a city like no other, san francisco has been a beacon of hope, and an ally towards lgbtq equal rights. [♪♪] >> known as the gay capital of america, san francisco has been

at the forefront fighting gay civil rights for decades becoming a bedrock for the historical firsts. the first city with the first openly gay bar. the first pride parade. the first city to legalize gay marriage. the first place of the iconic gay pride flag. established to help cancel policy, programses, and initiatives to support trans and lgbtq communities in san francisco. >> we've created an opportunity to have a seat at the table. where trans can be part of city government and create more civic engagement through our trans advisory committee which advises our office and the mayor's office. we've also worked to really address where there's gaps across services to see where we

can address things like housing and homelessness, low income, access to small businesses and employment and education. so we really worked across the board as well as meeting overall policies. >> among the priorities, the office of transgender initiatives also works locally to track lgbtq across the country. >> especially our young trans kids and students. so we do a lot of work to make sure we're addressing and naming those anti-trans policies and doing what we can to combat them. >> trans communities often have not been included at the policy levels at really any level whether that's local government, state government. we've always had to fend for ourselves and figure out how to care for our own communities. so an office like this can

really show and become a model for the country on how to really help make sure that our entire community is served by the city and that we all get opportunities to participate because, in the end, our entire community is stronger. >> the pandemic underscored many of the inequities they experienced on a daily basis. nonetheless, this health crisis also highlighted the strength in the lgbtq and trans community. >> several of our team members were deployed as part of the work at the covid command center and they did incredit able work there both in terms of navigation and shelter-in-place hotels to other team members who led equity and lgbtq inclusion work to make sure we had pop-up testing and information sites across the city as well as

making sure that data collection was happening. we had statewide legislation that required that we collected information on sexual orientation and our team worked so closely with d.p.h. to make sure those questions were included at testing site but also throughout the whole network of care. part of the work i've had a privilege to be apart of was to work with o.t.i. and a community organization to work together to create a coalition that met monthly to make sure we worked together and coordinated as much as we could to lgbtq communities in the city. >> partnering with community organizations is key to the success of this office ensuring lgbtq and gender nonconforming people have access to a wide range of services and places to go where they will be respected. o.t.i.'s trans advisory committee is committed to being that voice. >> the transgender advisory counsel is a group of amazing

community leaders here in san francisco. i think we all come from all walks of life, very diverse, different backgrounds, different expertises, and i think it's just an amazing group of people that have a vision to make san francisco a true liberated city for transgender folks. >> being apart of the grou allows us to provide more information on the ground. we're allowed to get. and prior to the pandemic, there's always been an issue around language barriers and education access and workforce development. now, of course, the city has been more invested in to make sure our community is thriving

and making sure we are mobilizing. >> all of the supervisors along with mayor london breed know that there's still a lot to be done and like i said before, i'm just so happy to live in a city where they see trans folks and recognize us of human beings and know that we deserve to live with dignity and respect just like everybody else. >> being part of the trans initiative has been just a great privilege for me and i feel so lucky to have been able to serve for it for so far over three years. it's the only office of its kind and i think it's a big opportunity for us to show the country or the world about things we can do when we really put a focus on transgender issues and transgender communities. and when you put transgender people in leadership positions. >> thank you, claire. and i just want to say to claire farly who is the leader of the office of transgender

initiatives, she has really taken that role to a whole other level and is currently a grand marshal for this year's s.f. prize. so congratulations, claire. >> my dream is to really look at where we want san francisco to be in the future. how can we have a place where we have transliberation, quality, and inclusion, and equity across san francisco? and so when i look five years from now, ten years from now, i want us to make sure that we're continuing to lead the country in being the best that we can be. not only are we working to make sure we have jobs and equal opportunity and pathways to education, employment, and advancement, but we're making sure we're taking care of our most impacted communities, our trans communities of color, trans women of color, and black trans women. and we're making sure we're addressing the barriers of the

access to health care and mental health services and we're supporting our seniors who've done the work and really be able to age in place and have access to the services and resources they deserve. so there's so much more work to do, but we're really proud of the work that we've done so far. [♪♪] >> so the march started in 2004, there was a lot of action going on at the time against transgender people. so an email thread went around and everybody decided to meet here at the loweris park and

really send out the message to the community that we're here and just because the legislation does not validify who we are, we are still here and we deserve to be loved and empowered. >> so for me trans march is a safe place where i will not be quiet and i can be unapologetic against my trans siblings to be in the community and say okay, you can bring yourself to the safe places. we're normal human beings and we can exist.

>> this is one of the largest trans marches that happens in the world and this space is ours. we can at least have one day where we are seen and not over shadowed by the greater pride, hostilities everywhere. trans march means so much to me. but it means so much more for me and my community. >> we really felt it was important to have a special day just for transgender people where we can have our voices lifted up and specifically seen.

>> after coming, i feel so proud of this place and also this whole movement. this joy is strong. so maybe trans march that is a lot of joy. >> my partner is transgender and you know ,z we've been together for 25 years. and i learned a lot about trans generaleder and her what it means to be transgender. to give people pride of who they are they are beautiful and an important part of society and they should have equal rights.

>> for me being here is an act of celebrating myself and feeling okay in my own skin. >>ed we have a lot of momentum here at trans mart, we have a lot of community for support from our sponsor to our tal ept, everybody is happy to support this event because we all want to be together and after two years of not being able to be together this year, people were especially excited. [applause]

>> my name is holly doudiet. h2 firefighter with the san franciscowired. what inspired me to be a firefighter was in 2008 i graduated college . the recession had happened so there weren't any jobs. i was having troublefinding a job. and i was kind of looking around . my dad was a firefighter and i thought what a great career he had.

so i asked my dad, never thinking about it at first before. i said dad, what you think about me being afirefighter and he goes yeah, thatwould be a good idea . i took some classes, i ended up loving it . i grew up and actually and i think it was a good fit for me because it's a physical job and it's enjoyable. you never know whatyou're going to get and it's a team effort . i first realized i was part of the lgbt+ community in sixth grade. i looked on the other side of the classroom and i sawthis girl i thought was really attractive and i thought i want to be her boyfriend . though my experiences in the city growing up in the city and countyof san francisco were always verypositive . i came out in high school . i actually ended up being prom king my senior year in high school and a lot of peoplewere very supportive . myparents were very supportive . they just let me do my thing and my dad knew of a lot of

lesbian women in the fire departmentthe time because he was a san francisco firefighter . for me it's very important to be part of a community and organization and an agency that supports my lgbtq status because if you're not yourself, how can you perform to the best of your abilities? you're always holding back in some way whether it's your personality or your abilities or your overall skills and with agency that supports me being a lesbian i can truly be myself. i can be happy. i can be social with other people. it makes me want to work as a team and we all work better together when we are happier and we can be ourselves. >>. [music]

>> >> happy pride. everyone. [applause] [crowd noise]. [music] >> amazing. incredible for the city. for the citizens. for our visitors and the fire department and our public safety

partners to come together today and to celebrate pride weekend. >> i came because this is my first, year of pride and i wanted to experience with my mom. i'm most excited for everything i will see. celebrities just surrounded by so many fun people. my besties. we'll have a great time. >> >> i'm most excited about the expression of freedom and things which have to be this way well is no other way to do it. everybody is wrong and we should all be like the pride people and proud to be who we are >> we are here to celebrate pride >> san francisco pride. it is my first one experiencing the new atmosphere and learning. >> my first one, too.

>> so close we could not pass it up. it is san francisco it is the biggest ones can you pass it up. [crowd noise] [music] [crowd noise] >> it means everything that we have a common goal a common operating picture and a common mission. it is great to be together and walk together and show that. [crowd noise] [sirens].

the message is the lbgtq community is reflect in the our police department in san francisco. it sends a message that there are members of the department the police department, sheriff's department, fire department that are just like the people that we encounter in san francisco. and i think it sends a message of hope the more we honor the lbgtq community now, the stronger we can be in standing up against those that don't want our representation. [crowd noise] [music] >> [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish]. [crowd noise] [music] [music]

[drums] [crowd noise] this is my first time at the san francisco pride even though i have been here a couple years, i felt like now was the time to go. um -- really just coming to show my support and love for the

whole community out here. um, i'm really excited to be here today. >> i think i am most excited be such an arc mazing community come together. just the love and support i think that especially in san francisco, um, people bring together it is this such a deep feeling. and i'm excited feel that today. [crowd noise] [music] [music]

[sirens] [music] [crowd noise] whoa! [music] [cars honking] [sirens] [music] [horns] we never been to

a parade or something like that. >> i'm excited for the parade never been to an actual pride parade. pretty pumped. [crowd noise] [music] i'm excited celebrate with all of my queer people and to stand together in a hard time like we affirm each other and support

each other. >> same, ditto. >> [laughter]. [music] [crowd noise]. you love who you want to love >> happy pride. >> happy pride! >> go san francisco! happy pride! happy pride. >> happy frigin pride, everybody. [music] [music] happy pride!

of [laughter] [music]

. >> my name is ana renzi. i'm a fire investigator for the city and county of san francisco. the job of a fire investigator is to go after the fire has been put out and to determine the origin and the cause of the fire. so we are the people who after the firefighters have come in and done their magnificent work to extinguish the fire, we go through the fire scene and we are able to find how the fire started. just showing up, being who you are can mean a world of difference to someone. when someone sees you as an

identifiably queer person, an identifiable female presenting person or a person of color walk into their home, they can feel more comfortable and more trusting just knowing that you are around and that you may have some insight into their situation and to their community needs that others may not have. the san francisco fire department i'm proud to say goes out of its way to recruit women, minorities, and to the lgbtq+ community, we are awaiting you and wanting you to come join us as a san francisco fire department. no one is going to represent us like you are going to represent us. no one is going to care for our communities and for our departments like you are going to come and represent our communities and our

departments. i am a proud black queer member of the san francisco fire department and i'm especially proud to be part of an organization that respects and values our diverse communities in san francisco. [♪♪]