Mayor-elect Breed holds pre-inauguration celebration in SF

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KTVU) - On Wednesday, San Francisco Mayor-elect London Breed will make history as the city's first African-American female to take office. 

Crews started work setting the stage Monday for the inauguration ceremony that is scheduled for 11 o'clock Wednesday morning. It will be held outdoors in front of City Hall. 

There will be seating for 1,500 people with 1,000 of those seats going to the public, on a first- come first- serve basis. The ceremony is expected to last one hour.

After she takes the oath of office, Breed will deliver her inauguration speech. 
　
"It will be about unity. It will be about bringing everyone together and talking about what we can do about a number of challenges that exist in San Francisco when we all work together," said Breed. 

After the inauguration, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., members of the public are invited to get into a receiving line to meet with the mayor inside room 200, the mayor's office 

"She'll go inside City Hall for a meet and greet with every single person who wants to shake her hand," said Tara Moriarty, Mayor's Inaugural Committee. 

"I still can't believe this. Everyday I'm waking up and I'm pinch...pinch..." said Breed as she addressed the audience Monday night at Third Baptist Church which hosted a pre-inauguration interfaith service in her honor. 

"We know that our mayor will be encouraged and inspired," said Rev. Amos Brown, pastor of Third Baptist Church as he spoke with other faith leaders before the service. He invited KTVU to attend the gathering. 

Rev. Brown says Breed is the right person to lead the city, "Making San Francisco a good city, a better city, and ultimately, the best city south of heaven and north of hell." 

In an one-on-one interview before the service, Breed tells KTVU she is focused and ready for the challenging task of trying to fix the problems that plague the city such as homelessness and housing. 

"I want to work with members of the board. I want to work with others to address these issues. And it's going to take time and it's going to take patience. I'm committed to doing what's necessary to get us to a better place," said Breed. 

The inaugural committee is still working on the program. 

One aide says the program will be more ceremonial rather than a list of speakers and that details will be coming about how the first come first serve seating will work for the outdoor inauguration ceremony.