and rock also increase participation andreduce contamination . make it accessible and in people, in communities, in language, it's about nickels and dimes. ultimately it'sabout banking the unbacked . yes, we need to fix prp statewide and the cal recycle but we have to pilot what works and demonstrate that we can do this in san francisco with all its complications and we can do it herethat we can scale it up, scale it down . againcanadian language,whatever . it works here and workin fresno . it can work in arcata . so we're trying tofigure it out . kevin is absolutely the sort with all the craziness around us and you can be sure it is absolutely 1million moving

parts at all times . and lots of people trying to do the right thing and sorting through that requires akevin kind of attention . and at the same time, unfortunately you've got somebody in the media and somebody in an advocacy group in southern california that is making this into some kind of issue that they can use for their own purposes and i believe that is getting in the way of a successful program implementation and fine tuning so i would hope that we will do what we have to do to comply with what they make that keep our eye on the ball here and fine tune it and have a successful pilot and continue as this process moves through tomake it work. i'm certainly doing my part .

i hope those thoughts are helpful. thanks again to debbie, kevin and the rest of the folks at conservation corps . >> thank you for your comment. do we have any other callers i the queue ? >> just a moment, i will check thequeue . ... there are no other callers in thequeue . >> thanks again kevin for your longtime work on this. next item please. >> next item is directors report. speaker is deborah rochelle. debra explanatorydocument is the directors report, this item is for discussion . >> so every commission meeting

you get a very detailed directors report from the department of all the work we've been doing and it's really a fun opportunity for me to reflect back on our work on the last two months and i just want to say that our department continues to evolve so we close down programs, first new programs, we mature programs are essential worker arrival program which we created during the pandemic that essential workers could get a taxi ride home covered when transit wasn't available to that. that program is not sunsetting so we started it up and now it's sunsetting in february we had almost 382 out of 400 applications approved over 6000 taxi rides. a lot of essential workers benefited from this program i want to thank my staff, alex

bogden and 13 for all the work they did in the cdafor being such a great partner . at the same time we sunset that we create a number of other programs. as of january 1 of this year we launched our cmd ordinance construction and demolition ordinance enforcement program where we are permitting our transporters and already we have permitted 41 of these transporters.we're starting to collect seed moneyworking with the sheriff's office . with the public works department and figuring out what this enforcement means for our department. you're going to hear a lot more of that in the next year as we figure out how we transition from the apartment of carrots to more sticks. we've done a lot of work asking people to do the right thing because it's the right thing now we need to level the playing field and go after the people who not enough for them. the need formore encouragement

, to put it mildly.and that's unusual for us and we will be thinking very strategically and hard about what it means to end up enforcement in our department. to commissioner wall! about going at the source and not just getting better and better at recycling we've been focusing a lot of attentionon reusable's is the focus of our outreach program . our department now program reached up to 75 food and restaurant businesses on behalf of their rethink disposables program so environment now, rethink disposables as a contractor where all working together to help restaurants with reusable's the green business program you haven't heard about them in a while but theycontinue to certified new businesses , really focusing on by pot owned businesses. i don't know how many of you heard commissioner bermejo and

i were at the state of the city speech. shetalked a lot about the environment . she talked about what her frame was this is whatclimate action looks like . building housing,that's climat action . supporting transit, that's climate action . so she really have that wonderful refrain of helping people understand for this mayor what climate action looks like. i just want to give a couple of heads up in terms of climate action month. so april climate action month. there's going to be a number of events, to that i want to put on your radar on saturdays. one is saturday, april 23 so the day after birthday going to a family-friendly bike ride. will start in golden gate park and then to the beach it's all very safe family-friendly. will be stopping at various sites along the way with kid friendly adults interesting speakers andactivities . so more information on back but

it's 10:30 start time on saturday april 23, i hope you'll join me there on the next weekend saturday, april 30 there's the first ever climate action youth service day. we will be doing in language use programming for sites around the city in partnership with bracken park and children in nature. doing stamp activities, science activities at these locations as well as restoration activities so that's going to befun . and then there's the whole website full of activities that are going on throughout the city in april. and i just want to give a huge shout out to our outreach program fordeciding their beautiful website and kyle will send all this information . you'll get all of this including the link to the website so you can take a look at it because it's beautiful and if any of your

organizations you're involved with activities or things that arehappening , please let us know. letkyle know so we can get them up on the website . so with that now one of my favorite parts of every meeting that is to introduce you to the newest members of ourdepartment . and not everyone could be here tonight. but we've got several members of our environment now team. so if you the four of you who are in the room could come up to the dais and introduce yourself, tell us your name. tell uswhere you were beforehand . and what you're excitedabout doing in your new role . >> hello everyone, my name is alexandra and she's her pronouns.i am in the environment now team doing outreach . of the programs and projects

we're working on getting already mentioned, one of them for sure is rethinkdisposables. clean water action fund .this encompassesgrassroots outreach , hopefully our team members and i are going outinto the city in different districts . we are visiting a small business and offering them the transition from plastic and paperfood where items to reusable ones . completely free . they're just click on this complete shock and i've spoken to different business owners who are just completely grateful for what we are offering them. i've spoken with is this owners who are on the verge of shutting down their businesses because they can't afford it so the fact that the city is providing such a wonderful opportunity for them to the money as well as send less waste to the landfill to improve their dining experience is so grateful for so very

rewarding. definitely by far one of my favorite projects. on top of that energy access sf is where we offer different energy programs to different communities around here in san francisco . and we have offered different things for low income residents as well as residents and families from all types of backgrounds . and we just provide different opportunities to save energy, to save costs, things of that sort. and last but not least as many have heard we are doing outreach on that bottle program as well. currently we are reaching out to different community-based organizations in san francisco to partner with them and reach their different audiences they work with and table them and provide information in different languages. we are trying to do outreach to people of all different

backgrounds whether they have access totechnology, whether they don't . inspanishcommunities, all of that info . those are things we are looking forward to . as kevin mentions this is a pilot so we are just beginning but so far we're very excited to move forward with that. i have been here in the apartment for justa year , completely the highlights of my post graduation. i was hired just a year after graduating and i graduated at the time where covid had just started so so many hiring freezes. i was excited to take off and apply everything i have in college to the real world but unfortunately things did not turn out that way so it was a pessimistic time for me but working alongside so many people who are equally as driven to help the environment and community spirit is just

amazing and amazing to work for a city that's so progressive as san francisco and forward thinkingand all the time they put intohelping communities and doing equitablework . i want tothank you for your hard work , especially you, debbie . thank you so much . >> my name is eileen wong and i am pronounced she /her and working in the environment team. i joined the team a month ago and amlooking at the environmental outreach . before this i worked in anothe hotel district for 4 years . so the environment is a very new for me, a brand-new concept for me. i'm very excited to learn more about the different programs and the team. and now i'm working with my colleague here i'll hundred two different programs.it's a program to help businesses.

