Old dominion home. I want to take just a couple of seconds to thank two specific groups. Long story short, i was invited to speak at a church in Washington County in july of 2016. The church was celebrating their 150th anniversary, and they invited me to come up and talk about what it mightve been like trying to start a church in the immediate aftermath of the american civil war. My wife and i drove up and we walked into the back of the sanctuary, and there was one lady sitting in the sanctuary, and she jumps up, runs to the back, shakes my hand, and says my family and i have something we think you may have an interest in. Would you come out to the car after the program . I said sure. I go out of the car, she opens the trunk and tells me to hold my arms out. And she empties out the truck, and the stack is growing taller and taller. And i say, what do we have here . And she says, these are my grandfathers seven volumes of handwritten journals of his service in the first virginia cavalry
From one of your districts, but i hope that this can be an invitation for partnership, because although the tenderloin is burdened with this problem, it is not just in the tenderloin, it is a problem for all of San Francisco. Thank you. Hi. My name is jessie james johnson. Im a poet and a 20year resident of the tenderloin. I believe i qualify for seats 1, 2, and 3 and or 7 and 8. I have letters of support from several communitybased organizations, a Business Owner, one from a property owner, and my landlord. Theyre included because its not who i am that are important, but the people that are in my life. These are people who are part of my daily life, people who i have earned their trust and people who i work with. You might know that golden gate is the epicenter of the open air drug dealing. As different as we all are, we are the different people we must come together to address the crisis we find ourselves in. I believe i can help in reaching a consensus. Its heartbreaking to see the
A lot of people talk about who they are and whats going on. We have to understand who we are. If we understand who we are, we understand who they are. Because its not us versus them. I spent a year in jail, ms. Richards is a great strong leader and i appreciate her. The reason why im here today is because Restorative Justice for me has been the answer. We believe in respect, care, trust and empathy. Im here to say change is possible. Former gang member, sold drugs, dealt drugs, used drugs. Family membered o. D. Ed but change is possible and it comes through care and concern. Its not about whether we are going to be consistent, its about who is speaking that language. Its not what i say, its how i say it. Ive seen the pictures of the young men and women that were arrested and put on the tenderloin website and most of them were friends. All i saw was trauma, victimization. So whats really needed for us is just for us all to come together as we have here and all these people here are stak
Recommend, because they live in the neighborhood, theyve been impacted by drug dealing. Several of them have lived experience as theyve already shared, with the experience of open air drug dealing. And i think the committee would be wellserved. And these are Jesse James Johnson, sam dennison, Cheryl Shanks and Curtis Bradford. All amazing people. And also i would like to mention kim diamond too. I know all five of these individuals. They all do really good work in the neighborhood. And i think the committee would be well served. They understand processes, they know how to work in the group. They live and work in the neighborhood and real life experience. Let me read this one more time. Jesse james johnson, sam dennison, Cheryl Shanks, Curtis Bradford and kim diamond. I hope youll give due consideration to those five but whoever you choose, it will be a good committee. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Supervisors, my name is brian edwards. Im a Community Advocate and organizer with t
Specifically to this agape love that says no, this is the truth. The truth needs to be spoke. Theres places in the city where its not allowed. There are places you would not see this level of drug use. Lets start there. Lets take that model, lets bring that love and the resources that we have, the outreach would be the biggest difference. If we can provide a difference for them in their lives and the hope, lifestyle, addiction is reel. Beliefs, habits and traditions have been handed out that makes us think this is the only way. That is another thing that has to be challenged. So i say thank you, whichever way you go, im glad you are going in that direction, and i will support you in any form. Thank you. [applause] good morning, honorable supervisors. My name is rhiannon bailard. Im the executive director of operations at uc hastings law and i serve as Vice President of the board for the Tenderloin Community benefits district. Im here today applying for a seat as a Business Owner repres