Transcripts For SFGTV Black 20240704

We are here to celebrate San Francisco, there on your hill, my city, fair as the queen of ol, supreme in her 7 hill splender, you from your golden gate of gold, facing the orient sun burn and swap in the sunset gleams thrown in ultimate glory, youre a city of mist and a city of dreams. Welcome to the 10th anniversary of the closing ceremony of black history celebration of San Francisco lets give yourselves a round of applause. [cheers and applause] we want you to feel inspired. We want you to feel uplifted and we want to you feel curious about the history of this wonderful city by the bay and how black history is San Francisco history. We are celebrating the trailblazers, you know that came from San Francisco have been still coming from the gold rush era to wwii. When tens of thousands of African Americans including my parents came to San Francisco as part of the great migration, they came from the south and the west and midwest. They came for better way of life. They came to celebrate their gifts can and by the end of wwii, the filmore district had earned the title of harlem of the west. Now although the numbers of African Americans have dwindled and decreases in years, there is no way no how, that we can erase the proud ancestors who made this city what it is today. [applause] no way tonight, we will embrace the many colors and hue of those ancestors, they left the stones behind and many of us take for granted as we travel through the city, we dont know where the stones are lead but they are, the stones are there for us to see and tonight im going to bring out a few of them. Did you know that we had trailblazers such as this amazing gentleman by the name of William Alexander lays dwarf. Yes, aha, nobody knows who he was. He was awe brother and in the 1800, he was one of the earliest African Americans to come to california. He was one of the founders of this city, yes a black man. There is a street named for him and its twoblock alley between montgomery and samson. Lets say it together, lead us dwarf, kind of sounds a little german. Do you think they know he really was a brother . Anyway, well have to do a 23 and me later on. Yes, those stones have been laid. If you go to 465 california street, in 11857, there was a california saving Land Association building. And brenda, you ought to know about this. Where is brenda at . Brenda ms. Wells fargo . Its now called the Merchants Exchange building. And that was a site of the first africanamerican owned bank in San Francisco. Its president , a brother Henry Collins was one of the wealthiest black leaders and owned a lot of land in the city. There is a lot of city history around and if i was a smart person i would get myself a spran and do a San Francisco black history tour, you think it would work . Is theres a lot of floor to see right now. Yes yes yes. Were working on it. You know, covid reek havoc on San Francisco and oakland and all near by sdaoez. But you know, that waunz the first time, uhhuh, San Francisco was destroyed by fire, not once not twice but seven times in between 1849 and 1851. If you use your imagination, can you imagine the people there having to build the city all over again . Seven times. And each time the people rebuilt, we tried more and more methods and hightech methods to prevent fire. 1906 earth quick, once again. It happened in 1989 with the earthquake. Weve got to learn from our history and we need to learn from our disasters, am i right about it . No . Were going to let the city just mess up . We have to learn from our disasters and learn how those people had a mind to rebuild the city. Were not in a construction era, were in a reconstruction era. And as soon as we accept that, we can Work Together to keep dreaming, keep innovating, keep creating, keep fighting not one another but keep fighting for this city and fighting to make it a better city in the future by looking at the history of our past. And African Americans were right there in that history. So i would like to leave inspired tonight and ready to work. Because San Francisco has long been the inspiration for many people and theyre still coming. A black woman came to the city back in the 40s, and in the 50s, they became the first cable car operator. She danced, at the purple onion before moving to San Francisco, her name was margarite anne johnson. But once she came here, she realized she had to change her name. And if you close your eyes, allow this voice to speak to you, you will feel her spirit. Close your eyes and imagine. Human family, i know the obvious differences in the human family. Some of us are serious, some drive on comedy, some declare vandalism as true and other claims they really lived the real reality. The variety of our skin tone can confuse, amuse delete, brown and pink and beige and purple and tan and blue and white. I sailed upon the seven cease and seen the land, ive seen the wonders of world not yet one common man. I know 10,000 women called jane and mary jane, i have not seen any two who were really the same. Mirror twins are different although their feature jived and lovers think different thoughts while lying side by side. We love and lose in china, we weapon on englands moore and laugh and moan in guinea and thrive on spanish shores. We seek the sense and finland our born and die in maine, in minor ways we differ in major were the same. I know the obvious differences, between each sort and type, but we are more like my friend, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friend, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. Wow. Maya angelou, ladies and gentlemen. [cheers and applause] and in 1959 she joined live Memorial Church and made that her home. And here with us tonight we have the glide memorial ensemble please put your hands together for them as they come. [cheers and applause] [music] hmm hmm hmm, yeah yeah yeah, aha, i feel spirit over me i feel your spirit all over me its in my hands, in my soul, down in my feet, yeah, i feel your spirit all over me come on, i feel your spirit, all over me yeah, i feel your spirit, all over me yeah, its in my hands, my soul, my down in my feet, oh yeah yeah yeah, oh yeah, i feel your presence all over me. I feel your presence all over me [singing] is thes in my hands, in my soul, down in my feet, lord i feel your presence all over me come on choir. I feel your preference all over me. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel the presence all over me. My soul, down in my feet, oh yeah, i feel it moving, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, moving, down in my toes, yeah, come on put your hands together. [singing] oh, i feel your glory all over me aha, i feel your glory all over me. My hands, my toes and down in my feet, i feel the glory all over me. Come on choir. I feel your glory all over me. Yeah yeah yeah, i feel the glory all over me. I feel it in my hands, my toes, my down in my feet. Yeah yeah, yeah, oh i feel your power all over me. I feel your power all over me. Its in my hands, my toes, yeah, down in my feet, i feel your power all over me. Come on, i feel your power all over me. I feel your power all over me. I feel it, feel it, oh yeah. Down in my feet. I feel the power all over me. Oh yeah, i feel it moving. Moving all over me, yeah. Moving, moving, moving, moving, yeah. Moving, moving moving, yeah yeah yeah. Ooh, yeah, i feel it moving, moving, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, move, move, move, move, move, move, move, yeah yeah yeah yeah, moving. Down in my feet. Yeah yeah yeah yeah ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah. Aha. Ooh. [cheers and applause] ladies and gentlemen, the glide memorial ensemble do you feel the spirit . Moving all over ya . All right at this time, were going to ask them to stay and help us sing as all of you stand i ask you all to stand as we bring the black National Anthem to lift every voice and sing. [singing of black National Anthem lift every voice and sing] lift every voice and sing. Till earth and heaven ring. Ring with the harmonies of liberty. Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listing skies, let it be resound, loud as the rolling sea. Sing a a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us. Facing the rising sun of our day begun, let us march till victory is won. