the people can get into the facility to serve them and serve the community. good morning everyone. i'm cheryl chambers, deputy of external affairs for caltrans and i'm here to welcome you to today's event. happy to be many my hometown and looking forward to our program. starting off today, i want to

introduce our district director of caltrans bay area ms. deena eltuansi. >> thank you. i'm caltrans bay area district director. and i can't tell you how thrilled i am to be here today. it's really a special day for us. before i start anything, i would like to congratulate the city of san francisco, sfmta yerba buena conservency for the south of market transit project. congratulations. governor gavin newsome's clean california initiative is part of the california comeback plan

to remove litter and to engage communities in butte if i indication efforts through job creation and education. clean california is truly a statewide effort and one third of the funding that's coming to us is coming to cities, counties, tribal authorities, and transit agencies to clean and provide beautification. san francisco is a beautiful city. often people will remark that homes in san francisco are built right next to each other. what people don't see from street view are the extensive backyards, gardens, and patios. as here, there are beautiful gardens and so much to enjoy beyond what you see from the streets. this project will serve to highlight and restore the yerba

buena gardens and invite the public to all the site has to offer. the children's human, i see them coming out here parts of the celebration, thank you for being here and this playground and more. the bay hills are beautified with plants and through an artist imagination to follow and to invite residents, visitors, and transit riders emerging from the new transit station into this space to enjoy the yerba buena gardens. we look forward to watching this project transform the site into a cleaner, more attractive and inviting place that we can all be very proud of. with that said, please help me welcome ms. carmen chiu our city administrator. [ applause ] >> first off, i want to thank

the district director for being here. deena, it's an honor to have you here and welcome you to san francisco. we truly appreciate the partnership you are bringing to this project. and, of course, to all the community members and our partners for helping to make the masconi center and this a wonderful place to be. when we think about a project like this, we know that the big things we try to accomplish are things we can accomplish together. i want to thank the city and county of san francisco for really coming together to recognize the importance of investing in a place like muskonee expanding the for the many conventions that will come

to san francisco. for us, it's more than just a convention center. we know that the convention center is linked to economic growth and to our recovery in san francisco. during covid, we saw a pretty unprecedented situation where restaurants closed down. many of our entertainment venues had to go dark and where conventions completely tops happening and the impact on that was devastating not just in san francisco but across the world. and as we come back now, we begin to really make sure that we make the investments for people to know that when they come to san francisco, when they come and visit our moscone center, it's not just the beautiful and wonderful staff at moscone center. it's not just the beautiful center they can be staying at, but when they step right outside into our gardens here, they see why we love san francisco so much. that we care about the outside,

the spaces where people gather, where they recreate, where they spend time with their friends and their families, where they welcome guests from across the bay or around the world to enjoy the beautiful city we have here. and we know that when we make investments like this, it's not just about the people who come to visit, but it's also about all the people who live around here. there have been communities, many residents, children, who live right around this neighborhood who deserve more than concrete. who deserve spaces to be and to breathe and to relax and be outside. so i, again, want to thank all of the community partners who have made this investment, this project possible. we look forward to coming back when the project is completely done to do a big ribbon cutting. and i know the mayor herself is very disappointed she couldn't be here today. i can't tell you how many times the mayor has talked to me about the moscone center and the importance of investing in

it and the people in this area so i want to thank you and i look forward to our continued the partnership. and now i want to bring up something we're very close to in the city. scott is the executive director of the yerba buena conservancy but also helps us when we were building this new convention center because he knew exactly what it meant to invest in facilities like this. so thank you, scott. and please, come on up. [ applause ] >> thank you, carmen. i'm the executive director for the yerba buena gardens. we're glad to be here with you all. i want you to imagine 30 years ago, lots of parking lots,

s.r.o. hotels. the redevelopment agency in the city went through an amazing time and what happened was an unbelievable gardens that opened in 1993 with the convention center and the surrounding development. it was amazing, it was beautiful. and it really has been such a symbol of hope and create 50 and renewal for this area. and the neighborhood built up around it since that time period. this grant that we're receiving today from clean california and the state is an unbelievable positive step in the next direction for this area and we're so proud of it on behalf of the city and the community and really it will revitalize us even further. as we steward public spaces, this is a remarkable public space, but it takes time and investment. this project's going to beautify the outside of our facilities and our gardens. it's going to enhance cleaning throughout the neighborhood on

