Struggling to hold signs against gale force winds, several hundred people, mostly youth, marched from 16th up Mission Street to 24th Street this evening, protesting Mayor Newsom's plan to balance the city's budget by cutting service programs for families.
Marchers believe (and I agree) that whenever the city is in trouble financially, the Mission neighborhood, the city's gateway to all sorts of new immigrants, bears a disproportionate burden.
Whole families turned out.
For people who depend on youth programs to help their kids lead better lives, the cutbacks are frightening.
The Mayor's plan would slash public healthcare and substance abuse programs, take $1.2 million from programs for youth and families, and lead to a $6 million reduction in violence prevention services. Why should the city's poor people have to bear these burdens? How about those fat cat donors to Mayor's campaign for governor paying a little more?
You gotta like it that part of life for Mission young people is learning to fight for your family and community.
At the rally after the walk, Teresa Almaguer of the Poder Youth Program called out thumbs down on Newsom's budget.
The march was sponsored by a who's who of Mission district institutions: Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco/Mission Club House, Brass Liberation Orchestra, Dolores Street Community Center, 826 Valencia, GirlSource, Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, HERE Local 2, HOMEY, Horizons Unlimited of San Francisco, Inc., Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Iris Center, Jamestown Community Center, La Raza Community Resource Center, Loco Bloco, Mission Beacon, Mission Community Council, Mission Graduates, Mission Neighborhood Center, MNC/Precita Center, New Door Ventures, ODC, and San Francisco Mime Troupe.
2 comments:
Estoy contigo. amiga!
I recall (vaguely and years ago) New York City wanted federal assistance in meeting its budget. At that time I wondered why in the world would a city as rich as NYC need a bail-out. Then, and fortunately for me, a journalist (straight press? alternative press? can’t remember) pointed out that NYC was home to all the people other cities didn't want. Wish I could remember what year this was, what the specific stated cause was, and how it was resolved. What I remember mostly is that I was ignorant on the subject but was gratefully was educated.
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