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us. Face ing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won. Until its won yes memorial ensemble make us proud to have us sing that anthem. Very very proud. It is truly a pleasure to stefsh as your mistress of ceremony. Our real guest is london breed, our state controller malia cohen. Supervisor Shamann Walton and new to the committee, our San Francisco District Attorney, Brooke Jenkins. It is their vision that we celebrate our Small Businesses and Community Involvement of course that is you. And we continue to celebrate those that make an impact in our city. So glad to see representatives from our fire department, and Police Department and every agency here. It gives my heart joy to see you in a happy place, not in front of the press, not where you have to deal with all the stuff that we know you have to deal with but you can come and celebrate with us because you very well are part of our citys history too. Lets hear it for every one. Every one that is here today that are working in the trenches to make our city a good city. And i cannot believe i said our city because im from oakland. Since ive been here ever year, they might not come back over the bridge but honestly i feel a very strong connection with all of our cities because theyre all going through a lot and we all want the best for our families, for our businesses and one another, dont we . Yeah. Alrighty, our first artist is going to celebrate here with us, lets see if i got the right notes. Yes. Hes a hiphop artist and actor and entrepreneur who includes the message of hope in social justice and everything he does. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for stuner o2 that man o2 thank you, so much, mayor. If youre all feeling good, let me get an oh yeah, okay, so we came to celebrate unity in here and my name is dj west coast, if you dont know who i am, im dj west coast im o2 official dejay, weve been coming all through the coast spreading positivity and eating healthy. We have a song called eat a salad and another song that is representing unite throughout San Francisco and its called big step in if youve been to a 49ers game, this young man has been one of those pioneers in the community that has been able to push us forward into a new light. But im a young person and i see all of this beautiful success and entrepreneurship, i see a lot of my peers in here. I see a lot of people who may be older than me who can show me the way and it gives me hope for me and my friends. Im 23 years old, out here, you know what im saying. So when i see people like the mayor and chief of police, we have the same skin color, he gives me hope that i can be more than in this life. Enough about me, we hear for stuner man o2, you all say with it, steel, steel, when i say come, you saul say together, come, come, come, everybody right now, i need yall to get on your feet, i need you to make some noise, we have stuner man o2, dj can you drop one time for my people. Everybody get loud. Everybody stand up. Everybody stand up. Lets go ha. Hahu big weapon [singing] i need yall to hit it harder, come on, what we doing hey, hey, put the guns here, finish and ive got to get now. We got a bot, just to have some fun now. [rapping] hey im trying to unity but what is the use, want to hear the truth thats why we get money and then we laugh about. Reputation and then ask about it and if they got a problem, we got the money. Now im chilling make it og, 8723, we need everybody to turn come on. [rapping] we be stepping, ah, come on, get it, get it, listen to the a, say go mayor, go mayor, go mayor go. Go mayor, go mayor, go mayor. Say go mayor, go mayor go. You can cut it up there, you can cut it up there. Shout out to the mayor. We having fun, shout out to the dj west coast, hey man. You know it wouldnt be right if you did an event in San Francisco without sentimental and still winning it. You all make some noise real quick. Before i leave. I do want to do something very special, you know, i dont know about you all, but i love seeing all of these Beautiful People. Let me take my glasses off. Oh shoot oh wait, running back, he got to convince that too, running back, running back one time, play it again. Come on im gig let me see you see your, ah, ah, come on. Im big stepping, look like ahah big weapon, come on. You can cut it there, you all make some noise. Hey man, at a bangles going to be my favorite team, shout out to joe. But, i aint going to keep you all much longer. What i want to do real quick, i know we got some high energy. But real quick, i want to have a moment of sigh license and its for our black women because unfortunately, our black women theyre treated the worse, theyre talked down the worse. Unfortunately, people are pinning the shape of San Francisco on our mayor and she is doing the best that she can. [cheers and applause] you know, what im saying. They not talking about all the other gentrification and pushing people out that happened before her rank, so you know, during black History Month, lets have a moment a moment of silence if you lost a black woman in your life, if you have seen a black women that has been hurt talked down on because they not going to tell you, black women graduate college at the highest rate. Come on now. They not going to tell you 60 of success fortune 500 companies have majority black women running it, they not going to tell you all that. So real quick, if you all could, close your eyes and lets have a moment of silence and this moment of silence is going to appreciate our black women. [moment of silence] the way they talking about our black women, im beg them to stop t beauty in every shape from the light skin to chocolate, try most of these flavors but something about that chocolate got to keep one in my pocket, glowing all that me lonin, underappreciated and aint nothing, navigate and seas something like, first they said they haid you and then they said they hate you, man just want to date you, champion how you play it, no way they could equate you, tom brady but they could never deflate you. Something about these black women i love them from the start, fabulous in their essence we would never be apart in order to see the light, hi to put faith in true black queens, yall make some noise for these black women. I go by sentimental too, and if you ever get down and look yourself in the mirror and say, yay yeah, all right. Stuner o2 ladies and gentlemen. I like that, i like that a lot. Im honored to now officially introduce our host, who has been working hard in our community to make a difference. The first africanamerican women and 45th mayor of the city and county of San Francisco, work to go create a more equitable and just San Francisco, not just for black people but for everybody. Please welcome the honorable mayor london breed [cheers and applause] up next, we have the chief officer of the 5th largest economy responsible for to account for and protect the state financial resources, please welcome california state controller malia cohen [cheers and applause] proudly representing the San Francisco 10th district, invitation valley neighborhoods, please ladies and gentlemen put your hands for supervisor Shamann Walton [cheers and applause] and new to our committee, serving as the 30th District Attorney of San Francisco no strange tore d. A. s office, 7 years from 2024 to 2021, where she began doing misdemeanors and handling those cases and later served as a hates crime prosecutor and proud to know that she is a trailblazer in our city, please welcome District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and she is a mom too [cheers and applause] you guys look good tonight. How are you feeling . Well listen, i want to just welcome you back one more time into the peoples palace, welcome to San Francisco city hall [cheers and applause] im so happy to see you, im so glad that you continue to come out to support this event. Did you know that this is the 10th anniversary . [cheers and applause] ten years, this event has been growing. And it has been easy, but i want to recognize one woman in particular, dia na roberts right here, you, come on up. Come on. [cheers and applause] this is the woman that pulls it altogether, she has been with us nine out of the ten years. Nine out of the ten years. She is the one that helps us find the talent and puts the program together and writes the program and does the advertising, you name it. Did you come to have a good time . [cheers and applause] thats good, because we have some history making acknowledgment first. I want you to recognize mayor breed, this woman. [cheers and applause] now im not campaigning because that would be illegal but im just letting you know im voting for mayor breed. Im not campaigning because that would be illegal, im just telling what you