Bike & Roll to School Week
Monday, April 18 to Friday, April 22
Although there’s been scattered showers throughout San Francisco lately—and likely some next week—the weather’s unpredictability hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of youthful bike advocates on their way to school.
Starting Monday, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and its partners shifted their gears to focus on San Francisco’s school-aged residents. They want to ensure that kids have a safe yet fun way to get to school with the 7th annual Bike & Roll to School Week, which runs from April 18 to 22.
Artwork by SFUSD student Isabella Zeng, winner of the 2021 Bike & Roll Art Contest
“This is the first in-person Bike & Roll to School Week celebration we’ve held in two years due to the pandemic,” said Janelle Wong, the new executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
Over 50 schools citywide signed up to bike, walk, skateboard and scoot to school and have received outreach materials like posters and bike lights. Everyone who pledges to participate is also entered in giveaways to win prizes like gift certificates and bikes. “We’re thrilled to see youth across the city activate to create a more sustainable future for San Francisco,” Wong added.
Some participating parents, like Sarah Montoya from the hilly Noe Valley neighborhood, plan to get creative with Bike & Roll Week. Montoya, whose 6-year-old attends Presidio Middle School, will drive halfway, park in the Presidio and then ride with her daughter to school. “I just want her to be able to participate in this wonderful city activity,” said Montoya.
-Meaghan M. Mitchell
Vote in Assembly District 17 Runoff Election
Tuesday, April 19
Various locations
Voting by mail turn out for the April 19 runoff election is an abysmal 15%. This election between District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney and former District 9 Supervisor David Campos will determine who will represent the eastern half of San Francisco in the California State Assembly.
There’s still time to have a say in who represents you at the state level. Make sure you’re in this district (17) by typing your address here. Election Day is tomorrow, April 19, which means you have about 24 hours to do one of the following:
- Get your ballot in the mail and postmarked by April 19.
- Drop off your mail-in ballot by 8 p.m. at any of the city’s official vote-by-mail dropboxes, return it to any of the city’s polling places or to City Hall’s Voting Center anytime between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- Or vote in person between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m Tuesday. You can vote at the City Hall (even “curbside”) or look up your polling place through the city’s “Voter Portal” by typing in your address here. (CJC)
People’s Earth Day
UN Plaza, Market & Hyde St.
Friday, April 22, 10 a.m. | Free
Protesters march along Market Street during a youth climate strike on December 06, 2019 in San Francisco, California. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
San Francisco’s communities of color, particularly Bayview-Hunters Point and Treasure Island neighborhoods, have been beset by toxic waste and poor air quality for decades. This Earth Day, Youth vs. Apocalypse will again convene a youth climate strike demonstration demanding that the Board of Supervisors, Mayor London Breed, the EPA and the state’s toxic control and water agencies take action.
The group seeks environmental justice for current and former residents and workers of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and surrounding areas. If you support their cause, join the group at UN Plaza starting at 10 a.m. on Friday. (CJC)
Reaching Higher: Fundraiser for Mount Tamalpais College
The Julia Morgan Ballroom, 465 California St.
Friday, April 22, 6 p.m. | In-person: $200+; Virtual: $50
Reversing the school-to-prison pipeline is critical in California, where the reoffending rates for inmates averages around 50%, according to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. To get that number lower, Mount Tamalpais College has focused its efforts, for more than 25 years, on diverting prisons from punishment to rehabilitation. The school has provided nearly 4,000 incarcerated students with a free AA degree program and College Preparatory Program at San Quentin State Prison. This Friday, join MTC in-person or virtually for a banquet to celebrate, honor and raise financial support for their accreditation as an independent college. There will be refreshments, dinner and live entertainment for those attending in-person. (RT)
Prom Dress Giveaway
3 Embarcadero Center
Friday, April 23 & Saturday, April 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Free
It’s prom season—the one night of high school that everyone hypes up and you have nothing to wear?! Don’t let inflated dress prices stop you from attending because everyone deserves to enjoy these milestones (and look while they do). Princess Project SF, in partnership with Benefit, invites all ladies and theydies to come to this year’s prom dress giveaway. The Princess Project has dressed over 20,000 teens by providing free prom dresses and accessories to teens who otherwise would not have the means for them. These prom dress giveaways have been happening since March, but this weekend will be their last giveaway for the season. Grab an appointment to find the perfect look, and if you don’t need a dress, go volunteer! (RT)
Día De Los Niños/Día De Los Libros
Parque Niños Unidos, 3090 23rd St.
Sunday, April 24, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Free
A student browses through books in the Presidio Middle School library in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. | Photo By Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Inspired by Mexico’s “Day of the Child,” El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros celebrates children, families and literacy and has been celebrated worldwide since 1925. The U.S. version of the holiday, created by children’s book author Pat Mora, emphasizes the importance of reading for children of all linguistic backgrounds and aims to link kids and families to books from many different languages and cultures. The San Francisco Public Library hosts a local celebration in the Mission featuring stories, music, crafts and performances this weekend. (CJC)
The post This Week in Civics: Bike to School, Fight Climate Change and Celebrate Los Niños appeared first on The Paloalto Digest.
