Michael D. Tubbs Speaks at Glide Memorial Church on the Final Sunday of Black Futures Month
This past Sunday, Michael Tubbs, the former Mayor of Stockon, strode onto the stage at Glide Memorial Church in a light purple suit and gleaming white shirt. He came to Glide to deliver the final sermon in a month packed with speakers, music, and events to commemorate Black History and Black Futures.
His words brought home the urgency of the political moment we are living through. And for the hundreds of people listening to him at the 9am and 11am Celebrations, he issued a clear mandate to fight off complacency in a world that feels like it’s falling apart.
“When the status quo isn’t working, it is the peoples’ responsibility to flip the table. For people of faith, we have the model in Jesus who flipped the table on a corrupt governor and system. Today, we are called to flip the table. If it’s poverty, flip it. If it’s racism, flip it. If it’s homophobia, flip it. More is required when the stakes are higher!”
He echoed the words of Dr. Gina Fromer, our President & CEO, who said, “There is no history without Black history. We must keep the freedoms we have earned and demand even more.”
And he demonstrated in real time why State Assemblymember Matt Haney described him as a fighter for the ages. “When Michael faced the biggest challenges of his life, he never ran away. He ran towards big problems to solve them. We need him and his tenacity now more than ever.”
Watch and listen to Michael’s sermon on GLIDE’s Facebook channel and join all of us at GLIDE in flipping the tables on structures and systems that stand in the way of a more just and equal world.
(L) Former Mayor Michael Tubbs, GLIDE President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer, California Assemblymember Matt Haney
Dear San Francisco,
I love you! So much so that I have committed my life to making you a better place to live, play, and shine. I raised my kids here. I was married here. I go to church here. I adore this community, and nothing is more important to me than making the lives of families better. I give my heart and soul to this city every day, through the work I do at GLIDE.
And I’m not the only one. We all love San Francisco, don’t we? The question is: how much does San Francisco love us back?
We want everyone to feel welcome here and a part of the fiber of this city. Families from all over the world come here for a better life – we must protect them. Our Black heritage must not be under attack! And LGBTQ+ people fearing for their rights, are all hoping San Francisco will continue to fight for them. All of us are asking the question, “Does this city love me back? How much? Is it going to be enough?”
There’s so much to love in San Francisco: parks everywhere you go, every few blocks walking through a different amazing culture, world-famous tourist attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge. But it’s the people of San Francisco I love most of all. San Francisco is beautiful because of its people.
I have memories of my early years visiting my grandmother who lived in the Baker Street projects in Fillmore and playing all day with the neighbors’ kids. Growing up in Bayview Hunters Point, where the community supported each other, and no kid went hungry. You saw REAL community there. Even though everyone was poor, it didn’t feel like it, because we were a village. GLIDE’s work is all about rebuilding those community bonds.
San Francisco, I’m writing to you on Valentine’s Day this year because I love you– and I want you to love me back– love all of us back. Love must go beyond words. I want to see love in action.
Volunteering in GLIDE’s kitchen and dining room is one of the best ways you can show up for people in San Francisco who desperately need some warmth and kindness during this rainy winter. You can also host a group for people seeking recovery; there are so many ways you can help.
In a loving San Francisco, everyone will have a chance to access health care. Everybody will have a chance to send their kids to a good school. Everyone will have the chance to get a job and take care of their family!
If San Francisco loves us back, there will be no cuts to social programs, to food programs, and more shelter beds and affordable housing made available. If San Francisco loves us back, our leaders won’t let technology platforms have more power than the people posting on them. San Francisco needs to love the person sleeping on the street just as much as it loves the wealthiest CEO.
If San Francisco loves us back, it will invest in communities like Bayview, Mission, Excelsior, Potrero Hill, and of course, the Tenderloin: one of San Francisco’s most misunderstood communities.
Many families who were gentrified out of Fillmore and Bayview moved to the Tenderloin. We have individuals living on the streets, and their families have been in SF for generations. San Francisco needs to start loving those families back, because a healthy Tenderloin is a healthy San Francisco.
Reverend Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani founded GLIDE on an agenda of unconditional love. Every day at GLIDE I do my best to put love into action. Our leadership team is thinking night and day about how GLIDE can continue to fight for our communities that are under threat right now: immigrants, BIPOC, trans people, homeless families, survivors, and more.