im going to do so i hope that you will be inspired and know what to do too [cheers and applause] now im not campaigning but another race happening, im here to educate. I want you to know that you need to cut through the noise and im going to make it easy for you, Brooke Jenkins is your current District Attorney and she will continue to be your District Attorney. [cheers and applause] that threw me off, okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen, so tonight, is a cultural culmination of the africanamerican experience coupled with the african daispra paying attention to our history and for founders and careful attention to the future. There are a few people that i want to recognize. I want to recognize those that have been walk withing me from the beginning, and that is dj flesh and russell gate wood [cheers and applause] i also want to recognize ms. Miranda who has been emceing for a number of years. [cheers and applause] all right, i got that heavy lift of recognizing all the folks. We goat lekted here, i want to recognize supervisor mandelman, safai was here, i want to uplift our chief, bill scott, stand up take a moment [cheers and applause] yall keep chief scott on top of your prayer list, right there next to your mother. And then i want to uplift and recognize chief of the fire department, nicos now you know, they vent would not be possible without our wonderful and thoughtful and generous sponsors. Im making sure that youre paying attention. I want to, i want to also recognize kaiser permanente, super hernton young coming in at the top of the list. Meta, giant, at t sales force, ucsf, we see you. United airlines, lime scooter, black citizens, brooke field properties, a and a health services, bruce a gat, california barrel company, Alaska Airlines and last but not least, visa [cheers and applause] and rounding our a list of the distinguished folks joining us is also chief sheriff paul miomoto, thank you. [cheers and applause] all right, who you want to hear from next . Mayor breed, youre up all right, all right, lets give it up for controller malia cohen the first black controller in the state of california [cheers and applause] we making history here tonight. Let me just say, how excited and proud i am to serve as mayor of such an extraordinary city full of amazing people. Full of people that represent the resiliency of San Francisco. And that the heart of that resiliency is the africanamerican community. [cheers and applause] this years three theme for black History Month, centers around the art. And i want to take an opportunity to recognize ralph recommendington who is the director of Culture Affairs for the city. [cheers and applause] because fortunately for us, we continue to make sure that through the grants for the arts that were still investing in and telling those stories of africanamerican, history makers maya angelou, the first africanamerican woman that rang the car bells when black people were not even allowed to get on the cable car. [cheers and applause] when we celebrate black History Month it is a time to recognize and to reflect on our black history even here in San Francisco. Because the discrimination that africanamericans face in order to get even the four of these amazing leaders up here today into office represents a lot of blood sweat and tears. And i just want to call out a few names like Mary Helen Rogers and nature mason and a lois west brooke and espino la nina jack on and leroy king and so many trailblazers. There are so many of those people including my grandmother camellia brown who were just one generation removed from slavery and they were the hope of our ancestors as they migrated to california and i look at what we are doing here in San Francisco today and asthma i cant angelou talks about the hopes and the dream of the slaves. Its about the ability for all of us to not only lead but to come together. And to Work Together and continue to buildup our community in way thats lifts every one, not just some of us. Not just i got mine and you worry about getting yours is we got ours together. [cheers and applause] so as we celebrate our history and as tonight, we have a good time too, after dealing with the global pandemic, after dealing with so many challenges in this city, i dont know but but im seeing and im feeling the change. Im seeing and feeling the excitement. And i am enjoying every single minute of it. So i want to take this opportunity last but not least to really recognize that while every one else was talking about what they were going to do for the black community, everybody else was talking about how they were going to give free this and free that, you know what we did in San Francisco . Sharyl davis, you know what we did in San Francisco. Dr. Sai, you know what we did in San Francisco. Supervisor walton, you know what we did in San Francisco. We created the dream Keeper Initiative. [cheers and applause] raise your hand if you benefited from the dream Keeper Initiative . [cheers and applause] a 60 Million Dollars annual investment in black businesses, black non prove pits, black artist, black children, black organizations, black home ownership, black opportunity black black black black black. So, they can come for me if they want to, they can continue to come for black people in the city this they want to. But this is why it is so important when we recognize our history in this city, that we remember that. Because that was not so far away. Just like many of us are descendants of slaves, there are descendents of slave owners that are still very present in some instances and just know that we got god on our side. [cheers and applause] and we going to continue to fight. And were going to continue to lift up our voices and im going to continue to lead this city, to the best of my ability to take care of all people. And never ever ever ever apologize for representing the black community in the way that i do. [cheers and applause] thank you [cheers and applause] and im suppose to follow that . Say it loud . Say it loued . First of all, i want to recognize all the Beautiful People here today. Black people give yourself a hand tonight. [cheers and applause] every year we have the opportunity to come together and this is the most amazing celebration that we have in San Francisco. Always well attended, you always show up and so im proud every last wednesday of february, to be here with all of you. I do want to talk real quick, briefly about the fact that, black people are under attack in this city. And i dont care what your degree is, i dont care what your title is, i dont care what class you come from, when you look like us and you walk in the room that is the first thing they see. Period. So the more we are understand that as a collective, the bert off we are all going to be as a community. History has been made on this stage. [cheers and applause] but this cannot be the end of us making history here in San Francisco. And so, during black History Month, during the celebration im going to leave with this, because we all need each other if we are going to affect any kind of change. And spider by it self, is a small bug that you can step and squash with one step. But several spiders together with the strength of each other when they put their web together, they can tie up a lion and thats what we have to be as black people. We have to be those spiders that can tie up a lion and we have to be that black fist that we raise in the air so proudly all the time. Remember that, as we go out here from daytoday. Because this may be black history mobsinger but we need each other 365 days a year [cheers and applause] and actually, actually, in this case, 366. [laughter] but i love and appreciate all of you, happy black History Month. Thank you so much for continuing to come out. I want it give shout out to brewy who is another one of our sponsors. And i know mayor breed acknowledged dr. Sai, birch but i want to say thank you both so much for computing the vision and the work that we continue to do here in San Francisco. God bless. [cheers and applause] so here we go, im the newbie as everybody knows. I thought i was already having to follow in big shoes being the second black d. A. After our vice president. But then, i get tasked with going last on stage tonight. Followed by our incredible mayor who a pointed me to this position examine i will always be grateful like because she said, she does not only talk the talk, she walks the walks. And she gave this black woman an opportunity to serve the city. [cheers and applause] im following behind one of the few