John --

Rage.  Grief. Exhaustion. More than four centuries of generational trauma and systemic racism - we are still in this fight, still grieving as George Floyd's life was squeezed from him by those who swore to protect him, still marking Breonna Taylor's birthday yesterday without her, still watching a global pandemic hit black families the hardest, still mourning the murders right here in our community, Mario Woods, Jessica Williams...

We’re still having to say—to yell—to the privileged and to those in power that BLACK LIVES MATTER. 

Where do we go from here? As a city, I want to believe we are making strides, that we are reforming but the actions of the SFPD over the last week were disappointing and follow a pattern of response by police around the country where protesters have been met with batons and tear gas, arrest and detention. Going forward we must fundamentally rethink what a police department is: how they are funded and overseen, how their officers are trained, and most importantly, who they serve and protect. 

Our government should reflect the best in us—all of us.  Never again can housing, health, banking, zoning, education, policing or any other system of our society be used to divide us or keep our community down.

Change starts here, in San Francisco. It always has. Here are some steps I encourage you to take today:

1. Donate to a bail fund if you’re able and support the release of some of the 10,000 people who’ve been arrested during peaceful protests across the country.
2. Listen & Learn. Be open, talk to your neighbors, your family, your friends, about what’s going on, the history of institutional racism, and steps you can take now to practice anti-racism.
3. Show Up to rallies happening this week, if you are comfortable and not at a serious health risk. 

Stay strong and please reach out to me if you need to talk.

In solidarity,

--Vallie