the other one is the bottleneck program. i'm very happy to reach out to different organizations and the residents to help them learn more about that program. to get them involved and to have more people participate in the program. and now we're going to have the presentation in cantonese to one of the senior centers in the city next week. i'm so excited for that. . >> my name ispatrice. i do like she her . i joined with my colleague eileen about a month ago . i'm on the environment now team and we've been doing work as you have heard in a couple times on the recent

disposables. i'm focusing on that and crv, not too much but still a great program. and i'm just really excited to be here . i just graduated or just finish up my last classes atuc davis. literally last week . so i'm just like really excited to be right on out of college working on such agreat team doing such great work. and yes . >> my name is tonya ramirez. and i joined the environment now team about a monthago . currently working on all the great outreach programs. alhambra spoke to and i'm most excited to be out in communities being grassroots work. on the outreach programs especially able to engage with the spanish-speakingcommunities in san francisco . that's the most exciting part

of this tradition and yes, i'm just looking forward to all that is to come. thank you. >> thank you so much at least, welcome. you're also superstars and thank you for that wonderful explanation of what you're working on and we had one person remotely . johnny, are you there? >> hi everybody, i'm in the virtual stage right now. good to seeeverybody. i'mjohnny , i've been with the department for also a year now. and like everybody's mentioned , i think what i'm specifically looking forward to is the rethink program. i feel like as a san francisco native of giving back to the community especially by my half led restaurants is really

meaningful work. and again, very happy to be on the team because everybody's so collaborative and supportive and before working for the department of the environment, i worked for the sf parks in golden gate park. but yes, thank you for having me. >> thanks johnny and welcomed. our last new employee is actually sitting right up here with you. mister kyle whether what you just say hello. >> director my name is paul kyle letter, new commission of their policy director. previously i work for a group called homebase, sensor for common concerns. nonprofit focusedon developing solutions to homelessness . and it really is a pleasure to

be with you and i look forward to getting to know you and helping you in any way i can and supporting your work in the department's work over the course of the next year and if i may, thank you very much for your patience and grace with our technological issues tonight, especially commissioner waldso thank you very much . >> that concludes my report. >> again, welcome to the new employees and you're doing a great job so far with this meeting .any commissioner comments or questions . >> i guess i just have one, on page 4. you are elected to the board of directors of the northerncalifornia recycling ? >> not me, i don't know who wa elected to that or if i was, maybe not graduation . >> it might be nice to hear about which staff member it wa .

>> i will get back to you on that. i do not know how who got elected but i'm glad it wasn't me .>> if there are no other commissioner comments or questions. >> we will begin with public comment in the room. once inperson, and is concluded we will proceed to remote public comment . any members of the public who wish to speak, so come forward oneby one and speak into the mic . seeing none we will proceed to remote public comment. members of the public who wish to make a remote comment pressá3 to be added to the queue. forthose already on hold wait until it is your turn tospeak . deirdre, do we have any colors in the queue ? >> david pilpel, canyou hear me

now ? so i to read the directors report. as usual very comprehensive . it's a way out of all that's going on. i too was concerned about who was elected to the board in the bottom of page 4, thank you for catching that. i just checked their website and it looks like is currently on the staff and environment. i apologize for that but al and freddie coronado appeared to be on there so it's juliet may not bewith the department . i apologize, i can't remember. but that may look against her next question. again, i don't want to get much

i had a good director but i do understand that after this report closed and is at least one other member of staff has left the apartment that will probably get reported in the next directors report and i'm very glad that you are about that person leaving who i think was a great and contributor to the part of that. perhaps more on that in the futurebut again , great work on all of the various and sundry programs and parts of the department and i'm glad the letterof that group was elected to meet that . i like to spend some time on the background of the connection between the apartment and that organization and its continued relevance to the work. okay,thanks for listening .

>> we have anyother colors in the queue ? >> can you on respect the queu ? >> if there are colorsin the queue . there's a board member who just joined. it's betty coronado. who just joined the california recycling association on their board and i just want to make sure it's there. >> thank you. kyle, next item. >> excited ascommittee reports this item is for discussion . >> commissioner sullivan give us a report on the polity committee. >> policy committee met on march mark 14.

we heard two presentations including one onthe san francisco surplus building product reduction and redistribution study . that's a mouthful. we heardfrom brockman, james slattery and kevin reese . we also heard a presentation on a very exciting electric vehicle community grant the department got. $2 million plus to augment the department. that's efforts over a two-year period we reviewed and voted to recommend to the commission that approved the dv ordinance we voted on tonight. the mayors electric vehicle charging slot ordinance. our next meeting is monday april 11. the policy committee like both of ourcommittees is meeting virtually .and that ends our report. >> thank you commissioner sullivan.

i believe we move on to operations now. >> the committee has not met since january so there's nothing to currently report. our next meeting is monday, april 20 at 5 pm being held virtually. >> anydiscussion on those commissioners ? if not let's go to public comment. >> we will begin with public commentin the room. once in person comment has concluded we were was perceived to remote public comment. any members who are present in the room today who wish to speak . if soplease come forward and speak clearly into the month. and seeing none we will proceed toremote public comment . members of the public who wish to make acomment should pressáthree to be added to the queue . for those on hold please continue to wait until it is your turn to speak . deirdre do we have any colors in the queue. >> give me a minute to check the queue.

there are no other colors in the queue. >> next item then please. >> next item is announcements items fordiscussion . are there any announcements. >> if not let's open this up for public comment. >> we begin with public comment in the room. once in person comment has concluded we will proceed to remote comment . any members of thepublic present in the room today who wish to speak . if so please come forward one by one and speak clearly. and seeing none we will proceed to remote public comment. membersof the public who wish to make a public comment on this item should now press far 3 to be added to the queue .

