San Francisco supervisors becoming more diverse

SF Supervisors becoming diverse

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors attained a new level of diversity in the 2020 election.

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco political leaders gathered today in front of City Hall to celebrate new diversity on the Board of Supervisors. The recent election should be seen as a message of inclusion, those officials said.

The results for even the most contested races in San Francisco have now been settled and the Board of Supervisors now has a new look, a look which Supervisor-Elect Myrna Melgar says better reflects the city's diversity.

"With the election of Connie Chan in District One for which I am so grateful, we have now doubled the number of women of color on the Board of Supervisors," said Melgar.

Supporters celebrated the passage of Prop C, removing citizenship requirements to be a member of a city board, commission or advisory body, and the election of two women of color as signs of inclusion.

Melgar will be only the second elected Latina on the Board of Supervisors, the last one left office 23 years ago.

"It's been a really long time, and I think that it is important. Not just for latinos but for women that we have representation," said Melgar.

That representation, Melgar says, will help in areas like community outreach when it comes to issues such as Covid-19 which is disproportionately impacting the latino community.

She says community members who see themselves reflected in local government are more likely to work with government officials to resolve important issues.