San Francisco Bay Guardian 48.50

2014·24.1 MB·English

r a i s i n g h e l l s i n c e 1 9 6 6
the san francisco bay guardian | sfbg.com | september 10 - 16, 2014 | vol. 48, no. 50 | free
under fire battle for bayview best of the bay
Mezcal is a victim of its popularity P17 Tough issues animate D10 race P8 Vote now for your favorites at sfbg.com/best2014
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2 SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN opinion news food + drink the selector music arts + culture film classifieds
Everybody loves skulls.
Skulls, a revealing new exhibit. Now open.
From a tiny shrew to a mighty hippopotamus,
there’s a lot to love.
Get tickets at calacademy.org
opinion news food + drink the selector music arts + culture film classifieds SeptemBeR 10 -16, 2014 / SFBG.COm 3
Skulls10.13x11_Princess.indd 1 7/1/14 12:24 PM
INTEllIgENcE
NO BUENO
sUNdANcIN’
When the (non-Mexican) owners
of Castro gay sports bar Hi Tops Two awesome outdoor parties
announced that they would be opening this Sunday prove that our sum-
an upscale Mexican restaurant cross mer is finally here. First up: a
the street called Bandidos, many pool party? In the Tenderloin?
hackles were raised on those who You bet, as Summetime
know “bandido” has been used as a Radness (Sun/14, 1pm-6pm,
slur against Mexican people in the US. $15–$20. Phoenix Hotel, 601
When the menu was unveiled — with Eddy, SF. www.facebook.com/
items like $9 guacamole — familiar LightsDownLowCA) splashes
grumbling about high prices and gen- into golden disco-funk waters
trification took over. But the torta really with UK DJs Tiger and Woods
hit the fan when chef Jamie Lauren and beloved groovemaster Dam
was quoted on SFGate, saying, “I hate Funk (pictured). Also that day,
to call it white people Mexican food SF’s own crazy, lowdown bass
but it is. And I think the Castro needs a kids from Dirtybird Records —
place like that.” Community rage and Claude Vonstroke, J.Phlip, Justin
threats of a boycott ensued. The own- and Christian Martin, and Worthy
ers have agreed to meet with Latino — rumble onto Treasure Island
and gay community representatives for the infamous Dirtybird BBQ
like comedian Marga Gomez to consid- (Sun/14, noon-8pm, $40. 401
er a name change and better outreach. California, Treasure Island. www.
facebook.com/dirtybirdrecords) EvIcTION hAlTEd
Free BBQ while supplies last!
photo by Jimmy mould
Benito Santiago, a 63-year-old San Francisco native, recently got word
that he wouldn’t be evicted after all from his Duboce Avenue apartment,
where he’s resided for 37 years. When he got the eviction notice last
BAY AREA’s
December, Santiago had no idea where else he could possibly live. “It was
BATgIRl then that I realized, all that I could do, was fight back to stay in my home,”
he said. “This is my life.” He got help from eviction Free San Francisco,
housing activists who staged marches, rallies, and even a real-estate
Isn’t it weird that superheroines
office occupation to keep him housed.
often are depicted fighting crime
in skimpy, skin-tight outfits?
ROOM TO WRITE It seems DC Comics woke up NO FREE lUNch
and smelled the sexism, and is
Kids at Mission High School will be launching a new Batgirl comic We’ve heard about the “Twitter
getting a writer’s Room, a beautiful- series with Barbara Gordon ten” — how free gourmet lunch
ly designed space to inspire the pro- featuring a whole new outfit. Her offered by the tech employer can
cess of writing, in partnership with workers’ boots, jacket, and cos- leave its workers with a bit of a
the tutoring center 826 Valencia. tume now look like something paunch. But now that the Internal
As part of the project, ninth graders an actual human being could Revenue Service is taking a closer
will produce a magazine about social fit into, and was co-designed look at tax-exempt free lunch
justice issues, and San Franciscans by local San Francisco-based offered by the likes of Twitter and
can score a copy at the Pirate Supply comics artist Babs Tarr. No word Google, as the Wall Street Journal AhOY!