fellow moms in elected office malia who is trailblazer as a states first black controller. [cheers and applause] and then being asked to speak behind a twotime member of the board of supervisors, so obviously, it, again, i am here to work alongside the fellow leaders in the city to get San Francisco to where it needs to be. And i too have to shout out the other black leader in the city who i get to do this along which is our police chief bill scott there are not a lot of people who do these jobs not for themselves but do it in service to others and let me tell you that is a man who does it in service to the city. And has been the epitome of the way to do it the right way in a profession that we know has caused a lot of damage in communities but he has dedicated himself to being a prime example of how to do it the right way. And for that, he deserves every ounce of respect. [cheers and applause] and so again, i come tonight just wanting to uplift so many of my job is seen as negative but what we are responsible and what i stand alongside the mayor and chief scott is to keep communities in San Francisco safe, to our our community safe. Because so often we are forgotten, we are not portrayed of victims we are portrayed as perpetrators and that has to stop. That must stop. So i come everyday trying to bringing a voice to victims who look like us and trying to make sure that our neighborhoods are represented at the table and our perspective right side heard and hopefully were setting an example to the next generation of leaders and giving them an image of where they can go and what they can be. So thank you. Thank you. [cheers and applause] mayor london breed, malia cohen, Shamann Walton and d. A. Jenkins. Thank you. Thank you. [cheers and applause] ladies and gentlemen, before we all leave the stage, i just want to take a moment to uplift and recognize the world class warriors. Because they are also incredible sponsors that have been with us for a number of years. And i also want to recognize michael d with the registry and thats been our Media Sponsor for ten years, another black owned business. Thank you to our home teams the warriors, thank you to our home team with the giants, we are grateful. Keep winning and well keep coming. [cheers and applause] all right. Im so glad she mentioned our sports team. And up next every time we drive past the or cal plaza and see the bronze statue of willie mays, known as the say hey kid, who i grew up watching and proud that trailblazer is still with us. He has a wonderful scholarship its a willie mays scholar and this is a program at the Giants Community fund. And because every year, they award five scholars and inducted into the Willie Mays Hall of fame i call it. Here to tell us more about it, the representative from the Giants Organization as well as recipient ricky norris, the young lady will tell us more about herself. Put your hands together for nicki and the representative for San Francisco giants. [cheers and applause] thank you. Thank you. Good evening, my name is ricky norris and im a senior at june Jordan School for equity and im a willie mays scholar. [cheers and applause] i would like to start off by saying thank you to mayor london breed and her team, willie mays, relax, okay, im nervous yall. Okay. I would like to thank mayor london breed and her team for allowing us to be here. I would also like to thank my college support team willie mays, dr. Martial, 100 Percent College prep and of course my parents. This opportunity means the world to me. This is a very big event a little bit bigger than i expected, im not going to lie. To have the opportunity to be invited to speak on behalf of the giants and willie mays is a feeling i cannot describe, no pleasure at all. Normally i dont like to talk about myself but i guess thats why im here. Both of my parents were born and raised in bay view, as was i, i attended schools inside the filmore mission and Bay View District and now excelier that sounds luke a lot of neighborhoods. But my parents wanted make sure that i always felt safe in my city. Education was not my top priority, yet somehow even covid i ended up on the honor role and africanamerican honor roll all four years of high school. [cheers and applause] i graduate in 2024 and i will be attending a fouryear university outside of california majoring in psychologist and sociology, my goal was to become a teen therapist. Covid has shown me in crisis teen are often left alone to deal with their life on their own. I strongly believe that growing up, we need adults besides our parents and guardian to see keep us and help us to navigate us through life and trauma. With that being said, the future is what you make it. As a result of hard work and lots of anxiety and a support team, i have been accepted to 12 fouryear universities around the united states. [cheers and applause] the willie may has made my career not only a dream but reality. I was invested as a willie may scholar my junior year of high school. They help africanamerican students who want to attend college and achieve a career in educational goals. Before this scholarship, i have to be honest, i knew nothing about baseball, not a thing not a homerun nothing. Since ive been a willie may scholar, i still dont care but i totally understand the sacrifice willie may have made and what he meant he must be dedicate today your sport. Im not going good at sports but i am good at cheering. The giant Community Fund support each scholar that meets their individual need and they make sure that we are all dedicate today our sport aka our academic. Being a willie may scholar has impacted my life with regard to the way i think and feel to my community and the sacrifices made by our ancestor. This program, thanks to this program and thanksand the support of my community, i will be a strong leader. I will continue to rise i will be an impactful role model for my community. [cheers and applause] i will remember how i feel in this exact moment and share this with my peers. This is a lot coming from a 17yearold, but i know that i recognize that this is important to me because many youth in the neighborhood will be limited based on their skin color where they come from, how they walk, dress and walk and i want to make sure that the black Community Know that we are more than a statistic and that we can achieve more if we put our minds to it. And nothing is impossible when you are spiritually grounded. Before i leave you today, i would like to take the opportunity to thank mayor london breed and her staff for not only giving me this opportunity to share my experience but also to thank them for honoring willie may not only as a baseball player but as a africanamerican legend. I truly believe that by acknowledging willie may is a great way to show appreciation for somebody who paved the way and continues to give back for somebodywho continues to give back for the youth despite the modern disparity and discrimination. This tribute is a formal way to bring awareness to an extraordinary man for all that he has done to support the youth in and outside of baseball. To ensure the youth in our community thrive academically and financially and most of all, spiritually. To close out we have something to present the city of San Francisco. Im getting in trouble, sorry. I got carried away. First we want to thank the city, we want to thank the city for welcoming our stay hey kids with open arms and to you mayor, for honoring willie may scholars like myself. I like to present this San Francisco sea lion negro week jersey and of course we added the willie may patch too. [cheers and applause] lets hear it ladies and gentlemen, one more time for ricky norris. When she says, a 17yearold like me, you know, the idea that we fwaukd the people in our past, but she represents our future and where ever you go, where ever one of those 12 colleges she chooses, she takes San Francisco with her doesnt she as a willie may scholar lets hear it one more time for ricky. We have to continue to encourage our young people. She might not be an athlete but she truly has the heart of an athlete. And those hearts beat strong. Up next our next expression will be through song and poetry and were proud to have a tremendously Creative Force with us. Who art and activism is intertwined. Were happy to have in our city at the Oakland School for the arts and along with her, is wonderful mc, she is a poet one is an mc and together they are, to do a tribute to maya angelou, valerie trout and azila jamenson. Please welcome them as they come in their own way. Along the way. I