IN THE HOUSE
The latest happenings at Hospitality House - October 2020 Issue
Hospitality House's Community Building Program at 290 Turk Street in SF's Tenderloin [Feb. 2020]
Hospitality House Says – “Vote Here On November 3!
This Election Day, the stakes could not be higher for communities like the Tenderloin. For the first time in our history, the Department of Elections has designated Hospitality House’s Community Building Program at 290 Turk Street as an official polling place!
In communities like the Tenderloin – both in San Francisco and across the country – people of color, single parents, poor people, young people traditionally do not participate in the political process. They feel a sense of resignation, “decisions are already made, no one cares what we think - what does it matter anyway?”
At Hospitality House, we feel it does matter what we do, and if we do our part, we can inspire others to do their part - that there is no action too small that it can’t make a difference. We’re proud to join many of our community partners in making it as easy as possible for community residents to participate in our democracy. We know that that every voice matters, that anyone can make a difference – and that every vote counts.
On November 3rd, in-person voting runs from 7am-8pm - although anyone standing in line at closing time will be allowed to vote. And, of course, in the era of COVID-19, we are committed to making sure that everyone is safe while they vote, and we’re taking extra precautions to keep voting booths, materials, high touch surfaces, etc., safe, clean, and secure.
“We’ll be here setting up as early as 5:45 am,” said Community Building Program(CBP) Manager Ebony Salazar, “We want to make sure the space will be clean and safe for all voters.” Ebony, along with Community Organizing Peer Advocate Marissa Tibbs and Director of Community Engagement Windy Click, completed a special training session with the Department of Elections to learn how to ensure community members will be able to vote without compromising their safety or their health. . “We’ll be providing masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and monitoring six-feet of social distancing,” Ebony added. Voting booths will be wiped down and sanitized after each use – and volunteers will be on hand to help out throughout the day.
In addition to implementing COVID-19 prevention safeguards, Ebony and Marissa have been studying voting information and registration laws to inform community members who are unsure about their voters’ rights. For example, if you missed the deadline to register to vote, you can register to vote on site and cast a provisional ballot. “People can still register to vote on Election Day,” explains Marissa, “No one will be turned away from voting. If you are homeless, all you need is two cross streets (as your address).”
City election statistics reveal that the Tenderloin neighborhood routinely has one of the lowest voter turnout rates. To increase voter registration, Ebony and Marissa have set up voter registration tables at multiple Hospitality House program locations to educate and register new voters. “We set up shop anywhere we can to register voters. We’ll play music and provide snacks to encourage conversations about voting.” Ebony shared.
Ebony believes that in order to increase voter turnout, we need to engage our community members and make sure they know their voice is in their vote. “Lack of community, lack of ownership, lack of education, makes people feel that they don’t matter — It doesn’t matter where you slept last night, or what you smell like. You matter! Your life matters. Once people internalize that they matter, they have a sense of ownership and a sense of belonging. And [they] will want to contribute.”
Marissa agrees that building a sense of community is an important step in increasing participation. “Your community depends on you. Our community is made up of family, friends. You should take full advantage of voting. Some people may not have the privilege of voting and not know how important it is.”
The Community Building Program (CBP) has long encouraged people to participate in our democracy. In 2018, Windy Click (then manager of CBP) organized the first “Walk with Windy” where she mobilized more than 80 neighborhood residents, community workers, and even members of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors to walk with her to City Hall and vote. “People have died to defend our right to vote,” she said. [Read more about Windy in the next article below, “A Valiant Woman’s Journey”.
For Ebony, “Every voice matters in our community. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you did, your socio-economic status, your education level. Every voice matters. Your voice matters.”
In communities like the Tenderloin – both in San Francisco and across the country – people of color, single parents, poor people, young people traditionally do not participate in the political process. They feel a sense of resignation, “decisions are already made, no one cares what we think - what does it matter anyway?”
At Hospitality House, we feel it does matter what we do, and if we do our part, we can inspire others to do their part - that there is no action too small that it can’t make a difference. We’re proud to join many of our community partners in making it as easy as possible for community residents to participate in our democracy. We know that that every voice matters, that anyone can make a difference – and that every vote counts.
On November 3rd, in-person voting runs from 7am-8pm - although anyone standing in line at closing time will be allowed to vote. And, of course, in the era of COVID-19, we are committed to making sure that everyone is safe while they vote, and we’re taking extra precautions to keep voting booths, materials, high touch surfaces, etc., safe, clean, and secure.
“We’ll be here setting up as early as 5:45 am,” said Community Building Program(CBP) Manager Ebony Salazar, “We want to make sure the space will be clean and safe for all voters.” Ebony, along with Community Organizing Peer Advocate Marissa Tibbs and Director of Community Engagement Windy Click, completed a special training session with the Department of Elections to learn how to ensure community members will be able to vote without compromising their safety or their health. . “We’ll be providing masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and monitoring six-feet of social distancing,” Ebony added. Voting booths will be wiped down and sanitized after each use – and volunteers will be on hand to help out throughout the day.
In addition to implementing COVID-19 prevention safeguards, Ebony and Marissa have been studying voting information and registration laws to inform community members who are unsure about their voters’ rights. For example, if you missed the deadline to register to vote, you can register to vote on site and cast a provisional ballot. “People can still register to vote on Election Day,” explains Marissa, “No one will be turned away from voting. If you are homeless, all you need is two cross streets (as your address).”
City election statistics reveal that the Tenderloin neighborhood routinely has one of the lowest voter turnout rates. To increase voter registration, Ebony and Marissa have set up voter registration tables at multiple Hospitality House program locations to educate and register new voters. “We set up shop anywhere we can to register voters. We’ll play music and provide snacks to encourage conversations about voting.” Ebony shared.
Ebony believes that in order to increase voter turnout, we need to engage our community members and make sure they know their voice is in their vote. “Lack of community, lack of ownership, lack of education, makes people feel that they don’t matter — It doesn’t matter where you slept last night, or what you smell like. You matter! Your life matters. Once people internalize that they matter, they have a sense of ownership and a sense of belonging. And [they] will want to contribute.”
Marissa agrees that building a sense of community is an important step in increasing participation. “Your community depends on you. Our community is made up of family, friends. You should take full advantage of voting. Some people may not have the privilege of voting and not know how important it is.”
The Community Building Program (CBP) has long encouraged people to participate in our democracy. In 2018, Windy Click (then manager of CBP) organized the first “Walk with Windy” where she mobilized more than 80 neighborhood residents, community workers, and even members of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors to walk with her to City Hall and vote. “People have died to defend our right to vote,” she said. [Read more about Windy in the next article below, “A Valiant Woman’s Journey”.
For Ebony, “Every voice matters in our community. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you did, your socio-economic status, your education level. Every voice matters. Your voice matters.”
