>> nowruz hi, everyone thank you so much for joining the 18 year have come at san francisco city hall. >> my name is sophia, if any, the founder and ceo of persian

women and honored to be at city hall chair for the past 8 years. >> this year in light of the political movement no iran persian men decided for the to have that but celebrating our heritage to display our event we're having right now. march is a month where many things will elevated you including international women's at a and women's history month and nowruz which is celebrated over 3000 years by over 90 million people around the world. it is so important to have representation. for communities to come total together and

showcase their heritage and culture. >> san francisco is a city that welcomes opens it's arms to many underrepresented community and culture we're thankful for working with the mayor of the san francisco and supervisor and supervisor to bring the incredible event together. it is important to recognize that women are behind this program the committee is all women with you so vendors are women and our all over the are iranian america women and persian women stand with - (clapping.) it is important not to only

evaluate but come together as a community tonight together we're stronger for that. and able to do more we're able to uplift our community and showcase this beauty of our culture and heritage. i'm honored today to introduce the mayor of san francisco london breed to the stage. >> (yelling). >> thank you and thank you to persian women it is so wonderful for here nowruz thank you to all the families and the friends and the people that came to celebrate now we know it is an challenging time in our lives and we know that sadly the death

of marsha has created a fear and frustration and this taken place in san francisco where that community stood in solidist to make that clear that the hatred will not be tolerated in any for this this community came together because of the hurt and pain and we'll be sad that happens to the women and women so many places where we are being challenged on a regular basis and not given the opportunity to decide on the economy of our both sides in the decided about our lives it is so

fitting it persian women has hosted this event and fitting it is held during women's history month in city hall. by a woman and mayor to make that clear we send a strong message we talk about the nowruz and renewable and hope and future and starting a new we make that clear that the ability for women to make they're own decisions about their both sides and how they move around the world that we will stand for justice and fairness and so today is about a hope for renewable hope for a new day, hope for a new year that is starkly the possibility what can a happy we truly come together and work hard and push for fairness and justice for all human beings.

(clapping.) so i want to really again, thank you sophie and you'll see people who are volunteering and hosting this over the years and really acknowledge your work and leadership in the tech industry a male dominated destroy for other women to strive thank you, for you work and advocacy and also take the opportunity to acknowledge our chief the protocol the first woman to serve had in the city and county of san francisco her family do incredible things she's a proud persian woman will be a support of this community thank you to my co-host supervisor and i saw

earlier shamann and so many leaders of people in city hall. i of course, that our hearts are heavy but today it truly a celebration to may be make that clear the persian of san francisco has a place here in san francisco at city hall a place that feels save and secure and a place to celebrate the new year and think before hope for the future a place you know, we have your back and here to support moving forward because our diversity in san francisco is our sprelth e strength the fact we stick together what makes our unique place. so great to see all of you here to celebrate nowruz any time i have an opportunity to celebrate a new year a change for a new beginning i'm happy to do that

and acknowledge your state the state of california control the treasurer also joining us today so many wonderful people who care about celebrating the new year and the joy of this occasion city hall will be a place that we continue to do that and i want to ask sophie to come forward as i officially declare monday, march 20th - tuesday, march 21, 2023, in the city and county of san francisco nowruz day. >> (clapping) thank you so much and at this time, i wanted to introduce my co-host supervisor saving thank

you, ma'am mayor give it up for london breed. >> could i is the 18 day 18 year i'm sorry 18 year that we had nowruz celebration at city hall it started think o under governor gavin newsom a group of iranian got together and to recognize a community in many ways to a lot of people they're land use in one group out of that have a way to celebrate our culture at city hall so from that time going forward we have been having celebrations every year more and more fruitful and more and more event full and a beautiful way to show our culture. um, i want to recognize a few people before i say a few more words thank you, sophie the

persian woman for organizing this and others and (clapping.) expanding our culture a showing the music and i want to thank the mayor for hosting this not every community doesn't but had the opportunity to come to city hall. >> (clapping) but i want to i i would be remiss to say we have to recognition what is happening in iran people are putting their lives on the whether or not i think for what we take some people take for granted on a daily basis the ability to speak feel free and walk down the street to hole hands and simple things and speaking their. as a matter of fact simple things we do on a daily basis are not exchanged by brave brave women and people brave brave young

people in fact, are putting their lives on the line (chanting). >> thank you. >> and so i want to say nowruz nowruz and (speaking foreign language) what are the beautiful people in the world can we give it up for persians and thank you for celebrating our culture. >> thank you good for celebrating coming together as one thank you and i'm going to ask lisa and mohammed to come up please we can recognize the wonderful work you do

