29 Sep one month fourteen days and seven.5 hours

I have officially been in San Francisco for exactly 1 month 14 days and 7.5 hours, and I feel as though I have been precisely placed into the thick of San Francisco/Bay area living. My second day I was taking the Bart to Oakland to attend the exclusive community meeting held by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement regarding Black August, and then hours after I was heading to Oakland’s port to protest what would become a victorious 2-day action against the Israeli shipment, #blocktheboat. Within days of being in SF I met the dopest artists, activists, OGs and scholars, engaging in conversations around Israeli occupation of Palestine, California prison violence, Trans misogyny, Chican@ resistance, and so much more. Not to mention that I experienced the biggest earthquake of the bay area since the 80s, I got to see my idol Erykah Badu FOR FREE at the Haight Festival, and of course I went to fisherman’s warf, Golden Gate Bridge, the Castro Theatre and all those “must dos”.

I didn’t know what to expect from San Francisco when I first got here. To be completely transparent I came to SF pretty burnt out. I could have technically graduated last Spring, I’ve done the whole move to a new city and meet new people thang, and I am just feeling like I need a rest. But SF has been such an eye opening experience. The life in San Francisco (culture, activism, expression) is on another level than Canada. Not better or worse, just different. I feel as though on one hand I’m in the belly of the beast and shit is so real out here, but on the other hand there is this organic pulsating creativity and thriving community organizing that is both inspiring and refreshing.

I feel so honored to be so embraced and welcomed into different parts of this city and bay area. I am excited to be able to contribute and get my hands real dirty. I started work last week with a really innovative and new program at State and City College called Metro, I also started an internship in the heart of SF with the radical nonprofit organization Freedom Archives, I have so much lined up from museums to hooking up with the black student union organization here at State. I’m really curious to see where the rest of this trip takes me. I’ll keep you posted.

Peace, t