Store at 826 Valencia. yet if Tarr and the team would reported, there may yet be a pound
move Batgirl into the Bay Area or two to pay for that perk. Multiple music stages (including a
though. Drats! few that float) bring sea chanties,
POWER TO ThE PEOPlE
Irish ballads, folk songs about navy
battles, and other shipshape styles
Rising inequality of wealth and income cOPs EvIcTEd to the shore at the annual Sea
is one of the most important and music Festival, held Sat/13 on the
neglected issues facing the country, In the wake of Urban Shield — the
Hyde Street Pier and aboard the
one we cover often here at the Bay police training and trade show
historic vessels docked there. The
Guardian. So it’s great to see our com- staged in Oakland last week, attract-
festival also showcases Tahitian
rades over at the the haas Institute ing attendees from 200 law-en-
and Chinese traditional dancing,
for a Fair and Inclusive Society at forcement agencies — Mayor
living-history performers (including
UC Berkeley bringing the heat with a Jean Quan announced that
a Victorian-style tea party, and
new briefing, “Responding to Rising it wouldn’t be welcome in
model shipwrights). And yes, there
Inequality: Policy Interventions to Oakland again. To exactly
will be sing-alongs, so make sure
Ensure Opportunity for All,” and a nobody’s surprise, the
your “Spanish Ladies” is on point.
Sept. 10 event in Washington DC tout- event, timed on the heels
ing it. Better yet, the event features our of Ferguson in a city
favorite local congressional represen- where cops are probably OIlY cARgO FOllOW Us FOR
tative, US Rep. Barbara Lee, and bills less popular than any- MORE INTEllIgENcE
itself as “taking on” The Way Forward, where else on West Coast, On Sept. 4, environmental activists got up at the crack of dawn to sneak onto a railyard
the latest book by US Rep. Paul Ryan, drew protests. The police and stage a protest in Richmond. Using U-locks, they chained themselves to a fence @sfbg
the Republican budget chair who is still gear fest, which costs $1 where kinder morgan operates a shipping facility, where crude oil from North Dakota
San Francisco
peddling discredited supply-side solu- million in federal funding, was tar sands is unloaded from trains and sent to area refineries. The enviros said the trains Bay Guardian
tions that even members of his own started by the Alameda County are old and dangerous. But a lawsuit challenging the facility’s operating permit, issued
@sfbayguardian
party once correctly dubbed “voodoo Sheriff’s Office. by the air district without any environmental review, was thrown out in court the next day.
economics.” Get him, Barb! ap photo of a 2013 oil train derailment in Casselton, n.d., by bruCe Crummy www.sfbg.com
4 SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN OpINION NewS FOOD + DRINk the SeleCtOR mUSIC ARtS + CUltURe FIlm ClASSIFIeDS
I want
more
choices
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We offer the best selection in the Bay Area.
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opinion news food + drink the selector music arts + culture film classifieds September 10 -16, 2014 / SFbG.com 5
opinion
San FranciSco needS To Show ThaT iT’S noT For Sale.
To the classrooms,
Baby Boomers
By Tom GallaGher yourself, ask any teacher which
would help more: the latest textbook
OPINION As long as I’ve been substi- or a smaller class?
tute teaching, people have asked Moving from business to pol-
what I thought we could do to itics, the Obama administration
improve public schools. With all of has recently expressed interest in
the classrooms I’ve been in, they fig- reforming school discipline policy,
ured I might know something. But but it says so little about the surest
I’ve never had a simple answer for route to reducing classroom prob-
them, because I don’t actually think lems: a lower student-teacher ratio.
there is a single overriding educa- The reason for the silence is pretty
tional crisis. obvious. More teachers cost more
For most kids, the system works money. This means higher taxes (or
okay, or at least as well as it always maybe reduced military spending).
has. At the same time, there are New textbooks cost money too, of
large groups of kids clearly strug- course. The difference, however, is
gling — black students most obvi- that there are no giant corporations
ously, but not only. If we’re serious pushing for hiring more teachers
about fixing the educational prob- — there’s simply no money in it for
lems of the nation’s “disadvantaged” them.
