The Standard Staff

After a year that seemed to oscillate wildly between uncertainty and discovery, trauma and relief, heartache and connection, it can be hard to process what we and our city just went through. Perhaps it is fitting that for this unprecedented year, there is no script for how to commemorate its slow fizzle of an end.&nbsp;

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After a year that seemed to oscillate wildly between uncertainty and discovery, trauma and relief, heartache and connection, it can be hard to process what we and our city just went through. Perhaps it is fitting that for this unprecedented year, there is no script for how to commemorate its slow fizzle of an end.&nbsp;

That’s why Here/Say is launching an oral history project to help San Franciscans reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic. “<a href="https://covidchronicles.sfstandard.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here/Hear: COVID Chronicles</a>” invites San Franciscans—yes, you!—to dial in to a phone line and leave a voicemail describing your experience during lockdown or after getting vaccinated. Your voices and stories will be tagged, transcribed and translated into multiple languages before being placed onto a digital and immersive map of San Francisco that can be explored by computer or phone.&nbsp;

That’s why Here/Say is launching an oral history project to help San Franciscans reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic. “<a href="https://covidchronicles.sfstandard.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here/Hear: COVID Chronicles</a>” invites San Franciscans—yes, you!—to dial in to a phone line and leave a voicemail describing your experience during lockdown or after getting vaccinated. Your voices and stories will be tagged, transcribed and translated into multiple languages before being placed onto a digital and immersive map of San Francisco that can be explored by computer or phone.&nbsp;

So tell the world your stories: the good, the bad, the sad, the anxious. We want to know about your quarantine hobbies, your close calls, your losses, your gains, your big laughs and big cries. What was it like to stay inside for a year? What was it like to report to the frontlines? What did you realize? What do you hope you’ll forget, and what do you want to remember? Who helped you through it all?

So tell the world your stories: the good, the bad, the sad, the anxious. We want to know about your quarantine hobbies, your close calls, your losses, your gains, your big laughs and big cries. What was it like to stay inside for a year? What was it like to report to the frontlines? What did you realize? What do you hope you’ll forget, and what do you want to remember? Who helped you through it all?

Read on for more about how to join us in this commemoration of San Francisco’s experience.

Read on for more about how to join us in this commemoration of San Francisco’s experience.

<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-i-participate">How do I participate?</h3>

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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-i-participate">How do I participate?</h3>

Find a quiet spot and give us a ring at 415-573-3551.

Find a quiet spot and give us a ring at 415-573-3551.

Listen to our question prompts, choose one that speaks to you and take it away with your story. Think of it like an audio diary. You have up to five minutes to speak, so take your time.

Listen to our question prompts, choose one that speaks to you and take it away with your story. Think of it like an audio diary. You have up to five minutes to speak, so take your time.

<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-you-give-me-a-peek-at-the-prompts">Can you give me a peek at the prompts?</h3>

Sure thing! Below are the four questions we’re asking you to consider.

Sure thing! Below are the four questions we’re asking you to consider.

1. Is there a specific person who got you through the pandemic? What would you say to them?

1. Is there a specific person who got you through the pandemic? What would you say to them?

2. Tell us about an interest or activity you discovered during lockdown. What has it meant to you?

2. Tell us about an interest or activity you discovered during lockdown. What has it meant to you?

3. Is there a story or experience that stands out from 2020, one that you don&#8217;t want to forget?

3. Is there a story or experience that stands out from 2020, one that you don't want to forget?

3. Is there a story or experience that stands out from 2020, one that you don&#8217;t want to forget?

4. Have you been vaccinated? If yes, what has it changed for you?

4. Have you been vaccinated? If yes, what has it changed for you?

At this stage, we’re just collecting stories, but in a few weeks we’ll text you with follow-up questions.

At this stage, we’re just collecting stories, but in a few weeks we’ll text you with follow-up questions.

We’ll ask you to share your name, email and ZIP code and to formally submit your story to our map. But don’t worry! We won’t share your name, phone number or email with anyone—that’s just useful information for us in case any of Here/Say Media’s journalists want to follow up with you about your story. We will use your ZIP code to plot your story onto our map.