for those already on holdleast continue to wait until it is your turn to speak.deirdre, do you have any colors in the queue ? >> let me check with you. there are no colors in the queue? >> we're getting closeto the end of our agenda which is item 13 . >> next item is new business, speakers charles she had, teeth policy and public affairs. this item is for discussion. >> i'll be brief. next policy meeting is april 1 . next commission meeting is may 24. for that next commission meeting and potentially for future commission meetings

we're bringing you an update on how our public engagement is goingfor our climate action plan limitation and future implementation . we may also be bringing to you acomprehensive look at the entire av program . you've heard about our grants, you've heard aboutordinances . there's a lot going on obviously. transportation sector is 40 percent of our mission so our ed is something we're working on and ofcourse we're still trying to bring record retention to you as well hopefully at the next meeting . i'll take any questions . >> seeing none public comment please. >> we will begin with public comment in the room. we will proceed to remote public comments, are there members who are present in the room who wish to speak? if so pleasecome forward one by one and speak clearly into the mic .

seeing none we will proceed to remote public comment. members who wish to make a public comment on thisitem should pressá3 to be added to the queue . for those already in whole continue to wait until it is your turn to speak . and do we have anycolors in the queue ? >> let me check the queue. there are no colors in the queue. >> thank you charles for that item now that brings us to the final item, adjournment. >> the meeting isadjourned, time is7:30 9 pm . thank you for joining us .

you're watching san francisco rising with chris manors. today's special guest is jeff

tumlin. >> hi, i'm chris manors and you're watching san francisco rising. the show on starting, rebuilding, and reimagining our city. our guest is jeff tumlin and he's with us to talk about our transportation recovery plan and some exciting projects across the city. mr. tumlin welcome to the show. >> thank you for having me. >> i know the pandemic was particularly challenging for the m.t.a. having to balance between keeping central transportation routes open, but things have improved. how are we doing with our transportation recovery plan? >> so we just got good news this week. we're getting an extra $115 million from the american rescue plan and this is basically the exact amount of money we finally needed in order to close the gap between now and november of 2024 when we'll have to find some additional revenue sources in

order to sustain the agency. in the meantime, i finally have the confidence to be able to rapidly hire, to restore services and to make sure muni is there for san francisco's larger economic recovery because downtown san francisco doesn't work without muni. >> quite right. i guess the other impact of the pandemic was that some projects like the valencia bike improvements had to be put on hold. are we starting to gear up on those again? >> yes, so it's an interesting case study. of right before covid hit, we were about ready to invest in quick build bike lanes. arguably the most important bike order in san francisco. that got stopped with lockdown and then as you'll recall, during covid, we invented all kinds of other new programs like shared spaces in order to support our small businesses as

well as sunday street light events for neighborhood commercial streets where streets were closed off to cars and turned over to commercial activity. those successes now that they've been made permanent actually interrupt the draft design we had put together. so we've gone back to the drawing board and we are looking forward to having some additional community conversations about other design ideas for valencia. we're committed to completing a quick build project on this calendar year. >> that's such good news. valencia is a really great street for biking. so there are two huge and exciting projects that are about to be or have just been completed. let's talk about the bus rapid transit project on van ness avenue. how extensive have the improvements been? >> what's called the van ness transit rapid project is in fact more about complete reconstruction of the street and most importantly, the 100-year-old utilities

underneath the street. so all of the water, sewer, telecommunications, gas lines under the street were basically rebuilt from market street all the way to lumbard. the part on the surface which provides dedicated bus lanes for golden gate transit and muni, that was relatively straight forward and we're so excited we're going to start revenue service for muni on april 1st. >> that's fantastic. i understand there were some sidewalk improvements too. >> there were sidewalk improvements. we planted 374 trees. there is new storm water treatment including infiltration in the sidewalk, there's a bunch of art. there's all kinds of things. we put in new street lights for the entire corridor. >> finally, the other big news is about the central subway.

can you briefly describe the project and give us an update. >> yes, so the central t-line project, another stop at union square that connects directly into powell station and a final stop in the heart of chinatown at stockton and washington. that project has also run into challenges. it's 120' under muni, under bart, 120' down and out under chinatown in some unexpectedly challenging soils. but that project is nearly complete. it's at about 98% completion right now which means we're testing trains, we're testing the elevators and escalators and the final electronics and we're still on track to open that in october presuming all

of the testing continues to go well. so fingers crossed on in a one. we're really looking forward to allowing people to have a subway ride from the heart of chinatown all the way to the convention center to the caltrans station and all the way down to bayview and visitation valley. >> it's great to see all these projects coming to completion. we're all grateful for your team's hard work and i really appreciate you coming on the show, mr. tumlin. thank you for the time you've given us today. >> my pleasure. thanks for having me. >> and that's it for this episode. for sfgov tv i'm chris manors. thanks for watching.

>> we think over 50 thousand permanent residents in san francisco eligible for citizenship by lack information and resources so really the project is not about citizenship but really academy our immigrant community. >> making sure they're a part of what we do in san francisco

the san francisco pathway to citizenship initiative a unique part of just between the city and then our 5 local foundations and community safe organizations and it really is an effort to get as many of the legal permanent residents in the san francisco since 2013 we started reaching the san francisco bay area residents and 10 thousand people into through 22 working groups and actually completed 5 thousand applications for citizenship our cause the real low income to moderate income resident in san francisco and the bayview sometimes the workshops are said attend by poem if san mateo and from sacking. >> we think over restraining order thousand legal permanent residents in san francisco that

are eligible for citizenship but totally lack information and they don't have trained professionals culturally appropriate with an audience you're working with one time of providing services with pro bono lawyers and trained professionals to find out whether your eligible the first station and go through a purview list of questions to see if they have met the 56 year residents arrangement or they're a u.s. citizenship they once they get through the screening they go to legal communication to see lawyers to check am i eligible to be a citizen we send them to station 3 that's when they sit

down with experienced advertising to fill out the 4 hundred naturalization form and then to final review and at the end he helps them with the check out station and send them a packet to fill and wait a month to 6 weeks to be invited in for an oral examine and if they pass two or three a months maximum get sworn in and become a citizen every single working groups we have a learning how to vote i mean there are tons of community resources we go for citizenship prep classes and have agencies it stays on site and this is filing out forms for people that are eligible so not just about