Because we love San Francisco, GLIDE will show up for San Francisco. San Francisco, will you show up for us?
With heart,
Dr. Gina
We are delighted to announce Howard Chi as our new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Howard brings an impressive background in financial leadership, with more than 20 years of experience managing financial operations of multi-million dollar brands, including start-ups, and driving growth across various industries.
His expertise in implementing sound fiscal policy and understanding the key drivers behind an organization’s long-term success will be pivotal as GLIDE continues its expansion of program services and initiatives.
His leadership and strategic approach have helped numerous nonprofit organizations thrive in turnaround situations by defining key performance metrics and driving ongoing performance improvement.
Howard received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics Administration from the University of California Riverside and a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University.
Howard is an auto enthusiast, enjoys live music and spends his free time with his wife and two children.
Howard serves on the Board of Directors for the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.
GLIDE President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer
Black community leaders, nonprofit and service workers, and workers for San Francisco’s Department of Public Health all came together last week for “Unity in Community: Overdose Prevention Summit 2025.”
This summit was the culmination of monthly meetings between the Coordinated Overdose Response and Engagement (CORE) arm of DPH and Black leaders in the recovery field across San Francisco. Black leaders recommended the summit to DPH to elevate visibility for the issue of disproportionate Black overdose deaths. The Black community felt a keen sense of urgency about these racial disparities, and we’re proud of GLIDE’s Policy Associate Shiba Bandeeba for all she did to move plans for the summit forward.
Newly elected Mayor Daniel Lurie, who has made a “Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance,” a signature piece of legislation for his new administration, briefly stopped by to kick off the summit. His speech emphasized the importance of listening to Black leaders and to those who are closest to the problem. Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax gave an enthusiastic speech about community’s role in inspiring the government, pointing out that the successful HIV prevention efforts began as a result of community demands.
How a Loving Approach, That Puts Services and Housing First, Can Reduce the Racial Overdose Disparity
Then GLIDE’s President and CEO Dr. Gina Fromer took the stage, opening with a powerful story about how community ambassadors save people from dying from overdoses. “Fifteen lives have been saved by GLIDE alone,” she said, before praising and shouting out other ambassador groups in the audience. “To support a person, we have to support their community. No one is going through this alone, okay? No one!” she told the audience.
And you can be a part of that community of support! There is an amazing group of GLIDE community members constantly advocating for the needs of our low-income communities with marches, phone banks, letters and more. You can sign up to join those social justice warriors here, or you can sign up for an opportunity to serve those in need here at glide.org/volunteer.
Dr. Fromer also shared a heartfelt story about the painfulness of waiting for loved ones who struggle with substance use to make a choice to turn around their lives. “But when they’re ready, we have to be ready,” she added, emphasizing the importance of making services available and accessible. “But we join them on the journey, we don’t chastise them for not getting to their final destination on the day they start!”
The audience cheered hard when Dr. Fromer made her point about how housing prevents substance abuse. “We need more permanent supportive housing and affordable housing! We need to all work together to prevent overdoses in housing – including with tenant-led peer support programs. Housing helps prevent substance use!” she emphasized.
Do’s and Don’ts for Practitioners and Policymakers Supporting Recovery from Substance Use
GLIDE’s Health Programs Manager Janet Ector spoke on a panel alongside Shavonne Allen, a lead artist in Skywatchers (a Tenderloin group that fights addiction and builds community with artistic expression), Executive Director of Code Tenderloin Donna Hilliard, and Maurice Byrd, an LMFT from Harm Reduction Therapy Center. Facilitating the panel was Richard Beal, the Director of Recovery Services at Tenderloin Housing Clinic. Janet Ector received tumultuous applause when she made the point, “Carceral solutions are not the answer.”
Left to right: Shavonne Allen, Donna Hilliard, Janet Ector, Maurice Byrd
Maurice Byrd spoke about the importance of developing relationships with people in recovery, “Without relationships, you accomplish nothing.” He criticized scare-based drug education tactics in schools, pointing out that giving students misleading information can erode their trust. He also highlighted the need for more Black therapists and more therapists trained on the ins and outs of addiction.