We’ll ask you to share your name, email and ZIP code and to formally submit your story to our map. But don’t worry! We won’t share your name, phone number or email with anyone—that’s just useful information for us in case any of Here/Say Media’s journalists want to follow up with you about your story. We will use your ZIP code to plot your story onto our map.

We may post all or part of your submission to our audio map.

We may post all or part of your submission to our audio map.

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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-need-a-little-inspiration">Need a little inspiration?</h3>

We’ll start—we had a few staff members record their own responses to get you thinking.&nbsp;

We’ll start—we had a few staff members record their own responses to get you thinking.&nbsp;

<h5 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left" id="h-christina-campodonico">Christina Campodonico</h5>

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<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Christina.mp3"></audio><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Christina answered Prompt 1: Is there a specific person who got you through the pandemic? What would you say to them?</figcaption></figure>

Transcript: A person who really got me through the pandemic was my mom. Which is a funny thing to say for a 30-year-old woman, but we went through a lot in 2020. I was living with her at the time because she had broken her ankle and so we were living together in the same household. And then the pandemic struck, and we were there together for, like, nine more months. And also at the time, I was working for a very small newspaper and we got even smaller—everyone was laid off except me. So I had this crazy job working all sorts of crazy hours to get this newspaper out every week and to serve a community of people and I couldn’t have done it without my mom. You know, it was funny because at the start of the pandemic I moved in to help take care of her—and I did—but really she took care of me just as much, if not more. So I’m really thankful to her for being there for me and helping me through that really crazy, difficult time in my career. Fortunately, I’ve moved onto greener pastures, but I’ll never forget that time with my mom when she was there for me. More than a mom. Just, you know, everything. So, thank you mom. I guess you’re never too old to say that.

Transcript: A person who really got me through the pandemic was my mom. Which is a funny thing to say for a 30-year-old woman, but we went through a lot in 2020. I was living with her at the time because she had broken her ankle and so we were living together in the same household. And then the pandemic struck, and we were there together for, like, nine more months. And also at the time, I was working for a very small newspaper and we got even smaller—everyone was laid off except me. So I had this crazy job working all sorts of crazy hours to get this newspaper out every week and to serve a community of people and I couldn’t have done it without my mom. You know, it was funny because at the start of the pandemic I moved in to help take care of her—and I did—but really she took care of me just as much, if not more. So I’m really thankful to her for being there for me and helping me through that really crazy, difficult time in my career. Fortunately, I’ve moved onto greener pastures, but I’ll never forget that time with my mom when she was there for me. More than a mom. Just, you know, everything. So, thank you mom. I guess you’re never too old to say that.

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jesse-rogala">Jesse Rogala</h5>

<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Jesse.wav"></audio><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jesse answered Prompt 2: Tell us about an interest or activity you discovered during lockdown. What has it meant to you?</figcaption></figure>

Transcript: An activity that I discovered during lockdown was actually the purchase of my new drone to capture photos and video from high up over the landscape. I remember thinking it’d be a good way to learn something new to do. But in reality, when I started flying it and taking video from high up in the sky, it was almost a way to escape the confines of lockdown and be able to feel a sense of freedom that I hadn’t found since the beginning. I also remember that, when I started taking video and photos, I didn’t know how much of what I had taken would be shown anywhere. But the day came when the sky turned orange in San Francisco and through the Bay Area in 2020 due to the wildfires close by. And I remember getting out of bed early in the morning and taking video of this almost apocalyptic skyline sweeping around me and putting it online on my Instagram account, and then throughout the day seeing people from all over the Bay Area and in San Francisco particularly going outside and taking video and photo of this almost once-in-a-lifetime happening. And it seemed to me that we were all confined inside but, now more than ever, we had shown the ability to take our collective experience and share it with each other and take comfort and solace in the fact that we were all going through this together.&nbsp;

