2010 in the pages of El Tecolote

January 13-26: “Second chances for unlikely candidates: New program attempts to reintegrate ex-convicts into their communities”

San Francisco’s PHATT Chance Reentry Program supports ex-convicts making their way back into society in a state where the recidivism rate is the highest in the country. PHATT Chance works in collaboration with several organizations to provide housing, food, drug rehabilitation, anger management classes, recovery meetings, job training and education.

January 27-February 9: “Community workshops plan for urban development”

The San Francisco Planning Department and Mission residents join forces to plan a new park that would incorporate green space and low-income housing at 17th and Folsom Streets. The site is currently a parking lot owned by the City’s Public Utility Commission.

February 10-23: “Latinos underutilize available social services”

A report by Mission Asset Fund’s Immigrant Financial Integration Initiative finds that immigrants are hesitant to access public assistance programs like food stamps. This has left the burden of providing basic needs for poor families on under-resourced local nonprofit organizations.

February 24-March 9: “SF high schools leaving graduates ineligible for college admission”

The California Department of Education found that only 49 percent of SF graduates complete required coursework with a grade of C or better. Many schools have failed to implement changes to their core curricula to ensure that students graduate ready for college.

March 10-23: “Amendment to sanctuary ordinance at an impasse”

Attempts to modify San Francisco’s sanctuary ordinance, which would allow greater protection from deportation for undocumented youth accused of criminal conduct, was stalled by a conflict between the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Office.

March 24-April 6: “Gloomy outlook for City’s transportation services”

Community members and union representatives speak out against the MTA’s plans for fee hikes and layoffs.

April 7-20: “Consensus reached on fate of the Bernal Heights Mural”

Despite divergent opinions, a committee of community members reached consensus over the fate of the mural for the newly restored Bernal Heights branch library. The original mural, painted in 1982, covered several sides of the library’s exterior and was in disrepair. Some residents wanted it completely removed, while others felt it was an important record of the ethnic and working-class heritage of the neighborhood. The committee decided on a new tile-based mural that will have the spirit of the original but will be less costly to maintain.

April 21–May 4: “Most vulnerable homeless sector seeks shelter”

District 9 Supervisor David Campos is working with organizations such as the AIDS Housing Alliance/San Francisco in order to serve the growing number of monolingual Spanish speaking LGBT homeless. Many of the homeless shelters can be dangerous places where LGBT homeless are often victims of violence or are denied services. Campos and others are trying to establish a shelter that will cater to the needs of the LGBT community as well as educate other shelters and service providers.

May 5–18: “City officials call for Arizona boycott”

San Francisco officials––including supervisors John Avalos, David Campos and Bevan Dufty––called for a city-wide boycott of Arizona and businesses based there to protest that state’s strict new immigration law (SB 1070) at a rally on the steps of City Hall. They also introduced a resolution at a Board of Supervisors’ meeting.

May 19–June 2: “School district adopts new policy for school assignments”

The San Francisco Unified School District adopts a new school assignment policy that starts with the 2011 school year. Students who live in census tract areas where the test scores are low will have priority getting into higher-achieving schools as their first choice. The old system looked more at family income or whether one’s family lived in Section 8 housing.

June 2–15: “Students and immigrant-rights advocates press Feinstein for action on DREAM Act”

More than 60 student protesters occupied the plaza outside Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s downtown San Francisco office on May 20 to show their support for the DREAM Act, which they felt was neglected because of mid-term politics. The protest was prompted by the arrests of four students in the offices of Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, after they staged a sit-in in support of the DREAM Act on May 17. Three of the four students were undocumented and were taken into immigration custody.

June 16–29: “Women entrepreneurs thriving in the Mission”

Women’s Initiative, the Bay Area-based nonprofit organization, trains, funds and provides ongoing support for women entrepreneurs who want to start their own small business. Most of the women in their program are minorities and many are also single mothers. Located on Valencia Street, Women’s Initiative has graduates that have thriving businesses right here in the Mission including the owners of Casa Bonampak, Arkay Workshop and Mixcoatl Arts.

June 30–July 13: “Charter school move-in continues amid concerns: Despite objections, local high school officials move forward with plans to On June 28 parents and teachers from Horace Mann Middle School voiced their concern at a school district meeting over the decision to allow Metro, a charter high school, to share the campus. Metro would add 200 students and use almost half of the classrooms at the middle school. Many were uncomfortable with the idea of mixing high school- and middle school-age students and were upset by the late notice.

July 14-27: “Sit-Lie opponents fear proposed ordinance targets working poor”

San Francisco voters will decide the future of the controversial “Civil Sidewalks” or Sit-Lie ordinance, which failed to pass the Board of Supervisors; Mayor Gavin Newsom is using his executive privilege to place the item on the November ballot. Some people, including District 9 Supervisor David Campos, feel the ordinance, which would criminalize sitting or lying on public sidewalks anywhere in the city between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., could be used to unfairly target day laborers.

July 28-August 10: “Revista Literaria de El Tecolote”

A special 24-page poetry issue in celebration of El Tecolote’s 40th anniversary. The issue featured the work of more than 50 poets.

August 11-24: “Foundation helps Latinos Live with Lupus”

The Lupus Foundation of Northern California helps the public to understand this disease, which is prevalent among Latinas, by offering educational and support groups, including some in Spanish.

August 25-September 7: “Goddess of death finds life in the Mission”

La Santa Muerte is a symbolic personification of death and a popular saint not condoned by the Catholic Church. In northern Mexico her shrines and artifacts nearly outnumber those of Guadalupe, Mexico’s indigenous image of the Virgin Mary. Like Guadalupe, Santa Muerte has been celebrated in corridos and even a popular film. Now migrant communities are bringing their devotion to the U.S., including here in the Mission.

September 8-21: “Publication that trains the poor is a survivor”

A profile of POOR magazine and its co-founder “Tiny” Gray-Garcia. POOR Magazine was founded to provide training to poor individuals in media, education and the arts.

September 22-October 5: “Local businesses challenge ADA lawsuit”

A group of small business owners from the Mission held a press conference to address what they consider to be predatory lawsuits filed by an attorney and his client that abuse the Americans with Disabilities Act.

October 6-19: “City spotlights historic sites in Mission”

The SF Planning Department held a public workshop to explain its South Mission Historical Resource Survey to local homeowners. The survey itself does not designate historic status but will help determine the eligibility of a site.

October 20- November 2: Elections

Special election issue with recommendations for local initiatives and a special section on which candidates and propositions are the best for Latinos.

November 3-16: The San Francisco Giants win the World Series!

November 17-30: “Seniors find their path to citizenship through Mission Neighborhood Center”

This long-time community agency helps seniors attain U.S. citizenship through its Citizenship and English as a Second Language program. Over the past dozen years, MNC has helped 50 elders become citizens.

December 1-14: “El Mercadito helps local small businesses succeed”

The Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) launched a new endeavor to support micro businesses at its Plaza Adelante site. Its El Mercadito is an emporium of small retail businesses. In addition to low-cost space to sell their wares, vendors also participate in classes on marketing, management, finances and operations.