your 22 page form but other community services and benefits there's an economic and safety public benefit if we nationalize all people to be a citizen with the network no objection over $3 million in income for those but more importantly the city saves money $86 million by reducing the benefit costs. >> thank you. >> i've been here a loventh i already feel like an american citizen not felt it motorbike

that needs to happen for good. >> one day - i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, for liberty and justice for all. >> you're welcome. >> (singing). >> (clapping.) >> introduce the san francisco field officer director ribbon that will mirror the oath raise your hand and repeat the oath i hereby declare on oath

repeating. >> citizens cry when they become citizenship to study this difficult examine and after two trials they come back i'm an american now we're proud of that purpose of evasion so help me god please help me welcome seven hundred and 50 americans. >> (speaking foreign language.) >> she wants to be part of the country and vote so much puppy. >> you know excited and as i said it is a long process i think that needs to be finally recognized to be integrated that

is basically, the type of that i see myself being part of. >> out of everybody on tv and the news he felt that is necessary to be part of community in that way i can do so many things but my voice wouldn't count as it counts now. >> it's everybody i hoped for a bunch of opportunities demographics and as you can see yourself there's a good life for everyone. >> that's why. >> you have people from all

the walks that life and they're standing in water 8 hours to be an american citizen and contribute to the city and that's really what makes this worthwhile. >> ♪♪ ♪♪

>> how i really started my advocacy was through my own personal experiences with discrimination as a trans person. and when i came out as trans, you know, i experienced discrimination in the workplace. they refused to let me use the women's bathroom and fired me.

there were so many barriers that other trans folks had in the workplace. and so when i finished college, i moved out to san francisco in the hopes of finding a safer community. >> and also, i want to recognize our amazing trans advisory committee who advises our office as well as the mayor, so our transadvisory community members, if they could raise their hands and you could give a little love to them. [applause] >> thank you so much for your help. my leadership here at the office is engaging the mayor and leadership with our lgbt

community. we also get to support, like, local policy and make sure that that is implemented, from all-gender bathrooms to making sure that there's lgbt data collection across the city. get to do a lot of great events in trans awareness month. >> transgender people really need representation in politics of all kinds, and i'm so grateful for clair farley because she represents us so intelligently. >> i would like to take a moment of silence to honor all those folks that nicky mentioned that we've lost this year. >> i came out when i was 18 as trans and grew up as gay in

missoula, montana. so as you can imagine, it wasn't the safest environment for lgbt folks. i had a pretty supportive family. i have an identical twin, and so we really were able to support each other. once i moved away from home and started college, i was really able to recognize my own value and what i had to offer, and i think that for me was one of the biggest challenges is kind of facing so many barriers, even with all the privilege and access that i had. it was how can i make sure that i transform those challenges into really helping other people. we're celebrating transgender awareness month, and within that, we recognize transgender day of remembrance, which is a memorial of those that we have lost due to transgender violence, which within the last year, 2019, we've lost 22

transgender folks. think all but one are transgender women of color who have been murdered across the country. i think it's important because we get to lift up their stories, and bring attention to the attacks and violence that are still taking place. we push back against washington. that kind of impact is starting to impact trans black folks, so it's important for our office to advocate and recognize, and come together and really remember our strength and resilience. as the only acting director of a city department in the country, i feel like there's a lot of pressure, but working

through my own challenges and barriers and even my own self-doubt, i think i've been try to remember that the action is about helping our community, whether that's making sure the community is housed, making sure they have access to health care, and using kind of my access and privilege to make change. >> i would like to say something about clair farley. she has really inspired me. i was a nurse and became disabled. before i transitioned and after i transitioned, i didn't know what i wanted to do. i'm back at college, and clair farley has really impressed on me to have a voice and to have agency, you have to have an education. >> mayor breed has led this effort. she made a $2.3 million investment into trans homes, and she spear headed this effort in partnership with my office and tony, and we're so

proud to have a mayor who continues to commit and really make sure that everyone in this city can thrive. >> our community has the most resources, and i'm very happy to be here and to have a place finally to call home. thank you. [applause] >> one, two, three. [applause] >> even in those moments when i do feel kind of alone or unseen or doubt myself, i take a look at the community and the power of the supportive allies that are at the table that really help me to push past that. being yourself, it's the word of wisdom i would give anyone. surely be patient with yourself and your dream. knowing that love, you may not always feel that from your

family around you, but you can good morning everyone. and welcome to galleleo high school. let's go mighty lions. you guys know i used to be the announcer over the p.a. system during home run so that's where i get it from. first, i want to thank the principal, principal baneau who's here with us today one of the co-chairs for peace. someone i think the only person who was left since i was at galleleo high school ms. grenell is here. betty grenell.

she was there every time i showed up to do the announcements for the p.a. when i was the girl's vice president and it's really great to see you here because it makes me still feel young. somebody's here since i was a kid. well, i'm san francisco mayor london breed and i want to just recognize a couple of our officials who are here today before we get into this announcement. we have members of the board of supervisors joining us. i see supervisor safai, supervisor stefani and supervisor melgar. thank you to our board members for joining us here today. we also have some of our school board members including superintendent dr. matthews. as well as jenny lamb is joining us. thank you so much. and kevin boggess is over there. there you go, kevin. okay.

the you're on the left over here. you guys didn't catch that joke we also have our district access sorry, recorder. supervisor haney just joined us. our city attorney. thank you so much david chiu for being here. carmen chiu. the director of the department of children, youth, and families maria sue. the director of the office of early childhood care and education, ingrid mosqita charles davis the human rights commission. so many people who care about supporting our schools and our kids and i think we have a couple of folks from labor uesf thank you for joining us as well as many of our parents from all over san francisco and our students and all of you just you know your names.