Transcript: An activity that I discovered during lockdown was actually the purchase of my new drone to capture photos and video from high up over the landscape. I remember thinking it’d be a good way to learn something new to do. But in reality, when I started flying it and taking video from high up in the sky, it was almost a way to escape the confines of lockdown and be able to feel a sense of freedom that I hadn’t found since the beginning. I also remember that, when I started taking video and photos, I didn’t know how much of what I had taken would be shown anywhere. But the day came when the sky turned orange in San Francisco and through the Bay Area in 2020 due to the wildfires close by. And I remember getting out of bed early in the morning and taking video of this almost apocalyptic skyline sweeping around me and putting it online on my Instagram account, and then throughout the day seeing people from all over the Bay Area and in San Francisco particularly going outside and taking video and photo of this almost once-in-a-lifetime happening. And it seemed to me that we were all confined inside but, now more than ever, we had shown the ability to take our collective experience and share it with each other and take comfort and solace in the fact that we were all going through this together.&nbsp;

<h5 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left" id="h-meaghan-mitchell">Meaghan Mitchell</h5>

<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Meaghan.mp3"></audio><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Meaghan answered Prompt 3: Is there a story or experience that stands out from 2020, one that you don't want to forget?</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Meaghan.mp3"></audio><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Meaghan answered Prompt 3: Is there a story or experience that stands out from 2020, one that you don&#8217;t want to forget?</figcaption></figure>

Transcript: George Floyd. When that happened in 2020, I think what I saw was an uprising nationwide of Black Americans saying we’re tired of getting shot by the police. But what was interesting was what I saw in San Francisco and my community—I’m from the Bayview district—and when I say everybody was part of every march…it was just amazing to see that. And it was something that I really had to step into and be a part of. It was different. It was emotional and powerful. And it’s a movement that I feel like is going to continue and will hopefully be successful. So, my first protest for George Floyd is what I remember at the beginning of the pandemic, because it happened towards when the shelter-in-place was. And everybody was like, ‘Nope. I gotta go out and I gotta protest.’ It was hard. We were all vulnerable. But look what happened. You know, this man is behind bars. And I really think my generation had a lot to do with that.

Transcript: George Floyd. When that happened in 2020, I think what I saw was an uprising nationwide of Black Americans saying we’re tired of getting shot by the police. But what was interesting was what I saw in San Francisco and my community—I’m from the Bayview district—and when I say everybody was part of every march…it was just amazing to see that. And it was something that I really had to step into and be a part of. It was different. It was emotional and powerful. And it’s a movement that I feel like is going to continue and will hopefully be successful. So, my first protest for George Floyd is what I remember at the beginning of the pandemic, because it happened towards when the shelter-in-place was. And everybody was like, ‘Nope. I gotta go out and I gotta protest.’ It was hard. We were all vulnerable. But look what happened. You know, this man is behind bars. And I really think my generation had a lot to do with that.

<h5 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left" id="h-joel-aguero">Joel Aguero</h5>

<figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Joel.wav"></audio><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Joel answered Prompt 4: Have you been vaccinated? If yes, what has it changed for you?</figcaption></figure>

Transcript: I did get vaccinated and, I think for me, it has made it more possible for me to see my family and my parents. My parents also got vaccinated. And for us it’s just been awesome. Because we haven’t seen each other regularly in a while. And my dad has a chronic lung condition—Interstitial lung disease—and so with that it just made it really hard to actually feel comfortable or feel like it was worth it to put him at risk. Because it would probably have been pretty serious if he got COVID. And getting vaccinated just made it possible for us to get together and feel at ease and feel like, barring anything exceptional, he’s going to be okay and we’re not being irresponsible by seeing him. And I know for them, too, it’s also made it possible for them to see their grandchildren more which has been just great for their wellbeing, their overall mental health, and it just has meant that we’re able to start getting together again.

