Okay, not too bad.

I know Shamalovia.

You already proved you really good morning.

The meeting will come to order.

Welcome to a special June 28, 2023 reschedule meeting of the budget and appropriation committee.

I am Supervisor Connie Chan, Chair of the Committee.

I am joined by Supervisors Asha Safayi and Shaman Walton.

Our clerk is Brent Halipa, and I would like to thank uh Michael Baltazar from SFGal TV for broadcasting this meeting.

Mr.

Clerk, do you have any announcement?

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Just a friendly reminder for those in attendance.

So please make sure to sound all cell phones and electronic devices so as to not interrupt our proceedings here in the chamber.

The Board of Supervisors and its committees are convening hybrid meetings that allow in personal attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone public comment will be held on the one item on this agenda.

Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those who are waiting on telephone line for those watching remotely and streaming through SFGov TV.org.

The public comment call in number streaming across the screen, and when connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you'll be muted and in listening mode only.

Uh when public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those on telephone should start the rate to be added to the speaker line.

If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listing devices you may be using.

And each speaker will be allowed up to two minutes to speak unless otherwise stated.

Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways.

Email them to myself, the budget and appropriations committee clerk at B-R-E-N-T.jal I P A at SFgov.org.

If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file.

You may also send your written comments via U.S.

Postal Service to our office and city hall.

That's one Dr.

Carlton B.

Goodlit Place Room 244, San Francisco, California 94102.

And thank you, Madam Chair.

That concludes my announcements.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

And uh we would like to call item number one.

Yes, item number one is an ordinance appropriating 50 million from uh or of general fund general reserves uh to be uh appropriated to the human rights commission to establish the office of reparations and to implement approved recommendations in fiscal year uh 2022 to 2023 uh members of the public wish to speak on this item and have joined us remotely.

Uh press star three.

If you wish to enter the speaker line, how please continue to wait until the system indicates you have been unmuted, and that'll be your signal to begin your comments.

Madam Chair.

Thank you.

And uh Supervisor Walton, would you like to make opening remarks?

Thank you so much, Chair Chan.

Um I'll be semi-brief, but uh I just want to remind everyone on March 14th, this Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the resolution to accept the draft report of the African American Reparations and Advisory Committee, also known as the Reparations Task Force.

Also at the very same meeting, this Board of Supervisors unanimously committed to supporting reparations because of the harms done to black people here in San Francisco.

I want to thank all the task force members, the human rights commission under the direction of Dr.

Cheryl Davis and Brittany Chakada and the entire community for their continued support of this work.

I also want to send a major thanks to the entire Board of Supervisors for their support and commitment to reparations.

And to this committee, thank you for continuing this important item to be heard today.

I wanted to be sure that this was included in the final budget submitted to the mayor, and I'm glad we have an opportunity to engage on this ever so important funding for reparations in order to fund an office of reparations, which would ensure funding to fully staff the office, provide administrative and fiscal support to continue the work, provide resources to research individuals who will qualify per the committee's final recommendations for programming to continue the work of the task force that will sunset in a few months, and in order to fund some of the approved recommendations.

This work is important, and the creation of an office of reparations to start the important work is something that is extremely important to community, to my colleagues, and it is important for the betterment of this city.

As of now, we're continuing to work together on locating the resources for my previously stated purposes.

So I wish to make a motion to continue this item to the call of the chair.

Second, and uh thank you so much, Supervisor Walton.

And I just really want to state on the record that I think that the black community, as well as just communities of color all over the city in San Francisco, should be so proud to have you as our elected leader, um, but also the only black um elected member on the board of supervisors.

We're graceful to have your support, truly.

And and I think that just right before there's arrival of Supervisor Safai.

I think that we talk about how it hard it is to sort of be the only uh elected member on the board of supervisors to carry your community that is so diverse in their thinking and their way of living and all sorts, and have to share like carry that burden.

It's like so um, it's not just intellectually difficult uh at times uh in so many spaces when policy discussions um have to think about so many people, but also emotionally.

I think that it's like to stay strong to see you have fought for your people and your community is amazing, and examplinary leadership that I look up to, and I appreciate uh all that you have done.

Uh, it's not just for the black community, but for all the communities of color and the next generation of young leaders to see this is how you fight for your community, and for that I really am grateful.

Thank you.

Supervisor Safai.

Thank you.