am my ancestors wildest dream, i am the song that they could not sing. I am the hope, i am the love, i am the laughter and pride. [singing] like that we rise. The last of the world is black women, its boinscy and shine and warm and warmth and with in and without shadows and starlight, we born and eternal. Black women is the philosophy of the world, not countries or kingdoms and kings but earth and ocean and oxygen, that of nurtures trees and roots, our tears directly connect to the ocean, our hearts beat african drum rhythm in time for our footprint, the sway of our hips, our laughter is the song of resounding thunder of defying the odds and stereotype of hope and praise and embracing the rain, honoring the soil from which we came. Do you see us . Mighty ebony mountain rains, majestic forest, black women are diamond mind. That is built for bearing the weight of time and survival, star bright smiles to light the way home through tribulation hovering comfort and feelings. Ted upright at 30 for the cloud, we will be as our ancestors fought for and still grounded in resilient history, generational strong, just as the earth, we have babies and buried elders, weathered storms and endured the winds of men. What then cannot be broken what is define cannot be undone, the philosophy of the world is eternal existence, it is never being finished in spite of every one and everything, this is black women, unwaivering and perpetually right. [singing] we rise. We rise. [cheers and applause] contribute to dr. Maya angelou, still we rise. Mark the date september 19th on your calendar or in front of our San Francisco library, they are unveiling a beautiful tribute a monument to dr. Maya angelou called a monument to dr. Maya angelou a phenomenal woman and it will be a bronze book with her face on the cover of the book so they will be unveiling that on the lock street entrance of the San Francisco library on september 19th at 11 00. This is a very special city to dr. Maya angelou and we are not banning books here in San Francisco. [cheers and applause] she was a lover of writing, a poetoriete and no matter where i roam im proud about that our bay and were not banning any books, were not banning any authors, we dont shut people out, we welcome them, no matter what they look like, who they sleep with, how they walk, how they talk, how much they have in their pockets, people are still coming to San Francisco bay area and theyre looking for something, we hope they can find it. We cant leave technology out as were thinking about trailblazers and tonight were blessed and lucky to have somebody steeped in the area of technology and were proud that she is in the room. At sales force, her roles have spanned from developer to technical trainer, to consultant and now senior vice president. She is an author, a host of Award Winning series leading through change lets hear it for senior v. P. Trailblazer lea mcallenhare. [cheers and applause] wow wow wow. I tell you, the show is so engaging i forgot i was coming up here and so i was yes sister, yes sister, and theyre like maam, you need to get ready to come up. Okay, i forgot. Thank you so much. Im here to share with you and integrate into the conversation technology. Because its something that we cant forget about and something that is a must that we must talk about. And you know tonight as we saw the these amazing performance and i saw backstage, the young dancers getting ready to perform, it made me reminisce on my youth. See before, i started in my technical journey, i embarked as a dancer. Yes, i know, surprise, right. No i was a dancer. See i grew up with shows like fame, watching ael vin, Dance Theater harlem and it was so powerful to see my represented on those stages doing our storytelling and it was so inspirational to me and spoke to my spirit, so i figured thats what im going to do. So i remember sharing with my father, professor that i was going to major in dance. Now anybody parent here that are paying for your kids education, you know how that feels. Well his smile was encouraging and wide, and he said, lea beth, you posses numerous talents, you excel in dance and youre great in math, science and computer programming. See by then, i had already been coding i started at the age of 12, thanks to the foresight of my father who introduced me to the technology world. And these words that he said, and i want to you hear this clearly, he said to me, while you find yourself represented in the dance world, remember you have to potential to thrive in any field you choose. And this is what really stuck with me. Dont put yourself in a box, even if the rest of the world tries to. Let me say it again for the people in the back talking over there, okay. Okay. Dont put yourself in a box, even if the rest of the world tries to. [cheers and applause] so when i embark into this technology world, because needless to say, i got a Computer Science degree and i got a minor in africanamerican studies and theater. And its that sentiment that i want to bring here today. Is that our presence in tech space is very significant. But i want to see more representation. I am often reminded, i do lots of panels and lots of talks and im often reminded that impart of the three percent of africanamerican women in tech. And when people present that to me, i cringe. And i challenge them to reframe that. I say, the fact that im here represent the infinite possibility. I dont describe to lack or limitations, i describe to abundance and i want our youth to know that it may be 3 but im here and anything is possible. [cheers and applause] so were going to give a little history, im going to stay on theme with everybody else. So if you you feel, inspired to take in notes, go out and pull out your phone. Listen, ive been in this tech space for a minute. Weve been pivotal figures in the space since 1800s. Grandville tee wood who had over 60 patents for electrical engineer, you know grandville, you get an a on the test. His contributions helped the advancement of technology of transportation. And then there was sarah goode, she was the first africanamerican women to be known to have a u. S. Patent for her invention of the folding cabinet bed. So the next time youre terrell tiffs bed telling out the bed, give a shout out to sarah goode because she did good. Honestly, i dont have to reach that far back nor do i have to go across the waters. Lets take a look and look here at our community. We find lum nair such as roy clay senior, yes, give it up for roy clay senior, reveered as the godfather of silicon valley. An american Computer Scientist and i venter. He was the Founding Member of the Computer Division at Hewitt Packard hp, he wrote the Software Program 2116 a the first computer to be sold by hp, now im not going to geek on you all, because i can go there. It was the first computerial, okay. Computer ial . Yall. And how about ms. Kimberly, she may not be known for inventing a specifically technology but inventers of inventers. Her work was empowering and educating young black girls in technology and had a profound impact on the industry helping to build the generation of technologyist and our next generation of inventers. And lets talk about San Francisco since everybody want to talk about San Francisco tonight, yes. San francisco stands at the for front of technological innovation exemplified by our leadership in our Autonomous Vehicle testing, i know you have seen them go around. Now this is not by chance, you cant be a city that is leading in technology by happen chance, right . It takes a leader that understand the powerful transformation of technology and who is not afraid of it. And who understand that we must embrace it rather than retreat from these advancements. Leaders like our fearless leader, mayor london breed. [cheers and applause] and you know, i have witnessed over my 24 plus years, does not matter, long time in the tech space, ive been in the place for a long time and something that i have written is evolution of is the inner section between art and technology. Often time people think of them as separate, they are not. See it is expanded and has grown significantly. Now when i started, there was no such thing as a ux designer and for those, ux designer is something who designs the inner face, you see the little phone youre on all the time, thats an inner face, right . So i did not have that when i was coming up. So that was very important, we now need creatives for those, digital art and now with the coming of a i and machine learning, we have programs that can generate poetry, writing, music, and