Transcript: I did get vaccinated and, I think for me, it has made it more possible for me to see my family and my parents. My parents also got vaccinated. And for us it’s just been awesome. Because we haven’t seen each other regularly in a while. And my dad has a chronic lung condition—Interstitial lung disease—and so with that it just made it really hard to actually feel comfortable or feel like it was worth it to put him at risk. Because it would probably have been pretty serious if he got COVID. And getting vaccinated just made it possible for us to get together and feel at ease and feel like, barring anything exceptional, he’s going to be okay and we’re not being irresponsible by seeing him. And I know for them, too, it’s also made it possible for them to see their grandchildren more which has been just great for their wellbeing, their overall mental health, and it just has meant that we’re able to start getting together again.

Introducing Here/Hear, an audio retrospective on the pandemic

Meaghan Mitchell

Black History Month is almost over, but highlighting San Francisco’s Black community shouldn’t stop on March 1. Today we’re taking a look at Black leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and cultural influencers who are working year-round to move the City by the Bay forward.&nbsp;

Black History Month is almost over, but highlighting San Francisco’s Black community shouldn’t stop on March 1. Today we’re taking a look at Black leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and cultural influencers who are working year-round to move the City by the Bay forward.&nbsp;

African American Art &amp; Culture Complex

African American Art &amp; Culture Complex

The COVID-19 pandemic may have paused normal programming at the Fillmore’s African American Art &amp; Culture Complex (AAACC), but twin sisters and co-executive directors Melonie and Melorra Green weren’t dissuaded—they transformed the complex’s parking lot into a pop-up open-air gallery. The exhibit, titled “Closer: Six Feet Apart,” is the organization&#8217;s creative response to the pandemic, and its flow mimics the events of the past year.&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic may have paused normal programming at the Fillmore’s African American Art &amp; Culture Complex (AAACC), but twin sisters and co-executive directors Melonie and Melorra Green weren’t dissuaded—they transformed the complex’s parking lot into a pop-up open-air gallery. The exhibit, titled “Closer: Six Feet Apart,” is the organization's creative response to the pandemic, and its flow mimics the events of the past year.&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic may have paused normal programming at the Fillmore’s African American Art &amp; Culture Complex (AAACC), but twin sisters and co-executive directors Melonie and Melorra Green weren’t dissuaded—they transformed the complex’s parking lot into a pop-up open-air gallery. The exhibit, titled “Closer: Six Feet Apart,” is the organization&#8217;s creative response to the pandemic, and its flow mimics the events of the past year.&nbsp;

&#8220;Art pieces focused around isolation were the first iteration,” Melonie said. &#8220;As you walk through the exhibit, you&#8217;ll notice it transforms into pieces about social justice and the uprising of Black folks in America.”

"Art pieces focused around isolation were the first iteration,” Melonie said. "As you walk through the exhibit, you'll notice it transforms into pieces about social justice and the uprising of Black folks in America.”

&#8220;Art pieces focused around isolation were the first iteration,” Melonie said. &#8220;As you walk through the exhibit, you&#8217;ll notice it transforms into pieces about social justice and the uprising of Black folks in America.”

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The pop-up gallery was a classic Green sister move. They’ve become so well-known for their contributions to the arts scene in the neighborhood that members of the Fillmore community call them simply “the twins.&#8221; On their shared resume? Helping produce the 2006 <a href="https://sfbff.org/wordpress/">San Francisco Black Film Festival</a> as part of a city-wide Juneteenth celebration and co-creating the exhibit “Bring Your Own Art,” which eventually morphed into the week-long festival Independent Artists Week. Now, the AAACC’s massive space on Fulton St. gives the Greens&#8217; ample space to host Black art collectives, theater companies, recording artists and dance instructors—or at least, it will, when social distancing is no longer the law of the land. In the meantime, the Greens are doing their best to maintain the community they’ve built.

The pop-up gallery was a classic Green sister move. They’ve become so well-known for their contributions to the arts scene in the neighborhood that members of the Fillmore community call them simply “the twins.'' On their shared resume? Helping produce the 2006 <a href="https://sfbff.org/wordpress/">San Francisco Black Film Festival</a> as part of a city-wide Juneteenth celebration and co-creating the exhibit “Bring Your Own Art,” which eventually morphed into the week-long festival Independent Artists Week. Now, the AAACC’s massive space on Fulton St. gives the Greens' ample space to host Black art collectives, theater companies, recording artists and dance instructors—or at least, it will, when social distancing is no longer the law of the land. In the meantime, the Greens are doing their best to maintain the community they’ve built.