so i've got to say, i'm really happy here today about the decision i had to make. i really agonized over this decision. this is probably the hardest decision that i've ever had to make as mayor because it's about the future of our children when i think about i ms. marshal who's also here. when i think about my time in schools in san francisco, some of the best times i had in my whole life were right here at galleleo high school and when this field would be actual grass where we would sprain our ankles running up and down the field and watch the football games and the performances and other things and our pep rallies and homecomings and all the fun activities took place

here at this school and so many amazing memories were made. and when i think about my time at galleleo high school and the various schools i went to, i can't help but think about during this pandemic what so many kids were going through, right. what would have happened if i couldn't come to school and participate in activities for my senior year. what that would have done to me. i live to walk across the stage and graduate. i would have been completely devastated if i couldn't go to the games and see the boys on the football field. i would have been losing it as a teenager. going through puberty and all the stuff going on here. we used to come across here cutting class to see the boys play and practice and then get chased out of here by the coach by coach white who this field is named after by the way. anyway, i just think about all those times and i think about

what these kids missed out on, but i also think about how would i have survived because my grandmother wasn't really as active. you had to study and make up your bed and clean up the house. but so many of the parents joining us here today, you know, your advocacy was not just about your kids, it actually helps so many other kids that didn't have an advocate. and so when i think about what we've been through over the past few years and the struggles and the challenges, i know there's a lot of work to do. i know that we can't make up for the last two years, but you know what, we can sure try. we can get started today on the future of our schools and we can get started today on what it means to not only support and uplift our educators, but to also put our children first.

it's time for the schools in this city, our public school system to get back to the basics of educating our children, of making sure that, you know, we have 8th grade algebra and we have the various classes and the support that these kids need to grow and thrive. i never thought college was an opportunity that could be afforded to someone like me until in the 10th grade, ms. luke's history class, american history, we had a representative from u.c. davis and i said no i could never get into u.c. davis and it was because of people like ms. luke and others and supported me is why i ended up at a place like u.c. davis. and so they had the excitement about their kids. and we have to make sure we get

that excitement back because that's how we're going to get past this. that's how we are going to thrive. making this decision was hard. i talked to a lot of people. i talked to people i didn't even really want to talk to. i'm talking about people who just walk up to you on the streets and you're late for something and they're like mayor, can i tell you something about what i think and i'm like sure. but you know a common theme amongst everyone i talked to, every organization, every group of parents, they always talked about putting kids first. dealing with the challenges of mental health loss. dealing with the challenges at the forefront of what these children have experienced because we as adults have experienced it too. but just imagine as a kid and what they're going through. they talked about wanting people who had the kinds of qualifications where they can understand how a school district is run and understand

how not to micromanage the superintendent and how to make sure that we're focusing on the basics even as we, yes, deal with some of the other important issues the we're not saying school renaming isn't important and looking at the history of some of these names and having an educational moment to have a discussion about what that means, we're not saying that's not important, but getting our kids back in school is important. making sure they and our teachers are safe is important. making sure that they thrive. that's what today is about. and let me tell you after meetings and conversations and all of that, i'm so happy and i'm so proud that we have three amazing women who all have kids in our public school system who all had a common theme of service. who all cared deeply about

seeing a change. who all want better for our children and who also care about supporting our educators. who understand that there are hard decisions ahead of us and who are willing to ignore the politics to focus on our kids. this is not about what they will do according to what i want them to do. these are three very strong capable women. who i am confident will do what is best for our children, for our educators, and for the school district. and so ladies and gentlemen, i am proud to announce, well, you know who they are right now, you see them.

the appointment of ann chiu, the appointment of lany matomedy we've got to get that name right. and also lisa wiseman ward. so let me start with anne. now i know you saw her out in the streets being fierce trying to get parents to register and vote. but she's just as fierce as a mama bear. well mama lion in this case because her sons go to galleleo high school. she's participated in the p.t.a., but it wasn't just that that drew me to ann. ann who started her own

businesses. who worked in tech. started and sold companies and understands balance sheets and finances and all of these things when it comes to business which is why i thought she would be perfect and she served on the board's bond oversight committee to help with addressing the challenges of what we need to do around how we spend money on responsibly on supporting and enhancing our schools in san francisco. i'm really excited. so many people called me about lany and i was like why don't i know her? i know about schools and people

and stuff. she is a quiet force, she likes to do the work. she's a co-chair in peace where this city believes in public schools and sets aside allocated resources to support our public schools. and, in fact, making sure not only the money gets to the right places, but that she listens to the parents and the feedback from the people who are going to be most impacted to make the right decisions about resource that is go to our children. and one of the key things i like about her is, yes, she's kind of technical and woke and into the weeds of stuff, but she's smart. she's smart and she understands that that technical stuff which is not always exciting to talk about is necessary when making important decisions so i'm really excited that lane is

highly recommended. she comes from parents that were schoolteachers of public schools and los angeles, her father immigrated to the u.s. from iran. and she has just a wealth of knowledge and information and understanding and a deep passion about doing what is necessary to support and uplift our public schools. and last but certainly not least, lisa. well, professor wiseman ward. and also attorney wiseman ward. someone who children attend public schools like they all do, who's raising your kids in the mission with her very talkative husband who cares deeply about immigrant rights

and dedicated her career to supporting immigrant families through legal channels. the resources, a professor at stanford who's responsible for the immigrant rights clinic there that helps educate even the next generation of attorneys to fight to support immigrants in this country and her thorough knowledge and understanding of the educational system and her understanding of what many parents told me were important to them especially for those parents who may not speak english and the need to have someone who understands their challenges, who's willing to listen and communicate in their language. it's critically important as someone who speaks fluid french. that's me. who speaks fluent spanish. i wanted to make sure those families were not left out of a

void in this system. and so i feel really good because, again, it's not just about their children. it's about equity. it's about the achievement cap. it's about the kids that are being left behind. it's about changes to the school system. it's about making sure that regardless of parent advocates or any advocate that those kids who have no voice or parents may not be able to speak english have a voice in this school system. and a key part was we will listen. we will listen to families. we will listen to educators. we will listen to the people. we will listen to the voices of our children to understand what they want whether we agree with it or not. what is going to be in the best

interest of our children and their future because i know we all feel the same way. i know we feel a certain kind of way about wanting to see greatness in these kids and we know what's possible especially those of us who've had the opportunity to work with these kids and, yes, they drive us crazy, but there's always something in each and every 1 of them, that spark, that spark, ms. grenell, you see in those kids and you're like, there's something special about that kid. and so now with a good solid school board, i think that we're going to be headed in the right direction. so, with that, let's get these members sworn in. oh, i guess i should stand over

here. all right. please raise your right hand and repeat after me and i'm going to point to you to say your name. so i... >> ann chiu. >> do solemnly swear i will support the constitution of the united states and the constitution of the state of california against all enemies foreign and domestic that i bare true faith and allegiance to the same that i take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that i will well

and faithfully discharge the duties upon which i am about to enter and during such time as i hold the office of member of the board of education for the san francisco unified school district. congratulations, ladies. [cheers and applause] >> all right. our new school board members, they have something to say. and we're going to start with you, ann. >> thank you. thank you so much, mayor breed for the introduction and for entrusting me with this

extremely important role. i feel the weight of this position already. i think it's going to get shorter. let me tell you about myself. i spent 10 years in pennsylvania through middle school, high school, and college and then i came out to u.c. berkley for graduate school and i fell in love with san francisco. after my graduation and could founded a dotcom in the original dot com boom and then a significant new challenge that's different from my previous professional challenges and experiences.

