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?
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