The GrowSF Report: Last chance to vote
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What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of May 30, 2022:
- Vote by June 7!
- Pride month kicks off with The Pink Triangle
- Yemeni refugees find Islamophobia and unsafe streets in San Francisco
- Newest SF Supervisor Matt Dorsey endorses Boudin Recall
Vote by June 7!
Voter turnout is a shockingly low 16% — far lower than previous elections. This means that the outcome depends completely on who actually votes. Your vote will have a bigger impact in a low-turnout election, so be sure you and your friends use the GrowSF Voter Guide and get your ballot in by June 7.
If you didn’t get a ballot or you’re not registered to vote, you can register on election day by going to your polling place! You can vote immediately after registering!
Pride month kicks off with The Pink Triangle
GrowSF-endorsed leaders Mayor London Breed, Senator Scott Wiener, Assessor-Recorder Joaquín Torres, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi were spotted alongside new District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey and District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman at The Pink Triangle on top of Twin Peaks on Wednesday night, celebrating the kickoff of Pride Month in San Francisco.
If this is your first Pride in San Francisco, you may be wondering what The Pink Triangle is. In short, it’s a highly visible reminder of the hate and intolerance our fellow human beings face for just being who they are.
The Pink Triangle has been installed atop Twin Peaks in San Francisco. for each Pride weekend since 1996, as a visible yet mute reminder of man's inhumanity to man. It is almost 200 feet across, nearly an acre in size, and can be seen for 20 miles.
It is an educational tool for all to see. The Pink Triangle is one of history's reminders of hate and intolerance, and part of appreciating and celebrating where we are today for Pride Weekend, is understanding where we have been. That is why the Pink Triangle will be there this weekend, to educate others about the hatred of the past to help prevent it from happening again. The pink triangle was used by the Nazis in concentration camps to identify homosexual prisoners. This symbol, which was used as in an attempt to label and persecute, has been embraced by the gay community as a symbol of pride. However, we mustn't forget its tragic origins.
- ThePinkTriangle.com
Yemeni refugees find Islamophobia and unsafe streets in San Francisco
The Saleh family fled their home country of Yemen and settled in San Francisco. But instead of a peaceful and welcoming city, the family found unsafe streets, overcrowded housing, and Islamophobia.
Immigrants and refugees from around the globe have sought to achieve the American Dream in San Francisco. The reality of the city, however, can be like a slap in the face. The impact of crime and destitution falls unevenly, and poor immigrants are often faced with the worst of it. This fantastic article by Heather Knight at the Chronicle shows how complex these issues are, and shines a light on those who deal with the worst of it.
Newest SF Supervisor Matt Dorsey endorses Boudin Recall
San Francisco’s newest Supervisor, Matt Dorsey, has come out in favor of the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Dorsey was recently appointed to the District 6 Supervisor position by Mayor London Breed after former Supervisor Matt Haney won election to the California Assembly.
Dorsey cites his personal experience battling substance abuse for his position.
It was the convergence of a record-shattering crisis in accidental drug overdose deaths in San Francisco and my own personal journey in recovery from drug addiction that moved me to ask Mayor London Breed last month to consider me as her appointee to the Board of Supervisors.
That same convergence is now, for me, a decisive factor in why I will vote yes on Proposition H on June 7, to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
- SF Gate
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Join GrowSF for our Election Night Celebration at Teeth in the Mission
Join GrowSF for an election night celebration party at Teeth in the Mission! All are welcome, even if you didn't follow our voter guide :).
Starting at 7pm, and really kicking off at 8pm when polls close, we'll have the patio for a celebration of all the hard work everyone has put in. We'll be announcing election results as they come in at 8:45, 9:45 and 10:45pm.
RSVPs aren't strictly necessary (we won't be denying anyone entry), but they help us ensure we have enough space. Forget to RSVP? Come anyway!
“Beyond Homeless” Documentary Panel Discussion
Join our friends at RescueSF for a discussion on the documentary film "Beyond Homeless: Finding Hope". There will be a moderated discussion on the root causes of homelessness and how to mobilize our community to enact solutions with a panel of experts who are featured in the film, as well as audience Q&A,
Wednesday, June 8th at 12pm
Celebrate San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city. Here’s what makes it great:
12 stairways that will make you fall in love with the city again
We’re a city of hills, and often that means building stairways to climb those hills. Here’s a great list of stairways you can climb to get some spectacular views, exercise, and see our city from every angle.
The Golden Gate Bridge opened 85 years ago: Rare images from the archives
SFGate has published incredible photos from the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge.
To mark the birthday, we unearthed images from the construction, some of which have not been seen in years. Construction started Jan. 5, 1933, after authorization by the War Department, which owned the land on both sides of the strait. The first cars rolled over it on May 27, 1937 and the opening festivities lasted a whole week.
Filipino-Japanese Cable Car Gripman Has a Grip on San Francisco's History
NBC Bay Area has a great story about Valentine Lupiz, an SF native and cable car operator.
Lupiz has something in common with the cable cars: both were born and raised in San Francisco. Lupiz grew up in the city's Mission District, the son of a Japanese mother and a Filipino father. His parents met just after World War II when his military dad met Lupiz's mother working in the office of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Japan. They found their way to San Francisco.
Free events in SF this summer
Check out this incredible list of free events in SF for the month of June! Highlights include the Union Street Festival (6/4-5), Haight-Ashbury Street Festival (6/12), the start of the Stern Grove Concert Series (6/12 and then every Sunday until August), and many other events. Get out and enjoy your city!
Love the GrowSF Report? Share it
Help GrowSF grow! Share our newsletter with your friends. The bigger we are, the better San Francisco will be.
Topical Tweets
Yes, there is good stuff on Twitter. Here’s some of it:
Lifelong Democrat and member of the CA Democratic Party writes about how he’s supporting the Boudin recall:
Bars open until 4am? Cheers!