our key transit corners all the way from market street all the way to the highway on 3rd and 4th street and mission street and we're really excited about that. we're going to add new public art that will be over on facing the subway. a large mural on the expansive wall that will be designed through the community process with the amazing artists and then murals guiding you into the public gardens and really welcoming you. i love the yellow brick road concept that was mentioned earlier. so all this will be really inspirational. the gardens will sore, the gardens will grow, and the community will bloom through this. as we've all talked about, this project really required an unbelievable community input and community process. i want to especially thank sfmta for their support of us as a community and jeff tumlin, joel greenberg who really

guided us and supported us through this process as a community. i'd also like to thank the city, our team at the city who's on our board and guiding us so well and we truly appreciate all their support, their leadership, their guidance. i'd also like to thank the yerba buena community benefit district who's a key partner in this process. acknowledge cathy maupin and entire team that cleans and beautifies the neighborhood around us. last and certainly not least and the relationship we have and the convention and to

recognize this really means a lot. so thank you. and more importantly, we're kind of excited. we want to get started. i think that's important to know. the goal for the project is we'll finalize planning this spring. we've got all the plans done. we've worked with an amazing architecture firm. we will bid and start construction this summer on the landscaping. the art process, we'll do a call for entries this summer and the art will be revealed in the january time period just in time for you to get off the subway and see this amazing art and this amazing site. couple other things. it's spring. i think we can all feel it. it's beautiful here. the gardens are blooming. there's flowers everywhere. i think we're really delighted because what we have happening in the gardens today sort of reflects this project and reflects what's going to happen. there's amazing lines outside our restaurants.

there's free music and dance festival with the yerba buena festival that's happening. i saw an amazing group of kids going into the bowling alley today. they were so excited. we had the children's creativity museum here with a beautiful x.o.x.o. exhibit about beauty and connection. the carousel right here. so amazing amenities plus our museum and the cultural centers. the gardens and this neighborhood are really spectacular. it is all renewal. it is a time for renewal and we're excited about that. downtown is blooming and please join us. i think that is all we want to say to you today on the high level. please enjoy the gardens. our goal is to finish these comments and if you would like to join us, we're going to walk down 3rd street. see the subway and where the art will be and envision the plantings. thank you, caltrans and everybody and the city and everybody involved. [ applause ]

>> well, first of all, my name is london breed. i'm the mayor of san francisco.

and i see our supervisor, asha safai, joining us as well. and i'm excited to be here today with a number of our department heads and folks from all over the city, but more importantly, the commissioners. you all who volunteer your time to support san francisco in the way that you do. and let me tell you, i understand the value of being on a commission. i served on two commissions and what was very important to me because some of you who i met and didn't have a chance to talk to, one of the things that i have expressed is one of the most important things that you can do when serving on these commissions, and that is show up, and that is listen, and that is make the hard decisions that are in the best interest of the city. so it is a privilege to serve, but more importantly, it is appreciated that you are choosing to invest in serving

san francisco in this way because i know that there are so many other things that you could choose to do, but because you love the city, because you want to serve in this capacity, you are doing the work that needs to be done. these decisions make a difference in people's lives. these decisions have sometimes negative and sometimes positive consequences. the good news is when we recognize the decision may need to change, we are willing to re-examine and make adjustments. i remember when i served on the san francisco redevelopment agency commission, and if you think the redistricting task force is having challenges, boy, go back to some of those

redistricting meetings where they never made it to the end. they were challenging and people were passional because of the failures of redevelopment in the past to support certain communities and, in fact, in some cases what people were decisions that deliberately misplaced a particular community. and in examining the past, often times the decisions that we made as commissioners involved repairing what redevelopment did. the commissioners know we are are trying to make adjustments and expanded who would qualify for a certificate to grandchildren, ran into problems with the state and still continue to fight to ensure that we repair the damages of displacement done by redevelopment and that fight is not over. it is important to the city along with the great things that

you are doing. others moving to different roles and responsibilities, but ultimately i appreciate that you have taken on this responsibility. i appreciate the time that you invest. and i also appreciate the enthusiasm and excitement for doing so because it does mean a lot. it does mean a lot for the people of san francisco. and i also have had a chance in some of you i have known for a very long time. and in others, i am just getting to know based on recommendations from sometimes supervisors and others and ultimately what i am very truly grateful for is having a host of individuals who have and will continue to do great work for san francisco.