kids, we need to improve the overall Yet we could put more adults
circumstances of their lives. into the mix even when we can’t
I’d say there is one surefire thing actually reduce class size. I’ve been
we can do to improve America’s in classrooms where it seemed like
classrooms: Put more adults in them the adult-to-child ratio needed to
— and not just teachers. really give kids a shot was some-
Think of how seldom the ques- thing like one-to-five-or-six — and
tion of class size makes it into the this was not special ed. And I’ve
highly politicized national educa- seen combinations of teachers,
tion debate. If you didn’t know any paraprofessionals (aka teachers’
better, you’d think it must be an aides), student teachers, parents, or
insignificant element. But if you volunteers from the community that EDITORIAL Creating a functional Defend and that he continues playing since
really want to know if class size is achieved that goal — at least for a and equitable San Francisco for Brown helped put him into Room
a big deal, just ask someone who little while. I’ve also seen situations tomorrow requires political will 200. Chief-of-Staff Steve Kawa,
teaches. Or if you want private where an additional person helped a and foresight today. Do our cur- the deal another loyalist to Brown and
sector confirmation of this, check kid who would have otherwise likely rent political leaders have the downtown, dishes out discipline to
out the private school brochures or disrupted an entire class and not requisite courage and commitment supervisors who don’t toe the line.
websites, which tout their smaller only prevented that, but got him to to the broad public interest, or are City leaders should be willing
class sizes. produce something useful. they too willing to give away the to play hardball, stick to the origi-
So why don’t we hear more After I had expounded on this farm to powerful private interests set to consider the matter after the nal deal, and call the bluff of these
about this? Maybe because there’s idea at a recent gathering in Boston, wielding promises or threats? Guardian press time for this issue, developers, even if that means risk-
no major corporate or political inter- an old friend came up to me and This week at City Hall, there so check our Politics blog for what ing that these towers might not get
ests pushing it, as opposed to char- said, “Look around this room,” was a fascinating test case for these happened, but there a few obser- built in their proposed form and
ter schools — or the various tenure, noting the crowd of Baby Boomers questions, one that we laid out on vations we can make without even timeline. Yes, that strategy might
curriculum, or discipline reforms who will soon retire and will have Sept. 8 on the SFBG.com Politics knowing what the outcome was. involve some legal liability, but
that vie to become the panacea of considerably more time on their blog (“Developers lobby hard This power play would never these massive towers were always
the moment. hands. All had an interest in public to slash payments promised to happen unless these developers and proposed as a means to an end.
For instance, you’ll likely hear education. Transbay Terminal and high-speed their allies — including Salesforce, San Francisco doesn’t need
more about the problem of inade- What if even a small percentage rail”). In a nutshell, it involves which has leased most of the a 1,000-foot office building. But
quate textbooks in “poor schools” of them could find their way to developers of the biggest office Transbay Tower, what would be the given its commitment to rebuild
than the too-large classes in them. helping public schools by actually towers proposed for San Francisco tallest building on the West Coast the Transbay Terminal, it does
Could this be related to the fact spending time assisting in a class- reneging on promises to pay for — thought they had a reasonable need to ensure that expensive proj-
that the only part of the publishing room? Wouldn’t we have a signifi- vital public infrastructure, which chance of success. And given how ect includes 21st century rail ser-
industry that isn’t struggling these cant asset on our hands? I think he they made in exchange for lucra- the Mayor’s Office seems willing to vice connecting to the rest of the
days is the educational sector? was right. 2 tive upzoning of their properties. give developers and business leaders state, as well as the open space and
The world’s four largest publish- With hundreds of millions whatever they want, it seems likely neighborhood amenities that these
ers produce educational materials, Tom Gallagher is a San Francisco sub- of dollars at stake, they hired top that this lobbying effort will more developers should fund.
and they’re out there making their stitute teacher and the author of Sub: political fixer Willie Brown to make than pay for itself, to the detriment Equally important, San
case and drumming up business all My Years Underground in America’s their case to politicians, including of the public. Francisco needs to show that it’s
the time. There’s a lot of money to Schools (Coast to Coast Publishing, those he helped bring to power, Mayor Ed Lee isn’t a political not for sale, that it won’t be bul-
be made selling $85 world history 2014). He can be reached at tgtgtgt- giving him a cut of whatever leader, he’s really just the city’s lied, and that its leaders are look-
texts to middle school classes of 35 [email protected]. To submit a guest editori- money this shakedown can shake chief administrator, a role he’s been ing out for more than their own
students. Again, if you’re not sure al, contact [email protected]. loose. The Board of Supervisors was playing since Brown was mayor political interests. 2
6 SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN OPINION NEwS FOOD + DRINk ThE SELECTOR mUSIC ARTS + CULTURE FILm CLASSIFIEDS
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opinion news food + drink the selector music arts + culture film classifieds September 10 -16, 2014 / SFbG.com 7
news
incumBent sup. malia cohen (left) faces seveRal challengeRs
this fall, including tony kelly (Right, centeR).
guardian photo of tony kelly by rebecca bowe
Racing for solutions
By ReBecca Bowe enough, saying, “I never put a time-
[email protected] line on the task force.”