yes, even dance. So with this rapidly evolving technology landscape, you have all to understand, its imperative that we not just be consumer of the tech but we seek to be creators off technology. Lets not shy away from the these opportunity it present, instead lets run towards this technology. We must be part of this conversation, we must. So our voices are heard, and our perceptions our representation in these innovations. This is the only way that we can ensure Technology Developed are equitable, serving the masses rather than a select few. So let us not be wall flowers, watching the technology go by, but let us be the choreographer of the next chapter, all right. Thank you. [cheers and applause] there is a lot to be said about what happens at home and what encouragement you get from home. And i was just speak to go a group of people on sunday about black history. And not it not be in schools. I went to Oakland Schools, i went to bay area schools and i went to San Francisco state and i learned more about my history in my home and churches and community. But we need to change the way books are being written so include. So when you tell people about these stories like mr. Grandville, did it have to take a movie in the screen to realize about the figures. Theyre real people, theyre in books, we need to include them not just for black folks but so everybody knows, we didnt just come here and chains and stay in chains. We fought so hard to make somebody of our children for the next generation. I am the hope of the slave and i never forget it everyday. So modern technology and art has come together in a way for me personally, im no longer here in the radio in San Francisco but if you happen to go to, im in my pajamas in my home studio, technology has given me the ability to be there on abc tv arizona and tell folks about the news and at the same time im on in florida a place that i would not want to move to but im on the air doing middays and every city, people wonder do you live in atlanta, no i am here because i love the bay area. However i had to learn the technology so i can work smart, djs and stuff used to move to this cities, not with my generation. And i was so glad that the technology was here in San Francisco that gave me the ability to be on the air and tv with this little gadge thaet is no bigger than this. So it is, its important for to us embrace technology. Lets jump to music. This guy has been playing the violin for a number of years and coming to us and its by popular demand because he gives us joy and plays from his heart and a distinctive from concert called isabela. Welcome to the stage, kipy mark [cheers and applause] [playing the violin] [playing the violin] chores cheers kippy marks ladies and gentlemen and isabela. Our next expression because were getting down to the end of the program, have you enjoyed this thus far . Yes . All right, were moving on to the with the expression of dance and this type is called majoret dance. Its not a technical style of dance but the dancers do train in multable styles and tech style and community and self awareness confidence, is their approach. And were asking every one if you can move aside because were short on space this year. Ladies and gentlemen, theyre coming in their own very special way, put your hands together for heat dance line [cheers and applause] speaker ladies and gentlemen are we here . Are you ready to march say yeah out of the huds of history shame, i rise, up from a path that is root inside pain, i rise. Im a black ocean leaping in wide, welling swelling i bear in the tide, leaving behind nights of terror and fear, i rise into a day break that is wonderously, i rise bringing the gifts that my ancestor gave, i am the dream and the hope of the slave, i rise [music] bearing strange fruit. Blood on the leaves. And blood at the roots. Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, change fruit. Something strange happening. From the papa street. She we could have been somebody, we could have been somebody. Was it part of the first part. When we tried to, came out of our body, and it came out of our body, it came out of our body, body. Fruit hanging. [music] trying to summer now, and i all i know is what i can you giving away, you all give a way. [music] im the policeman, i dont want no trouble, i just want to get come to floor. Hey mr. Policeman why you want to holler at me, i just want to get to the floor. We going to be all right, we going to be all right, you tell me were going to be all right, and when i wake up, i recognize, you fake town [rapping] and let me tell you, put me in a twilight and tell my mama i love her. [music] you get another man to set you free, freedom is something you need to let yourself free, and until the negro plan our people will always be Walking Around here, 20th century price, what price are you talking about . The price of freedom is death. Freedom help me lose. Freedom freedom where were you, i need freedom too. [music] i break upon myself, dont let my freedom rot in hell, im a cable running because dont quit. Freedom free gom help me lose. Dont let my freedom rot in hell hey, im a running because i dont quit. Give me liberty or give me death. Yeah, yeah. The heat line dance line. With a piece called freedom [cheers and applause] woo well lea, got it . You know them steps . All right, were moving on up a little higher as we get to the close of our program, were getting there. This particular spoken word artist is Grammy Nominated. By the way there is an echo in the room and there is a triple echo from the folks that are talking really loud i know youre happy to see one another, but when you talk, i cant hear myself. Thank you. Hes a Grammy Nominated artist with a 66 annual grammy award featured on five seasons and toured with jill scott. Please welcome, princess paul [cheers and applause] good evening, try that again. Good evening. Good evening. Speaker im princess paul, i represent oakland california. Yay my town. Sorry. I am the son of darlene powell, husband to sria pa we will, father to justin, to here and a nia and shy. I have a podcast called all black may need therapy which is currently being listened to in over 152 countries in this world and as she said, my most resent accomplishment being from oakland california, im now 2024, Grammy Nominated artist. [cheers and applause] when i leave here, im going to get in my car, im going to drive back home to dublin california, where my kid can ride their bicycles and play at the park with absolutely no worries in the world but the truth is, when i leave here, ive got to make it home. Because im a black man in america. And that means something. Being a black man in america, means being my brothers keeper. Being a black man in america means being my brothers keeper because i dont trust them further than i can see them. Its feeling experiencing, and believing that the cops dont give a dam about me. Its learning how not to doubt yourself because when youre born everybody else already done. Its the love you have for your mother regardless of your flaws and dealing with your daddy soishz your son does not have to. Being a black man in man is a gift, a blessing. God believes i can handle but its also a gamble so every time you step outside, the world is suppose to table and whether you like it or not, your chips are all in. Its a grin you put on your face every time you feel pain just to let the world know, they will not break you, right after dropping down to your knees and praying god asking him to heal but because its getting to hard so you pop a couple of pills but that does not kill you. Or daing friends dangerous lifestyle, you may not be here in right now, being a black man in america, i could have easily been mike brown, with my hands in the ground saying dont shoot and spend your days trying to get a fair game but telling the empire, its being getting paid in crocker cracks as the world watches you as you shift to get to the bottom of the pot only to realize that there is no dries, you can die, you can die with a pack of skitles in your pocket and have your murderer acquitted and then klebity participate in a boxing match who used to rap and people pay to see it. Black boy, black boy, play it loud if you want, but that may be the last gas you ever pump. Being a black man in america, means stay out of florida and i have a son who lives in florida. Its telling your children not what they want but they need to hear. Its me telling my two boys at the age of 15 and 18, being a black man in america is not knowing how to swim but keeping your head