The pop-up gallery was a classic Green sister move. They’ve become so well-known for their contributions to the arts scene in the neighborhood that members of the Fillmore community call them simply “the twins.&#8221; On their shared resume? Helping produce the 2006 <a href="https://sfbff.org/wordpress/">San Francisco Black Film Festival</a> as part of a city-wide Juneteenth celebration and co-creating the exhibit “Bring Your Own Art,” which eventually morphed into the week-long festival Independent Artists Week. Now, the AAACC’s massive space on Fulton St. gives the Greens&#8217; ample space to host Black art collectives, theater companies, recording artists and dance instructors—or at least, it will, when social distancing is no longer the law of the land. In the meantime, the Greens are doing their best to maintain the community they’ve built.

After all, they’ve been living in and loving the Fillmore for over 20 years, and they’re not going to stop now. The Greens moved to San Francisco from Memphis in 2000, crash-landing in Freedom West with their aunt, who slept on the couch so her nieces could share her bed. Their choice of neighborhood was no accident. After graduating from a historically Black college, the Greens wanted to live in what mid-century San Franciscans called the “Harlem of the West,” a neighborhood whose main commercial corridor once hosted performances by the likes of Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and Sammy Davis, Jr.&nbsp;

After all, they’ve been living in and loving the Fillmore for over 20 years, and they’re not going to stop now. The Greens moved to San Francisco from Memphis in 2000, crash-landing in Freedom West with their aunt, who slept on the couch so her nieces could share her bed. Their choice of neighborhood was no accident. After graduating from a historically Black college, the Greens wanted to live in what mid-century San Franciscans called the “Harlem of the West,” a neighborhood whose main commercial corridor once hosted performances by the likes of Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and Sammy Davis, Jr.&nbsp;

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ANNIEPRYDE-2500x2007.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1928"/><figcaption>The twins and their Aunt Annie Pryde | Photo courtesy of Melorra Green</figcaption></figure>

In its <a href="https://www.harlemofthewestsf.com/">heyday</a>, the Fillmore not only brought these legendary musicians together, but also served as a lively commercial hub packed with Black-owned businesses where Black homeowners living in the surrounding areas could gather. But <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us/black-exodus-from-san-francisco.html">gentrification</a> played a key role in the neighborhood losing its <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11825401/how-urban-renewal-decimated-the-fillmore-district-and-took-jazz-with-it">cultural identity</a>. Despite the decline of Black representation in the Fillmore District, there are still local <a href="https://www.nclfinc.org/">activists</a> who have staked their claim within the community and are not afraid to let it be known to newcomers. Anti-gentrification rallies, community meetings focused on funding resources for Black-led organizations and partnerships with city officials have recently been their focus.&nbsp;“The Fillmore will definitely haze you in,” said Melorra. “You can&#8217;t just come in here talking about the stuff you&#8217;re going to do. You&#8217;ve got to prove it.”

In its <a href="https://www.harlemofthewestsf.com/">heyday</a>, the Fillmore not only brought these legendary musicians together, but also served as a lively commercial hub packed with Black-owned businesses where Black homeowners living in the surrounding areas could gather. But <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us/black-exodus-from-san-francisco.html">gentrification</a> played a key role in the neighborhood losing its <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11825401/how-urban-renewal-decimated-the-fillmore-district-and-took-jazz-with-it">cultural identity</a>. Despite the decline of Black representation in the Fillmore District, there are still local <a href="https://www.nclfinc.org/">activists</a> who have staked their claim within the community and are not afraid to let it be known to newcomers. Anti-gentrification rallies, community meetings focused on funding resources for Black-led organizations and partnerships with city officials have recently been their focus.&nbsp;“The Fillmore will definitely haze you in,” said Melorra. “You can't just come in here talking about the stuff you're going to do. You've got to prove it.”