Donna Hilliard talked about the importance of “listening without giving answers,” and giving employment opportunities to people in recovery. Shavonne Allen shared a story about being hospitalized while using substances, and being persuaded by the caring attitude of her doctor that it was worth trying a treatment program. Everyone on the panel agreed that honest caring professionals who establish relationships need to be compensated fairly. Low wages contribute to burnout, and the least we can do for people on the frontlines is give them the resources they need to succeed.
Ultimately, the enemy is not substances: the enemy is the isolation and hardship that drive people towards using substances as a coping mechanism. The panel ended with the memorable quote, “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.”
Sometimes the difference between the people we admire and the people we look down on is just the point they are at in their lives! That’s why the values of radical inclusion and unconditional love we hold at GLIDE are so important. Through the lens of inclusion and love, we can see a person as their best possibilities, not their worst moments.
GLIDE community gathered at San Francisco’s Caltrain station for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day March: a city tradition started by GLIDE’s co-founder Cecil Williams at the request of Corretta Scott King. Spirits were high as we posed for a group photo, displaying signs reading, “We march for unconditional love for all!” and “Love is the greatest force in the universe.” GLIDE is always pursuing a love agenda.
Would you like to march alongside GLIDE more often? To be informed of all our marches and actions, it’s as simple as signing up for our justice warriors mailing list here. Marches are a wonderful way to connect with your community.
At the march, Black activists and families danced alongside city politicians and dignitaries. GLIDE President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer stood at the head of the crowd, as enthusiastic shouts of “What do we celebrate?” “MLK!” filled the air.
As well as signs provided by the city’s many community organizations, there were also a variety of amazing homemade signs calling for love, unity and peace. The street was filled for blocks with hundreds of people rallying together to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.
We marched together to Yerba Buena Gardens, where San Francisco’s Interfaith Council had arranged for a stirring program, starring of course the GLIDE Ensemble. Their musical offering included a social justice rap with many memorable rhymes, including, “King became regal: saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle.” The reminder that racism still exists beneath America’s stars, stripes, and bald eagle was very appropriate to the day.
Marvin K. White warmly welcomed the crowds, saying that someone fighting for justice for the very first time today was every bit as welcome as the most seasoned activist. “This is not a time for fear, but for faith,” he said.
Mayor Daniel Lurie seized his opportunity at the podium to discuss his administration’s recently proposed “Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance,” commenting on the disproportionate impact of fentanyl on the Black community. “We must act with a real investment in treatment, in housing, in economic opportunity, and in dignity,” Lurie said.
“We must partner with Black churches and faith leaders, many of you here today have been at the forefront of social justice and healing in our city. We know that solutions must come from within the community.”
The keynote speaker this year was Amos Brown, an African American pastor and civil rights activist who leads the San Francisco branch of the NAACP. Amos Brown spoke passionately about not allowing the religious right and President Trump to define the meaning of Jesus.
The religious left is certainly alive and strong in San Francisco. Thank you so much to all of you who marched alongside us: we appreciate you!
GLIDE’s sanctuary filled with justice makers and advocates on Thursday, January 9th during City Attorney David Chiu’s Inauguration. 342 civic leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, CA Controller Malia Cohen, Assemblymember Scott Weiner, Mayor Daniel Lurie, most of the Board of Supervisors and many other elected officials joined Dr. Gina Fromer and Minister Marvin K. White for the auspicious occasion. The historic Glide Memorial Church building served as an inspiration for the work ahead, as City Attorney Chu prepared to defend and protect tenant, immigrant, LGBT+ and other important rights. These rights are vital for us to defend, so that San Francisco’s diverse communities can live equitably in our beautiful city!
Minister Marvin K. White opened up the evening by acknowledging how deeply David Chiu’s work aligned with GLIDE’s values. “We appreciate David Chiu’s dedication to making San Francisco a sanctuary city. As we sit in the sanctuary today, let us all reflect on how we can strive to make our cities, our hearts and our homes true sanctuaries to all people who are feeling dispossessed.”
GLIDE’s CEO Dr. Gina Fromer added, “Over the course of his career, David Chiu has fought for the people, stepped up as a truth teller, and taken a stance so many times for love, hope, inclusivity, and justice.”
