Hello John,

As a kid, my mother always encouraged us to read, and she made sure we read Black authors. She made sure we learned our history, and celebrated those who fought against slavery, Jim Crow, and every other injustice our ancestors faced.

Black History Month is a time to celebrate those who fought for civil rights, and also to celebrate all of the Black Excellence that San Francisco has produced.

From activists like Elouise Westbrook, who fought for housing rights here in our district, to poets like Maya Angelou, the first Black woman to conduct a San Francisco Streetcar. Legendary actors like Danny Glover and athletes like Colin Kaepernick who forced the nation to confront racial inequity.

But when I look around San Francisco and our country at large, there are also so many glaring signs that more needs to be done. From the all too frequent incidents of police brutality against Black citizens to the persistent racial wealth gap between San Francisco’s white and Black populations. 

Black History Month is a reminder to recommit ourselves to the year round struggle for equity and justice for Black Americans. I’m committed to fighting for more affordable housing, better schools, and fair economic opportunity for Black San Franciscans. 

I want to invite you to a reception at my office in celebration of Black History Month. We’ll be joined by two local Black artists who represent the best of the Bay Area: Brother Malik Seneferu and Jermaine Dante’ Art. The reception starts promptly at 3pm tomorrow, February 8th, at Room 282 of City Hall.
 

In solidarity,

Shamann