In its <a href="https://www.harlemofthewestsf.com/">heyday</a>, the Fillmore not only brought these legendary musicians together, but also served as a lively commercial hub packed with Black-owned businesses where Black homeowners living in the surrounding areas could gather. But <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us/black-exodus-from-san-francisco.html">gentrification</a> played a key role in the neighborhood losing its <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11825401/how-urban-renewal-decimated-the-fillmore-district-and-took-jazz-with-it">cultural identity</a>. Despite the decline of Black representation in the Fillmore District, there are still local <a href="https://www.nclfinc.org/">activists</a> who have staked their claim within the community and are not afraid to let it be known to newcomers. Anti-gentrification rallies, community meetings focused on funding resources for Black-led organizations and partnerships with city officials have recently been their focus.&nbsp;“The Fillmore will definitely haze you in,” said Melorra. “You can&#8217;t just come in here talking about the stuff you&#8217;re going to do. You&#8217;ve got to prove it.”

SF Black Wallstreet

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<a href="https://www.sfblackwallstreet.com/">SF Black Wallstreet</a> wants to build a better San Francisco for Black people.

<a href="https://www.sfblackwallstreet.com/">SF Black Wallstreet</a> wants to build a better San Francisco for Black people.

Last June, amid the pandemic lockdown, Bayview resident and activist Tiffany Carter became fed up with issues around police brutality. She was sick of watching Black businesses struggle, and worried about the mental decline of her community due to the impact of the coronavirus. So she wrote a Facebook post calling on people to come together for Juneteenth at Gilman Park in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. What started as one small idea sparked by injustice morphed into a movement, gaining support from the surrounding community as well as city officials like Mayor London Breed, President of the Board of Supervisors Shamann Walton (District 10) and Supervisor Ahsha Safai (District 11).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last June, amid the pandemic lockdown, Bayview resident and activist Tiffany Carter became fed up with issues around police brutality. She was sick of watching Black businesses struggle, and worried about the mental decline of her community due to the impact of the coronavirus. So she wrote a Facebook post calling on people to come together for Juneteenth at Gilman Park in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. What started as one small idea sparked by injustice morphed into a movement, gaining support from the surrounding community as well as city officials like Mayor London Breed, President of the Board of Supervisors Shamann Walton (District 10) and Supervisor Ahsha Safai (District 11).&nbsp;&nbsp;

The widespread public support for the gathering motivated Carter, along with six friends, to found the organization SF Black Wallstreet with a mission of preserving African American culture in San Francisco. The group’s network of entrepreneurs, community members and cultural influencers works together to promote financial literacy, organize events at Black-owned businesses and partners with the city to advocate for policies that lift up Black communities.&nbsp;

The widespread public support for the gathering motivated Carter, along with six friends, to found the organization SF Black Wallstreet with a mission of preserving African American culture in San Francisco. The group’s network of entrepreneurs, community members and cultural influencers works together to promote financial literacy, organize events at Black-owned businesses and partners with the city to advocate for policies that lift up Black communities.&nbsp;

Its proudest achievement yet? Championing the “<a href="https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/support-the-sf-good-neighbor-policy">Good Neighbor Policy</a>.” The policy aims to penalize 311 callers who use the line to file unsubstantiated and malicious reports against Black and brown people. Similar to the recently-passed <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/S-F-s-new-CAREN-Act-makes-false-15662838.php">Caren Act</a>, which pertains only to 911 emergency calls, the policy would go one step further by also protecting Black and brown people from racially-motivated, non-emergency claims.

Its proudest achievement yet? Championing the “<a href="https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/support-the-sf-good-neighbor-policy">Good Neighbor Policy</a>.” The policy aims to penalize 311 callers who use the line to file unsubstantiated and malicious reports against Black and brown people. Similar to the recently-passed <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/S-F-s-new-CAREN-Act-makes-false-15662838.php">Caren Act</a>, which pertains only to 911 emergency calls, the policy would go one step further by also protecting Black and brown people from racially-motivated, non-emergency claims.

