InsideOut

This is important for Youth Arts Organizations as DCYF is currently the only city agency that gives a significat amount of money to arts education organizations serving youth.

On a cold, wintry day in the midst of the holiday vacation season, almost 100 community members showed up on the steps of city hall December 23rd to show their support for a strong DCYF with Margaret Brodkin at its head, for strong city leadership on policy and budget issues facing the city's struggling families, and to send a message to Mayor Newsom that we want a mayor who values competence and results over political loyalty. We represented service providers, parents and youth from all walks of life and from every neighborhood in the city. A delegation went to meet with the Mayor's aide, Mike Farrah. While Farrah would neither confirm or deny the rumor that Newsom had already decided to fire Brodkin as the head of DCYF, most of the delegation left feeling that a decision had been made by the Mayor (what decision is unclear) and feared that the community's voices were being disregarded.

We hear from a number of city hall sources that there indeed is a move afoot to get rid of Brodkin, to possibly re-organize city departments in a way that could harm children and families and threaten the integrity of the Children's Fund, and to shift high-level positions around to better support the Mayor's political ambitions. And of course, there are millions of dollars in critical services to children, young people and families at risk in this economic crisis.

Our advocacy continues to be needed. The list of community leaders who have signed on our letter to the Mayor has almost doubled, with more than 45 people signed on as of today! Please contact NTanya at nlee [at] colemanadvocates [dot] org if you'd like to be added to the letter and if you want to learn about the next steps (there will be a community meeting soon, please call for details!). You can also call + email the Mayor thru his chief of staff, Steve Kawa: steve.kawa [at] sfgov [dot] org & 554-6603 and tell him that this is not about personalities or political loyalty but its about the city's ability to move forward a positive agenda for the children and families of San Francisco most in need during these times of crisis. To view the letter to the Mayor go to www.colemanadvocates.org.

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