Cohen also said she wanted to
NEWS Although there are five seats get a better sense of where all of
on the San Francisco Board of the past funding had gone that was
Supervisors up for reelection this supposed to have alleviated gun vio-
fall, incumbents face few contenders Candidates running in District 10 debate the myriad problems facing southeast SF lence. “We’ve spent a lot of money
with the requisite cash and political — millions — and one of the things
juice needed to mount a serious that offers workshops for youth by public transit. The high concen- violence rather than reacting to it.” I am interested in doing is to do an
challenge. The one race that has to prevent gun violence; and Ed tration of industrial land uses created The idea, she said, is to bring in audit about the finances,” she said.
stirred interest among local politicos Donaldson, who was born and raised major public health concerns. A expert stakeholders who hadn’t met She also wants to explore a part-
is the bid to represent District 10, in Bayview Hunters Point and works Department of Public Health study about this topic before, including nership with the Guardian Angels,
the rapidly changing southeast- on economic development issues. from 2006 determined that Bayview mental-health experts and those community volunteers who conduct
ern corner of San Francisco that DeBray Carptenter, an activist who Hunters Point residents were making working with at-risk youth. safety patrols, to supplement polic-
spans the Bayview, Hunters Point, has weighed in on police violence, is more hospital visits on average than “I think we need to go deeper” ing. Cohen was dismissive of her
Visitacion Valley, Dogpatch, and running as a write-in candidate. people residing in other San Francisco than in previous efforts, Cohen said, critics. “Tony was not talking about
Potrero Hill neighborhoods. But the outcome in this dynam- neighborhoods, especially for asthma dismissing past attempts as superfi- black issues before this,” she said.
Sup. Malia Cohen, who narrowly ic district could be determined by and congestive heart failure. cial fixes. “He hasn’t done one [gun] buyback.
beat an array of more than a dozen more than campaign cash or political Unemployment in D-10 hovers But Cohen’s task force plan There’s no depth to what any of
candidates in 2010, has raised way endorsements. That’s because the D10 near 12 percent, triple the citywide quickly drew criticism from political these critics are saying.”
more money than her best-funded supervisor faces the unique, unen- average of 4 percent. Cohen told us opponents and other critics, includ- Tran, who spoke with the
opponent, progressive neighborhood viable challenge of taking on some efforts are being made on this front, ing Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who dis- Guardian at length, said she’d start-
activist Tony Kelly, who garnered of the city’s most intractable prob- noting that $3 million had been missed it as empty rhetoric. ed trying to address rampant crime
2,095 first-place votes in the last D10 lems, which have disproportionately invested in the Third Street corridor “How many people are cool with in Visitacion Valley 25 years ago
race, slightly more than Cohen’s, plagued this rapidly changing district. to assist merchants with loans and yet another task force?” Kelly said and said more needs to be done to
before the final outcome was deter- Longstanding challenges, such façade improvements, and that pro- in a press statement challenging the respond to recent shootings.
mined by ranked-choice voting tallies. as a high unemployment and crime grams were underway to connect resi- move. “We can’t wait any longer to “There was no real method for
For the upcoming Nov. 4 elec- rates, public health concerns, social dents with health care and hospitality stem the deadly tide of violence in the sizable non-English speaking
tion, Cohen has received $242,225 displacement, and poor air quality, jobs, as well as service industry jobs. District 10. Supervisor Cohen’s task victims to make reports then,” Tran
in contributions, compared with have plagued D10 for years. But “The mantra is that the needle force won’t even propose solutions wrote in a blog post, going on to say
Kelly’s $42,135, campaign finance now, fast-growing D10 is becoming hasn’t moved at all,” Cohen noted, but till 2017. We can’t wait that long.” that she’d ensured materials were
records show. But Kelly, who col- a microcosm for how San Francisco she said things are getting better. “We Kelly told us he’s formulated a translated to Chinese languages to
lected the 1,000 signatures needed resolves its growing pains and bal- are moving in the same downward five-point plan to tackle gun vio- facilitate communication with the
to qualify for the November ballot ances the interests of capital and trend with regard to unemployment.” lence, explaining that it involved Police Department. “When more
and qualified for public financing, community. Nevertheless, the high unem- calling for a $10 million budget sup- and more residents became ‘eyes and
has secured key progressive endorse- ployment is also linked with health plemental to bolster family services, ears’ of law enforcement, communi-
ments, including former Mayor Mix of challENgES problems, food insecurity — and reentry programs, job placement, ty safety improved,” she said.