&#8220;We&#8217;re fighting for equity for our Black businesses and for space and culture,” said co-founder Tinisch Hollins. “We just want to bring our city back, and we want to make sure that folks know that there has always been a Black San Francisco, and there always will be.”

"We're fighting for equity for our Black businesses and for space and culture,” said co-founder Tinisch Hollins. “We just want to bring our city back, and we want to make sure that folks know that there has always been a Black San Francisco, and there always will be.”

&#8220;We&#8217;re fighting for equity for our Black businesses and for space and culture,” said co-founder Tinisch Hollins. “We just want to bring our city back, and we want to make sure that folks know that there has always been a Black San Francisco, and there always will be.”

San Francisco African American Art &amp; Cultural District&nbsp;

San Francisco African American Art &amp; Cultural District&nbsp;

Ebon Sean Glenn and Ericka Scott just want San Francisco to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakanda">Wakanda</a>. And it’s a good thing, because as co-directors of the San Francisco African American Art &amp; Cultural District (SFAAACD), they can actually make it happen. At the direction of Glenn and Scott, local artists Tim Hon, Steve Ha and Jonathan Brumfield recently installed a 40-foot mural featuring the words &#8220;Bayview Forever&#8221; alongside Marvel&#8217;s “Black Panther” character and portraits of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_of_Bayview">The Big Five of Bayview—five of the city’s most influential Black women.</a>

Ebon Sean Glenn and Ericka Scott just want San Francisco to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakanda">Wakanda</a>. And it’s a good thing, because as co-directors of the San Francisco African American Art &amp; Cultural District (SFAAACD), they can actually make it happen. At the direction of Glenn and Scott, local artists Tim Hon, Steve Ha and Jonathan Brumfield recently installed a 40-foot mural featuring the words "Bayview Forever" alongside Marvel's “Black Panther” character and portraits of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_of_Bayview">The Big Five of Bayview—five of the city’s most influential Black women.</a>

Ebon Sean Glenn and Ericka Scott just want San Francisco to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakanda">Wakanda</a>. And it’s a good thing, because as co-directors of the San Francisco African American Art &amp; Cultural District (SFAAACD), they can actually make it happen. At the direction of Glenn and Scott, local artists Tim Hon, Steve Ha and Jonathan Brumfield recently installed a 40-foot mural featuring the words &#8220;Bayview Forever&#8221; alongside Marvel&#8217;s “Black Panther” character and portraits of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_of_Bayview">The Big Five of Bayview—five of the city’s most influential Black women.</a>

Historically, African Americans in San Francisco have been at the mercy of inequitable policies and practices beginning with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRiOCEaFr0U&amp;feature=emb_title">redlining</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_San_Francisco#1930s_.E2.80.93_World_War_II">urban renewal</a> and continuing with stories of <a href="https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-oakland-gentrified-gentrification/6302035/">gentrification</a>, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/Coronavirus-appears-twice-as-deadly-for-blacks-as-15206710.php">health disparities</a> and inequitable treatment by <a href="https://hoodline.com/2020/06/black-san-franciscans-disproportionately-targeted-by-sfpd-curfew-arrests-records-show/">law enforcement</a>. And with the current population of Black San Franciscans <a href="https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0667000-san-francisco-ca/">straddling just 5%</a>, down from 13.4% in 1970, protecting Black spaces and neighborhoods has become a top priority for community leaders like Glenn and Scott.&nbsp;

Historically, African Americans in San Francisco have been at the mercy of inequitable policies and practices beginning with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRiOCEaFr0U&amp;feature=emb_title">redlining</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_San_Francisco#1930s_.E2.80.93_World_War_II">urban renewal</a> and continuing with stories of <a href="https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-oakland-gentrified-gentrification/6302035/">gentrification</a>, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/Coronavirus-appears-twice-as-deadly-for-blacks-as-15206710.php">health disparities</a> and inequitable treatment by <a href="https://hoodline.com/2020/06/black-san-franciscans-disproportionately-targeted-by-sfpd-curfew-arrests-records-show/">law enforcement</a>. And with the current population of Black San Franciscans <a href="https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0667000-san-francisco-ca/">straddling just 5%</a>, down from 13.4% in 1970, protecting Black spaces and neighborhoods has become a top priority for community leaders like Glenn and Scott.&nbsp;