i became a a mother. i have to say that raising children has been more challenging and more rewarding than any professional job than any job i had. and they grew and changed. i have to adapt and learn constantly and i think all parents know that. i'm very lucky to have fraternal twins because they're very different. they look different to begin with and while every external factor was the same, they grew to be almost polar opposites. this showed me the diversity of personality, strength of and of each child that is in their nature helping each of them find and hone their strength

and passions is what i feel as my responsibility as a parent. in this experience as a parent that i feel the weight and responsibility of being a school board member. i'm now not just responsible for my own kids, i'm now responsible for all the kids of san francisco and i want to recognize, appreciate, and foster the talents and strengths in each and every child in our care. so that they can find their own path in life. being a first generation immigrant, i also want to lift up the concerns and interests of the significant immigrant parents community in sfusd as mayor breed had mentioned and i'm so glad to have a partner who understands that

intimately. immigrant parents come to america not just to find a better life for themselves, so they can have a better life for their parents. that's exactly why my parents came. immigrant parents have so many challenges in addition to raising children not least of which are language barriers and being unfamiliar with the american education system. we need to help these parents so that they can partner with our schools to help their children get the best education they can and realize their own american dreams. beyond the immigrant community, i also want to lift up the voices of the chinese and asian communities and represent them and work with all the different communities represented by our students in sfusd. i'm really looking forward to

that work. i'm honored to be selected by mayor breed and take this responsibility very seriously. i'm also extremely excited to be joining the board with two very confident professional women who are mothers . [ applause ] >> together with the current commissioners, we will work hard to turn a new page for sfusd, and put all the children of san francisco on their own path to success. thank you. >> thank you, mayor breed. and thank you, commissioner chiu. you both spoke from my heart and you may be hearing a lot of the same things from me. but first and foremost, i want to thank -- send a thank to the thousands of parents and

community members who advocated tirelessly on behalf of our students and educators these last several years. yes. i'm incredibly honored to be chosen to serve on the san francisco school board and i know how important our public schools are to our children and our families and i also know how hard the last two years have been for so many. i don't want to dwell there, but i do want to acknowledge how much progress we've made from march 2020 through shelter-in-place followed by a year of public school closures. today, we are turning the page. it's a beautiful day with even more hope and this is because of the relationships that galvanize parents, families, and the greater community to bring our voices together to prioritize all of our children and what they need to thrive in the present and in the future. my focus is to bring my experience and our collective experience to help all families and children in the city to get the support they need as we do

the really challenging work to get our district back on track. i'm a native californian and a san franciscan for over 20 years. both my mom and step dad taught for decades for the los angeles unified school district. my dad is an iranian immigrant who arrived here in san francisco as a teenager who only knew a few words of english. it was public education that offered him the foundation and support to find his way into the country and eventually become a professor. and i'm a public school kid all the way from kindergarten through my m.b.a. we all have our individual paths to walk and for most of us, it's not a straight line. my curiosities fostereded life-long friendships, challenged me and taught me needed skills and to be deeply engaged with a city that i loved so much. my education offered me professional opportunities in technology and telecommunications and public

service as a clean energy government regulator and policy analyst, hence the woke preamble. i won't go too deep there and as a board member for the bicycle coalition and our beautiful san francisco bo tan algarden. and as a volunteer manager and ranger for the horse patrol program. but now i'm focused on public education itself. since my kids first attended sfusd over 10 years ago, i've been actively involved in p.t.a. and volunteering in classrooms and schools in whatever way i could be of help to teachers, staff, and families. so much so my kids would tell me, you don't have to come to this one, you don't have to do this thing. just last month, i did complete a four-year term as a member and co. chair of the enrichment fund community and advise committee which reviews about $80 billion provided to sfusd for enrichment and core

academic instructions. i advocated for much needed compliance, accountability and reform to ensure our san francisco city funds are utilized for city benefit as well as our generous city and student priorities. i saw a need for a great deal more transparency into what is being funded, the trade-offs being made and to have honest conversation about what's working for our students and what is needed to best serve our students to achieve their dreams no matter what school site they attend. families and children are an essential part of a vibrant part of the city. i love our city. i am here because i want sfusd to be what it should be. a world class public education system that all families in san francisco consider as a great option for their children. a district with strong partnerships and support throughout the city and a place

where all students and educators are given the support and tools they need to thrive. we have a lot of hard work to do to get us there and looking forward to working with my new colleagues being sworn in and i'm excited to work with all of you. and to build new partnerships. again, i wish to thank our mayor for her continued advocacy for our students and children and i wish to thank the families and communities that advocated fiercely for students and will continue to do so. and a special thank you and deep gratitude to my husband, and my kids for supporting me on this unexpected journey. [ applause ] >> i am grateful and honored to be standing here and i'm committed to do the hard work before us as we turn the page. thank you so much. >> and now i'd like to

introduce commissioner wiseman ward. >> thank you. i think i'm going to get used to that, commissioner. good morning. almost afternoon everyone. my name is lisa weissman ward. i'm the mother of two public school children, a 1st grader and a 4th grader at claer don elementary. i'm grateful to mayor breed for this opportunity to serve and to work alongside the current and incoming school board members and doing the best that we can for the students and for the educators. the district is facing serious challenges. many of which were caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic. the list is long. it includes things like learning loss, mental health crisis, and ever growing opportunity gap for many students of color and ever growing opportunity gap for