Art Agnos, Assemblymember Tom While candidate forums and ques- violence. In recent months, D10 has and summer activities aimed at Richard, whose Brothers Against
Ammiano, Sups. David Campos and tionnaires tend to gauge political come into the spotlight due to tragic addressing poverty and service gaps. Guns has been working with youth
John Avalos, and the Potrero Hill hopefuls on where they draw the line incidents of gun violence. From the Kelly also said he’d push for a great- for 20 years and organizing events
Democratic Club. on citywide policy debates, such as start of this year to Sept. 8, there er emphasis on community policing, such as midnight basketball games,
Others who’ve filed to run for Google bus stops or fees for Sunday were 13 homicides in D10. with officers walking a beat instead said he opposed Cohen’s task force
this office include Marlene Tran, parking meters, neighborhood issues Fourth of July weekend was par- of remaining inside a vehicle. because it won’t arrive at a solution
a retired educator who has strong facing D10 have particularly high ticularly deadly in the Bayview and “How do you know $10 million is quickly enough. He said he thought
ties to families in the district, espe- stakes for area residents. D10 public housing complexes, with enough?” Cohen responded. “When a plan should be crafted along with
cially in Visitacion Valley, through While other supervisors repre- four fatal shootings. Cohen responded you hear critics say $10 million, there youth advocates, law enforcement,
her teaching and language-access sent neighborhoods where multiple with a press conference to announce is no way to indicate whether we’d juvenile and adult probation officers,
programs (she’s known by kids as transit lines crisscross through in a her plan to convene a task force need more or less.” She also took issue and clergy members to come up
“Teacher Tran”); Shawn Richard, the rainbow of route markers on Muni addressing the problem, telling us it with the contention that her task with a solution that would bolster
founder of a nonprofit organization maps, D10 is notoriously underserved will be “focused on preventing gun force wouldn’t reach a solution soon youth employment opportunities.
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“I’ve talked with all 13 families” from a neighbor awaiting similar
that lost young people to shootings repairs: “He said, Christ will come
this year, Richard said, and that he before they come to fix my place.”
attended each of the funerals. Lack of affordable housing is
a sweeping trend throughout San
Changing neighborhood Francisco, but it presents a unique
Standing outside the Potrero Terrace challenge in D10, where incomes are
public housing complex at 25th lower on average (the notable excep-
and Connecticut streets on a recent tions are in Potrero Hill, dotted with
sunny afternoon, Kelly was flanked fine residential properties overlook-
by affordable housing advocates ing the city that would easily fetch
clutching red-and-yellow “Tony Kelly millions, and Dogpatch, where sleek
for District Supervisor” campaign new condominium dwellings often
signs. The press conference had been house commuters working at tech
called to unveil his campaign plan and biotech firms in the South Bay).
to bolster affordable housing in D10. Home sale prices in the Bayview
Pointing out that Cohen shot up 59 percent in two years,
had voted “no endorsement” at prompting the San Francisco Business
the Democratic County Central Times to deem it “a hot real estate
Committee on Proposition G — the market adorned with bidding wars
measure that would tax proper- and offers way above asking prices.”
ty-flipping to discourage real estate One single-family home even
speculation and evictions — Kelly sold for $1.3 million. Historically, the
said, “This is not a time to be silent.” Bayview has been an economically
While Cohen had accepted depressed, working-class area with a
checks from landlords who appeared high rate of home ownership due to
on the Anti-Eviction Mapping the affordability of housing — but
Project’s list of worst offenders for that’s been impacted by foreclosures
carrying out Ellis Act evictions, Kelly in recent years, fueling displacement.
said he’s pledged not to accept any Although statistics from the
funding from developers or Ellis Act Eviction Defense Collaborative
evictors. Asked if any had offered, show that evictions did occur in
Kelly responded, “Some. They’re not the Bayview in 2013, particularly
knocking down my door.” impacting African Americans and
Cohen told us that she hadn’t single-parent households, Cohen
supported Prop. G, a top priority noted that evictions aren’t happen-
for affordable housing advocates, ing in D10 with the same frequency
because she objected to certain tech- as in the Tenderloin or the Mission.
