Our Statement on the 2020 Election
Dated 11.9.2020
Dear Friends of TNDC,
This year has tested us. As we welcome new leadership, we are hopeful and energized for the world we can build together. A world that meaningfully recognizes and places power in the voices of different races and ethnicities, gender identities and religions, cultures and lived experiences. A world where people are housed, fed, and meeting their goals on their own terms.
This world may sound too distant, but look at what our shared values have already made possible. Together we have helped house 6,000 people, and fostered community across San Francisco. We have supported hundreds of kids in the Tenderloin community as they learn and grow for the last 30 years. We have amplified the voice of the Tenderloin in their fight for more affordable housing by passing Prop C in 2018 and now Props A and K.
We are a community of people who care about one another and are dedicated to continuing to take even better care of each other. When we lead with our values, commit to being anti-racist, and follow the people we serve, we can start making active choices to repair the economic, mental, and physical harm of centuries of racism, anti-Blackness, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, and all forms of systemic discrimination.
This moment is a testament to our power as a community. Thank you to everyone who voted this year, especially those who overcame systemic and personal obstacles to do so. Thanks to our Tenderloin leaders for making sure their community’s voice was heard. And thank you to those who fought and continue to fight to make sure everyone’s vote counts as this basic right continues to be challenged.
This moment is full of hope, but the roots of this election’s tension mean that our shared fight for equity is far from over. We’ve spent the last few years navigating incredible losses and fearing what would be lost next, but now is the time to focus on what we can build and make better. Let’s take this moment, this momentum, and keep moving forward!
In community,
Donald S. Falk, CEO
