Category: Social justice

Saturday December 6th: Small-business crawl!

On By Joni EisenIn Community service, Immigration, Labor, Racism, Resistance, Social justice, UncategorizedLeave a comment

There will be no regular PHDC meeting in December. We were inspired by the presentation at our November meeting by IndivisibleSF D10 lead, PHDC member Jacky Morales Ferrand, to do something different. In the spirit of the season. Let’s help keep workers and residents safe by reaching out to local businesses to make sure they know their legal rights and responsibilities in the event of a federal agent raid. We’ll ask the merchants to put a welcoming sign in their window (shown below), and share other steps they can take.

At Goat Hill Pizza’s recent 50th birthday party, founder Philip De Andrade enthusiastically agreed to be the first merchant to participate. If you want to join our Small-Business Crawl on December 6 – or maybe a day in the future; this is an ongoning campaign – please let us know by emailing contact_us@phdemclub.org . To find out more, you can sign up for an optional online training offered by Jobs with Justice: every other Tues 5:30-6:30pm, or every Wed 12-1:00pm. Meanwhile, Happy Thanksgiving! 

Potrero Hill Democratic Club Action instead of Meeting

Saturday, December 6, 2pm, meet up on the Hill or in Dogpatch, location tbd

Tues June 3: Sign-making for No Kings!

On By Joni EisenIn Resistance, Social justice, Uncategorized

Tuesday, June 3rd @ 7:00pm, Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro

The No Kings National Day of Defiance: a peaceful protest everywhere except Washington, DC

Our June meeting will be a little different. And a little messier! As we create our messages of defiance, Liliana Soroceanu from the SF chapter of Indivisible, organizer of the protests, will join us for a little background and cheerleading. For more sample signs, click here.

On June 14, Flag Day, the U.S. Army has planned a massive parade for its 250th anniversary, with tanks, soldiers and armored vehicles expected to roar through the streets of Washington, D.C. That day is also tthe birthday of a would-be king who claims the entire spectacle as a birthday party for himself: a vehicle for self-aggrandizement. Funded, of course by millions of taxpayer dollars

We say no. The crowds of protesters have to be big, really big, to take the world’s attention away from this pathetic “birthday party” and focus it on the power of the people who reject corrupt, authoritarian rule. We want to grab the story, make sure the action happens everywhere else but DC.

If you have not yet joined a recent protest march or rally, or you feel this isn’t really your thing (or maybe you’ve been there, done that in the past), this is the one to show up for. You don’t have to make up your mind yet. But do come and help make some signs at the Neighborhood House! 

→Art supplies. If you have any cardboard (such as poster board or a cut-up corrugated box), markers or paint & brushes, by all means bring whatever – but it’s not necessary.

Tuesday May 7 Membership Meeting: Ensuring Food Security across the Food Chain in San Francisco

On By colleen60821b8d81In Food politics, Income disparity, Social justice, Uncategorized

Co-hosted by the South Beach District 6 Democratic Club

For our May meeting, we’ll be discussing issue of food insecurity and hunger in Potrero Hill and beyond. We’ll hear from organizations addressing this problem in our neighborhoods and learn how we can all be involved in solutions.

Panelists include:

We will also hear from David Schmidt of Secure the Vote about publicly-owned, Open-Source paper ballot voting systems. Club members may vote on endorsing AB 1784, the state bill to fund pilot systems in SF and LA. Click here for the fact sheet.

Date: Tuesday, May 7
Time: 7 pm
Location: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House at 953 DeHaro St

Tues April 2 – Green Dreams: Turning Them into Reality

On By colleen60821b8d81In Climate change, Environment, Social justice, Uncategorized

PHDC’s April membership meeting, co-hosted by San Francisco Tomorrow, is packed with ideas for reversing climate change.

Panelists include:

We’ll also hear an update from Thea Selby, SF Transit Riders chair and CCSF Trustee, on what is or could be happening with High Speed Rail

Finally, we’ll end with a quick presentation on how you can sign up for 100% renewable energy through CleanPowerSF.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 2nd, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tues May 2: Homelessness & other challenges

On By Joni EisenIn Housing, Social justice, Uncategorized

At Tuesday’s meeting, we welcome back Amy Farah Weiss of the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge, featured in March 2016 on our illuminating, inspirational panel on interim homelessness solutions (video here), with an update on what the City is doing (or not doing) with our neighborhood encampments, and some new proposals that are now gaining momentum.  

Former Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, of the SF Democratic County Central Committee, will follow up on last month’s conversations (at PHDC and at the DCCC) about how the Democratic Party and our neighborhood club can work better together to fight Trumpism and corporate democracy at home and nationally. 