supervisor, do you want to say a few words since you keep moving over there? come on up and say a few words. >> i wasn't planning on saying anything, but thank you, madam mayor. i will say this. when i was chair of the rules committee, a number of you came through the committee. and why do you want to be on this commission and there are hard decisions ultimately at the end of the day, what you are doing is such a service for san francisco. and such a service for the citizens. and decision to have real impact and they help the direction and the course of the city. >> thank you, mayor, for letting me say a few words. >> thank you, commissioner, for your hard work and dedication to

the city. >> thank you, supervisor. and i just want to acknowledge the department heads who are here. michael lambert from the library. thank you for joining us. kimberly ellis from the commission of the status of women. and thank you to josh for joining us from the office of work force development in the city. so so many great department heads, but more importantly they are able to do their job because of you. and so now that covid is still here, but it is not as much as it used to be. and the plan is to continue to do the ceremonies. i know i hadn't had a chance to swear some of you in personally, and i wanted to take that opportunity to do so now as you usher into the next couple of months in doing your jobs in the during the capacities and on zoom all the time and are coming

back to city hall and i am looking forward to the business of the city continuing to get done. so this is a little different than what i am used to in terms of swearing in ceremony. i will need everybody's fool cooperation. for all of you who are commissioners that are being sworn in, we're going to ask you all to stand. and to raise your right hand. and then i am going to ask you all to say your names and it is okay that you are saying it at the same time. i am going to also ask you to state the board or commission that you are serving on. is that the right way to do it? or do i point and go down the line? no, in terms of the names and the bodies.

okay. we're going to say it all simultaneously and it's going to sound like this [mumbling] come on up closer to the front, all my commissioners. can we get some of the commissioners to come? james, mr. commissioner, please come up closer to the front. we want all the commissioners if you could stand. as a matter of fact, you can come up here to let the audience get nice pictures. this is a little different. the next time it will be good. it is like the first kid, you mess up, and the second, you got it under control.

all right. there is more room over here if you want to space out a little built. all right. are we fired up? ready to serve. please raise your right hand. and repeat after me. i, state your name. do solemnly swear. that i will support and defend. the constitution of the united states. and the constitution of the state of california. against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that i bear 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'm about to enter. and during such time. as i serve as. state your commission. for the city and county of san francisco. congratulations, everybody. welcome back to city service. now, let's get the work done.

hi, sandy, how are you? >> hi, fine, thank you. how are you? >> good. i want to ask you what inspired you to be a paramedic? >> that's a good question. you know, i wanted to go into med school and after i found out how much time it took and all of that, i decided that that was going to be a little too much schooling, but i still wanted to figure out a way that i could provide medical care and doing that as an emt as well as a paramedic was a way to do that. >> can you give me a break down of a typical day for you? >> i come to work and sit at my desk and then i respond to e-mails and try to figure out what are some of the issues we need to address.

can we hire more people. what kinds of policies we want to try to create that will help us do our job as ems. >> what does it take to be a female paramedic? >> you know, it takes quite a bit of schooling, but also required somebody who's empathetic. it can be a very stressful job and so we want people to be able to hand that on a day-to-day basis. >> so what's your greatest satisfaction in your job? >> trying to make sure that the work that we provide and the services that we provide to the community is the best that we can in ems so that when we go out to see you if you call us for an emergency, that we'll be able to treat you in the best way possible and that you get the care as quickly and as effectively as possible. >> why is it important for young girls, women of color to see women in these roles? >> i think it really is important for us to be able to get into these roles because we are effective, we are able to reach out to the community.

we are able to do the job in a very effective manner and to be able to relate to the community and be able to do that is one of the best things that we can do. and people of color and as women of color, you know, we are in a great position to be able to do that.