(clapping.) come on up. >> today a mohammed day (laughter.) >> thank you. (clapping.) and then lastly, i want to call you think persian woman and tech sophie for all you're amazing work you have done (clapping.) . thank you. >> yeah. one second so then also let's give up for the wonderful happening displays thank you for her amazing work and (clapping.) for again, it is absolutely beautiful and hand it back to

severing any. >> thank you, supervisor. and mayor for an incredible speech this today would not be possible without the support of many of our community members and giving the time, and money because it costs something like to lee like this and recognize those who really have been the pillar important for the program and for the most part the culture family foundation (clapping.) has been supporting this initiative for many, many years we appreciate that. mr. mohammed and christen. >> (clapping). >> i think beyond the community we also need to see

around us in the city and they need to step up and also support thankful for amazon crews and san francisco giants in supporting and elevating our community (clapping.) i hope you enjoyed today's tea and the pastries and i want to thank - bakery and the tea we're serving you. >> providing the - presenting incredible work please support them and couldn't have done it without you the committee that is behind us and unfortunately, we are not having everyone but.

>> (calling names.) >> have been part of this and supporting to make sure that our culture is represented our is elevated thank you so much and i'm going to pass it back to supervisor. >> (clapping) want to recognize a few people before we bring up the next person you thank you for the board of education for being here (clapping.) and the record thank you and any bring up our state treasurer to say a few words please come on up and been a wonderful friends and every step of the way thank you, state treasurer. >> thank you very much. and great to be here in the people's hall slubt the culture and the tradition of the persian

community i've been good forensics with sammy others for so many years and used to see call me all the time and now they are elected they no longer call me all the time but i've been here since i served on the board of supervisors in 200220 years so it is so great to be here with all of our beautiful persians and the community members we thank the mayor for continuing to welcome us and feel included in this great diversity of the state of california we are the fourth largest economy because of all of us so let's celebrate and stand up and rise up to support the people to be the best we can happy nowruz

(clapping.) and then lastly last but not least want to bring our our city administrator carmen chu please come up. >> hello, good afternoon afternoon i'm the city conservative and welcome, everyone to city hall a beautiful event it is great represents the spring and new beginnings and also want to say this year we're looking forward to a wonderful year in the celebration with all of you and especially thank supervisor for bringing this year after year and the mayor to continuing to host and sponsor for those of you who don't know a handful of celebrations in city hall this is one of them and thanks to the leadership and the supervisor and the mayor thank you for your great work and, of course, we

have the year ahead (clapping.) . okay. everyone thank you and enjoy the treats and thank you for coming out today >> i think a lot of times we get

in adult lives we are afraid to follow our passions and think life can't be that easy. but i truly do believe i followed my heart this time in my journal in city government i did not know that is where my passion lied. i kept following it and ltd. to great opportunity to serve the city. [music] >> i'm katy tang the executive director of the office of small business. >> small business contributes to san francisco's economy. they provide the bulk of employment in the city and employing a million people in san francisco. and roughly 90% of the businesses are defined as small businesses. so, they contribute to the

economy but also just the quality of life. small businesses are more then and there a place of transaction it is a community center. a play where people gather. know each other and form memories about the city. >> at the office of mall business i run a team this helps report all mall businesses in san francisco whether they are looking to stfrt a new business or expand or perhaps they are feeling with issues. our office is here as a point of information for anyone with a business that has 100 or nower employees. >> i was growing up i had many ideas of when i wanted to do. i wanted to being an olympic swimmer. and i wanted to men be an architect, you name it i had many ideas for what i wanted do when i grew up. and i never anticipated entering

in politics. this opportunity came along wh started working for former supervisor carmen chu and she became the district 4 sunset district supervisor. that was my firstent row in politics and government in a different level. and so when i was finishing up my time working for legislative aid i thought, i will go off and do something else. may be explore opportunity outside of city government what was then approached by this opportunity to also serve as a district 4 supervisor. if not the traditional route that many people think of when you enter in politics. a lot know that is manage than i want to do and run for office. that was not part of my culture and upbringing with manage my parents were wondering why i wanted to go in that role this legislation and important

