Welcome to Write Away!
The writing forum for Project Read learners.

We've redesigned our blog so that adult learners working at Project Read can share what they have written with other learners, tutors, and the public. There are a few simple guidelines to be aware of.
  1. This is a moderated site, so submissions and comments will first be reviewed before being approved and published.
  2. Adult learners submitting their writing have the option of using their first name (only) or using "anonymous" for authorship.
  3. We wish to honor the writing efforts of the adult learner/authors, so no major copy editing will be applied, but we may suggest minor corrections in consultation with the author.
  4. Only active Project Read learners are eligible to submit their writing to the Write Away blog and there are two ways of doing this: send submissions via email to projectread@sfpl.org, or stop by the office with a hard copy of your writing.
  5. The views and opinions expressed on this web site are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not represent those of the San Francisco Public Library and/or the City and County of San Francisco.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Break Silence: The Last Black Man in San Francisco


The Last Black Man in San Francisco 
A Motion Picture

Break Silence
Demetria Gigante
October 22, 2019

Did you know that less than 3% of the city of San Francisco is Black? As a part of that 3% that fills out the census, when I see the double decker buses in the Tenderloin (red light district), I wonder what the riders are thinking, “Is this where the Last Black Man in San Francisco lives?”

What went wrong? Why are half the homeless population African Americans who were born in San Francisco? Did our San Francisco Public School system fail us? Did our public housing system fail us? I believe that San Francisco residents who were born here deserve preference on ALL San Francisco housing.

And that 3% population may fall even more. Fentanyl (a highly-addictive illegal drug) is killing more African Americans – San Francisco General Hospital has reported that the majority of deaths from this kind of overdose are Black.

Don’t forget about the often witnessed black-on-black murders that are rarely solved because we allow our youth to use the community for target practice. Do you think that may have something to do with it? And we wonder why the smart ones move away. If we continue, there will be less than 3%.

We must BREAK SILENCE on the disproportionate impacts of housing costs, drug addiction, and violence felt by the Black community. We must understand what gentrification and redevelopment have done to our Black community. And what can we do about it? Let’s take accountability to make sure that our Black Lives Matter as native San Franciscans.

By Demetria Gigante

Click here to view the trailer for The Last Black Man in San Francisco
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