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BAYVIEWFOREVER.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-1938"/><figcaption>Bayview Forever Mural | Photo courtesy of SFAAACD</figcaption></figure>

“I grew up in San Francisco on the other side in the Fillmore District, which has changed dramatically,” said Scott. “But growing up and coming over to the Bayview, honestly, I always felt like, ‘Wow, why do people have to live like this?’ It was heartbreaking to see people who looked liked me struggling,” she continued. “There&#8217;s so much historical wrongdoing, so now it&#8217;s going to take a lot to really change the economic structure of the Bayview and the people who live here and who are from here.”

“I grew up in San Francisco on the other side in the Fillmore District, which has changed dramatically,” said Scott. “But growing up and coming over to the Bayview, honestly, I always felt like, ‘Wow, why do people have to live like this?’ It was heartbreaking to see people who looked liked me struggling,” she continued. “There's so much historical wrongdoing, so now it's going to take a lot to really change the economic structure of the Bayview and the people who live here and who are from here.”

“I grew up in San Francisco on the other side in the Fillmore District, which has changed dramatically,” said Scott. “But growing up and coming over to the Bayview, honestly, I always felt like, ‘Wow, why do people have to live like this?’ It was heartbreaking to see people who looked liked me struggling,” she continued. “There&#8217;s so much historical wrongdoing, so now it&#8217;s going to take a lot to really change the economic structure of the Bayview and the people who live here and who are from here.”

That’s where the SFAAACD comes in. San Francisco’s 94124 zip code, known as Bayview-Hunters Point, has the largest number of Black residents of any neighborhood in the city. By designating the area as an official cultural district in 2018 and establishing the SFAAACD, the city of San Francisco committed to protecting the area’s heritage and fighting its gentrification. The cultural district designation gives the SFAAACD access to city funding to support small businesses, commission public art installations and administer mini-grants to Black-led nonprofits.&nbsp;

That’s where the SFAAACD comes in. San Francisco’s 94124 zip code, known as Bayview-Hunters Point, has the largest number of Black residents of any neighborhood in the city. By designating the area as an official cultural district in 2018 and establishing the SFAAACD, the city of San Francisco committed to protecting the area’s heritage and fighting its gentrification. The cultural district designation gives the SFAAACD access to city funding to support small businesses, commission public art installations and administer mini-grants to Black-led nonprofits.&nbsp;

Ultimately, Glenn hopes that initiatives like the cultural district can help “level the playing field” for African Americans across San Francisco.&nbsp;

Ultimately, Glenn hopes that initiatives like the cultural district can help “level the playing field” for African Americans across San Francisco.&nbsp;

&#8220;I want to see Black people owning homes. I want to see Black folks with jobs in tech. I want to see Black folks playing with their kids at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/safr/planyourvisit/aquaticparkcove.htm">Aquatic Park</a> because that&#8217;s our land, too,” he says. “I just want to see <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2018/02/black-panthers-wakanda-explained.html">Wakanda</a> for all intents and purposes. I think that we have the potential and the drive to be that.”&nbsp;

"I want to see Black people owning homes. I want to see Black folks with jobs in tech. I want to see Black folks playing with their kids at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/safr/planyourvisit/aquaticparkcove.htm">Aquatic Park</a> because that's our land, too,” he says. “I just want to see <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2018/02/black-panthers-wakanda-explained.html">Wakanda</a> for all intents and purposes. I think that we have the potential and the drive to be that.”&nbsp;

&#8220;I want to see Black people owning homes. I want to see Black folks with jobs in tech. I want to see Black folks playing with their kids at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/safr/planyourvisit/aquaticparkcove.htm">Aquatic Park</a> because that&#8217;s our land, too,” he says. “I just want to see <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2018/02/black-panthers-wakanda-explained.html">Wakanda</a> for all intents and purposes. I think that we have the potential and the drive to be that.”&nbsp;

Videos by Sophie Bearman.

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