over water, its the reframe from saying, so many things that you want to say, its knowing when to run fast and walk slow because i know already a race to the grave being a black man in america its a literally posses everything that lacks in america. Why do you think they work to hard for us not to succeed . I tell you because were hypo chondriac, no breaks, no time off, no benefits, its a lifelong commitment and destined to be a black man in america is to be a black man in america and unless you are a black man in america, you will never understand what its like to be a black man in america but please do not pity us. Envy us. Envy us. Envy us. [cheers and applause] because we are whole pieces of broken, some too shattered to care and most of us, many of us, are just trying to put the pieces back together. Thank you. Yeah. [cheers and applause] yeah. Preston powell. Pieces will help you put the pieces together, we will not leave you hanging. Before i leave i bring our last artist out, i would like to tell but some fun. I know you all have phones and you all have the qr scanners on the phone. We need to hear from you, we have a survey, we need to hear from you and we need you to complete the survey before midnight, because we have a total of 4 Airline Tickets available through United Airlines so in the program, complete the entire survey. We have to you first cabin certificate valid for travel between the u. S. 49 states, alaska can daxer caribbean mexico, Central America and hawaii two economy certificate valid for travel between those 48 states, alaska, canada, caribbean Central America all courtesy of United Airlines, unrestricted round trip vouchers valued at 1250. So, if you would like to win pull out your phones scan the qr code. Now where are you going to find the qr code . You need to scan with the phone. They are available at the registrations desk, the bars in our heritage lounge, and we have volunteers, where are the volunteers who are Walking Around . With the qr code . Because if all of these people want to win those tickets, they have to know where you are, diana where our volunteers . They are inside . How will we know them . Theyll be holding something the qr thing amagig scanner thing, fine. How would you like to win those tickets . Okay, they will choose a random winer, i dont think you need to be present to win but we will contact you. Alrighty, now were coming to a favorite part, she ought to be the singer for San Francisco, because at every event she lift our spirit. Ladies and gentlemen, she does not need a huge introduction, and i just want to hear her sing. Please welcome, dede simon, she is going to bring us home. Put your hands together for our songstress, dede simon. How are you guys doing . [cheers and applause] [music] sometimes when i come, i like to do a rough but were going to do it, nice and easy. Is that okay . There is a good god in the city, working for the man every night and day. But i lost a minute of sleep worrying about the thinssing ought to be. Big wheels keep on turning, mary keep on burning. Rolling do you want river but there is just thing but i never saw the good side of the city until i hitched a ride in the river queen. Big wheels keep on turning, oh the proud mary keep on burning, and were rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling down the river, yeah, rolling on the river and we rolling, rolling down, yeah, rolling on the river turn it up come on. Hey. Come on. In the city working every night and day, but i worry about the things burning, oh big wheels keep on turning, oh mary keep on burning, rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling on the reriver rolling, rolling, rolling, on the river were do do do do do do do all right. Well cleaned a lot of plates in member fixerial pumped a lot of tain down in new orleans, but i never saw the good side of the city till i hitched a ride on the river boat queen. Big wheels keep turning up, rolling, rolling on the river get up, do do do do, oh yeah. Oh yeah, all right, yeah yeah yeah yeah, if you want to go to the river, you are going to see some people who live, you dont need no money, im telling, because the river already begin, big wheels keep on turning, proud mary keep on burning, rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling down the river, rolling, rolling down the river come on, were up do do do do do do do do do. Do do do do do. Rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling on the river rolling, rolling, rolling down the river rod rolling, rolling, Rolling Rolling on the river rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling on the river come on. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh yeah, thats what im talking about San Francisco. [cheers and applause] oh. Rolling, rolling, rolling. Yall know those steps. All right, we come to the part, im just happy everybody stayed until the very end. We had a lot of great talent, heard a lost uplifting words . Do you feel inspired . Do you feel better than you did when you first came in . Then we achieved success tonight. We also want to thank our wonderful host, mayor london breed, controller malia cohen, d. A. Brooke jenkins and supervisor walton. We the world famous, and we got fabulous food and beveragage sponsors. Try all of their delicious food, bring all the beverages, have a wonderful time. Be sure to scan that qr code so we can take off in the friendly skies together. Good night, god bless. You are watching San Francisco rising with chris manor. Todays special guest is Sarah Phillips. Hi, im chris manors and you are watching San Francisco rising the show about restarting rebuilding and eare imagineing the city. The guest today is Sarah Phillips the executive director of economic workforce development. Welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. Lets talk about the city economic plan and specifically the citys road map to San Francisco future. Can you give a brief overview and update on progress . Absolute e. In february 2023 mayor breed released the roadmap comprised to 9 strategies to move the city forward understanding there was structural and lang lasting changing by the covid impact. 134 were shorter term impacts how people using transit downtown and coming out and are using Small Businesses, some of them remember longterm structural impacts. The way we work. How often we are in an office and how much office Space Companies who had headquartered in San Francisco need. Some of those were structural impacts how we stop. There has been a longterm change as Online Shopping takes up a greater share how we performs and covid19 took a shift that would probably take 10 to 15 years happen and collapse what happened ofern the timeframe to 2 years so saw structural impacts how people shop. We have seen a lot of progress rchlt we are 9 months in and significant things we have seen is efforts creating permitinant services and homes for people experiencing homelessness is dramatic. We increased the number of shelter beds dramatically and takeup of the beds dramatically, and there is more work to do. On the safety side there are exciting things that happened. We increased our police pay among the highest in the bay area which is a important thing for recruitment. Police recruitment across the country is down so recruiting the best we can means we need to give a high pay set. August the highsh return in graduates. We see 75 decrease in retail theft and 50 percent reduction in car break ins which is quality of life crime San Francisco experienced so there is real progresses we are seeing on clean and safe sides. One thing important in the mayor roadmap we are not trying to get back to 2020 vision. I think covid showed having a downtown with people sitting at offices isnt the best downtown it can be. I think it is a opportunity to bring 24 hour life use downtown. Music and concerts is a great way to bring people to a specific location. Golden gate park we had lots of events in plazas throughout the city. Can you talk about those and if there is Upcoming Events too . I think you touched on something key to the mayor road map. For San Francisco and particularly San Francisco downtown to move forward and be successful as a Great American city, it is about bringing people together because they want to be together not because they center to be together and music is a strong part that. The planet concert sear ries coming up and happening throughout the city not just Golden Gate Park but downtown locations are a great example. There are smaller examples as well. The landing atis a