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Remember the Alemany
Vesper Society believes that a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. Every day we link arms with communities to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. We are filled with anticipation about the fall opening of the new Clinic by the Bay facility at a historic site on Onondaga Street. Clinic by the Bay was founded in 2010 in the Excelsior neighborhood, one of the oldest and most culturally diverse in San Francisco. Nearly 90,000 people remain uninsured in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, with 25% in their service area. Operating out of a small space on Mission Street, Clinic by the Bay is almost ready to move into its new facility. Here is an excerpt from their website about the wonderful history of this location. The Alemany Emergency Hospital was originally opened and dedicated on August 16, 1933. This was the last of seven emergency hospitals in the network to be built…and help address the growing community in the Excelsior district. The San Francisco Emergency Hospital System was heralded around the nation as one of the “world’s finest” and commended for their “exemplary service.” After the announcement that the hospitals would be closed in 1978, there were many demonstrations against the closure. During this movement, volunteer power allowed the hospital to continue serving people of the Excelsior. They moved into the hospital – prepared meals, slept, cleaned up, waxed the floors, did the laundry, and more. The efforts were reported as “the greatest grassroots movement in San Francisco” by the San Francisco Examiner. Unfortunately, the hospital did not survive and was closed almost 45 years to the date on August 24, 1978. Now Clinic by the Bay officially has the keys to the Historic Alemany Emergency Hospital... Read More
Celebrating Gabriela Galicia
Vesper Society links arms with leaders and communities to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. This Women’s History Month we celebrate Gabriela Galicia, executive director of Street Level Health Project, based in the Fruitvale district of Oakland, CA. Gabriela has worked in different capacities and roles at Street Level Health Project (SLHP) since 2010. The organization is entering an exciting period in its growth and we are delighted to share our conversation with Gabriela. Can you tell us about your background? I grew up in Southern California in a predominantly Latino low income, low resourced, immigrant and people of color community. I am the daughter of immigrant parents and am the first in my family to graduate from college. I attended the University of California, Berkeley and received a degree in political science with a minor in ethnic studies and a concentration in Chicano studies. During college, I learned about advocacy and community organizing, and worked on issues affecting the most vulnerable in our society. How did you become involved with SLHP? Because of my experience in college, I was hired in 2010 as the Community Connection and Empowerment Coordinator to work closely with the day labor community and then I helped to co-design and co-create our Immigrant Rights and Empowerment Program Manager position. I further developed what is now the street outreach program to the day laborers who are some of the most exploited workers. As part of this work through collaboration with the day laborer community, we founded the Oakland Workers Collective that provides a safe and empowering space for day laborers and low wage workers to receive access to education, temporary job placements and leadership development opportunities. This is the only day laborer program recognized by the AFL-CIO on the west coast.... Read More
Listening to Black Californians
Vesper Society believes a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. As Black History Month comes to a close, we share with you a recent study conducted by the California Health Care Foundation, “Listening to Black Californians: How the Health Care System Undermines Their Pursuit of Good Health. This study included in-depth interviews with 100 Black Californians, 18 focus groups, a statewide survey completed by 3,325 adult Black Californians. Here are the key findings. Black Californians are highly intentional in their pursuit of physical and mental health. Most Black Californians are insured, have a regular provider, and have had at least one visit with a health care provider in the last year. Nearly one in three Black Californians has been treated unfairly by a health care provider because of their race or ethnicity. More than one in four Black Californians avoids care due to concerns that they will be treated unfairly or with disrespect. Many Black Californians adopt measures to mitigate potential negative experiences in preparation for a health care visit. Black Californians agree on the importance of strengthening the patient-provider relationship. Black Californians have clear opinions on how to make the health care system work better for them. We encourage you to learn more by reading the publication: Listening to Black Californians: How the Health Care System Undermines Their Pursuit of Good Health – California Health Care Foundation (chcf.org) As one Black focus group participant from the Central Valley stated: “I think by having more Black people represented in the health care profession and in those positions of power and able to make the changes that we need for us…will allow us to have our voices heard and our concerns addressed better in the health care system.” When we have more long-term... Read More
Welcome new board members!
Vesper Society is delighted to welcome two leaders who join our board of directors this year: Hydeh Ghaffari and Lindsay Nako. They share Vesper’s belief in the simple idea that a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. We look forward to working with them to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. Hydeh Ghaffari is a retired partner at Squar Milner (now Baker Tilly), a nonprofit practice in Oakland, California. She has over 35 years of experience as a financial manager and 30 years as a CPA, 27 of which were with nonprofit organizations. In 1991, she started her business serving nonprofit organizations exclusively. Hydeh taught at the University of San Francisco as an adjunct faculty and conducted workshops in California and nationally for AICPA, California CPA Society, Compass Point and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Lindsay Nako is the Director of Litigation and Training for the Impact Fund, a Berkeley-based non-profit legal organization that provides grants to support impact litigation, represents individuals and groups in strategic civil rights litigation, and trains public interest attorneys in litigation skills and collective action strategies. Before joining the Impact Fund in 2015, Lindsay spent a decade as an attorney and shareholder at a private plaintiff-side employment law firm and taught as an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley School of Law. Lindsay graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Highest Honors from UC Berkeley and received her law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law. These remarkable women bring deep experience and gifts that reflect our commitment to our values of service, justice, and partnership. With their compassion and expertise on our board, we are one step closer to our vision of a world that protects human dignity and enhances human potential.... Read More
Welcome the New Year with Kid City Breezeway Project!
Vesper Society believes a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. Every day we link arms with leaders and communities to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. We are delighted to introduce the Kid City Breezeway Project to begin our new year. Located between two multi-family affordable residential buildings, Kid City transformed a stark concrete walkway into a beautiful oasis for the students and community. During the height of the pandemic, grief was palpable for many of the Kid City students and their families living in South Central Los Angeles. In a community with such immense loss, radical love was the only salve. Kid City, a youth leadership and college access program, offered welcome, respite, and friendship. The students dreamt of a place that would be tranquil and focused on the natural healing environment. They needed a space that was uncluttered, where students could let go of the stress of the day and bring that feeling of peace and equanimity to their lives. Kid City students were at the center of the design and production process to reinvent the concrete walkway. They were surrounded by a community of people who helped make their dream come true. A volunteer, Jeremy Irvine captured the vision in sketches. Professor Marcela Oliva, director of Los Angeles Trade Tech College’s Green Design and Architecture program was an inspiring catalyst. She enrolled Kid City high school students in her course and their summer class assignment included the Kid City Breezeway project. The students did their research, brainstormed, and designed; they met with landscapers, builders, and muralists. And they decided on a 140 footlong mural as the visual centerpiece of the walkway. With the design complete, over 70 volunteers from Lowe’s stores provided painting supplies and... Read More
Our Holiday Wish
As we wind down the year, we give thanks for our blessings. We remember those who have passed on. We look forward to the possibilities of the coming year. A simple and heartfelt wish for the holidays: Peace on earth, Kindness abounds, Healing and health for all. May 2023 be filled with light and love, Miyoko Oshima... Read More