many student who is are facing socio economic challenges. financial woes for the district and fundamentals like getting our teachers and staff paid for important work they've done. parents are frustrated. and rightly concerned about their children. educators are frustrated too. but despite these challenges, i'm going to echo a theme of hope from my new colleagues, we're here with a sense of hope and a commitment to working collaboratively to turn things around. i focus my career at the intersection of teaching and immigrants' rights. as a deportation defense attorney, i represented hundreds of families struggling to stay in the country. many of whom depend on the san francisco public schools for their childrens' education. as the associate director of the stanford law school and the immigrants rights clinic,

mentoring and supervisoring i supervisored law students engaged in the challenging and important work of defending the rights of noncitizens and along the way, i've learned a lot. i've learned the importance of i've learned the value of negotiation. i've learned the value of listening. and i mean really listening. listening and then asking questions. i've learned the value and importance of not just asking what is it that you want, but why so that i can understand perspective. i've learned the value and importance of investing time into building repore in order to better find common ground. i've learned the importance of process because even if at the outset we don't agree, when we engage in a process that's thoughtful, that's transparent and that's fair, we'll be in a

better position to move things forward. there's a lot of things that need to get done and i'm really looking forward to working with and learning from students, their families, teachers, paraeducators, labor representatives, superintendent matthews, and my colleagues new ones and the current colleagues that i will have on the board to make sure that our school district is a place where all students have the chance to thrive to be anything that they want to be whether it's a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a union apprentice or maybe even the mayor. i believe inning key and opportunity so thank you, mayor breed and i'm looking forward to getting to work. [ applause ]. >> well, as you can see, we've got some mommas in the building.

[cheers and applause] >> again, let me just send a shout-out to all the incredible parents who really advocated for change and who advocated to make sure that we improve the school district and i wanted to bring up at this moment superintendent vince matthews who, by the way could have retired already, but is still here and still working on behalf of our children. we are so grateful for his work and come on up, dr. matthews and say a few words. >> thank you so much. before i begin, i just wanted to say that i'm vince matthews, superintendent of the san francisco unified school district and i'm here with the president of our board, president lamb and i am actually also a student from the san francisco unified school district.

i graduated from macketeer high school and i played football there and i want to say how good it is to be back on this field because we had some victories on this field some of my most creative touchdown dances were right in the corner of that end zone. on behalf of president lamb and our current commissioners, commissioner boggess, alexander, and sanchez. i welcome our three new commissioners. i look forward to working with our new leaders of the san francisco board of education and i want to thank the new commissioners for their willingness to serve the greatest school district in the history of human kind. our mission in san francisco

unified is to provide each and every student the quality instruction and equitable support so that each and every one of them can thrive in the 21st century. above all else, we are educators and our priority is and will continue to be helping students to reach their full potential. i look forward to working with all of our commissioners to address the challenges and opportunities before us in collaboration with our district staff, families, students, and community members. while there are many urgent and important matters to realize our mission, at this moment in time, our students and their families are counting on our district leaders to stay focused on these priorities above all else. number one, to maintain healthy and safe learning environments. number two, to create high quality learning experiences for our students that foster

engaged and joyful learners and that support each student and reaching his or her attention. to adopt a fiscally responsible budget that addressing short and long term while remaining student centered and fulfilling our obligations and number four, the one i'm most excited about to hire a new superintendent who is committed to the share core values of our school district and who possesses the priority competencies identified by this community. once again, i look forward. we are excited and welcome to the san francisco unified board of education. [cheers and applause] thank you, dr. matthews. but just for clarity, galileo high school when i attended was the first school in the history

of schools to go undefeated for three years straight winning all three turkey days. which is so far i believe unmatched which was way after you were a macketeer. anyway. it's so great to be here and i didn't get a chance to mention supervisor mandelman and our treasurer, jose cisneros. of the thank you for being here. so many of our elected leaders, our parents, spokes from labor and other places who care deeply about the education of our children, i am hopeful for the future and i know that our kids, our educators, and our public school system will be in good hands. thank you all so much for join withing us here today.

>> my name is amanda [inaudible] over see the girls sports program. when i came to san francisco and studied recreation and parks and towerism and after i graduated i moved to candlestick park and grain r gain adlot of experience work with the san francisco 49 and [inaudible] be

agfemale in a vore sports dynamic facility. i coached volo ball on the side and as candle stick closed down the city had me move in92 too [inaudible] >> immediate interaction and response when you work with kids. i think that is what drives other people to do this. what drew me to come to [inaudible] to begin with for me to stay. i use today work in advertising as a media buyer and it wasn't fulfilling enough and i found a opportunity to be a writing coach. the moment [inaudible] you to take advantage of how you change and inspire a child by the words you say and actions you do. >> you have a 30 different programs for girls through rec and park and fast ball, soft

ball and volley ball. i started the first volley ball league and very proud what i have done with that. being a leader for girls is passion and showing to be confident and being ambiggish and strong person. [inaudible] for about 5 years. programs offered thraw thirty-three rec and park and oversee thg prms about a year. other than the programs we offer we offer summer camp squz do [inaudible] during the summer and that is something i wherei have been able to shine in my role. >> couple years we started the civic center socking league and what an amazing opportunity it was and is it for kid in the neighborhood who come together every friday in the civic center plaza on green grass to run and play. you otonly see soccer and poetry but also see books t. is a really promoting

literacy to our kid and giving them to tools to make it work at home. real fortunate to see the [inaudible] grow. >> girls get pressureed with society and i know that is obvious, but we see it every day, magazines, commercials the idea what a woman should look like but i like to be a strong female role for it goals that play sports because a lot of times they don't see someone strong in a female role with something connected with sports and athleticism and i love i can bring that to the table. >> soccer, poetry, community service. we now have field of dreams. we are [inaudible] all over the bay area and excited to be share our mission with other schools across the bay to really build the confidence and character of kids when they go out to play and close their

eyes and think, why was [inaudible] we want to make sure-i want to make sure they remember me and remember the other folks who [inaudible] >> get out there and do it. who cares about what anybody else says. there will be poopal people that come up and want to wreck your ideas. that happen today eme when i went to candle stick part and wanted to [inaudible] people told me no left and right. whether you go out for something you are passionate about our something you want to grow in and feel people will say no. go out and get it done. i can be the strong leader female and i love that.