because so many women when have it return to work after having a child feel embarrassed or don't feel comfortable asking their supervisor for will any lactation accommodations. i saw it as an opportunity you could use the position where you have tools creating legislation and pass laws and where people listen to to you help the community and pass cause catharsis important to the city and individuals. my family immigrated to the united states from taiwan. and they came here in pronl probably late 20's almost 30. and so, they came also in the knowing english limp barely read or write but had to quickly understand english to i can't haveigate services and find a job in america. i grew up in the san francisco sunset district i spent most of

my childed hoo up until i went off to college. so when i started working in city government, i think i had mixed reactions about my involvement working government because for some of our parents generation, there is i bit of distrust in government. i think there are questions about why i was entering in this field of work. i think you know when i went in city government i thought about my parents like so many other who is have to navigate city services and resources english first language and help the individuals both navigate, intercept that is on an application approximate signage. it is fulfilling to mow to help people like my parent and feel like government is there to support them and not to harm them. my parents are happy that i retired early from politics and

being a district 4 supervisor i could have continued on for a couple more years approximate decided to leave early. i think that over all they were able to see some of my work appear in the chinese newspaper. through that they were able to see i was able to help communities in a tangible way. >> the member of the board of supervisors. >> transportation authority. for the city and county of san francisco. congratulations. >> i think about one importance when i was worn in as district 4 supervisor. years ago, and someone actually came up to me during the swear nothing ceremony and said, wow, i'm traveling here from canada, and i just i could not believe i saw an asian female worn in in this role a leadership role this meant so much that someone would say that and felt they were inspired by the scene.

so -- i hope that as more people see people that look like them and more women coming in positions of leadership than i feel they can doing the same. person this inpyred me is carmen chu who is our city add administrator but also was district 4 supervisor when i worked with her as a legislative aid. at this point, i too, was skeptical of going in politics. i saw someone who had herself never seen herself in politics. got thrown into it and put her heart and soul and dedication to serve people. and it gave me the confidence to pursue that same job and i honestly would not have either chosen or accepted or considered serving on the board of supervisors were not for carmen. >> if you want to make your business accessible. >> in my role in city government

where i have seen the most challenge is people who don't know you and you are here to serve and help them that they classify you as our city government and here to hurt you. so, people will talk to you and -- and just you know treat you disrespectfully. and sometimes i noticed that they might do more to me as a female compared to my male colleagues. but you know i try to be empathetic. one of the most significant barriers to female empowerment we feel like we have to be 100% meeting all of the qualifications before we think that we are qualified to do a job. if we look at a job description or an opportunity to come your way well is self doubt about whether you can fulfill the obligations of that role. i think that the confidence is huge and sometimes i think we

make up for it by trying to gain more experience. more and more and more in whatever we can put under our belts we'll feel better. that may not be the case. we might be qualified with when we have already accomplished. i started rock climbing indoors a couple years ago as an activity to try to spends time with my husband and also to try something new and i finds that rock climbing there are so many parallels to life. you know when i'm on the wall i'm concentrating and trying to make it to the next piece without falling. there are daying you think i'm not making progress. you come back and wow, i hit another level. and so i feel like in our daily lives and w we think we are not making enough of i change in the

city. and sometimes we have to take out time to reflect every day as long as you try and give it your all and you look back you will have made a significant contribution there is no limit to where you go in terms of rock climbing. i want to reminds myself of that in terms of daily life. >> follow what it is you are interested in, what makes you feel excited about wake up every day. you never know and be open to all the possibilities and opportunity. [music] >> everything we do in the tenderloin, we urban outfit. here, this gives us an opportunity to collaborate with

other agencies and we become familiar with how other agencies operate and allow us to be more flexible and get better at what we depo in the line of work in this task. >> sometimes you go down and it's hard to get up. so we see ourselves as providing an opportunity for the unhoused to get up. and so i really believe that when they come here and they've said it, this right here is absolutely needed. you can't ask for nothing better. >> the tenderloin is the stuff that ain't on the list of remedies, liked the spiritual connection to recovery and why would i? why would i recover? what have i got to live for? things like that. and sharing the stories. like i was homeless and just the team. and some people need that extra connection on why they can change their life or how they could. >> we have a lot of guests that will come in and say i would like -- you know, i need help with shelter, food, and primary care doctor. and so here, that's three rooms

down the hall. so if you book them, they get all of their needs taken care of in one go. this is an opportunity for us here in the tenderloin to come together, try out these ideas to see if we can put -- get -- connect people to services in a >> i will be remiss if i do not mention persian new year last week and the fact that spring just started, which is exciting. but unfortunately it is great we seat rain but we don't see a lot of spring sprouting now