Also also, we’ll hear more about the Rally for Inclusion coming up on Saturday, May 6. 
And phone banking updates, and more!  Come and catch up, the neighborhood Resistance is open to everyone at any time.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 2nd, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tues Feb 7th: Climate change, health care, & so much more

On By Joni EisenIn Environment, Health Care, Journalism, Social justice, Uncategorized

Two-plus weeks after the “inauguration,” we find that all the challenges we feared are coming at us, almost all at once.  So for the foreseeable future, our Club will focus on ongoing, practical resistance against the Republican agenda in Washington, and the corporate agenda in Sacramento and City Hall.  Each meeting will start with quick updates and specific upcoming actions, and then we’ll dive deeper into conversations with allies on specific subjects. This meeting featured:

• Combating Climate Change. Back in 2013, Citizens’ Climate Lobby appeared before the DemClub; as a result, we became the first organization in SF to endorse its proposed federal legislation, Carbon Fee & Dividend – which, considering the current climate (so to speak) looming in Washington DC, just might have a chance in today’s Congress (it’s both market-based and socially just). CCL volunteers Joni Eisen, Heath Massey, & Brendan Rhoan updated us on their progress, coupled with a call to action.

• Supporting Real Investigative Journalism. Michael Stoll and Daphne Magnawa of San Francisco Public Press, a local nonprofit, noncommercial news organization, described some of their work producing high-impact in-depth reporting projects on a wide range of topics.

• Saving Health Care. Carolyn Barden of California Nurses Association and Jonathan Meade of Healthy California discussed expanding health care, not cutting it, and why now is the time to move forward in California with Single-Payer legislation:  Medicare for all.

For your ongoing convenience, find links to overall resistance info, and particular actions, in our current newsletter.

Tuesday, Jan 3rd: Fighting back

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Social justice, Uncategorized

screen-shot-2016-12-29-at-12-23-46-pmLike many of you, the Potrero Hill Democratic Club wants to give 2016 a swift kick out the door.  More than 77% of our endorsed candidates and campaigns won on November 8, but the losses were especially hard. But now it’s on: building from the wreckage of 11/8.

It’s already been written repeatedly that California will lead the resistance to the Trump administration, and it’s well known that San Francisco leads the state.  But what does that mean, at the very local level of a neighborhood Democratic Club? Guest speakers and PHDemClub board members will discuss practical actions to build the Trump resistance, including
• The Women’s March SF on January 21
• Potential opportunities for daily advocacy
• Particular issues you want to address this year
• Working with allies

If you thought for a moment that 2017 would be a quiet year at the Democratic Club because there are no elections scheduled, think again!  And join us!

WHEN: Tuesday, January 3rd, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tuesday, May 3rd: Socializing with DCCC candidates, solidarity with hospitality workers

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Labor, Social justice, Uncategorized

Screen Shot 2016-04-27 at 2.00.24 PMSome of our endorsed candidates for the SF DCCC came for a meet-and-greet. The SF Democratic County Central Committee, the governing body of the SF Democratic Party, registers voters and makes endorsements. Their citywide election mailers powerfully influence Democratic voters to support or oppose particular candidates and ballot measures. But we believe the DCCC has veered off-course in recent years, and needs reform. Real reform, not real estate rule.

Also, Antonio Arenas of UNITE HERE! Local 2, which represents over 12,000 hospitality workers in San Francisco and San Mateo, discussed the boycott at non-union hotels Le Meridien and Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 3rd at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro @ Southern Heights

Tuesday, March 1st: Homelessness in San Francisco

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Community service, Housing, Income disparity, Social justice, Uncategorized

Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 12.16.24 PMWe’ve heard about the problems. We’ve seen the problems. At this meeting, the conversation was about SOLUTIONS – real, imagined; happening, never tried; possible, impossible; short-term, long-term; direct action, legislation; good, perfect…

The amazing panel consisted of (left to right in photo above):

PHDC Vice-President Tony Kelly moderated. The program opened with Melodie, reading a letter she had written about some of the trauma she and her fellow vehicle dwellers have experienced.

In addition to their own organizations, panelists recommended some resources to find out more and get involved. In San Francisco: HandUp online fundraising to help an individual in need; volunteering with Project Homeless Connect at events offering many services under one roof; Downtown Streets team. Also: Dignity Village in Portland, OR.

* Amy Weiss requests that you take the online quiz/survey to test your knowledge about the status quo of homelessness in SF and learn more about the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge. Thanks.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 1, at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights