2020 San Francisco District Debate Event Series
Speakers: Connie Chan; Marjan Philhour; Emily Murase; Myrna Melgar; Vilaska Nguyen

Ahead of the November 3, 2020 election, sf.citi hosted virtual debates with the Supervisor candidates running in San Francisco’s most competitive district races. With incumbent District 1 and District 7 Supervisors vacating their seats, many candidates rushed to fill their spots. sf.citi organized debates with the top San Francisco Supervisor candidates in both District 1 and District 7.

Local Matters: Understanding the Power of Local Elections
Speakers: Eitan Hersh, Tufts University; A’shanti Gholar, Emerge

Three months ahead from the November 2020 Presidential election, sf.citi hosted an important conversation about the power of local elections. From Associate Professor of Political Science at Tufts University, Eitan Hersh, we learned three common reasons people don’t vote in local elections. And from President of Emerge, A’shanti Gholar, we learned about several local leaders who have gained national recognition for their exemplary response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most importantly, we learned how important it is to vote in local elections!

District 6 Supervisor Debate: The Race to Lead the Innovation District
Speakers: Sonja Trauss; Chrstine Johnson; Cory Weinberg, The Information

sf.citi partnered with Hustle and Lyft to host a tech-focused District 6 Supervisor debate a month before the November 2018 election. Home to both many of the city’s leading tech companies and neighborhoods in need, District 6 represents an important benchmark for the tech community and the City as a whole. During the discussion, District 6 Candidates Christine Johnson and Sonja Trauss talked about everything from public safety and homelessness to scooters and the then-pending San Francisco cafeteria ban.

An Uncertain Future
Speakers: California State Senator Scott Wiener; Janet Napolitano, University of California; Jack Chen, Microsoft; Ron Conway, SV Angel

sf.citi organized a lively conversation about the Trump Administration’s plans to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, as well as other immigration reform issues. Our panel dug deep into DACA’s future and the integral role immigrants play in strengthening our economy, especially in the tech industry.

We Are San Francisco
Speakers: Sam Altman, Y Combinator; Ashley McCumber, MOWSF; Gilda Gonzales, Planned Parenthood; Shamann Walton, San Francisco Board of Education

sf.citi partnered with Y Combinator to discuss the future of San Francisco under the Trump administration. Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator, led a compelling conversation with Ashley McCumber, CEO of Meals on Wheels San Francisco, Gilda Gonzales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Northern California, and Shamann Walton, President of the San Francisco Board of Education. They discussed the effects of federal budget cuts on our local community and encouraged attendees to “think globally, but act locally” by volunteering their time and talents to local causes.

Tech Votes
Speakers: Mayor Willie Brown; Jared Friedman, Y Combinator; Rebecca Prozan, Google

Ahead of the November 2016 election, sf.citi hosted a discussion to highlight the value of voting in local elections. Former Mayor Willie Brown shared his personal insights into San Francisco’s political scene, and a panel of tech industry entrepreneurs from Google, Y Combinator, Microsoft, and Brigade discussed recent innovations in voting and civic engagement.