nical provisions that could harm “When it comes to communities ttoommoorrrrooww
small property owners in her dis- of color in the southeast, it’s about
trict. As for the contributions from foreclosure or mismanagement of
Ellis Act evictors, she said the checks funds,” explained Cohen.
bbbuuuyyy *** ssseeellllll***tttrrraaadddeee
had been returned once the error She said that a financial coun-
was discovered. Her formal policy, seling services center had opened on
she said, is not to intentionally take Evans Street to assist people who are
money from anyone involved in an facing foreclosure, and added that
Ellis Act eviction. she thought more should be done to
Speaking outside Potrero market newly constructed affordable
Terrace, Kelly said he thought all units to communities in need.
housing projects built on public “There’s an error in how they’re
land should make at least one-third marketing,” she said, because the
of their units affordable to most San opportunities are too often missed. eeexxxccchhhaaannngggeee
Franciscans. He also said renovation But critics say more is needed
of public housing projects could be to prevent the neighborhood from
accelerated if the city loaned out undergoing a major transformation
money from its $19 billion employee without input from residents.
retirement fund. Under the current “This district is being trans-
system, funding for those improve- formed,” Richard said. “A lot of folks
ments is leveraged by private capital. are moving out — they’re moving
Mold, pests, and even leaking to Vallejo, Antioch, Pittsburg. They
sewage are well-documented prob- don’t want to deal with the issues,
lems in public housing. Dorothy and the violence, and the cost.”
Minkins, a public housing resident At the same time, he noted, devel-
who joined Kelly and the others, opers are flocking to the area, which
told us that she’s been waiting for has a great deal more undeveloped
years for rotting sheetrock to be land than in other parts of the city.
replaced by the Housing Authority, “The community has no one
adding that water damage from they can turn to who will hold these
MISSION DIST: 1210 Valencia St. • 415-647-8332
her second-floor bathroom has left developers accountable,” he said. “If
HAIGHT: 1555 Haight St. • 415-431-7733
a hole in the ceiling of her living the community doesn’t have a stake BERKELEY: 2585 Telegraph Ave. • 510-644-9202
room. She related a joke she’d heard in it, then who’s winning?” 2 Buff aloExchange.com
opinion news food + drink the selector music arts + culture film classifieds September 10 -16, 2014 / SFbG.com 9
news teCH tHe sandoval Family now Has low-Cost internet aCCess at Home, tHanks to a Federal program.
guardian photo by joe fitzgerald rodriguez
By Joe Fitzgerald rodriguez connected 362 Mission Promise
[email protected] Neighborhood families to the
Internet.
NewS For the digitally connected, Families with children in
sometimes it’s hard to remember specific schools are eligible:
life without the Internet. John O’Connell High School, SF
Bills can be paid with a click, International High, Cesar Chavez
calendar appointment reminders Elementary, Bryant Elementary,
pop in our e-mail inboxes, and Everett Middle, George
YouTube lessons teach us mun- Moscone Elementary, Edison
dane tasks like faucet fixing (was Charter Academy, and Marshall
I the only one who didn’t know Elementary.
how to do that?). And those are Some families may have
some routine, everyday ways we Internet access through smart
weave the online world into our phones, but a July survey by the
offline routines. Some, especially SFUSD shows less than 40 percent
in San Francisco, spin a wider dig- of Latino and black families have
ital web. an Internet-enabled computer
Valencia Street is a corridor at home. The numbers are only
rife with the technorati, our new slightly better for Asian families.
digital overlords and neighbors. The problem, educators and
These folks are the titans that advocates say, is smartphones
technology built. Facebook CEO aren’t enough to get an Internet-
Mark Zuckerberg lives within powered boost in school.
spitting distance of Dolores Park, “It’s an incredibly adaptive
for instance. On any given night, use of technology to write a paper
a large swath of drunken revelers using a smartphone,” Richard
sobering up at Tacolicious are Abisla, who has worked for three
the same ones who “change the years at MEDA, told us, “but we
tale of two Internets
world” every day, engineering the don’t want there to be two classes
newest Google spy machine. of kids: ones with access to educa-
But for all its ubiquity, the tional tools and ones without.”