[♪♪♪] >> i just wanted to say a few words. one is to the parents and to all of the kids. thank you for supporting this program and for trusting us to

create a soccer program in the bayview. >> soccer is the world's game, and everybody plays, but in the united states, this is a sport that struggles with access for certain communities. >> i coached basketball in a coached football for years, it is the same thing. it is about motivating kids and keeping them together, and giving them new opportunities. >> when the kids came out, they had no idea really what the game was. only one or two of them had played soccer before. we gave the kids very simple lessons every day and made sure that they had fun while they were doing it, and you really could see them evolve into a team over the course of the season. >> i think this is a great opportunity to be part of the community and be part of programs like this. >> i get to run around with my other teammates and pass the ball. >> this is new to me. i've always played basketball or football. i am adjusting to be a soccer mom. >> the bayview is like my

favorite team. even though we lose it is still fine. >> right on. >> i have lots of favorite memories, but i think one of them is just watching the kids enjoy themselves. >> my favorite memory was just having fun and playing. >> bayview united will be in soccer camp all summer long. they are going to be at civic centre for two different weeklong sessions with america scores, then they will will have their own soccer camp later in the summer right here, and then they will be back on the pitch next fall. >> now we know a little bit more about soccer, we are learning more, and the kids are really enjoying the program. >> we want to be united in the bayview. that is why this was appropriate >> this guy is the limit. the kids are already athletic, you know, they just need to learn the game. we have some potential college-bound kids, definitely. >> today was the last practice of the season, and the sweetest moment was coming out here while , you know, we were setting up the barbecue and folding

their uniforms, and looking out onto the field, and seven or eight of the kids were playing. >> this year we have first and second grade. we are going to expand to third, forth, and fifth grade next year bring them out and if you have middle school kids, we are starting a team for middle school. >> you know why? >> why? because we are? >> bayview united. >> that's right.

as latinos we are unified in some ways and incredibly diverse in others and this exhibit really is an exploration of nuance in how we present those ideas. ♪♪ our debts are not for sale. >> a piece about sanctuary and how his whole family served in the army and it's a long family tradition and these people that look at us as foreigners, we have been here and we are part of america, you know, and we had to reinforce that.

i have been cure rating here for about 18 year. we started with a table top, candle, flowers, and a picture and people reacted to that like it was the monna lisa. >> the most important tradition as it relates to the show is idea of making offering. in traditional mexican alters, you see food, candy, drinks, cigarettes, the things that the person that the offerings where being made to can take with them into the next word, the next life. >> keeps us connects to the people who have passed and because family is so important to us, that community dynamic makes it stick and makes it visible and it humanizes it and makes it present again.

♪♪ >> when i first started doing it back in '71, i wanted to do something with ritual, ceremony and history and you know i talked to my partner ross about the research and we opened and it hit a cord and people loved it. >> i think the line between engaging everyone with our culture and appropriating it. i think it goes back to asking people to bring their visions of what it means to honor the dead, and so for us it's not asking us to make mexican altars if they are not mexican, it's really to share and expand our vision of what it means to honor the dead. >> people are very respectful. i can show you this year alone

of people who call tol ask is it okay if we come, we are hawaii or asian or we are this. what should we wear? what do you recommend that we do? >> they say oh, you know, we want a four day of the dead and it's all hybrid in this country. what has happened are paper cuts, it's so hybrid. it has spread to mexico from the bay area. we have influence on a lot of people, and i'm proud of it. >> a lot of times they don't represent we represent a lot of cultures with a lot of different perspectives and beliefs. >> i can see the city changes and it's scary. >> when we first started a lot

of people freaked out thinking we were a cult and things like that, but we went out of our way to also make it educational through outreach and that is why we started doing the prosession in 1979. >> as someone who grew up attending the yearly processions and who has seen them change incrementally every year into kind of what they are now, i feel in many ways that the cat is out of the bag and there is no putting the genie back into the bottle in how the wider public accesses the day of the dead. >> i have been through three different generations of children who were brought to the procession when they were very young that are now bringing their children or grandchildren. >> in the '80s, the processions were just kind of electric.

families with their homemade visuals walking down the street in san francisco. service so much more intimate and personal and so much more rooted in kind of a family practice of a very strong cultural practice. it kind of is what it is now and it has gone off in many different directions but i will always love the early days in the '80s where it was so intimate and sofa millial. >> our goal is to rescue a part of the culture that was a part that we could invite others to join in there there by where we invite the person to come help us rescue it also.

that's what makes it unique. >> you have to know how to approach this changing situation, it's exhausting and i have seen how it has affected everybody. >> what's happening in mission and the relationship with the police, well it's relevant and it's relevant that people think about it that day of the dead is not just sugar skulls and paper flowers and candles, but it's become a nondenominational tradition that people celebrate. >> our culture is about color and family and if that is not present in your life, there is just no meaning to it you know? >> we have artists as black and brown people that are in direct danger of the direct policies of the trump administration and i think how each of the artists has responded so that call is

interesting. the common

♪ >> welcome to hamilton recreation and aquatics center. it is the only facility that has an integrated swimming pool and recreation center combined. we have to pools, the city's water slide, for little kids and those of you that are more daring and want to try the rockslide, we have a drop slide. >> exercises for everybody. hi have a great time. the ladies and guys that come, it is for the community and we really make it fun. people think it is only for those that play basketball or swim. >> i have been coming to the pool for a long time now.

it is nice, they are sweet. >> in the aquatics center, they are very committed to combining for people in san francisco. and also ensuring that they have public safety. >> there are a lot of different personalities that come through here and it makes it very exciting all the time. they, their family or teach their kids have a swim. >> of the gem is fantastic, there is an incredible program going on there, both of my girls have learned to swim there. it is a fantastic place, check it out. it is an incredible indication

of what bonn dollars can do with our hearts and facilities. it is as good as anything you will find out why mca. parents come from all over. >> there are not too many pools that are still around, and this is one-stop shopping for kids. you can bring your kid here and have a cool summer. >> if you want to see some of the youth and young men throughout san francisco play some great pickup games, come wednesday night for midnight basketball. on saturdays, we have a senior lyons dance that has a great time getting exercise and a movement. we have all the music going, the generally have a good time.

whether it is awkward camp or junior guard. >> from more information, visit

>> president lopez: you may sign up forpublic comment until that item is called not during or after the discussion of the item. good evening everyone. the regular meeting of the board of education of the san francisco unified district for march 22, 2022 is now called to order. roll call please. [ roll call ]