“Imagine getting a call from your six-year-old niece. She’s crying and begging me to go get her. She says, ‘I promise I’ll behave, but please get me out of here. I’m all alone.’” – Aunt of a six-year-old girl taken from her parents at the border. Separating children from their families causes irreparable harm, including […]
On behalf of The San Francisco Foundation’s board of trustees and staff, I wish to express our deep sadness at the passing of Mayor Ed Lee. We extend our condolences to his wife Anita, his two daughters, Brianna and Tania, and his family. As the city’s first elected Asian-American mayor and son of immigrants, Mayor […]
California is home to more than 200,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who have contributed to our cultural vibrancy and the economic growth of our communities. They are part of the nearly 800,000 immigrants nationwide protected under the DACA program who live, work, and study in the United States. America is their home […]
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” This past weekend the nation witnessed white supremacists fueled by incredible hate and violence descend upon Charlottesville, Virginia. […]
The Bay Area has a deep history of activism — of fighting for the rights of immigrants, women, people of color, and the LGBT community — and being active in civil rights, human rights, environmental justice, and the labor movement. On January 25, we were reminded of that activist spirit when Bay Area mayors issued […]
Like many of you, I have felt waves of emotions during the past few months. Together, with my family and with foundation staff, I have taken time to reflect, recharge and regroup. Now, we are in a new year and it is time to get focused. In this new year, we at The San Francisco […]
I believe that history serves as a guide. History tells us that the passage of time does not make the situation better. It is what we do with that time that makes the difference. History tells us that the power of movements — from women’s suffrage to civil rights to marriage equality — can lead […]
If you care about race and inclusion in this country, it’s been an especially tough time. I remember one day last month when our staff came together just to sit and feel and talk together. I won’t deny – there are moments during days like that one when I really can feel discouraged. But in […]
On Tuesday, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to place a $580 million bond measure on the November 2016 ballot that would help build up to 8,500 affordable homes in the county. This is an extremely good start. Across the region, nearly 300,000 families are in imminent danger of losing their affordable home. […]
When I was kid growing up in Oakland, I spent a lot of time riding my bicycle around town. I was able to see my community in really different ways. I saw how people of different races who lived so close to each other seemed to have such different lives. I always wondered about why […]