David Chiu’s choice of GLIDE as a venue for his swearing-in ceremony was symbolic. “My office had dozens of legal matters challenging Trump, and given our upcoming work to defend the diversity and radical love of San Francisco, I thought Glide might be a perfect venue for the event,” he told our staff.
The church was packed with well wishers, leaving standing room only. Labor Federation President Lorena Gonzalez warmly spoke about Chiu’s work defending worker’s rights and stopping wage theft. “He continues to lead this state, showing public prosecutors how you can actually demand millions of dollars to go back into the pockets of the workers who earned them.”
We also heard many words of praise for David Chiu’s work during the first Trump administration. Senator Scott Weiner praised Chiu’s office for preventing abortion records from being subpoenaed from San Francisco General Hospital, and for defending immigrant and LGBT+ rights. The Senator added, “I will say, as a gay man, that there is a certain select set of straight elected officials where you never have to explain anything to them, they just intuitively get it. David Chiu is one of those.”
Attorney General Rob Bonta talked about David Chiu’s record in combating anti-Asian hate, “During the first year of the pandemic, when incidents of Anti-Asian hate skyrocketed, David and I worked together to enact the largest investment to combat anti-asian hate in the country.” When Chiu himself rose to address the crowd, he talked about the challenges ahead, but also moments in our city’s history that fill him with hope.
One of those moments happened when Chiu was a third year law student. At that time, he was inspired to fight a proposition that would kick immigrant kids out of schools and kick immigrant families out of hospitals. “That time made many of us feel like strangers in our own land,” Chiu vulnerably shared. No one thought Chiu and his colleagues were going to win the legal battle against that anti-immigrant proposition, but they did!
Chiu encouraged everyone present to remember: the values of San Francisco have triumphed against the odds before, and they can again. Will you join the fight?
As we reflect on the past year, Lindsey, Waverlee and I would like to take a moment to personally thank each of you for your incredible contribution. Your time and effort in serving our community has touched so many lives and brought hope and joy to those who need it the most.
Our community faces uncertain times throughout the year, and especially during the holidays, which can be extremely lonely for many people. But having you here, being in community with them made a positive impact in their lives. Whether you donated a few hours or several days, whether you prepped meals behind the scenes, or were front and center interacting directly with our community (in our dining room or during outreach) your individual impact has been profound and is deeply appreciated.
Every meal served, every smile shared, and every kind gesture made a difference. Together we created a sense of community and warmth at a time when it was needed the most. It’s volunteers like you who bring our mission to life and remind us of the power of Unconditional Love.
As we eagerly step into 2025, we’re excited to continue our work, and we hope you will continue to be part of our journey. We welcome you to take up our New Years Resolution Challenge by committing to sign up for one shift every month for the year. If you sign up and complete a shift 6 months in a row, you will get a goodie bag; if you sign up and complete a shift 12 months in a row, a GLIDE Volunteer T-shirt awaits you!
Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous and peaceful 2025. Thank you for being a part of our family and for making this year brighter for so many!
With gratitude
Lindsay, Khaboshi and Waverlee!
I’m a first-generation San Franciscan, born and raised in the city whose family is originally from the Philippines. I attended public schools and have worked a variety of jobs, including restaurant management to becoming a hairstylist. I’m now working in the health care industry as an administrative secretary for a hospital here in San Francisco.
I’ve been living in the same apartment for the past twenty-five years. As a single mom of two young kids, it hasn’t always been easy, especially with the constant rise in living expenses. It reached a point where it became next to impossible for me to continue living here in the city, which I love.
The cost of living rose so high I simply could not make ends meet. The owners of the apartment stopped making repairs to the building and when it rained, puddles of water appeared all over the place. It became unbearable for me and my children. My name eventually got selected from a Section 8 waiting list.
Transitioning to a new family home
A house was identified for my family to move into. The only problem was with the move-in costs. The city’s property management group required a substantial amount for the security deposit for first time housing program participants. It is what prompted me to reach out to the City’s Housing Authority requesting information on agencies or organizations that could help me in keeping my family housed.
I knew about GLIDE’s history and Reverend Cecil Williams was always present for the TL community, but I never knew about the depth of services GLIDE provides. DeMarco McCall, GLIDE’s Walk-In Center Assistant Manager was the ONLY person of all the agencies I contacted to return my phone call.
When I spoke with DeMarco, he was professional and courteous to me. I walked in on a Thursday, and by Monday of the following week I received notification from the city’s property management group that GLIDE was going to assist me in my application.
GLIDE was a GOD-send!
I received $9,600 (thanks to a funding grant from Wells Fargo) in rental assistance from GLIDE which helped me complete my security deposit. My whole family is so thankful for the help GLIDE provided in keeping me and my family housed. I even called Demarco back to see if my kids could give back by volunteering.
On my birthday, I attended one of Glide Memorial Church’s services, just to give thanks. There were tears of love for these changes in my life. GLIDE has been the biggest part and without GLIDE, I couldn’t have gotten into this new home.
And GLIDE made it possible… Amen.
CSJ and coalition partners come together to celebrate the overturn of RV parking ban
On Tuesday December 10th, GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice (CSJ) and its coalition partners successfully urged the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to overturn the RV overnight parking ban passed by the SFMTA Board of Directors in October. Heartfelt community voices led to the unjust RV ban being overturned in a 7-3 vote! Thank you GLIDE community!
With 90% of unsheltered families living in vehicles and the family shelter waitlist being 530 families-long, taking family’s RV dwellings, towing them, and forcing them into temporary shelter would be a heartless move. That’s why dozens of San Francisans, including many GLIDE staffers and community members, took the mic to share their heartfelt stories with supervisors. The supervisors were blown away by our arguments!
Gabriel Medina from the La Raza Community Resource Center, speaking for the End Poverty Tows Coalition GLIDE helps lead, said that of the families living in RVs who were pushed out of Winston Drive due to parking restrictions, “Less than half of these families were eventually housed. Those who were housed were only able to get housing because of sustained advocacy and time.”
He described a family of four who the End Poverty Tows Coalition worked with who were forced to live in their RV when the breadwinner lost his job during the pandemic. The family was then displaced from Winston Drive and Zoo Road before eventually being housed due to GLIDE and the Coalition’s advocacy. “I cried a lot when the city asked us to leave,” he quoted the mom of the family. “We weren’t asking for anything for free, just a safe place to live that we could afford.”
David Elliot Lewis, a co-chair of the Tenderloin People’s Congress, pointed out that affluent neighbors are just uncomfortable with the sight of people struggling with poverty, and want to push them out of sight. He added, “Banning RVs does not end homelessness, it just creates more human misery.”
Sarah Miles, a nurse volunteer with UCSF’s Roving Community Health Initiative, contributed to the discussion, “The health of people living in RVs is significantly better than the health of people living in the streets or in shelters. RVs help people hold onto their medications, and provide stability and safety for women and children living in RVs.”
Rebecca Jackson, Co-Chair of Women’s Housing Coalition, added, “As a mother who experienced homelessness with children, my vehicle was the only safe space for us to sleep… If we’re going to sweep people away, we must have a place for them to go.”
Lukas Illa from Coalition on Homelessness had a real mic drop moment when they declared, “Purposeful disinvestment in infrastructure is a way to justify criminalization of poverty…. This trickles down into attitudes of housed San Fanciscans, giving them license to intimidate some of our most vulnerable residents.” They shared stories of people’s children being threatened and their mirrors knocked off cars.
CSJ’s Eleana Binder speaking to the SF Board of Supervisors on RV ban
GLIDE’s own Eleana Binder, Policy Manager in the Center for Social Justice, delivered the rebuttal for the End Poverty Tows Coalition at the end of the hearing and made the point that “Rather than implementing a punitive policy before we have sufficient services, we should devote time and funding to establishing safe parking sites and getting people in RVs assessed for and connected to appropriate housing.”
A sanctuary city is not a city where we threaten immigrant families and make them feel like they don’t belong, simply because they are too poor to afford better housing than an RV. We even heard first-hand during the public comment from an RV dweller whose mirrors and windows were broken, a heartbreaking tale.
We’re so grateful our GLIDE community advocates for people to escape the cycle of poverty and have safe places to stay. People deserve every tool at their disposal to break the cycle of poverty.
We won a major victory this month, but we still need to keep fighting for shelter for homeless families; we’d love for you to join our letter-writing about that here.