Internet is not as universally used Abisla worked to connect
in San Francisco as one might many of these families, aiming
Officials work to close the digital divide, an inequitable reality even in high-tech SF
assume. It is a privilege, and to to give children better comput-
some, the Internet is a luxury that er access. For Sandoval’s family,
they cannot afford. ens when looking just at African In 2012, Sandoval was in his “I was worried about the that’s already happening. The
Data on who is connected and American or Latino families. 12th year working for State Farm monthly payment,” Sandoval Internet and the subsequent
who is not is spotty, but taken To be sure, 10-15 percent of Insurance, just before they laid off told us. “When I found out from computer he bought help his kids
together, it paints a picture of a San Franciscans is a small pro- thousands of workers, including AT&T that it was going to be $48 write their homework at home,
stark digital divide. portion. But percentages can be Sandoval. He had a rough time a month, I switched the policy on and he said their grades have
According to a Field Poll in deceiving, as that translates to of it, having never been laid off my car. I lowered the insurance to started to improve.
July, conducted on behalf of the some 80,000 people who don’t before. His wife took care of the be just liability. I used to have full “We just started!” Gabrielle
California Emerging Technology have home access to broadband. coverage.” told us, excited to use computers
Fund, one in four Californians And as the city slowly builds But even that didn’t help. in school for the first time. “We’re
does not have broadband Internet new wireless solutions to help After two months, Sandoval had going to do our work and use our
access. The city by the bay fares everyone connect to the web, meda’s newest to pull the plug. That’s when flash drive, and take it home to
somewhat better, as local sur- a nonprofit group, the Mission he met Leo Sosa, the Mission finish.”
veys say nearly 10 percent of San Economic Development Agency, is endeavor is Economic Development Agency’s This is the nature of school
Franciscans do not have broad- working to expressly help families technology training coordinator. today: Those with Internet-
band Internet access at home. in the Mission connect online. signing Folks up Sosa hooked Sandoval up connected computers can connect
No DSL, no cable, no Comcast, They’re working one by one, with an Internet plan through to the world’s knowledge, those
witH tHe internet,
no Federal Communications family by family. Comcast, part of a deal MEDA without are in an information
Commission woes. Ask them their helped craft. The cable giant blackout. And how you connect to
and it’s oFF to a
opinion on net neutrality, and CONNeCtING tO SChOOl offers a $10 a month plan, with the Internet dictates what infor-
they’re liable to ask you if you’re Like Zuckerberg, Nixon Sandoval Fast start. six months free, for residents who mation you seek. Surveys from
a fisherman in need of tightly and his family live near Dolores live within the Mission Promise the CTEF show people connected
woven rope. Park. That is where their common- Neighborhood, a section of the to the Internet at home through
One commonality stretch- alities end. The Facebook CEO Mission targeted for aid by the computers, rather than phones,
es across these surveys: Those built his empire online, but up federal government. The federal are more likely to seek govern-
without Internet are not only the until a few months ago, Sandoval family, and eventually he bounced government funnels grant money ment services (like health care),
elderly, but immigrants and fam- and his family could not connect back. Now, he drives a taxi in the straight to the Mission Economic to take online classes, and to help
ilies, often with children who are to the Internet at home. city, but the taxi industry is also Development Agency, which their children research school-
at a fundamental learning disad- Sandoval is a jovial guy, quick going through a rough patch, and trains hundreds of local Mission work.
vantage without Internet at home. to smile. It’s easy to see why, as he is the family of four counts every residents in entrepreneurship Internet access through a
A study recently released blessed with two equally sweet daugh- penny. skills, English, and digital literacy. computer, then, is a big lift to
by the San Francisco Unified ters, Gabrielle, 11, and Gisselle, 9, and Signing up for Internet seemed MEDA’s newest endeavor is economic mobility. Until a few
School District shows 15 percent his wife, Jaqueline. As soon as we like a luxury they could not signing folks up with the Internet, months ago, the Sandoval sisters
of children’s families don’t have stopped by, she swooped in with cake afford. The first time they tried and it’s off to a fast start. would not have had that luxury, a
broadband Internet on computers and Salvadoran strawberry juice she it, this year, they had to make Since MEDA started the clear scholarly disadvantage.
at home, and that percentage wid- seemingly whipped up from thin air. sacrifices. project in April 2013, it has Gabrielle pulled up a YouTube
10 SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN OpINION NewS FOOD + DRINk the SeleCtOR mUSIC ARtS + CUltURe FIlm ClASSIFIeDS