It has been a long road with many happy hours in which we have been able to hear the ideas and visions for San Francisco’s future from so many candidates for Mayor, District Attorney and Sheriff. Now, we get to vote for the best candidates for each office that embody the SFWPC mission and values.

If you are a current member and have attended 3 qualifying events, you are able and encouraged to vote for our slate. Here are the details:

Date: Wednesday, August 31st
Time: 5:30pm — 7:00pm
Location: Nobel Bar: 600 Polk Street at Turk

Please RSVP on Facebook

When you arrive, you will be asked to sign in and we will verify that you qualify to vote. Then mark up your ballot!

We hope that you can attend the meeting. See you Wednesday!

Today, I write to you with mixed emotions. On Monday, June 6, I stepped down as  SFWPC President after nearly two years at the helm and seven years on the Board to pursue a graduate program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government starting in July.  I am delighted to announce that Jaynry Mak, a long time SFWPC Board member and engaged community leader, has assumed the role of President.  SFWPC will assuredly thrive under Jaynry’s experienced leadership and the truly incredible team of Board Members devoted to our cause of engaging women in local politics.

Celebrate this transition at the annual SFWPC Summer in the City fundraiser on Thursday, July 7. It would mean the world to me if you considered sponsoring the event so I can jump on a one-way flight to Boston later that night knowing our movement grows stronger.  Make sure to come to the party! It’s always a great time and I would love to say good-bye personally.

But before I go, I can’t help but share a few thoughts about what I’ve noticed since working on gender balance in San Francisco. SFWPC has achieved some wonderful things over the years: building relationships with elected officials, co-creating the San Francisco Women’s Policy Summit, organizing the San Francisco Women’s Collaborative, joining the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, spearheading the Boards and Commissions website, engaging in the Interim Mayor selection, leading the 5for5 Campaign, sending nearly 100,000 carefully developed slate cards, mentoring countless women on our committees and board, the list goes on and on.

Yet, I continue to wonder at the statistical fact that, despite our best effort, women are 49% of the San Francisco population, yet are represented by only THREE (3) women, out of eleven (11) seats on the Board of Supervisors.

There is much work to be done.  As an organization devoted to engaging women in local politics and city government,  SFWPC has always tried to be a place of political realism and frank discussion, always acknowledging that much of the gender gap has as much to do with how women treat each other as anything else.  It’s a real challenge to navigate the political labyrinth of power, money and relationships balancing SFWPC core feminist values with political pragmatism. Yet, women must continue to stay engaged with each other and make connections across organizations to build a strong movement.  We must commit ourselves, no matter what, to a vision of equality and representational balance that simply doesn’t exist today. To think that it does exist, just because we are San Francisco, is to delude ourselves into complacency.

The political scene in San Francisco is a beautiful mess. It’s personal and passionate, rooted in a community that strives to be a place for all people to be themselves. I believe that through honest conversations, extreme patience and, most importantly, improved collaboration, San Francisco can be a place of true equality and balance for EVERYONE…including 50% of humanity.  It’s been a privilege to be a part of this community for so long. I will miss you all very much. But, in the words of no one in particular…I’ll be back.

Time: 5:30 – 7:00pm

Location: Noble Bar, 600 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA

RSVP on Facebook

We are excited to bring you the fourth event in our “Meet the Candidates” series, on Thursday, June 9, 2011 once again at Noble Bar on the corner of Polk and Turk streets. This location serves food, so your little ones are welcome to come and cheer on the candidates with you.

The candidates are eager to meet our membership and discuss the challenges they will tackle in their races.

Bevan Dufty for Mayor

Bevan Dufty was elected to represent District 8 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. Supervisor Dufty had been recognized as a champion of civil rights. Prior to his election, Mr. Dufty served the City as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services and Legislative Aide to former Supervisor Susan Leal. His career in public service began as an intern, and later, Legislative Assistant to Representative Julian Dixon of Los Angeles. Mr. Dufty earned his Bachelor of Arts at the University of California, Berkeley.

Find out more about Bevan here: www.bevandufty.com

Michela Alioto-Pier for Mayor

Michela Alioto-Pier is a Democratic leader who has fought against entrenched interests in support of health care and disability rights. Michela has been a San Francisco Supervisor since 2004, where she led critical health care fights, including the protection of essential health services, support of stem-cell research and the creation of high-paying biotechnology jobs. She has also worked to protect all San Franciscans by outlawing smoking in city parks and through the technological upgrade of San Francisco’s emergency preparedness system.

Find out more about Michela here: http://www.michelaformayor.com/

David Onek for District Attorney

Criminal justice expert and former Police Commissioner David Onek is organizing a campaign for San Francisco District Attorney to make our city safer and fairer by forging strong partnerships between law enforcement and the community.

David is a Senior Fellow and founding Executive Director at the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice. He also hosts the Criminal Justice Conversations – engaging with fellow criminal justice leaders from San Francisco and throughout the nation.

Find out more about David here: http://www.davidonek.com/

You can find out about our candidate events on our Events page or on Facebook, which will be updated as events are finalized.

REMEMBER: in order to qualify as a voting member in our endorsement slate, you must be a member in good standing (dues paid in full) and have attended 3 events or meetings within a calendar year, prior to the endorsement meeting.

SFWPC has made it a goal to get women into the local government “pipeline” and make sure that collectively our voices are heard. This new database is a perfect tool to use for this great cause.

To search the centralized online database of City commissions and boards, go to www.sfgov.org/commissionsdatabase or call 3-1-1.

DCCC Member Leslie Katz, City Administrator Amy Brown, Director of the Department of the Environment Melanie Nutter, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, SFWPC President Heidi Sieck, Board of Supervisors Member Malia Cohen

SFWPC President Heidi Sieck, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Michelle Myers, Rosie Dilger, Max Szabo

Find more photos from the event on our Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=7833489654&aid=298495

We look forward to seeing you all at our April 14, 2011 “Meet the Candidate” event, featuring Dennis Herrera for Mayor and Sharmin Bock for District Attorney. You can find out more information about our events at our Events page.