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Board marks Black History Month with awards, honors activists and community leaders
Summary
The Board of Supervisors honored a slate of community leaders, organizers and cultural figures on Feb. 24 as part of Black History Month ceremonies that highlighted both historical roots and contemporary activism, including recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Board of Supervisors held a Black History Month recognition on Feb. 24 featuring remarks by Supervisors Cohen and Breed, Al Williams of the African American Historical and Cultural Society, and a roster of community honorees.
Supervisor Cohen opened the formal commendations and introduced honorees, citing the month’s theme "Living Black History." Al Williams, executive director of the African American Historical and Cultural Society, placed the celebration in a century-long context of African American organizing and culture dating to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in 1915.
Honorees included: - Honorable Terri Jackson, Presiding Judge of the San Francisco Superior Court, recognized for her legal career, leadership on domestic-violence issues and service as the first African American woman on the San Francisco Superior Court bench. - Pamela Joyner, philanthropist and arts supporter, recognized for long-standing contributions to arts and cultural institutions and local arts philanthropy. - Elaine “Mother Jones” (Elaine Jones), community organizer from the Ramon Hotel and Tenderloin neighborhood tenant organizer, acknowledged for tenant advocacy, pedestrian-safety work and organizing neighborhood supports. - Alicia Garza and the movement Black Lives Matter were recognized by Supervisor Mar as a living movement; Garza accepted and dedicated the recognition to the movement’s larger aims of racial justice and community investment. - Lieutenant Erica Artisceros (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team coordinator, San Francisco Fire Department) received recognition for training residents and broad neighborhood emergency preparedness work. - Project Level founders (Big Rich/Ricardo Newbal and Danielle Banks) and Bebe Sweetbriar were among other honorees recognized for youth programs, arts education and nightlife/community contributions.
Multiple supervisors praised honorees’ community leadership, with remarks connecting historical advocacy to present-day organizing. Several honorees described community service and an intent to continue mentoring and program work.
Why it matters: The recognition program connected historic context to contemporary activism, honoring long-serving public‑service leaders, cultural figures and grassroots organizers. The board used the occasion to spotlight both institutional leaders (judicial and philanthropic) and grassroots movement figures.