new plaza we constructed in the mayor roadmap where two streets come together akwraisant to a couple restaurants closed to cars in daytime, chairs and seating and throughout the week they have lunch time and evening music to bring people together after work. They participate in that. Something we are working on setting up for next year which is really exciting is our sf live program and that will bring a full 2024 Concert Series where we match local venues bringing their work and partnership to useian square, Music Center Plaza and embark cadero. We will be able to announce Concert Series through the sf you mentioned vacant to vibrant, that program has a lot of attention lately. Can you talk generally what exactly that program is . Yeah. So, we opened a program where we put out a call for landlords willing to offer groundfloor space for free for 3 to 6 month jz Small Business or storefront operators who had a proposal what they would do for 3 to 6 months. It is pilot. We had a incredible amount of interest. We hadim forgetting the number of landlords, but more then we expected because we are in a place where commercial real estate understands they need to come to the table to help make our groundfloor lively and resulting in a transition where the groundfloor is seen less as a money making operation, but more as a leader to lease upper floors. If you have a active ground floor yields better on the other 80 percent of the building you are trying to lease. That was great, a lot of cooperation scr over 700 Small Business or operators responded to that call. It is pop up. There is no intention this would result in forever Small Businesses, but there is certainly a hope and i think what we are hearing, i dont have the final data, but there are 17 activators in 9 different spaces, some are colocated, which is why the difference, and out of those 9 spaces that are being leased for free, now 7 of them are in discussions for longterm leases so the spaces continue. It is the program. We are hopeful to have a second and third traunch and hoping to pilot in other neighborhoods with other partners. It is not an inexpensive program because there is a lot of capital that goes into popping up for short amount of time but what we are seen is they visit the businesses, the businesses are successful and San Francisco want to support this activation so hopeful to expand it. Thats great. Can you talk a bit about why piloting programs and testing things is so important . Absolutely. You know, i would say not only the important generally but important in San Francisco specifically. The benefit of pilot programs in the reasons they are really important here is, it allows us to try something and say, there may be consequence but lets understand those in real time rather then waiting to start a strategy while we think about them on paper and if they are too great we can modify the program as we go. Mta has absorbed the strategy whether a bike lane or other to figure how best to use the street . Is this working . Is it working for bikes and cars and buses . Maybe not, lets switch it around and pilots have been important to oewd to our office particularly because we tend to have the ability and the mayors support through the budget process to pilot things through request for proposals or rfp process where we can put out a small amount of funding, try activation and small public plaza, see if it works and i think the benefit there is, if it doesnt work we tried it and had the benefit of seeing real time and when it does work, we are able to uplift that and move into a permanent strategy and that is where our agency turns over something we piloted to another agency because it is part of the city operating procedure. Pilots also give people hope. When we have the shortterm whether it is physical public plaza or activation that shows change is possible and allows them to vote for what they like. Lastly, in lith light of the current ai boom, do you think there is a way to leverage those new changes to take a bunch of San Franciscos status as a tech hub . I do, i think they Work Together. San francisco right now has a strong vacancy problem in our office space. And there is a backstory to that. Our zoning downtown has not prevented other uses, in terms of permitting uses of the multistory building has been open including allowing residential but we put other barriers, cost and code barriers et cetera and what happened also during the height of our preevious boom is that, the amount that Tech Companies were willing to pay for office space bid everything out so wewithout intentionally zoning a single use downtown, we de facto became a single use downtown and thereat is the opportunity you are pointing out. Now because downtown was so convertible from work from home, particularly as tech based downtown was and how much Companies Put at the market in the Office Spaces we are seeing high vacancy now, all most 30 percent so there is lot of square feet but that presents a lot of opportunity. We have the ability to absorb expansion of the Tech Industry we are so strong at. We have seen over 800 thousand square feet of ai space leased just in 2023 alone and there is still more demand out in the market, more ai Companies Looking for space so that is a growth spot absorbing some of the vac ancy. The opportunity too is prices for downtown lease s have also dropped and that opens up a breath of opportunity to a breath of companies that were priced out in 2018, 2019, 2020. San francisco has always been great at starting companies and allowing them to grow here. When our prices are too high it prevents that growth so now we are a super Fertile Ground for more start ups and invasion on the smaller end of the sector because they can come and enter our market and we have the space to offer. To talk about San Franciscos assets and the leveraging that, we sit at the epicenter of really Great University and educational institutions. We are between uc berkeley and stanford. The graduates produced just from those institutions alone stay in the bay area and want to rise up and work here, provide a real opportunity for the start ups to build their companies and companies to grow here so we confident we will absorb a certain amount of office space with ai tech. With that, we are interested in increasing our Human Capital growing graduates. Downtown university is something the mayor is open to pursuing and we are in conversations with uc berkeley we love to have as a partner in our downtown and then residential conversions are a great partner to that. As we build back the office space, people will want to live downtown again and we have a number buildings that can be converted to residential. The costs are high. Mayor breed and her partners on the board made significant changes to reduce the costs. We waived fees for change of uses in the downtown area. There are code changes that will make the conversions easier. There is a ballot measure on the march ballot that will attempt to reduce costs for those as well. It is ongoing process and none of those changes we talked about absent ai growth downtown, but institutional growth downtown, arts growth downtown and residential conversions downtown are longterm changes so one thing i want to say recollect i do think there is a opportunity per your question, but we also need to be patient because what we are talking about is is a real shift to the makeup of the downtown since from the growth it has been starting at since the turn of the century so that isnt a 2 year change, that is a 10 year change and we center to watch as it goes. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you spending the time here today and your Creative Vision and positivity, so thank you so much. Thanks so much for having me and hope you all downtown and shop. That is it for this episode. For sfgovtv im chris manors, thanks meeting of the San Francisco public works commission. Today is monday, february 26th, 2024. It is 9 00 am. Secretary fuller, please call the roll. Good morning. Please respond with here or present lynn newhouse. Siegel commissioner Newhouse Siegel is present. Warren post here. Chair. Post is present. Gerald turner, present. Commissioner turner is present. Paul wolford present. Commissioner wolford is present. Fat zabi present. Vice chair zabi is present with five members present. We do have quorum for the public works commission. Uh, Public Comment is taken for all informational and action items on todays agenda. And the comment and to comment in person, please line up against the wall near the screen on the audiences